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[Centaur]

My brother Kent has attended Chicago Astronomers star parties at Horner Park near his Chicago home. He has a cottage at dark skies Turner Camp on the Chicago side of the Fox River between Fox River Grove and Algonquin. We have been discussing with chief Chicago Astronomer Joe Guzmán the possibility of a star party there. Joe seems to like the idea.

If you think you might attend or have questions, please reply to this thread.

EDIT: Primary date now under consideration is Saturday, 2015 JUN 20. 

[newbie]

I'm in. Thanks!

[Centaur]

Dec 22, 2013 18:07:49 GMT -6 newbie said:

I'm in. Thanks!

That's great, newbie. Please keep in mind that the event is not yet definite; it's merely a proposal. Much will depend on how many Chicago Astronomers with telescopes are willing to participate, and how many interested Turner Camp members will be there that early in the season. And of course the weather could scuttle the whole affair. Meanwhile, we're hoping to hear from more people like you to indicate that they like the idea.

[-=CROMAN=-]

Sounds like a blast. I'm in as well

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

If this works out on the date...(Weather etc....) it's a dark site and should be a very nice opportunity for Chicago Astronomers in darker skies to gather.

Let's see how this develops.....

[Centaur]

In my opening post, I've deleted the link to the aerial map of Turner Camp. My brother Kent informs me that one cannot walk directly from the main parking lot to the large open field due to the vegetation and steep incline. When the event date gets nearer, we'll create a map with better parking directions.

[Centaur]

Kent suggests that a later date would be better, since more camp members will be living in their summer cottages. The problem is that Mercury and Jupiter would be sinking lower in the west and trees may be blocking the view.

Two later Saturdays with a waxing Moon appear worthy of consideration: May 31 and June 7.

[Centaur]

My brother Kent has a cottage at Turner Camp. The camp population grows substantially after Memorial Day. He agrees that we should shoot for Saturday, May 31 for a star party there. In case of poor weather, Saturday, June 7 could serve as an alternate.

[Paulie pchris00]

I believe I am free for May 31. Have telescope; will travel.

[etavitas]

Count me in as a Positively Going, even though this is a Tentatively Happening event! Either date wld work for me as long as I can plan in advance. Would there be enuf room for ____ how many tents?

[Centaur]

May 31 and June 7 are out as dates for a Turner Camp star party. My brother Kent informs me that the camp's population will be low. The greatest number of people will be there in July and August.

[Centaur]

The situation now is that July 5th is really the only date we can consider this year for a star party at Turner (German for Gymnast) Camp this year. The camp's population is greatest during weekends in July and August. Only two Saturday's this July and August feature a moderately sized waxing Moon in the evening that newbies love to observe through a telescope. The other is August 2nd, and that will be the day of the Turner Camp centennial celebration for which special activities are already planned.

In my family Turner Camp has always been the destination for Fourth of July weekend. I was recently speaking by phone with a cousin in Arizona who shrieked that Turner Camp is her "favorite place in the whole world": swimming, boating, fishing, food, drink, music, dancing, card playing, athletic contests, and fireworks on the Fourth of July. It's the weekend with the greatest number of people at the camp for the year.

There is little doubt that we can get permission to have a star party at Turner Camp on July 5th. My brother (a Turner with a cottage at the camp) plans to meet with Turner officials this Memorial Day weekend to ask permission for the Chicago Astronomers to camp out overnight, which is normally not allowed. There may be alternatives such as a transients' barracks or a carport for sleeping bags.

Right now we don't even know if any Chicago Astronomers think remaining at Turner Camp overnight is important. Is it?

Meanwhile, Chief Chicago Astronomer Joe Guzman has a concern that a significant number of Chicago Astronomers may not be available to bring telescopes to Turner Camp on July 5th.

Please reply to this post to indicate the likelihood that you will be able come to Turner Camp (forty miles northwest of Chicago) for a star party on Saturday July 5th, and to note whether the ability to camp there overnight is important to you.

[Paulie pchris00]

Sorry Curt. Fourth of July weekend doesn't work for me.

[Centaur]

May 28, 2014 20:41:09 GMT -6 Paulie pchris00 said:

Sorry Curt. Fourth of July weekend doesn't work for me.

Thanks for your response, Paulie. If we don't get positive responses, then dark skies Turner Camp is out this year for a Chicago Astronomer star party. We'll see if more interest develops next year. Otherwise, we'll forget the idea, and I'll stop pestering my brother about it.

[Centaur]

It appears we'll be unable to organize a Turner Camp star party this year as was the case last year. Joe suspects that he won't be able develop interest for 2014 JUL 05. He fears that many Chicago Astronomers may have plans for elsewhere, and that forty miles might be too far from Chicago. But that means missing out on dark skies and the camp's other amenities. In my family we can't imagine going anywhere other than Turner Camp for the Fourth of July weekend. We agree with our Arizona cousin Cherrie who recently exclaimed, "It's my favorite place in the whole world!"

A Turner Camp star party would need to occur during the portion of summers in which young Turners are out of school to get maximum turnout. Saturday is the night the most Turners are likely to be in their cottages overnight. We want to shoot for dates with an evening Moon that is at least a wide crescent but not too close to full. Planets are also desirable. Both 2014 JUL 05 and 2014 AUG 02 meet the criteria, but Turner Camp will be conducting its centennial celebration on the latter date and activities are already planned.

We are now shooting for Saturday evening, 2015 JUN 20 which will feature a crescent Moon, crescent Venus, Jupiter and Saturn. The weather backup would be Saturday evening, 2015 JUN 27 with a gibbous Moon. (I hope Chicago Astronomers appreciate my use of the astronomical date format.)

What Turner elders want to know is approximately how many Chicago Astronomers would want permission to camp out overnight.

Please reply to let us know if you might attend a star party at Turner Camp next year, and whether you would like to be able to stay overnight.

[patrickm]

We leave town to friends' beach place every year, so no go for me.

[Centaur]

Jun 9, 2014 0:31:36 GMT -6 patrickm said:

We leave town to friends' beach place every year, so no go for me.

Thanks for your reply, Patrick.

Were you responding to my recent request to determine interest for 2015 JUN 20 at Turner Camp, or for this year's already abandoned proposal for 2014 JUL 05?

BTW, Turner Camp has a beach on the Fox River. We had great fun there when I was a kid. Then people stopped swimming in the river when a pool was eventually built. However, there is still boating and fishing. 

[patrickm]

Jun 9, 2014 9:05:20 GMT -6 Centaur said:

Jun 9, 2014 0:31:36 GMT -6 patrickm said:

We leave town to friends' beach place every year, so no go for me.

Thanks for your reply, Patrick.

Were you responding to my recent request to determine interest for 2015 JUN 20 at Turner Camp, or for this year's already abandoned proposal for 2014 JUL 05?

BTW, Turner Camp has a beach on the Fox River. We had great fun there when I was a kid. Then people stopped swimming in the river when a pool was eventually built. However, there is still boating and fishing. 

I was replying to both. Our dog is thunderphobic, which has turned into fireworks and gunshots, so we heat out to our friends' lovely home on Harbor Island, SC for about 10 days around then to get away. It's a nice tradition and they have a July 4 golf cart parade that's quite resplendent.

Thanks for the offer. Hope some people can do that.

[Centaur]

Jun 11, 2014 8:03:00 GMT -6 Centaur said:

Jun 10, 2014 23:27:25 GMT -6 patrickm said:

I was replying to both. Our dog is thunderphobic, which has turned into fireworks and gunshots, so we heat out to our friends' lovely home on Harbor Island, SC for about 10 days around then to get away. It's a nice tradition and they have a July 4 golf cart parade that's quite resplendent.

Thanks for the offer. Hope some people can do that.

So does that include the proposed date of 2015 JUN 20? It's 14 days before the Fourth of July.

[patrickm]

June 20 next year is possible but too far away for me to commit right now. My time horizon is exceedingly short but I'll pencil in. Thanks for the invite.

[jmorales21]

I may attend with the kids (4 of them), wife, dog and two telescopes next year. Seems like a nice place. Keep us posted!

[Centaur]

Jun 13, 2014 1:04:27 GMT -6 patrickm said:

June 20 next year is possible but too far away for me to commit right now. My time horizon is exceedingly short but I'll pencil in. Thanks for the invite.

You're welcome, Patrick. It would be great to have you there. I know the Turners would appreciate looking through your telescope and learning from your commentary.

 I understand your concern about a long term commitment. The date is not definite. It's just a proposal that we are circulating to obtain responses like yours. We also need to know if anyone would want to sleep there overnight.

[Centaur]

Jun 13, 2014 8:00:59 GMT -6 jmorales21 said:

I may attend with the kids (4 of them), wife, dog and two telescopes next year. Seems like a nice place. Keep us posted!

Welcome to the message board, jmorales21. It would be great to have your family visit Turner Camp next year. Would you want to be able to sleep there overnight?

In the meantime, chief Chicago Astronomer Joe Guzmán will be conducting other star parties that you may want to attend. Where in Chicagoland do you reside?

[jmorales21]

Hi Centaur,
Yes, at this point I think we would stay. We have done camping and would do so again in this occasion.
I have attended a couple of Joe Guzman's gatherings. Love them. I am returning to this old hobby of astronomy, and will attend some more as time allows. I live in the West Loop in Chicago.
Cheers,
Jose
8" LX200GPS SCT
90mm Orion Explorer Altaz.
80mm Orion ST80 Altaz