Astrophotography Weekend: Blackwater Falls

The sky’s the limit at Blackwater Falls State Park, July 14-16, 2023. This weekend is in addition to the annual Astronomy event in the fall and made possible by the Kanawha Valley Astronomical Society. The activities/presentations are open to the public.

Join astrophotographers under the incredibly dark skies of Blackwater Falls State Park to learn how to photograph the night sky. Presentations will cover astrophotography from beginner to advanced using DSLR cameras and the more advanced dedicated astronomy cameras. Techniques on how to process the images will also be presented. Night star parties at the nature center begin at dusk.

The weekend outline includes:

FRIDAY, July 14. 2023
2:00 – 5:00PM
Astrophotography Open Session
Come and meet fellow astrophotographers. Share your tips, photo’s and display astrophotography equipment.

5:00 – 5:45PM
Terri Mann – Astronomical League Introduction

6:00 – 6:45PM
Bill Stewart – Astrophotography as a treatment for PTSD

7:00PM
Astrophotography and astronomy gear set up at the nature center

Dusk
Star Party
It’s dusk at the Harold Walters Nature Center at Blackwater Falls State Park. Processing session and Q&A in the nature center.

SATURDAY, July 15, 2023
9:00 – 9:45AM
Nico Carver (Nebula Photos). Free Software and use for Astrophotography

10:00 – 10:45AM
Brent Maynard. Basic setup for captures of data with DSLR

11:00 – 11:45AM
Jeremy Bumgardner (Insight Astronomy) Solar Eclipse Astrophotography

12:00 – 1:00PM LUNCH – On your own.

1:00 – 1:45
Abraham Jones. (APOD) Beginners Pixinsight

2:00-2:45PM
Jonathan Eggleston. Beginners ASI AIR (A to Z) for Astrophotography

3:00 – 3:45PM
Agape’s Eila. Planetary Observations and planetary processing from Cypress

4:00 – 4:45PM
Dave Green. (APOD). Astroscape Workshop with DSLR and mounts (Workshop/limit 10. Sign up at the symposium.)

5:00 – 5:45PM
Craig Stocks. (APOD) WebEx from Utah. Utilizing remote observatories for Astrophotography

6:00 – 6:45PM
Bill Brown – Closing and General Q and A discussion
Door Prizes (must be present to win)

7:00 – 9:00PM Dinner (on your own)

Dusk
Star Party at the Harold Walters Nature Center

About the Kanawha Valley Astronomical Society
KVAS is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to the promotion of amateur astronomy in and around West Virginia. The group works closely with local schools and the Avampato Discovery Museum at the Clay Center of the ARts and Science located in Charleston WV.

For more information about Astrophotography Weekend visit www.kvas.org or email astrophotography@kvas.org. The society’s Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/KVAS.org

For overnight accommodations, call Blackwater Falls State Park Lodge at 304-259-5216.