Telescope Reviews: WUTS '07 (Laramie, WY

If you missed WUTS this year, you missed some FANTASTIC (not strong enough a word) viewing. Skies were phenomenal, all but for about an hour Saturday evening when some clouds blew through. The Milky Way was visible horizon to horizon, dark lanes and all, the North American Nebula was clearly naked eye visible as were the Andromeda Galaxy, the Whirlpool, and other DSOs that normally require at least binoculars or a decent scope.

The weather was also PERFECT, the evenings were cool, but not cold and although it was windy during the day (more on that coming up) it calmed down in the evenings with just enough light breeze to help keep the few mosquitoes that inhabit "Mountain Home National Park" from 'bugging' us.

I have come to belive "Wyoming" is an ancient native American word for "Windy"... During the mornings especially and until late afternoon it was windy. So much so it blew my FC-100 and tripod down Friday morning. The FC saddle separated from the mount as the bolts pulled from the plate (which fortunately probably absorbed some of the impact. When I got to the scope and picked it up (still in the protective dacron shroud cover) there was a "tinkling" noise that my fears thought was the FC's lens. Upon closer inspection, I discovered it was simply the lens cap :whew:.

The Perseids. WOW!

is about the least I can say about them from FoxPark. There were dozens, perhaps hundreds over the 3 nights I was there. When we'd get tired of standing at the scopes observing, we'd just lay back in chaise lounges and watch the skies. We saw "grazers", "verticals", "streakers" and even had a couple of "poppers".

The speakers were entertaining and informative, and I enjoyed them thoroughly, as did the audience. Even the middle school kids that were there as a group were enchanted and engaged by the speakers.

My ONLY disappointments were 2:
1. The T-shirts that were available this year were pretty unimagniative.
2. There was ONLY one vendor.

Believe me, the skies were simply outstanding so that made up for a lack of vendors and the t-shirt.

I haven't seen the official numbers yet, but I think the count was 158 astronomers with 200+ scopes and about 1400" total aperture. No bears or moose this year, but a LOT of little 7-striped ground squirrels (chipmonks), a few flies, the occasional mosquito (I got ZERO bites using Cutter's Advanced), and some very cool looking 'blue metalflake' beetles.

I'm going next year, hope to see some of you there... I'll post pictures when I get them, "KenTak" and a couple of others should have some also...

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"Dark Skies & Great Viewing"

RandyR / NQ0R
GPS 9.25 XLT/Sky Align /FeatherTouch
TV85 w/FeatherTouch