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[Paulie pchris00]

Just a thought here.

I have every reason to believe I'll not only be using my laptop during the transit, but will probably be running a live view via a USB camera from one of my telescopes. Now, in full daylight, it can be difficult to see the laptop monitor from the glare of the Sun. I was thinking about getting a canopy shelter to give myself a somewhat darker work station, and even help stay cool and out of the Sun during the afternoon prep for the transit.

This will probably be more of a last minute decision for me, but I think something like this would do quite nicely on transit day, not to mention camping trips.

www.cabelas.com/catalog/search_catalog_command.cmd?fromProductSearch=true&item1=IK-580223

And yes, I'm trying to think of absolutely everything that will make this the best observation of my life.

[erikruud]

Canopies like that one are not well built. I have seen several of them fail.

I got this one during the summer and it is much better built and include three shade panels and screen panels for all four sides.

www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=411204&pdesc=Guide_Series_Combo_Canopy&aID=505K2&merchID=4006

However, I didn't pay the listed price. It was on sale at the store and we got the display off the floor for less than half the full price.

[Paulie pchris00]

A canopy shelter will be one of the very last things I get, and it's not strictly a necessity. If I have to shade my laptop screen, I have a box that will work just fine, for free. I can't believe how expensive some of the canopies I was looking at are.

The best advantage the one I linked to had was that it was small (and under $100). Everything I need for the transit has to fit in the trunk and backseat of my PT Cruiser. Plus, it might get used twice this year. After that, who knows? If I have to pay list price, I can barely justify spending $100, let alone twice that. Thanks for the link, but this is going to be a wait and see decision for me. I just thought I'd throw the idea out there for everybody else to ponder.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

I feel that thinking & planning about all aspects of the event is noble and quite cool.

Outside of the box is what separates the amateurs from the dedicated Astronomers.

A canopy is a good idea.

When I did solar viewing at the Adler, (much more than I do now), I did not enjoy standing out in the Sun while projecting the disk. In our equipment area, I found a patio umbrella. Not as large as the Astrobrella, but big enough. With no stand for it, I found some rope and secured it to the rails of the Adler's south terrace.

It provided a great bit of shade, not only for me, but for a darker non-glare area, bringing out the solar disk with more contrast.

Any shade is highly recommended.

That Canopy link of Erik's...

I like it, but I would alter it, if possible....in making the top panels fold down - exposing a section of the sky. There-by protecting the astronomer and equipment from light glare/light breezes and a controlled area to work.

I have seen the dedicated observation tents - nice, but quite expensive.

Keep exploring avenues to enhance this experience Paulie.

[patrickm]

The umbrella hat.

How about just flippin' up the hatch on the Cruiser and covering the window somehow? Limits places you can be but scores high on cost savings.

[Paulie pchris00]

Jan 1, 2012 11:34:23 GMT -6 patrickm said:

The umbrella hat.

Umbrella hat? Don't astronomers look strange enough already?

Jan 1, 2012 11:34:23 GMT -6 patrickm said:

How about just flippin' up the hatch on the Cruiser and covering the window somehow? Limits places you can be but scores high on cost savings.

A clever idea, Patrick, but I don't think it will work. The transit begins about 5:04 PM CDST, so the Sun will already be somewhat low in the west. Having the hatch open would work around noon, but not late evening. Also, I've had the hatch open at a few all night observations (Indiana Dunes and Indiana Family Star Party) to keep my dome light from coming on if I needed to grab anything out of the trunk, but I clipped my red bike lights to the corners. Anybody 5'10" or taller runs the risk of ramming their head into the hatch lid. I expect a great many people to be around for the transit, and hopefully paying much more attention to avoid walking into telescopes and equipment than bashing their own head on my trunk lid. I don't want to miss the transit while administering first aid...

As for the shelter Erik linked to, I like it, but it's so damn expensive. It will provide a nice large work area, but even if I could find it for half-price, it's a hard expense to justify. My parents have a shelter like the one I linked to for summer cookouts and get-togethers. I'll probably just ask to borrow theirs. I don't think it has the one side shading, but I could always drape a blanket or something across the west side (offering the most shade).

In 2004, professionals and "amateurs" prepared for the transit as best they could, but with 122 years since the previous one, a Venus transit hadn't been observed using modern equipment. The 2003 Mercury transit no doubt helped take some uncertainties out of the Venus transit, but not all. Now we have thousands of astronomers experienced at observing Venus transits, and although I can't really count myself among them, I fully intend on learning from their experiences. I'm going to do this the best I can, with the limited funds I have. Captain Cook et. al would have loved to have access to the resources that we have available today, no doubt. Even broke astronomers (like me) should be able to pull off a great observing experience, for ourselves, and if so inclined, the public. I'm doing both. Wherever I may be for the transit, friends and astronomers will be the only ones to have access to my equipment until Venus is fully upon the solar disk. Between first and second contact observing will be limited to those who have knowledge and appreciation of what they're seeing. I think's that both selfish and fair.

I have more ideas that I'll be posting in the coming weeks. We're all lucky to be able to witness even a few hours of this rare event; some of us are privileged enough to see it twice. I just want to give anybody reading these threads the opportunity to squeeze every bit of satisfaction out of the experience as possible.

[jeremy]

Just out of curiosity, have you picked your first choice location to view yet? Assuming skies are clear there on day of at the location. If you have already covered in another thread, I apologize for putting this out there again.

Given the time of year, time of day, where the sun will be in the sky, etc... I'm betting you have this figured out already.

[Paulie pchris00]

Conway is the most probable location for two reasons.

1. I'm probably going to be put in charge of planning the event, which kind of obligates me to be there. Not that I'm complaining, because...

2. Conway has a pretty low horizon to the west.

That said, I'd also love to be at Adler. I think the energy of the crowd will be very high. And what better backdrop than the Chicago skyline as the Sun dips low in the sky? If I'm not obligated to Conway for the transit, I could toss a coin and be happy with either location.

If weather becomes an issue, my only real option so far is Prairie Grass Observatory, just south of Lafayette, IN. I don't even know if they're having a public viewing, but I can't imagine that they wouldn't.

home.comcast.net/~jmmahony1/PGO/

I spent a weekend camping there last summer.

astronomer.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=Observations&action=display&thread=3294

It's not as ideal as Conway or Adler, but will be more than good enough if I can't see the transit locally. I still need to contact the PGO director to find out what kind of viewing they'll be doing, and come up with other backup sites.