RTMC Astronomy Expo
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The RTMC Astronomy Expo is one of three major gatherings of amateur astronomers in the United States, the other two being Stellafane and the Texas Star Party.
Founded by Clifford W. Holmes and the Riverside Astronomical Society, the RTMC Astronomy Expo began in 1969 as the Riverside Telescope Makers Conference at Riverside City College in Riverside, California. It consisted of a series of lectures about astronomy and telescope making with a competition for quality and innovative telescopes. In 1973 it was moved to a dark-sky site near Idyllwild and in 1975 it was moved to its current home near Big Bear City. It is held on the three-day Memorial Day weekend regardless of the phase of the moon.
The organization annually presents the Clifford W. Holmes Award for "Major Contribution to Popularizing Astronomy, the Warren Estes Memorial Award for "Best Use of Simple Materials and Technique" in making telescopes, and the Clyde Tombaugh Award "Creative Innovation in Telescope Design".
With the decline in amateur telescope making, the Riverside Telescope Makers Conference was renamed the RTMC Astronomy Expo, and is now mostly a commercial telescope fair. However, there is still a small corps of amateur telescope makers attending, and the lectures and competition continue.
