Matt Lochansky – Page 21 – Raleigh Astronomy Club

Your First Star Party

Your First Star Party By Ian Hewitt Have you recently acquired the observing habit? Or the even more addictive astro-imaging bug? If so, then you may be considering going to a Star Party. Star Parties are a great way to enjoy amateur astronomy and they offer things like networking with other amateurs, see presentations from professionals and advanced amateurs, observing sessions in remote places in safety (if not comfort), and just to have fun. However, many people are intimidated about…

Busy Fall

RAC News, Uncategorized

Hello, It’s been a while since I blogged, I will get back on schedule and start posting some new entries regularly…. We have a lot of events coming up this fall and hopefully will get some good weather. Details can be found on the web site, but they include: September – Dark Sky Weekend at Pettigrew state park October – Public observing at the NC Museum of Art and the Mid Atlantic Star Party November – Public observing at Howell…

Second Quarter 2009 RAC Meeting Summaries

Club Reports, Uncategorized

Second Quarter 2009 RAC Meeting Summaries by Mark Lang April 10, 2009 – Regular Meeting. Tonight’s presentation was “Russell W. Porter – Innovator, Designer, and Builder” by Gayle Riggsbee of the Charlotte Amateur Astronomers. To put things into perspective in terms of today’s prices, Gayle informed us that 100 years ago it took one year’s salary to purchase a telescope. Back then, the few manufacturers were W&D Mogey who produced medium quality scopes, Clark Telescopes which were very expensive, and…

iOptron Smartstar E-R80

Equipment Reviews, Uncategorized

(This article originally appeared in the Q4 2007 STAR Newsletter and was written by Dwight Rahl) iOptron Smartstar-E-R80 by Dwight Rahl When I was about 13, my parents got me my first telescope – a 6″ Criterion Dynascope. I had fun with it, but I was always frustrated by the amount of trouble I had in finding objects in the sky to observe. I found I was using it less and less often because of the trouble I had finding…

Green Bank Star Quest IV

Star Party Articles, Uncategorized

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…

An Introduction to the Itty Bitty Telescope

General Interest, Uncategorized

(This article originally appeared in the second quarter 2007 STAR Newsletter and was written by Mark Gibson. -I) An Introduction to the Itty Bitty Telescope by Mark Gibson While attending the Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers (SARA) in Green Bank, WV, I was introduced to the Itty Bitty Telescope. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) and the SARA are spearheading an effort to get school children involved in Radio Astronomy. The design of this telescope allows the user to find…

Messier Marathon 2007

RAC News, Uncategorized

(This article originally appeared in the Q1 2007 STAR Newsletter and was written by Brian Reasor. -I) Messier Marathon 2007 by Brian Reasor Thanks to all who came out for the RAC 2007 Messier Marathon at Howell Woods. Everyone seemed to enjoy the event. Skies were clear, although seeing suffered some due to wind, and it got down to about freezing overnight. We had, by my count, 16 people and maybe a few more who showed up after dark. Most…

There’s More to Resizing than Meets the Eye

General Interest, Uncategorized

(This article originally appeared in the first quarter 2007STAR Newsletter. -I) There’s More to Re-sizing than Meets the Eye by Mike Etkin Those of you who process digital images know about resizing. If most of you are like me, your exposure to resizing is probably limited to reducing file sizes to something that would be easily transmitted over the Internet – something on the order of 80 to 100 kilobytes. My exposure increased considerably when I was getting some images…

Astronomy Days 2007

RAC News, Uncategorized

(This article appeared in the first quarter 2007 STAR Newsletter. -I) Astronomy Days 2007 By Ian Hewitt It was January again (seems to come around every year) and you know what that means! New Year’s? Playoff Games? No! Astronomy Days!!! This year, RAC had another great event and you all deserve a big hand of applause! This year everyone focused on updating many of the exhibits to help keep the event fresh and it resulted in an attendance of 16,695…

RAC at Presbyterian Point

Star Party Articles, Uncategorized

(This article originally appeared in the Q3 2006 STAR newsletter. -Ian) RAC at Presbyterian Point by Bill Webster On Sept 22 & 23 more then thirty club members and guests traveled north for a two night outing to a site called Presbyterian Point. The Occoneechee Boy Scout Council recently acquired this site. Dean and Susan Herring informed the officers that this might be a good location to hold a club star party. The officers met with the Boy Scout Council…

Green Bank Star Quest

Star Party Articles, Uncategorized

(This article originally appeared in the Q2 2006 STAR newsletter. -I) Green Bank Star Quest by Bill Webster The third Green Bank Star Quest was held June 21st through the 24th. Ian Hewitt had to twist my arm a little to get me to go to this star party, and I am sure glad he did. The weather forecast for the weekend didn’t look very promising and it lived up to its prediction. As soon as we got there it…

A Visit to Tri-Star

Star Party Articles, Uncategorized

(This article originally appeared in the Q1 2006 STAR newsletter. -I) A Visit to Tri-Star by Phyllis Lang On Saturday morning, March 3, Mark and I drove to Greensboro for Tri-Star, an event sponsored by Guilford Technical Community College. We hadn’t attended this event before but the schedule of speakers looked inviting. After the short drive to Greensboro on a beautifully sunny morning, we arrived to find vendors already setup, a few astronomy friends milling about and Elizabeth Warner just…

Star Quest II – A Summer Wonder

Star Party Articles, Uncategorized

(This article originally appeared in the Q3 2005 STAR newsletter. -I) Star Quest II – A Summer Wonder Scott Carpenter Star Quest II was held July 6-10 at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, WV. This was the second year of the event, hosted by the Central Appalachian Astronomy Club (CAAC) of Clarksburg, WV. There were approximately 125 attendees. I attended this year with my two sons, Christian, 8, and DJ, 4, along with my 7-year-old nephew, Tino.…

The Peach State Star Gaze

Star Party Articles, Uncategorized

(This article originally appeared in the Q3 2002 STAR newsletter and was written by John Roth. -I) The Peach State Star Gaze By John Roth This year the Peach State Star Gaze was held October 3-6 at WhiteWater Express near the point where Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina intersect. This was the ninth year for this annual event sponsored by the Atlanta Astronomy Club, and the first year at this location. The event featured some big-name speakers including comet discoverer…

MASP 2002

Star Party Articles, Uncategorized

(This article originally appeared in the Q4 2002 STAR newsletter. -Ian) MASP 2002 by Bill Webster The Mid Atlantic Star Party was held at Camp Reeves Oct. 29 through Nov. 2. I have been to several Mid-Atlantic Star Parties, four to be exact. The biggest difference in this one was that it was cold. In past years I remember bringing sun screen and putting up a tarp to create some shade during to get through the day. Well, that wasn’t…