The Stellafane Convention ~AND WHY YOU SHOULD COME~

Amateur telescope makers set up in preparation for competition judging. The Stellafane clubhouse and Porter Turret Telescope are in the background. Photo: Phil Harrington

very year in the dark of a mid- Winning at Stellafane is a real honor. Quite equipment and accessories, and your odds of summer new moon, amateur aside from awards, the competition is a rare winning are great! chance for amateurs to compare notes, for E astronomers and telescope mak- KEYNOTE ADDRESS ers travel great distances to gather on a prospective telescope makers to examine the Each year on Saturday evening a notable beautiful rural hilltop in Springfield, designs of others before undertaking such a expert in some astronomy-related field gives Vermont. This is The Stellafane Con- project, and for all to enjoy the ingenuity of the Convention’s keynote address in our out- vention, the oldest and one of the largest these talented instument builders. door amphitheater (or indoors if the weather assemblies of night sky enthusiasts. It OBSERVING doesn’t cooperate). has been hosted here at the birthplace of The dark skies of rural Vermont provide fine American amateur telescope making by observing conditions. All are encouraged to THE SWAP TABLES the Springfield Telescope Makers (STM) bring and use their telescopes, home-built or Stellafane’s non-commercial swap tables al- since 1926. commercial. ways draw an eager crowd of bargain hunters in the early hours of Saturday morning. A SPECIAL PLACE THE RAFFLE “Stellafane” means Shrine to the Stars. Time The Springfield Telescope Makers (a non- CAMPING has also made it a shrine to the history of profit organization) hold a fundraising raffle Although many stay in motels and inns in American astronomy. People who come here at the Convention, with the drawing held be- the Springfield area, camping out has been feel a rare connection to that history, and to fore the Saturday evening keynote address. traditional at The Stellafane Convention each other in our common astronomical pur- The donated prizes typically include many from the very beginning. Camping is primi- suit. Longstanding friendships are nurtured thousands of dollars worth of very desirable tive. Port-a-potties are provided. There is here—many folks return year after year to see friends they encounter nowhere else! TALKS & DEMOS The Stellafane Convention is a wonderful opportunity to learn about astronomy and telescope making from talented amateurs and professionals who generously share their expertise. We present a broad range of talks and demonstrations from beginner to ad- vanced (for children as well as adults), on all phases of telescope making and observing. THE COMPETITION To many, the telescope competition is the heart and soul of The Stellafane Convention. Expert optical and mechanical judges pick the best amateur-built telescopes in several categories, from basic small Newtonians to more esoteric compound telescopes. Special awards are also made for design innovations. Perseid meteor over Stellafane clubhouse and Porter Turret Telescope. Photo: Dennis di Cicco plenty of room, including space for RV park- to an adjacent field that had been the Con- THE MCGREGOR ing. Hot meals are available from a catered vention’s camping area, the STM, with the OBSERVATORY food tent. support of members who mortgaged their The McGregor Observatory at Stellafane homes, purchased a 40-acre farm across the THE HISTORY East was constructed by the club between road from the original Stellafane site. This 1989 and 1995. It houses a unique instru- In 1920, when a decent astronomical tele- became known as Stellafane East. In 1998, ment—a 13” f/10 Schupmann telescope scope was far beyond the average worker’s STM member Harty Beardsley donated an- mounted on a massive computer controlled means, Russell W. Porter offered to help a other adjacent 45 acres, ensuring that the group of Springfield machine tool factory Convention has room for growth. workers build their own. Together, they ground, polished, and figured mirrors, com- THE STELLAFANE pleted their telescopes, and began using CLUBHOUSE them, soon becoming thoroughly captivated The clubhouse was by amateur astronomy. designed by Porter By 1923 they had and constructed by formed a club, the the members. The Springfield Tele- pink color may sim- scope Makers, and ply have been that had built Stellafane, of donated paint, our now legendary but it has been hal- clubhouse. In 1925 lowed by long tradi- their activities drew tion. Although it’s the attention of Al- now a tight fit with today’s larger member- bert Ingalls, an edi- ship roster, the Springfield Telescope Mak- tor at Scientific ers still hold meetings at Stellafane. The orig- The Milky Way over the Schupmann Telescope. Photo: Dennis di Cicco American. He vis- inal site, including the clubhouse and the alt-az mounting. For a time it was the largest ited the club, and Porter Turret Telescope, was designated a operating Schupmann in the world. This de- soon began publishing articles by Porter and National Historic Landmark in 1989. sign, which combines reflective and refrac- others about telescope making. This gener- THE PORTER tive elements, yields a coma-free and essen- ated interest across the country, and the club TURRET TELESCOPE tially apochromatic image, and is ideal for decided to invite other amateurs to visit. On planetary observation. The Schupmann is July 3, 1926, 29 people came to Breezy Hill, The Porter Turret Telescope was constructed operated during Convention. and The Stellafane Convention was estab- in 1930 by the club. Porter, who had endured more than his share of winter cold on polar THE DOMED expeditions early in his career, invented a de- OBSERVATORY sign that allowed the observer to remain in- Stellafane East also hosts a beautiful 10” doors and comfortable on the coldest winter Ritchey-Chrétien telescope mounted on a nights. Extensively renovated including new Springfield Mount (another Porter design), optics in the 1970s, the Porter Turret remains built by Dino Argen- an excellent instrument, and is operated dur- tini in 1964 and even- ing Convention, night and day (for solar ob- tually donated to the servation). club. It is housed in a The first Stellafane Convention; Porter domed observatory and Ingalls on the right built in 2006. This lished. It’s been held every year since, except telescope’s station- during the Second World War. The conven- ary eyepiece is acces- tion grew rapidly, and today around a thou- sible to wheelchair sand enthusiastic amateurs make the pilgrim- users. age to Springfield.

THE SITE To learn more, please visit the STM web site The original Stellafane site on Breezy Hill at http://stellafane.org remains the location for the telescope com- Online registration for the Convention petition, and of course is where the Stellafane begins in early May. clubhouse and Porter Turret Telescope are You can sign up for announcements at The primary cell (foreground), boom, and turret http://stellafane.org/about/announce.html located. In 1986, faced with the loss of access of the Porter Turret Telescope. Photo: Paul Valelli