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Texas Star Party 2012

It's becoming a tradition - going to west TX for a week to view the stars.  This year, we started the weekend off with a violin workshop.


We quickly drove to my mom's house to drop off Max and got a very early start the next morning for our 10 hour drive.  We reach the Prude Ranch about 4:30 - plenty of time to get registered, get the RV setup, and claim a good observing spot.

Our activities for the week included a trip to the Chihuahuan Desert Center, McDonald Observatory, the Museum of the Big Bend, and a day trip to Marfa where we discovered a Dairy Queen! 
 Climbing the rocks at the lookout at the desert center
 Walking the botanical paths
 Queen Victorian Agave
 Z's waited all year for this chance.  As soon as we lined up on the observing floor, he asked if he could move the telescope.  Think we've been here before?
 S moving the telescope.
 A moving the telescope.
 C moving the dome.
 The 107 inch telescope.

 The Hobby-Eberly Telescope.  Can you see where the mirror starts and where the ceiling ends?

All in all, there were 7 beautiful observing nights and several observing pins earned.  Now, I have to get on the ball and finish the sketch bags so they have places to keep their pins.
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