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[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Chicago Astronomer
Harvest Moon Rise

12 September 2011

The Chicago Astronomers will observe the September Full Moon rise with friends, fans and visitors for the Harvest Moon celebration - rising at 6:53pm.

We will set up by the Galaxy Blocks, just south of the Adler Planetarium building by 6:00 pm. Unsure if I'll bring the C5 or C11 yet...depending on my mood.

If weather is an issue, then we will reschedule for the next clear sunset evening.

If free or in the area, stop by and share the Moon that brings in the Autumn. Always a great time.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Monday looks solid for the Full Moon rise session by the lakefront.

It'll be a pleasant 80 degrees for this session and one of our last warm observation events.

Be there if you haven't joined us during this past summer's many Chicago Astronomer star parties.

You know you want to.

[Centaur]

According to my calculations, from the Adler Planetarium this month the Full Harvest Moon will have the greatest fraction of its disk illuminated at 99.8% on September 12 at 06:03 CDT, before the sun rises at 06:27 and the Moon sets at 06:46.

The moonrise with the greatest lunar disk illumination of 99.7% will come on September 11 at 18:28 at azimuth 92.2°. The Moon will be waxing and the Sun will not set until 19:08.

Coming in second place will be the moonrise on September 12 at 18:52 with an illumination of 99.5% and azimuth 85.8°. The Moon will be waning and the Sun will set at 19:06.

In both cases the Moon rises before the Sun sets due to the Moon’s northerly ecliptical latitude which among other considerations is a function of the Moon’s 18.6-year nodal cycle. Notice the difference in moonrise times of only 24 minutes as opposed to the average of 50 minutes. That’s what happens around the time of the Harvest Moon, i.e. the Full Moon nearest to the time of the autumnal equinox. The celestial geometry places the ecliptic and the Moon’s orbital path at relatively sharp angles with the horizon when the Harvest Moon rises.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

It looks good for tonight's Lunar/supernova session.

Be there, 'cause it's where the cool kids hang out.

And...what Curt said.

[patrickm]

Anybody wanna meet at RJ Grunt's for pre-Moon dinner at 6:30?

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

You are cutting it close at 6:30pm. with little time to set up.

Unless of course if you are just doing naked eye.

[Paulie pchris00]

Sept 12, 2011 13:13:38 GMT -6 patrickm said:

Anybody wanna meet at RJ Grunt's for pre-Moon dinner at 6:30?

A Catch-22 for me. As Joe points out, 6:30 is a little late if I want to see the Moonrise (and I do). Any earlier and I probably won't be able to make it, since I have some things I need to do before I head downtown.

[Centaur]

Sept 12, 2011 12:18:56 GMT -6 Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe said:

And...what Curt said.

All right, Joe, I get the hint. I’ll state it more simply:

The 2011 Harvest Moon was its fullest last night.

[Paulie pchris00]

Sept 12, 2011 14:43:23 GMT -6 Centaur said:

Sept 12, 2011 12:18:56 GMT -6 Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe said:

And...what Curt said.

All right, Joe, I get the hint. I’ll state it more simply:

The 2011 Harvest Moon was its fullest last night.

The Bears game would have given us some hassles last night. Tonight will be almost as good, and shouldn't have any major parking issues around Adler. Win-win-win.

[Centaur]

Sept 12, 2011 15:26:10 GMT -6 Paulie pchris00 said:

The Bears game would have given us some hassles last night. Tonight will be almost as good, and shouldn't have any major parking issues around Adler. Win-win-win.

That makes sense, Paulie. Although last evening there was an Io shadow transit across Jupiter that I would have been able to observe with you guys at the Adler. I can't come tonight, but I may attempt to photograph the rising Moon from Arlington Heights. BTW, there will be a Europa shadow transit on Wednesday evening. A timetable and graphic are on my website: www.CurtRenz.com/jupiter

I'm going to try to observe the meteor scene filming at Busse Woods next week. Will at least four other Chicago Astronomers be there?

[Centaur]

Here’s the photo I took of the Harvest Moon (+14 hrs) rising through a veil of clouds above Lake Michigan as seen from Arlington Heights, Illinois on 2011 SEP 12 at 19:18 CDT, which was 10 minutes after sunset and 24 minutes after moonrise.

[patrickm]

A super fun (almost) full Moon night of observing, unsuccessful supernova hunting, Jupiter viewing, & friendly conversation.

Attachments:

[patrickm]

Checking out Jupiter before catching the last Adler bus. Amazed.

Attachments:

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Chicago Astronomers enjoy the 2011 Harvest Moon

12 September 2011

I was looking forward to this session.

Arriving about 6:00 pm, the toting of Astro Joe's equipment is always a daunting one. But, I was happy to see C.A. Paulie already in the area and he lent me a hand.

And also...

...Vice Commodore Jim , from a nearby Yacht club.

I have been in contact with Jim recently, working on the Chicago Astronomer's involvement with his boating organization next year. It was just coincidence that we met and he helped me carry gear.

It was a beautiful night to enjoy this Full Moon rise, but a bit windy. I had planned to use the Lunar map, but it would have ended up in the lake...

Chicago Astronomers for this session would be: Patrick, Jeremy, Paulie, Barbara and myself - and telescopes for this evening would be my C11 beast, Paulie's 8" Dob and long time Chicago Astronomer participant and friend Pinky with her 60mm refractor...

Apart from the viewing of the Harvest Moon, we had planned to seek out the new Supernova off of the big dipper. Paulie came prepared with a new Mountain Dew drink...

Supernova.... ;D

This was really a Paulie day, since not only did he spot sun dogs about the western sky...

...but he also spotted the lunar disk rising first...

I could not see it until well about the horizon...

I did not have a lot of scope time for this session, as Chicago Astronomer fans, friends and visitors poured into our site - many from our Website/email & Twitter/Facebook feeds - and I spent the evening discussing astronomy with our guests...only stopping to re-adjust the C11 - orders from Barbara. She, as always, handled the lines to our scopes diligently...

This allowed me to spend more time with our group and getting to know special new friends. Ain't Barbara the coolest?

And so we enjoy....

I met Maria at a surf tune gig recently, (I dig surf tunes bunches), and glad she joined tonight's party. She's quite the Sci-fi fan too...excellent!... #Yay#

As it got darker, Paulie, Jeremy and Patrick spent some time searching for the Supernova and held an impromptu open class for our guests...

While I worked, the Alcor/Mizar binary system, E.T. Star cluster, Jupiter, and the Double cluster in Perseus....and spent a lot of time chatting.

This is very cool...

One of our new Chicago Astronomer fans brought me some Chinese Moon Cakes. I never had one and shared as much as I could with the Astronomer crew. I need the proper spelling of her name and hope she sends it to me.

Thank you!

And we continue to enjoy the very pleasant evening, as Patrick took control of the C11 beast, and I was busy with pleasant diversions...

The Moon now was riding high and very blinding in the eyepiece. Patrick, (rattled by my Tibetan chant tunes), suggested I pop in a filter. Using a variable polarizer on the 40mm, it made for much better contrast and ease of viewing....

Jeremy said that even with the windy conditions that we were experiencing, the C11 Beast remained steady, unlike his dob that shakes. The thing is so massive that I'm sure it has it's own gravitational field...

I didn't have time to attach the camera to the scope for this session and captures some lunar pics, and that was ok, as many enjoyed never before seen views of the cosmos...bringing smiles and gaining new fans.

As it should be.

Around 11:00 pm, the area closed down and then... there were three...

We chatting for awhile, about my winning battles with lame authorities and photography.

And as always...

Chicago Astronomer group shot.

We had a final total of 78 visitors to this out of the way spot and I was hopping around having fun. Our guests all had a great time - smiles and laughs throughout the evening and a near perfect session. Near perfect because the Supernova team could not locate it this evening...

Onward to the next Chicago session.

[Centaur]

And here’s my photo taken the next evening of the Moon rising through smoke from a wildfire 400 miles away in Minnesota on 2011 SEP 13 at 19:46 CDT. That was 28 minutes after moonrise and 40 minutes after sunset. The sky would have appeared perfectly clear except for an obvious haze. We can smell the smoke throughout Chicagoland.

[magic612]

Bummed I missed it, but I had a friend in town from Arizona. So we took pictures through one of my scopes using his digital camera. An outreach event to only one, but definitely had a positive impact on him.

Hopefully I can make the next CA event at Adler!