Post by bsimon615 on Nov 1, 2018 11:37:22 GMT -6
Can you believe it--------just 5 days until the start of the 36th Edition of the Deep South Star Gaze!
I am going to go over some important things to do and to consider in preparation for your arrival at the White Horse Retreat Camp, especially important if you are planning on arriving on Tuesday (as of today we have 19 people registered for Tuesday).
1) Invariably most of us will forget something at home - could be something trivial and/or easily replaced at the Wal-Mart in Columbia, MS or it could be something important. Could be something that you will find you will never use anyway, but you just do not know. I know I have left stuff at home and will probably continue to do so. The best way to avoid leaving something at home is to create a packing list covering all aspects of your stay - clothing, bedding and bath linens, shaving kit, prescriptions, etc. Out on the field you have everything associated with what you are going to need to do astronomy - telescope(s) and it's accessories and mount, charts, books, canopy, tent, batteries, red shielded flashlights, red screen for your laptop if you are going to use that, etc. Additionally it looks like it will be cold some come prepared for that. After it clears on Tuesday, the temperature will be down to the low 50's on Tuesday night, and then down to the low 40's on successive nights. Good nights for astronomy but you have to be prepared for the cold to enjoy astronomy. Temperatures like what is anticipated will feel colder in early November than what they would if you kind of work up to it by January or February.
2) Arrival for those coming on Tuesday - I anticipate arriving at probably just before 11 am that morning. The first order of business for me is to mark and assign bunks or bunk rooms to those that are there or are coming later on Tuesday. For those that were there for the Trial Run in August and in the main "free standing" bunk house, I am assuming that you want the same bunk that you selected then (I know I do). For those that are there early we will go to the bunk house to put some of our stuff on our bunks. For those not there yet, I will "sticker" each bunk with your name. For those that have not been to White Horse yet, I will show you where I have you assigned. Within the bunk house where you are assigned you are free to take any "bunk assembly" which has not been already claimed. Everyone is assigned to specific bunk houses or rooms based upon nights stayed, clubs, etc. - do not just go find a room that suits you, that dog does not hunt. Let me show you where you are assigned. Everyone that has registered and is staying in a bunk house/bunk room will have a bunk assembly all to themselves.
3) Laying out the "Arena Field" - this is the area used by those that attended the Trial Run back in August. It is a gated and fenced area that is 130 feet wide and 260 feet long (so not quite the size of a football field, excluding the end zones). This is not the only area that is good for observing at White Horse. One of the advantages of White Horse is that we have plenty of space to set up. In addition to the "Arena Field" we have the area to the north of the "Arena Field" and south of the main drive leading up to the main building/dining hall at White Horse. This area, toward it's west side is the area where all rv's and campers will be. This is where we have 30 amp breakers. This is also the only area where we will permit quiet generators. Others can set up between where the rv's/campers will be and the dining hall.
In addition there is another large field to the rear of the barn (east side) that is cut and would be good for those that have trouble seeing a red shielded laptop screen and need/want a little more illumination for their laptops. You can set up there and it is less likely that we will fuss at you for stretching the limits of the light rules.
Now back to laying out the "Arena Field". We have created schematics to figure out how we can best layout this field to accommodate as many people as we can without overcrowding the field. The chief obstacle is the width of the field which is 130 feet. We are trying to see if it will be possible to have vehicles move around the perimeter of the field and then turn into a parking spot either nose in or back in and then have enough space between the end of the vehicle closest to the field center for a tent canopy and then an adequate space in front of that to a telescope(s) with an adequate gap after that to opposing telescopes, canopies and vehicles on the other side of the field. We also need driving lanes around the field to get in and out. I am posting an image which visually describes what we think we may be able to do, but we really do not know until we try. (We will be doing some more simulated parking and measuring later today and after that is done I will post the schematic of the final plan that we will be using on the Arena Field.)
Possibility #1 - In the schematic shown we are assuming that we can maneuver and pull into a parking spot when we reduce the distance from the bumpers of the vehicles and the arena fence to 20 feet. If that works and we then allow an additional 20 feet as the parking spot, and then another 15 feet total between the other side of the vehicles and the front (closest to the center) side of a canopy or tent, we are then left with a remaining field width of 20 feet between canopies on either side of the field. So if we do that and everyone sets their scopes up about 8 feet in front of their canopies, we only have about 4 feet left between your telescope and your neighbor's telescope on the opposite side of the field------and that is too close!
Possibility #2 -Ideally, I believe we need to try to get where we have a center lane running down the middle of the field that is 10 feet wide (5 feet needed on each side of the mid-line to telescopes). Considering that telescope tripods splay outward and that some telescopes are large (big dobsonians) that is actually close, but can work. I would also like it if base centers or tripod centers are about 10 feet out from canopies, I think that is needed to maintain a reasonably low horizon when you are looking directly over your canopy at a target low in the sky. However if we start from the center and work back we have 5 feet back from the center line, then 10 feet to the edge of a canopy, then a 15 ft width from that edge to a vehicle, assuming then a 20 ft. allotment for a vehicle (some like mine are about 17.5 feet long, but others like a Suburban or extended cab pickup may actually be a bit longer than 20 feet) we are left with just 15 feet from the other side of many vehicles and the fence. Not sure if that is wide enough for vehicles to make the turn into the driving lane without greeting the fence.
However it may be possible (15 feet to the fence) if we increase the width of each parking spot to maybe 20 feet. We will do some experimentation to see if that is viable. However, in doing that it really reduces the number of spots (cars/canopies) on each side of the field from 14 per side/28 for the field for Possibility #1 to 9 per side/18 for the field for Possibility #2.
Possibility #3 - a third possibility is "Drum Roll" - Possibility #3 - with this one the north side of the field is the same as with Possibility #1 except that if 20 feet to the fence does not work we go with about 25 feet and scopes are 10 feet from the front of their canopy, not 8 feet. Vehicles on this side of the field are parallel to the long side of the field and they parallel park. Parking width, the parking spot is about 10 feet wide, but spots on this side of the field are 25 feet long. We will have room for 7 on this side of the field and since their spots will be 25 feet wide there would be room for a small trailer or tent in addition to their canopy on the south side of the field. On this side even with telescopes 10 feet in front of a canopy you would still have 15 feet to the center line of the field. Scopes on the north side of the field jump the center line by 5 feet, but this still leaves a 10 foot lane between scopes on either side of the field. This proposal gives us 21 spots on the field vs 28 in Possibility #1 (which does not give anyone the option of taking two spots (small trailer or a tent in addition to a canopy and vehicle) or the 18 spots in Possibility #2 which has a balanced field and wider spots but may, out of fairness, eliminate additional space for trailers or tents.
Right now I am thinking that Possibility #3 is our most viable option and it will allow those with small trailers or those that want to set up a tent next to their canopy to do so on the south side of the field.
Electrical power for telescope use only on the Arena Field - we will have the small pole with additional plugs running to the field. It will be at least a 100 foot run from an outlet in the barn to where we can put this "electrical tree". You will have to supply your own 100 foot or longer cord to reach your telescope. We cannot guarantee that late arrivals will still have plugs to plug into left on the "electrical tree". This should not be used for hair dryers used to remove dew from telescope optics. That will trip the circuit. Telescope drives only please! If you can run on battery power you should use that, be self contained!
Lights - this is a dark site and light rules will be in force. No white flashlights, no lights inside of vehicles, either the passenger compartment or trunks (disable them), no lasers of any color unless it is completely cloudy. Red screens over laptop displays, etc., etc. Please read our Observing Field Rules.
Meal times - for those who have purchased meals via your registration form. Breakfast is at 9 am and supper is at 4 pm. There is a strong possibility that if you are late (more than a half hour late) that your meal may be cold or gone. Be aware of the meal times.
Later today, or tomorrow I should be posting a schematic detailing the "Parking Plan" for the Arena Field that we have decided upon. Right now I believe it is going to be the 3rd possibility proposed.
Barry Simon
I am going to go over some important things to do and to consider in preparation for your arrival at the White Horse Retreat Camp, especially important if you are planning on arriving on Tuesday (as of today we have 19 people registered for Tuesday).
1) Invariably most of us will forget something at home - could be something trivial and/or easily replaced at the Wal-Mart in Columbia, MS or it could be something important. Could be something that you will find you will never use anyway, but you just do not know. I know I have left stuff at home and will probably continue to do so. The best way to avoid leaving something at home is to create a packing list covering all aspects of your stay - clothing, bedding and bath linens, shaving kit, prescriptions, etc. Out on the field you have everything associated with what you are going to need to do astronomy - telescope(s) and it's accessories and mount, charts, books, canopy, tent, batteries, red shielded flashlights, red screen for your laptop if you are going to use that, etc. Additionally it looks like it will be cold some come prepared for that. After it clears on Tuesday, the temperature will be down to the low 50's on Tuesday night, and then down to the low 40's on successive nights. Good nights for astronomy but you have to be prepared for the cold to enjoy astronomy. Temperatures like what is anticipated will feel colder in early November than what they would if you kind of work up to it by January or February.
2) Arrival for those coming on Tuesday - I anticipate arriving at probably just before 11 am that morning. The first order of business for me is to mark and assign bunks or bunk rooms to those that are there or are coming later on Tuesday. For those that were there for the Trial Run in August and in the main "free standing" bunk house, I am assuming that you want the same bunk that you selected then (I know I do). For those that are there early we will go to the bunk house to put some of our stuff on our bunks. For those not there yet, I will "sticker" each bunk with your name. For those that have not been to White Horse yet, I will show you where I have you assigned. Within the bunk house where you are assigned you are free to take any "bunk assembly" which has not been already claimed. Everyone is assigned to specific bunk houses or rooms based upon nights stayed, clubs, etc. - do not just go find a room that suits you, that dog does not hunt. Let me show you where you are assigned. Everyone that has registered and is staying in a bunk house/bunk room will have a bunk assembly all to themselves.
3) Laying out the "Arena Field" - this is the area used by those that attended the Trial Run back in August. It is a gated and fenced area that is 130 feet wide and 260 feet long (so not quite the size of a football field, excluding the end zones). This is not the only area that is good for observing at White Horse. One of the advantages of White Horse is that we have plenty of space to set up. In addition to the "Arena Field" we have the area to the north of the "Arena Field" and south of the main drive leading up to the main building/dining hall at White Horse. This area, toward it's west side is the area where all rv's and campers will be. This is where we have 30 amp breakers. This is also the only area where we will permit quiet generators. Others can set up between where the rv's/campers will be and the dining hall.
In addition there is another large field to the rear of the barn (east side) that is cut and would be good for those that have trouble seeing a red shielded laptop screen and need/want a little more illumination for their laptops. You can set up there and it is less likely that we will fuss at you for stretching the limits of the light rules.
Now back to laying out the "Arena Field". We have created schematics to figure out how we can best layout this field to accommodate as many people as we can without overcrowding the field. The chief obstacle is the width of the field which is 130 feet. We are trying to see if it will be possible to have vehicles move around the perimeter of the field and then turn into a parking spot either nose in or back in and then have enough space between the end of the vehicle closest to the field center for a tent canopy and then an adequate space in front of that to a telescope(s) with an adequate gap after that to opposing telescopes, canopies and vehicles on the other side of the field. We also need driving lanes around the field to get in and out. I am posting an image which visually describes what we think we may be able to do, but we really do not know until we try. (We will be doing some more simulated parking and measuring later today and after that is done I will post the schematic of the final plan that we will be using on the Arena Field.)
Possibility #1 - In the schematic shown we are assuming that we can maneuver and pull into a parking spot when we reduce the distance from the bumpers of the vehicles and the arena fence to 20 feet. If that works and we then allow an additional 20 feet as the parking spot, and then another 15 feet total between the other side of the vehicles and the front (closest to the center) side of a canopy or tent, we are then left with a remaining field width of 20 feet between canopies on either side of the field. So if we do that and everyone sets their scopes up about 8 feet in front of their canopies, we only have about 4 feet left between your telescope and your neighbor's telescope on the opposite side of the field------and that is too close!
Possibility #2 -Ideally, I believe we need to try to get where we have a center lane running down the middle of the field that is 10 feet wide (5 feet needed on each side of the mid-line to telescopes). Considering that telescope tripods splay outward and that some telescopes are large (big dobsonians) that is actually close, but can work. I would also like it if base centers or tripod centers are about 10 feet out from canopies, I think that is needed to maintain a reasonably low horizon when you are looking directly over your canopy at a target low in the sky. However if we start from the center and work back we have 5 feet back from the center line, then 10 feet to the edge of a canopy, then a 15 ft width from that edge to a vehicle, assuming then a 20 ft. allotment for a vehicle (some like mine are about 17.5 feet long, but others like a Suburban or extended cab pickup may actually be a bit longer than 20 feet) we are left with just 15 feet from the other side of many vehicles and the fence. Not sure if that is wide enough for vehicles to make the turn into the driving lane without greeting the fence.
However it may be possible (15 feet to the fence) if we increase the width of each parking spot to maybe 20 feet. We will do some experimentation to see if that is viable. However, in doing that it really reduces the number of spots (cars/canopies) on each side of the field from 14 per side/28 for the field for Possibility #1 to 9 per side/18 for the field for Possibility #2. Possibility #3 - a third possibility is "Drum Roll" - Possibility #3 - with this one the north side of the field is the same as with Possibility #1 except that if 20 feet to the fence does not work we go with about 25 feet and scopes are 10 feet from the front of their canopy, not 8 feet. Vehicles on this side of the field are parallel to the long side of the field and they parallel park. Parking width, the parking spot is about 10 feet wide, but spots on this side of the field are 25 feet long. We will have room for 7 on this side of the field and since their spots will be 25 feet wide there would be room for a small trailer or tent in addition to their canopy on the south side of the field. On this side even with telescopes 10 feet in front of a canopy you would still have 15 feet to the center line of the field. Scopes on the north side of the field jump the center line by 5 feet, but this still leaves a 10 foot lane between scopes on either side of the field. This proposal gives us 21 spots on the field vs 28 in Possibility #1 (which does not give anyone the option of taking two spots (small trailer or a tent in addition to a canopy and vehicle) or the 18 spots in Possibility #2 which has a balanced field and wider spots but may, out of fairness, eliminate additional space for trailers or tents.
Right now I am thinking that Possibility #3 is our most viable option and it will allow those with small trailers or those that want to set up a tent next to their canopy to do so on the south side of the field.
Electrical power for telescope use only on the Arena Field - we will have the small pole with additional plugs running to the field. It will be at least a 100 foot run from an outlet in the barn to where we can put this "electrical tree". You will have to supply your own 100 foot or longer cord to reach your telescope. We cannot guarantee that late arrivals will still have plugs to plug into left on the "electrical tree". This should not be used for hair dryers used to remove dew from telescope optics. That will trip the circuit. Telescope drives only please! If you can run on battery power you should use that, be self contained!
Lights - this is a dark site and light rules will be in force. No white flashlights, no lights inside of vehicles, either the passenger compartment or trunks (disable them), no lasers of any color unless it is completely cloudy. Red screens over laptop displays, etc., etc. Please read our Observing Field Rules.
Meal times - for those who have purchased meals via your registration form. Breakfast is at 9 am and supper is at 4 pm. There is a strong possibility that if you are late (more than a half hour late) that your meal may be cold or gone. Be aware of the meal times.
Later today, or tomorrow I should be posting a schematic detailing the "Parking Plan" for the Arena Field that we have decided upon. Right now I believe it is going to be the 3rd possibility proposed.
Barry Simon