Photo taken at TMSP 2000 by Paul Wicklund, Spokane Astronomical Society

All was Aglow ! 

The sky was  ALIVE with a tremendous display of an Aurora Borealis!

"As I wandered through the observing field around 1 o'clock in the morning, I was looking up at the Milky Way and down into Sagittarius, thinking to myself - WOW! The Skies were clear and the Heavens were dazzling! Though thoroughly engrossed, I became aware that no one was looking up at the southern sky but me. As a matter of fact, NO ONE was looking through his or her telescopes or binoculars at all. The hundreds of people that were there all had their backs turned to their expensive equipment and most of the night sky. They were all walking away to get a better view of the northern sky. I started hearing "What is that?" And, "That doesn't look like sky glow or the lights of Wenatchee."  When I turned also to face the north, I quickly joined the rest, all of us seeking a clear view of the northern sky.  We all stood there shoulder to shoulder, sometimes in silent awe, sometimes exclaiming over the beautiful spikes and waves of the Northern Lights! This unexpected display will become one of the many highlights of the year 2000 Table Mountain Star Party!" 

In addition to the aurora displays that we had for two nights, one of my other distinct memories was of two horsemen, dismounted, holding the reigns of their horses, patiently waiting for their espressos in front of the Crystal's Espresso stand. I bet they didn’t expect to find an espresso vendor operating at 6,357 feet on top of a mountain!

About 230 student astronomers were on the mountain to participate in our outstanding student program. The timing was perfect for Kelly Beatty’'s article in S & T questioning where all the youthful amateur astronomers have gone. Our own Ken Slavens and Bob Isaacs were featured talking about the TMSP youth program.

Here's Ken's summary of what the students did this year:

"With vivid memories of last years cold and wet weather still on our minds it was difficult to predict how many attendees would gather for Table Mountain Star Party 2000. As time grew near it was evident that Mother Nature would not repeat her inclement pattern of rain and clouds. Weather forecasts of Sun and clear skies ahead made us realize this would bring a large gathering of amateur astronomers to the mountain for a weekend of renewed friendships, excellent viewing and an all around good time. Of course, with all those adult amateur astronomers coming there would be a rather large gathering of young astronomers as well looking for fun and games the whole weekend. I can't honestly say if every one of those young astronomers was content with this years youth program but I can say that I saw a lot of happy faces on Table Mountain this year.

Although TMSP is only sanctioned for the three days of the event from Thursday through Saturday our activities commenced on Wednesday evening due to the large number of attendees that arrive early in the week. Solar Frisbee Golf was the kick-off event where our participants are required to throw a Frisbee from one planet to another while keeping score of the number of throws necessary to reach each goal. Needless to say the distance between the planets grew considerably when approaching the outer planets. Reaching planet Pluto resulted in some rather large "stroke" counts.

Thursday brought about a full day of activities starting with a nature walk to Lion Rock followed by a second round of Solar Frisbee Golf. A Treasure Hunt, concocted by Traci Scott, brought about some unique methods of procuring items on a list. When asked by the kids, some of the vendors got into the act by handing out red flashlights and star charts which were on the list. Thanks to Pocono West Optics and Captain's Nautical. You made this event very special!

One of the big events of the weekend came on Thursday evening, as the kids would take a walk back in time. Table Mountain Time Machine required our participants to scurry around the site looking for poster boards with a listing of major astronomical discoveries dating back to 1993 through 1999. The clues handed out to them sent them screaming in all directions trying to find the poster board that matched their clues.

Friday would bring another full day of activities beginning with another Nature Walk to Lion Rock followed by lunch. Immediately following lunch, Jack Horne and his volunteer teachers stepped in and gave us a break with their outstanding astronomy lessons for kids in the student tent. Mr. Horne and his teachers instructed and helped the kids make for themselves items such as star frames, star clocks, sundials and spectroscopes.

Cosmic Constellations (another ingenious design of Traci's) on Friday afternoon brought out many young astronomers eagerly awaiting the chance to pursue "walking" constellations. Our adult volunteers donned sometimes-interesting costumes and told to walk the entire site while the game was in progress. In turn the kids were given specific clues related to each constellation and told to find these constellations wherever they may be. It was quite amusing and at the same time very pleasing to see an adult walking the mountain site with a pair of horns (Taurus) on his/her head. There were queens, kings, hunters, Herculean men, lions, dogs and many, many more. The squeals of joy and laughter upon tracking down a constellation were most satisfying.

Astronomy Bingo and Moon Busters filled out our evening programs for both Friday and Saturday. Astronomy Bingo is the same as most anywhere except constellations are used in place of letters. Moon Busters was a new concept that wasn’t fully molded until Saturday. The entire group that assembled was put into a "spaceship" that was required to fly to planet Pluto one planet at a time starting at Earth. For each correct question answered the "spaceship" would proceed to the next planet. For each wrong answer the ship would move backwards. Enough wrong answers and the ship would plunge into the Sun. I am pleased to announce that the "spaceship" made it to Pluto.

The final day of TMSP contained a vigorous agenda that would keep all our young astronomers on their toes waiting for the best to come. Face painting (conducted by the entire Flood family with help from Frank Gilliland’s daughter) would fill the student tent to near capacity for a full hour and a half. Jack Horne and his volunteer teachers followed with a second round of hands on activities. The Annual TMSP Games were conducted under clear and warm skies beginning with a three-legged race, followed by the ever-infamous water race and culminating with, of course, a watermelon eating contest.

Never to be out done by the adults at TMSP, the kids gathered in the late afternoon sun for the door prize drawing that may have topped all the years accumulated since 1995. There were many, many prizes generously donated by the vendors attending this year’s event. A grand total of five telescopes were donated for the kids, making a lot of adults envious of the student program. Joseph and Karen Sunseri of Earth and Sky Adventures, Captains Nautical, the Boeing Employees Astronomical Club, and Richard Chalfan donated telescopes. Pocono Optics and Astronomy to Go were also major contributors to the kid’'s door prize drawing. Thanks to all of you this year's event was a spectacular success!

As is our custom at TMSP, a red light bracelet was awarded to each student who did not win a prize during the door prize drawing. It has always been and always will be our motto that no child shall leave TMSP empty handed. The night was aglow with red light bracelets and the sound of kids having a great time!

I would like to thank all the volunteers that assisted us this year. There are those that are not listed but still volunteered and for that I apologize. Sometimes names are lost in the hustle and bustle but their contributions will never be forgotten. 

Nancy Morkert

Dick and Jessie Mossey

Wes Jackson

Laura and Leanna Hitzel

Mike and Chris Vertolio

Sam Parker

The Flood family-Matt, Anne, Jennifer and Erin

K.C., Jamie and Lindsey Ellis

Betty Hoard

Jerry Cotey

Jerry and Dave Armstrong

Mac Golberg

Kerry and Alison Winston

Kathleen Smith

Ken and Anne Jones

Dennis Hoofnagle

Janine Michelsons

Thank you one and all!

Submitted by Ken Slavens

TMSP Student Chairman  

Thank you to the many vendors and companies that gave generously to our doorprize drawing! The retail value of all donated items (Over 115 items for both students and adults) came to over $8165. This is by far the largest amount of door prizes given away to such a relatively small group of people! When you need items to support your astronomy habit, please consider these vendors and companies first and foremost! The ON-SITE VENDORS contribute many hours of their time to be with us each year! The following is a list of all vendors, door prize contributors (both on site and those who mailed items to us), and informational booths that contributed to the success of this year's Table Mountain Star Party. Please support them!

Herb and Paula York - Anacortes Telescope and Wild Bird

Scott Roberts - Meade Instruments

Loren Busch - Captain's Nautical Supplies

Joseph and Karin Sunseri - Earth and Sky Adventure Products

Michael Peoples - Pocono West Optics

Bob and Lisa Summerfield - Astronomy to Go

Bob Grossfield - Sun River Nature Center

Larry Myers - Mountain Instruments

Michael Eastep - Juneberry Pottery

Tom Osypowski - Equatorial Platforms

Astronomical Society of the Pacific

Bill Cook - Amateur Telescope Making Journal

Hulan Fleming - Artist

George Vlahakis - Astro-Photography

TeleVue Optics Inc.

Boeing Employees Astronomical Society

Richard Chalfan

International Dark Sky Association - Informational display

Karen Peterson - Project ASTRO - Informational Booth

Bob and Charmayne Tubig - Crystal's Espresso

Rick Singmaster - StarMaster

SKY & TELESCOPE Magazine

ASTRONOMY Magazine - Informational display

Kalmbach Publishing

Tom Holz

Bill Burvee - Bill's Food Service

ORION Telescopes and Binoculars

Randy Johnson - ATM - Mirror-making demonstrations

Chartmarkers - CCR Productions

Gordon Kirkland - Columnist, Humorist

Ron Hoffman

Thank you to Anacortes Telescope and Wild Bird and Meade Instruments for their generous contribution of a Meade 8" LX200 telescope complete with accessories and field tripod (Retail $2300). This telescope was our main adult door prize and was won by Frank B. Pino from Wenatchee, Washington.

Thank you, also,  to Joseph and Karen Sunseri from Earth and Sky Adventure Products for their generous donation of three Celestron Novice 50's for the Student program doorprizes.  These were won by Suling MacArthur from Renton, WA, Seri Danesholt from Mercer Island, WA, and Eric Platty from Wenatchee, WA.

Also a generous thank you to Captain's Nautical Supply for their donation of a 4.5 Meade Reflector telescope won by Devlin Baker of Kent, WA.

In addition, the Tasco telescope donated by Richard Chalfan was won by Alex Adams from Woodinville, WA.

And the Bushnell Telescope donated by the Boeing Employees Astronomical Society was won by Jessica Pike from Marysville, WA.

Once again, a special Thank you to our Navy CB unit from Construction Battalion CBU-421 from Everett for helping us put up and take down those big tents!

Here are our 2000 TMSP Telescope Contest Winners

We also thank our Telescope Judges for all their time Saturday!!

Our congratulations to all on a job well done.

Best First Scope: 10" f5.3 Dobsonian 

Suzanne Ruby from Elk, WA 

Optical Excellence: 8" f.6 reflector 

Jeff Bottman from Seattle, WA

Best use of Common Materials: 5" Short Tube Refractor 

Tim Schrad from Mattawa, WA

Best Dobsonian: 12.5" f6 

Scott Turner from Portland, OR

Workmanship Amateur: 6" f15 Titanium Refractor

Carl Monson from Kirkland, WA

Innovative Design: Dob. Equatorial Table Polar Alignment Tool 

Howard Banish from Forest Grove, OR 

Judge's Choice: 17" Truss Tube, Antique Pine (Blue Moon) Reflector

Paul Wicklund from Mead, WA

Submitted by Mike Fry              

TMSP Chair Telescope Judging

The Board of Directors of the Table Mountain Star Party extends a Special Recognition and thank you to Jeff Groth.  Jeff has always worked behind the scenes for Table Mountain and therefore we often do not realize just how much he has done for us. He developed the first registration form, the first brochure, and many of the original documents as well as the ones we use now. He was also very instrumental in the development of the Web Site. He has always been there to help since the very first TMSP. For all his effort, Jeff has been given the position of honorary founding member. The Board sincerely thanks you, Jeff, for all your contributions to making the TMSP one of the best in the country. 

I thought that I would close this year's summary with a quote from our Chairman - Thom Jenkins. It struck me as very true after my five days on the mountain without a serious shower or bath! Upon his arrival back home, here are Thom's words of wisdom;

"I, again, am amazed by some of our great inventions. I went into this little room at home, turned a little silver knob and was instantly engulfed in wonderful warm water. I didn't even have to check to see if the bag had remained in the sun long enough, didn't have to retrieve the soap from the dirt and pine needles, didn't have to chase the mosquitoes and biting flies from my butt, and most especially, didn't have to be on my guard for Frank lurking in the bushes."

THANKS Thom! Everybody remember to keep a close eye on Frank!

This summary submitted by

Kerry 'Starlady' Winston    

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