Telescope work day December 16

Some of you met Sidewalk Astronomers John Dobson, Bob Alborzian and Donna Smith last Saturday night in Monrovia - they were helping out with the telescopes in addition to Todd and Caroline, and Mojo and me. It was a really fun night and our friends Bob and Donna really enjoyed our Monrovia sidewalk gang. John's next Southern California "event" will be his annual visit to Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park, between Christmas and New Years. Before the annual Death Valley trek, the Sidewalk Astronomers homemade telescopes usually need a little "repair" in Donna's workshop. If you are interested in helping, watching, or spending some time with John and the gang, you can do so by attending the "Work Party" on Saturday December 16th contact Donna Smith dsmith1055(a)earthlink.net 818-846-1722 This is a great way to see the not-so-mysterious construction details of the telescopes. Donna says that four telescopes - 8, 10, 12 and 18-inch reflectors on Dobsonian mounts - will be in the shop for some minor surgery. :-) If you are interested in attending the Death Valley Astronomy program on one or more nights (or days), here are some details from Donna - ask her directly if you have any questions. Furnace Creek - arrive Dec. 26th in the afternoon, John speaks that night at the visitor center. We leave the morning of Dec. 30. For camping information call 800-365-2267 and for lodging at the Furnace Creek Ranch/Inn call 760-786-2345 and the number for the Furnace Creek Visitor Center is 760-786-3200. We will have sun scopes out daily and telescopes out nightly. We have plenty of scopes, if someone wants to swing by on their way to/from Vegas and doesn't want to tote a scope. Lodging might also be available at Stovepipe Wells or Armagosa - which are 20 to 30 minutes from Furnace Creek. Here are a few astro happenings this week and next: Tonight, December 8th - watch Saturn accompany the moon across the sky. December 8-14 - 45 minutes before sunrise: Watch Jupiter, Mars and Mercury come close together in the southeast at dawn. Look very close to the SE horizon, less than 10 degrees above the horizon. Mars is the dimmest of the three planets. Watch from now until the 14th of December as the trio comes closer together. The three planets fit in a one degree circle on the 10th. This is the closest observable "bunching" of three bright planets for the next 25 years! No telescope needed, this is a view for the unaided eyes or binoculars. Check back on the Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers website http://www.otastro.org/ in a week or two. We should have our next dark sky and sidewalk dates listed, plus a photo journal from last Saturday night, plus a cute song about John Dobson on the website. 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 Cassini Saturn Observation Campaign http://soc.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm