2013 Convention Photos
Page 1 of 2: Photos by the Springfield Telescope Makers

Here are photos of the 2013 Convention taken by the Springfield Telescope Makers. On Page 2 of the Gallery, you will find photos taken by Convention Attendees.

Whether you attended and want to try to find yourself in photo, or you couldn't attend and want to see what went on, you can spend some time browsing our gallery of general photos. 

Note: After you expand a photo, use the arrow keys to move forward or backward, or space bar to start a slide show.

Photos by the Springfield Telescope Makers

Contributing STM Members: Jim Beaty, Matt Considine, Ariel & Jay Drew, Wayne Hilliard,
Francis O'Reilly, Al Rifkin, Paul Valleli and Jean Zuhl.
The specific photographers last name is embedded in the photo's URL - hover on a thumbnail and view the URL
in the browser's status bar (you many need to enable this in the view menu).

Hartness House Workshop

The Hartness House Workshop is held all day Thursday before convention. These are a few pictures of the Stellafane solar scope set up on the Hartness House Lawn. See Page 2 (Attendee Photos) for many more Hartness House Workshop photos.

On the north end, a projection screen and the tracking flat. See page 2 photos, a large plastic trash can was later substituted for the screen to provide some shading of the solar image.

The long focus parabolic mirror, stopped down to increase image sharpness (yes, it could use some refiguring).

The mirror cell for the long focus mirror on a garden telescope pedestal.

A long view of a long focus solar telescope.

With flowers under the parabolic mirror in this view, perhaps this is another version of the Porter Garden Telescope. :-)

Clubhouse, Porter Turret Telescope & Breezy Hill

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

A calm morning o Breezy Hill before the hustle and bustle of convention kicks in.	Still early in the morning, long shadows from the east, telescope competition entries are starting to set up.	VP Ken Slater gets the Ox Yoke out on the flagpole in front of the clubhouse.	Jay Drew is beaming in front of the clubhouse.	Jay Drew poses for a selfie in front of the clubhouse taken by his daughter Ariel.	A person sits on the clubhouse wall, watching the scopes get set up.
The "Judging Tent" - where you register you telescope for the competition	A tradition now, competition registrar Jay Drew wears a tie during at least part of convention.	In the clubhouse, members Dave Groski and Don Schwartskoph, with Heather Lehman behind them.	Bird on a Scope: This little sculpture is one of the many artifacts in the clubhouse.	A nicely made wooden polar fork mount by Kenneth Brack.	John Colt (left) has his cable-stayed mount closely examined.
Pierre Lemay (holding papers) built this ball mount which is attracting a lot of interest.	The mechanical judges look over an entry.	Bicycle wheel rim used as altitude bearing by Tom Kasner.	Bicycle Wheel used as a secondary cage by Tom Kasner.	Tom Kasner shows how compact his bicycle parts dob folds up.	Haldun Menali and Tony Costanzo inspect Tom Kasner's mirror cell.
Even the mirror cell uses a bicycle wheel rim as it's main component.	Relaxing on the wall of the clubhouse mid-day.	Haldun Menal about to enter the Porter Turret telescope.	Tony Costanzo and Bruce Beford in the Porter Turret.	The Porter Turret Log Book from Friday of Convention (Yes, it did rain Friday afternoon).	Telescope and Conventioneers silhouetted against the darkening sky.

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 and in the domed observatory. And this is where the big Dobs hang out.

	Big Dobs on the South Observing Field on Saturday afternoon.			Early Saturday morning, the telescopes are still under cover.
	The newly rebuilt van Slyke focuser on the 13-inch Schupmann, thanks to Paul Valleli.	Looking over medium Dobs mid-day on Saturday.	Dino Argentini's 10-inch R-C inside the domed observatory.	As shadows lengthen from the west, observers start preparing for night.

Flanders Pavilion and the
Amateur Telescope Making Demonstration

Many of our large program of talks is held in the Flanders Pavilion. The ATM demo, held just north of the pavilion, informs people about how to make a telescope and it's optics, and  gives them a chance to try out mirror grinding.

Carl Malikowski gives a talk about the history of Transit of Venus observations.

An attentive audience for a talk about Lunar geology with a CCD.

Richard Jakiel presents the Lunar Geology with a CCD talk.

Too many long days and late nights - Ray Morits naps in the Pavilion on Thursday.

The ATM demo area under a tent north of the Pavilion.

Brad Vietje (hand raised, obscured) explains mirror making to several conventioneers.

Around the Convention

Photos from all around the 2013 convention, a potpourri of images that just don't fit in anywhere else.

The Swap Table area on Saturday morning.

Bingo the Goat, enjoying convention.

Without a doubt, Bingo was the most photographed thing in 2013!

In the week before convention, an unidentified "Glass Fairy" started leaving interesting pieces of optical glass around the site, and sometimes in front of member's tents.

The cats are old news, the piece of optical glass in the tree mysteriously appeared in the week before convention.

The old digger was blessed with 5 pieces of optical glass on its rusting tread.

Saturday Evening Program

Photos from the Saturday Evening Program. This year, we have a couple of panoramas of the amphitheater, and several photos from the Astronomical League awards.

Panorama of the crowd at the amphitheater for the Saturday evening program by Al Rifkin.			Panorama of the crowd at the amphitheater for the Saturday evening program by Wayne Hilliard.
	A few of the Springfield Telescope Makers. Astronomical league awardees Kris Larsen and Ken Slater front row left.	VP & Webmaster Ken Slater looks on as Astronomical League President presents him with the 2013 Astronomical League first place Webmaster award.	Kris Larsen beams after winning the 2013 Walter Scott Houston award. Astronomical League president Carroll Iorg and NERAL president Maryann Arrien, who made the presentation, at left.	Keynote speaker Brother Guy Consolmagno talks about Comets.

Go to Page 2: Photos Contributed by Attendees or go back to the 2013 Convention Main Page