"Why can't we have a 'flash mob' star party?"
Maybe you remember Steve Fast. He ran the membership table a decade or so ago. After that, he headed up Field Trip & Observing. Steve’s flash mob comment was about the annual picnic, which once again, had been cancelled due to weather.
This kind of thing can really chew up the folks who run Field Trip & Observing because, after all, we have to set a date on the calendar and then hope for good weather. Or do we? The flash mob idea was inspired. We never actually held one back then, but maybe it's an idea whose time has come. Let's give it a try.
The idea is to get together spontaneously. So, if we have clear weather, we’ll send out a message to meet at the dark site, and if you can make it, we’ll see you there.
Now let’s tweak that idea a bit. We have this wonderful picnic area that is going unused. There’s no reason for that. We now have full propane tanks and plates, cups, and utensils in the storage cabinet. Why not bring your own picnic and grill? Or throw a picnic basket together. Or bring in fast food. There are a few things that need to be coordinated, of course. Like if we all want to put hotdogs or chicken on the fire at noon, we’re not all going to fit. And cleanup. Pack it in, pack it out. We can keep tweaking until we see what works and have a good time in the process.
Some very exciting plans are in the works to start using the dark site and observatory the way it was intended. It takes vision, planning, and many hands. But that’s no problem. Watch for your “flash star party” email soon.
Rene Gedaly
Field Trip & Observing
