18 replies to this topic

[BarrySimon615]

Yes, 37 continuous years dating all the way back to 1983.  Our event is the oldest annually held star party in the southeastern United States.  We have been able to do this because of our combination of amenities and dark skies.  Last fall was our first "Deep South" at the White Horse Christian Retreat Camp.  This location is about 3 miles west of Mississippi Hwy 35 about 10 miles south of Columbia, MS and 22 miles north of Bogalusa, LA.  At this location we enjoy (on the best of nights) Bortle 3 skies with a NELM of 6.6 to 6.7.  In addition this site has good horizons which gives us a well placed Omega Centaurus when we do our smaller "Spring Scrimmage" in April.

 

"White Horse" is used as a summer camp so it has bunk houses, bathrooms, etc.  It also has a game room with two pool tables, a dart board, foosball and air hockey.  In the main building, used for meals, "White Horse" offers meal service and this is also where your internet connection will be best.  Outside there is plenty of room to set up and there are five 30 amp outlets set up for rv or camper use.  There are other outlets that can be used, given long extension lines if anyone wants to run a mount on ac power.

 

The Deep South will run from Tuesday, October 22nd to Sunday, October 27th.

 

In addition we will be doing a somewhat informal Labor Day Weekend Star Party which will run from Friday, August 30th to Monday, September 1st.  Details and pictures for both events can be found at:   http://dssg.boards.net/

 

Thanks for checking us out!

 

Barry Simon, Director

Deep South Star Gaze

Edited by BarrySimon615, 04 August 2019 - 08:04 AM.

[Dynan]

My pier is only 8 miles (crow flight plan) north from this camp. I can attest to great, not perfect, skies. A bit of glow from Foxworth and Columbia to the East, but very manageable. At the camp it might be more to the NE. The Milky Way is clearly visible, and good darkness north and south. Only been bitten by fog once, after a very rainy, warm day....bitten by skeeters way, way more often, the tiny blighters! The pine trees around for miles helps the seeing stabilize nicely.

 

The amount of light I pollute the evening with precludes me from attending...I'm still a beginner, getting familiar with my new setup. Even on lowest settings, my laptop is like a lighthouse, when I need to look at it. And my ES ED127CF is at the eye doctor's (Explore) right now to check on its chromatic aberration. Hopefully back soon.

 

Would like to stop in for a visit and meet some fellow CN'ers and astronomers, though. Is that allowed? I'd keep my vehicle outside the light exclusion zone and hike in before dark.

 

Clear Skies!

[BarrySimon615]

Dynan wrote:

 

The amount of light I pollute the evening with precludes me from attending...I'm still a beginner, getting familiar with my new setup. Even on lowest settings, my laptop is like a lighthouse, when I need to look at it. And my ES ED127CF is at the eye doctor's (Explore) right now to check on its chromatic aberration. Hopefully back soon.

 

Would like to stop in for a visit and meet some fellow CN'ers and astronomers, though. Is that allowed? I'd keep my vehicle outside the light exclusion zone and hike in before dark.

 

To truly see the sky at it's full potential from wherever you observe you really need to shield your laptop screen if using it in conjunction with a telescope.  Various dealers sell red shields for laptop screens (check out AstroGizmos.com).  You can also get a little tent or cover to shield your laptop from others.  A laptop without a cover or red screen is a definite "no-no" at an event like ours and virtually all others. However that can all be fixed very quickly with a little work on the computer and a credit card.

 

Regarding visiting - you will see on our registration form that there is a day use fee and that is what would apply in respect to the fee we would have to pay to White Horse.  Additionally there is the registration fee due to us.  This may sound a bit steep but we do have expense obligations to White Horse and we do have to pay for what we offer to attendees in regard to programs and door prizes.

 

Barry Simon

[sanbai]

A friend of mine and I will try to attend on Saturday Oct 26th. I'll try to clarify my agenda soon.

 

Clear Skies!

Edited by Santiago Barroso, 18 August 2019 - 10:32 PM.

[Seaquel47]

We used to live in Hattiesburg and we will be back in Mississippi for a wedding just before this star party.  I went to the dssg boards but cannot open any of the attachments because I am a guest.  I would like to get more info.  In particular is there a place nearby to park a 36' motorhome?  Thanks.

[BarrySimon615]

Seaquel47 and others -

 

I will try to attach a registration form here.  I may have to change one to a jpeg first, but one way or the other I will get it done.  Regarding your motor home - that should be no problem.  The owner of the property has a couple of trailers on site.  The road leading in off of Hurricane Creek Road is a straight but hilly gravel road and they were able to get their single wides down the road.  Last year we had a few rv's/campers that made it in without problems.  There are about six 30 amp connects set aside for rigs like yours.

 

Barry Simon

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Attached Files

•  DSSG 2019 Fall Registration and Liability Form.doc   107.5KB   12 downloads

[BarrySimon615]

Here is a document outlining our basic rules and regulations (basically this is about use of light and where to park and set up.  I am also posting here an image from above looking west -

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•  DSSG_2019 Field Rules and Regulations.doc   39.5KB   13 downloads

Edited by BarrySimon615, 11 September 2019 - 09:05 AM.

[BarrySimon615]

Interesting tidbit of information.  I just realized that the only atomic bomb tests east of the Mississippi River will see their 55th Anniversary on the 1st day of this year's Deep South Star Gaze.  The first detonation happened on October 22nd, 1964 and these tests were in an underground salt dome about 15 or so miles away from the site of our DSSG at the White Horse Retreat Camp.  Not to worry, none of us have 3 eyes and webbed feet.  The ground and the trees do not glow in the dark.

 

For more information see:  https://www.youtube....h?v=M0bnyKcwT0k

 

There are a lot of other videos around this one, longer and with more detail.

 

Barry Simon

[BarrySimon615]

In this post and in subsequent posts I am attaching three images of our setup at White Horse for the Deep South Star Gaze.

 

We still have room for campers, rv's and tent campers as well as 15 bunk spaces left as of this afternoon.

 

See the images.

 

Barry Simon, Director

Deep South Star Gaze

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[BarrySimon615]

Where the living facilities are -

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[BarrySimon615]

One more .........

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[BarrySimon615]

First Annual Simon Pegg Film Festival at the

37th Annual Deep South Star Gaze

 

Some will remember Simon Pegg as the new "Scotty" in the reboot of the Star Trek movies.

Schedule as needed and weather dependent.  All are free to bring additional movies.

 

 

Paul

www.imdb.com/title/tt1092026/videoplayer/vi3516832537?ref_=tt_ov_vi

 

Absolutely Anything

www.imdb.com/title/tt1727770/videoplayer/vi1219473433?ref_=tt_ov_vi

 

Burke and Hare

www.imdb.com/title/tt1320239/videoplayer/vi3984300313?ref_=tt_ov_vi

 

Shaun of the Dead

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIfcaZ4pC-4

 

and for something different, but astronomy and space program related -

 

The Dish

www.imdb.com/title/tt0205873/videoplayer/vi3817537817?ref_=nv_sr_1_v_2

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Edited by BarrySimon615, 17 October 2019 - 07:47 AM.

[Dynan]

Well, Barry, you had nice clear nights Tuesday and Wednesday, but the seeing left something to be desired. Nice and chilly...43°F where I was a few miles away.

 

Clouds rolled in today (Thursday) and supposed to rain for a few days. At least you have movies to watch, equipment to discuss (and possibly drool over), and lies tales to swap.

 

Hope you and the attendees make out ok!

[BarrySimon615]

Two very good nights so far and the seeing was good here except when the planets were low. Cloudy/rainy now but maybe we might get a break late on Saturday.

Barry Simon

[BarrySimon615]

Our first two nights (10-22 and 10-23) were beautiful.  Great conditions, but since then RAIN!  We could be clearing tomorrow afternoon and Saturday evening could be fairly good, albeit with wet ground.  Some may stay an extra night if Sunday looks promising.

 

I am posting a few drone shots from Wednesday.

 

Images taken by Philip Wollenberg, a fellow Pontchartrain Astronomy Society member.

 

 

Barry Simon

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Edited by BarrySimon615, 25 October 2019 - 07:55 PM.

[BarrySimon615]

Here are two simple single exposure jpeg exposures from Tuesday night.  Each one is a 4 minute exposure at ISO 1600 with a TMB 130 SS reduced to f/5.6.

 

Barry Simon

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[BarrySimon615]

Catching 50 to 60 mph winds right now from Tropical Storm Olga. What an adventure!

Barry Simon

[lphilpot]

Panorama of the observing field taken Wednesday, October 23:

 

 

Olga took care of the rest of the days, unless it actually cleared Saturday night (after I left that morning).

[sanbai]

Panorama of the observing field taken Wednesday, October 23:



Olga took care of the rest of the days, unless it actually cleared Saturday night (after I left that morning).

Well, on Saturday we only had like 30 min of partial clear sky around 8 pm. Then, only clouds.
Hopefully next time I can enjoy this incredible location.