Stellafane 2011

Startrails around the north celestial pole is captured above sky observers during 2011 Stellafane convention in Springfield, Vermont, northeastern United States. The bright streak at the upper right is made by a passing Iridium satellite. The phenomena is known as Iridium Flash. Begun as a gathering of amateur telescope makers in the 1920s, the annual Stellafane conventions have become one of the country’s major amateur astronomy events. Every year more than a 1000 people spend a summer weekend enjoying talks, telescope making demonstrations, and nighttime observing on a rugged hilltop on the outskirts of Springfield, which was once the hometown of Russell W. Porter who helped establish the telescope making hobby in North America. © Dennis di Cicco