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[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Chicago Astronomer Star Party

Last day of August event

31 August 2010

We had a great long stretch of warm clear weather of recent, with a nice high pressure system over our heads, there have been plenty of Chicago Astronomer gatherings we have enjoyed - probably the most amount of sessions in one month ever...!

Let's do one more before the month ends and the weather turns cloudy the next few days.

We will set up at our usual Chicago Astronomer site #1 Tuesday, the 31st of August at 8:00 pm...



We will again have the waning Moon and Jupiter to enjoy and share for the session. Maybe I'll ask for some assistance in collimating my C11 as well.

If free or in the area Tuesday evening....stop by and say hi.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

There will also be two ISS passes tonight and a bright Iridium flare to enjoy.

At 8:03 from the WNW to the NNE the ISS will pass at an altitude of onloy 20 degrees, but at a magnitude of -1.1.

And, then again at 9:40 pm form the NNW to the N at a measly attitude of 13 degree, and a magnitude of -0.5

And finally during our session...

We will observe a nice Iriduim 57 Floare at 8:58 pm, due North at an altitude 0f 20 degree high. It will start out as a -0 object and flare to an incredible -6 bright sparkle.

Iridium flares occur in a brief second or two....I'll try to capture it on camera.

Heading out now to the site.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

A end of month gathering of astronomers under semi-cloudy skies...

If this wasn't already planned, I would have called off this session due to the weather, but as it turned out, we had a nice time under mostly cloudy skies.

Forecast earlier called for heavy clouds later...after midnight...so it was a judgement call to go-ahead with the session. I did receive emails and PM's stating that I would receive visitors, so...it goes on. On the way, I saw ominous clouds coming in from the west and heading Northeast...maybe we'll get some sky time.

Chicago Astronomer Paulie & Hillary were the first to arrive. The Uber-portable 60mm refractor stays in his PT Cruiser at all times now and he will always have a scope handy. Considering the weather conditions, it was enough for the session.

In this gathering, we would have two ISS passes and a Iridium 57 Flare to enjoy. I caught the 8:03 pm ISS pass quite nicely...

Coming out from behind the cloud mass, we all had a good long look at the orbiting tin can. It flew at 20 degree alt and at -1.1 Mag. Matching up the stars in "Stellarium", I find that the ISS passed just south of "Camelopardalis"

Also scheduled...was another ISS pass, (dimmer and lower), and the very bright, (-6) Iridium...but on both, clouds prevented any viewing of them...

New Chicago Astronomer fan, Jerry stopped by for his first session with the crew...

And regular Chicago Astronomer visitors & friends, Kyle and Maria made their way to join us on this uncertain evening of observation....

Audrey, Dark Skies & Star Parks advocate, joined us with her 8" Fork Mounted Meade and brought along a nice honey/wild flower drink for the crew....

It was quite good...!

Pal Mike came by on his cycle for some telescope time...

Audrey needed to shake out her 8" Meade for an upcoming event, so we put it through it's paces and it works beautifully and well collimated....

Jupiter was about the only target out this evening, so it got all of our attentions, between chats and discussions.

It turned out to be a nice evening together with friends and scopes...despite the clouds. This coming Friday looks like a clear night...and if so, we will be back out on site.

Myself, Hillary, Paulie and Jerry

Sometimes...it's nice to get out...even if it's cloudy.

[katieflowers]

Joe,

Thanks for posting pics! I miss my Mike! I'm in Madrid, but keeping up on Chicago. I posted this event to Mike on FB. I'm so glad he stopped by.

I saw Mars, I think, on Saturday here, so bright and sparkling. It was in the Western sky, maybe a little South.

I'm looking forward to coming back to Chicago and going to some more Astro Joe viewings in the Fall!

I hope you are well!

Cheers,

Kate

[RobbW]

"This coming Friday looks like a clear night...and if so, we will be back out on site."

Joe, this Saturday is still forecast to be an even better night for viewing (damn near perfect). And there's no Bears game on schedule. Maybe I can tempt you to come out then?! I promise to use my witchy powers for good this time and keep the weather ideal for a session, despite my purchase of new equipment on that same day!

So, let me know if you're up for it. Although, I probably wouldn't be able to get there much before 9pm or 10pm. After spending the whole day driving to Grand Rapids and back, I'm sure the family and friends will want me to spend some quality time with them before I head out for astro activities.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Kate,

It was nice to see Mike and his wheels.

He had mentioned about your trip and anxious to have you back soon. And for me, it would be cool to see you again too and talk on topics we enjoy.

He also mentioned about your sighting...and although Mars is visible in the west presently, it would be Venus that would have stolen the show. Very bright and sparkling.

Here is a nice pic of Mike I took...

See soon.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Robb,

I think Friday will be a great night for the Chicago Astronomers to assemble at site #1 and along with you, we have another member with a new piece of equipment to test out.

I need some serious collimation on the C11, (the T-bone incident knocked things around), and perhaps one of the motley crew will assist.

Onward to Friday!

[RobbW]

Friday or Saturday? Or both?

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Robb,

Could be a double-header...!

[Paulie pchris00]

Tuesday morning, August 31, I saw that Joe was having one more Chicago Astronomer star party in the month of August. I haven’t been to one in awhile, and really wanted to go, but my car needs brake work, and I didn’t want to go without getting it done. My friend Jerry, whom I knew only through Facebook for the last year, recently moved to Chicago, and messaged me to find out if I was going. I told him probably not, but that he should go to meet Joe and the crew. Jerry and I exchanged phone numbers, so we could get in touch later about the star party.

I woke up late in the day, too late to get my brakes fixed, so I texted Jerry that Hillary and I weren’t going to make it. He called and said that he was already down by Adler Planetarium, taking in the great views by the lakefront.

I went to see Hillary around 6 PM, and she wanted to go. We sat on the porch talking, and I was mentally trying to convince myself that we should go. The tipping point was knowing Jerry was already on site. I called him back to let him know that we were coming.

The forecast had called for cloudy skies and rain, but not until after midnight, and things were still looking good as we started the drive into Chicago. By the time we arrived, though, clouds were hanging west of the city, and slowly working their way northwest. Joe pointed them out right away, adding that it might be the shortest session ever. As soon as our greetings were out of the way, I started looking around for Jerry before all the daylight disappeared, and saw him walking up to observation area.

Since going to the Adler was a last minute decision, the only telescope I had with me was the 60mm Meade refractor, which I've been keeping in the trunk of my car for just such occasions. I talked with Jerry while setting up, and we had a quick look at Venus through a sucker hole in the clouds. I pointed out it's rather obvious crescent shape, and that until it disappears in front of the Sun the crescent will be waning.


After we lost Venus to the clouds we were short of any targets, and were helpless to see if Jupiter would be up before the cloud bands covered the entire sky. While waiting, I had a chance to have some conversations with Jerry and Joe. Jerry isn't an astronomer, but he's interested in space sciences. We were discussing the possibility of life in our solar system, and indeed the galaxy and beyond when Joe's friends Kyle and Maria arrived. I pointed out that my belief of abundant life in the universe is somewhat tempered by biologists lack of understanding how life on Earth actually started. I think we will eventually find life to be rather common, or extremely rare, and that in the next five to ten years we should either have strong evidence supporting other life in the galaxy. If we don't have strong evidence by then, we may have to conclude that we live in a lonely universe.

There was an ISS pass after 8 PM, only 20 degrees above the northern horizon, and even with the clouds hiding Station for the first part of it's flyover, we had a few minutes to gaze upon the orbiting outpost. Clouds stole an Iridium flare and the next ISS pass though. Jupiter made it's appearance before the cloud cover had fully spread, and was really the only object properly observed for the night.

As I was targeting Jupiter, a car pulled up, and as soon as I saw the driver get out I knew we had a special guest in our presence. She noted the fact that the streetlights around us were not working, then had a long conversation with Joe. I told Hillary and Jerry that Audrey was influential at the Adler Planetarium, the Chicago Astronomical Society, and many other organizations. I was aware of her efforts for nearly a year, when she organized a star party... at the White House!

After the failed ISS pass at 9:40, it was time for us to go, but Audrey is pushing for the Porter County commissioners to address light pollution around the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, and other projects in my area. As the only known Chicago Astronomer to call Porter County home, I felt obliged to contribute to her efforts, and look forward to working with such a tireless promoter of astronomy and dark skies advocate.

It was time for us to get going, and others were leaving as well, bit I had to have a picture of this group. We may not have seen much through the cloud cover, but it was a great night for socializing and networking, and I'm glad I made the decision to go.





Jerry awaiting a good look at Jupiter as Joe tweaks his C11.




Hillary hanging out.




Group shot. Left to right: Audrey, Jerry, Joe, Mike, Kyle, Maria, Hillary.

[katieflowers]

That's a great picture, Joe! I'd love to talk to you more about the stuff I know. We well see you soon! Adios!

P.S. Venus, it was! Thanks!

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Paulie,

A nice narrative of the night.

I felt bad about the distance you drive to join us and that the session was not a productive one - observationally wise, but you did get to meet two new people and hopefully assist Audrey in her Indiana efforts.

Saturday evening will be a good one and if your brakes are fixed by that time, will be good to have you part of the crew. We should have another Dob present for a shoot-out between the two.

Urban astronomy lives!

[Paulie pchris00]

I don't mind the drive at all. I don't drive out to the city for the great sky conditions, but to meet new people and hang out with other astronomers. If it hadn't been cloudy, there might have been a dozens of people stopping by, and I wouldn't have had a chance to catch up with Jerry, and I might not have found out about Audrey's Indiana projects. It's always worth the effort to head to Chicago.