The NCRAL was in Green Bay this year, and I got a chance to see Parmentier Observatory. This is a privately-owned observatory with a 30-inch Cassegrain telescope. There is also a 6" Astro-Physics refractor, which is used as a guidescope!

The featured speaker was John Dobson, of Dobsonian telescope fame. He spoke more about his brand of cosmology, which is quite a bit different from anything you'll find in a textbook!

Ron Parmentier (with the Packer hat) shows off his 30" Cassegrain.

John Dobson (blue jacket) discusses telescope balance.

The business end of the big Cass. Check out the travel on that focuser!

This is the largest worm and wheel set I've seen on any amateur telescope.

Nick Nichols takes questions from the audience (with a little help from his wife, Jeannie). There were lots of questions during and after his talk, which was titled "How I Built My Dream Observatory." Greg Gonia, from the Wehr Astronomical Society, is next to Jeannie and looking back toward the audience. Charlotte and Gene DuPree, of the NCSF, are also at the table.