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[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

For Chicago area Astronomers and fans

View "The Martian" with the Chicago Astronomer...

If you are free this Monday afternoon, The Chicago Astronomer has an opportunity for our fans to see the exciting upcoming movie "The Martian" in a sneak advance preview this Monday - the 21st of September at 4pm at the:

Kerasotes Showplace ICON 150 W Roosevelt Rd

Just write an email and tell us about your favorite experience with the Chicago Astronomer crew. Was it your first Wow moment viewing the rings of Saturn's, marveling at Jupiter's cool Moons or was it watching the bright ISS silently fly over head, or could it be gliding over the lunar surface in our telescopes.....

We'll select five of the best experiences by Friday midnight and announce the results on Saturday. Each winner will receive two tickets as our guest Monday afternoon for this epic movie of human survival on Mars.

Email to : [e-mail]

We will post the replies on your favorite times with the Chicago Astronomer here and share them with all sky lovers.

It's just a thank you for your support of the Chicago Astronomer crew as your guide to the cosmos.

Astro Joe

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

The Results of the view "The Martian" with the
Chicago Astronomer...

We received such wonderful responses from our fans and friends who had memorable times at Chicago Astronomer Star Parties and events over the years.  Our Astro crew enjoys sharing the urban skies with all skylovers and making new friends.

I have decided to pick the winners randomly as the entries were all great and too difficult to choose.  Look for an email for the link and code for your passes....

Here are our entries:

My favorite experience was my first observation of the ISS at Adler and the camaraderie of all the folks who participate in the “Star Parties” facilitated by Astro Joe.

Further to my previous e-mail below, here is the EXACT moment that ISS appeared overhead and look at the excitement of Steve in the background...





-Alexander

Joe i am interested in viewing the movie.
My favorite moments are when i go to a viewing and i get the chance to tell people what their looking at and not touching the telescope....   The best moment was when i went to my first viewing and Joe taught me about the constellations and the planets and how to set up the scope. And meeting some of your buddies .

A few years back I took an astronomy class in college as an "easy A" to full fill my degree requirements. Well for extra credit, which I needed because the class was NOT an easy A, we could attend various lectures on astronomy.

So I went over to the Adler for an evening lecture on exoplanets. Most of the lecture was way beyond my compression, but I got my extra credit!



Well as I was walking out there was a group of people with telescopes set up. Hmmmm... so I wandered over to them and met Joe. I told him I was enrolled in an astronomy class at IUN and he spent the time explaining all about the stars to me! He let me look into his telescope and I seen planets, star clusters and the moon for the first time in my entire life from my own eyes.

It was the most beautiful objects I have ever seen. That experience took me to a whole different level. I developed a real appreciation for the nights sky. It connected me to my class learnings in a way that was personal.



I had went back multiple times after that first experience and it always amazes me how generous and truelly welcoming the group is to complete strangers. Had it not been for those characteristics of tlJoe and the group I probably still would not have ever looked through a telescope. Oh what I would have been missing.



So thank you Joe and everyone else in the group who shares their love of the night sky with the rest of us who dont own telescopes.



By the way I ended up with a A in the class. I also went on to take additional astonomy class just for fun!



~Angel 

Dear Joe,


I have always wanted to study the stars, but with no telescope, I just use my binoculars.  I came across one of your gatherings by the Adler with telescopes and I got excited.  Not knowing if this was a public event, I approached you and asked if I could take a look.  You were so welcoming and patient with me as you showed me Jupiter and it's moons.  It was incredible!   I could see the bands on the planet and even the pale red spot...I will never forget it.


Thank you and your team for all you do for amateur astronomy.


Jo

Joe-


In my first year of college, I was required to take a astronomy course and did not know anything about it.  It was intimidating and wasn't sure if I would keep up.  I found out about your astronomy observations on line and since it was free, decided to stop by.  It was a moon night, I think a blue moon and the view in your telescope was incredible!  I asked many questions and you explained things that didn't make the universe so mysterious.  I passed that class and feel that my participation was the encouragement.


Ed

Hello Mr. Guzman

We met you in front of Adler museum few weeks ago and had a great time.  I wanted to add my email to the chicagoastronomer.com mailing list but it did not let me do it. Could you please add me to the mailing list for the future event.

Thanks

TANIA 

Joe,

Thank you so much for your hospitality during the public viewing at Rainbow Beach. It was a pleasure to meet you in person and see that you have not lost your CPD powers - LOL. I love to see people following their passion and thank you very much for sharing with all of us. Keep in touch my Brother and keep looking beyond!

Gregory 

My kids love space and try to come down to your telescope events whenever we can.  

Hi Astro Joe


I never paid much attention to the sky, with all the light pollution, certain that I would have to go way out of the city to see stars.  But I found out that you were going to be at a park near me and I brought along my three kids to see.  You showed us saturn and the ring and it looked like you put a sticker on the lense!


My kids were so excited that they told all their friends at school the next day.


Thank you.


Maggie-

Morning Joe


I follow you on Facebook and found out you were going to be at the 606 Bloomington trail opening event and looking at the sun.  I have never seen the sun and was amazed that I could see sunspots!  There was another guy with a special telescope that showed me the flares too!


It was a wonderful time.

Hey buddy,


I always try to make your star parties by the lake and my favorite part is when you tell a story about something we are looking at, like the binary stars in the big dipper.


Keep it up!

Marc

Mr. Joe


My english is not so good but you talk so i can learn about planets and stars.  

I remember my first viewing with the Chicago Astronomers.  There were a lot of telescopes looking at the moon, saturn and jupiter.  Venus was out too on a beautiful night and everybody there was so kind and helpful to the large crowd that gathered.  I waited in line and was amazed at what can be seen.  When my turn was over I went back to the end of the line for another look and another.

Thank you so much.


Linda C.

My husband and I were walking along the lakefront by the planetarium when I saw your telescopes and a lot people around.  I thought it was some special event in the sky, but you said every night is special and invited us to look at the Moon.  I remember screaming out loud at the craters so clear you could touch them. I got a picture of that too!  Then you said that there would be a pass of the space station, and that was so cool to watch.

It was a special night for us and thanks.

Roberta

I always enjoy me some chicago astronomer and feel like you really enjoy doing what you do.  I have so much fun at these events.


Blanca

Hi Joe,



My name is Raju and I met you and your crew at Northerly Island today. Thanks again for showing my father, son and I Saturn for the 1st time!!! It was truely a treat. I've already added your organization to my Facebook. If you have an email list, please add me so we know when and where your events will be held.



Sincerely,



Raju 

Joe


I had friends from Argentina with me one night as we were showing them around, when we saw telescopes and stopped.  We talked about space and aliens and looked at the moon. 

My son is into space big time and was so excited to see planets and the moon in your telescopes.  He kept asking you questions about everything.  We took a picture with you and he showed it to all his friends.


Monica-

I wanted to see a moonrise and saw your team there by the lake.  You invited me to take a look at a red moon and it was so cool.  I hung around for a couple of hours and had a nice time with your friends who were all friendly.

Era

My favorite experience with The Chicago Astronomer is just participating and I am amazed at the selection of viewing sites that offer almost ideal conditions considering we live in a very large city with a lot of light pollution.



If for some reason this email is chosen, I'll only need one ticket.



Thanks, Tony

It was about a year ago in September when you set up telescopes near the Adler area for a lunar viewing. I went with a friend and we both had absolutely no idea what we were getting into. I learned so much about the different kinds of telescopes and their specific uses.

We used an 11 inch that night and seeing the moon was such a magnificent experience. I know it might sound silly, but before that point I thought I knew the moon. It was something that has always been there in my life, but seeing its surface made me realize just how little I actually knew it. It was such an enlightening experience.



-Jon 

My husband Tom and I, have always been fascinated with what lies beyond our beautiful sky. Our teens always made fun of us because of the interest. UNTIL... their first experience on Northerly Island. We dragged them with us, kicking & screaming. Long story short, they had such a great time learning about bats, taking the night walking tour of the new park and most of all, we had to peel them away from the telescopes. They were beyond fascinated and now, have gained such a huge interest in astronomy that they stalk FB & the internet for events they can attend to become more involved.


We thank you for the cool factor we gained because of it all.

Good evening,



I recently came across your group in my search for astronomy lovers in Chicagoland area. Unfortunately, this discovery is very recent so I did not get to experience any of the viewing events with you guys so I don't have a story to tell in order to win tickets for the screening of The Martian. I am inquiring to see if there are tickets available to purchase or otherwise for Monday's screening.



Regardless, I am happy to come across your active group. I have viewed the planets through the telescope at Harper College, and in Ludington, Michigan. I am really fascinated by space; it's truly breathtaking and humbling. I look forward to attending your events.



Thank you,

Thank you all for your kind words and interest in urban astronomy with the Chicago Astronomer crew.  All the entries were so motivational for me and encourages more Chicago Astronomer events and activities.  We hope to see you often and continue to share the skies with you all.

Chicago Astronomer Joe



NOTE:

I hope the winners reserved their codes and passes quickly, as the event is now full...




My note to those who were not randomly selected:

Dear Chicago Astronomer friend...




Thank you for your kind words and sharing your wonderful experience with the Chicago Astronomer crew, sharing the urban skies together and enjoying celestial wonders.



Unfortunately, your email was not one of the randomly selected stories, but I hope that won't deter you from joining the crew in our future events and activities.



You may read the entries here:

astronomer.proboards.com/post/21800



All emails were wonderful and I am humbled that we were part of your astronomical enlightenment and strive to continue our relationship.



See soon.




Chicago Astronomer Joe

___________________________________________________________



The Chicago Astronomer

Chief Astronomer/Editor

www.chicagoastronomer.com/forum
www.twitter.com/astronomerjoe
www.facebook.com/pages/Chicago-Astronomer/202096336494373


Docent Telescope/Observatory Facilitator

Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum



Resident Astronomer Chicago Park District - Nature Oasis/Night Out in the Parks



Astronomy Instructor

Instituto de Progresso/IHSCA



JPL/NASA Solar System Ambassador

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

"The Martian" Review...

With great anticipation, I viewed "The Martian" in this advance special preview.  Along with Chicago Astronomers Maria and Pinky, we were mesmerized by this movie.  I missed the other Chicago Astronomer fans, as we arrived just as the movie started.

I heard the producer Ridley Scott, wanted to make this as close to reality as possible...and I think he came pretty close.  The physics was pretty good, with trajectories, payloads and Newton's laws adhered to nicely. Botany and chemistry was highlighted too, bringing real science into a fictional movie.  

The Martian skies were reddish-blue, as they are in reality and they even show the Martian Dust Devils....and remarkably, thunder & lighting. The elements of survival were written intelligently, from the basics of water and air to portable habitats and energy.  Intense knowledge of math and working out the problem was prevalent here, and a great encouragement to all students seeking careers in NASA to study math, science and engineering.   Technological knowledge enabled the marooned astronaut to scrape out a survival, seeking out the "Mars Pathfinder" lander/rover for communications, constructing a greenhouse and recycling waste products.




There are a lot of tense moments here, but well played.  I'm glad there was no unnecessary personal drama.  You know, teens with angst, heart touching sappy romantic scenes among the crew or the regrets left behind on Earth.  None of that nonsense.  But it is heavy on the disco tunes...

This is a good film, a lot of science in it and the Chicago Astronomer recommends it to all space nerds...you'll dig it.   

[Paulie pchris00]

Saw this Sunday afternoon. Very good film, especially when lately I've been trying- unsuccessfully- to watch "Gravity" in one sitting.

The November issue of "Astronomy" magazine has a behind the scenes article on "The Martian." I recommend checking out the movie and the article. I may have to find a copy of the book, too.