You are cordially invited to Astrofest 2001. Astrofest will be held at the 130 acre Camp Shaw-Waw-Nas-See 4-H camp near Kankakee, Illinois. Astrofest is a nationally recognized convention for observers and amateur telescope makers. The camp has a large field for observing and camping, a limited number of cabins, and a 250 seat dining hall. We offer a magnificant flea market, a great selection of commercial vendors, and catered meals served in the dining hall.
Camp Shaw has many natural hazards you should be aware of. Rocky cliffs, sudden drop-offs, and steep trails are located in the areas where Rock Creek travels through the camp property. Fatal falls are possible! Poison ivy is also very common. The director of the camp requires attendees to wear shoes at all times.
Astrofest is now a 3 day event. Activities will follow the same schedule as in the past (beginning Friday afternoon ). Basic facilities such as cabin bunks, washrooms, and showers will be available Thursday. The dining hall will be open for use as a gathering place only. Box meals provided by us will be available, as in the past, and the NWS's Astrodog stand will be open Thursday.Starting this year we plan to have a separate doorprize drawing for children only. This is contingent upon vendors donating prizes specifically for children.
Attendees will be able drive into Bourbonnais (about 15 minutes away) and see a planetarium show at the Strickler Planetarium located at Olivet Nazarene University.
The use of generators is restricted to the garden area only (certain conditions have been set for this area). No exceptions!
There are two possible ways to register for Astrofest: mail-in and on-site registration. We strongly recommend that you register by mail in order to save money. For those registering by mail, please consider the options on the mail-in registration form and choose those that fit your needs: attendance options; cabin bunk rental option; catered meals option; electric power option. Use the form to also let us know if you are coming as a vendor, entering a contest, or volunteering to help at Astrofest. Every year people do register on-site for a variety of reasons and pay the much higher entrance fee. For individuals who will not know whether they can come until the last moment, and the mail-in registration deadline has passed, the only option is to register on-site. See below for more information.Mail-in registration dealine: Complete the form and send it with the proper remittance by 8-11-01.
Void and return rules: Registrations will be voided and returned if the payment submitted is insufficient (so get it in well before the deadline date in case there is a mistake) or if the envelope is postmarked after 8-11-01.
Refund policy: Refunds are processed only for sold out meals, cabin bunks, and electrical power.
Confirmation card: After processing yourregistration form , a confirmation card will be mailed to you. Please keep this card and bring it with you to Astrofest. This card is very helpful in getting people onto the site, as quickly as possible. It makes our job easier and reduces the time you wait to receive your registration packet at the front entrance.
Questions: If you have a question, please try e-mailing us rather than calling us. E-mail the webmaster. This will aid us in keeping communication problems to a minimum (remember our staff is made up of vounteers. We will do our best to respond as soon as possible). If you don't have e-mail service, contact us at our voicemail number, (773) 725-7618 and press 3.
Frequently asked questions
(1) What if I register and find out later I cannot attend Astrofest. Am I eligible for a refund? Answer: Sorry, but no. Even as an Astrofest official when I registered a family member who later found out she could not attend I did not seek and could not get a refund. Plan carefully.
(2) I just want to attend during the daytime. Don't you offer a discount price to get in? Answer: Sorry, the only possibility for coming during the day is on Saturday (1 day attendance option).
(3) Can I camp at the site? Answer: Yes.
(4) I don't want to camp. Is there another option? Answer: Hotels are available in the town of Bourbonnais (about 15 minutes from the camp). A map and phone numbers are available on this Astrofest webpage.
(5) Do I need to own a telescope to attend? Answer: Definitely not! If you have some level of interest in astronomy, then by all means register. Attendees with scopes are happy to let you look through their instruments. Just respect their equipment.
(6) How many people attend Astrofest? Answer: Lots! For the past few years we have had over a thousand registrations. Because of the attendance size we have hired security who are stationed at the entrance way and who patrol the grounds. The attendees are a very peaceful, fun loving group.
(7) I'm interested in buying a telescope. Is Astrofest a good event to attend for this purpose? Answer: Yes! We have commercial telescope manufacturers who attend Astrofest and we have lots of people with valuable experience and all sorts of scopes to check out. What better situtation could you ask for? Ask all the questions you want about telescopes, eyepieces, and other accessories.
(8) What can I do during the day? Answer: Go bike riding, fishing, golfing, horseback riding, visit sites in town. We have speakers on Saturday afternoon. More details are available on this Astrofest webpage. Check the Astrofest links.
(9) Can I cook my own meals? Answer: Yes. You must use a grill and all cooking must be finished before night fall.
(10) Are pets allowed? Answer: No.
(11) I am at Astrofest and didn't register for catered meals. I now wish I ordered meals. Can I do so? Answer: Maybe. Ask a staff person in the dining hall before meal time. Inquire if meals can be purchased.
For a variety of reasons, some people have no alternative other than to register on-site. Each year we get people paying the extra money. We offer this option because people come at the last moment. However, our earlier liberal policy of on-site registration caused staff to work long hours and to enjoy the event a lot less. Hence, the high fees to keep the numbers down. The cost for adults (13 yrs and up) is $100.00 and for children 6-12 yrs of age it is $85.00. The cost of meals, cabin bunks, and electrical power, if any are available, is extra. Absolutely no exceptions will be made, so please register before the deadline if possible. Also keep in mind one risk: if the site is at capacity people will be turned away.Registration form information/instructions
Names/ages/phone numbers/affiliation section
In order to have each attendee's name correctly stated on their ID badge, please print each name clearly. If any children are attending who are under the age of 18 (even though they may be listed as adults), please give their ages next to their names (e.g., John Doe/17). Be sure to provide a phone number, as a way of contacting you, should there be a problem with the form. If you are working for a vendor, list the company name (see: Check all that apply box section below) and be sure the company has your name on their list of workers provided to Astrofest staff. This will ensure your eligibility to enter early Thursday to help set up. NFSI participants should be sure to list NFSI as their prime affiliation - this makes processing the group info much easier.
Check all that apply box (upper right hand corner) - commercial vendor, contest entries, and volunteer request section
If you are going to attend as a vendor or as a vendor's worker, enter the telescope or astrophoto contest(s), or are willing to volunteer for 2 hours at Astrofest, please complete the box. Otherwise skip it.
Vendor: List your company. In addition, please provide a list of workers that will help you set up early Thursday (on a separate sheet of paper). Vendors and designated help are allowed on Thursday morning beginning at 6 am. You are required to donate doorprizes worth at least $75.00. The donations must be tangible items - no discount coupons or gift certificates accepted. If you are not able to donate any of your products due to the dollar value, you may purchase other astronomically related items for donation. In the recent past some vendors have gone beyond the call of duty (Pocono Mountain Optics is at the top of the list) in donating very highly priced items or giving something special for children. If you want to donate an additional item earmarked for children only, we will have drawings for them, as long as items are forthcoming. On behalf of the attendees we thank you for making Astrofest a great event. Vendor worker: check the appropriate part and list your employers name.
Telescope/accessories contest: Entry forms will be available in Graham Hall (the Lodge) or by the dining hall area. Your entry must be set up by 1pm Saturday. Have the entry form prominently attached to the scope. Only handmade telescopes, mounts, and accessories may be entered. Old instruments that have been restored, commercially produced or otherwise, may also be entered. Judges will remove the form when looking at your masterpiece.
Astrophoto contest: Entry forms will be available in Graham Hall (the Lodge). Completed forms, with your photo(s), will be accepted in Graham Hall from 9am to 11am on Saturday. Please complete a display label. There are two categories - Deep Sky and Solar System. Only enter prints (no slides). One entry per category. No multiple variety-object prints such as a collage of the moon, sun, and planets. Collages of one celestial object is permitted. Astrofest attendees will determine the winners by ballot (the ballot is in your registration packet).
Volunteering: We need people to help ease the work needed to be done at Astrofest. your two hours of time is greatly appreciated. Circle the appropriate time and if more than one person is volunteering be sure to list each person's name and put their initials next to the appropriate time. A staff member will contact you by phone. volunteers who put in their two hours will receive a special t-shirt. Thanks ahead of time!
Three-day option: You may attend Thursday afternoon through Sunday morning, Sept. 13-16. Entry time is 12 noon, except for vendors.Two-day option: You may attend Friday morning through Sunday morning, Sept. 14-16.
One-day option: You may attend Saturday morning through Sunday morning, Sept.15-16. If you choose to visit Astrofest during the day only, then choose this option. Sorry, but we don't offer reduced, "during the day only" options, so this is the only attendance option available for those people looking to visit only during the day.
Choose among these options and complete the appropriate section of the registration form. Enter the number of adults and children, if any, and multiply this number by the attendance option fee and put the subtotal on the relevant line. If more than one option is used, please enter the names in the appropriate place in this section. It is very important that we know who is coming for the different days. This will save staff time and expense of calling you for clarification.
If you do not want to camp or stay at a hotel in Bourbonnais, you may rent a bunk in one of the rustic cabins located at the 4-H camp. There are 10 bunks per cabin. Enter a number in the bunk option you want and multiply it by the bunk rental price (this price covers the attendance option chosen by you). Put the amount on the subtotal line. List the other people you want to share a cabin with. We try to accommodate groups by keeping everyone together, but unless a group purchases a complete cabin, more than one group may be in the cabin. Cabin assignments will be be on your badge and only those with a valid cabin space reservation will be allowed in the cabins. For your comfort, please bring a pillow and sleeping bag or blankets (or both).
Meals are limited to the first 250 people who purchase them. If members of your party are picking different meals, please list them in the proper spot in this section of the form. Saturday breakfast ($6.00 per person) consists of eggs, sausage, potatoes, biscuits, and beverages. Saturday lunch ($6.00 per person) consists of baked chicken and ham, O'Brien potatoes, green beans with ham/onions, banana fruit, tossed salad, and beverages. Saturday dinner ($8.00 per person) consists of roast beef,mushroom meatballs, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes/gravy, green bean casserole, and corn. Sunday breakfast ($6.00 per person) is the same as Saturday's.
The space set aside for electrical power is limited to 18 purchases. If you are purchasing power for others, please list their names and include them in the number of spaces you are buying. Multiply this number by the price and put the amount on the subtotal line. Purchase early so you are guaranteed a space. The price covers the whole time you are at Astrofest, whatever that might be. The site reserved for electricity users is located just northwest of the dining hall. The area measures approximately 190 feet on the north-south axis and 90 feet on the east-west axis and is surrounded by trees on all sides. Positions on this area are taken on a first-come, first-serve basis. It is necessary to keep the white lights on in the kitchen, but every effort will be made to block off stray light - the windows are covered with black plastic. Long power cords are run out across the area allowing observers to have good viewing spots. At the end of these cords are power strips to provide access to electricity for your telescopes and computers. There are ground faults interrupters for each cord on the field. Since the power strips are for multiple users, we advise users to bring additional power strips and extension cords. Each user is limited to 15 amps.
Please double check the form for math mistakes. Be sure names and ages are given as needed. For families or friends registered on the same form, but picking different options or meals please be sure to have the names with the appropriate option/meal. Doing so will save staff a lot of time and expense. It will also save you the possible hassle associated with underpaying or overpaying. Write your check out to the "Chicago Astronomical Society" and mail it to Astrofest '01, P. O. Box 596, Tinley Park, Illinois 60477-0596. Do not mail registration forms/checks by any postal method requiring the P.O. Box caretaker to sign for it. If you have questions we prefer that you e-mail us via our webmaster at www.chicagoastro.org. This will ensure communication problems will be kept to a minimum. If you don't have e-mail service, please contact us at our voice mail number, (773) 725-5618 and press 3.
Camping space: Space is on a first-come, first-serve basis. The main observing field will be marked with flags, demarcating traffic lanes from camping lanes. Camping is permitted around the perimeter of the field and in single and double (back to back) rws between traffic lanes going east-west. No camping is allowed near the dining hall or close to Graham Hall (the lodge). This area is for staff only. Anyone who sets up in a traffic lane or other designated off-limit area will be rquired to relocate. Leave enough room between your camping space and the ones next to you in order to avoid damage to property. Staff and hired security will enforce these camping rules. Please keep your site free of trash. Traffic lanes will be 30 feet wide. Single camping rows are 35 feet deep and double width camping rows are 70 feet deep.Vendor/flea market space: This space extends from the dining hall in a straight line south. The staright lane heading south has to be wide enough for walking and for vehicles to get through. On both sides of this long lane, vendors and flea market people are allowed to set up. This space is available on a first-come-first-serve basis. If you are going to sell items in the flea market, they must be homemade, second hand, or factory seconds only. Bring your own table or blanket to display your items.
Showers/restrooms: Showers are located behind the cabin area, east of the main observing field. Port-a-potties will be on the observing field. They will be cleaned once a day by a service vendor.
Non-catered meals: Your registration fee includes donuts for breakfast on Saturday. We provide free coffee/hot chocolate all day and night Friday and Saturday. Soda pop and bottled water will be for sale in the dining hall and on the porch of the dining hall. Box sandwiches will be sold in the dining hall Thursday for a short period of time and will be available on an extended scale starting Friday. We will offer 3 or 4 types of sandwiches made by Heavenly Ham Co. (each box meal comes with a bag of chips and a cookie). The Northwest Suburban Astronomers' AstroDog stand will be set up to offer food items for sale. They will serve Thursday night, Friday, at noon and in the evening, and on Saturday at noon. Since the town of Bourbonnias is within a short drive from the site, you can also go into town and get meals. Attendees may cook their own food if cooking grills are used and extinguished before night fall.
RV info and restrictions: Astrofest attracts a sizable contingency of RVs. For the general welfare of the event and for the purpose of fostering a friendly ecological environment, no generators will be allowed to run on the main field. We have an area for RVs near the entrance, just west of the main field. Park as far away as possible in this designated area. You may run the generator there, but only sparsely, and only if the noise or fumes are not apparent to attendees.
On-site activities
(1) Guest speakers will be featured Saturday after lunch in the dining hall. Through Sky & Telescope we are presenting Thomas Dobbins, an expert in the field of video astronomy - which is the topic of his talk. In addition, he will conduct a video astronomq workshop during Astrofest. Stop by the magzine's tent to find out the details about his workshop and to inquire about his book that will be for sale. Through Kalmbach Publishing Co. we are presenting David J. Eicher, managing editor of Astronomy Magazine. His talk will be on "Cosmic Orphans: Finding Our Place in the Universe". His talk will deal with a variety of updates on cosmological questions.
(2) Of course, we will offer again the art contest for children. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes are awarded in 3 age categories - 4 to 6 yrs. of age, 7 to 10yrs. of age, and 11 to 13 yrs. of age. A table will be set up on the dining hall porch. Children must draw astronomical scenes. Entries must be in no later than 2pm Saturday. Each entry should have the contestants name, age, and city/state printed on the back side.
(3) Planetarium shows will be offered at 2pm and 3:30 pm at the Strickler Plaetarium located on the campus of the Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais. The campus is a short drive from the 4-H camp. Leaflets with instructions on how to get to the shows will be available at Astrofest. The show (about 45 minutes long) offered: "The Explorers - Hawaiian Stargazing and Future NASA Missions". Strickler holds 80 people at a time. In addition, you may tour their observatory.
(4) Optical quality test judging: All telescopes without commercial optics shall be eligible to be judged for optical quality even if the sky is unsuitable. We will provide a small metallic ball with a bright light shining on it. From a good distance, this can suffice as a star simulator, and optical quality can therefore be assessed. Anyone with commerical optics simply desiring that their instrument be tested this way may do so, but may not be entered for official judging. This will be done at dusk on Friday. This activity will be run by Dan Joyce.
(5) Light pollution tent: The Chicago Astronomical Society once again is trying to highlight the issue of light pollution. Stop by the tent. Attendees are invited to man the tent for a period of time. If you have relevant information to share or want to display something, contact us via our webmaster. We will be accepting donations for the International Dark Sky Association (IDA). Let's start a trend of more donations each succeeding year.
(6) All night sci-fi videos: We will have tapes running Friday and Saturday evenings. Some of the movies shown may contain material that is unsuitable for your children. We try to have videos suited for children, as well as for adults. If this is an issue for your family, please take appropriate measures.
Mechanical Construction award: Ryan Leidig/Geneva, IL; first telescope 8" f/4 Dob
Mechanical and Optical Construction award: John Woolsfey (age 11), Homewood, IL; first telescope 6" Dob
Group Education Project award: Heritage High School Astronomy Club, Saginaw, MI; construction and display of durable wooden 10" f/6 Dob.
Craftmanship award: Thomas E. Polley, Pittsboro, IN; construction and display of low-profile cradle on alt-az mount for 4 1/2" refractor.
Simple Ingenuity award: Robert Custer, Rock Island, IL; construction and display of convertible wedge and tripod accessory.
Innovative Accessory award: Walter Piorkowski, South Beloit, IL; construction and display of three-point jackline platform plus maneuvering of heavy parts.
Effective Public Outreach Program award: Popular Astronomy Club, Rock Island, IL; construction and display of mobile observatory with dome.
Craftmanship/Innovation/Design award: Jeff Inman and August Inman, Zion, IL; 8" f/12 hybrid Dob/equatorial mount.
Airline Portable Compact Scope award: John Phelps, Orland Park, IL; 8" f/4.5.
| Apogee Inc. | Assoc. of Lunar & Planetary Observers |
| Astro Cards | Astronomy Magazine/Kalmbach Publishing Co. |
| Astronomy To Go | Astro-Physics |
| Astro-Systems Inc. | Dorling Kindersley Family Learning |
| Eagle Optics | Hands On Optics |
| Hutech Astronomical Products | ICSTRAS Astronomy |
| Kendrick Astro Instruments | Knollwood Books |
| Lymax's Earth, Sky, & Astronomy | MAG 1 Instruments |
| NERIAGE | Pocono Mountain Optics, Inc. |
| Rex's Astro Stuff | Sky Publishing Co/Sky &Telescope Magazine |
| Starlight Instruments, Inc. | Starmaster Portable Telescopes |
| T&T Binocular Mounts | TD Services |
| TECH2000 | 20/20 Accessory Shop |
| Wide Sky Optics | Worldwide Software Publishing |
| Yeier Optics |