Re: 2009 Julian Starfest - Aug 20-23

Mark Wagner wrote;

I know there is someone on the list here who has been to this event.
The skies have a reputation for steady seeing, but they are not dark
like Lassen or Adin.

*************

That would be Debbie & me, and also John Hoey.

In my view the red light pollution there last year was intolerable, it
only take s 3 or 4 people to ruin your evening.

A very good friend of mine is involved with this event, and I "let him
have it" with both barrels (I was in full-blast whine mode), the result
of which is that they are apparently going to heavily police this aspect
of things this year.

In all fairness, this is only the second year for the Julian Starfest,
and the 3 guys who organized it, although amateurs and imagers, are not
at all star-party savvy, I don't think that any of them had actually
attended an organized star party before, which I found amazing.

The strong point of this event is the fact that there are many vendors
there, and they have a good door-prize list, and the setting is very,
very nice, at a winery, and the town of Julian itself is only a couple
of miles down the country road and is a charming, wooden-sidewalk old
mining town, and the San Diego mountains are as nice as can be.

Just 11 miles east down Banner grade is the Borrego Desert, hot this
time of year but quite beautiful, as deserts go it is much more
interesting than most.

As Mark said, the skies are very steady, the flow is laminar, but there
is always the SD light dome to the west, but I rarely observe in the
west... it is fairly dark overhead and to the south and east.

I freely admit that if I had to travel a long way to attend this event I
would be disappointed, it is NOTHING like Lassen or Adin, but if you are
vacationing in the general area anyhow, it would be a great diversion
for a couple of nights.

\Paul A

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