It's a cool thing when my two loves come together.

As awesome as this is going to be, it won't be the first time I've done public astronomy at a professional ballpark.

pchris00pnc.blogspot.com/2012/08/astronomy-night-at-us-steel-yard.html


And a big thanks to everybody working to make this happen.

Joe, do you need more help? I can check my schedule and see how things can be re-arranged, if needed.

I'm also wondering if the ball park lights will be on? It would make sense to have them on, at least early in the night. I'm in either way, but it would be nice to know ahead of time if we'll have to battle the blazing lights or not.

This is a point I will bring up.

Even with the blazing stadium lights, our two main objects of the evening, (The Moon and Saturn), will be easily observable and examined for our participants.

We are a solid go for Friday's Telescope session at Cellular Field. We took a walk around the field and logistics - here are the details for our three man crew:

The session for the telescope crew will star at 8:00 pm till 11:00 pm. It is recommended to arrive by 7:00 pm and get some eats before setting up. If not, then arrive at the field by 7:30 pm to set-up. The food court area in "The Patio", across from us, the main free meals will cease by 7:30 pm, but will provide free light snacks throughout the event.

We will park directly across from Gate 4, which is the main entrance for the White Sox staff - and move our equipment via that entrance directly to the field - a short jaunt. There will be a cart and a intern to assist us in unloading, transport and re-load our gear from the parking lot.

The crew will be provided event wrist bands.

We will set-up our scopes by the White Sox team dug-out...



There is about 30 feet of space to stretch out and attend to our visitors and still maintain a clear walk path. With our tables and accessories, there will be room for three scopes only and A/C power will be provided for us...



I don't need a/c power and will remain in the center. John and Paulie can utilize the a/c for scopes and laptop use. This section will be the Chicago Astronomer area. Sections along the outside track will be reserved for other organizations working the event.

The infield will be roped off and off-limits to all. So when walking to and fro throughout the night, please walk along the outside track. The overnighters will set-up their tents and bags on the outfield, playing catch and other activities.



At our telescope location, will have a perfect southern vista - catching a good ecliptic line. The field lights will remain on unfortunately, but with the Moon, Saturn and Mars to share, it will not be a problem. If you have your dew shields, it will help to darken your apertures. C.A. Support Crew member Maria will be on hand as our liaison for the event, as will the event organizer. This will be a great photo-op session and a rare opportunity. For the Chicago Astronomers who expressed interest in working this event, I apologize that only three were allowed by the White Sox organization. We will have more opportunities in the future and share the experience.

If cloudy....then we can pick out interesting areas of the ball park to show our visitors, such as the broadcaster booth, scoreboard etc...

It will be a very warm night, but dress sharply. T-shirt and jeans are fine - White Sox logos/apparel are good. Wear your Chicago Astronomer buttons and most of all....have a fun time.

I am psyched for the US Cellular Camp Out With the Sox event! I like where you spotted my scope, since I'm closest to home plate ... not that I'm planning to steal home, but if the ball gets away ....

I'm going to try to fill my 8GB memory card tomorrow night. ;D

First of all, thanks to Joe and Maria for including me as part of this highly privileged crew, and thanks to the Chicago White Sox for attempting to bring the heavens within reach for their campout fans.


I arrived with Hillary shortly before 7 PM, the first of the CA crew. After waiting around the front lobby (and watching the Sox mount an early comeback effort against the hated Yankees), Sox security finally decided we had legitimate business, and escorted us to the field behind home plate. There we met Lucy (not in the sky, but near the baseball diamond). She led us to the outfield Patio, where food was being served, then turned us loose.




I love seeing the 2005 World Series Commissioner's trophy. One of the benefits of entering Gate 4.




Lucy leads us to the Patio to eat.









I hadn't brought my telescope in yet, so after a cold drink, I wandered through the outfield with Hillary, taking plenty of pictures of us on the field. Coming around the left field warning track, I saw John by the Sox dugout, and quickly headed over there. By the time we met with John, Joe and Maria had arrived on the field. The five of us then headed back to the Patio to eat.






Hillary answers the call to the 'pen.






Hillary on the visitor's bullpen mound.




A crafty righty warms up.








Straight-a-way center field.












Two Sox great Hall of Famers of my lifetime.






Not an exact re-enactment of Dewayne Wise's perfect game saving catch, but paying homage to both Wise and Buehrle.




astronomer.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=ponderings&action=display&thread=2533








John always looks this excited when I see him at the ballpark.




Here come Joe and Maria.


Before sunset, cloud cover was scattered, and looked like we might enjoy some lunar observing, and possibly even Saturn. I wasn't overly optimistic because I'd seen the satellite and radar images of what was heading our way, but maybe the next storms would hold off until later in the night.










Evidence of the day's earlier storms.







With a little time to kill before setting up our telescopes, Hillary, John, and I went down into the visitors's clubhouse for a tour. I can now say that my home White Sox jersey (won quite a few years ago by correctly answering a Sox trivia question during a game radio broadcast) has hung in a big league locker.














Going into the visitor's dugout.






Me, in the visitor's dugout.




Looking out at the field from the clubhouse tunnel.




Going down the tunnel to the clubhouse.






Hillary and John in the clubhouse.








My Sox jersey hung proudly, if momentarily, in a big league locker.




Coed lockers.






Back to the dugout.










I gazed at the Moon from in front of the White Sox dugout.





I got my "fan experience" out of the way, and was ready to shift gears into astronomer mode. I brought in my telescope and gear, set up, and stared at clouds. Luna was gone. She peaked between the clouds just long enough to sight and focus, and then she disappeared again.










Joe and John got on the big screen, but I just missed getting a picture of it.






Seventh inning stretch time in New York.




Hillary has a short look at Luna. Check out the clip I use to hold my lunar map.










Joe is interviewed by a reporter.


John and I set our scopes on some targets in the outfield- John chose Paul Konerko's blue World Series grand slam seat, and I chose the Frank Thomas statue. We then walked out to the left field grass for some barehanded catch. When the Moon shined a little brighter through the clouds, we went back to our telescopes. It was for naught, though, as the clouds quickly brought in reinforcements to foil our observing session. Joe then told us that a storm was approaching, and that we should get our crew photos while we had the chance.










What an awesome place to set up telescopes!










John shows a kid Konerko's World Series grand slam seat.




The Frank Thomas statue, as seen through my Dob.




I guarantee John was telling Maria how awesome it was to be out there.






Trying to catch a baseball and take a picture at the same time leads to pictures like these...




My shoes on the third base foul territory warning track gravel. I meant to take the same picture in the left field grass.














John and I play catch in left field.



Pictures were taken in and around the White Sox dugout, telescopes and equipment packed away, and the Sox cheered to a 14-7 victory against the Bronx bombers in Yankee Stadium on the center field screen. I never like to be clouded out during an event, but if it's going to happen, it might as well happen when we're at a super cool location. I didn't feel that sense of let down I sometimes get when we set up telescopes, and then have nothing in the sky to show.






Sitting in the Sox dugout. I didn't spit in it this time.




Sox beat the Yankees in NYC.




Getting ready for a crew group shot.




Joe, Maria, me, John, Hillary.




Packed up before the storm comes in.


We put away all our gear, then took a walk through the club level concourse, where the overnight campers had set up tents. We talked Sox and Chicago history, Apollo missions, and more as we looked through the photo archives on the concourse walls. We enjoyed dessert and beverages, and even went out to the seating area to look over the empty ballpark, watching the lightning and rain move in. As the rain came in, it was time for us to head out.










Tents set up along the club level concourse.




Looking out at the empty ballpark.




Here comes the rain.













My "campout" comes to an end.


As we were leaving, we stopped to talk to some of the Sox staff. They seemed pleased and excited that we were there, even though the weather didn't cooperate. They seemed eager to have us back, especially after Joe promised to "show the cosmos." All I can say is, we need to convince the front office staff that late October is the absolute best time for showing the cosmos, and hope that the Sox make a Series run.


Except for the weather, what a fun night.

Outstanding.

Very sweet. Too bad the clouds didn't cooperate by making themselves scarce, but it's clear from the pictures that all of you had a great time in spite of that.