Historic Convention Photos 1954-1969

No Conventions 1949-1953

1954 Stellafane Convention
First of the post WWII Continuous Annual Conventions

Photos from the Stellafane Archives.

1954 Stellafane Convention Members of Springfield Telescope Makers in front of Porter Turret. Left to right: Bert Willard, George Perry, Ernest Flanders, John C. Pierce, John M. Pierce, John W. Lovely, Ray Ranny, Howard Finn, Harty Beardsley, Ellie Johnson. Members of Springfield Telescope Makers in front of Porter Turret. Left to right: Bert Willard, George Perry, Ernest Flanders, John C. Pierce, John M. Pierce, John W. Lovely, Ray Ranny, Howard Finn, Harty Beardsley, Ellie Johnson.	1954 Stellafane Convention Old timers in front of Porter Turret. Back row: Winfred Shattuck (ATMoB), unknown, John M. Pierce (STM), Chester Cook (ATMoB), unknown, unknown, unknown. Middle row: Dr. Smiley, Ernest Flanders (STM), Wally Everest (Pittsfield, MA), George Perry (STM). Old timers in front of Porter Turret. Back row: Winfred Shattuck (ATMoB), unknown, John M. Pierce (STM), Chester Cook (ATMoB), unknown, unknown, unknown. Middle row: Dr. Smiley, Ernest Flanders (STM), Wally Everest (Pittsfield, MA), George Perry (STM).	1954 Stellafane Convention Group photograph of 1954 Convention attendees in front of Porter Turret. Group photograph of 1954 Convention attendees in front of Porter Turret.
1954 Stellafane Convention People admiring telescope at the 1954 Stellafane Convnetion. People admiring telescope at the 1954 Stellafane Convnetion.	1954 Stellafane Convention People and telescopes in field at the 1954 Convention. People and telescopes in field at the 1954 Convention.	1954 Stellafane Convention Group photograph of 1954 Convention from above identifying 10 members of the McCaig family. Group photograph of 1954 Convention from above identifying 10 members of the McCaig family.
1954 Stellafane Convention People and telescopes in field. Bert Willard's 6-inch telescope with Springfield mount of pipe parts on far left. People and telescopes in field. Bert Willard's 6-inch telescope with Springfield mount of pipe parts on far left.	1954 Stellafane Convention People and telescopes in field at the 1954 Convention. People and telescopes in field at the 1954 Convention.	1954 Stellafane Convention People and telescopes in field at the 1954 Convention. People and telescopes in field at the 1954 Convention.

1958 Stellafane Convention

Photo courtesy of Bert Willard, STM. See Bert's article about the Maksutov Club here.

1958 Stellafane Convention The Maksotov Club meets at Stellafane. The Maksotov Club meets at Stellafane.

1962 Stellafane Convention

Photos courtesy of Michael B. Patterson, taken by his father Henry Patterson.

1962 Stellafane Convention Looking towards the Clubhouse. Looking towards the Clubhouse.

1962 Stellafane Convention The Porter Turret Telescope. The Porter Turret Telescope.

1965 Stellafane Convention

Photos from the Stellafane Archives; first 14 by Walter Scott Houston.

1965 Stellafane Convention Fred Chellis, ATMoB, with his solar powered sterling engine. Fred Chellis, ATMoB, with his solar powered sterling engine.	1965 Stellafane Convention Dr. Henry Paul. Dr. Henry Paul.	1965 Stellafane Convention Small solar refractor telescope with foam plastic projection box by Richard Davis and Caspar Hossfield. Small solar refractor telescope with foam plastic projection box by Richard Davis and Caspar Hossfield.
1965 Stellafane Convention A solid fused silica Dall-Kircham telescope, 2.5-inch aperture F/10, with flat entrance face, ellipsoidal primary, and spherical secondary, builder unknown. A solid fused silica Dall-Kircham telescope, 2.5-inch aperture F/10, with flat entrance face, ellipsoidal primary, and spherical secondary, builder unknown.	1965 Stellafane Convention Ed Jameson, ATMoB, with a home made fish-eye camera lens. Ed Jameson, ATMoB, with a home made fish-eye camera lens.	1965 Stellafane Convention Maksutov telescope modeled after the Questar telescope, builder unknown. Maksutov telescope modeled after the Questar telescope, builder unknown.
1965 Stellafane Convention Roger Tuthill with his 20-inch telescope. Roger Tuthill with his 20-inch telescope.	1965 Stellafane Convention Dick Luce, Allan Mackintosh, and Constantine Papacosmas, Montreal, Canada examining Eugene Bischoff's 12½-inch f/5.3 Newtonian. Dick Luce, Allan Mackintosh, and Constantine Papacosmas, Montreal, Canada examining Eugene Bischoff's 12½-inch f/5.3 Newtonian.	1965 Stellafane Convention Attendees posed on the south side of the Porter turret telescope. Standing left to right: Paul Valleli, ATMoB, Stanley Brower, New Jersey, Ed Lindberg, Buffalo, NY, Sam Gardiner, ATMoB. Seated left to right: Unknown, Dick Luce, Charles Temperley, Allan Mackintosh, Dr. Henry Paul, George Keene, Rochester, NY, hidden by Paul, unknown. Attendees posed on the south side of the Porter turret telescope. Standing left to right: Paul Valleli, ATMoB, Stanley Brower, New Jersey, Ed Lindberg, Buffalo, NY, Sam Gardiner, ATMoB. Seated left to right: Unknown, Dick Luce, Charles Temperley, Allan Mackintosh, Dr. Henry Paul, George Keene, Rochester, NY, hidden by Paul, unknown.
1965 Stellafane Convention Boom of Porter turret telescope against sky and clouds background taken with a red F filter. Boom of Porter turret telescope against sky and clouds background taken with a red F filter.	1965 Stellafane Convention Fish eye view of the 1965 Stellafane convention taken with Ed Jameson's home built fish eye camera lens. Fish eye view of the 1965 Stellafane convention taken with Ed Jameson's home built fish eye camera lens.	1965 Stellafane Convention Scene of the 1965 Stellafane convention with Stellafane in the background. Scene of the 1965 Stellafane convention with Stellafane in the background.
1965 Stellafane Convention Scene of the 1965 Stellafane convention looking northeast from the front of Stellafane. Scene of the 1965 Stellafane convention looking northeast from the front of Stellafane.	1965 Stellafane Convention Roger Tuthill with his 20-inch telescope. Roger Tuthill with his 20-inch telescope.	1965 Stellafane Convention Roger Tuthill's 20-inch telescope. Roger Tuthill's 20-inch telescope.
1965 Stellafane Convention Convention scene of guests and telescopes looking north from Stellafane. Convention scene of guests and telescopes looking north from Stellafane.	1965 Stellafane Convention Convention scene of guests and telescope in front of Stellafane. Convention scene of guests and telescope in front of Stellafane.	1965 Stellafane Convention Convention scene of guests and telescopes looking toward Stellafane. Roger Tuthill's 20-inch telescope far right. Convention scene of guests and telescopes looking toward Stellafane. Roger Tuthill's 20-inch telescope far right.

1966 Stellafane Convention

Photo from the Stellafane Archives by Jack Welch.

1966 Stellafane Convention Conventioneers and Telescopes on the field with Mount Ascutney in the background. Conventioneers and Telescopes on the field with Mount Ascutney in the background.

Photos by Eugene Bischoff courtesy of Jude Bischoff.

1966 Stellafane Convention Mobile & Large Scope. Jack Smith (Left) and his daughter Mary Ellen of Rochester, NY Mobile & Large Scope. Jack Smith (Left) and his daughter Mary Ellen of Rochester, NY	1966 Stellafane Convention Robert Dillenbeck (hands on hips) with his 6-inch Fork Mounted Schmidt-Cassegrain; he won First Place Mechanical with this instrument. Robert Dillenbeck (hands on hips) with his 6-inch Fork Mounted Schmidt-Cassegrain; he won First Place Mechanical with this instrument.	1966 Stellafane Convention Wireframe Tube Newtonian Wireframe Tube Newtonian
1966 Stellafane Convention Scopes on Breezy Hill Scopes on Breezy Hill		1966 Stellafane Convention Trailer Mounted Cassegrain Trailer Mounted Cassegrain
1966 Stellafane Convention Robert E. Crumrine's Solar Spectroscope Robert E. Crumrine's Solar Spectroscope	1966 Stellafane Convention Electronic Clock Drive in the age before integrated circuits Electronic Clock Drive in the age before integrated circuits	1966 Stellafane Convention Nice Newtonian on a GEM mount Nice Newtonian on a GEM mount

Photos by Michael B. Patterson

1966 Stellafane Convention Judge examines a fork-mounted telescope. Judge examines a fork-mounted telescope.	1966 Stellafane Convention Telescopes on display. Telescopes on display.
1966 Stellafane Convention A wooden German equatorial mounted telescope. A wooden German equatorial mounted telescope.	1966 Stellafane Convention Roger Tuthill's trailer mounted relay lens 20-inch f/11 Cassegrain. Roger Tuthill's trailer mounted relay lens 20-inch f/11 Cassegrain.	1966 Stellafane Convention Bert Willard's Bowling Ball Scope. It comes apart and the parts fit into the hollowed out ball, with the base becoming a cover for the cavity in the ball. Bert Willard's Bowling Ball Scope. It comes apart and the parts fit into the hollowed out ball, with the base becoming a cover for the cavity in the ball.

1967 Stellafane Convention

Photos from the Stellafane Archives by Walter Scott Houston.

1967 Stellafane Convention Telescope on display at the 1967 Stellafane convention, builder unknown. Telescope on display at the 1967 Stellafane convention, builder unknown.	1967 Stellafane Convention Spherical mount telescope by Norman James. Spherical mount telescope by Norman James.	1967 Stellafane Convention Newtonian telescope mounting with pillow block bearings, builder unknown. Newtonian telescope mounting with pillow block bearings, builder unknown.
1967 Stellafane Convention 12.5-inch f/6 Composite telescope (Newtonian, Coude, Porter Springfield Newtonian) under construction by Zvi Gezari. 12.5-inch f/6 Composite telescope (Newtonian, Coude, Porter Springfield Newtonian) under construction by Zvi Gezari.	1967 Stellafane Convention Scene of the 1967 Stellafane convention looking northeast from the front of Stellafane. Scene of the 1967 Stellafane convention looking northeast from the front of Stellafane.	1967 Stellafane Convention Cynthia Karp, Madison, Wisconsin, at the Miller log cabin during the 1967 Stellafane convention. Cynthia Karp, Madison, Wisconsin, at the Miller log cabin during the 1967 Stellafane convention.
1967 Stellafane Convention Women’s' outhouse built by John C. Pierce. Women’s' outhouse built by John C. Pierce.	1967 Stellafane Convention Large f/4 Newtonian telescope in split-ring mount by Harold Kennedy. Large f/4 Newtonian telescope in split-ring mount by Harold Kennedy.	1967 Stellafane Convention Miriam Houston, Walter Wheeler, Marcia Wheeler, and John C. Pierce. Miriam Houston, Walter Wheeler, Marcia Wheeler, and John C. Pierce.
1967 Stellafane Convention Students of John C. Pierce from the Woodstock Country School. Students of John C. Pierce from the Woodstock Country School.	1967 Stellafane Convention Students of John C. Pierce from the Woodstock Country School. Students of John C. Pierce from the Woodstock Country School.

Photos by Paul Valleli, STM

1967 Stellafane Convention Group photo 1 by the clubhouse at the 1967 Stellafane Convention. Group photo 1 by the clubhouse at the 1967 Stellafane Convention.

1967 Stellafane Convention Group photo 2 by the clubhouse at the 1967 Stellafane Convnetion. Group photo 2 by the clubhouse at the 1967 Stellafane Convnetion.

Photo courtesy of Robert Weathewax.

1967 Stellafane Convention Donald Painter (left) with his 6-inch SCT won First Place Catadioptric Optical and Robert Weatherwax, age 12, with his 6-inch Newtonian, won Best Junior Optics and Second Place Junior Mechanical. Both scopes were built in classes held by Robert Dillenbeck sponsored by the Schenectaday Amateur Astronomy Club. Photo taken in the Schenectady area. Donald Painter (left) with his 6-inch SCT won First Place Catadioptric Optical and Robert Weatherwax, age 12, with his 6-inch Newtonian, won Best Junior Optics and Second Place Junior Mechanical. Both scopes were built in classes held by Robert Dillenbeck sponsored by the Schenectaday Amateur Astronomy Club. Photo taken in the Schenectady area.

1968 Stellafane Convention

Photos from the Stellafane Archives by Walter Scott Houston.

1968 Stellafane Convention Tilted-component telescope by Richard Buchroeder. Tilted-component telescope by Richard Buchroeder.	1968 Stellafane Convention Tilted-component telescope by Richard Buchroeder. Tilted-component telescope by Richard Buchroeder.
	1968 Stellafane Convention Scene of the 1968 Stellafane convention looking northeast from the front of Stellafane. Scene of the 1968 Stellafane convention looking northeast from the front of Stellafane.	1968 Stellafane Convention Front end of Newtonian telescope showing sliding plate holding eyepiece and diagonal for focus, builder unknown. Front end of Newtonian telescope showing sliding plate holding eyepiece and diagonal for focus, builder unknown.

Photos by Paul Valleli, STM.

1968 Stellafane Convention Norman James from California with his original ball mounts. Norman James from California with his original ball mounts.

1968 Stellafane Convention This fork-mounted 11-inch Newtonain-Maksutov was made by Dr. Ferdie Barr of the Rochester Group using the design of Burt Norman of Canada. Paul Valleli is seen sighting along the tube in this photos. This fork-mounted 11-inch Newtonain-Maksutov was made by Dr. Ferdie Barr of the Rochester Group using the design of Burt Norman of Canada. Paul Valleli is seen sighting along the tube in this photos.

1968 Stellafane Convention Walter Scott 'Scotty' Houston at the 1968 Stellafane Convention. Walter Scott 'Scotty' Houston at the 1968 Stellafane Convention.

1969 Stellafane Convention

Photo courtesy of Alan FrenchPhoto courtesy of David Jackson

1969 Stellafane Convention Breezy Hill during the 1969 Convention. Note the tree line behind the clubhouse - right up to the utility pole with M44 hidden behind it. Breezy Hill during the 1969 Convention. Note the tree line behind the clubhouse - right up to the utility pole with M44 hidden behind it.

1969 Stellafane Convention David Jackson examines telescopes on display. David Jackson examines telescopes on display.

Photos by John Bortle

1969 Stellafane Convention Homemade 5-inch refractor co-mounted with a 12-inch f/2.5 (4.8-inch aperture) astrocamera constructed with a classic war surplus aerialcamera lens commonly available during the era. Homemade 5-inch refractor co-mounted with a 12-inch f/2.5 (4.8-inch aperture) astrocamera constructed with a classic war surplus aerialcamera lens commonly available during the era.	1969 Stellafane Convention Center of frame, Walter Scott Houston's solar observatory, constructed on-site from parts acquired from tearing down the women's bathroom at Stellafane the previous day! Beyond is Bert Willard's small pink ROR observatory permanently located at Stellafane. Center of frame, Walter Scott Houston's solar observatory, constructed on-site from parts acquired from tearing down the women's bathroom at Stellafane the previous day! Beyond is Bert Willard's small pink ROR observatory permanently located at Stellafane.	1969 Stellafane Convention Western New York ATM and AAVSOer Larry Hazel (checkered shirt) poses next to his spectrohelioscope. Western New York ATM and AAVSOer Larry Hazel (checkered shirt) poses next to his spectrohelioscope.
1969 Stellafane Convention Well known Ohio telescope maker Diane Lucas examines co-mounted standard and short-focus 6-inch Newtonians. Well known Ohio telescope maker Diane Lucas examines co-mounted standard and short-focus 6-inch Newtonians.	1969 Stellafane Convention Impressive trailer-mounted 10-inch on an heavy, unusual off-set equatorial mount and octagonal wooden tube. Impressive trailer-mounted 10-inch on an heavy, unusual off-set equatorial mount and octagonal wooden tube.	1969 Stellafane Convention Massively fork-mounted and well engineered large for the era (Mak?) Cassegrain. Massively fork-mounted and well engineered large for the era (Mak?) Cassegrain.
1969 Stellafane Convention Open tube 8-inch Newtonian with an off-axis mask in place. Open tube 8-inch Newtonian with an off-axis mask in place.	1969 Stellafane Convention Observers inspect the Sun with a solar projection telescope. Observers inspect the Sun with a solar projection telescope.	1969 Stellafane Convention Huge 12-inch f/12 Newtonian designed for planetary observing. Huge 12-inch f/12 Newtonian designed for planetary observing.