2011 Convention Photo Gallery

Pre-Convention

A lot goes on in the week before convention, which we call pre-convention, and this year we are again going to share some photos of some of the activities the occur before most of your arrive. Club members a dedicated group of volunteers get a lot of work done before we open on Thursday afternoon.

Trees: We took down a couple of dangerous trees that had sustained damage over the winter in the ice storm.  Good logs were saved for a sawmill.

The tractor waits to push slash into the woods. Tree Down

John Martin removes limbs. John Martin

Domed Observatory seen through the downed tree. Dome & Tree

Gary Cislak moves in with his chain saw. Gary Cislak

The clean up crew gets out of the way as the (unseen) tractor moves in. Clean-up Crew

Dave Tabor checks e-mail while the tractor works. Dave Tabor

Ice Cream: Wednesday evening after soup the yearly meeting of the “Stellafane Crankers" got together at Jim & Martie Erickson's campsite. We had some new members Kevin Walsh and daughter Miranda, Dave Tabor with family, Carl Malikowski, and Nate Kolsky. There was a very good "turn" out and everyone enjoyed the fruit of their labor. Cranky Attendees were: Dave Tabor and family, Jim Flood and family, Dick Parker, Mario & Helen Antonucci, Stephen and Deanna Forbes, and Kevin Walsh. It is too bad that Walt & Linda Wheeler were not able to be there. Walt was the founder of this tradition Cranking ice cream is almost as good as pushing glass (maybe better on a warm summer evening!).

Dave Tabor helps Miranda Walsh as friends Aidan, Declan, and Rowan Flood watch Dave Tabor	Dave and Samantha Tabor Dave & Samantha	Dave Tabor & Carl Malikowski Dave & Carl	Mario Antonucci cranks, Dave Tabor holds Mario & Dave	Dave Tabor cranks, Mario Antonucci holds Dave & Mario
	Jim Flood and Carl Malikowski Jim & Carl	Nate Kolsky, his first time at Stellafane Nate Kolsk	Stephen Forbes (Martie's son) Stephen Forbes	Enjoying the fruits of their labor Enjoyable!	Jim Erickson cleans the Dasher (Yumm!). Dick Parker in the background. Jim & Dick

Miscellaneous: Other photos from Pre-Convention

Painting the McGregor Observatory Painting	Replacing the Little Man Logo from the front of the McGregor Observatory Replacing	The temporary orange plastic fence was replaced with this wooden fence using lumber from our saw mill New Fence	What did that sign on the right say? What Sign?	Tuthill Towers is now a solar lumber drying facility (left behind door). We cleaned out the right side for lumber storage Tuthill Towers	Dave Siegrist installs pavers Dave Siegrist
We hiked up Hawks Mountain on Tuesday. See here for details. Hawks Hikers	Plaque on the summit of Hawks Moutnain, 1922. See here for details. 1922 Plaque	John Martin adjusts the club's sawmill. Sawmill	President Jeff Lowe in "John's Room" in the pavilion. Jeff Lowe	A quiet clubhouse waits for convetion to start. Clubhouse	A lonely Porter Turret Telescope waits for convention to start. Turret Telescope

Convention: Breezy Hill

On Breezy Hill we have the telescope competition, the Stellafane Clubhouse and the Porter Turret Telescope.

Walking along the road to Breezy Hill and Stellafane... On to Breezy Hill!	...we first encounter this new sign... New Sign	...and then the trees open and we are here! We made it!	The Breezy Hill telescope field early (9:45am) on Saturday morning. 9:45am Sat.	The Porter Turret Teelescope surrounded by conventioneers. Porter Turret	Al Sliski's Binolculars looking west from the clubhouse. Bino-View
Iliana Filby and Gabe DeLuca work at the competition registration table. Iliana & Gabe	This cutie was the officail mascot of the judging support team this year. Judging Mascot	Steve Dodson in the doorway of the Porter Turret Telescope. Steve Dodson	Steve Dodson shows guests sunspots in the Porter Turret Telescope. Steve & Sunspots	Sunspot Closeup. Sunspots	Looking at the back of the primary at the end of the boom on the Porter Turret. Turret Primary
Jay Drew snaps a photo while seated in front of the clubhouse Jay Drew...	Jay Drew washes pots from Thursday night's club dinner. ...Washes Pots	Gabe DeLuca and Ken Slater taking the official scope photos of those in the competition. Gabe & Ken	Carl Malikowski & Liz Sharpe prepare to start the Telescope Field Walk. Field Walk	Dennis Cassia, Roger Sinnot and John Bortle on Breezy Hill. Old Friends	Club members Jim Daley, Tom Spirock and Bert Willard in the clubhouse. In the Clubhouse
A big crowd turned out for the Solar System Walk. Solar Sys. Walk	Ken Launie displayed these two old telescopes, read about them in the next photo. Old Scopes...	About the old scopes in the previous photo. ...Explained	A cored primary on display. Cored Primary	Lance Clarke's Red Striped Scope. Striped	A nice meatl refractor with a corrugated tube. Corrugated
Bruce Beford with his scope. Bruce Beford	Sydney H. Mabry with her scope. Sydney Mabry	A Questar on an equitorial wedge. Questar	Paul Valleli (standing) shows off his light weight scope. Paul Valleli	Trees are reflected in the Porter Turret Telescope's primary mirror as it tracks the sun. PTT Primary	President Jeff Lowe on the telescope field. Jeff Lowe
Mechancial Judges examine an entry. Judging	Larry Shaper relaxes between his two scopes. Larry Shaper			Milky Way over Breezy Hill by Dennis di Cicco Milky Way over Breezy Hill	Milky Way over the Clubhousel by Dennis di Cicco Milky Way over the Clubhouse

McGregor Observatory & Main Observing Field

Day parking has not filled up yet in this early morning shot. Empty Lot	Scopes on the main observing field. Observing Field	Dr. Kris Larsen presiding over the childrens activities. Kids Activities	A young visitor to the domed observatory. Girl in Dome	Ryan takes a look though a solar scope. Solar Viewing	Dan looks though a Coronado PST. Solar Viewing
Resting and reading in the shade. Resting	Ray Morits in his black jeep. Ray Morits	This group is excited about something (sorry, I don't know what this was all about). Solar Group		Looking north from the second floor of the bunkhouse, star trails and much activiy on the main observing field. Photo by Dennis di Cicco, processing by Sean Walker. Star Trails	The Milky Way parallels the 13' Schupmann. Photo by Dennis di Cicco. Schupman

Bunkhouse, Food Tent, Amphitheater and Pavilion.

Erin Lowe works in the Tee Shirt sales area. Tee Shirts	Patrick Dodson waits for a Smoothie or Lemonade. Lemonade	The chicken bar-b-que cooking on Saturday afternoon. Bar-B-Que	Young adult activities in the amphitheater. Young Adults		John Briggs donated this 24" Alvin Clark Corp. mirror and telescope to the club last year. 24" Clark Mirror
Dave Kelly explains how the Focault Tester works. Testing	Dave Kelly talks about figuring. Dave Kelly	Dave Kelly explains the testing and figuring process. Explaining	Paul Valleli aligns his Bath Interferometer (Duct tape at the ready!). Alignment	Paul Valleli explaing how the interferometer works. Interferometer	Fringes produced by the Bath Interferometer. Fringes
Steve Dodson works with children to assemble a telescope. Assembly	Steve Dodson demonstrates how a lens works. Alignment	Steve Dodson presents the finsihed telescope. Finished Scope	Part of the audience in the pavilion on Saturday afternoon. Audience	Mario Motta delivers a talk in the pavilion. Mario Motta	Norren Grice makes apoint in her talk in the pavilion. Noreen Grice

Around the Site

Photos from the far corners of Stellafane!

Arriving before 9am on Friday, the gate is deserted. Welcome!	Dave Tabor, Carl Malikowski(?), John Martin and Bob Morse open up on Friday monring. Gate Crew	Kim Cassia and Stella at the gate. Kim & Stella	Hailey Linask checks in an arrival. Checking In	Kim with Stella, Gary Cislak's husky puppy. Kim & Stella	Dave Prowten puts the finishing touches on a new AV table for the amphiteater on Friday morning. The old one was destroyed when a tree fell on it this winter. New Table
	As usual, the swap table area is crowded Saturday morning. Swap Tables	Conventioneers and members looking over the offereings for this year. Swap Stuff	Dennis, Jim and Judy Friends	Dennis & Kim Cassia and John Bortle at their 'estate' on Pine Island. Bortle-Cassia

Saturday Evening Program

The Saturday Evening Program was held in the Amphitheater under beautiful skies.

Conventioneers gather in the Amphitheartre for the Saturday Evening Program. Conventioneers in the Amphitheatre			The Saturday Eveing Program from the Auidences View. Auidence View	Bob Morse, our long time master of Ceremonies. Bob Morse, MC	STM President Jeff Lowe address the conventioneers. President Lowe
People stand and talk to their neighbors as part of the opening of the Saturday Evening Program. Hello!	Old Uncle Bill, Wayne Zuhl, Kris Larsen and Michael Costanzo at the controls on the A/V Table. In Control	Rob Baker's son was the youngest at Stellafane this year. Youngest	Benefactor Steve Simoni was presented with a stained glass Little Man by Jim Erickson. Steve Simoni	Kids gather around Kim Cassia for their free kids raffle tickets. Free Tickets	This lucky youngster won a mirror making kit in the kids raffle. Mirror Kit!
Winner of Mechnical Awards gather up front. Chris Houghton, head mechanical judge (at far left) made the presentation, while President Jeff Lowe (second from left) handed out the awards. Mech. Winners	One of the Junior Award Winners is presented a certificate by President Jeff Lowe. Other Junior (and a few senior) award winners are in the background. Junior Winners	Vice President Gary Cislak shared memories of Fran Flanders, who passed away this past year. VP Gary Cislak	The Springfield Telescope Makers light their candles... STMs Light Up	...and then the STM's moved into the audience to light their candles. Sharing the Light	A Moment of Silence with Candles held High for Fran Flanders. Candlelight
Mary & Alan Rohwer. Alan gave the Shadowgram this year. The Rohwers	Alan Rohwer, past STM President, delivers the Shadowgram (a term he coined!). Shadowgram	Bert Williard & Fran Flanders in the Club. This slide is from the Shadowgram, and the convention was dedicated to Fran, "The First lady of Stellafane". Fran Flanders		Dr. Jane Lu delivering the keynote talk. Keynote	Dr. Jane Lu, who delivered the keynote talk, and Bert Willard. Dr. Jane Lu