2/6-10 - Orange Blossom Special Star Party, Lithia, FL. Local to I-75 S, then local to Alafia River State Park

3/4-10 - Kisatchie Star Party, Kisatchie, LA. Local to SR 100 to I-10, US 190 at Alexandria to I-49, Local to Kisatchie National Forest.

3/31-4/7 - Mid South Star Gaze, French Camp, MS. SR 100 to I-10, US 190 to Montgomery, US 82 to Mathiston, MS, Natchez Trace to French Camp.

4/24-27 - NEAF (North East Astronomy Forum), Suffern, NY. Local to US 301/A1A, I-95 at Yulee, FL; Garden State Parkway at Metuchen, NYST (I-87/287) at Spring Valley, local to Rockland Community College.

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty:
4/24-27 - NEAF (North East Astronomy Forum), Suffern, NY... NYST (I-87/287) at Spring Valley...

Is this everywhere you're going?

I planned to break down somewhere nearby so I could call you for road service . I do plan to run up to Newburgh if invited...

Let's see, how can I sell it to my wife... Hum, will you be bringing any "Box Tops For Education" coupons?

Can you teach me how to use my "NoviceScope" to view celestrial dots?

Well then, I am extending an invitation to have you "not breakdown" in and around Newburgh, N.Y.

I'll PM you for additional times and dates of your trip up north. Please bring the warmth with you. I'm not just talking about your sunny disposition.

I checked the coupons; sadly, I use none of the products except Caribou Coffee Bars (I still have one boxtop from it). Too bad they don't appear on cases of beer . In a few years, maybe Depends...

We can certainly check out your scope.

I'll bring warm weather with me; try not to lose it!

Leaving tomorrow for the Kisatchie Star Party - to see some old friends on the way at Gulfport, MS. No wi-fi anywhere; back 3/10.

Actually leaving 3/29 (Saturday) for the Mid-South Star Gaze.

Bill N Y, I'll save some of the fresh shrimp I'm taking to NEAF for you and SWMBO.

Rusty,
When we were in Az we went up to the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff. Really a great nite, we just about froze to death, going from 70s in the day in Black Canyon City to 20s and breezy at over 7000' in Flag!
The Lowell is famous for discovering Pluto. They brought out a 10" and a 24" for us to view the moon and the rings of Saturn. It was amazing, but what we liked most was having the guides point out and explain the constellations, how they were named and some of the individual stars and galaxys, the light from which had started it's journey to earth a million or more years ago!
Patty bought a star chart before we left and when we got home we went out to the back of the camp where thre wasn't a street lamp to see how many stars and constellations we could find.
Someday we hope we'll get to a Barthmobile meet with you and your 'scopes.
Don and Patty ... in St. Francisville LA. and heading towards home.

Clyde Tombaugh was the Lowell astronomer who discovered Pluto (he died in '97 at 91); his vision was as good as 20-year olds well into his 80s....the nearest large galaxy is Andromeda, and its light seen today is 2.2 million years old.

Anyway, if you're going back up I-55, French Camp is off exit 185 (Winona), and the Rainwater Observatory is about 1/2 mile east of Natchez Trace on SR 407. I'll be there Sunday afternoon - you're welcome to stop by (the driveway is a bit rustic, and tight after the last curve to the right - trees, but there's plenty of room in the parking lot to turn around). I park behind the building on the right.

Since the Mid-South is in Mississippi, I refer to this each time I go, to get me ready for the trip: The Mississippi Squirrel Revival

Her transmission rebuilt, StaRV II's underway tomorrow for NY to the NEAIC and the NEAF, with a side trip to Bill N Y.

Sadly, because the transmission computer was balky, I didn't get her back until too late yesterday to go to the seafood market. No shrimp.