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[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

The Chicago Astronomer and Go-Pilsen
Bike Ride and Star Party
- Unidentified Biking Objects -

August 29th 2014 

The Chicago Astronomer and the Go Pilsen Cycle organization, (gopilsen.org/  and www.facebook.com/events/794116030610549/  ) have teamed up to share the urban skies with avid cyclists touring the Pilsen community on Friday, August 29th 2014 at 8pm till 10:00 p.m.  





The bike riders will assemble at Barrett Park (2022 W. Cermak Rd. ), to prep and head out in a nice scenic tour of the Pilsen community, concluding at Harrison Park at 18th street and Damen....where Chicago Astronomers will have telescopes set-up - prepped and ready to share late summer skies with our bike riding friends.  Saturn, Mars and other celestial targets will be waiting to be enjoyed by our guests - (If clear) and all things astronomical discussed.


Weather conditions:


Even if  cloudy, the Chicago Astronomer will still set-up telescopes at Harrison Park - at the corner of 18th Street and Damen.  If rain is falling or forecast - then the Chicago Astronomer will set-up scopes inside at the Barrett Park Field house for Meet & Greet and discussion. To be determined by Friday afternoon.

The Go Pilsen organization is very excited to host us and we are equally thrilled to participate...

Ride your wheels over and join us for Telescopes and decorated bikes....!     

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Telescopes, Glowing Bicycles and new Chicago Astronomer fans....




Months ago, I had the serendipitous opportunity to cross paths with the GoPilsen crew and we got to talking about a joint event with Bicycles and Urban Astronomy.  Set so far in advance, weather is always a factor with urban astronomy, but we had a great fun time despite the fact clouds rolling in prevented much observation.  Chicago Astronomer Support Crew member Maria was there with me and shot pics as well of this event.

Setting up at 7:30 pm in Harrison Park, we had the curious stop by and ask what was going on, long before the cyclist arrived and we had an all too short audience with the crescent Moon in the west...

Visitors called me by name, "Astronomer Joe", which surprised me, as they knew of my exploits in sharing the cosmos with all lovers of the urban sky and some follow the Chicago Astronomer activities on-line....

As I was chatting away, I see a mass of bicyclists approaching and converging at the telescope site....

...and I meet our GoPilsen organizers after their tour of the neighborhood...

I have been working with Maggie, (next to me) for quite awhile and we start to share the night sky with the well mannered and polite bicyclists.  We slew to Arcturus and Vega - demonstrating the differences of young and old stars...their color and respective sizes to our Sun.  Clouds and distant lightning were preventing views of Saturn, Mars and other summertime delights, and we go to the terrestrial stand by of the Sears Tower to display the rivets on the antennae array.  But it was the interaction of questions and answers-discussions that occupied most of the session with our visitors with the classic architecture of the old country Pilsen Neighborhood...

Questions about the C11 Beast Telescope, exoplanet life, the NASA missions and I met someone who's Father worked on the Viking Mission in the 70's.... .  Residents came out of their homes across the street of the park, curious on the commotion and all the sparkly lights...and we made new solid friends - inviting the Chicago Astronomer to their homes for future dinners and drinks.

Solid!

Fellow co-workers and friends stop by the event to say hi...

An Astronomer's laser is the perfect tool to guide sky lovers among the stars....and who doesn't like lasers.....

Maglight to provide illumination and fend off evil doers, laser to guide and camera to document....

The winds were a bit brisk this evening and our banner had a hard time staying properly displayed.

We take a group shot at the end of this event, but the crew had thinned out by this time.  Maggie presented me with a "GoPIlsen" T-Shirt and wheel lights for my bike, (urber cool)...and I spin it in our shot here.  We had approximately 50 guests at this session. 

The Chicago Astronomer enjoyed our first joint event here in my neighborhood with the GoPilsen crew...and we are talking about another in the fall.

I'm all for it....