Northern Nights Star Fest Aug 24-27

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wkocken
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Northern Nights Star Fest Aug 24-27

Post by wkocken »

Reminder. The Northern Nights Star Fest III will be 4 nights this year August 24-27 at the Long Lake Conservation Center. Lodging and food are available onsite. We also have speakers, swap meet and training on the 30" and 25" Obsession scopes. Please see http://www.mnastro.org/NNSF for details and link to the sign-up form. See you there for Dark Sky fun!
Bill
Bill Kocken
16" f4.5 - home built truss design
8"f6 home built dob
102f7 Explore Scientific APO with Ioptron ZEQ25GT mount
4.5 Orion Starblast
60mm Meade ETX
Homemade equatorial platform
w m kocken at gmail dot com
johnkra
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Re: Northern Nights Star Fest Aug 24-27

Post by johnkra »

Last year I signed up by the deadline, only to determine nearer the event that it would likely be a washout, which it was pretty much, I guess. So, I didn't bother to make the trip and lost my entry fee but at least didn't waste a lot of time on hope for miraculous clearing.
Why can't the arrangements include showing up at the door and paying a bit more such as at Okie-Tex? I would like to attend but it is primarily weather dependent.
Of course, I realize that some planning for expected numbers is needed, but this ain't no rock concert in the woods.

M73,
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wkocken
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Re: Northern Nights Star Fest Aug 24-27

Post by wkocken »

We generally don't publicize it, but late arrivals are allowed. There are a couple of problems it creates.
1.) If the lodging is full, there won't be a place to stay. To be honest, I don't know how likely this is.
2.) The bigger problem is that LLCC needs to order food and plan the meals ahead of time. If you haven't signed up for meals, you are on your own for meals unless there are known no shows. Okie-tex is big enough that they can absorb some unanticipated demand for food, but LLCC is very environment conscious and tries not to waste food. There are places to go to get sustenance. Pallisade is about 5 or 6 miles and has a decent cafe. McGregor is a little further and has a full service restaurant, a DQ and a Subway. Aitkin is further yet and has still more choices.
3.) You may not get a prime observing spot. Early arrivals get the best choices, of course.

One note, everyone who attends must register and pay the registration fee, even if they don't stay overnight or buy a food plan. Much of the fee goes to expenses and door prizes.

Bill
Bill Kocken
16" f4.5 - home built truss design
8"f6 home built dob
102f7 Explore Scientific APO with Ioptron ZEQ25GT mount
4.5 Orion Starblast
60mm Meade ETX
Homemade equatorial platform
w m kocken at gmail dot com
johnkra
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Re: Northern Nights Star Fest Aug 24-27

Post by johnkra »

Bill:

Thank you, indeed.

M73,
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wkocken
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Re: Northern Nights Star Fest Aug 24-27

Post by wkocken »

The schedule of Activities and Speakers has been posted. Please check it at http://www.mnastro.org/NNSF The final schedule subject to change, but this is pretty well what will be going on. You will also find a link to the signup form in there.
Bill
Bill Kocken
16" f4.5 - home built truss design
8"f6 home built dob
102f7 Explore Scientific APO with Ioptron ZEQ25GT mount
4.5 Orion Starblast
60mm Meade ETX
Homemade equatorial platform
w m kocken at gmail dot com
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wkocken
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Re: Northern Nights Star Fest Aug 24-27

Post by wkocken »

Registration deadline is Aug 12. Registering ensures you of onsite food, and helps the committee with planning and budgeting for midnight snacks, door prizes and welcome packages. Arriving early ensures you of better selection of telescope setup site.
Here is a direct link to the registration form.
http://www.llcc.org/PDF-Files/NorthernN ... io2011.pdf
Bill
Bill Kocken
16" f4.5 - home built truss design
8"f6 home built dob
102f7 Explore Scientific APO with Ioptron ZEQ25GT mount
4.5 Orion Starblast
60mm Meade ETX
Homemade equatorial platform
w m kocken at gmail dot com
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wkocken
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Re: Northern Nights Star Fest Aug 24-27

Post by wkocken »

The 5 and 10 day forecast for LLCC weather is fantastic. Wednesday and Thursday are listed as Sunny with 0% chance of rain. Friday and Saturday are just 10%. I am looking forward to it!


Bill
Bill Kocken
16" f4.5 - home built truss design
8"f6 home built dob
102f7 Explore Scientific APO with Ioptron ZEQ25GT mount
4.5 Orion Starblast
60mm Meade ETX
Homemade equatorial platform
w m kocken at gmail dot com
User avatar
wkocken
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Re: Northern Nights Star Fest Aug 24-27

Post by wkocken »

One new addition this year will by your chance to sign up for "just-me-time" on one of the big scopes :shock: . Trained users will be able to sign up for 2 hour blocks of time to use the 25" Obsession scope on a "just me" basis. You can work on that especially faint group of galaxies, or count globular custers around M31 or stare at familiar favorites or do whatever you want during your time. There will be a whiteboard in the observatory garage for signups.

This program will be available during NNSF and we will make it a standing feature at all LLCC star parties. In the future we want to allow some sort of advance sign-up, but for NNSF, signups will be available onsite only.

We haven't worked out all of the details yet, and your suggestions are welcome. For example, we'd like to include the 30" Obsession, too, after a certain time of night.

Bill
Bill Kocken
16" f4.5 - home built truss design
8"f6 home built dob
102f7 Explore Scientific APO with Ioptron ZEQ25GT mount
4.5 Orion Starblast
60mm Meade ETX
Homemade equatorial platform
w m kocken at gmail dot com
Byron
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Location: Chaska

Re: Northern Nights Star Fest Aug 24-27

Post by Byron »

HI Bill
I only have time to come up on Friday night and part of saturday.
not staying on site nor do I need meals. can I still come up and is registration still needed?

Byron
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wkocken
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Re: Northern Nights Star Fest Aug 24-27

Post by wkocken »

You're welcome to come up. You do not need to stay onsite or purchase meals. However, you will need to register (and pay) when you arrive. The good news is that makes you eligible for midnight snacks and door prize drawings.
Bill
Bill Kocken
16" f4.5 - home built truss design
8"f6 home built dob
102f7 Explore Scientific APO with Ioptron ZEQ25GT mount
4.5 Orion Starblast
60mm Meade ETX
Homemade equatorial platform
w m kocken at gmail dot com
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Wayne
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Re: Northern Nights Star Fest Aug 24-27

Post by Wayne »

To everyone who made NNSF 3 happen: THANK YOU!!!

The LLCC staff were wonderful; Scott and Ryan were always making sure everything was going smoothly. The food was great. The cook went out of her way to bring two lost new guests to the North Star Lodge and notify others they were there.

John, you were simultaneously everywhere: Registration, setting up for the next speaker, on the observing field. The speakers you lined up were, as always, top notch. I know it was a lot of work, but I hope you are aware of the gratitude all of us feel.

Thank you to each of the speakers for sharing your time and expertise.

Greg, Ken and Steve E., thank you for the training on the big scopes.

Thank you to all who would call out: "Who wants to see the comet?", or "Last call for the Veil!", etc. The instant lines at those scopes were proof of how exciting the skies are, how great the equipment is and how this group is so willing to share.

Everyone was so willing to share equipment and information. Sometimes a replacement for the cable you forgot or the battery that went dead can make all the difference between a glorious night and a could have been....

And a special thank you to Steve B who showed me what I was doing wrong in the PHD autoguiding software (I think PHD stands for Push Here Dummy, and I still got it wrong!), and taught me a simpler way to do drift alignment with PHD.

And the dark, dark skies! Even these old eyes could see such incredible sights.

What a great group! What a great program!
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