Stellafane East Although the amateur telescope competition and display is still held on the original site around the clubhouse, most of the convention activities since the 1980s have taken place at Stellafane East, an annex to the original land about 0.25 mi away. Stellafane East is home to the more recent McGregor Observatory, built between 1986-1991, which boasts a 13" Schupmann telescope, the Breuning Domed Observatory built in the early 2000s, the Flanders Pavilion, built in 2005 and named after founding club member Ernest Flanders, as well as the "Aphitheater" hillside presentation area, the "Bunkhouse" which contains radio communications equipment, and several other buildings on the eastern site. Over 10 acres of land at Stellafane East are reserved as a camping area, with plots for tents, campers, and RVs to reside during the multi-day convention and other gatherings. The convention The Stellafane Convention is held every year on the club's land and buildings on the summit of Breezy Hill. It was started by Porter and the Springfield Telescope Makers in 1926, as an occasion for some 20 amateur telescope makers to compare telescopes and exchange ideas. It has since become Thousands of amateur telescope makers from all over the world gather to share their innovations, join in competitions, and enjoy the night sky. The convention is generally held over the weekend of the new moon closest to the height of the Perseid meteor shower, usually in early August. The convention has been held nearly every summer since 1926, with the exceptions of: 1949–1953, following the death of founder Russell W. Porter 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic The convention has been attended by several notable figures in the fields of astronomy and space exploration, including Alan Bean, David H. Levy, Alan Stern, Clyde Tombaugh, and Samuel D. Hale, grandson of George Ellery Hale. See also 3140 Stellafane, asteroid named after Stellafane Amateur telescope making Amateur astronomy List of astronomical societies Star party Notable amateur astronomers associated with Stellafane Robert E. Cox James Hartness Walter Scott Houston, longtime presenter of the Saturday evening "Shadowgram" talk Albert Graham Ingalls, Scientific American editor who wrote stories about Russell W. Porter and the Springfield Telescope Makers John M. Pierce, early founding member Russell W. Porter, founder of the Springfield Telescope Makers List of National Historic Landmarks in Vermont National Register of Historic Places listings in Windsor County, Vermont Gallery Notes External links Stellafane observatory