Eyes Full Of Stars

I just returned from a week out in the extreme west end of the Oklahoma panhandle and the annual Okie-Tex star party. Besides being home to the highest elevation in the state atop the Black Mesa, this part of the panhandle is also the location of the town of Kenton. The only town in Oklahoma that observes the Mountain time zone.

Including this most recent trip, I have been to Okie-Tex 5 times. A star party is a gathering of several hundred astronomy buffs, both professional and amateur, that can last for a few days to a week or longer. Along with telescopes of all shapes and sizes, activities common to star parties are educational sessions, door prize giveaways and in some cases, contests for best amateur telescope making and best photography of night sky objects.