The Field at the Staunton River Star Party

The Staunton River Star Party was last week. I took a few pictures while I walked around the field. Some people set up there telescopes and other observing gear on the field and camping in the campground or stayed in a cabin; but most people stayed on the field.

There was heavy dew each night so everyone has covers for telescopes and other equipment. Some covers looked like big pillowcases specifically made for the purpose.

Others used tarps. I noticed several telescopes with green foam padding around the legs of the mount and wondered if it glowed in the dark.

Many people had tarps under their telescopes – making it easier to find anything that was dropped. One strategy I heard talked about was retreating to the tent for a nap while a long multiple exposure observation was collected…so it was handy to have the tent very near the telescope.

One observer had a binocular type scope….no possibility of this being hand held!

There were some larger RVs on the field – running on their own power…since there were not connections for the RV on the field. One had a carpet from the door of the RV to the domed tent that housed the telescope (the top came off at night. Not the yellow power cord going into the tent. That is how the power was delivered to all the telescopes on the field…yellow extension cords.

We came home before the end of the Star Party…but managed to stay longer than we did last year and were more comfortable too (since we remembered the tent this year)!