Bad news (clouds tonight) good news (Mojave Star Party June 25th)

We Sidewalk Astronomers have been watching the satellite images to assess tonight's weather all week. Nearly all the astronomers are busy tonight -- being a full moon weekend, that's when we spend the weekend with family and stuff like that. So we are reluctantly cancelling, tho' we never really announced we'd try for tonight, and it would have only been one or two of us anyway. But if you are at home and it is clear or only partly cloudy, step outside as close to midnight or as late as you can stay awake tonight -- we wouldn't be out doing sidewalk astronomy this late anyway. The full moon (moon at opposition) rises at about 8 p.m. and Mars is at it's 26 month opposition a few hours later. Mars won't get very high -- only about 35 degrees above the horizon about midnight. The moon will be just to the left of Mars, and Saturn will appear below the duo. Check out the Sidewalk Astronomers facebook page to see the star charts. You don't have to be on facebook to see the public star charts. https://www.facebook.com/Old-Town-Sidewalk-Astronomers-1619991271586682/?fr… I also wrote this in addition to my podcast linked below: https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/ Good news, Mojave National Preserve Spring Star Party rescheduled for June 25th. I guess that is officially summer, but just barely. Same routine, RSVP and so forth. The fall date has also been set, for those of you who like to plan in advance. It will be November 5th. The campground is also reserved the night before but the astronomers usually only set up telescopes on the Saturday night.. -- Jane Houston Jones What's Up May 2016 podcast: Mercury transit, Mars closest approach https://youtu.be/TQ-qbykREXE