Kopernik Astronomical Society AstroFest 2011 – Info And Registration Form

Greetings fellow astrophiles!

Direct from Fibber Magee of the Kopernik Astronomical Society (www.kopernik.org) comes an announcement for SAS members and the general public for AstroFest 2011, being held from September 30 to October 2 in Vestal, NY (perhaps the sister city to our own Vesper, NY home for Darling Hill Observatory?).


Click the image to download the Registration PDF.

Scheduling information and Kopernik info can be found at www.kopernik.org/news_and_events/public_programs.htm#astrofest, but do check the Registration Form first for all of the info you likely need. Among the many events scheduled for AstroFest 2011 are two afternoons of Solar Observing with Barlow Bob himself (those who attended our Barlow Bob session know just how fantastic his scopes and the views in his scopes are) and a solar imaging session with Alan Friedman, whose unbelievable images can be found at his website, avertedimagination.com (I purchased a print of his at NEAF2011 and was there for the lecture on how he made my print. It’s magic, but it isn’t magic!).

Two-and-a-half days of observing, workshops, swap meet(!), and spending time with fellow amateur astronomers. The event does overlap with an upcoming SAS Public Viewing Session, but I will definitely be making a daytime Saturday trip to Vestal to visit our night sky neighbors to the South.

Registration PDF Download – Click HERE

Tentative Agenda (From The Kopernik Website)

Friday - 9/30/11

5:00 PM Doors open to public
5:00 – 7:15 PM Dark Sky Exhibit
   NYSERDA Exhibit
   Night Sky Network Workshop
   Food available
7:30 - 8:30 PM Dr. John Delano – University of Albany (general public talk)
8:30 PM to dawn Night Sky Viewing

Saturday - 10/1/11

7:30 - 9:00 AM Coffee, Tea, Hot Chocolate, Juice, Bagels, Donuts, Muffins,
   Pastries, etc.
All Day Dark Sky Exhibit
   NYSERDA Exhibit
   Solar Viewing and Imaging
9:00 AM – 2:30 PM Swap Meet
   Night Sky Network Workshops
   Making Stuff Workshops
   Solar Viewing - Barlow Bob
10:00 - 11:00 AM Alan Friedman Solar Imaging Presentation
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM Dr. John Delano Student/family workshop
11:00 AM - 1:15 PM Lunch (TBD) Hamburgers, Hotdogs, Chili, Potato
   Salad, Green Salad, Pizza, Prepackaged snacks, water, soda,
   fruit juice, coffee Tea, Hot Chocolate.
1:30 - 3:00 PM Dr. John Delano - Teacher Workshop
2:00 – 5:00 PM Night Sky Network Workshops
   Making Stuff Workshops
3:00 - 4:00 PM Alan Friedman Solar Imaging Presentation
4:00 – 6:00 PM dinner (TBA)
6:00 Pm - 7:00 PM Dr. Joseph Veverka of Cornell University
7: 30 PM - 8:30 PM Dr. John Delano – Albany University technical talk
8:30 PM - Dawn Night Sky Viewing

Sunday - 10-2-11

7:30 AM to 10 AM Coffee, Tea, Hot Chocolate, Juice, Bagels, Donuts, Muffins,
   Pastries, etc.
All Day Dark Sky Exhibit
   NYSERDA Exhibit
   Solar Viewing and Imaging
9:00 AM - 2:30 PM Solar Viewing - Barlow Bob
10 - 11 AM Alan Friedman Solar Imaging Presentation
11:00 AM – 3:00 PM Night Sky Network Workshops
   Making Stuff Workshops
11 AM to 1:15 PM lunch (TBA)