.. The Oregon Star Party, 1988-2023 (and soon 2024)

One amateur astronomer's Impressions (See bottom of page for current OSP info, mileage logs, and links).

In recent years, the OSP's attendance runs between 500 and 700 men, women, children and pets. Our planned 2017 SOLAR ECLIPSE star party, however, was so large that it was limited to 900 registrants! The picture above is the 1998 Group Photo, which was six years after we moved to our current 5000 ft. high site in the Ochoco Mountains of Eastern Oregon. The 1998 photo attendance was 610, out of which 166 got out of bed to pose for the annual Group photo. That year the Swayze-built 40 inch Dobsonian Telescope gave eye-popping views of the heavens to anyone brave enough to ascend the lofty aluminum ladder to its giant 2" eyepiece; it was a true Stairway to Heaven.... OMSI, Oregon's premier science museum, helps sponsor the event every year.... The Rose City Astronomers, Oregon's largest club, is also heavily involved (see more at bottom of page)... I have been the official Group Photographer since 1989, and all the past years' photos are available for ordering (brucej@Oregonphotos.com).
2023: We've scheduled the Star Party for July 18-23! It went well. I'll post the group photo in due course.
2022: we got cancelled again, this time to major road construction on the main access road!
2021: The USFS cancelled us due to extreme fire danger... 2022 OSP is getting ready, cross all your fingers! July 26-31, 2002.
2020: We reluctantly cancelled the 2020 OSP due to CoVid-19 dangers.
2019 Group Photo: all prints and digital prints have been mailed out (late September). I'll post a version of the photo soon.
2018. The year of Climate Change Writ large. 111 people and 4 dogs showed up for our 2018 Group Photo. Click image for larger version, plus a closeup of Chuck and Judy Dethloff and other long-timers such as Jan Kieski. Look at Bruce's doppelganger in the larger picture; he is an amazing likeness of Bruce Johnson. All the digital downloads and prints were sent by Sept. 29th. See you all next year.
 
2017. A Total Solar Eclipse graced the OSP this year! We had enormous attendance, 880 souls. Here's the 2017 Group Photo. It had 152 persons in it.
 
 
The 2016 Photo shoot drew 118 persons and was held under sunny skies and enjoyed moderate temperatures. It's the first Group Photo in several years to be oriented to show the LIGHTNING TREE in the background. The 2016 OSP as a whole drew close to 590 persons! Click on the picture to see a larger version and additional pictures from 2016!
 
 
 
Click here for link to group photos from 2015 far back into the past, all the way to 1988 at Steens Mountain!
 
See Group Photographer at his leisure at OSP

Oregon Star Party History Section
Click here for a big selection of OSP images dating back to 1988, at our original site high on the Steens Mountain. Also now included is a link to Rob Brown's "Dead Tree Chronicles,"and to Gary and Carolyn Strongs' discovery of our new site at Indian Trail Springs! Latest addition is a guided tour of the waters of the actual Indian Trail spring itself. Also take a look at some classic OSP stickers.

Panoramas and Binocular Astronomy!
Here's the promised 360-degree panorama of the 1999 Oregon Star Party, taken from high atop the roof of Chuck and Judy's RV. See if you can pick out your campsite and scope, and those of your friends! Note: recently, I have added also a Panorama of the site from 2009!

The Mountains Surrounding OSP, pg. 1, Lookout Mountain, plus two additional pages

 
Click here for your Panoramic view of our entire Indian Trail Spring Site
The Camping Experience is treasured at OSP
OSP Recreation-- Mars Rover Races and Zing Wings!
Click here for several pages about binocular astronomy, including several astro binocular reviews, and links to good binocular repairmen
(click to hear the original Star Trek theme)**
Huge, Spectacular image of Leonids 2001 Fireball-- use as your screensaver!
Astro Gear and Binoculars for Sale or Trade 2022

Owning a big scope can be work! If you know who took this picture, please let me know so I can give you credit. Was it you, Jan?
 
See a Panorama of this author's (former) astronomy property located 12 miles south of Prineville, Oregon (about 30 air miles southwest of the OSP site).
Canyonland, Bruce Johnson's own Astro Retreat!

April 2008. Click below for the latest news and developments from Highgate Farm Star Party. This site is a 100 acre farm on the southern fringe of the Portland Metro Area that is being considered as a permanent "nearby" viewing site by RCA.

Highgate Farm Star Parties
Oregon's Odds for Clear Skies and no Rain-- Regional Comparisons, includes several pages about Oregon climatology
Is Global Warming Gradually Messing up Astronomy in Oregon?

Every astronomer needs to know the exact times of their local sunrise and sunset , and what phase that troublesome Moon is in, so click now!
Read the little-known pre-history of the establishment of Pine Mountain Observatory, includes link to Pine Moutain's year-round, live-action Webcam where at times you can see fellow astronomers setting up and taking down their star parties!
Is there a link between Ice Ages on Earth and Solar Activity?

Click this link to Order "The Oregon Weather Book" by George Taylor and Raymond F. Hatton, with photos and some research by myself, Bruce Johnson. This is the OSU Press.

 
Go to the summit of Mauna Kea, Hawaii, and witness 200 brave OSP astronomers, and see Jan Kieski up there for real in 2017!

Sunset at OSP 2009, a Thursday.
OSP 2023 will be near new moon Tuesday, July 16th. See official OSP site below for more information about OSP 2023
**
Click for mileage logs to/from OSP from various cities
For further information please contact the
Oregon Star party, Inc. The official website:
http://www.oregonstarparty.org
Mail them at their snail-mail address: Oregon Star Party
PO Box 1396
Clackamas, Oregon 97015
or e-Mail them at: OSP Inc.

Visit the Websites of two nationally-known artists, both of whom also do stunning space art (go to middle of the page, please)


MEET BIG RED, A CLASSIC DOBSONIAN SIGNED BY JOHN DOBSON HIMSELF, with history of the Telrad finder

The Starry Messenger magazine, a historical remembrance! And Galileo's connection to this magazine!

Haggart Observatory- Big Scopes in Oregon City!

In the Central Willamette Valley and need a Club? Talk to the Salem Club, Nightsky45


Back to OregonPhotos Main Page
Back to Hawaiian Photos Main Page
Page Last Revised
October 16, 202310/16/2023


Bruce Johnson's Mileage Log to and from OSP
(Ochoco Mtns, at Indian Trail Springs (ITS)... Note: Google Earth maps locate our site as being on "National Forest Develop Road 800," and also show it as "Fox Reservoir Road"...They display our altitude as 5,030 feet... They show the road to Indian Trail Springs as "North Fork Road," but do not label the spring itself. .. The aerial maps are so good that if we'd been on-site when the photos were taken, you could have clearly seen our cars and the bigger scopes!
Note: click here for description of the Alternate Route from Prineville up to OSP)
 
Olympia, Washington to OSP site = 426 miles, via Hwy 12 (White Pass) to Yakima, and
thence along Hwy 97 to Prineville (compare with just 200 miles from central Portland
to OSP, or to 225 miles from Canby to OSP)
OSP TO OLYMPIA via the shortest route = 302 miles, which is over Government Camp and
up I-205 and I-5.
BEND TO OLYMPIA, via Government Camp, I-205, and I-5 = 266 MILES
(compare to 392 miles taking the route along Hwy 97 to Yakima, and over White Pass
on Hwy 12)
PRINEVILLE TO OSP (Indian Trail Springs, "ITS") = 48 miles
PRINEVILLE TO PORTLAND = 146 MILES (taken from the Highway Dept. road sign as you
leave Prineville headed toward Madras on Hwy 26)
Add the above figures, which gives 196 miles between OSP and Portland (but which
side of Portland is this?). Just call it "about 200 miles" is my vote.
OSP back to downtown BEND = 88 miles (via the "back way" where you cut off at Powell
Buttes and come in near the Bend airport, I call this route "the Alfafa cutoff")
BEND TO GOVERNMENT CAMP ON MT. HOOD = 106 miles
BEND TO PORTLAND (via Government Camp, and to the junction of I-84 and I-205) = 156
miles.
BEND TO OLYMPIA, WA, via Government Camp, I-205, and I-5 = 266 MILES (compare to
392 miles taking the route through Yakima and along Hwy 97)
 
BEND BACK TO EAST SIDE OF PORTLAND (junction of I-84 and I-205) = 156 miles
Olympia to Goldendale, WA, elev. 1,600 ft = 246 miles. Goldendale is site of the Goldendale Observatory and of Skyview Acres. (this is a whole lot further than from Canby to Bend!)
Some Route Details:
Olympia to the turnoff to Yakima (I-5 to junction of Hwy 12) = 38 miles
(here the highway sign states it is 140 miles more to Yakima)
Olympia to the small town of Morton at 900 ft. elev. = 70 miles
(compare to Canby to Timberline Lodge is only 73 miles)
Olympia to the turnoff to the road that goes up to the north side of
Mt. St. Helens (Windy Ridge viewpoint) = 84 miles, and an estimated
25-40 more miles up to the Mtn. itself.
Randle, 900 ft. elev. 88 miles from Olympia
Olympia to turnoff to the Goat Rocks Wilderness-- turnoff is shortly before Packwood,
and is labelled to Walupt Lake. Turnoff is 100 miles from Olympia, and is 1,000 ft
elev. est. another 20 miles to trailheads (therefore at about 120 miles, this is twice
as far way as hiking on Mt. Hood from Canby)
Olympia to the cute little resort/mountain town of Packwood is about 105 miles, elev.
of Packwood is about 1,200 ft. The road branches left to the southern entrance of
Mt. Rainier Park about 5 miles east of Packwood (at about 110 miles from Olympia)
Olympia to White Pass and White Pass Ski Area (see below)
Mileage Log going east via Hwy 12 and Yakima, Hwy 97, and then up to OSP site.
Olympia to White Pass, 124 miles (compare to 63 miles from Canby to Government Camp)
Olympia to Yakima, 176 miles (compare to 135 from Canby to Bend via Hwy 22 and Santiam
Pass, or compare to only 90 miles from Canby to Kahneeta!)
Yakima back to White Pass, only 52 miles (don't they have a great deal
to get up to a good ski area!)
Olympia to Goldendale, WA, elev. 1,600 ft = 246 miles. Goldendale is site of the Goldendale Observatory and of Skyview Acres. (this is a whole lot further than from Canby to Bend!)
 
PRINEVILLE TO OSP (Indian Trail Springs, "ITS") = 48 miles
PRINEVILLE TO PORTLAND = 146 MILES (taken from the Highway Dept. road sign as you leave Prineville headed toward Madras on Hwy 26)
Add the above, gives 196 miles between OSP and Portland (but which side of Portland is this?). Just call it "about 200 miles" is my vote.
OSP BACK TO downtown BEND = 88 miles (via the "back way" where you cut off at Powell Buttes and come in near the Bend airport)
BEND TO GOVERNMENT CAMP ON MT. HOOD = 106 miles
BEND TO PORTLAND (Via Government Camp, and to the junction of I-84 and I-205) = 156 miles
BEND TO OLYMPIA, WA, VIA GOVERNMENT CAMP, I-205, AND I-5 = 266 MILES (compare to 426 miles taking the route through Yakima and along Hwy 97)
 
BEND BACK TO EAST SIDE OF PORTLAND (junction of I-84 and I-205) = 156 miles
OSP BACK TO OLYMPIA VIA GOVERNMENT CAMP, I-205 AND I-5 = 302 miles.
05/14/2023