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501 discussions

Sidewalk Astronomy tomorrow (Saturday May 23rd), weather permitting

by David Hasenauer

Hi, While a few of us are away, there are some astronomers planning to be at the corner of Myrtle & Lime tomorrow night to view the Moon, Jupiter and perhaps some other things. We hope to see you there! Sunset is about 8 pm, so look for us after 8:30 or so. The Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers

1 week, 5 days

Ttonight's (03/28) sidewalk astronomy evening at the corner of Myrtle & LIme - NEW INFORMATION

by David Hasenauer

Sadly, currently 9 out of the 10 predicative weather app models that I use are predicting much thicker clouds tonight than they previously predicted (through at least 9 pm, perhaps later). We will monitor the skies but unless there is a really big improvement, our original plan to be on the sidewalk tonight (Saturday, 03/28) may not happen. If so, sorry about that, and we will hope to see you next month on April 25th under better skies.

2 months, 1 week

Telescopes in Monrovia Canyon Park Tonight (Friday 03/27) & our regular monthly sidewalk night tomorrow (Saturday 03/28)

by David Hasenauer

Hi, Just a reminder about two upcoming events. The Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers have teamed with the Monrovia Parks Department for Community Stargazing from Monrovia Canyon Park. Tonight is the last session. Here is the flyer: [cid:9d0cec63-0c5c-4b00-8b1d-694c9645d6ce] There is no cost for the event above, but you do need to register. Rather than the general city website on the flyer, to register go to: https://secure.rec1.com/CA/monrovia-ca/catalog Click on the "Canyon Park" tab, and the registration link is at the bottom. Alternatively, you can call the number on the flyer. Note that we don't know how many have registered so far, so if they are at capacity and cannot accept additional reservations, our apologies. However, all is not lost since we will be at our usual corner of Myrtle & Lime tomorrow evening after sunset (~7:10 pm). We hope to see you out and about, and "looking up" * The Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers

2 months, 1 week

International Observe the Moon night this Saturday!

by David Hasenauer

Hi Everyone, Saturday is "International Observe the Moon" night! The Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers plan to be out at the southeast corner of Myrtle & Lime (Library Park), weather permitting. Astronomy enthusiasts worldwide will all be looking up. You can be part of the party too by either observing the Moon from home, or join us on the sidewalk! Both the nearly Full Moon and Saturn will be available to our telescope, but they both need some time to clear the trees and buildings after the 6:30 pm sunset. So the starting time may be around 7:30 to 8:00 pm. We hope to see you there! Dave Hasenauer For the Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers

3 months, 1 week

Sidewalk astronomy for February

by Jane Houston Jones

Hi everyone! This month the Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers are featured in a display of astro people, places and things related the night sky at the Monrovia Canyon Park Nature Center. The exhibit opened Sunday February 1st and will be on display for a couple months. It’s really lovely! You can find info on parking and maps and so forth on the park’s website https://www.monroviaca.gov/your-government/parks/canyon-park#ad-image-0 The Sidewalk Astronomers at Monrovia Canyon Park Nature Center Three things for February: 1. There is an expected sidewalk astronomy event on Saturday, Feb. 21, at Monrovia’s Library Park, Myrtle and Lime Streets, weather permitting. There are also some events at Monrovia Canyon Park on Feb 27th, and at the Library on March 21st. More on March events next month! 2. Groundhog day = Cross Quarter Days. Did you know February 2 marks the halfway point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox? This celebration was observed by the ancient Celts who called this celebration Imbolc. The other cross quarter days are May 1, known as Beltane, August 1 known as Lammas, and October 31, known as Samhain. I love that ancient knowledge and culture have continued to our present time on Earth. And I like this explanation from the Old Farmer’s Almanac. https://www.almanac.com/quarter-days-and-cross-quarter-days 3. NASA’s What’s Up video. I’m so happy to report that the What’s Up video which was created in 2007 is still being produced by JPL and NASA. That’s almost 20 years. It’s NASA’s longest running video series! Here’s the February 2026 episode: https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/whats-up-february-2026-skywatching-ti… That’s all for February. Feel free to ask questions, let us know events you are interested in reading about. Over and out! Jane and Mojo and the Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers -- Jane Houston Jones, retired JPLer Co-owner, Pasadena Bridge Club Astronomyhttp://www.otastro.org/ Bridgehttps://pasadenabridgeclub.com

4 months

You are invited to a reception in Monrovia Canyon Park on Sunday, February 1st at 10:00 am

by David Hasenauer

The rotating exhibit in the Monrovia Canyon Park Nature Center will celebrate the Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers, serving Monrovia since 2004. All are welcome. If attending the reception, please let them know at the front kiosk and your parking fee will be waived. [cid:124a97ea-b722-4a26-a706-c2b4be6c9244]

4 months, 1 week

Telescopes will be out for tonight's (T 10/28) Sierra Madre Library's "Astronomy in the Park"

by David Hasenauer

[cid:22bc6166-5e62-4fd5-a8ed-211b30b0fd24] We hope to see you there!

7 months, 1 week

Sidewalk astronomy tonight Nov 9

by Jane Houston Jones

Hi everybody, we'll have telescopes out tonight in Monrovia and hope to see you! It looks like it will be clear for awhile after sunset but clouds may move in. We will likely start about 5:30 pm, and our targets will be the Moon, Saturn and perhaps Venus. Here's this month's What's Up video: https://science.nasa.gov/skywatching/whats-up/ "What's Up" is NASA's longest running web video series. It had its first episode in April 2007 with original host Jane Houston Jones. :-) Today, Preston Dyches, Christopher Harris, and Lisa Poje are the space enthusiasts who produce this monthly video series at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Additional astronomy subject matter guidance is provided by JPL's Bill Dunford, Lyle Tavernier, and the Night Sky Network's Kat Troche. The What's Up team celebrates the memory of Gary Spiers, who provided astronomy observing guidance for the series for many years. The Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers also celebrate the life of Gary, who has been a part of our family nearly since the beginning. I'm sure all of you who have visited our sidewalk events, school events, and dark sky events have looked through Gary's telescopes. From Jane and the Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers. <3 -- Jane Houston Jones, retired JPLer Pasadena Bridge Club co-founder and owner Find me on FB, IG http://www.otastro.org/ https://pasadenabridgeclub.com

1 year, 6 months

Sidewalk Astronomy TONIGHT Saturday Sept 14

by Jane Houston Jones

Saturday, September 14 is “International Observe The Moon Night“. Imagine astronomy enthusiasts worldwide all looking up tonight. You can look up at home and be part of the party, too! The founding San Francisco Sidewalk Astronomers, and really, all astronomy clubs, have had a habit going back to the 1960's and probably earlier of holding a public first quarter moon viewing event for the public in cities around the country and around the world. The moon is the best public astronomy target, no dark sky needed. Weather permitting, a few astronomers are planning to be at our usual corner of Myrtle and Lime Streets in Monrovia tonight. Mojo and I will be there. I have some Moon Lithos from JPL to pass out. This is our 20th year of Old Town Sidewalk Astronomy, after I was a member of the SF sidewalk astronomers since 1987, when I made a telescope in John Dobson's telescope making class at the San Francisco Academy of Sciences, and that changed my career and life. I think our telescopes will be out sometime between 7:30 PM and 9:00ish PM once the moon crests the Monrovia skyscrapers. :-) Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the sudden death of one of our founding members in late July. Gary Spiers read a notice I posted at NASA JPL about Sidewalk Astronomy in Monrovia in early 2004, and showed up to see what it was all about. He's been an active member and a dear friend ever since. Those of you who are local and have attended our Monrovia Sidewalk events have met Gary, and over the years, his two daughters, with their telescopes over the early years. We miss him so much! Gary proofread my What's Up Podcast script almost since it started in 2007, and many of his astrophotos appeared with credits over the 12 years. This was our favorite public National Park astronomy event with volunteer astronomers since the 1960's. And this episode ends with a photo of Mojo and Gary at Glacier Point, and is also dedicated to Gary in the end credits. Hard to write this email but as I have told many over the decades, the night sky brings comfort. Hope to see some of you tonight. Send in a photo of your moon view tonight if you'd like. Yosemite Nature Notes documented a Glacier Point public astronomy star party Mojo, Gary and I volunteered for, Here's the link: https://www.nps.gov/media/video/view.htm?id=CFC7487A-1DD8-B71B-0B2096D9A018… And here is this month's What's Up video, https://plus.nasa.gov/video/whats-up-september-2024-skywatching-tips-from-n… Jane and the Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers -- Jane Houston Jones, retired JPLer Pasadena Bridge Club co-founder and owner Find me on FB, IG http://www.otastro.org/ https://pasadenabridgeclub.com

1 year, 8 months

Sidewalk Astronomy tonight Saturday June 24th

by Jane Houston Jones

Several of our Sidewalk Astonomers will be out at Monrovia Library Park tonight! Come on down once the sun sets! -- Jane Houston Jones, retired JPLer Twitter: @jhjones @otastro Instagram @janehoustonjones http://www.otastro.org/ Astronomy,travel,music,food,cats

2 years, 11 months

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