Heart of America Star Party 2010 (9/2-9/2010). This picture was taken Saturday morning. Approximately 180 people attended. My friends and I attended from Friday through Monday. Observing was nice Friday and Saturday nights. We got clouded out Sunday night.
Here is our campsite. My RV is front and center in this picture. Bentley Ousley's truck is parked in front. Bentley, Rob, and Dave rented an RV which can be seen on the left edge of the picture.
Here is our observing area. My scope is the large one center right. Bentley's 14 inch StarMaster (the first f4 version made) can be seen on the right, partially blocked by my scope. Dave Hudgin's home-made 14-inch dob is in the center of the image, and Rob Esson's 8-inch LX200, covered by a scope shield, is left of Dave's scope.
Another picture of my 22-inch Dob, which has a Kennedy Optics f4 mirror.
Rob Esson (left) telling Dave Hudgins a highly amusing joke involving nuns and leprechauns.
Here is Ed Wiley with his 14-inch Obsession, who I met at the star party. Ed is heavily involved in double-star research, among other things.
We met this gentleman, named Terry, and his dog Samantha, while wandering around the observing field. Terry is from Illinois and has a beautiful 22-foot Airstream Safari trailer.
Amateur astronomers tend to have lots of hobbies. Here is Jim Ketchum with his metal detector.
This is Ironweed (Vernonia baldwini) with an unidentified skipper and butterfly. I found it on the side of the access road when I walked up to take the site panorama at the beginning of this album.
Rob Esson had the fantastic good fortune to win a Bushnell telescope in a raffle during the star party. Bentley and Ed are posing with him, green with envy as you can see. Rob has decided to keep his 8-inch LX200, mostly for sentimental reasons, no doubt...
Dave Hudgins, moi, Rob Esson, and Bentley Ousley. I'm wearing my official star party tee-shirt. (One of Elly's all time favorites...)
