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Mojave National Preserve Star party tonight, sidewalk astro June 7

by Jane Houston Jones

Tonight's star party is a go! Several of you have RSVP'ed and we are looking forward to sharing the magnificent skies with you tonight. Plan to arrive well before sunset so you have time to set up your tent, and share in the potluck dinner. Bring something you like, and a little to share. There are typically many salads, chips and dips, and desserts which are welcome after dark. There is a large covered picnic table pavilion where you can stow your camp stove if you are cooking, and you an leave your pot luck out until you go to bed. Weather has improved somewhat from earlier cloudy forecasts. It will be mostly clear, with lows overnight of 61 degrees (high close to 100 during the day). Bring plenty of water and loose layered clothes. It will be windy - with 8-15 winds and there may be gusts up to 20 mph. We'll have gorgeous views of Mercury and the moon low on the western horizon I hope, then Jupiter, Mars and Saturn. In the morning, for those getting up before dawn, Venus is a real treat. In between, Milky way wonders and other galaxies. We'll hold another dark sky star party here in the fall, probably around the of the 20th anniversary of Mojave National Preserve on October 31. Info: http://mojavepreserve.org/index.php/site/article/star_party_in_the_mojave_n… Clear Sky Chart: http://cleardarksky.com/c/HlWllCpCAkey.html?1 Views from Amboy Crater dark sky night last weekend: Milky Way Rising from Gary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAtUx-iCZBI Photos from Jane and Mojo http://photo.whiteoaks.com/2014-05-25-amboy/index.html -- Jane Houston Jones Monrovia, CA @jhjones @CassiniSaturn @NASAInsight What's Up For May? Saturn, Mars, Comets, Meteor Showers http://youtu.be/4mxFlUCliWg

11 years, 9 months

Sidewalk Astronomy tonight!

by Jane Houston Jones

It may be windy, and the views may not be as perfectly crisp as they can be, but your local Sidewalk Astronomers will be out tonight at Myrtle and Lime Streets in Monrovia from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The winds will determine our end time, but we (at least I) hope we can show majestic Saturn to everyone. Tonight is Saturn Opposition. As the Sun sets in the west, Saturn will rise "opposite" to it in the east. Opposition is when Saturn is closest to Earth, and so it shines brightest for the year, but will be beautifully visible for several more months. Since sunset is about 7:45 p.m. Saturn won't rise above the buildings and trees in Monrovia until about 8:30 p.m., later visible in telescopes. In addition to Saturn, we'll have a easy-to-see treat with the moon near Mars. Those not within the sound of my voice, look up and you can easily see the moon! It's that reddish object to the left of the moon tonight! Look again tomorrow night and notice Mars above the moon! Saturn will be the golden "star" rising on the horizon following Mars after sunset. -- Jane Houston Jones Monrovia, CA @jhjones @CassiniSaturn @NASAInsight What's Up For May? Saturn, Mars, Comets, Meteor Showers http://youtu.be/4mxFlUCliWg

11 years, 10 months

Sidewalk Astronomy next Saturday (not tonight)

by Jane Houston Jones

Most of us were not available for sidewalk astronomy tonight, so we'll try again next weekend, May 10. But tonight will be a nice night to look us at the nearly crescent moon low in the Western sky, with bright Jupiter above it. Mars will be visible midway up the Eastern sky. And What's Up for May is availabkle on YouTube - it's about Saturn, Mars, comets and a maybe new meteor shower later in the month. http://youtu.be/4mxFlUCliWg See you next weekend, hopefully! -- Jane Houston Jones Monrovia, CA @jhjones @CassiniSaturn @NASAInsight What's Up For May? Saturn, Mars, Comets, Meteor Showers http://youtu.be/4mxFlUCliWg

11 years, 10 months

Quick note about tonight's eclipse!

by Jane Houston Jones

No public event due to the late hour, but you can easily see tonight's eclipse from your doorstep! Pacific time, the total eclipse begins at 12:06am just after midnight tonight, aka Tuesday morning, and ends at 1:24am. We are watching the moon right now (10pm) and of you step outside, that's Mars above the moon. Here's details http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/scitech/display.cfm?ST_ID=2629 It's easy to see the progression of the eclipse with your eyes - just step outside: maximum eclipse is at 12:45am! I'm posting pictures on @JHJones, @NASAsolarsystem , and @Mojo_la will also cover it. -- Jane Houston Jones Monrovia, CA @jhjones @CassiniSaturn @NASAInsight What's Up For April? Lyrids, Lunar Eclipse, Mars at Opposition http://youtu.be/DOS-LkdTTGE

11 years, 11 months

Upcoming Astronomy events

by Jane Houston Jones

Hi everyone! Last night's pass of the International Space Station was fun to watch from Myrtle and Lime Streets. We had a big crowd out to watch with us. There is another excellent pass tonight from the LA area. It begins at 7:58 PM Pacific time, is 6 min in duration, with a maximum height of 78 degrees, begining in the South-Southwest sky at 7:58 pm. The International Space Station reaches its highest elevation at 8:01 p.m. and ends at 8:04 p.m. in the East-Northeast. I signed up for an email alert from this website and get a notice the day before the next pass. Here's the link. http://spotthestation.nasa.gov <http://t.co/FnACewXJOw> I also use this website for more satellite passes and nice maps, Heaven's Above, http://www.heavens-above.com/. I set up dozens of our commonly used observing locations, but the SpotTheSyation email is easy! I also updated our Old Town Astronomers with hightlights of the month (Lunar Eclipse in April 14) and upcoming event dates. On the west coast the eclipse begins at 9:53 p.m. and ends at 3:38 a.m. If you just want to catch the *total eclipse*, set your alarm clock for midnight on the West Coast. The total eclipse will last *an hour and a half from beginning to end*. Several people asked us last night about observing from a dark sky. Our next public dark sky star party is on May 31, in Mojave National Preserve's Black Canyon Group Campsite. It's highly recommended to arrive before dark (sunset is at 8:30 p.m.), enjoy the potluck, set up your tent in the large group campsite (RSVP required but there is no cost), and visit the Hole in the Wall visitor center open 10-4 Saturdays, or take some of the nearby hikes. Then near 8:30 p.m. we'll share views through an assortment of telescopes for as long as there are people wishing to observe with us (or until we poop out). We typically leave some telescopes up all night to catch special views before dawn. More on that closer to the date. The Mojave National Preserve doesn't have the Spring Star party flyer up yet (I owe them a "what we'll see" writeup) but you can look at the November 2013 flyer to get the flavour of the event. You can see the park map here to plan your driving, where the visitor centers and attractions are. http://www.nps.gov/moja/planyourvisit/camping-groups.htm We drive from Monrovia by driving to Barstow, then I-40. Wen we get to Ludlow it's 49 miles east past Ludlow to the Essex Road turnoff on I-40. After 10 miles you bear right on Black Canyon Road. Follow Black Canyon Road another ten miles to Hole-in-the-Wall Campground/Visitor Center (to the left, and Black Canyon Group campground to the right) The large group campground, with pit toilets, a water pump, covered picnic tables, fire pit and flat cement pad for telescopes is 1/4 mile further on a gravel road (not suitable for motorcycles, we learned last year) I'll let you know the RSVP # soon, but you can always send me an email and I'll pass on any names/numbers to the Mojave National Preserve Conservancy folks. Hope to see some of you this year! It's a long drive, but with dark skies, a free campsite, and plenty of daytime hikes nearby it's an experience you'll cherish as much as we do! See you on our next sidewalk date, May 3! Jane <http://t.co/FnACewXJOw> -- Jane Houston Jones Monrovia, CA @jhjones @CassiniSaturn @NASAInsight What's Up For April? Lyrids, Lunar Eclipse, Mars at Opposition http://youtu.be/DOS-LkdTTGE

11 years, 11 months

Sidewalk astronomy Saturday the 5th! 7-9 p.m.

by Jane Houston Jones

There is so much to see this month in our night skies! Mars at opposition, a lunar eclipse and April's Lyrid meteor shower. We can show you some of these objects on the Monrovia Sidewalk Saturday night, April 5th. We can show you Mars, which will be low in the eastern sky, but it's better later in the evening than our sidewalk hours.On April 8 Mars reaches opposition, in its nearly two-year orbit, when it's directly opposite the sun in our sky. This year Mars will be closer to Earth than it has been since 2007. Mars rises in the East in the early evening and is visible all night long. We'll show you the crescent moon, but in another week you can see a total eclipse, but not during our public sidewalk astronomy hours. The lunar eclipse will be visible to everyone in North and South America and the Pacific on April 14 and 15. On the west Coast the eclipse begins at 9:53 p.m. and ends at 3:38 a.m. If you just want to catch the total eclipse, set your alarm clock for midnight on the West Coast. The total eclipse will last an hour and a half from beginning to end. Finally,this month's Lyrid meteor shower peaks on the night of April 22 and the morning of April 23. The third quarter moon rises an hour past midnight, brightening the sky. But the moon will only obscure the fainter meteors. Luckily, the Lyrids are known to produce bright meteors, many with persistent trains. I am betting some LA Urban skywatchers will see some. If not, watch my What's Up video to enjoy these objects vicariously, here: What's Up For April? Lyrids, Lunar Eclipse, Mars at Opposition http://youtu.be/DOS-LkdTTGE Hope to see some of you tomorrow night in Monrovia! NOTE: Calendar for public dark sky National Park star parties: Next Mojave National Preserve Star Party is May 31, next Yosemite Glacier Point Star Party (Jane and Mojo will be there with our friends from the San Jose Astronomical Association) July 25, 26. But there are public star parties at Glacier Point each non-full moon weekend between July 4 and Labor Day. Members bring telescopes, public invited and at no charge. These two are some of the best dark skies in the country, and dedicated to public astronomy, and free of charge. -- Jane Houston Jones Monrovia, CA @jhjones @CassiniSaturn @NASAInsight What's Up For April? Lyrids, Lunar Eclipse, Mars at Opposition http://youtu.be/DOS-LkdTTGE

11 years, 11 months

Sidewalk Astronomy Saturday night

by Jane Houston Jones

Saturday, March 8 is the 7th International Sidewalk Astronomy Night. Join your friendly Sidewalk Astronomers from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m at Myrtle and Lime Streets in Monrovia for gorgeous views of the moon and Jupiter. The Sidewalk Astronomers were founded by our good friend and inspiration John Dobson, who died January 15 at the age of 98. If you can't join us, I hope you'll all step outside Saturday night, look up at the moon, or take that telescope out and show your neighbors the moon! My monthly podcast (the 81st since 2007) is about a rare occultation of a star by an asteroid. There's great animation showing what will happen. Sadly it's only visible from the east coast. Here's the link: youtu.be/U78i1gLPeaY -- Jane Houston Jones Monrovia, CA @jhjones @CassiniSaturn @NASAInsight What's Up For March? An East coast asteroid occultation youtu.be/U78i1gLPeaY

12 years

Not a good night, but we'll try

by Morris Jones

Jane will be at Myrtle & Lime in Monrovia tonight with her 10-inch telescope, though the sky conditions are deteriorating. We'll try from about 6:30 for an hour. As bad as the sky looks, it's probably not worth a special trip. March 8 will be our next sidewalk astronomy in Monrovia. Best regards, Mojo -- Morris Jones Monrovia, CA http://whiteoaks.com

12 years, 1 month

Sidewalk Astronomy tonight: Monrovia

by Jane Houston Jones

We'll attempt to see the moon and Jupiter tonight from Myrtle and Lime Streets from 6:30 - 8:30, through hazy skies. We'll celebrate the life of John Dobson, our friend and founder of the Sidewalk Astronomers, who died on January 15, at the age of 98. Mojo and I were lucky to have been at his 98th birthday party in September 2013. I thanked him (again) for introducing me to the night sky, public astronomy and science education over 25 years ago. Tonight I'll bring the first telescope I made in his 1988 telescope making class. Making that telescope, especially grinding and polishing my first mirror, with his assistance, has led me on many unexpected journeys, including the journey to Southern California ten years ago. The first question I was asked on an interview for my job in Education and Public Outreach for JPL's Cassini Mission to Saturn was "Did you really make a telescope in John Dobson's class"? Really! During my first week on the job, that same manager stopped by my desk and asked: "I have a 6-inch telescope with a really dirty mirror, can you clean it for me? Yes! See you tonight, I hope! If not, watch February's What's Up, my 80th monthly stargazing podcast. http://youtu.be/KiSqDly3ZRs 25 years ago, when I was taking my first looks through my homemade telescope, I never would have dreamed it would lead me here! Thanks, John :-) -- Jane Houston Jones Monrovia, CA Jane Houston Jones @jhjones @CassiniSaturn @NASAInSight What's Up For Feb? All the planets, Dawn & Rosetta http://youtu.be/KiSqDly3ZRs

12 years, 1 month

Canceled sidewalk astronomy in Monrovia

by Morris Jones

This little band of clouds had just the right timing to wipe out the sky in Monrovia tonight. If you can see the moon, and are desperate for a look, a couple of our members are set up at Santa Fe Dam for another couple of hours, or until the sky is hopeless. Our next sidewalk astronomy opportunity will be February 7 in Monrovia. Best regards, Mojo -- Morris Jones Monrovia, CA http://whiteoaks.com

12 years, 2 months

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