www.astrosouth.org
Kelling Heath
Words: David Woods Snap: as above...
One of the largest star parties in Europe - The Kelling Heath Spring Equinox 15-18 April 2010 http://www.starparty.org.uk
Kelling Heath is vast.
on show in the morning too, like It’s the biggest Star Party in Europe, the prized possessions they are – surprisingly, and it also runs for two polished and gleaming, the only weeks. This event happens under things missing were hub caps and a few different guises during the bonnet badges! course of the year, with this campsite as its base. If you ever get the I guess we missed the point too chance to visit it – you’ll understand by bringing a twelve man tent, a why. It’s effectively a small custom Megrez 72FD and the SkyMax 102T built hamlet complete with a pub, baby Maksutov. The diehards were two bars and a restaurant, a store, a easily identifiable with telescopes gym and a swimming pool! Oh and far bigger than their tent! We’d got did I forget to mention the square? that wrong too. Mind you – we felt pretty smug with our camping The red and yellow fields kitchen and dining area for eight. I’m are completely taken over by still intrigued to know why so many astronomers from all over the UK, astro-imagers choose to purchase with the overspill now happening the same tent – The Eurohike Stowe. in the blue field where we were You’ll see these two-tone grey tents based. Various groups meet up simply everywhere. Richie Jarvis and assemble together like the and Ian Melville have one each, as imaging at the Star Gazers Lounge if to prove a point; it’s almost like a (SGL) corner; I have never seen so standard piece of equipment. many laptops and telescopes in one place! There was also ‘Dobsonian Alley’ with huge 20” home-brewed Dobsonians, giant refractors that probably only get used a few times a year. Maybe I’ve missed the point but Kelling almost feels like a gathering of car enthusiasts; there were some people we came across who had their telescopes fixed on Jupiter and nothing else. They’d be
We bumped into several acquaintances and HantsAstro members, but for us it was not really a formal event. The impression we got is that, unless you know who’s going (you can book to be close to each other), it would be difficult to meet. Because of its size it would naturally lose some of the warm camaraderie you get at the smaller
events. That said, astronomers are generally a friendly bunch anyway and keen to share their experiences. We met quite a few people from astro societies from around London which is understandable given the light pollution. Here in Hampshire we are blessed with better skies. Would I go to Kelling again is the real question? Yes, but not next year. On the Saturday, when bookings were being taken for next year’s Autumn Equinox, there were dozens and dozens of people queuing. 2009 has been a watershed year for events in the South and I guess that’s one of the best bits of the IYA 2009 - more people become galvanised. There are currently three camping/ observing events in the South the IOW Star Party in March, the Salisbury Star Party in August and Herstmonceux in September. If there could be a fourth one in the West Country that would be great as a two hundred miles plus journey is an awfully long trek for what could turn out to be a cloudy night, but even when Kelling does cloud over the sheer scale of the event more than makes up for it.
61