2012 Convention Photos
Page 1 of 2: Photos by the Springfield Telescope Makers

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.

Jay Drew got a very nice 12 foot dome donated to the club earlier in the year, and when it arrived at Stellafane it landed in the Pavilion (like most everything else!). While we were contemplating where to store it (until we figured out where it would be permanently sited and what telescope it would hold), site manager John Martin had the excellent idea that if we assembled it, not only would be be self storing, but it could hold other things for storage too. John built a temporary floor to support it, and Dave Prowten, who lead the assembly effort on the previous dome, led the crew that assembled this one.

Site manger John Martin assembles a temporary floor for the dome while Carl Malikowski and Jeff Lowe converse in the background.

The base ring got assembled upside down, and Walt Wheeler is working on disassembler so it can be flipped.

Walt and Dave flip the base ring to be right-side-up.

The first gores of the dome are installed.

The crew, and a few onlookers, discuss the next step in the assembly.

Almost done: one shutter track is being fitted to the slit. Unfortunately, we ran out of time to install the shutter, and it will be added after convention is over.

Cleaning, neatening up, putting away - this consumes a lot of time and effort in the week before convention, and our volunteers and members do a great job.

A few of the many volunteers who helped clean up the Flanders pavilion.

Dave Seigrist waits for some help to move the saw table out of the pavilion.

This little guy could push the empty wheel-barrow around (and he liked to get rides in it too!).

Julie Tabor give the clubhouse a through clean-up.

Club VP Dave Tabor (looking surprised at having his picture taken) cleans up the clubhouse kitchen.

Fixing, repairing and replacing is the other big pre-convention activity (actually it is a year-round activity, but with the extra help we have before convention, we do get a lot of it done). Here are a few things we did this year in the week before convention:

Dave Prowten & Dave Segrist select some wood for the repair job they are doing. Tuthill Towers is now a solar drying kiln for our sawmill produced lumber.

Dave Prowten & Dave Seigrist finish the wall-to-roof joint on the bunkhouse.

STM made big tool (We are pretty sure this voids the warrenty).

A pair of Kubota compact tractors parked behind the pavilion - they won't sit idle for long!

Pat uses the Kubota to straighten a post.

A new table for the Tee-Shirt sales area is built by a volunteer.

Preparing convention includes managing our volunteers, preparing for tee-shirt sales, stringing the parking and camping areas, and putting finishing touches on special sales items:

Kim Cassia manages our volunteers, all the while keeping watch on the gate before convention.	Mike Costanzo manges the Tee-shirt sales area. Here he is reviewing inventory before convention.	Several members (and a bright-eyed dog) work on getting the bunkhouse ready to support tee-shirt sales.	Kim Cassia applies reflective tape to a traffic post.
	John Martin directs stringing operations in the parking areas.	A volunteer applies flagging tape to the string to make it more visible.	John Martin cuts out a gnomon for one of the carved sundials we sold this year.	Jim Fowle cleans up the groves in a carved sundial.

They say an army runs on it's stomach; our members and volunteers sure do. Keeping folks well fed keeps them productive and happy. Thursday evening we hold a dinner at the clubhouse to thank all our volunteers and members for their hard work, followed by a brief club meeting to deal with any last minute items and make sure we are all set to go for Friday and Saturday.

Mario Antonucci is our breakfast cook; here he is cleaning up on Wednesday morning.	Paul Sharpe stirs the Waynbo stew; his family provides dinner on Wednesday night.	One of several picnic tables is brought down from the clubhouse to the pavilion for Wednesday dinner.	Wednesday dinner in the pavalion as seen from the sky box.
	Liz Sharpe prepares part of dinner on Thursday afternoon in the clubhouse.	Gerry Logan prepares corn for Thursday dinner.	A view of Thursday dinner at the clubhouse.	Another view of Thursday dinner at the clubhouse.

Clubhouse, Porter Turret Telescope & Breezy Hill

A few images from around the Stellafane Clubhouse, the Porter Turret Telescope and the observing fields. For images of the instruments entered in the competition, see the Telescope Competition page.

One of three photos of the Telescope Competition on Saturday Morning.	One of three photos of the Telescope Competition on Saturday Morning.	One of three photos of the Telescope Competition on Saturday Morning.	Jay Drew (standing) watches as people register for the telescope competition.	Chris Houghten, head mechanical judge, coordinates with Jay Drew, competition registrar.	The big 13-inch Fitz scope from the Arunah Hill Science Center set up south of the clubhouse.
Member Mike Heliba relaxes on Breezy Hill.	Convention-wide solar viewing hour was a new feature this year. Here is a solar scope set up on Breezy Hill with a nice sun shade.	Members Dennis diCicco, Ken Slater and All Tinker talk by the clubhouse.	Members Dave Groski and Dick Parker work in the Porter Turret Telescope.	Meteorite Geoff Notkin, Libby Egleson, and Perry & Pat Remaklis pose on Breezy Hill.	Dave Kelly with his beautiful homemade Maksutov.
Allen Tinker (this year's shadowgram speaker) reads a thick book at the judging registration table.	Dave Groski, who seems to have an entry every year, registers at the judging table.	Dave Groski, Dave Tabor, Matt Considine and Rick Hunter set up a historic Springfield mounted scope on Breezy Hill.	This sign explains when the judging table is operating - artwork by Samantha Tabor.	Club president Gary Cislak signs award certificates at the judging table.	That's trouble with two T's: Samantha Tabor and Dave Tabor in a camera shotout with Jay Drew (Jay is out gunned!).

McGregor Observatory & South Observing Field

A lot happens in this area: Many programs in the McGregor Library; lots of observing and camping; and of course plenty of observing with the 13-inch Schupmann.

Firday morning at 10:20, the attendees are starting to arrive en-mass, and the south observing field starts filling up.	John Vogt sets up his 32" dob with the cellular mirror.	We had some rain blow through late Firday afternoon and evening. Here is where the New Hampshire Astronomical Society camps, with their scopes covered and ready for a shower.	Late Friday afternoon, there is still some blue sky, but with rain in the forecast and clouds in the west, scopes are covered.	The chains and ropes held through the winter, and our floating rock is still captive.	During solar observing hour on Saturday, this young lady gets a boost up to the eyepiece of the Shupmann.
Dr. Kris Larsen explains an astronomical themed project to an attentive class at her children's activities.	Children raise hands to answer a question in the children's activies led by Dr. Kris Larsen.	A busy south observing field on Saturday afternoon.	A view of the south observing field on Saturday looking out the open roof of the McGregor Observatory.	This very nice homemade scope was on the south observing field Friday afternoon. Did not get details of who made it. Note the weight driven clock drive.	Another view of this nice scope. Even the eyepiece looks homemade!

Amateur Telescope Making Demonstration

Held in and around the Flanders pavilion, the ATM demo informs people about how to make a telescope and it's optics, and gives them a chance to try out mirror grinding.

Ray Morits demonstrates mirror grinding in the tent behind the pavilion.

Two convention attendees try out mirror grinding, one stands while the other sits.

Dave Kelly's homemade interferometer set up in a test tunnel in the pavilion.

Tony Costanzo completes a mirror silvering demonstration by rinsing off the completed mirror.

Johnny Lowe grinds with Liz Sharpes' guidance.

Phil Rounseville demonstration how to make a pitch lap to an interested audience.

Around the Convention

Photos from all around the 2012 convention, a potpourri of images that just don't fit in anywhere else.

Kim Cassia staffs the gate on Thursday morning.	Dennis & Kim give a big Stellafane welcome to Meterorite Man Geoff Notkin.	The colorful T-shirt table outside the bunkhouse.	Walter Scott Houston's camping trailer, back in Houston Hollow for the convention. John Martin now owns this and is restoring it.	Dave Siegrist's bright orange VW camper bus parked at Ascutney View.	Dennis & Kim Cassia with John Bortle at their campsite in Pine Island.
Dave Groski readies the Hartness Turret Telescope for viewing on Thursday night.	Bert Williard inspects the Hartness Turret Telescope eyepieces at the Hartness House.	Matt Considine's Porter Garden Telescope serial number 3 at the Hartness House.	Jay's big dob waits for dark next to the McGregor Observatory late Thursday afternoon.	John Briggs with the 24" Clark reflector primary mirror that he donated to the club. Part of the blue tube is on the left.	The Stellafane sawmill sits quiet and lonely during convention, kept company by a riding lawn mower.

Saturday Evening Program

Photos from the Saturday Evening Program, which included a Shadowgram talk by Allen Tinker and a Keynote talk by the Meteorite Men.

Panorama of the crowd at the amphitheater for the Saturday evening program.			A shot of the crowd in the amphitheater as the Saturday evening program #1.	A shot of the crowd in the amphitheater as the Saturday evening program #2.	A shot of the crowd in the amphitheater as the Saturday evening program #3.
Al Takeda at the Saturday evening program.	Dick Koolish at the Saturday evening program.	George East and son at the Saturday evening program.	Rich Sanderson at the Saturday evening program.	Ron Woodland at the Saturday evening program.	Meteorite Men Steve Arnold and Geoff Notkin flank Wayne Zuhl.
	Master of Ceremonies Bob Morse.	Andrew Simoni (red cap) has been at more Stellfane Conventions than any one else here this year. Stellafane benefactor and Andrew's son Steve Simoni (blue tie) site behind him. Club president Gary Cislak, green shirt, right.	The youngest convention attendee brought mom and siblings down front to say hello to the everyone.	This gentleman oldest local attendee to attend convention this year.
Ciecla Page, mirror class graduate and conventioneer, arranged her honeymoon to end this year's Stellafane Convention.	Ed Healy asked us to rig a fake raffle prize his fiancé was sure to win...	...the big box contianed a ring, and the answer was Yes!	Maryann Arrien, chair of the North East Region of the Astronomical League presents (in absentia) a Special Service Award to Bob Carruthers.	Some of the mechanical award winners from the mornings Mechanical Compertition.	Head mechancial judge Chirs Houghton looks on as club president Gary Cislak presents a telescope competiton award to Gerry Logan. Club member and award winner Dave Groski is at right.
Shadowgram Speaker Allen Tinker.	Shadowgram Speaker Allen Tinker.	The Keynote speakers were the Meteorite Men.	Meteroite Man Geoff Notkin delivers the Keynote talk.	Meteroite Man Steve Arnold delivers the Keynote talk.	The Keynote speakers were the Meteorite Men.