| CalStar
April 2026 This year I got in about an hour before Al, so I was already set up when he got here. Here's Al with his big imaging telescope, and Jeff. |
CalStar April
2026 Jeff's rig - an older model C11 on his AP 900 GoTo mount. This year Jeff's hand controller went haywire, so I lent him my spare. It turned out to be fully compatible. We think it may have been the battery in the hand controller. Jeff and I have been down this road before with my scope a few years back. |
CalStar April
2026 Al, trying to connect all of his software to the mount and camera. This year we got to watch a SpaceX launch from Vandenberg AFB which is only about 75 miles away. The sky lit up white as it rose in the night sky. As it sped away on its second stage, we could see the first stage booster coming back down for its own landing. |
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| CalStar April
2026 Mission accomplished. |
CalStar April
2026 My neighbor from GSSP for the last couple of years, Rod. Jeff is hiding in the background:) |
CalStar April
2026 aaRod brough along his binocular stand. Keeps the binoculars steady for you. |
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| CalStar April
2026 On the left is Frank, Rod's astronomy buddy. Boy do these guys know how to camp in style. The food that they cooced up for dinner always smelled great. I had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. |
CalStar April
2026 Rod was having trouble connecting to some new hardware. Just didn't seem to work. Plus, it's always a bear to try to read your screen in the bright sunlight. |
CalStar April
2026 Jeff, Al and myself taking refuge and visiting at Rod and Frank's shade cave. |
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| CalStar
April 2026 On our second to last evening, Steve, on the right, made tacos for five. Jeff, Bill and Steve, I don't know the name of the woman, but she's from the Bay Area and just bought a big Obsession Dobsonian telescope. Maybe a little much for a beginner. Definitely a challenge. |
CalStar
April 2026
The usual suspects: Jeff, Bill and Steve. |
CalStar April
2026 Frank and Rod cooking up another gourmet dinner - camping style. |
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| CalStar April
2026 Yes, I was, in fact there... |
CalStar April
2026 We had a forecast of rain on Sunday, so, here on Saturday most of us were packing up to flee the rain. That's all that's left of Rod and Frank's shade cave. |
CalStar April
2026 Jeff wandering aimlessly about - saying goodbye to those who were leaving. |
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| CalStar April
2026 All that 's left of my trip is this damp spot where my tarp was laid under my rig. Got my living quarters there on the right. This year I got a brand new Ram cargo van. This one I could actually stand up inside. So much easier to get dressed. |
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