One of the major gatherings of amateur astronomers in Southeast Michigan is at the Great Lakes Association of Amateur Astronomy Clubs (GLAAC) annual star party "Astronomy at the Beach", hosted at Island Lake State Recreation Area near Brighton. The star party features club members and telescopes from many different southern Michigan astronomy clubs. The annual event draws very large crowds, so plan to come early!
Here's just one segment of the "Telescope Farm" at Kensingtion. Over 100 telescopes were present over both Friday and Saturday nights.
One of the best reasons to go to a big star party is that you get to look through a wide variety of telescopes and optical equipment. The biggest telescopes present were two monsterous 22" Dobsonian reflectors. One was a Starmaster, the other was home made. Here they stand guard at the entry to the pavilion.
The Oakland Astronomy Club was present at Kensingtion on both nights to run their telescopes for the public. Here Mark Webb, Murray Gorchow, and Don DeNatale check out the numerous sunspots through Don's filtered Meade 125mm ETX.
![]() Solar observing through a filtered Celestron 14" SCT. |
![]() Many telescopes at Kensington are hand made, including this beauty. |
![]() On Saturday, a pair of hot air balloons cruised by the beach. |
![]() One youngster uses Frank Busic's binoculars to check out the balloon |
![]() Don DeNatale and Dave Holt get set up for an evening of stargazing. |
![]() Don DeNatale purchased a solar filter at the event - it's getting first light right now! |
![]() Mark Webb and Frank Busic discuss the merits of a Meade 8" SCT. |
![]() A Dignified Frank Busic. |
![]() The setting sun heralds the beginning of night, and an evening of Astronomy at the Beach! |
Images © 2000 Oakland Astronomy Club