ASTRONOMY WEEKEND 2006

 

SPONSORED BY

KANAWHA VALLEY ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY

 

WELCOME AMATEUR ASTRONOMERS!

The West Virginia Division of Parks and Tourism and the Kanawha Valley Astronomical Society (KVAS) is sponsoring the annual Astronomy Weekend at Blackwater Falls State Park. This time has been chosen to take advantage of dark skies that occur shortly after a new moon. Dark skies at Blackwater Falls State Park are a treasured resource. Astronomy Weekend events are FREE to attend. Everyone is welcome!

Activities and programs offered during Astronomy Weekend appeal to the novice as well as the advanced amateur astronomer. Included are daytime astronomy workshops, nighttime star parties, door prize drawings, a keynote speaker Saturday evening, and a chance to tour the largest fully steerable radio telescope in the world at Green Bank, WV!

Blackwater Lodge sits on the canyon's south rim, providing a sweeping view of the densely forested gorge. Each of the 54 air-conditioned guest rooms has a private bath, phone and color television. The lodge also features a full service restaurant, game room and a sitting room with a cozy fireplace. The 200-seat Harr Conference Center and indoor pool/fitness center make Blackwater Lodge a comfortable retreat in a mountain setting. If you want more privacy, 26 rustic vacation cabins, and a 65-unit campground is also offered. To make reservations or for more information, please call 1-800-CALLWVA or 1-800-225-5982 and ask for Blackwater Falls.

 

Blackwater Falls Astronomy Weekend 2006
Friday, September 22
Time Event Speaker Location
3:00 PM Lodge Check-in   Lodge
4:00 PM Cabin Check-in   Lodge
7:00 PM Observing   Nature Center
       
Saturday, September 23
Time Event / Speaker Location
8:00 AM Breakfast & Social Hour   Lodge
10:00 AM Kid's Astronomy Activities Melissa Thorner Lodge Lounge Area
11:00 AM What Are Constellations? Curt Spivey Harr Conference Room
12:00 Noon Lunch Break    
1:30 PM The Solar System Chuck Spann Harr Conference Room
2:30 PM A $5 Solution to Bad Security Lights Forrest Hamilton Harr Conference Room
3:30 PM Learning From Pulsars Dr. Jack Littleton Harr Conference Room
4:30 PM Dinner B reak    
6:30 PM Raffle Drawing   Nature Center
7:30 PM Keynote Presentation: Choosing a Telescope Greg Bragg Nature Center
8:30 PM Observing Session   Nature Center
       
KVAS is raffling a Celestron 102 SLT Refracting Telescope! Raffle tickets are available from club members and both raffle and door prize tickets are available at the club table. The drawing for the telescope and door prizes will be held Saturday night at the nature center. You do not need to be present to win the telescope raffle. However, you do need to be present to win door prizes! KVAS thanks you for your support!

 

 

 

 

2006 Door Prizes

THANK YOU to all of our door prize providers!

As of 8/15/06

·        Astronomical Society of the Pacific - Tour of the Night Sky CDs/ Cassettes

·        Meade Instruments - DSI Pro II Digital Camera

·        Ed Connors - Moon and Saturn Astrophoto

·        Jeff Holland - Burham’s Celestial Handbook (3 volumes)

·        Jim’s Mobile, Inc. (JMI) - 2 $50 Gift Certificates toward a telescope case

·        Lumicon Int’l - 2 $25 Gift Certificates

·        New Mexico Skies Guest Observatory - $100 Gift Certificate towards a weekend stay.

·        Orion Telescopes - Steady Pix SLR Camera Mount

·        Orion Telescopes - 1 ½” 5 piece Stargazer’s Filter Set

·        Michael Riggs - Millennium Star Atlas

·        Software Bisque - The Sky Six Student Edition software

·        TeleVue - 8mm Plössl eyepiece

* subject to change

 

VOLUNTARY GUIDELINES FOR STAR PARTIES

PLEASE be considerate and safety conscious when arriving and roaming around the star party at the Nature Center. Be polite to telescope owners and they will be happy to share their telescopes and views of the heavens.

COURTESY: Treat Blackwater Falls State Park as if it were your own backyard. Please report any problems to KVAS or park staff.

SPEED LIMIT: Please obey the park speed limit at all times.

PARKING: If you plan to stay after dusk and you did not bring a telescope, please park along the road with your headlights pointing away from the nature center. It takes over 15 minutes to regain night vision each time a person is exposed to white lights. Please use minimum automotive navigational lighting after dark. Drive slowly and be careful!

DRIVING OUT AT NIGHT: Those that park at the nature center parking lot are asked not to move their vehicles after dusk so as not to disturb other observers.

LIGHTS: After nightfall, we ask that you do not use white lights. Please make sure your daytime running lights, dome & trunk lights are disconnected or covered. Please use only “RED LIGHT” type flashlights so as not to disrupt the stargazing. Please try to keep flashlights pointed toward the ground as much as possible.

SMOKING: If you must smoke, do not smoke inside any buildings per park rules. Do not approach someone else’s telescope with a lit cigarette, pipe or cigar as there are expensive optics and electronic equipment at the star party that can be damaged by smoke and flying ash. If you light up, shield your lighter from view. Please be sensitive to the non-smokers around you at this event.

Emergencies: If you have a true emergency, contact KVAS or park staff and ignore the lighting restrictions. Tend to your emergency.