Photos from PATS

In Pasadena, CA last weekend was the first annual Pacific Astronomy and Telescope Show. The early word is that over 1,400 people attended the event. It was an amazing weekend of astronomy, shopping, and networking.

Here are a few photos from the event.

BIG thanks go out to Mike & Susan V. (above) for setting up and running the Palomar Observatory's mobile gift shop. I don't know what I would do without them.

Two of the PATS volunteers working the door and handing out nifty 3-D glasses. The glasses were worn for part of Robin & Todd Mason's inspiring talk on G.E. Hale and their new documentary, The Journey to Palomar. Their movie will be on PBS November 10 (check your local listings), but you will not need the 3-D eyewere to enjoy the show when it will be on TV.

Some of the Caltech astronomy gang: Ann Marie, Mansi, Ashish, Michael, Varun, & Thiago. They gave a talk on new research in astronomy taking place that quite literally spans nearly the entire universe.

Joe, Rick & Danny from PlaneWave Instruments posing in front of a sleek looking 'scope.
Reyna, Penny, Mike & Chris, just some of the gang from Oceanside Photo & Telescope.
Last, but not least, Dean from Starizona (located in my home town) shows off the cool hyperstar imaging system where your camera rides in prime focus, just like it does at Palomar.

I didn't manage to catch everybody, and these photos only scratch the surface of what was going on at the event. Mark your calendars because next year's PATS will be held September 26-27, 2009.