Scroll down for News from Other Years
[2000-Nov-5] The Fall/Winter Mirror Making class at Stellafane has been scheduled. For information on attending the mirror making class, please click here.
[2000-Oct-28] Derrick H. Pitts, Chief Astronomer at the Fels Planetarium of the Franklin Institute Science Museum in Philadelphia, will be the key note speaker at the 2001 convention on Saturday, August 18th. The subject of the talk is yet to be determined but will be posted here as soon as it's available. For information on attending the Stellafane convention, please click here.
[2000-Oct-10] Yes, that's the 2002 convention! The 2002 Stellafane convention is scheduled for August 9th and 10th. For information on attending the Stellafane convention, please click here.
[2000-Aug-23] On Saturday, September 2nd at 7:30pm, the Springfield Telescope Makers will sponsor a star party at Mt. Ascutney.
[2000-Jul-31] The 2001 Stellafane convention is scheduled for August 17th and 18th. If you registered for the 2000 convention you'll automatically be put on the 2001 mailing list. If you did not register for the 2000 convention and would like to pre-register for the 2001 convention you'll have to get yourself on our mailing list.
[2000-July-4] A DARK SKY license plate frame, sponsored by Sky and Telescope magazine, is now available. It says "We support the International Dark-Sky Association" at the top, and "Stars Up -- Lights Down." At the bottom. Please be sure to thank Sky and Telescope magazine for their generous support, as they will send a donation to IDA for each plate holder sold.
The DARK SKY license plate frame is available via the S&T web site or by phone at 1-800-253-0245. The cost is $9.95 postpaid. In addition, it will be marketed in their mail order catalog, at the on-line store and in their magazine.
Bob Gent
Public Relations Officer, International
Dark Sky Association
[2000-Jun-6] Stellafane hosted one of it's most spectacular events for the public this past Saturday evening. Perhaps no evening was so clear and so stable as this one. In a word it was spectacular.
Although the day began with clouds and a stiff breeze blowing out of the northwest, it gradually cleared away until at suppertime on the Hill not a cloud was seen. The air quieted down and not a whisper of a breeze disturbed the treetops. We began the evening with Mizar, the double star in Ursa Major and as twilight gave way to deeper shades of purple, the images of M13, M57, The Cat's Eye Nebula and other denizens of the deep washed across the eyepiece of the Porter Turret Telescope.
There were many telescopes gracing the green lawns of Stellafane throughout the evening each displaying a different deep sky picture. No lack of enthusiasm was seen as each person scrambled to see their neighbor's latest rich find. Everyone was in a terrific mood and it was most pleasing to witness all of the telescopes on the lawn near Stellafane including the Porter Turret. The only damper on the evening was the lack of more public participation. We certainly need to get the word out in a more timely manner for any future events. Since we only hosted about ten public people, we need to perform better in this area.
Joe Gardner, his wife and daughter, from the public, were so enthusiastic. His daughter, from Connecticut, was really thrilled at seeing all the objects we ran through during the evening. She really didn't want to have to leave even though she and her parents were exhausted. They stayed as late as they could possibly hold their eyes open but finally had to go home.
The next morning Connie Heleba made a sumptuous breakfast. There was a fire in the fireplace to take the chill and moisture out of the air and it was terrific getting some of the remaining group together around the breakfast table. There was a good deal of chatter going on concerning the evening's viewing. Hot coffee washed down bacon and French toast in copious amounts.
In short, we all experienced a wonderful Saturday night of observing at the Shrine to The Stars; Stellafane.
Carl Breuning,
Member, Springfield Telescope Makers
[2000-May-16]
The May 13th event was clouded out. Rescheduled for June 3rd!!
Come be a part of a nationwide fundraiser for the Muscular Dystrophy Association! It's called Telescopes For Telethon and it is the brainchild of David and Wendee Levy of Tucson, Arizona. David Levy was the co-discoverer of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9.
The local designated site for Telescopes For Telethon is Stellafane Observatory located on Breezy Hill in Springfield, Vermont. This event will take place on Saturday, June 3rd, so mark your calendar. In addition to looking through the telescopes, there will be guided tours of Stellafane all day for the visitors by members of the Springfield Telescope Makers. So if it's just cloudy, be aware that there will still be some daytime activities up there on the Hill.
All the proceeds for Telescopes For Telethon will be pooled and given to Jerry Lewis, by check, at the MDA Labor Day Telethon on TV this fall. So come up and enjoy the beautiful site of Stellafane, which is a National Historic Landmark, and if it's not a cloudy night, stay and look through those telescopes too! It'll be great fun for the family, and you'll feel good about helping MDA too!