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Sidewalk Astronomy likely rained out tomorrow

by Jane Houston Jones

The weather doesn't look promising for Sidewalk Astronomy Saturday night, so if you want to do some armchair astronomy this weekend, here are some great reading materials: NASA Begins Search For What Is Left Of Comet ISON http://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/nasa-begins-search-for-what-is-left-of-… In Memoriam: Comet ISON http://www.isoncampaign.org/karl/in-memoriam Jane's What's Up for December: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/whatsup-archive.cfm If the weather clears up, we'll send a note! -- Jane Houston Jones @jhjones @CassiniSaturn @NASAInsight What's Up? ISON perihelion, Venus conjunction, Winter constellations http://youtu.be/_UlmGDoUI5YMy 2013 - Year At A Glance Astro Blog http://jane.whiteoaks.com/2013/01/07/whats-up-in-2013-at-a-glance/

12 years, 1 month

Sidewalk astronomy tonight!

by Jane Houston Jones

We'll be out sharing views of the moon and Venus tonight at Myrtle and Lime Streets in Monrovia tonight. We'll be there by 6:30 for sure, now that it gets dark earlier! Read (and listen) to my info about the MAVEN Launch to Mars a week from Monday, and an comet ISON update. I'll be attending the launch, bringing agood luck banner to the MAVEN team signed by the InSight Mission team (I am the outreach person for Insight, launching to Mars in 2016) And don't forget our rescheduled Mojave National Preserve star Party November 30. We'll have a gorgeous sky filled with the remnants of summer constellations and the Milky Way, which make way for the constellations of fall. Then in the hour before morning twilight, we'll (hopefully) be up to look at a few comets. It's unlikely Comet ISON will be visible (it passes nearest the sun on November 28th, and that means even if it survives, it will be very near the sun, too close for safe viewing. If there is a comet tail to be seen on the horizon, we'll let everyone know before they go to bed saturday night. Being November, It will be cold probably, but as John Dobson says "Many are cold, but few are frozen" I'll end with Mojo's three lovely comet images from our trip to Amboy Crater last weekend. All three were imaged (and seen visually through my telescope too) between 3:00am and 4:00am Sunday morning) Comet R1 Lovejoyhttp://whiteoaks.com/astrophotos/2013-11-02/C2013-R1-Lovejoy-2013-11… Comet S1 ISONhttp://whiteoaks.com/astrophotos/2013-11-02/C2012-S1-ISON-2013-11-02.jpg Comet 2P (a periodic comet returning every 3 years) 2P Encke http://whiteoaks.com/astrophotos/2013-11-02/2P-encke-2013-11-02-5min.jpg -- Jane Houston Jones Monrovia, CA Jane Houston Jones @jhjones @CassiniSaturn @NASAInsight What's Up For Nov? Maven Launch Nov 18, Comet ISON races towards the sun http://youtu.be/MwP1UVCH6ck My 2013 - Year At A Glance Astro Blog http://jane.whiteoaks.com/2013/01/07/whats-up-in-2013-at-a-glance/

12 years, 2 months

Mojave National Preserve star party postopned

by Jane Houston Jones

Due to the shutdown which ended last week, some of the National Preserve groups and individuals who coordinate the star party were unable to do so. We plan to reschedule the twice-a-year Mojave National Preserve star party. The campground is already reserved, and it's possible a few of the astronomers will be there on their own, but the pot luck, firewood, invited members of the community won't be there. If you want to know if there will be an astronomer or two, let me know - and I'll get back to you before Friday. Sorry about that! Tentatively planning November 30 - and spring 2014 will be announced well in advance, subject to campground availability. As a conolation. here's a spooky observing writeup in time for Halloween! http://jane.whiteoaks.com/2009/10/30/spooky-halloween-observing/ I'll update the Comet ISON opportunities soon (dawn, low in eastern sky)! Hint: It's not visible to the unaided eye yet. -- Jane Houston Jones @jhjones @CassiniSaturn @NASAInsight What's Up? Juno Earth Flyby Oct.9, #IOMN, far side of moon NASA video youtu.be/ReoS1xVQGVI My 2013 - Year At A Glance Astro Blog http://jane.whiteoaks.com/2013/01/07/whats-up-in-2013-at-a-glance/

12 years, 3 months

Fwd: FW: Exceptional Space Station Pass Tonight (Monday)

by Jane Houston Jones

Heads up! Very good ISS pass tonight over LA area. 7:45-7:51p.m. Also, Sidewalk Astronomy Saturday in Monrovia, it's International Observe the Moon Night! 7:00-9:00p.m. Myrtle and Lime streets. My monthly video is about it, plus about Juno spacecraft flying by earth for a Gravity Assist on Wednesday. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReoS1xVQGVI&feature=youtu.be My video and JPL blog page (with a Comet ISON blog I wrote 2 weeks ago) http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/whatsup-archive.cfm Oh, we saw Comet ISON yesterday morning! Here's my personal blog http://jane.whiteoaks.com/ Month at a glance, updated: http://jane.whiteoaks.com/2013/01/07/whats-up-in-2013-at-a-glance/ Whew! Very bright, right overhead (for LA). Free but you'll miss part of the Dodgers/Braves (or Falcons/Jets). Date 07 October 2013 Event Time Altitude Azimuth Distance (km) Brightness Sun altitude Rises 19:45:12 0° 226° (SW) 2,341 1.2 -16.6° Reaches altitude 10° 19:47:17 10° 227° (SW) 1,482 0.1 -17.1° Maximum altitude 19:50:37 86° 317° (NW) 420 -3.4 -17.7° Enters shadow 19:51:33 45° 43° (NE) 579 -2.9 -17.9°

12 years, 3 months

Sidewalk Astronomy Saturday

by Jane Houston Jones

Saturday September 14 is Sidewalk Astronomer founder John Dobson's 98th birthday! What better way to celebrate it than by taking our telescopes to the sidewalk and sharing the views of the moon (and maybe a last glimpse at Saturn for a while) with you! Mojo and I will be going to a birthday party for John tomorrow afternoon, so we'll be hapy to include your wishes if you have a message for John :-) Join us on the corner of Myrtle and Lime Streets from about 7 - 9 p.m. tomorrow night. Now for the links portion of my email :-) We have had some fine bloggers at the telescopes with us recently. Here is Elson Trinidad's blog about last month's Monrovia Sidewalk Astronomy, with a detour to the dark sky for some Perseid perusing. http://www.kcet.org/news/the_back_forty/commentary/concrete-and-chaparral/e… And here is Chris Clarke's "8 best places to see the night sky in LA County" http://www.kcet.org/living/travel/socal_wanderer/night-sky/stargazing/8-pla… If you enjoy the written word as I do, you'll enjoy these two fine writers. :-) And my 2013 "At A Glance" astro journal has just been updated for September, clmplete with a link to my What's Up video for September - my 75th podcast in this series! http://jane.whiteoaks.com/2013/01/07/whats-up-in-2013-at-a-glance/ See you Saturday, or if not, look up at the moon, and wish Sidewalk Astronomer founder John Dobson a happy birthday! -- Jane Houston Jones Monrovia, CA http://jane.whiteoaks.com/ http://twitter.com/jhjones What's Up For Sept? LADEE Night Launch, ISON Spotted http://youtu.be/YMt5CIsr-D8 CometISON Toolkithttp://solarsystem.nasa.gov/ISON

12 years, 4 months

Sidewalk Astronomy tonight in Monrovia

by Jane Houston Jones

If you've driven down Myrtle Avenue in the past week and a half, you'll see a sad sight. The historic water fountain on the corner of Myrtle and Lime Streets took a direct hit from a car on August 7th a little before midnight, and the structure was totally destroyed, leaving the fountain and some of the granite foundation. Pictures here http://www.cityofmonrovia.org/citymanagersoffice/page/monrovia-wishing-well… But the sidewalk astronomers will set up a few telescopes tonight to show views of the moon and Saturn from about 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. More August sky info here in my monthly wrapup. http://jane.whiteoaks.com/2013/01/07/whats-up-in-2013-at-a-glance/ -- Jane Houston Jones Monrovia, CA What's Up Podcast for August: Perseids, Comet ISON update http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/whatsup-archive.cfm 2013 Astro Calendar: http://jane.whiteoaks.com/2013/01/07/whats-up-in-2013-at-a-glance/

12 years, 5 months

Moon and Saturn tonight in Monrovia

by Morris Jones

The forecast is clear, and we should have lovely views of a crescent moon, close to first quarter, and Saturn. Jane won't be there this week -- she's winging her way to Glasgow, Scotland, to attend an award ceremony for the Sir Arthur Clarke Awards. She's nominated in the "International" category, and we're hoping for a win, but the competition is stiff! We'll be at Myrtle & Lime, Library Park, from 8:00 'til about 9:30. Mojo -- Morris Jones Monrovia, CA http://whiteoaks.com

12 years, 6 months

Sidewalk Astronomy tonight 8p.m. Monrovia

by Jane Houston Jones

Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, in just a few short hours we'll be setting up a few telescopes at Myrtle and Lime Streets in Monrovia to share views of Saturn and the moon. Can you tell I just returned from a Disney Cruise to Alaska? :-) (photos linked to my signature line, if you want to be tortured by our photos) Sunset isn't until 8:00p.m. so we will show the moon until about 8:30, then moon and Saturn until about 9:30 p.m. If you miss us, you can still see the moon and Saturn from your back yard. To see what else is up this month here's my monthly video: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/whatsup-archive.cfm And read more about what's up all year on my blog: http://jane.whiteoaks.com/2013/01/07/whats-up-in-2013-at-a-glance/ -- Jane Houston Jones Monrovia, CA What's Up Podcast for June: planet lineups & telescopic asteroids http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/whatsup-archive.cfm Alaska vacation pictures http://photo.whiteoaks.com/2013-06-alaska/ 2013 Astro Calendar: http://jane.whiteoaks.com/2013/01/07/whats-up-in-2013-at-a-glance/

12 years, 7 months

Sidewalk astronomy tonight!

by Jane Houston Jones

There may be thin clouds overhead, but a few of us will be out at Myrtle and Lime Streets in Monrovia with telescopes tonight anyway. On tap will be the moon for sure, Jupiter setting early and Saturn rising. Last weekend 11 of our intrepid Sidewalk Astronomer family headed out to Black Canyon Group Campground in Mojave National Preserve for the spring version of our twice-a-year public dark sky star parties. A fabulous time was had by all - there were about 70 people there and 7 telescopes to look through. Here is a writeup from one of the many media there: http://www.lacanadaonline.com/news/tn-vsl-0515-a-star-party-in-the-desert,0… And here is my monthly video, all about spring constellations, and how you can find them when they are close to the moon (like Leo and the moon tonight!) Each of the constellations I cover this month yields beautiful deep sky objects we love to observe in the dark skies of the desert, with astrophotos contributed by Mojo. http://youtu.be/sqnHaIYn_tc Our Otastro website has May viewing tips and the next star party dates http://www.otastro.org/ Jane and the astro gang -- Jane Houston Jones Monrovia, CA What's Up Podcast for May: Spring constellations On Youtube: http://youtu.be/sqnHaIYn_tc Twitter: http://twitter.com/jhjones /CassiniSaturn /otastro My Blog: http://jane.whiteoaks.com/ Yosemite Star Party Video http://www.youtube.com/user/yosemitenationalpark?feature=watch

12 years, 8 months

Sidewalk Astronomy tonight

by Jane Houston Jones

There will be telescopes out at the corner of Myrtle and Lime Streets tonight from sundown until about 9-9:30 p.m. depending on the crowds and the astronomers. So stop by for a great view of the moon, a last look at Jupiter until late fall, and maybe a peek at Saturn rising above the buildings. It should be a good night - the clear sky chart looks great! http://cleardarksky.com/c/MnrviaCAkey.html?1 Mojo and I are in Florida visiting family. We're planning to be with sidewalk astronomers here at Lakewood Ranch, near Sarasota, FL. But the clear sky chart indicates otherwise tho' (all those white squares indicate nothing but clouds and probably rain too) http://cleardarksky.com/c/HRHObFLkey.html?1 Here's a monthly recap of astronomical doings all year. http://jane.whiteoaks.com/2013/01/07/whats-up-in-2013-at-a-glance/ Here's our next dark sky public star party info. May 11 at Mojave National Preserve, Black Canyon Campground. There is free camping but RSPV is required as camping space is limited. RSVP with David Lamfrom at dlamfrom(a)npca.org or 760-219-4916 More info here: http://mojavepreserve.org/index.php/site/article/star_party_in_the_mojave_n… And if you are contemplating a getaway to Yosemite this summer, nearly every weekend (except full moon weekend) from July 4 through Labor Day there is an astronomy club doing a public star party at Glacier Point both Friday and Saturday nights -- as shown in this beautiful video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhgR3zVfo-0&feature=youtu.be. The Northern California Astronomy Cubs choose their first, second and third choices for a weekend slot in a lottery. The club we always go with was granted August 22-23. Moon rises fairly early, so it is not the clubs first choice. But there will be dark skies for a few hours, a gorgeous view of Saturn, then moonrise near Half Dome through club members telescopes. Special announcement :-( Due to budget restrictions, plans for a JPL Open House in spring 2013 have been suspended. If budget considerations improve, JPL hopes to host an Open House at a future date, perhaps as early as fall 2013. Please check back here for updates --> http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/open-house.cfm -- Jane Houston Jones Monrovia, CA What's Up Podcast for April: Saturn's rings delight! On Youtube: http://youtu.be/kdCYwyq3kes Twitter: http://twitter.com/jhjones /CassiniSaturn /otastro My Blog: http://jane.whiteoaks.com/ Yosemite Video http://www.youtube.com/user/yosemitenationalpark?feature=watch

12 years, 9 months

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