Stargazing with Telescopes + Free Camping, Hiking & Cookout + Perfect Weather!

 IN A NUTSHELL:  The weather is shaping up to be perfect for this nice free annual Memorial Day weekend event, so we hope a few more of you will sign up and enjoy it with us!
  As avid "skygazers" Harry and I (Charlie) enjoy planning and leading astronomy-related events for the Atlanta Outdoor Club.  Deerlick Astronomy Village (DAV) is a wonderful dark-sky observing site just 90 minutes east of Atlanta that has been developed by some of our friends who are serious astronomy enthusiasts.  Many of them have been active volunteers in the Atlanta Astronomy Club or its "sister" Charlie Elliott AAC chapter. (Thanks to one of our sister clubs for the above photo above of observing enthusasts with their telescopes.)
  In May of 2010 and 2011 groups of us from the AOC greatly enjoyed taking part in the Memorial Day weekend "Open House" festivities that are hosted annually at Deerlick by our DAV astronomer friends.  We're delighted to be invited back for this year's big Open House.  This exciting Memorial Day weekend gathering is highly suitable for anyone who enjoys stargazing and wants to learn more about the night sky and the universe.
  Our DAV hosts and other invited guests will kick off the festivities at about 4:00 PM Sunday at their huge covered Dining Pavilion with a sumptuous cookout & "potluck" dinner party.  They'll provide delicious Barbecue and grilled Burgers and request that those of us who can join them for the dinner bring an item of our choice to contribute - see more on this below.  After the cookout our friendly hosts will offer a fascinating walking tour of their  members' personal observatories followed by telescopic observing and stargazing (weather permitting).  Drive back home late Sunday night if you prefer, but the DAV Open House also includes free optional "carside camping" by the nice pavilion, with hot showers & flush toilets.

AOC EVENT PLAN:
DRIVING & ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE OPTIONS:   If you prefer, drive independently to DAV and feel free to arrive (and depart) whenever you like over the Memorial Day weekend.  (See detailed Directions and Lat/Lon coordinates below). Our optional carpooling group will meet at 1:00 PM Sunday under the WSB Radio Tower at "Northlake Tower Festival" shopping center in NE Atlanta and drive over together—see details below.   Camping on the night of Sunday May 26 will be Free and optional for all DAV guests including our AOC "subgroup."  For any AOCers who wish to camp at DAV also on Friday night or Saturday night the fee is now $10 per person per night (formerly was $5 per night) payable when you arrive (Please let me, Charlie, know if you intend to camp extra nights so I can notify our hosts, and you can deposit the cash in a "Camp Fee" drop box" in their "break room.") 

MAY 26-27 CARSIDE CAMPING & HIKING:  Our AOC optional carpool group expects to arrive at the DAV pavilion at about 3:00 PM Sunday.  We'll rendezvous with other AOC participants there and set up camp near our parked vehicles and the pavilion—pick your own tent or hammock site on the large grassy observing field or in the shade of the field's surrounding forest.  Free onsite facilities for the "open house" event include nice bathrooms (with hot showers & lavatories and flush toilets), the spacious roofed pavilion with its picnic tables, electric outlets, & barbecue grill, and an air-conditioned "break building" complete with microwave, refrigerator and DSL Internet access. 
  At Deerlick there's lots of green space and nature trails for hiking, including an authentic 1800's Conestoga covered wagon trail!  Several old log cabins at Deerlick actually pre-date the Civil War.  For those AOC who are interested, we'll offer at least one group hike at DAV and another at lovely Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center (near Mansfield, GA) en route home Sunday.
  For some nice photos of the trails and other DAV facilities visit:
    http://www.deerlickgroup.com/Gallery.php  

4:00-6:00 PM SUNDAY COOKOUT & POTLUCK DINNER:  As usual our DAV friends will host this delicious cookout and "potluck dinner buffet" in their huge roofed dining pavilion.  As mentioned above they'll provide BBQ and Burgers for everyone - also plates, napkins, dinnerware, cups, etc.  It's customary for each person who participates in this "potluck" to BRING a SIDE ITEM OF YOUR CHOICE to share that will serve perhaps yourself and about 5 other people: e.g. a plate of nice munchies or hors d'oeuvres, a fruit plate, salad, dessert, etc. - ideally something you enjoy yourself.  Please email me (Charlie) by May 22 indicating simply whether you would like to participate in the "Potluck Dinner."  (If you have an idea of what you'd like to contribute please mention that also.)  If you bring a covered dish there's a microwave available on-site in case you need to reheat it a bit.  DAV will provide some beverages, but it's a good idea to bring your own favorite non-alcoholic drinks to consume and share - preferably in your own personal cooler with plenty of ice.

SUNDAY SKYGAZING & TOUR of OBSERVATORIES:  Even before the sun goes down we expect to have some exciting safe telescopic observing of sunspots and prominences (weather permitting) through our friends' special Solar Telescopes.  After dinner we'll enjoy an "open house" walking tour of several of the wonderful personal observatories that DAV members have built on the property.
  Although the moon will be just past full phase for the event this year, our DAV friends are likely to set up some telescopes on the observing field and offer everyone views of various deep-sky objects, planets, exotic craters and features of the moon, etc. In fact we're in luck that just after sunset on Sun May 26 there will be a "triple conjunction" of Venus, Jupiter and Mercury in the western sky, setting about 2 hours after the sun.  With a little luck we should be able to see this rare small triangular grouping of the 3 planets with the naked eye!  Here's a website link: http://astronomical-calendar.org.uk/index.php/jupiter-venus-and-mercury-may-26
  I'll be glad to offer our AOC subgroup a "beginner skywatching clinic," identifying the most prominent spring stars, planets and constellations and how to find your way around the night sky using the Big Dipper, North Star, etc. as pointers.
  Don't forget the etiquette (also discussed in "What to Bring" below) of AVOIDING using any WHITE LIGHT or Vehicle Lights while on or near the observing field at night, so as not to impair observers' night vision!
SUNSET, MOONRISE & SUNRISE TIMES:  On Sun evening May 26 the sun will set at about 8:35 PM, then at about 10:30 PM the moon (~2 days past full) will rise.  Then Monday morning the sun will rise at about 6:25 AM. 

8:00-9:30 AM MONDAY AOC POTLUCK BREAKFAST:  Feel free to join me and other AOCers for Sunday morning coffee and breakfast.   I'll provide the hot coffee, sweeteners & creamers (plus cups, plates, plasticware, napkins) and we'll cook up and serve a hearty breakfast "potluck" style using ingredients and shared items that we individually choose to bring.  I'll provide my 2-burner Coleman stove and propane, plus a few pots and pans, and pound or two of bacon.  Bring whatever you like for this.  Examples: Half gallon of juice, dozen eggs, half dozen bagels, doughnuts or oatmeal packets, pint of yogurt, propane stove with fuel, etc. 

"PRE-TRIP AOC E-FORUM:"  For all AOCers who sign up, the Trip Leader will facilitate (in the week prior to the trip) "Reply-All" email discussions for any of you campers who may prefer carpooling together from mutually convenient places and (and times) in and around metro Atlanta in lieu of the suggested Sun 1:00 PM "general carpool" spot at Northlake Tower Festival .  These "Reply-Alls" may also come in handy for discussing specific items of gear, food, etc. that each of us can bring to share with others—also useful for requesting loaner camping gear that you may wish to borrow.

MORE ABOUT DEERLICK ASTRONOMY VILLAGE:
 Many astronomy buffs have bought property at this beautiful 90-acre dark-sky "village," built second homes there, and set up personal telescopic observatories—some of these scopes can be robotically operated from hundreds of miles away.  The well-appointed ten-acre observing field has become the site of choice for the Atlanta Astronomy Club's annual "Peach State Star Gaze," a world-class 5-day annual gathering in mid-October of amateur and professional astronomers from all corners of the globe.  For more on DAV, their Memorial Day Weekend "Open House," and the Atlanta Astronomy Club, click on these website links:
http://www.deerlickgroup.com
http://www.deerlickgroup.com/PDF/2013%20DAV%20picnic%20annnouncement.pdf
http://www.atlantaastronomy.org

FROM I-20/ I-285 INTERCHANGE on ATLANTA'S EAST SIDE it's about 95 miles to DEERLICK ASTRONOMY VILLAGE ("DAV") near the community of Sharon, GA—about 80 min via I-20 East, then 10 min via connecting roads, as detailed below. NOTE: For a zoomable map and satellite view of the DAV spot where we gather, click on the rectangular blue & green "Event Location" icon near the top of this article.  Also it's a good idea to use these directions in conjunction with DAV's excellent Vicinity Map which is at this link: http://www.deerlickgroup.com/PDF/DeerlickMap1.pdf

1. From the I-20/ I-285 Interchange on Atlanta's East Side take I-20 East forabout 86 miles and get off to your right at Exit #154 ("US-278").

2. Turn Left (NW) onto US-278 West and go just 1.7 miles to the first major paved road on your right, just after a series of small signs.

3. Turn Right (NE) onto this road (which is in fact GA-269 but is normally not so marked) and go 3.5 miles to the 4-way stop in the small town of Sharon. (En route beware of RR tracks at about the 2-mile mark—there is no signal).

4. Turn Right (East) onto Main Street (a.k.a Raytown Rd, a.k.a CR-79, a.k.a Lumburg Sharon Rd) and go 2.5 miles to another 4 way stop.

5. Turn Right (South) onto Double Wells Road and go 0.3 mile to Aaron Grier Road on your right, a gravel road.

6. Turn Right (West) onto Aaron Grier Road and go about 0.5 mile to the DAV entrance, "Star Gate 1" ("SG1").

7. About 0.2 mile beyond the gate look for a small "Members Field" sign on your right, take a sharp Right there onto Grier's Field, and proceed to the big DAV Pavilion at the north end of the field.  Please park at least 100 feet from the Pavilion and choose a suitable spot for your tent or hammock in the field or the adjoining woods - preferably not too close to the Pavilion or to the bathrooms.

8. Our AOC "subgroup" will gather at the Pavilion beginning at about 3:00 PM to check in with our DAV hosts, introduce one another, discuss our planned activities, optional adventures, group meal plans, etc.

DEERLICK ADDRESS & COORDINATES for GPS Navigation or for Google.com/maps:

Aaron Grier Road, Crawfordville, GA 30631
33.56166,-82.76367

Caution!  GPS Software may be inaccurate for the small final approach roads, so be sure to follow carefully Directions #4 thru #8 above.

No Charge—FREE event with free parking, camping, observing, hiking, cookout & potluck dinner.

IF YOU LEARN YOU CAN'T ATTEND...In fairness to our wait-listed AOC members, if you find that you cannot attend this event for whatever reason, please go ASAP to "Events: My Upcoming Events" and delete your registration."  Thanks!