Uncle Rod's Astro Blog

DSRSG? Yep, the Deep South Regional Star Gaze, our local/regional star party held in the backwoods of Louisiana far from bad old city lights at the Feliciana Retreat Center. In the coming weeks you can be sure you will get a full rundown of what I did and what I saw including how many Herschels I conquered.

For now? I didn't have time to do a real entry between trying to catch up on my sleep and watching what DSRSG honchos Barry and Len did. I am slated to take over as Managing Director of DSRSG, and I hope I paid enough attention not to screw up too much next year as they pass this wonderful star party (named one of Astronomy Magazine's "Great American Star Parties") from their capable hands into my somewhat shaky ones.

Still, I ain't gonna totally cheat y'all out of your Sunday a.m. read. Here are some pictures I took with my little pocket cam that will give you an idea of what went on (I'll have plenty of better pictures from my "real" digital cameras to show you eventually).



It would be hard to imagine a more beautiful setting for a star party than the backwoods of Louisiana. This is the road from the motel-like Lodge to the observing field.












Not bad numbers wise for early Thursday morning, I reckon.














We didn't get any hours under the stars Wedneday night, but as Thursday dawned, a front pushed through bringing blue skies and we got to work getting our gear ready for a good Thursday night.











Yeah, I guess you could say I wimped out aperture-wise, but I gotta tell y'all, my C8, Celeste, is still my favorite scope of all time.

















If you fancy big TEC reflectors, you woulda been in heaven. Poor Miss Celeste felt kinda like Oliver Twist at breakfast time. On the other hand, she brought 3 more inches of aperture to the table than those beauties could muster...















The aftermath: what a night! Beautifully clear skies all night Thursday left a vista of tarp-covered and dew-soaked telescopes and tired observers in their wake. Hell, e'en your lazy old Uncle made it to almost 4 a.m.

Next Time: "TO BOLDLY GO...to the DSRSG"