Planet 9

Did you read the PANORAMA magazine for January 2012 (p 76)?
My wife and I set up Stargazing Trips for local sports car clubs in Summer including great roads, telescope viewing from the best stargazing site in Southern California! We have two Cayman S's (Phobos and Deimos...named from the moons of Mars). If you enjoyed the article, let us know. If your interested in Summer stargazing Trips (or winter too). Combines spirted driving on wonderful mountain roads with stargazing as a great destination! Thanks!

--Hal

PS: I have no idea to place this thread. I thought it was interesting, but if you place it in a better section, thanks K-man. I thought Planet 9 members might be intested in the article.

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'07 Cayman S, Arctic Silver, Tiptronic S, Stock
'06 Cayman S, Dark Olive Green, 6-speed, Stock (SOLD)
'07 Mazda 6i, Silver, 5 speed
'05 Lotus Elise Saffron Yellow (SOLD)

I might be taking a job in Arizona and would certainly be interested. I have a 8" Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain I have not used for awhile that is just aching for some clear skies without the need for a SkyGlow filter....

Combining that with some cool twisties in the R would be a perfect day.

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The Exocet - Cayman R - Black/Silver Contrast, Sport Bucket Seats, Full Leather/Alcantara, PCM, XM, SP+, Park Assist, Xenons, PDK, Sport Chrono+, Auto A/C, Auto Dimming Mirrors, Rain Sensor, Alcantara Sport Design Wheel, Silver hood emblem, "Copeland" Mesh, Carnewal GT Exhaust mod.

That was you?! Congrats on getting the article published. I knew I had seen that photo posted here before but forgot who posted it.

Many years ago as a kid I was fascinated with astronomy for a while. The best I could do was a pair of 10x70 binoculars and the dealing with the bright NYC skies...

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Pete
2008 Meteor Grey Cayman S
2007 Blue Slate Infiniti G35s 6-speed

Loved the article congrats on getting published. Really let's you know you can enjoy everything more in a Porsche!
I really like the part about you and your wife figuring out which to take....

I don't have access to the articles, but I enjoyed the photos a lot! Stargazing sports car trips, sounds like a great idea. Thanks for sharing.

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Gustaf, PCS 12498
2011 987110 B4:AM 342 409 475 482 509 635 810 CNJ MT

Ahhh...you'd like this part of the article...

"The Porsche Cayman S has the capacity to carry a tremendous amount of stargazing equipment, with the two “trunks”. My telescope is no lightweight and is large enough to tackle astrophotography and observing. The telescope tube and tripod fits snugly in the rear trunk while the front trunk fits my equatorial tracking mount, accessories, picnic supplies, overnight bag for my wife and I, and cold gear (yes, it get’s REALLY cold in the mountains at night!) Most people would pack all this “stuff” in a minivan, but that would ruin the fun driving on the wonderful mountain roads!

My wife and I were so impressed with the capabilities of the Cayman S, we now own TWO. Terry drives a 2007 Cayman S Arctic Silver Tiptronic, and I drive a 2006 Cayman S Olive Green 6-speed. But when we drive up to the stargazing/mountain trips, we take only one. The difficult question is…which one? Our Porsches carry the personal plates, the names of the two moons of Mars: Phobos (Greek word “fear”) and Deimos (“terror”).

Last June, the Speed Channel featured our Caymans in a “Porsche Performance” segment. Our segment shows our Porsches in a different light…starlight. The ‘shoot” was a great experience and enhanced our excitement in Porsches and astronomy."

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'07 Cayman S, Arctic Silver, Tiptronic S, Stock
'06 Cayman S, Dark Olive Green, 6-speed, Stock (SOLD)
'07 Mazda 6i, Silver, 5 speed
'05 Lotus Elise Saffron Yellow (SOLD)

I watched that show and thoroughly enjoyed it but then again I am biased. Good to know it is you on the forums. Also lucky you Southern California for getting the Porsche Experience Center in Carson in a few years.

I am considering driving my car down there and leave it at my cousin's house just to enjoy it. Unless my cousin gets his 911 then I'll be borrowing his.

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2007 Audi A4 3.2L Avant Quattro (Ronin Azuki)
2006 Porsche Cayman S (Ronin Azumi)
2004 Audi A4 1.8T Quattro (Ronin Azure)

I watched you guys on the show and enjoyed the article in Pano. I'll be looking forward to your stories on this forum. Thanks for posting.

Good article. If you're OK with having more tag-alongs join you for one of these outings, please post when something is scheduled.

Thanks!

Light Speed...can this article be accessed on-line? I'm not a subscriber yet, but would love to plan something for when my Cayman arrives in a month or so...

THANKS!

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"...In brightest day, in darkest night..."

That is one serious looking telescope!

Cayman S is one serious sports car! Therefore, it must transport a one serious telescope to the one serious mountain star observation site (Mt Pinos).

I will be setting up a serious stargazing trip (for fun of course) Saturday July 21st. We'll start at a truck stop ("Flying J") adjacent the 5 freeway in Frazier Park. We'll drive up to Mount Pinos at 7:30 pm, picnic dinner and wait for the sunset. The stars will appear, one by one untill the night sky will be covered with stars, planets and the Milky Way blazing overhead. I'll point out the stars and constellations with a green pointer and then look through large telescopes. Then we'll drive down the mountain road.

Many of us will stay overnight at the Holiday Inn in Frazier Park/Lebec. After we'll have breakfast, hit the best roads in Southern California: Lockwood Valley and 33 HWY to Ojai. We'll have lunch in Ojai at a reserved restaurant for our group and talk about our experiences.
Then we'll part our ways!

Are anyone serious? Let's start a list!

1. Hal and Terry 2006 Dark Olive Cayman S
2. Are YOU joining us? Serious....

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'07 Cayman S, Arctic Silver, Tiptronic S, Stock
'06 Cayman S, Dark Olive Green, 6-speed, Stock (SOLD)
'07 Mazda 6i, Silver, 5 speed
'05 Lotus Elise Saffron Yellow (SOLD)

I read the article. Very interesting! What a great way to combine two great hobbies.

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Porsche Cayman 2.9
Mercedes ML 350
BMW R1200RT
Triumph Bonneville

I live in Tucson, AZ. Once in a while I will head East towards Benson, then South to Tombstone and beyond. Usually it will be very winding roads down in the daylight, and the straighter and wider ones on the way back. Every so often on the return I will just pull over and take the top down...and sit almost breathless watching the most fantastic view ever. One cannot really imagine that the sky can be that beautiful. If I look at the right place in the southern sky, I can see the Hubble telescope sitting up there, with the red-green-white lights alternating as it spins.

When I was living in SoCal my favorite place to go for a drive was Mt. Palomar. I know at the top was one of the largest telescopes in the world. Never thought to go up there at night.

Great pictures, makes me miss the good weather and roads even more.

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Afshin

2011 Spyder - Basalt Black, Black Full Leather, 6MT, Sport Buckets, PSE

Sounds great. I'm marking my calendar and my wife and I will definitely try to make it.

I've done this trip with Hal in years past under the auspices of the SoCal Miata Club, and it's a lot of fun.

My wife and I will join you you this summer, if you're willing to have a non P-Car along (unless I've picked up a Boxster or Cayman between now and then...)

We used to have a place in Pine Mountain. Count us in. Pm me with more details.

Craig (aka Caymanic)

That was you? I really liked that segment -- thought it was cool that you had "his and hers" Caymans.

The right photo of the car in the first post is beautiful -- it would make a great poster.

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