| GSSP 2017 This year Fred, Al, Miguel, Eileen, Walter and myself went up a night early as volunteers. The Santa Cruz Astronomy Club mans the gate one day during the star party. The Albaughs sometimes put on a BBQ for the volunteers. This year it was at Barbara's. She is the "senior" of the family. This is her place - only a couple of miles from the GSSP field. |
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2017 This year, after a practice round down in Borrego Springs, I'm ready to image with my new camera. I upgraded to an SBIG STF-8300m w/filter wheel and Off-Axis-Guider. |
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2017 John's Shade Cave with the SCAC banner. John was checking out an 18" Dob that was donated to the club. |
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2017 Walter drove up with Jeff, who also towed Walter's astronomy trailer. Here's Walter getting organized. |
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2017 The most important part of the star party is shade. This year every day was in the mid to high nineties. This was the hottest five days that I can remember. Back home in Sacramento the temperatures were setting records. |
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2017 Walter's C11 on the Celestron mount. Note the dent on the OTA - there was a misshap in Walter's observatory and the telescope slid off the mount. It looks bad, but no damage to the optics. Whew!!! |
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2017 Walter looking off to the south - probably looking for Jupiter - the first object to come out each night. |
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2017 Bill arriving in his Mini. I'm always amazed that Bill can get all of his camping gear as well as his telescope into his car. |
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2017 Bill tied up alongside Walter's trailer which gave Bill some good shade in the early morning. If you don't make some kind of shade arrangement, the Sun will turn your tent into a nice little oven not long after sunrise. Kind of tough if you've been up most of the night. |
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2017 Bill setting up his scope. |
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2017 John reclining in the Shade Cave. As usual, the Shade Cave was the most popular place to be. I think the temperature got up to 99 on one of the days. |
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2017 Miguel and Eileen enjoying the shade. |
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2017 One of the local restaurants in Bieber (about 10 miles away) put together a special menu for the astronomers. The food was good. I had probably the messiest burger ever and a milk-shake made with real ice cream. Mmmm! |
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2017 John and Bill enjoying the shade while talking telescopes with a visitor. |
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2017 Our other Bill getting set up. Bill has an AP 900 and Celestron 9.25" EdgeHD - the same as me. |
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2017 Bill and Jeff's gear all ready to go. They both work with AP 900s. |
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2017 Bill and Walter conferring. |
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2017 Jeff, our president. |
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2017 Walter and Terry. The Sun below the horizon and everyone starts to feel better. A quick shower just before dinner and we're ready to hit the scopes. |
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2017 Miguel wandering around. |
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2017 Bill taking a quick nap before getting ready for observing. |
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2017 Waiting in line for dinner. Fred, Al, Miguel, Bill, Bill and Andy peaking around from behind. Walter on the far right. |
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2017 Another dinner line. ?, Al, Ron, Fred, Bill. Back row: Walter, Bill, Jeff, Andy |
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2017 Rich Ozer - the organizer of GSSP. |
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2017 A view of our alley. |
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2017 One evening we had an aerial visitor who flew around for a while. |
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2017 A nice sunset. |
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2017 Another nice sunset. |
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2017 A different view of our alley. |
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2017 Under the main tent. One night's speaker was a couple that sailed around the world. They talked about celestial navigation. |
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2017 One fellow had a very large Dob. |
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2017 Looking west toward Jeff and Walter's tents. |
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2017 My tent and telescope on the left with John's big Dob and Shade Cave. |
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2017 Everyone uncovering their scopes and getting ready. Once the sun set the temperature started going down and the nights were actually pretty pleasant. |
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2017 Ron with his telescope. |
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