Join the Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers at the San
Rafael Branch Library in Pasadena Saturday March
29 from 7-9 p.m. The address is 1240 Nithsdale
Road, Pasadena, CA 91105. There are map and
public transportation links on the library
webpage
http://www.ci.pasadena.ca.us/Library/sanrafael.asp
Weather permitting, we'll be aiming our
telescopes at Saturn, Mars and stars. The
weather forecast is for mostly cloudy followed by
patchy fog, unfortunately. So if it's too cloudy
to view through telescopes, we'll still be there
to answer questions about sidewalk astronomy,
telescopes, light pollution, Saturn, Mars and
more. Our friend, Poet Robert Eklund will be at
the library too, reading from his new book of
poetry called "First Star I See Tonight".
From the City website:
Lights Out * Walk About Pasadena is our city's
unique take on Earth Hour 2008, a global campaign
to turn lights off from 8 - 9 p.m. on Saturday,
March 29, 2008 and raise awareness about the
impact of energy use.
It's our way of making the connection between
conservation and community. The dome and façade
lights at City Hall will go dark for an hour at 8
p.m. on March 29th, signaling to all that energy
conservation and a sustainable environment make
for a better, stronger community.
The City will also host several no/low light
events that many Pasadenans can walk to in under
20 minutes. Whatever your plans may be that
evening, the City encourages you to try walking
to your destination. It's an easy and healthy way
to connect with your environment and your
neighbors.
More city-wide events can be found here:
http://cityofpasadena.net/ I hope to see some of
you out at the San Rafael Branch Library on
Saturday night! If not , I hope you can enjoy
one of the other events or create your own lights
out event.
Jane
--
Jane Houston Jones
Senior Outreach Specialist, Cassini Program
JPL - 4800 Oak Grove Drive, MS 230-205
Pasadena, CA 91109 818-393-6435
jane.h.jones(a)jpl.nasa.gov
Cassini SOC http://soc.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm
What's Up? http://education.jpl.nasa.gov/amateurastronomy/index.html
Mojo and I stepped outside at 7:55 p.m. and waited a few minutes for the
first of three satellites as they passed from West to East. We saw all
three. The ISS - the 2nd of the three was much brighter than the
shuttle.When the shuttle - the third satellite, passed halfway between
Sirius and Saturn we saw a sun glint - which brightened the illumination
for just a second. It was a great view! I hope some of you also
stepped outside for this fun view! Jane
--
Jane Houston Jones
Monrovia, CA
34.2048N 118.1732W, 637.0 feet
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org
We should have a very unusual pass of three bright artificial satellites
tonight, which I certainly plan to look for.
All three will enter the sky from the southwest and cross toward the
east. Start looking at about 8:00 p.m. to the left of where the sun set
an hour before. At their peak altitude they'll be in the south east.
By 8:10 they'll be past.
First up will be the ATV (the European Space Agency's Automated Transfer
Vehicle) on its way to the ISS. It will be its highest in the sky at
about 8:04.
Following that, and brightest, will be the International Space Station,
at peak altitude at 8:08.
Only a few seconds behind, and just as bright, is space shuttle
Endeavour, recently undocked from the station and on its way to a
landing tomorrow.
These behave very differently from airplanes. They'll look like very
bright moving stars. If it blinks, shows a red light, or stays close to
the horizon, it's an airplane, not a satellite.
The station currently has a permanent crew of three aboard, and the
shuttle is returning with seven astronauts.
For custom predictions of visible satellite passes at your location
(other than Los Angeles / Pasadena) visit here:
http://www.heavens-above.com
Cheers,
Mojo
--
Morris Jones
Monrovia, CA
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers http://www.otastro.org
We're cancelling the sidewalk astronomy event in Monrovia tonight due to
a 40% chance of thunderstorms. Our friend Bob Eklund is still (as of
this morning) planning to hold a viewing event in Memorial Park Sierra
Madre tonight. So if this is local for you there is a slight chance
that at 7 p.m., if there is anything to see, you can see the moon from
Sierra Madre!
Last night in Pasadena, as thousands of folks were enjoying the first
night of Pasadena Art Weekend we had 350 people stop for a look at
Saturn and Mars near the first quarter moon for some performance art
with telescopes! Early on, we were joined by a bevy of bicyclists,
complete with camera crew, and later by bagpipes and drums, and kilts,
oh my! Just a typical Friday night on Colorado Blvd. Here are a few
pictures from last night:
http://photo.whiteoaks.com/2008-03-14-sidewalk/index.html
Jane
--
Jane Houston Jones
Monrovia, CA
34.2048N 118.1732W, 637.0 feet
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org
Tonight's forecast is "mostly clear," and Jane and I plan to be in Old
Town Pasadena from about 7:00 p.m. 'til 10:00, or until we're too cold
or hungry to stay. :)
While we never know exactly where we'll be, it's always somewhere on the
two-block stretch on Colorado Blvd. from Fair Oaks to Pasadena Ave., and
usually on the north side of the street. If we find street parking (we
usually do), that's where we set up. If not, we can unload near Barnes
& Noble, or near One Colorado, and hand the astro van off to valet parking.
With the moon and Saturn being very far north in the sky, you might find
one or both of us hauling our big dobsonian telescopes across the street
for a less obstructed view.
We should have great views of the first-quarter moon almost overhead in
the sky, and Saturn mid-way up in the east.
I often use the analogy that looking up at the sky from the surface of
the earth is like looking up from the bottom of a swimming pool. It
could be a lot more like that tonight, with upper-level winds bringing
us tomorrow's clouds and rain.
Which brings up the point that Saturday's forecast is not looking good
for sidewalk astronomy. If the "conditions on the ground" look
different tomorrow night, I'll update you right here.
Cheers,
Mojo
--
Morris Jones
Monrovia, CA
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers http://www.otastro.org
