Hamburg State Park, GA
The Oglethorpe Astronomical Association, (OAA) of Savannah, GA was invited to do an "astronomy program," again this year, at Hamburg State Park, near Mitchell, GA. This was the perfect excuse for Beth Ann and I to go camping at our favorite campground. We left Savannah after 2pm, Thursday, and around three hours later we arrived at our destination.
We parked the camper and settled in to our campsite, #30, which offers beautiful scenery overlooking the lake. By the time we finished setting up the camper, the sun had set.
We woke up Friday morning to perfect weather. After breakfast, we sat and relaxed outside our camper enjoying this beautiful scenery.
Later, we travelled to Milledgeville, GA, and ate a late lunch at Applebees's. We also got to see some beautiful historic homes.
After we returned from our enjoyable afternoon trip, I went to the ball field to set up my 4-inch TAK refractor for the astronomy program later in the evening. Many OAA members had already set up their equipment. I then returned to the camper to eat supper.
The weather was cool and the sky was clear. It was a great night for observing. As twilight beckoned, Beth Ann and I headed over to the "ball field," aka the "Star Gazing Field."
An estimated 30 people showed up for the Friday night program. You could hear the "oooohs" and "ahhhhhs" from amazed visitors viewing objects through a telescope for the first time. We also saw Comet Holms in the northeastern sky. After 10pm, the crowd dispursed. Beth Ann and I returned to the camper around 11pm.
Beth Ann and I woke up early Saturday morning to another beautiful day. Beth Ann made several "breakfast casseroles." I delivered one of the casseroles to the group of OAA members and families that camped in the ball field. It was quickly devoured by the hungry group. Around 1pm Beth Ann and I went to the Hamburg State Park Grist Mill for a demonstration.
We bought several bags of corn meal after the demonstration.
Later that afternoon, Beth Ann and I rode over to the ball field to visit and eat "Low Country Boil." As we arrived, we saw many telescopes in the field waiting for darkness to fall so that they could be put to use.
I had a chance to view the sun through the Coronado solar scope and see a small prominence.
The Low Country Boil was being prepared.
The meal was delicious!!!!
Darkness fell and the sky was clear, but there was a damp chill in the air. OAA members uncovered and set up their scopes for the night.
Quite a few Cub Scouts, (that were camping in the pioneer camping area of the park,) showed up for the Saturday night astronomy program. It was cold and damp, so Beth Ann and I were only out for a short time before returning to the camper.
With temperatures in the 30's, we turned on our small Arvinair Wallhugger II electric heater located under the dining table, snuggled, and then went to sleep.
The camper was comfortably warm when we woke up Sunday morning. Once again, the little electric heater did its job.
As we were packing the camper, we noticed that two Aliner campers were next to our campsite. These two campers belong to ladies that enjoy camping and their husbands don't. I had to snap a picture of these unique-looking campers before we left.
We finished packing the camper around noon, and left. We made it home safely around 4pm.
Next