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Stony Ridge Observatory - a Gathering Place for Astronomy Enthusiasts
Were SRO to be found in Polynesia, it might well be called something else – Oahu – a Hawaiian word meaning “the Gathering Place.” Regardless, the sentiment and desciption still fit, for the observatory continues to possess the magnetism that draws both the consumed and the curious to a place only a mile or so closer to the stars but one that seems much nearer to them than that.
And while there is always the hope of a clear sky and a steady atmosphere, the inescapable fact is, there’s always a worthwhile reason to make the ascent “just because.” For the fellowship; for the exchange of ideas; for the peace and tranquility of the whispering wind at the edge of the forest; for the love of the stars that first inspired the founding of this special place and history which followed… For these reasons or no reason at all, we are tuned to the siren call which simply says “come.”
Waiting for the night…
The folding chairs and pop-up table easily accommodate visitors to SRO for eats or for greets. Here, guests of members Pam Sable and Dave Hadlen wait out the afternoon’s fading light in anticipation of what sights await them through the Carroll reflector.
This shot, from late June, 2009 carries with it an eerie dimension. Two months after this gathering, another assemblage took place, this of helmeted combatants battling the “Station” wildfire fire in August. That inferno nearly destroyed SRO and left a scorched – and wary – landscape in its wake. These pine denizens did not survive.
The Moon, a Sky, a Telescope
This is a photo of luminaries, one celestial and others who have made their mark as astronomers and writers of note. Dave Hadlen is giving a tour of Stony Ridge to Sky and Telescope editors Dennis DiCicco (L) and Roger Sinnott (C) at sunset and under the watchful gaze of a full moon rising.
There are similarities to the July, 1973 issue’s cover photograph taken under similar circumstances. The magazine looked back upon SRO’s first decade of operation in a feature article.
Talking Telescopes
There is no better place to come and have a chat about our obsession. Here members are having a close look at an instrument with “boomerang” qualities. This telescope was the handiwork of original members John Terlep and George Carroll and found its way back into the hands of Stony Ridge via donation. Like everything else produced by the talented craftsmen who built SRO, it invites close inspection and appreciation for the attention to detail paid by its makers.
Homecoming
It was always a welcome sight to see a Founder return to SRO. In May of 1982, just shy of 20 years since the completion of the observatory, Easy Sloman, Chuck Buzzetti, and Dave Thomas came back for a visit.
One can imagine the stories swapped and the tales relived while feeling the pull of the observatory – still strong after two decades – that had been the focal point of their extraordinary commitment and the lasting tribute to their investment of time, sweat, and resources.
Easy Sloman
Chuck Buzzetti
Dave Thomas
John Sousa
Waiting for the night…
The folding chairs and pop-up table easily accommodate visitors to SRO for eats or for greets. Here, guests of members Pam Sable and Dave Hadlen wait out the afternoon’s fading light in anticipation of what sights await them through the Carroll reflector.
This shot, from late June, 2009 carries with it an eerie dimension. Two months after this gathering, another assemblage took place, this of helmeted combatants battling the “Station” wildfire fire in August. That inferno nearly destroyed SRO and left a scorched – and wary – landscape in its wake. These pine denizens did not survive.
The Moon, a Sky, a Telescope
This is a photo of luminaries, one celestial and others who have made their mark as astronomers and writers of note. Dave Hadlen is giving a tour of Stony Ridge to Sky and Telescope editors Dennis DiCicco (L) and Roger Sinnott (C) at sunset and under the watchful gaze of a full moon rising.
There are similarities to the July, 1973 issue’s cover photograph taken under similar circumstances. The magazine looked back upon SRO’s first decade of operation in a feature article.
Talking Telescopes
There is no better place to come and have a chat about our obsession. Members are having a close look at an instrument with “boomerang” qualities. This telescope was the handiwork of original members John Terlep and George Carroll – it found its way back into the hands of Stony Ridge via donation. Like everything else produced by the talented craftsmen who built SRO, it invites close inspection and appreciation for attention to detail.
Homecoming
It was always a welcome sight to see a Founder return to SRO. In May of 1982, just shy of 20 years since the completion of the observatory, Easy Sloman, Chuck Buzzetti, and Dave Thomas came back for a visit.
One can imagine the stories swapped and the tales relived while feeling the pull of the observatory – still strong after two decades – that had been the focal point of their extraordinary commitment and the lasting tribute to their investment of time, sweat, and resources.
Easy Sloman
Chuck Buzzetti
Dave Thomas
FOFU…Founding Observer Follow Up?!
On September 19, 2004, John Sousa paid a visit to the observatory and there spent time with the Faint Object Follow Up (FOFU) group for a night devoted to asteroid research. It must have pleased him greatly to see SRO’s continued commitment to the advancement of astronomical science, a core component of the pledge he and his fellow Founders had made more than a quarter century earlier.
He came at a time of fruitful production for those observers. Equipped with imaging technology which was unheard of in the early 60s, their contributions helped to refine the orbits of known bodies and find new ones, all for the purposes of identifying any that could pose a danger to humanity.
John Sousa