Northwoods Starfest   2009

Star Fest Information
Join us at the 21st annual Northwoods Starfest, August 21st through 23rd,   2009, at Hobbs Observatory near Fall Creek, Wisconsin. 

Hobbs Observatory is part of the Beaver Creek Reserve (BCR). Recreational possibilities include the Eau Claire County Youth Camp, the Wise Nature Center, hiking trails, and bicycling. 
 

For maps to the observatory 
 

Hobbs Observatory has two domes, one with a 24-inch f/5 reflector and the other with a 14-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain. There is a large meeting area where some talks and presentations take place. There is a large auditorium located at the Nature Center.  There is a large field in front of the observatory to set up for observing. The skies are quite dark. 

C.V.A.S. has reserved the Youth Camp for Starfest use. The camp has five cabins and the Cedar Lodge. The cabins sleep 20; the lodge, up to 40. Cabins have bunk style beds and mattresses. You will need to bring sleeping bags and pillows. Showers are available for all guests, but bring your own towels. Tenting and camper spaces are also available. 

If you are interested in a swap fest, bring whatever astronomical goodies you want to get rid of.   Also, if you have slides, a talk, or a video that you would like to show, bring them with you. 

Look around the CVAS web page for more information about the C.V.A.S. and Hobbs Observatory. 
 

SCHEDULE OF EVENETS

Friday, August 21st

5 pm -- Registration 

5:30pm -- Brats and Hot Dogs in front of the observatory
                Cost not included in the registration fee!

 -  8:00 PM     Featured Speaker

9 pm -- Observing Session 

Midnight -- Snack 
 
 

Saturday, August 22nd

10 am to 12  -- Brunch, Registration 

1 pm -- Paper Sessions 
                Northwoods Star Party Talks              

                Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers (SARA) talks

                Details available at registration

4 pm -- Swap Fest in the observatory

5:30 pm --Dinner 

6:30 pm  - Door Prizes - Dining Hall - Must be present to win

7:30 pm  - Group Photo in front of the observatory

-  8:00 PM       Featured Speaker 

“The Early Solar System: Surprises from NASA’s Stardust Mission”

Dr. Russell Palma, Professor

Department of Physics and Astronomy, Minnesota State University Mankato

School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota

Comets are frozen, largely unaltered reservoirs of dust and gases present in the early solar nebula. They contain records of the chemical, mineralogical, and isotopic character of primordial solar system matter. On January 15, 2006, NASA’s Stardust Mission returned to Earth with a cargo of particles collected from the coma of comet Wild 2, the first samples of indisputably cometary matter available for laboratory study.

            One surprising discovery is of many igneous, refractory “rocks” formed at very high temperatures, presumably close to the early Sun, then somehow transported to the trans-Neptunian Kuiper Belt and incorporated into Wild 2 at about the time of the solar system’s origin. A second completely unanticipated feature of Stardust samples was finding enormous concentrations (though very small amounts) of He and Ne, suggesting intense ion irradiation. These two observations, together with Ne isotopic data similar to that found in primitive meteorites, points to gases implanted in Stardust grains from an ancient, energetic nebular reservoir near the young evolving Sun.

9:30 pm -- Observing Session 

Midnight -- Snack 
 
 

Sunday, August  23rd

8 am -- Breakfast 

Noon -- Checkout 
 

Paper Session
An informal paper session is planned for Saturday afternoon. If you have something to share: slides, a video tape, a unique telescope, or anything else that people might enjoy, we encourage you to sign up. 
 

Registration
The registration fee is $50 per person until July 15th (postmark date) . It is $60 after that. The fee includes registration, meals and snacks, lodging or camping fees, and speakers' fees.  

The fee does NOT include Friday night brats and hot dogs.

If you plan to bring a camper, park in the field adjacent to the observatory. There are a few electrical outlets available outside the observatory for your use. WE NEED TO KNOW IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO BRING AN RV SINCE WE HAVE LIMITED SPACE FOR THEM !!

Please let us know if you have any other special needs before Starfest and we'll do our best to accommodate  them. For hotel/motel information for the area call the Eau Claire Visitors Bureau at (715)-831-2345. 

For more information, contact Hobbs Observatory at (715)-877-2787  

or 

Any of the officers - Email addresses on home page

Please let us know in advance if you are coming to help us with meal planning. 

Click HERE , print it out, fill it out, and mail it to the address shown on the form.