snorkler
Aperture Aficionado
Reged: 10/11/04
Posts: 8370
Loc: Bay Area, California
|
|
See this breaking news. It looks like I'll be doing the first Golden State Star Party this year, along with most of the Bay Area astronomy folks.
[edited thread title...]
--------------------
The greatest danger in the dark is your weak heart. Have you done 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise today or yesterday?
Mileage above accumulated over 5000 miles!
Best trip 163 miles @ 52.6 mpg = 219% of EPA est. mileage!
Wife's car, driven by me only on long trips
Edited by StarAngel (02/04/07 09:42 AM)
|
Alvin Huey
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/18/05
Posts: 1569
Loc: NorCal
|
|
Saw that earlier. And I'm heading there too. I attended a couple Lassen Star Parties in the past and it is way darker than SSP. Typical NELM is 7.5
--------------------
Clear Skies,
Alvin #26
22" f/4.1 reflector, 30" f/4.3 StarMaster and Antares 6" f/6.5 on Orion SVP
FaintFuzzies | TAC | TAC-Sac
|
snorkler
Aperture Aficionado
Reged: 10/11/04
Posts: 8370
Loc: Bay Area, California
|
|
Wow! I could get to like dark skies like that. It's going to be a hassle taking down my scope every morning and setting it out every evening.
--------------------
The greatest danger in the dark is your weak heart. Have you done 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise today or yesterday?
Mileage above accumulated over 5000 miles!
Best trip 163 miles @ 52.6 mpg = 219% of EPA est. mileage!
Wife's car, driven by me only on long trips
|
Alvin Huey
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/18/05
Posts: 1569
Loc: NorCal
|
|
Yeah but for what we get it is worth it. 
It is sometimes a full magnitude darker. It was at Lassen NP where I saw M-81 naked eye for the first time.
--------------------
Clear Skies,
Alvin #26
22" f/4.1 reflector, 30" f/4.3 StarMaster and Antares 6" f/6.5 on Orion SVP
FaintFuzzies | TAC | TAC-Sac
|
Dwight
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 04/06/04
Posts: 928
Loc: Silicon Valley, CA
|
|
Post deleted by Pegster.
Edited by square_peg (02/07/07 06:55 PM)
|
BryceSkies
member
Reged: 03/06/05
Posts: 24
|
|
It is great to hear of others experiencing true Bortle Class 1/2 skies and seeing M81 naked eye. I first exprienced this in Death Valley three years ago. I got a bit of ridicule before I heard of others who have also seen it. Hope to see it again this Spring in Bryce.
By the way, the National Park Service is in the midst of a survey of sky conditions at Lassen Volcanic NP. Relevant for all those Golden State Star Party attendees.
|
Alvin Huey
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/18/05
Posts: 1569
Loc: NorCal
|
|
Hey Chad,
Nice hearing from you! Remember me at TSP last year? I was one of Darrell's observing buddies with the 30" Starmaster setup next or near you.
Do you have some prelim results from Lassen?
Alvin
--------------------
Clear Skies,
Alvin #26
22" f/4.1 reflector, 30" f/4.3 StarMaster and Antares 6" f/6.5 on Orion SVP
FaintFuzzies | TAC | TAC-Sac
|
121601
super member
Reged: 08/18/04
Posts: 104
|
|
Quote:
See this breaking news.
SSP2007 will be from July 9-16 which overlaps with GSP2007 (http://www.shingletownstarparty.net/). 
--------------------
IDA Member
Keep writing those politicians to save our dark skies! Support the 101StoptheCasino Coalition
|
miniventures
Something Else
Reged: 09/13/03
Posts: 11078
Loc: Powell Butte, Central Oregon
|
|
This ought to be interesting to watch---especially because of the fact that the SAC party can only support 150 folks.
--------------------
LarryC
Volunteer
http://www.sunrivernaturecenter.org
|
121601
super member
Reged: 08/18/04
Posts: 104
|
|
Quote:
This ought to be interesting to watch---especially because of the fact that the SAC party can only support 150 folks.
The Shingletown Airstrip is ideal for those with RVs and large scopes since people could leave their setups there without tear down - a real inconvinience for amateurs with larger aperture scopes.
The other attractive feature with Shingletown is that the arrangement allows for better socialization and interaction among participants since all scopes are within a long array.
At Lassen, the three designated sites are quite far from each other.
--------------------
IDA Member
Keep writing those politicians to save our dark skies! Support the 101StoptheCasino Coalition
|
snorkler
Aperture Aficionado
Reged: 10/11/04
Posts: 8370
Loc: Bay Area, California
|
|
It looks like there will be two competing star parties for northern Californians that same week in July. One is Shingletown Star party, run by the Shingletown merchants and a new volunteer group of astronomers. Second choice is Golden State Star Party, run by the original Shingletown Star Party founding group of astronomers.
--------------------
The greatest danger in the dark is your weak heart. Have you done 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise today or yesterday?
Mileage above accumulated over 5000 miles!
Best trip 163 miles @ 52.6 mpg = 219% of EPA est. mileage!
Wife's car, driven by me only on long trips
|
121601
super member
Reged: 08/18/04
Posts: 104
|
|
Quote:
It looks like there will be two competing star parties for northern Californians that same week in July.
I trully regret that it will turn out to be a competition. I suspect that Shingletown will be more favored because its overall layout and location is more suitable for a large public star party.
Mt. Lassen's skies are definitely better based on my lone experience in 2004. It was so good, I went there twice in the same year.
Given the large number of amateur astronomer groups in the greater Northern CA, one would hope that a more concerted, unified and galvanized effort would be devoted to addressing the real issue which is light pollution. Already, a number of Southwestern states have enacted light protection laws. Here in Northern CA, the sky keeps getting redder. When I was at Mt. Lassen in 2004, I already saw some degree of sky glow from the direction of Redding even from 6000 ft. Last year, I noted a large number of development with totally unshielding lighting sweeping the areas near Shingletown. In fact at a few points near the airport, there were annoying light posts which glittered the adjacent areas with white glare.
Who knows, in a few years, Mt. Lassen and Shingletown will be CSC green and yellow. When that time comes, the true ownership or origins of both star parties will be irrelevant.
--------------------
IDA Member
Keep writing those politicians to save our dark skies! Support the 101StoptheCasino Coalition
|
snorkler
Aperture Aficionado
Reged: 10/11/04
Posts: 8370
Loc: Bay Area, California
|
|
Now I'm leaning towards Shingletown. I sure don't want to tear down my scope every day and set it up every evening.
[link to SAC story removed at poster's request]
--------------------
The greatest danger in the dark is your weak heart. Have you done 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise today or yesterday?
Mileage above accumulated over 5000 miles!
Best trip 163 miles @ 52.6 mpg = 219% of EPA est. mileage!
Wife's car, driven by me only on long trips
Edited by StarAngel (02/10/07 10:40 AM)
|
~Steph~
Texas Wildflower
Reged: 06/11/05
Posts: 21743
Loc: North Texas
|
|
Not a scolding or anything, just a pre-emptive thought that I'm sure wasn't even necessary  -- providing links to this info is absolutely fine, but let's not get into discussing any of the issues involved between the two groups and who's right and who's wrong. That's not our purpose here.
Feel free to continue discussing the differences between the two sites and how the details of the star parties might persuade you to go to one or the other, etc., however.
--------------------
Steph
10" RCX400 ~~ 4" TV102 ~~ WO ZS80FD ~~ PST
Serenity Observatory 
HansenAstro | CN Member Websites
|
snorkler
Aperture Aficionado
Reged: 10/11/04
Posts: 8370
Loc: Bay Area, California
|
|
I've viewed with people from both groups. I wish them all dark, clear skies.
--------------------
The greatest danger in the dark is your weak heart. Have you done 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise today or yesterday?
Mileage above accumulated over 5000 miles!
Best trip 163 miles @ 52.6 mpg = 219% of EPA est. mileage!
Wife's car, driven by me only on long trips
|
Alvin Huey
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/18/05
Posts: 1569
Loc: NorCal
|
|
Quote:
This ought to be interesting to watch---especially because of the fact that the SAC party can only support 150 folks.
Quick correction: SSP (hosted by SAC) can handle far more than 150 folks while the GSSP can handle only 150.
--------------------
Clear Skies,
Alvin #26
22" f/4.1 reflector, 30" f/4.3 StarMaster and Antares 6" f/6.5 on Orion SVP
FaintFuzzies | TAC | TAC-Sac
|
miniventures
Something Else
Reged: 09/13/03
Posts: 11078
Loc: Powell Butte, Central Oregon
|
|
Whoops, thanks for that Alvin--my mistake.
--------------------
LarryC
Volunteer
http://www.sunrivernaturecenter.org
|
121601
super member
Reged: 08/18/04
Posts: 104
|
|
Quote:
By the way, the National Park Service is in the midst of a survey of sky conditions at Lassen Volcanic NP. Relevant for all those Golden State Star Party attendees.
Where can we access these findings when they come out?
Thanks.
--------------------
IDA Member
Keep writing those politicians to save our dark skies! Support the 101StoptheCasino Coalition
|
Rich N
Post Laureate
Reged: 09/22/04
Posts: 5351
Loc: San Francisco Bay Area, Calif...
|
|
Depending on how the mods feel about it, I suggest the subject line of this thread be changed since it is inaccurate. There will
be a Shingletown Star Party this year.
I've been to a number of the Lassen star parties and at least the first three SSP events. Last year I was on the SSP organizing
committee up until about a month and a half before the event. I found out I wouldn't be able to attend the SSP and had to spend
time on another project. I wanted the committee to have time to replace me with someone who would be attending the SSP.
I agree with StarAngle about not getting into a discussion of who is right and who is wrong. I will say that you aren't getting
the GSSP side, for that reason, and that's fine with me. I would also say that in my opinion the change this year at the SSP had
nothing to do with the quality of last year's Shingletown star party. The people who did attend last year's SSP said it was the
best SSP.
One reason we moved from Lassen to Shingletown was that the Lassen events were so successful we needed more room. One thing
different about this year's Lassen (GSSP) we will have one entire, very large, campground for our group. If we have more people
attending then there are the several other camp sites at Lassen for the extra attendees. The two sites, Shingletown and Lassen,
are very different. I much prefer Lassen even though it means I have to spend 30 minutes setting up and then 30 minutes taking down
my refractor. Even when I attended the SSP I spent most of the day at Lassen. I've found the Lassen star parties much more fun from
the point of view of a social event because of the way the camping was set up. I have many fond memories of star parties at Lassen.
All the best,
Rich
|
~Steph~
Texas Wildflower
Reged: 06/11/05
Posts: 21743
Loc: North Texas
|
|
Quote:
I will say that you aren't getting the GSSP side, for that reason,
Rich, if you have a link to some *official* document posted by the GSSP group that gives 'their side' of the story, you can add that link. It's only fair to allow links to both sides. All I ask is that discussions of those 'sides of the story' on both sides, who's right, who's wrong, etc. stay off of CN. In the end, it's all speculation on the part of anyone not directly involved (and likely some of them too, really ).
And you have a valid point about the thread title, it hadn't even occurred to me.  Thanks for that.
--------------------
Steph
10" RCX400 ~~ 4" TV102 ~~ WO ZS80FD ~~ PST
Serenity Observatory
HansenAstro | CN Member Websites
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit
Reply
Quote
[Re: 