2021 Stellafane Convention Schedule

 Friday Evening Informal Talks

Fri 7:30 pm -

Flanders Pavilion

Bruce Beford, MC

Short presentations by Convention Attendees

If you wish to contribute a short talk during this session, please register online. Talks are limited to 10 minutes and 20 slides. The time limit will be strictly enforced! A digital projector will be available for your use - please bring your presentation on a USB stick.

 Swap Tables

Sat 7:00 am - 12:00 pm

Swap Table Area - North of Main Camping Area

The Swap Tables (located at the northeast edge of the main camping/parking area) are provided to give amateurs an opportunity to trade, buy or sell their surplus astronomical and telescope related items. The Swap Table area will be open from 7:00 a.m. to noon on Saturday.

 

POLICY OF THE SPRINGFIELD TELESCOPE MAKERS REGARDING COMMERCIALISM
AND THE SWAP TABLES AT THE CONVENTION

The Springfield Telescope Makers, Inc. has clarified its policy regarding commercialism and Swap Table sales at the Stellafane Convention. For the sake of historical continuity, to preserve the uniqueness of the Stellafane Convention and to encourage Conventioneers to build their own instruments, the Springfield Telescope Makers, Inc. do not allow commercial sales, of any kind, at the Stellafane Convention. All swap table sales must comply, in concept, with the above objective but are also specifically subject to the following criteria:

1. Only surplus astronomical, telescope and telescope making related items may be sold.
2. Each person will be allowed 16 square feet of table or ground space.
3. Items which have the appearance of being specifically purchased or manufactured for sale at the Swap Tables may not be sold.
4. All sales must take place within the designated Swap Table area only between 7 a.m. and noon, the Saturday of the Stellafane Convention.

The Springfield Telescope Makers, Inc. may choose to grant a limited exception to the above policies to astronomy related organizations for their fundraising. Any request for an exemption must be made, in writing, at least one month prior to the Convention. If granted, the President of the Springfield Telescope Makers, Inc. will notify the requesting organization in writing.

Any member of the Springfield Telescope Makers, Inc. has the authority to determine whether a party is in compliance with the established regulations. Any person who is found to be in violation of the stated policies will be required to comply. Failing compliance, the offending party will be asked to leave the Convention and may be escorted from the premises by Convention security.

The Springfield Telescope Makers, Inc. encourages those with questions regarding this policy to contact the Club via the Stellafane web page (http://Stellafane.org). During the Convention, any questions regarding this policy, the appropriateness of items being displayed, or any information being disseminated, should be directed to a member of the Springfield Telescope Makers, Inc.

 Saturday Evening Program & Keynote Talk

Sat 7:00 pm -

Amphitheater (Flanders Pavilion if rain)

Includes Keynote, Shadowgram, Raffle & Awards

The evening program will begin at 7:00 p.m. Saturday in the hillside amphitheater. (In case of inclement weather, the program will be held inside the Flanders Pavilion). Mario Motta, of the Springfield Telescope Makers, will be master of ceremonies.

• Greetings, announcements, Raffle Drawings
• Stellafane Shadowgram by Dr. Kristine Larsen: Astronomy in the 'After-Times'
• Presentation of Telescope Competition Awards
• Stellafane Keynote by Dr. Stella Kafka: What is the Deal with Betelgeuse?

 Telescope Competition

Fri 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm	Clubhouse		Optical and Mechanical Registration
Fri 10:00 pm -	Fields around Clubhouse		Optical Competition Begins
Sat 8:00 am - 9:30 am	Clubhouse		Mechanical (and Optical if needed) Registration
Sat 10:00 am - 1:00 pm	Fields around Clubhouse		Mechanical Competition
Sat 10:00 pm -	Fields around Clubhouse		Optical Competition (Only if not held Friday)

Details are on the Telescope Competition Page

 Telescope Making Demo

Fri 10:00 am - 4:00 pm	Tent by T-Shirt Sales	Organized by Mike Hayes	ATM Demo Hours
Fri 10:00 am - 10:30 am	Tent by T-Shirt Sales	Presented by Glenn Jackson	Intro & Rough Grinding
Fri 10:30 am - 11:00 am	Tent by T-Shirt Sales	Presented by Rick Hunter	Fine Grinding
Fri 11:00 am - 11:30 am	Tent by T-Shirt Sales	Presented by TBD	Making Dental Stone Tools
Fri 11:30 am - 12:00 pm	Tent by T-Shirt Sales	Presented by Phil Rounseville	Making Pitch Laps
Fri 1:00 pm - 1:45 pm	Tent by T-Shirt Sales	Presented by Dick Parker	Polishing & Figuring
Fri 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm	Tent by T-Shirt Sales	With Dave Kelly & Doug Arion	Testing (Bring your own mirror)
Sat 10:00 am - 5:00 pm	Tent by T-Shirt Sales	Organized by Mike Hayes	ATM Demo Hours
Sat 10:00 am - 10:30 am	Tent by T-Shirt Sales	Presented by Mike Hayes	Intro & Rough Grinding
Sat 10:30 am - 11:00 am	Tent by T-Shirt Sales	Presented by Mike Hayes	Fine Grinding
Sat 11:00 am - 11:30 am	Tent by T-Shirt Sales	Presented by TBD	Making Dental Stone Tools
Sat 11:30 am - 12:00 pm	Tent by T-Shirt Sales	Presented by Phil Rounseville	Making Pitch Laps
Sat 1:00 pm - 1:45 pm	Tent by T-Shirt Sales	Presented by Dick Parker	Polishing & Figuring
Sat 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm	Tent by T-Shirt Sales	Presented by Ken Slater	Dobsonian Basics

This is a HANDS-ON mirror making demonstration - Gain first-hand experience working on mirrors at every stage of grinding, polishing and testing. Experienced ATMs will help explain each step of the process and answer any questions you may have.

Bring your own mirror for testing between 2:00 and 4:00 PM on Friday - 12½-inch Max Diameter.

The 24" mirror we have been working on for several years will be available for grinding - please sign the log book when you work on it.

The ATM demo schedule is being finalized and details will be added shortly.

 A Dipper Full of Stars

Fri 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Flanders Pavilion

Presented by Richard Sanderson

Using images of constellations, planets and celestial objects, Richard will treat you to a tour of the summer nighttime sky, showing you many of the prominent summer constellations. You will also learn how and why the sky appears to move throughout the night, and from season to season, and understand the significance of the North Star. Richard will also discuss the possibility of life on other worlds and explain how stargazers are able to peer into the remote past.

 Introduction to Binoculars

Fri 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Flanders Pavilion

Presented by Phil Harrington

Binoculars are NOT just for beginners, as this talk will stress. After various binocular-related terms are defined, Phil will offer consumer tips to help the audience weed out astronomically worthy binoculars from a vast ocean of models currently available.

 Telescope Field Walk

Sat 11:30 am - 12:30 pm

Meet at Front of Clubhouse

Led by David McGaw

During the “Telescope Field Walk” an experienced Amateur Telescope Maker will guide small groups through the fields around the Pink Clubhouse, where the telescopes that will be participating in the mechanical competition will be set up. They will describe the various types of optical designs and mounting configurations that will be on display, point out the subtle details that go into award winning telescopes and be available to answer your questions.

 Introduction to Stellafane

Sat 10:00 am - 11:00 am

Flanders Pavilion

Presented by Kim & Dennis Cassia

Are you familiar with these terms: “The Pink”, “Tent Talks” or “The Turret”? If not, if this is your first time attending the Stellafane Convention, or if you are returning and want to learn more about who the Springfield Telescope Makers are, as well as what is going on during the Convention, then this presentation is for you. Topics include, but are not limited to: A short history of Stellafane, a description of our site, including the buildings and landmarks, descriptions of the scheduled talks and activities, services available at Stellafane, local services off site, etc., in addition to answering any questions you may have about the Convention.

 Artificial Star Field

Fri 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Flanders Pavilion

Presented by Steven Bellavia

It is common to use an artificial star when collimating a telescope indoors. However, this single-star method only allows for an on-center collimation and does not take into account off-axis asymmetries caused by tilt. Steven has made a device that he calls an Artificial Star Field. The artificial star field is a set of 9 precision, laser-drilled pinholes, with a bright diffuse back-lighting. With the telescope positioned the correct distance from the field, and properly aligned, the entire field of an eyepiece or camera can be used to inspect and correct for tilted optics or tilted cameras sensors.

 Eight Decades (or more) of Telescope Making in Washington, DC

Fri 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Flanders Pavilion

Presented by Guy Brandenburg

The National Capital Astronomers of Washington, DC have been sponsoring amateur telescope making workshops in the DC area since before World War Two. This talk will highlight some of the successes and failures of the various projects engaged in by local ATMers.

 How DSLR Astro-Imaging Has Changed in the Last 10 Years

Fri 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm	Flanders Pavilion	Presented by Al Takeda	Talk
Fri 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm	by the Breuning Domed Observatory	Presented by Al Takeda	Demo

Change is constant. As you observe the night sky you will find that nothing stays the same. Planets move, comets appear, solar and lunar eclipse circumstances change, and meteor trails can be short or spectacular. It is the same with DSLR astrophotography. In his presentation, Al Takeda will discuss how DSLR imaging has changed since he gave his first Stellafane DSLR astro-imaging lecture 10 years ago. He will discuss changes in camera hardware, software and imaging techniques. Al will also talk about how amateurs with DSLR’s can help the professional astronomy community. Al will run a 1-hour astrophotography demonstration by the Breuning Observatory (Domed Observatory) starting at 3:30pm.

 The Hubble Space Telescope

Sat 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Flanders Pavilion

Presented by Jim Jeletic

Jim is Deputy Project Manager of the NASA Hubble Space Telescope. This talk will give an overview of the Hubble Space Telescope. It will include a discussion of its design and its plans for the future. Also discussed will be the use of astronaut servicing missions that have doubled the life of the spacecraft to date.

 International Initiatives on Light Pollution

Sat 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Flanders Pavilion

Presented by Mario Motta

Dr. Mario Motta was asked to represent the AMA (American Medical Association) at an international conference jointly run by COPUOS (UN Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer space) and the IAU (International Astronomical Union). This committee was charged with producing an international understanding on various issues such as light pollution, satellite proliferation, radio spectrum disruption, etc. Mario was assigned to the light pollution subcommittee specifically to address human health concerns with light pollution. After 6 months of effort a 279-page document was produced. It was ratified on a weeklong international zoom meeting in October 2020 rather than in person as was initially planned. A follow up meeting is planned this October 2021 in the Canary Islands which Mario will attend. This document is to be presented to the full UN for acceptance, and hopefully will lead to international agreements on these issues.

 Photomultipliers, their Operation, Circuit Design & Applications

Sat 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Flanders Pavilion

Presented by Paul Schuler

Photomultipliers are a breed of “single pixel” optical detectors which as a part of their design provide internal amplification as well as detection. As such they are very close to being a noiseless optical detector of enormous sensitivity and range from the near infrared to the near ultraviolet. They lend themselves very well to applications in optical astronomy where extremely low light level detection is required such as Photoelectric Photometry (e.g. Variable Star Photometry) and Emission Nebulae Spectroscopy to name a few.

 Leo, the Next Generation in Portable 3D Printed Direct Drive Mounts

Sat 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Flanders Pavilion

Presented by Aaron Sliski

The Leo series of mounts is a fresh new way to look at a direct drive mount. The Leo mount solves nearly all the problems of a traditional mount, infinite azimuth rotation, no dangling wires, no communication problems because of USB limitations, and lightweight. The Leo mount is a 3D printed L shaped mount with very high damping and modular design. This will be an in depth talk about the technology that surrounds this new mount and how Aaron got there.

 Cover Calibrator

Sat 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Flanders Pavilion

Presented by Alan Sliski

A group of dedicated amateur astronomers is working to develop and distribute a series of Arduino based astronomical gadgets for use with automated observatories. The two projects presently underway are a weather safety monitor to provide information on rain and cloud cover, and a flat field illuminator that has an optional motorized cover function and the ability to control up to 4 colors of LEDs for flat fielding. These will be distributed as open source projects through the Astro Makers part of the Instrumentation section of AAVSO. These devices use the Alpaca communication protocol of ASCOM Remote.

 Sir William Herschel: The Greatest Telescope Builder of His Time, the Greatest Visual Observer of All Time

Sat 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Flanders Pavilion

Presented by Larry Mitchell

Larry’s lecture will be about the life and times of Sir William Herschel, the greatest visual observer of all time and the best telescope builder of his time. He truly was the Father of modern day astronomy and was the discoverer of many things, some of which are astonishing. His "Construction of the Heavens" provided the basis for astronomical scientific thought for the next hundred years. The story of how we acquired the knowledge we have is every bit as interesting as the knowledge we have, or think we have. A lot has been written about Wm. Herschel, but Larry has an unaltered original copy of all of his published papers, so he will provide information which is found nowhere else. His sister, Caroline and his son, John, were equally driven, so the members of his entire immediate family were amazing people. Larry also will cover a few of the objects on the observing list, all of which were discovered by Herschel.

 Astronomy Activities for Children

Fri 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm	behind McGregor	Presented by Kris Larsen	Ages 5-12; Limited to first 12
Sat 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm	behind McGregor	Presented by Kris Larsen	Ages 5-12; Limited to first 12

There will be two 1-hour astronomy workshops for children; each session has a different activity. These astronomy workshops have been held at the Stellafane Convention since 1995. Led by Dr. Kristine Larsen, Professor of Astronomy at Central Connecticut State University and a member of the Springfield Telescope Makers, each of the two 1-hour workshops includes several activities geared for children ages 5 - 12.Younger children are welcome but will need help from a parent.

Because COVID-19 vaccines will not be available to children under 12 by the time of convention, the children’s activities will be held outside, in the shaded area behind the McGregor Observatory, weather permitting (no rain). Due to space limitations, each workshop is limited to 12 children on a first-come basis. Late-comers may be turned away.

• Friday 1 PM: Planets! Make models of several planets to take home
• Saturday 1 PM: Light and telescopes: Explore properties of light and how telescopes work. Take home UV bead bracelets and diffraction grating glasses

 Solar Observing Hour

Fri 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm	Observing Fields		Please set up your Solar Scope and Share
Sat 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm	Observing Fields		Please set up your Solar Scope and Share

All attendees with solar filters or projection set-ups are encouraged to share the Sun with other attendees. The McGregor, Simoni and Porter Turret observatories will be set up for solar observing as well.

 Observing Olympics

Thu 8:30 pm - 12:00 am	Observing Fields	Coordinated by Eileen Myers	Telescopes & Binoculars
Fri 8:30 pm - 12:00 am	Observing Fields	Coordinated by Eileen Myers	Telescopes & Binoculars
Sat 8:30 pm - 12:00 am	Observing Fields	Coordinated by Eileen Myers	Telescopes & Binoculars
Sun 10:30 am - 11:30 am	Hillside below McGregor	Coordinated by Eileen Myers	Award Pins Only

Observing Olympics: Dusk to Midnight or later depending on observing conditions.
See the Observing Olympics Page for details and observing lists.

 Cook Spectrohelioscope

Fri 9:00 am - 5:00 pm	Simoni Observatory	Solar Observing	Weather Permitting
Sat 8:00 am - 5:00 pm	Simoni Observatory	Solar observing	Weather Permitting

The circa 1930 Cook Spectrohelioscope will be observing solar prominences and sunspots in hydrogen-alpha light.The Simoni Observatory is northwest of the Stellafane Clubhouse on Breezy Hill.

 Porter Turret Telescope

Thu 9:00 pm - 12:00 am	Observing		Weather Permitting
Fri 9:00 am - 6:00 pm	Open, Solar Observing		Weather Permitting
Fri 8:00 pm - 12:00 am	Observing		Weather Permitting
Sat 8:00 am - 6:00 pm	Open, Solar Observing		Weather Permitting
Sat 9:00 pm - 12:00 am	Observing		Weather Permitting

The 1930 Porter Turret Telescope is located just north of the clubhouse on Breezy Hill.

 McGregor Observatory

Thu 9:00 pm - 12:00 am	Observing		Weather Permitting
Fri 10:00 am - 4:00 pm	Open, Solar Observing		Weather Permitting
Fri 8:00 pm - 12:00 am	Observing		Weather Permitting
Sat 8:00 am - 6:00 pm	Open, Solar Observing		Weather Permitting
Sat 9:00 pm - 12:00 am	Observing		Weather Permitting

The McGregor Observatory, home of the 13-inch Schupmann Refractor, is located on a hilltop in the northwest corner of Stellafane East.

 Breuning Observatory (Domed Observatory)

Fri 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm	Open
Fri 9:00 pm - 12:00 am	Observing		Weather Permitting
Sat 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm	Open
Sat 9:00 pm - 12:00 am	Observing		Weather Permitting

The domed Breuning Observatory is located just south of and downhill from the McGregor Observatory.

 Free Time

Fri 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm	Relax or Enjoy Dinner		No on-site talks or demos scheduled
Sat 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm	Relax or Enjoy Dinner		No on-site talks or demos scheduled

We have your days and nights pretty heavily scheduled; these hours are kept free for a bit of relaxation or a leisurely lunch or dinner.

 Friday Evening Videos

Fri 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Flanders Pavilion

Astronomy documentaries for the whole family

Short astronomy documentaries for the whole family.

 Convention Cleanup

Sun 8:00 am - 12:00 pm

Please clean up around your campsite

Please put trash in the dumpsters

Please clean up around your campsite and parking area. All trash should be deposited in one of the large dumpsters by the Food Tent or Exit Lane. Please make sure there are no obstacles to grass mowing in the fields - any rocks, stakes, or other hazards should be returned to the woods or taken to the dumpsters. If you would like to take down rebar and string, we would appreciate that. Pile rebar and string on the side of the road, where it will be easy for us to find and pick up. Thank you very much for making Convention cleanup easier on all of us.

 Large RV Permit Holders must arrive

Thu 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Entry Gate

Please don't arrive before Noon!

Large RVs have to be pre-registered, and must arrive between Noon and 4PM on Thursday. Do not arrive early. We have large trucks making food deliveries and installing sanitation facilities before then.

 Early Entry Permit Holders can arrive

Thu 3:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Entry Gate

Please don't arrive before 3:00!

Please do not arrive before 3:00 PM and do not park on Jordan Road. The large RV's come in before you, starting at noon. You will not be admitted before 3:00 PM, and our gate staff is busy getting the RV's safely in place.

 Registration Gate

Fri 8:00 am -	Entry Gate		Gate Opens
Fri 10:00 pm -	Entry Gate		Gate Closes
Sat 7:00 am -	Entry Gate		Gate Opens

The hours of operation of the Registration Gate.

 Shuttle Bus Operates

Fri 10:00 am - 6:00 pm	Bus Stops		Bus Stops: Pine Island, Food Tent, Pink Clubhouse
Sat 9:00 am - 5:00 pm	Bus Stops		Bus Stops: Pine Island, Food Tent, Pink Clubhouse

The Shuttle Bus makes two stops in Stellafane East, one by the Food Tent and one by the main Camping Area (See Stellafane East Site Map (pdf)). It makes one stop on Breezy Hill near the Clubhouse.