http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=...09170493/-1/Help0530
Sorry, when I first found this article it came up whole, but after linking it it needs a membership. Dave has my permission to delete if he wants.
OK now it's coming up again. Rusty, are you getting the whole article or the teaser?

I got the whole article - thanks for thinking of us astronerds! It was posted on one of the astronomy forums a couple of days ago to quite warm reviews, mainly because the writer got to the important point of Cherry Springs' appeal to stargazers due to its dark skies. Cherry Springs is one of the premier sites near the east coast, probably the best north of North Carolina.

And dark skies are the main reason I trek (can I use that word in a Barth forum anymore?) off to star parties around the country.

[rant]By the way, a plug for lighting control: Although the IDA (International Dark-Sky Association) got started by astronomers, other disciplines have now come onboard, most notably biologists. Serious disruptions in life cycles of wildlife - especial nocturnal species - have been discovered by the overuse of man-made lighting. Some law-enforement agencies have begun to see that overlighting increases, not decreases, crime.

And here's how the US looks.

No wonder few people under 50 in the eastern US have ever seen the Milky Way...[/rant]

Yes, Cherry Springs is an excellent place to stargaze. They have put electric pedestals in the field for astronomers to use for computers, telescopes, and coffee pots, ect. Not for A/Cs during the starparties. But if there are only a few people there, you can use the electric as needed. They are also building mini cabins and observatories for astronomers to use. I have my own little trailer and will be going more often now that I am retired.

Sadly, this year's Black Forest Star Party was rained out and clouded out, even during the day.

The vendors did a good business though! LOL I visited High Point Scientific and bought a TeleVue 2.5x Powermate Barlow, a Lumicon 2" O-III filter and a Lumicon 1.25" UHC filter for my telescope. They didn't bring any color filters or or observing chairs so I had to order those by phone after the starparty was over. They very generously gave me free shipping on those.

Some of the talks were very interesting too and I enjoyed our usual group and met some new observers. We did a lot of conversing since we could not observe. Astronomers are fascinating people. Similar to Barthmobilers, I am sure! One day I may find MY Barth.

Have fun,
Susan

I didn't realize BFSP had been rained out...sounds like you did very well at the HPS table - I've heard very good things about them.

I consider my observing chair to be about the best money spent on astrogear after the scopes themselves.

I posted a pix of my new "pet" on the other thread...