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[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

July Full Moonrise Observation Session

14 July 2011

6:30 pm

It's been awhile since we celebrated a full Moon rise over Lake Michigan...considering the past two months have been cloudy and rainy - preventing any scheduled Moonrise session.

Friday is technically the Full Moon for this month, ( Friday, 15th July 2011, 08:39:36 am), but the weather is iffy and will be hot and sticky. And instead of letting another month go, let's do the July's.

I feel like getting a head start and calling for an observation Thursday evening, the 14th of July - the day before.

Moonrise is at 7:59 pm, but I'll be on-site by the Galaxy stones by 6:30 pm - but unsure on what Telescope I will bring along for this event. With this day before Full Moon, we will get a good lunar terminator edge to explore in the eyepiece...whereas Full Moons are flat and without visual relief.

July's Full Moon is called the "Thunder Moon" or Buck Moon". Of course, we will target Saturn as well during this session. There will be no visible passes of the ISS or Space Shuttle at this time.

Open and free to the public.

[Centaur]

Actually, Joe, this month’s Moon will be fullest over Chicagoland during the night of July 14/15 at 01:13 CDT (as noted on my monthly astronomical calendar) which is close to true midnight while on daylight saving time. Geocentric opposition from the Sun in celestial longitude will occur on July 15 at 01:40 CDT, which is what many consider the “official” Full Moon, mainly due to the simplicity of its calculation. I put in a little more work do determine the time of greatest fraction of the lunar disk illuminated as observed locally.

Indeed, the Thursday moonrise for Chicagoland will be the one this month with the greatest fraction of the lunar disk illuminated. So Thursday is truly the day to observe the Full Moon rise. It will rise nearly a half hour prior to sunset.

Unfortunately, I will not be able to join you, since I will be a Wrigley Field to participate in an on-field ceremony honoring Vietnam War veterans like myself. Sorry you won't be there. Enjoy your observation session. Let’s hope the July Full Moon brings good luck to Chicago Astronomers and the Chicago Cubs! (White Sox too, if you are so inclined)

[Centaur]

Okay, Joe; I see why you missed it. You cut off the lunar phase predictions from my July astronomical calendar when you copied it to this website.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

(White Sox too, if you are so inclined)

Wait for it.......

And -

"Okay, Joe; I see why you missed it. You cut off the lunar phase predictions from my July astronomical calendar when you copied it to this website."



Opps.

Sober postings next time!

[Centaur]

Jul 13, 2011 14:24:29 GMT -6 Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe said:

Sober postings next time!

Promise? Actually, I was hoping you would organize a Full Moon party this month. My plan was to attend, until the Cubs phoned me yesterday to ask that I participate in their on-field ceremony on Thursday.

The August Full Moon will be most greatly illuminated for Chicagoland on August 13 at 14:18 CDT by X-ray vision while it is beneath the horizon. So the moonrise later on that Saturday will be the one with the fullest August Moon. Unfortunately, the early morning of August 13 will mark the peak of the 2011 Perseid meteor shower while the brilliance of the Moon produces interference.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

It's still a solid go for tonight's lunar observation session.

Just do it and swing by...you know you want to.

[patrickm]

Have fun. Headed to Cubs game with wife and friends.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

UPDATE:

Oh oh...kinda of a snag.

I am told now, that because of a nearby concert, that parking along Solidarity Drive could be restricted and meters bagged.


I do not know for certain and would be the first time this observation season.

But...too late now and tonight's Lunar session still goes on as scheduled.

[Paulie pchris00]

I'm going to be brief for the moment, but I believe Joe first spotted the Moon at 8:02 PM CDST last night over Lake Michigan, and I last saw it at 5:48 AM CDST this morning over an Indiana corn field. Hillary spent her birthday jumping from the ranks of Chicago Astronomer support crew to Chicago Astronomer telescope crew with her recently acquired 60mm shorty refractor. I was proud of her, eagerly wanting to show off Luna for all who cared to see, and quite a few took advantage for a look. She may have brought upon us a partial new telescope curse, as we waited repeatedly for cloud masses to move through. But of course, being Chicago Astronomers, we have plenty of non-celestial targets to show, and had fun through it all. Hillary has learned well from many sessions of assisting, and will fit right in with the rest of the telescope crew.

Attachments:

[hillimolly]

i did a great job

[patrickm]

Hooray Hillary!!!

Attachments:

[hillimolly]

Thanks patrick

[Centaur]

Congratulations to Hillary! From our seats in the left field stands at Wrigley Field, we watched a beautiful Full Moon rising over the right field wall. It seemed to bring us luck until the ninth inning.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Moonrise with the Chicago Astronomers -

This session was in danger of not being. Not only was there am alternative music show at the Pavilion, just a few yards away, but something else was going on at Soldier field as well...ergo - no parking nor much foot traffic....

Such "minor" inconveniences do not slow down the crew, which consisted this session of Barbara, Hillary, Paulie and myself...

I lugged, (with the great help of Paulie & Hillary), the C11 beast and set it up just east of the galaxy rocks. I'm not sure I desire to set-up the C11 here anymore, as it's such a effort and a smaller scope, (C5 or 90mm Refactor), performs just as well for a Full Moon Rise session.

We had plenty of time to set-up and chat with our limited visitors before the 7:59 pm rise...

I tested out the laser holder for alignment...

...and it looks good.

Hillary brought her new 60mm refractor scope for it's first Lunar rise session...



It'll make a fine addition to the Chicago Astronomer arsenal.

In the background, was Tugce, who came up to the crew a short while after this pic, to check us out. She's from Turkey and in an exchange program for the summer. She joined us for most of the session...

I learned a lot about Turkey and Turkish culture and hope she joins us for the remainder of her stay...

Soon enough, with the band playing on-stage, we had Moonrise - with Crepuscular rays...

(Usually, I witness Crepuscular ray emanating from the raising or setting Sun...but here, with the Sun already set, rays were stemming from above the clouds to the horizon. Could these rays be Lunar in origin? Perhaps.

A thin layer of distant clouds hugged the horizon...

Both the 90mm Refractor and the C11 gave great views, but it seemed that I had to image the Moon in between the secondary and the edge of the Corrector Plate - lest the secondary show-up in the pics.

Fellow Docent Gary from the Adler, joined us, as did photographers on a shoot...

From the west were threatening clouds...

...but eastward, at least early on, painted pretty sky pictures...

This was an interesting observation...

A up-draft or down-draft of sorts made this nice cloud deformation...

In between talking with visitors, I took the lunar pics as often as I could...

We also had some action during the session...

There was a boat banging against the shore close-by, bringing Fire and Police....who also stopped by our scopes for peeks at the Moon...and later Saturn.

And, we go back to observing and mingling...

Waves of coolness and warmth washed over our observation site this evening and the clouds were making observation rather hit & miss now...

But every once in awhile, a nice sucker hole manifested itself and all enjoyed a nice almost full Moon...

I liked this time out with the crew. It was an easy causal time. No big crowds to attend to, lake breeze and made new friends.

Although this was a limited session, due to the concert nearby and people were kept from the area...The Chicago Astronomers were granted a wide birth and allowed to remain with hassle or restrictions...as it should be...

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

What a treat....

Our New Chicago Astronomer friend, Ken, who was out on a shoot and came upon us during the lunar session, just sent me his pics of the activities...

I think with the techniques and added attributes of the shots...are quite cool...








\

Do I notice some Infrared Pics in the mix?

The added perspectives of Ken's images brings the synergy of the session to the forefront.

Thanks Ken!

[hillimolly]

yep

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Seems that the Boat incident we witnessed last night made the news:

Boat hits seawall near Adler Planetarium

Staff report
10:01 p.m. CDT, July 14, 2011

A 43-foot boat struck a submerged seawall this evening just south of the Adler Planetarium, police said.

No one was hurt, but the accident prompted the Chicago Police marine unit to send out a helicopter and a dive team to the scene near 12th Street beach “just in case,” an officer with the marine unit said.

Police did not immediately know how many people were on the boat, and exact time for the crash was not available.

“They are trying to get the boat back into open water,” said police spokesman Daniel O'Brien about 9:50 p.m.

[hillimolly]

I love my telescope

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Hillary,

It's a great short-tube scope...with wide fields.

Great for scanning the night sky.

[patrickm]

Great pics from all. Looks like y'all had a great time in spite of the clouds. Friendship conquers all!

Hopefully the boat wasn't lured to the rocks by your siren presence!

[Paulie pchris00]

Well, I don't have much to add now. Was about to send my pictures to a USB disk from the camera. There were several bad files (old stuff) on the camera memory card. Computer prompted me to "scan and fix" files. I didn't think "scan and fix" meant delete. I had some good ones, but now nothing.

[tugcebusra]

vaaovv ıt seems really good. and these pıc has so many memorıes for me. So that was a excellent experıence for me. you were all kınd to lısten me wıth bad englısh and explaın about the sky... when wıll u have the next?

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Tugce...!

How wonderful to have you post here.

It was a nice time with you joining us and sharing the near full moon rise together.

I'm not sure when we will have another session next, but it will be very soon.

Just keep an eye out here at the Chicago Astronomer and follow on Twitter and Facebook feeds.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

And just now processed....Support Crew member Barbara's pics!...

Since I had forgotten my step ladder, the stones made for a great platform for our visitors to reach the great heights that the C11 demands.

I didn't have the chance to peer through Hillariy's 60mm Meade, but I saw others were...

There were also Birthday cupcakes that Hillary brought for her birthday...I had me me a few. Went straight to my expanding tummy.

Thanks Barbara for more slick angles of the Chicago Astronomer action...

[patrickm]

I missed birthday cupcakes?! Damn it all to Mercury!

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

The cupcakes were good Patrick.

As were the company and near full Moon.

Next time you join in.

[hillimolly]

It was good cupcakes

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

New Chicago Astronomer fan Ken, has included his experience with our crew on his website...

www.uncommonphotographers.net/chicago-astronomer/

Very cool.

[tugcebusra]

ohh ok I wıll keep an eye out here and facebook... thanks

[Paulie pchris00]

Glad to see you post, Tugce. Your English is much better than you give yourself credit for. It was nice talking to you, and I know absolutely no Turkish, which means you were speaking English just fine.