Many notables were in attendance: Jack Newton (of Deep Sky Astrophotography fame), Richard Berry (CCD), James O'Meara (Sky & Tel), Don Parker (Planetary) -- to name but a few. Among the Canadians attending were: Otmar & Elizabeth, Steve Spinney, Neil Kinnear, Dave Macdonald, Guy Nason, and Steve Pierce. The skies were clear on and off through much of the week. This was tough on anybody taking astrophotos. Under these conditions, the best productivity was had by the CCD imagers, who could take shorter exposures during the cloud openings.

So much is said about the great seeing offered by Florida skies for planetary work. While this is true, I found the skies there exhibited poor transparency due to the high humidity. Because of this, good views of M83, Eta Carinae, Centaurus A, and Omega Centauri (all low in the south) were difficult to get. Though the relatively low latitude is nice, I much prefer the clearer, darker skies of Southern Ontario (when we get them, that is!) and a cool breeze up my kilt!

The speakers this year were excellent. These leading-edge amatuers are not only showing us the way, but showing our worth to the professional community. Alice Newton, however, stole the show with her presentation of "Naked Astronomy".

There were about 15 CCD/computer setups on the site. Tom Bisque (head of Software Bisque, which makes the software program "The Sky") was downloading images from an 8" f/10 LX200 and ST6 CCD camera. Jack Newton and Dave Toth were using a StarFire 7" f/9 with an ST6 and ST4. Richard Berry was using someone's homebrew telescope with his do-it-yourself CCD Camera -- with liquid cooling yet! His camera was the fastest to download and focus, but without an anti-blooming gate the pictures were not as good a quality (becuase of the shorter exposures necessary). It was fun, however, to watch him download over a 100 galaxy images in one evening. More often than not he was waiting for something else to rise in the east.

Tom Higgins was there with his immaculate domed observatory, LX200, CCD equipment and office complex in a trailer. One would kill for such an outfit! His work was catalogued, bound, and preserved -- all suitable for the Smithsonian. This guy records everything he does -- right down to the mouse clicks! Though speed is not his passion, the quality of his work cannot be denied.

Even slower was Brad Wallis, who during his talk said that in preparation for another book he would be spending about two years on Barnard's Loop in Orion. Perhaps he and Richard Berry should get together?!

There was another notable CCD setup, in the back of a pickup truck, with two computers and a video monitor for real-time astro TV. Voice operated Sky software was being used with an ST6, and a 10" LX200. The operator just sat in a chair and talked the telescope into pointing, focusing, and downloading pictures. I don't know if I could get used to coming home after a session, hoarse from talking to my equipment all night long. I think I prefer the yoga-like contortions involved in operating a telescope manually -- and, of course, there's always that cool breeze up your kilt!

I was totally blown away by the fact that some of the CCD imagers use their computers all night without going anywhere near their telescopes. The whole operation was software driven with programs like SBIG's ST6OPS, the Bisque brothers The Sky and SkyPro, and Candian Dave Lane's Earth Centered Universe. For amateurs this is a very different way to observe.

Although I didn't get any pictures (again!), I came home from the Winter Star Party happy with all that I had learned -- not to mention the new astronomy software I bought that my dear wife knows nothing about!

When he's not busy hiding his latest, greatest toys from his wife, you can find Doug completely immersed in video editing, computers, ham radio, and now (thanks to his WSP experience) automated CCD imaging. Happily, except in the early evening when he carries his LX200 outside and polar aligns it, this latest pursuit has put an end to the breezes up his kilt.