97 sleep-deprived but cheery people joined us for the 27th Annual Group Photo during the mid-afternoon hours of Saturday, August 15, 2015.... This number included about 7 children. There were at least 2 well-mannered astro dogs ... The weather was cool, with a few clouds coming and going, and temps in the low 70s.. and no rain!. Official total Star Party attendance was 660 when you added in the 3 vans of Evergreen College students, back for their seventh year at OSP under the guidance of their Instructor Rebecca Chamberlain...... Featured in one of his favored "upfront" positions is Bernie K., this year wearing a simple white T-shirt instead of his usual flashy, tie-dyed OSP T-shirt (on right side of group, with white jacket and cap).... Jan Keiski is somewhere in there, and Margaret McCrea is nearby to Bernie... Past OSP Directors Chuck and Judy Dethloff stand high in the far back. Next to the big dob up front See page bottom for this year's group photo close-up slice!

.... Folks with other comments or identifications, please email me)

There has been only one year in OSP history when weather was so bad that no Group Photo was taken, and that was 1990 in the Steens. 2015's weather was great for observing in general with a fine display of Perseids meteors, and even two nice auroras during the much-past midnight hours of two nights.

We were glad to mostly escape any close encounters with the forest/range fires that smoked up horizons over both Oregon and Washington during much of summer 2015, and once again we escaped being shut-down due to forest fires.

Be sure to check back during October for more added content! This will include the first time I have published any of the UVB studies I have been doing up at OSP the past few years (ultraviolet light intensity, aka sunburn danger).... Click here for a brief overview of OSP UVB, and for much more detail about the subject please visit my pages about UVB in Oregon, and sunburn risk in the tropics.

Our 2015 close-up is the front of the group near Bernie Kuehn, who was given special awards this year for his long-term mentorship and general OSP services. Bernie is seated, wearing the cap with many badges.