I had already replied that the logistics of setup (hauling telescope from parking on street to lawn, then move cars, then repeat to take down) was not good for us. And I thought I put them in touch with Vahrun at Caltech. Notice she says Mars is up. Eek! 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
Saturnobs http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/Education/saturnobservation/
NEW!!What's Up for May: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/whatsup.cfm
------ Forwarded Message
From: "Tanner, Angelle M" <angelle.m.tanner(a)jpl.nasa.gov>
Date: Sun, 17 May 2009 23:29:54 -0700
To: "Jones, Jane H" <jane.h.jones(a)jpl.nasa.gov>
Conversation: would like to book you and your telescopes
Subject: RE: would like to book you and your telescopes
Hey, do you think you and the others might be interested in setting up telescopes for
this weekend's Life of Galileo performance? We did not do the ren faire this weekend
so there was no time. We have performances on Fri, Sat and Sun at 8, 8, and 7pm.
Saturn is up and so is Mars.
Steven Collins (JPL) is the lead and he is amazing! Ya'll should at least come to the show.
Angelle
-----------------------------------------------------------
Angelle Tanner
SBAR/JPL
626-354-1296
-----------------------------------------------------------
Hi again Old Town Astronomy fans! Here is news about a really cool event -
and the Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers will be participating with our
telescopes! If you'd like to help out (by handing out bookmarks or aiming a
solar-safe telescope, or just hang out and learn what to say and do at a
large public astronomy event) email me by May 31 and I'll see if there is a
spot for you to help out. Thanks, Jane
PS I have this "press release" in a PDF format, which I can send to you for
community posting if you'd like.
PPS It's an IYA event, not a sidewalk astronomy event. I'm just working on
the JPL activities and the telescope activities, not the entire event.
(whew)
Public Celebration of IYA2009 in Pasadena on June 6
Contacts:
Douglas Isbell
U.S. Single-Point-of-Contact for IYA2009
Phone: 520-991-0380
Email: disbell(a)astronomy2009.us
Jake Noel-Storr
Rochester Institute of Technology
Phone: 585-475-2521
Email: jake(a)cis.rit.edu
USIYA09-04
May 12, 2009
Public Celebration of International Year of Astronomy 2009 in Pasadena on
June 6
The public is invited to a celebration of the International Year of
Astronomy 2009 (IYA2009) on Saturday, June 6, from 4-8 p.m. at the
Pasadena (Calif.) Convention Center, followed by public stargazing with
small telescopes on the convention center plaza until 9:30 p.m.
A variety of fun, family oriented, hands-on activities and exhibit booths
will be provided, including solar observing and a 100-foot scale model
solar system, presented by organizations attending the subsequent summer
meeting of the American Astronomical Society, with special additions from
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Representatives from the popular
Astronomy Cast podcast and the Galaxy Zoo citizen-science project will be
among the exhibitors in the indoor “AstroZone.” Special indoor
presentations will be made using a portable planetarium and a digital data
immersion environment from the Rochester Institute of Technology.
For updates on exhibits and organizations at the event, visit the
AstroZone Web site at www.imascientist.org/astrozone. For more
information on the SCUBE digital immersion environment, see
insight.cis.rit.edu/SCUBE/.
“Pasadena and greater Los Angeles is one of the world’s leading centers of
astronomy, both historically and today,” said Douglas Isbell, the U.S.
single point of contact for IYA2009. “We look to this public event on
June 6 to help us get the second half of the International Year of
Astronomy off to a stellar start, as we anticipate the distribution of
many thousand copies of our new Galileoscope telescope kit around the
world, and several exciting citizen-science projects.”
Driving directions to the Pasadena Convention Center and information on
parking is available at the Web site pasadenacenter.com/-directions.html.
The outdoor astronomy activities and bazaar will be held in the central
plaza marked by a rose and purple background on the street map posted
there.
The telescope viewing, and some of the afternoon outdoor activities on
June 6 are weather dependent. The planet Saturn, in particular, will be
well positioned for viewing that evening. Small telescopes for public
viewing will be provided by members of the Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers
(www.otastro.org).
Commemorating 400 years since Galileo first used a telescope for
astronomical research, IYA2009 is designed to help the citizens of the
world to rediscover their place in the Universe through viewing the day-
and night-time skies, to appreciate the impact of astronomy and basic
sciences on our daily lives, and to better understand how scientific
knowledge can contribute to a more equitable and peaceful society.
Astronomers and educators in 140 countries aim to stimulate worldwide
interest in astronomy and science, especially among young people, under
the central IYA2009 theme‚"The Universe, Yours to Discover."
Major IYA2009 events to come include collaboration with the Year of
Science 2009 in July
(www.yearofscience2009.org/themes_astronomy/celebrate/), featuring a
public imaging contest using NASA’s MicroObservatory network, globally
connected star parties focused on observing the Moon on August 1 and
Jupiter (and its moons) on October 23-24, the Great World Wide Star Count
from October 9-23, and further expansion of the new Portal to the Universe
Web site (www.portaltotheuniverse.org).
To learn more about IYA2009, visit www.astronomy2009.org. Additional
information on the U.S. plans and programs for IYA can be found at
www.astronomy2009.us.
The U.S. IYA2009 program is supported by the National Science Foundation
and NASA, and by private donations. The American Astronomical Society is
the U.S. liaison to the IYA2009 program via the International Astronomical
Union. Key U.S. partners include the Astronomical Society of the Pacific,
the National Optical Astronomy Observatory, the Harvard-Smithsonian Center
for Astrophysics, the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, and the National Radio
Astronomy Observatory.
The California Institute of Technology in Pasadena manages JPL for NASA.
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
Saturnobs http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/Education/saturnobservation/
NEW!!What's Up for May: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/whatsup.cfm
I've been following Twitter and NASA TV at work watching the historic
"Grapple" of Hubble by shuttle STS-125, Atlantis this morning. It was very
exciting and so I thought I'd share it with you all.
For those of you not near your TV, computer, or don't follow NASA on
Twitter, here is a little diary of the past hour and a half.
Fr NASA 9:10 a.m. Pacific: To watch the shuttle capture Hubble at 12:56pm
ET and for the first views of the telescope in 7 years, go to:
www.nasa.gov/ntv
Fr NASA 9:10 a.m. Shuttle Atlantis performed a small mid-course correction
burn during approach to Hubble. Grapple is set to occur at about 12:54pm ET.
Fr NASA 9:10 a.m. Pacific Atlantis is now closing in at 1.2 feet/sec and is
just under 700 feet from Hubble.
Fr Spaceflight Now 9:30 a.m.: Atlantis is now 300 feet directly below
Hubble. http://tinyurl.com/o3urko
Fr NASA 9:30 a.m.The Hubble team at Hubble's control center is doing
commanding sequences to prepare it for Atlantis, which is about 250 ft
beneath Hubble.
NASA abt 9:30 a.m. Less than 24 minutes to grapple! Watch with Mission
Control as Atlantis lines up w/Hubble: www.nasa.gov/ntv DishNet Ch. 123
DirecTV Ch. 283
Fr NASA 9:40 a.m. To watch the shuttle capture Hubble at 12:56pm ET and for
the first views of the telescope in 7 years, go to: www.nasa.gov/ntv
Fr NASA 10:05 a.m. Atlantis now closes the final 100 feet, moving at a speed
of only a tenth of a ft/sec. The estimated time of grapple is 1:05pm ET.
Fr Spaceflightnow 10:09 a.m. Hubble coming into view of the camera mounted
at the end of the shuttle's robot arm as the shuttle inches closer.
http://tinyurl.com/o3urko
Fr SpaceflightNow 10:14 a.m. The shuttle's robot arm is now reaching out to
grab the telescope.
Fr NASA 10:15 a.m. The Hubble Space Telescope has been captured by space
shuttle Atlantis' robotic arm. It now will be moved into the shuttle's cargo
bay.
Fr alexismadrigal(Wired Science) 10:15 a.m. Hubble is the hottest tin can of
all time. http://twitpic.com/53ouw Look at her all lit up.
Spaceflightnow 10:45 a.m.Communications regained with Hubble. Everything
looks good for berthing the telescope in the cargo bay.
http://tinyurl.com/o3urko
Scifri (Science Friday) at 10:47 a.m. Atlantis crew has been given a 'go' to
start work on pulling Hubble into its berth in the shuttle bay.
PeterKingCBS 10:50 a.m. Atlantis astronaut Megan McArthur operating robot
arm to bring Hubble into shuttle's cargo bay for its makeover.
Gyeehill (JPL friend) at 10:50 a.m. Atlantis can see the Baja peninsula and
soon Southern Cal. (((( waving ))))) Hi! Astro_Mike !!!!!!!
Watch NASA TV on your computer:
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html?param=public
Watch NASA TV www.nasa.gov/ntv, DishNet Ch. 213, DirecTV Ch. 283
Now I'll return you to your regular programming. Hope you enjoy this
play-by-play. :-) Jane
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jhjones
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
Saturnobs http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/Education/saturnobservation/
NEW!!What's Up for May: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/whatsup.cfm
While there are partly cloudy spots around L.A. county, the Monrovia end
of the San Gabriel Valley seems to have a permanent knot of clouds
backed up against the mountains.
So with little chance of any sky, we're going to call off sidewalk
astronomy in Monrovia tonight.
We'll try again soon ...
Mojo
--
Morris Jones
Monrovia, CA
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.orghttp://twitter.com/mojo_la
Jane and everyone at JPL are busily scurrying around getting everything
ready for the annual JPL Open House this weekend. She may have a
followup when she comes up for air! Meanwhile there's information at
JPL's web site:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/open-house.cfm
Jane will be with volunteers manning solar telescopes, and offering
views, if there is sun! Also look for your favorite Old Town Astronomers
in the Int'l Year of Astronomy film being shown in the auditorium.
They have huge crowds, and it's good to be there early if you can. I
don't think one day is much better than the other.
It's also our sidewalk astronomy weekend, Friday and Saturday. Right
now the weather forecast is not looking promising for either night, but
I'll send an update tomorrow.
Best regards,
Mojo
--
Morris Jones
Monrovia, CA
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org
Twitter: http://twitter.com/mojo_la
Last weekend was an adventurous one for several of us who spent two
nights in the Mojave National Preserve. While Friday was a bit harrowing
with high winds, Saturday was a great day for exploring the park, and
observing galaxies in the dark sky at night.
I have an article here about the trip:
http://mojo.whiteoaks.com/2009/04/26/snakes-tortoises-and-stars/
and a photo album with some cool tortoise video shot by Jane here:
http://photo.whiteoaks.com/2009-04-25-mojave/
We had such a good time that we're contemplating doing it again next
month. If you've never had much opportunity to get out from under the
L.A. light dome, you might consider joining us. From Monrovia it's
about 215 miles of easy drive.
If this sounds like something you'd be interested in, let me know as
soon as you can. The new moon weekend in May is May 23-24. If there
are enough interested parties, we can reserve the same group camping area.
I'll follow this message with information about this coming weekend.
Mojo
--
Morris Jones
Monrovia, CA
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org
Twitter: http://twitter.com/mojo_la
Here are some final facts and tidbits. Print it
out and tuck into your car. Be sure you print
out a map too, if you need one. Forward to new
attendees.
Location and directions:
Latitude and Longitude (altitude 4400 feet)
35.043333, -115.395833?
+35° 2' 36.00", -115° 23' 45.00"
Get Google directions from here http://is.gd/tKhT
Here are several maps:
http://www.nps.gov/moja/planyourvisit/maps.htm We
are staying Black Canyon Group Campsite adjacent
to Hole-in the Wall campground. You can see this
on all the maps. Group campsite: Vault toilets,
trash receptacles, potable water, fire ring,
grill, picnic shelter with tables. Fees $25 per
group per night. (Fri night paid by Jane, Sat
night paid by Hanna)
More directions: http://www.nps.gov/moja/planyourvisit/directions.htm
Mojave National Preserve is located east of
Barstow, Calif., between I-15 and I-40.
From I-15: Exit Kelbaker Road at Baker, Calif.,
or Zyzyx Road, Cima Road, or Nipton Road.
From I-40: Exit Kelbaker Road, Essex Road, or Goffs Road.
Directions to Hole-in-the-Wall and Mitchell Caverns
From I-40: Exit Essex Road and drive north 10
miles to the junction with Black Canyon Road.
Mitchell Caverns is 6 miles northwest of this
junction on Essex Road. Hole-in-the-Wall is 10
miles north on Black Canyon Road.
Attendees:
Jane and Mojo will arrive Friday afternoon.
Hanna Strauss, Bill Read +1, Mike Cipra (NPCA),
Dave Lanfrom (Mojave National Preserve
superintendent), Carolina +3 from JPL, Gary + 1
from JPL arrive Friday. Gay + 3 from JPL maybe
Friday.
Saturday: Some of the above - I think Mike and
Dave are Fri night only. Add Todd, probably not
Caroline (hope your dad is better, C). Becky,
Angela +3. Possibly a few more late invitees.
Lots of room in the campground. So it's ok to
invite a few others. It's a fun event, don't
worry if at the last minute you can't make it.
Those things happen. It's not work! ;-)
Weather: http://is.gd/tKfB (check back in the next few days for updates)
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 72.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 43.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 67.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 40.
Astronomy Weather (forecast partly cloudy for
weekend at the moment, check back Thursday)
http://www.cleardarksky.com/c/HlWllCpCAkey.html?1
Herping outings: (notes from Hanna) "The desert
still won't be too hot; in fact it would be
ideal to do some day herping to see various
lizards (including chuckwallas), desert
tortoises, and diurnal snakes. It should be warm
enough in the early evening for the nocturnal
species to come out to hunt and thermoregulate
on asphalt warmed by the sun during the day. You
can also do lantern walking at night around the
campground and road to look for stuff. At night
you are more likely to find interesting stuff:
shovelnose snakes, leafnose snakes, glossy
snakes, longnose snakes, rosy boas, banded
geckos, sidewinders, scorpions,
tarantulas,kangaroo rats. pocket mice, solpugids,
bats,desert cottontails, nighthawks, kit foxes,
coyotes and jack rabbits. Roadcruising for Herps
(with a driver and a few passengers will be
arranged with Hanna)
A good pocket guide is Western Reptiles And
Amphibians by Robert C. Stebbins. It is published
by Houghton Mifflin
What to bring:
Layers - it will be in the 80's in the daytime,
40's-50's at night, so prepare for all these
temperatures with layers
Shoes - hiking boots, ankle support to walk among
the rocks. Remember there are cacti and desert
dwellers afoot. Those going on herping walks will
want proper foot covering, for sure.
Sun - Sunscreen and hats and plenty of drinking water
Food - (closest store is probably Barstow - not a
quick drive to/from the campsite): Let's help
Hanna (she may be the only herpetologist) with a
fun Saturday potluck and Sunday breakfast - bring
some side-dish - fruit-etc things to share if
you want for Sat night and main meal (aka
meat/whatever) for yourself. There will be a
couple camp stoves. Easy on desserts - if
everyone brings some to share there will be way
too many desserts - keep it simple for desserts
warns Hanna. Bring some drinks (OJ, milk, etc,
for breakfast). Hanna is bringing coffee, and
offered pancakes, but if she is the only
herpetologist this may be too much for her - I'll
send an email about food tomorrow - everyone send
me some food ideas if they have them, so everyone
doesn't being the same thing......If you are not
bringing a stove, share what you can prepare
without a stove (except for you meat or whatever)
We are bringing simple stuff like mac 'n cheese
+tuna. I'll bring tea bags, hot chocolate, coffee
to share, too. :-) Cutting or collecting any
wood, including downed wood, is prohibited. All
firewood must be brought into the preserve.
Astronomy Etiquette (aka keep white lights away from telescopes)
Safety is first, but white flashlights damage
everyone's dark adaption. Bring flashlights to
get from here to there. Always point flashlights
at ground not at peoples eyes. Cup your palm
around the light to diffuse it. If you want to
use smaller flashlights near the telescopes I
have red tape to put over the light. And extra
red flashlights to share. I'll have the red tape
at the telescopes and at my tent. Big lanterns
are ok in your tent and out walking at night away
from the telescopes, but not at the telescopes.
You'll want to walk around looking for critters,
do that away from the telescopes. :-)
Car lights There will be cars coming and going to
take people "roadcruising" down the road at
night. It's a way to see more herps by covering
more territory. It would be a good idea to
leave the cars away from the telescopes/dining
pavilion at night. It is impossible to get all
interior car lights off, so at night if you are
going to get in and out of your cars, it would be
good to park away from the telecopes. Shouldn't
be a problem. :-)
Camping Rules and Leave No Trace Guidlines from
NPS
http://www.nps.gov/moja/planyourvisit/camping-regs.htm
--
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
My good friend Dave Doody is teaching his awesome space class again at
Art Center College of Design beginning May 14. His class is really
great and gives a good overview of everything from the environment in
the solar system to reference systems to get around the solar system, on
to gravity, spacecraft trajectories, flight missions and operations.
Everyone is 6 degrees from a JPL flight mission. You are either working
on one, or you know someone on a mission or you'd like to work on one
someday. Dave's class is a great start for the enthusiast to the advocate!
Dave's class takes place on seven Thursday evenings beginning May 14.
It's a great way for everyone to get a good overview about space
flight: You night see me there!
Course: Basics of Interplanetary Flight
Starts: May 14. Registration opens April 8, 2009
Venue: Art Center College of Design Public Programs
Meets: 7 Thurs evenings 7-10pm, South Campus, Pasadena
Space: 12 participants total ($315 tuition, some discounts available)
Instructor: Dave Doody, Caltech/JPL senior flight operations engineer
Visit: http://people.artcenter.edu/doody
--
Jane Houston Jones
Monrovia, CA
34.2048N 118.1732W, 637.0 feet
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org
My JPL What's Up podcast: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/whatsup.cfm
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jhjoneshttp://twitter.com/CassiniSaturn
It's IYA Sun Day!
Join me this afternoon from 1:30 until 3 p.m. Myrtle and Lime Streets
Monrovia CA for the Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers fourth and final "100
Hours of Astronomy" observing celebration. Here is what the sun looks
like today http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/realtime-images.html
I'll be out at Monrovia's Library Park with two telescopes - one is my
homemade (in John Dobson's telescope makring class) safe solar
telescope. And the other is a small reftactor fitted with a special
h-Alpha filter.
The homemade telescope shows the sun in white light - this is how the
sun looks to the unaided eye. The viewer sees the photosphere, or the
apparent surface of the sun, which has a temperature of 6,000 Celsius.
You can say this is the sun you can "see" or what you see through a
projection onto a piece of paper.
The other is a telescope fitted with an h-Alpha filter, which shows just
one wavelength of light -the red light of hydrogen (wavelength of 656.3
nanometers). With this we see the next highest layer of the sun - the
chromosphere (temperature between 6,000 and 20,000 C.) We need a filter
to see this layer because the brighter photosphere layer below washes
out the fainter chromosphere, just like a bright streetlight would wash
out the light of a flashlight. What you see through an h-Alpha filter
are ribbony dark colored filaments against the disk and prominences on
the edge, many times longer than the diameter of the Earth!
I took these definitions from my writeup for the SOHO outreach website
:-) http://soho.nascom.nasa.gov/outreach/past/Sidewalk/
For those who venture out to Myrtle and Lime, you'll be rewarded, not
only with some great solar views, but I am bringing an AMAZING
collection of educational handouts. While they last, get 3-d images of
the sun in H-alpha, courtesy of the SOHO - Solar and Heliospheric
Observatory, some more from STEREO ( two space-based observatories, one
ahead of Earth, the other trailing behind. I also have lots of NASA
lithographs of the sun. And just a very few additional 3-d cards from
the SOHO/TRACE missions. And plenty of IYA bookmarks. First come,
first get! See you in a half hour!
Jane
PS the Sun will be the subject of my May What's Up podcast!
--
Jane Houston Jones
Monrovia, CA
34.2048N 118.1732W, 637.0 feet
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org
My JPL What's Up podcast: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/whatsup.cfm
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jhjoneshttp://twitter.com/CassiniSaturn
