[sac-board] Re: [EVAC Cabinet 2005] All Arizona this or that

WEelllllllll, this old-timer reminds that in fact the very FIRST 
"All-Arizona Star Party" advertised as such was organized by Stan 
Gorodenski under the auspices of the Phoenix Astronomical Society, ca. 
1978 or so.  It was held up at the "Dirty five" park in Black Canyon 
City.  (This question came up a year or so back, and Stan kindly 
provided me with copies of the PASTimes Newsletter to remind me.  I did 
in fact attend in Black Canyon City, along with some Tucson folks.)  The 
next year SAC hosted it out at Buckeye Hills Park south of Buckeye and 
it was pretty well attended, including some out of towners.  There had 
been one attempt by some of us in PAS a couple years prior (that would 
be ca. 1975-76) to hold an event at Picacho Peak, thinking the site was 
about equal distance, and inviting folks from Tucson and Flagstaff, but 
the attendance was poor. (I think the seeing was poor, too.)
The next few times TAAA did in fact host gatherings at Empire Ranch 
and/or David Levy's house over in Corona de Tucson, and there were quite 
a few folks from SAC in attendance.  A few years later somebody found 
some disused property west of Arizona City and we all camped out there 
at a more central location.  After that, Ray Farnsworth invited us all 
to come to his ranch nearby.  The spring Messier Marathons were started 
after that, and have been held at Farnsworth Ranch for some years.  A 
few years back the EVAC club sort of adopted the All-Arizona SP at 
Farnsworth Ranch by mutual consent, evidently since SAC was organizing 
several events -- co-hosting the Messier Marathon (with EVAC), the 
Sentinel Schwaar Star Gaze out I-8, the annual spring public star party 
at Thunderbird park in Glendale (29th year in a row this time!), and 
many other outings all over.
More recently, the Prescott Astronomy Club has hosted an annual Northern 
Arizona SP;  Dean Ketelsen inaugurated the Grand Canyon Star Party (what 
year was that, Dean?) which is now at two rims, with the North Rim site 
hosted by folks from Nevada and Utah, as well as Arizonies; and now the 
Coconino group in Flagstaff has had a gathering or two, and there is the 
commercial Desert Sunset SP near Kartchner Caverns.
A number of folks have made the trek down to the Sierra Vista/Huachuca 
Astro Club area, to visit, too.
Lets not forget the strong attendance by Arizonians at both the Texas 
Star Party and RTMC.  (I have only missed two of the RTMC meetings, once 
before I moved to the West....)
Gene Lucas
(17250)

DBogan3220@xxxxxxx wrote:

> 
>In a message dated 4/18/2005 12:12:29 PM US Mountain Standard Time,  
>ketelsen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
>Wrong,  Wrong, Wrong...
>
>The All Arizona Star Party was in fact started by TAAA  back in the mid-80s
>and was held for at least 4-5 times at their Empire  Ranch location SE of
>Tucson.  I think when I was on their board, we  even had a rather poorly
>received lecture series on saturday  afternoon.  I think to appeal more to
>the Phoenix folk, we agreed to  release it to the more current central
>location in the early  '90s.
>
>-Dean
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>>> Interesting...In fact, both were started by SAC! (I  think.)
>>>
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>Yes Dean your Right, Right, Right.  :-)  Gene Lucas and I attended two or 
>three of those all Arizona Star  Parties on the Empire Ranch in the early 
>eighties. Why does this make me feel  old?
> 
>    Clear Skies
>    Dwight L Bogan
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