19 replies to this topic

[rguasto]

Usually May 1st but opened a few days early this year.

[George N]

OK I is **registered** for 2024 - early arrival on Thursday, plus camping!

 

Ya need extra 'Stella-$$' this year!! One person,camping, all 3 nights = $119

 

At NEAF I asked Dr Mario if they garuntee clear nights this year - he refered me to the new Prez - but I already knew the answer!  

 

This will be my 29th Convention - I only missed the one they didn't have thanks to covid.

 

See ya all on Breezy Hill

[impreza276]

Stupid question: How does one purchase early entry and camping? I purchased the registration, but can't figure how to add early/camping.

[rguasto]

On the Eventbrite site, Just scroll down. They're just underneath the registration choices.

-Rob

Edited by rguasto, 09 June 2024 - 09:23 PM.

[impreza276]

On the Eventbrite site, Just scroll down. They're just underneath the registration choices.

-Rob

Ah, I totally did not see the scroll bar. Thanks!

[Dave Mitsky]

A Paperless Convention
 

Most conferences and conventions have eliminated printed programs and information in favor of providing downloadable and printable documents for attendees. The Stellafane Convention is adopting this model this year, and you will NOT be given printed material as you check in at the gate. If you want such material, you should download it to your mobile device or print it BEFORE you arrive.
 

We will post compact schedules in every major building or display them on monitors. As always, this information is available online, but WiFi and Mobile service is not available in many locations at Stellafane, which is why we urge you to download offline copies to you device before arriving.

 

https://stellafane.o...4-schedule.html

[George N]

A Paperless Convention
 

.........but WiFi and Mobile service is not available in many locations at Stellafane, which is why we urge you to download offline copies to you device before arriving.

 

https://stellafane.o...4-schedule.html

Suprized and not suprized! I was expecting this to happen some year. It's gotta cut down on their expenses and a lot of work too.

 

I can only get decent (most of the time) cell connection at the NcGregor Observatory - or just down the field. But then sometimes it's just a very poor connection that drops, In earlier times - they would let you make paid calls from the Bunkhouse - but not any more.

 

On the lther hand - last two years - I've gotten excellent WiFi out of the Bunkhouse - and other locations. But if everyone starts using it a lot - it will probably jam up.

[Dave Mitsky]

https://www.youtube....h?v=y_65eH_5TOg

[George N]

Only short people can eat this year! 

 

Live webcam capture - July 22, 2024 --
~
 

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[impreza276]

Weather roulette is open for the event. We're still out some days but the weather is showing a decent possibility of some thunderstorms from Friday.

[George N]

Weather roulette is open for the event. We're still out some days but the weather is showing a decent possibility of some thunderstorms from Friday.

Smoke anyone? High humidity, high heat index? Be prepared to deal with the heat - and yer scope dew heaters on max for those clear spells. Seriously - if you are in the age range that 90+ degree temps and high humidity can be a health risk - be prepared to cool off in the shade or head to town during the heat of the afternoon. Don't get ill trying to walk around on those hills. If it gets too hot - I look forward to a nice rain shower to cool things off. Do they still have that cold water shower station along one of the trails down to the swap meet area? I'll bring a bathing suit just in case - but the final 'thing' Stellafane needs to make the site truly great is a warm water shower station.

 

While it's still too early to get excited about Stella-rains, Green Mountain Lightning Boltz, etc at Stellafane - combining the long-range forecasts with weather in general this summer -- plus a nice cool and clear sky forecast for this coming weekend at Cherry Springs - I'm seriously thinking of packing my truck and heading to Cherry Springs for a few nights (moon rise around 1 AM) - drive home and exchange dirty clothes for clean ones - leave truck packed - head to Stellafane after enough observing that I'll be OK with mediocre weather. Stellafane is so much more than just observing. Even a rainy night can be fun listening to all the 'talks' on Friday night and the main presentation on Saturday night.

[George N]

Observing Olympics - 2024 -- the pdf files are ready here: https://stellafane.o...-observing.html

 

Last year was all planetary nebulae - this year all open clusters and asterisms - some of them are NGC/IC objects (and M-11, M-29, and M-73 are on the list!!). However, many are from those 'secondary catalogs' like Ruprecht or Berkeley. Perhaps this is a "small scope" year?

 

The binocular list looks interesting too.

 

Download and print - and use them later if we are all at Rain-a-fane 2024.

 

Also - remember - nothing printed given out this year - you need to download and print - or store the files on your 'device'.

[impreza276]

Looks like a few afternoon thunderstorms during the event days, otherwise dry. The seeing is not looking great.

 

I'm half looking for a reason to bail and avoid the 8 hour drive, but it's the telescopes I want to see!

Edited by impreza276, 30 July 2024 - 07:57 AM.

[geovermont]

If you forget to print a schedule there will be large ones posted around at multiple sites and you can snap a couple of photos of them to refer to.

[George N]

Looks like a few afternoon thunderstorms during the event days, otherwise dry. The seeing is not looking great.

 

I'm half looking for a reason to bail and avoid the 8 hour drive, but it's the telescopes I want to see!

I keep tryin' to come up with a reason to skip this year too! 

 

Unless they increase the severity of the 'thunder' forecasts - they will be survivable - but it's the high humidity and heat index (well into the 90's) that has me concerned. At 77 I'm not a "young stargazer" anymore - so walking those hills in those conditions, setting up a tent and scope, -- could be a problem for me. Not to mention that if the forecasts are wrong and they get 8-inches of rain in a storm like just happened in North end of the state - and there's only one dirt road in/out --- <imagination runs wild>. At least so far the forecasts are not for the drenching hours of rain like a few past years. I remember one sitting in the old tent for Saturday night - not being able to hear the raffle ticket calls because of the pounding rain on the tent - and lucky to have waterproof boots in the mud puddle I was sitting in. I had to break camp Sunday morning in pounding rain - everything including me drenched. I was in my 50's then - so not that big a deal.

 

At least three years my buddy and I have packed up Saturday morning - ready to roll - but stayed thru the evening presentation and then headed out in the dark, rain, and lightning boltz. Got home around 3am - almost no gas because lots of gas stations close late night.

 

Only reason I'm still likely to go is the fact that -- similar weather forecasts for Cherry Springs Star Party 2024 were well off the mark and they had some clear skies even. Alas, those forecasts were *right* for my packing time. If I had gone, I'd be packing my truck at home in pounding rain and thunderstorms. 

[impreza276]

By the way, is there a copy of the Porter garden Telescope on display at Stellafane?

[George N]

Oh..... I should mention that - tucked away in all those awful weather forecasts is one encouraging note -- all the forecasters have Thursday night as 'clear' to 'partly cloudy' - maybe good enough to find those "Hidden Gems" and get an observing pin? - but the dew heaters will be runnin' on 'high'. Their may be a 'forlorn hope' for a clear period Friday night? Maybe? .....but both Fri and Sat nights are looking pretty poor.

[George N]

By the way, is there a copy of the Porter garden Telescope on display at Stellafane?

They have one - set it up on the wall in front of the Pink Clubhouse a few times - but most years it's kept over in the Hartness House Telescope Museum (https://stellafane.o...useum-home.html) - which you should definitely consider visiting. It is open several periods. I always have stopped in around mid-day on Sunday before driving home. Look at the schedule pages for times Hartness House museum is open. Look for a map on how to get there on the Stellafane website - it's on the East side of Springfield - you have to drive down thru town and up a hill.

Edited by George N, 31 July 2024 - 09:29 AM.

[unitron_man]

I can't make it this year due to a family commitment

 

FYI even though forecast is clear for tonight (Thursday) the smoke forecast from astrospheric looks bad.

 

 

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Edited by unitron_man, 01 August 2024 - 04:26 AM.

[impreza276]

My attempt to 3D scan the Porter Garden Telescope at Stellafane yesterday, using a Creality CR Scan Ferret. This was only my third time using the device and I am probably not using it well The club staff were very gracious and accommodating to let me have a go at scanning the telescope. It was set up for exhibition so, as is obvious from the scan, I couldn't get round the back. If you would like to visit Stellafane and try your hand scanning it, please contact the webmaster at the Stellafane site. They would be very interested, if you can share a copy of the scanned model with them. What an amazing event - if you are an ATMer, do what you can to make it there by hook or crook!