Museum to rename star parties for comet

[PinkFloyd]

Deborah Goldberg wrote:

Ok guys, perfect solution, choose a different date, get permission from White Sands and have the White Sands Star Party. If they don't want the name, take it and run.

The reason we hold this event at White Sands is because they allow astronomers to camp out at the dunes for this event. They only allow this once a year and its' for this event. Looks like Hale took that from us.

This event will be the same weekend as a star party in Socorro which is a bigger event with better facilities. I think White Sands/ProjectAstro lost all their attention and funding due to this date conflict.

[John Baake]

I rarely find myself in agreement with Deb, but this is an excellent idea.

Deborah Goldberg wrote:

Ok guys, perfect solution, choose a different date, get permission from White Sands and have the White Sands Star Party. If they don't want the name, take it and run.

[PinkFloyd]

White Sands will not allow two star party groups to camp out at the monument at different dates and there is nowhere else around here large enough to accomodate 100-150 astronomers plus the public community.

[PaperBoy-92]

Correction: The event is being renamed for the comet co-discovered by astronomers Alan Hale and Thomas Bopp.

[PinkFloyd]

This event will bomb. The date also conflicts with the Socorro Star Party which is a larger and better known event. I hope the museum director and the civic groups can learn astronomy, how to properly operate, man and oh yes, order telescopes before the end of September!!

[Spaceman]

"As the former director of Shuttle Camp, it has disheartened me to the bone, that along with the now demise of WSSP, we have almost witnessed the demise of Shuttle Camp as well. I'm very grateful to Manny Davila who has miraculously brought camp registration back up this year after a pathetic year of camp run by Leah Tookey. Thanks Leah, you just about put that one under too.
It amazes me that such inane decisions are made by museum management."

Sorry that you left Space Hall so bitter as the acting director of Shuttle Camp. They wanted to give the job to someone more qualified to get the enrollment up.(I thought you were above the rhetoric.) Camp was not all that great when you ran it. Fortunatly, thanks to Mr. Hayes, Shuttle Camp and the education department is now being run by a high school drop-out. Something else you might want to know, the person you refer to in your post has not been in the education department for nine months and FYI, the enrollment for SC this year is up because someone from Santa Fe hooked the museum up with 150 kids in the Gear Up Program. Thanks Sue!

[PinkFloyd]

Ok, got our (local astronomers)protest slogan

Hale no to Hale-Bopp

[ladyastronomer]

I wouldn't use the word bitter. I'd use the word "litigative" instead.

I wasn't the "acting director" of Shuttle Camp you moron. I was the Director or rather what was later termed as the Shuttle Camp Manager.

Don't criticize camp to me. I had almost 900 kids a summer attending camp compared to last year's meager 150 or so. If it was so awful, kids wouldn't have come.

Yeah, I know Manny has only been in the Ed. Department for 9 months. But his nine months there has been better than the whole time Ms. Tookey was there.

WSSP is not "owned" by the museum.

All I can say is they better get that through their thick heads.

[PinkFloyd]

ladyastronomer wrote:

...WSSP is not "owned" by the museum. All I can say is they better get that through their thick heads.

I bet Mr. Hayes phone has been ringing off the hook today! LOL I don't know why he thought he could change the name. Wonder if he knows how to operate a telescope or read a planisphere.

[Deborah Goldberg]

Don't say no until you ask. You might get a surprise.

PinkFloyd wrote:

White Sands will not allow two star party groups to camp out at the monument at different dates and there is nowhere else around here large enough to accomodate 100-150 astronomers plus the public community.

[Deborah Goldberg]

I belong to another group that camps out their once a year so this star party is not the only group to do this. Go to the bigger event and plan another one on a different day. A star party sounds like fun. You said that everyone you know is unhappy, make them happy.

[PinkFloyd]

Deborah Goldberg wrote:

Don't say no until you ask. You might get a surprise.
<quoted text>

The gentleman that we work with from White Sands only allows this one event because of how delicate the vegetation is out there. We have always been very limited in how many astronomers were allowed to camp there and he always assure Monument management that he would be responsible for us and that l event. This is his last year as he is retiring.

[Three Cents Worth]

ladyastronomer wrote:

I wouldn't use the word bitter. I'd use the word "litigative" instead.
I wasn't the "acting director" of Shuttle Camp you moron. I was the Director or rather what was later termed as the Shuttle Camp Manager.
Don't criticize camp to me. I had almost 900 kids a summer attending camp compared to last year's meager 150 or so. If it was so awful, kids wouldn't have come.
Yeah, I know Manny has only been in the Ed. Department for 9 months. But his nine months there has been better than the whole time Ms. Tookey was there.
WSSP is not "owned" by the museum.
All I can say is they better get that through their thick heads.

Apparently you can dish it out but can't accept criticism when it's aimed at you. If you want to start name calling, how about the word "liable."
Your opinion of your accomplishments are meaningless! Your living in the past.

[PinkFloyd]

OH RIGHT, who keeps leaving the door open so the trolls can sneak in?!!

[Posole Momma]

this is from someone who knows "diddly" about stars or the gazing...honestly I can never see the stuff they say is up there? but that is my loss.

I have a question with the renaming...
would the name Hale-Bob ( a name I remember reading about ) Comet draw people?

I just was wondering that reading thru what seems so sad. I love the "amature" nature or the party, and wonder if the name would draw more "newbies" or is that not what this is supposed to be.
I am not writting this as an inflamatory post, but as someone who has read snippets of upcoming or past events by different Star Watching groups and would love to be school....lovingly...lol

[PinkFloyd]

The White Sands Star Party already has a draw in the astronomy community. If you follow those forums such as on Cloudy Nights, you'll find people aready asking when the dates for this years' event will be. If it is the White Sands Star Party, it will be the 9th annual event; Hale-Bopp would be the first annual, not much of a following there. There is also the schedule conflict this year with Socorro's better know star party.

We had the limit on astronomers (a lot from out of state) attending last year and several more that wanted to come even if we didn't have any more room for "camping".

I'm sure the museum director didn't mean to get the bull (local astronomy community) by the horns, but he sure did.

HANG ON MR HAYES! YEE HAW!

[John Baake]

The name Hale-Bopp does have good name recognition with the general public. And if I was trying to stir public interest in a new or failing event I would consider using it.

However, the White Sands Star Party was neither new nor failing.

Posole Momma wrote:

this is from someone who knows "diddly" about stars or the gazing...honestly I can never see the stuff they say is up there? but that is my loss.
I have a question with the renaming...
would the name Hale-Bob ( a name I remember reading about ) Comet draw people?
I just was wondering that reading thru what seems so sad. I love the "amature" nature or the party, and wonder if the name would draw more "newbies" or is that not what this is supposed to be.
I am not writting this as an inflamatory post, but as someone who has read snippets of upcoming or past events by different Star Watching groups and would love to be school....lovingly...lol

[PinkFloyd]

John Baake wrote:

The name Hale-Bopp does have good name recognition with the general public. And if I was trying to stir public interest in a new or failing event I would consider using it.
However, the White Sands Star Party was neither new nor failing.
<quoted text>

Thank you. The event has been very successful and we sure don't need to change things now. Also they said parties (plural). Why don't they find another location and they can have a Hale-Bopp Star Party there and at a different time of the year?

[Leah Tookey]

Jackie, Why don't you get your facts straight. Manny has been in education for three years. He is great! He was shuttle camp manager last year and did a wonderful job. There was no animosity or strife between the teachers and the museum staff like there was when you were in charge. And, as if you care, there were 450 kids at shuttle camp last year. Maybe not 900, but in this case quality is better than quantity. At least all the teachers had classrooms when they needed them and we weren't juggling kids around all the time. I thought it was the best year of shuttle camp since I became director of education four years ago. We had a great curriculum, great teachers and assistants, lots of fun and lots of learning. That's what it is all about. Perhaps some of the numbers this year reflect the wonderful program we had last year.

You can take your animosity and bitterness out on me if you want. I can honestly say, I worked very hard to make the education department at the museum the best it could be. I supported all of the programs to the best of my ability. Even the ones you created and nurtured. When I left last fall I felt I left it in the very capable hands of Emmanuel and Mike Shinabery, two employees I am proud to say, I hired and admire totally.

I was told you had said some nasty things about me here in this forum, but I must say, I was surprised to see that they are so hateful. I thought you had more integrity than that. I am sorry you are so angry. You really need to move on with your life. I pray you will find happiness someday.

[Deborah Goldberg]

Thanks for the laugh. I will find out who my group deals with and get back to you. Might not be the same guy.

PinkFloyd wrote:

OH RIGHT, who keeps leaving the door open so the trolls can sneak in?!!