This article originally appears in the second quarter 2007 STAR Newsletter. -Ian
Green Bank Star Quest IV
by Linda Stalnaker
When I first joined the Ohio Valley Astronomical Society, members often talked about the Laurel Highlands Star Cruise and praised it as a great amateur astronomy event. Finally I got to go too, in 2004 (the year the Pittsburgh astronomy group locked the gate at the end of the last day and threw away the key).
West Virginia has been blessed with another amateur astronomy event, the Almost Heaven Star Party, a well-liked gathering…but another event sponsored by an out-of-state group…the astronomers in northern Virginia.
West Virginia now has a home-grown star party that is tapping on the shoulders of amateurs nationwide, and inviting them to come hither. And they are, and they are liking it. Green Bank Star Quest IV ended its run July 8 to a bevy of compliments from those attending from all sorts of places: Colorado, North Carolina, South Carolina, New York, even Hurricane, WV.
It seems that in four short years, the Central Appalachian and the Kanawha Valley astronomy clubs along with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory staff have meshed to put on a first rate event that folks from the bigger clubs around the nation are praising as well-organized and a must go-to (sorry) entry on their calendars.
You just can’t beat the backdrop for Star Quest: a premier internationally recognized astronomy facility in the middle of nowhere with first rate meeting facilities, great speakers, darks skies and really good food. This past week I saw the Milky Way two nights in a row within sight of the Green Bank Telescope, a simple pleasure in these days of polluted urban skies.
Star Quest began July 4th. Speakers brought us topics such as the New Horizons space probe going to our red-headed step child solar system member Pluto, a brief history of women in astronomy, exoplanets and astrophotography.
Oh, and did I mention several of the Rocket Boys were there and mingled among the crowd like they were everyone’s old friends. No, Homer Hickam was not among them. Still Roy Lee, Quentin, and O’Dell delighted the attendees with their memories of Coalwood, WV, their efforts in rocketry and how Hollywood took Homer’s memoirs – “Rocket Boys” – and bent the facts show biz style in the movie “October Sky.” Those guys were just delightful.
Delightful too were the Star Quest attendees. No one was a stranger. I had the chance to hang out with two members of the Raleigh (NC) Astronomy Club, whom I met during Star Quest III. Bill and Ian were invaluable in helping me figure out why my CGE mount would not go-to when I asked it to. They loaned me a deep cycle battery (one that powers an electric wheel chair) and that cured my woes. Now I am the proud owner of a deep cycle battery too. It seems the CGE doesn’t like those jump-your-car-battery power supplies.
They also made me an honorary member of RAC and included me in their group picture. I then felt obligated and sent the club membership dues for a year. I doubt if I will make any of their meetings, but I now have dual citizenship…in two clubs.
When I finally got the C11/CGE up and running I looked at all sorts of the celestial goodies. Jupiter was bright and had four of its babies hovering close by. I used the opportunity to do some southern sky work and observed M5, 10, 12, 62 among others. I also looked at the Andromeda Galaxy, the Whirlpool, the Sombrero, the Hercules Cluster, the Ring Nebula, the Veil Nebula (I even got out my OIII filter for that one), M81 and M82 and Venus. I tried for Neptune, but from my spot on the observing field it was behind some trees.
If you have not guessed it I had a wonderful time. Of course, Green Bank is one of my favorite places to be. I think the radio telescopes are just plain fascinating. And the fact that amplifiers, receivers and other electronics are made and parts machined right there is amazing. Top that off with world class science and you have a gem that West Virginia can be proud of.
I highly encourage you to mark you calendars for Green Bank Star Quest V: July 2, 3, 4 and 5, 2008. I will see you there.
(Ed. Note: Linda is a brand new member of the RAC. She lives in Hurricane West Virginia.)
