China Grove Star Party

Lomo LX90, originally uploaded by MPR Photography (Matthew2000tx).

Friday I headed out to the east side of San Antonio with my 10" Dobsonian in tow. As I was packing the car at my house near Helotes, TX drizzle was making it way down from the clouds and I could hear thunder off in the distance. Knowing Texas weather a summer time thunderstorm in the afternoon doesn't mean that the sky will not clear later in the evening.

Around 5:30pm I left my house and set my GPS to find a BBQ place called the Smoke House on Highway 87. As I drove across town I ran into intermittent heavy rain. My GPS receives traffic information and it told me to expect a total of 15 minutes added on the to trip due to traffic.

At 6:20 the rain had stopped and I arrived at the Smoke House and other astronomers from the San Antonio Astronomical Association were already in line ready to order. We enjoyed some BBQ as we talking about stuff. Then we caravan-ed out to St. Jerome's Church in China Grove.

Once at the church we got out some lawn chairs and sat and talked and joked around until the Boy Scouts came. The clouds started to part some and we could see a big patch of sky off to the east. After a while we set up our telescopes hopping for the best. Keith L. had to leave with the LX90 because his wife called and had a medical emergency. We helped him pack and sent him on his way. Later as night fell the clouds started to close in on us and we joked Keith left early because he got a new weather report and it called for rain. Debbie B. was able to show a few kids Sirius. But soon we packed up as it was starting to lighting.