(Viewed 1,467 times)

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Chicago Astronomer Star Party

Saturday 02 April 2011

The Chicago Clear Sky Clock shows a nice deep blue and beckons Chicago Astronomers to come out and set up scopes and talk astronomy with our visitors.

We will set up scopes around the Adler Planetarium area by 8:00 pm and remain till 10:00 pm or so. I will bring the C11 for some close Saturn views, as well as other late winter/early spring targets.

It promises to be warmer and clear for this session. We take 'em when we can get 'em...

If free or in the area, stop by and share the urban skies with us.

[broadway69]

Well didn't that just work out swell?!?

Hopefully I can pull my schedule together to join the viewing.

[Paulie pchris00]

I'm checking forecasts, and I'm not as enthusiastic about tonight as you, Joe. I'll keep checking, because it seems to change by the hour. Hopefully it will clear. I'm not committing myself either way, but I will try to get some more quarters for the meters just in case. Hopefully I will see everybody later.

[hillimolly]

I want the sky to be clear tonight.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

I will make a determination by 6:30 pm.

Let's see how conditions develop.

It's so-so now, with conflicting forecasts.

[hillimolly]

hey.. I wish the clouds would leave

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

I will do this solo.

The weather looks iffy and no sense disrupting fellow astronomer weekend evening.

I'll set up the C5 for some Saturn Imaging and really...don't want to lug the C11 out. Weather map says clouds are moving in and perhaps I can get an hour out of it tonight.

But, there will be solid clear nights ahead of us soon.

[size=3
]Amend:
[/size]

Chicago Astronomer John will join me and do a shoot out of the 5" SCT's before the weather sours...and then, imbibe.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

A nice time out with Saturn and making new friends....

Clear Sky Clock gave us a small window to make a decision...either go for tonight's session, or play it safe and stay home.

When have I ever played it safe?...

With Chicago Astronomers Bill & John to join me, either way we were going to have some fun...clear or clouds. My intention this session was to compare our scopes in a shoot-out - considering we all had 5" apertures...two SCTs and a newt. The temps were decent and not cold...at least to me. Perhaps it's my hot Latin blood, but I was quite comfortable and excited to commence this session.

But, good friends stopped by and a host of passerbyers - and the three of us spent the whole evening talking with our visitors and sharing the views.

Good friends Jaik and Allison were first on the scene and great to see them, as they have become regular visitors of the Chicago Astronomer activities and I enjoy their company.

Young, (center), stopped by and was familiar with the Chicago Astronomer from a nice newspaper article that was written up last year on the crew -

astronomer.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=Annoucements&action=display&thread=2691

I enjoyed her energy and curiosity of the heavens... and she even took it upon herself to take photos of the session with a spare camera I have, as I attend to our visitors and many times I just don't have the time. I also enjoy the different perspectives.

John brought along his computerized Celestron 5" SCT....

And Bill his newer portable 5" reflector with binoviewers....

And I, bringing out the ultra portable C5...

Unsure on the weather, I felt more comfortable not lugging the C11 beast this evening. Next time. And...luckily that I had a spare dew shield for John and his SCT, as the OTAs were moisture magnets this evening. Our Corrector plates remained free from fogging nicely...

The evening progressed with many more visitors, wondering what we were doing and excited about viewing through our telescopes...

Saturn was the hit of the evening of course, despite the limiting 5" light gathering of our instruments, but my C5 is able to utilize 2" eyepieces and I kicked it up all the way with a 26mm and a 2x barlow and light blue filter. Although not as big as in the 11" SCT beast, the views were acceptable.

We also did comparisons of different stars, observing their color and characteristics of red giants and newbie stars. Our visitors dig Sirius bunches...me too.

We we continue with the sky show....

Good friends Eddie and Eddie Jr. stopped by to share in the sky this evening and always great to see them and talk astronomy...

It was now after 10:30pm and the crowd thinned out, but we still had some more stay and enjoy chatting with us...

And Fellow Adler Facilitator Carmen stopped by for a bit...

There was to be no 5" telescope shoot out this evening, but instead showed our visitors the heavens and made new friends...which is always better and what urban astronomy is all about.

Thanks to John and Bill for coming out - and to our visitors for the fun and the compliments!.... ;D



Oh.....

And post session imbibements of the liquid type.

[RobbW]

When we left our friends' house last night, I looked up and the sky was perfectly clear and the stars were twinkling nice and bright. I thought about the CA crew and how you guys lucked out with the weather. Wish I could have been there, but I had previous plans. However, once we got home and put Maddie to bed, I headed out across the street with my 10x50 bins to have a look-see. I finally got to see Saturn for the first time this year. Not very impressive in the binos, but it will do for now. I'm glad Mother Nature cooperated for you guys last night.

[Paulie pchris00]

Butler playing in the Final Four screwed up my plans Saturday night. Hillary wanted to see the game (and so did I, to a lesser extent). The questionable forecast factored heavily, too. By the time the game was finished, it was too late to head to Adler unless I was going to skip work, and I wasn’t going to skip work without a great forecast for the entire night. Waiting for Saturn to rise high enough for decent observation, I fell asleep. When I woke up just in time to go to work, the sky was totally clear. I missed a good evening.

[kyle]

Looks like it was fun. I wanted to join but since I don't have a car and it was only my second day, and first clear one, with my new scope I decided to spend it observing from home.

C8 on a cg5-gt, it's kinda super sweet.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Kyle,


And you haven't mentioned anything about it tell now?

When you bringing it to a Chicago Astronomer Star Party on your bike?

[kyle]

Ha. Well, I can tell you It's been barely contained excitement over here.

But really, I'm not sure when I'm going to bring it down. It's all larger and notably heaver then I was anticipating so I'm having to rethink everything. I might have a friend of mine who's a frame builder make a trailer with places and padding for everything but he's a little busy. This might be the push i needed to get a zip car membership.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Kyle,

An 8" SCT is a great sized scope to show you the cosmos.

Large enough to gather plenty of light from distant targets, yet light enough to transport and set up easily.

I am anxious to have you join us with your new scope soon. Then, with enough sessions under your belt, you would be a great addition to the C.A. Astronomer crew.

[patrickm]

Apr 4, 2011 16:23:16 GMT -6 kyle said:

Looks like it was fun. I wanted to join but since I don't have a car and it was only my second day, and first clear one, with my new scope I decided to spend it observing from home.

C8 on a cg5-gt, it's kinda super sweet.

I wouldn't blame you! Congrats and can't wait to check it out!

[patrickm]

Apr 6, 2011 0:02:00 GMT -6 Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe said:

Kyle,

An 8" SCT is a great sized scope to show you the cosmos.

Large enough to gather plenty of light from distant targets, yet light enough to transport and set up easily.

Wait...Joe, didn't you tell me "anything less than 14" was a toy" or something like that?

I am anxious to have you join us with your new scope soon. Then, with enough sessions under your belt, you would be a great addition to the C.A. Astronomer crew.

Hear! Hear! But I think you're already a great addition, and a new 8" scope will just be icing.
;D

Miss me, Astro Joe?

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Oh...you were gone...?

;D

On a serious note....

Have you had the chance to mess with the corrector plate yet?

Hurry back man.

[patrickm]

Apr 6, 2011 1:36:03 GMT -6 Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe said:

Have you had the chance to mess with the corrector plate yet?

That's on the agenda for tonight after dinner. Will see how that goes... Not optimistic...

Hurry back man.

Here now...maybe until Sunday. After that it all depends upon Mom and Death...Been an interesting ride for sure.

And thanks!
p