A Week Under the Stars: My 2012 Edition!

Our Annual Stargazing Rendezvous: More Friends, More Fun!

Like clockwork every summer for the past few years, my good friend Julio makes the drive all the way from the Spanish Basque Country to spend a week with me at the observatory. The agenda is always the same: astro, BBQ, pool, and some good old DIY projects. And each year, our crew grows a little bit! Last year, we were thrilled to have Mikel join us. This year, he’s back for more, and we’ve added a new recruit to the team: Abraham!

Of course, the gear evolves from one year to the next as well. This time around, the big new addition was Abraham’s magnificent Dobsonian. A 400mm scope, no less!

August days in Ardèche can get pretty hot, so between our various projects, a dip in the pool is always a welcome sight!

Here’s a little PixInsight masterclass under the stars, courtesy of our guru, Mikel…

…followed by some incredible views of Jupiter through the 400mm with some truly dream-worthy eyepieces.

We had an absolutely fantastic, laid-back week, and we’ve already marked our calendars for the next one!

Photos courtesy of Julio Corredera.