[2016-12-17] Last
Summer a trio of planetary portraits by STM members John
Briggs and Thomas Spirock appeared which were stunning in
their crisp detail and contrast. They used a 102
year-old 6-inch Warner and Swasey Refractor with a
Brashear objective on Mount Wilson to produce cutting-edge
images of Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Recently John
published an article in the Mount Wilson Observatory
publication Reflections telling the story behind the
images. John was part of a team which took the historic
refractor out of storage and restored it. Tom used
techniques which he honed on the McGregor Observatory
13-inch Schupmann telescope and captured thousands of
frames, stacking the best of each Planet. The air flow
over the observatory steadied just in time and the
legendary (but fickle) “seeing” at the Mt. Wilson site
delivered extraordinary definition. Tom demonstrated his
techniques to an international group of undergraduate
students attending the Curea program (Consortium of
Undergraduate Research in Education and Astronomy) which
John helped launch at the Observatory.
[2016-11-21]
On November 18th, members Steve & Patrick Dodson attended a meeting of the Kitchener RASC in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. While there, they gave some talks.
In particular, Patrick presented the history of Stellafane's early beginnings and Porter's influence on the ATM world.
Steve followed it up with a talk about John Dobson and how he influenced telescope building in Ontario with two visits he had made there in the 80's.
Location of Kitchener-Waterloo.
Location of Kitchener-Waterloo.
Patrick Dodson and his talk about Russell Porter
Patrick Dodson and his talk about Russell Porter
Patrick Dodson and his talk about Russell Porter
Patrick Dodson and his talk about Russell Porter
Steve Dodson and his talk about John Dobson
Steve Dodson and his talk about John Dobson
Is that Steve inside a telescope tube?
Is that Steve inside a telescope tube?
John Dobson in Northern Ontario, Canada
John Dobson in Northern Ontario, Canada
2016 Board Elections
[2016-11-21]At the annual business meeting,
the Springfield Telescope Makers held
their election. All the Officers remain in their positions except for one . We'd like
to congratulate Jay Drew to his appointment to the position of Secretary
and thank Carl Malikowski for his service.
Dave Tabor President
Ken Slater Vice President
Jay Drew Secretary
Al Monkowski Treasurer
Gary Cislak Past President
Dave Prowten Trustee
Jeff Lowe Trustee
Cub Scouts Visit Stellafane
[2016-10-15]
On October 15th, the Springfield Telescope Makerss hosted a star party with Cub Scouts
from several local Packs. There were about 20 Scouts, plus their families and leaders. The evening started
off with a short presentation from STM President Dave Tabor who explained how a telescope works and what objects the
Cubs would be able to see that evening. After the presentation, the Cubs joined the STMs at the telescopes,
looking through several homemade telescopes and the club's Schupmann Telescope in the McGregor Observatory. The Cubs were
able to try their hand at using one of the scopes to view the Moon, while the STMs showed off the Moon, Saturn, Mars,
Venus and a few deep sky objects. Saturn was definitely the showpiece with the most interest. We're looking forward to
another event next spring with the local packs, and hoping to see a lot more!
Learning about telescopes and astronomy.
Learning about telescopes and astronomy.
Cub Scouts
Cubs and Leaders
Cub Scouts
Observing Outside the McGregor Observatory
Cub Scouts
Inside the McGregor Observatory
Cub Scouts
In Line To See Saturn
Cub Scouts
Astronomers of the Future
Two Free Public Fall Star Parties
[August 8, 2016]
The Springfield Telescope Makers are pleased to offer two free public star parties this fall:
Saturday, September 3rd at Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site
on Route 12A in Cornish, NH
(Rain Date Sunday, September 4th)
Solar Viewing: 2:00-4:00 PM with regular site admission fee. Star Party: 8:00 PM, free admission
There was a large turnout last year in this beautiful
setting - come see the stunning night sky with us.
Viewing will begin when it is dark, there will be a
short presentation on the history of astronomy in the area
at 8:00 PM.
Friday & Saturday, October 7th &
8th at Stellafane
in Springfield, VT 7:00 PM
[2016-10-09]This year, our fall star party stretched over two nights. Friday was clear with decent seeing and a large group of guests
stayed up most of the night observing fall favorites through a variety of telescopes, including the Porter Turret
Telescope. Saturday night was clouded out due to weather
associated with Hurricate Matthew, but the Clubhouse was
still warm and inviting. The Bruening/Wilder Family again cooked up a delicious meal both nights and gave tours of
the National Historic Observatory. Thanks to all who
attended and pitched in to help. See you next autumn!
Setting up Friday Night.
Fall at Stellafane
Colors on the observing field
Morning after at the Clubhouse
Springfield Steampunk Festival
[2016-09-23]
Stellafane once again opened the Hartness-Porter Museum of Amateur Telescope Making to the creative people who fly in on dirigibles to attend
the annual Springfield Steampunk Festival. Here are several photos
of the Steampunkers who visited us this weekend - we were very busy all weekend.
Looking forward to next year!
Enjoying the museum.
Enjoying the Museum
Springfield Steampunk Festival: Inside the Museum
Inside the Museum
Springfield Steampunk Festival: Visiting the museum
Visiting the Museum
Springfield Steampunk Festival: Underground in the Museum
Underground in the Museum
2018 and 2019 Convention Dates Announced
[2016-10-03] The dates for the 2018 and 2019 Conventions have been announced.
August 9-12, 2018 and August 1-4, 2019. Please add them to your calendar!.
2017 Hartness House Workshop Announced
[2016-08-31] The topic for our Hartness House Workshop during the 2017 Convention has been announced.
Dr. Tom Spirock will be coordinating a group of professional and amateur experts in the field of Exo-Planets. Please plan on joining us!.
Dr. Kris Larsen receives the Astronomical League's 2015 Special Service Award
Dr. Kris Larsen receives the Astronomical League's 2015 Special Service Award
Kris Larsen wins Special Service Award
[2016-02-23] Springfield Telescope Maker Kristine Larsen
PhD, Professor of Astronomy at Central Connecticut State
University, is awarded the Astronomical League's 2015 Special Service
Award for her "outstanding service, dedication, attention to detail, and performance in her role as volunteer Assistant Editor of the magazine Reflector."
Kris is well known to the Stellafane community as the driving force creating and presenting our popular Kids Programs. She works tirelessly to put up the slide show for the Saturday Evening Program and is an accompished telescope maker.
Besides her work at CCSU, Kris is the current President of the AAVSO, the American Association of Variable Star Observers, and has a special interest in our own nearby variable star, the Sun. She and her students are avid solar observers and post data to the AAVSO most clear days.
Kris' Curriculum Vitae makes impressive reading, and her personal blog at
Musings from Melenrond is both fun and thought provoking. Give Kris a thumb's up when you see her at Convention: we predict she will advance to Editor of Reflector Magazine by then.
NPS Superintendent Rick Kendall, President Dave Tabor, Julie Tabor, Vice President Ken Slater, Historian Matt Considine in front of the Stellafane display in the Vermont Statehouse.
NPS Superintendent Rick Kendall, President Dave Tabor, Julie Tabor, Vice President Ken Slater, Historian Matt Considine in front of the Stellafane display in the Vermont Statehouse.
National Park Service Centennial
[2016-01-22] At the invitation of the National Park Service, the Springfield Telescope Makers were asked to participate in events honoring the
NPS Centennial in the Vermont Statehouse.
In the morning we gathered in the house chamber to hear a joint resolution being read in honor of the National Park Service and its excellent stewardship of historic, cultural and natural resources in Vermont. Vermont is home to Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Park and a section of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. After the joint resolution passed unanimously, the Representatives and Senators rose and gave the NPS staff that were present a long round of applause.
Additionally, the NPS oversees the National Historic Landmark program, and we were there to represent the Stellafane Observatory National Historic Landmark. There are 17 NHL's in Vermont, and that list includes the Statehouse. Club president Dave Tabor prepared a very nice display of historic photos and descriptions and brought his homemade telescope; Mike Patterson created a one-page handout that provided a brief history of Stellafane; and Matt Considine brought a replica of a Porter Casting, the 'Arctic Explorer' book and an original ATM book.
From 11 to 1 a reception was held for the Legislators and Statehouse staff. NPS provided a light lunch, and we were quite busy with many people stopping by to find out more about Stellafane, our history, and what we are doing today.
Rick Kendall, the NPS Superintendent of both Marsh-Billings
National Park and Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site,
as well as Superintendent of the NPS Stewardship
Institute, and who organized the event, gave a few brief remarks. Representatives of U.S. Senators Leahy and Sanders also read congratulatory messages to NPS on reaching their one hundredth anniversary.
Representing the club were President Dave Tabor and his
wife Julie Tabor, Vice President Ken Slater, and Historian
Matt Considine. NPS Superintendent Kendall, a great
supporter of the NPS Night Skies program, has
successfully made a mirror in the Stellafane mirror class,
and we partner with him in the fall to hold the
Saint-Gaudens Star Party.
Overall, this was a wonderful event to be a part of, and we thank
Superintendent Kendall and the National Park Service for inviting us to their 100 Year Celebration.
We wish the NPS good luck in their second century of
conservation and protection of our shared history and
natural resources.
