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(meteorobs) Starfest '98

Greetings all...

Just wanted to pass some information on to you, about "Starfest 98",
Canada's largest annual amateur astronomical observing convention...  seeing
as how one of our meteor crew is one of the guest speakers this year! ;>>

This year, Starfest is being held from August 20-23, with the main days for
talks being Friday August 21 and Saturday August 22.

Starfest is held about 1 hour's drive north and 1 hour's drive west of
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, near a small town called Mount Forest.  It is held
at a huge sprawling campground called The River Place, which is a beautiful
property with river, forest, playground, inground swimming pool, full shower
and washroom facilities, and, for Starfest, food facilities as well.  It
also has very good dark skies...

It is an observing weekend... so there are talks all day... and observing
all night.  Sleep is optional. ;>  Last year we had between 800 and 900
people attending, most with telescopes in tow.  Most of us tent at the River
Place, but there are trailer hookups there too, and also nearby motels.  We
now regularly get attendees from all over Canada and the U.S....  Many
observers arrive earlier... and stay later!

The keynote speakers this year, and their talks, are as follows:

Leif Robinson (Editor in Chief, Sky and Telescope)
- Amateur/Professional Collaboration:  The Changing Role of the Amateur

Wayne Hally
- Shooting Stars and Prospects for the 1998 Leonids

Jerry Lodriguss
- Digitally Enhancing Your Astrophotos
- An Astrophotography Portfolio

Joe Patterson
- The Stars Never Set on the CBA

... Other talks and speakers include:

Solar Eclipse Wrap-Up 
- Terence Dickinson (moderator)
- Randy Attwood
- Rob Dick
- Dave Petherick
- Bob Sandness

Getting Started in Astronomy
- Steve Dodson

Mega Images
- George Fazekas
- Gregory Terence
- Charles Sinsofsky

Image Processing Using Maxim DL
- Doug George

Getting Started in Astrophotography
- Glenn LeDrew

The Challenge of City Observing
- Cathy McWatters

Observing and Sketching Sunspots
- Bert Rhebergen

CCD's and Autoguider Fundamentals
- Bob Sandness

Asteroids on the Horizon
- Ivan Semeniuk

Kodak Sensors for the Mars Pathfinder Rover
- George Streb

... Featured manufacturers include:

Cyanogen Productions Inc.
Finger Lakes Instruments
Eastman Kodak Company
Sandness Technology Inc.
Stargazer Steve

Note that the commercial displays include <many> other Canadian and U.S.
manufacturers and retailers not listed above... these are just the names of
the ones 'featured' this year.  Starfest regularly has people up from
Televue, AstroPhysics, Meade et al... ;>

... Special activities include:

Salon of Astrophotography... photo contest for slides, prints
Beginners Activities
The Sky Tour... with scopes, for newbies.. 
Kidfest '98... special organized program for kids
Red Light Cafe... all night coffee, do-nuts and piano bar...
Swap Table ;>>
Astro-Rap... Friday night informal presentations...
Observing Sessions
TMA Meeting... for the telescope makers...
Commercial Exhibits
Eyepiece Cleaning Station
Barn Door Tracker Building Bee....

... and of course... incredible door prizes... ;>>

Full information, and both Canadian and U.S. registration forms and rates,
can be found at the Starfest website:

http://www.interlog.com/~nyaa/starfest/starfest.htm

For any further questions you may have, please feel free to contact the
President of the hosting club, Mr Andreas Gada, of the North York
Astronomical Association, at:

nyaa@interlog.com

If you would like a batch of Starfest brochures, including registration
forms and entry forms for the astrophotography contest, sent out to you or
your local astronomy club, drop a note to Andreas.  The brochures are in for
printing, and will be mailed out shortly...

On this meteor list, both myself and Kim Hay are NYAA members, so we can
also provide additional info for those interested...

Clear skies,

- Cathy


===================================================
Cathy Hall, chall@cyberusdot ca
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
RASC, Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, Kingston Centre
NYAA, North York Astronomical Association
===================================================