- OTEvents - Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers

Nice view of Moon and Jupiter tonight
by Jane Houston Jones 17 Jul '08

17 Jul '08

Step out tonight (I'm writing this at 9 p.m.) and have a look at the moon and Jupiter - both rising in the southeast! Look at their positions tomorrow night too! And since I have your attention :-) the Cassini Mission website has a great feature written by Todd Barber, our Cassini Lead Propulsion Engineer, who often operates one of out telescopes for sidewalk astronomy in Pasadena. Todd spent last week at the Smithsonian Folk Life Festival in Washington DC, and he shares some of this thoughts about the event in a lovely "Insiders Cassini" piece. The recent pictures aren't too shabby either! http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.cfm Jane Jane Houston Jones Monrovia, CA 34.2048N 118.1732W, 637.0 feet http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org

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We're going to try a little sidewalk astronomy tonight
by Morris Jones 12 Jul '08

12 Jul '08

We have a milky sky in Monrovia, but expect the moon to be visible at least most of the time. So we'll bring some telescopes out to Myrtle & Lime in Monrovia tonight, maybe with abbreviated hours, given the sky conditions. Our only telescope target will be the moon. Saturn is setting quickly in the evening twilight, and Jupiter rises just a little too late. There are a few isolated thunderstorm cells near San Bernardino and Riverside. If our site looks threatened when I check the radar at about 6:00, we'll call it off. So it's not a night to make a special trip to look through a telescope. Save that for next month, when we'll have Jupiter joining the moon. Mojo -- Morris Jones Monrovia, CA http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org

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Yucky astronomy weather tonight
by Morris Jones 11 Jul '08

11 Jul '08

The monsoon conditions this week bring us heat, humidity, clouds, and increasingly this weekend the threat of thunderstorms. While it's unlikely that we might actually get caught in a thunderstorm tonight on Colorado Blvd., these aren't conditions conducive to sidewalk astronomy. So tonight's outing is canceled. I'll revisit the forecast tomorrow for Monrovia, though at this time the conditions look about the same. Cheers, Mojo -- Morris Jones http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers http://www.otastro.org http://twitter.com/mojo_la

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Planets this week, Sidewalk Astronomy this weekend
by Jane H Jones 10 Jul '08

10 Jul '08

Step outside when the sun sets this week for a nice pairing of red rocky Mars and gassy giant Saturn. Then turn yourself around and watch bright Jupiter rising low in the southeast. You won't need a telescope to see these three planets. You just need good horizons, clear skies, and the ambition to step outside. Here is a little feature I wrote for the JPL website explaining what's going on this week: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/scitech/display.cfm?ST_ID=2198 . I hope you'll share it with your friends. Our Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers website also features these star charts, and July's monthly astro roundup. http://www.otastro.org/ And speaking of the Sidewalk Astronomers, weather permitting, we'll be out with telescopes this weekend. I say weather permitting because there is a slight chance of monsoon thundershowers this weekend here in southern California. You can follow the weather forecast yourself if you'd like to, but we'll update our webpage (top right box) with a weather cancellation if it is warranted. LA weather from NOAA: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=LOX&llon=-118.968747&rlo… Weather permitting this weekend: Friday July 11 Colorado Blvd 7:30 - 10 p.m. but we may not be able to see Mars and Saturn or Jupiter - buildings and palm trees may be in the way. Beautiful view of the moon, however. Saturday July 12 Myrtle and Lime, Monrovia 8:00 p.m. - 10 p.m. same planetary disclaimer as above. . Over and out, 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 SOC http://soc.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm What's Up? http://education.jpl.nasa.gov/amateurastronomy/index.html

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the summer solstice
by Jane Houston Jones 01 Jul '08

01 Jul '08

Hello intrepid stargazers! You might have noticed our weird weather lately . Well, I can"t really explain the weather, but I can talk about the sun a little bit. Here is my monthly NASA podcast. My idea is to share the sun with you. http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/videos/whatsup/whatsup20080630/ Jane -- Jane Houston Jones Monrovia, CA 34.2048N 118.1732W, 637.0 feet http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org

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Full moon rise tonight - well worth a look
by Jane H Jones 18 Jun '08

18 Jun '08

Hi everyone! Step outside tonight to see the full moon rise in the East after sunset. Sunset is at about 8:00 p.m. and moon rise is at about 8:30 p.m. so depending on your horizons it may take you a little while to see the moon rise after 8:30 at your location. Often when you observe the full moon rising, it "looks" bigger than it really is. It's an optical illusion that is easy to test and interesting to see. "The full Moon of June 18th is a "solstice moon", coming only two days before the beginning of northern summer. This is significant because the sun and full Moon are like kids on a see-saw; when one is high, the other is low. This week's high solstice sun gives us a low, horizon-hugging Moon and a strong Moon Illusion. Sky watchers have known for thousands of years that low-hanging moons look unnaturally big. At first, astronomers thought the atmosphere must be magnifying the Moon near the horizon, but cameras showed that is not the case. Moons on film are the same size regardless of elevation: example. Apparently, only human beings see giant moons. A fun activity: Look at the Moon directly and then through a narrow opening of some kind. For example, 'pinch' the moon between your thumb and forefinger or view it through a cardboard tube, which hides the foreground terrain. Can you make the optical illusion vanish?" The above excerpted from the excellent Science@NASA's feature all about the moon illusion: http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/16jun_moonillusion.htm Here is another good article about the moon illusion. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25212851/ Both of these articles have some excellent graphics for you teachers (and students) out there. And there is a full moon every month for you to practice this activity with your friends and family. Since you're out looking at the moon, swing your head around to the West for a look at Mars and Saturn. You'll see they are appearing closer and closer to each other. On July 10 they'll fit in the same binocular view. 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 SOC http://soc.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm What's Up? http://education.jpl.nasa.gov/amateurastronomy/index.html

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Monrovia Tonight, sidewalk astronomy
by Morris Jones 14 Jun '08

14 Jun '08

We had a great night in Old Town Pasadena last night, with about 260 visitors getting great views of the moon and Saturn. One thing we realized is that 7:00 is a little too early this time of year, with the sun not setting before about 8:00. So a more realistic start time for us is really 7:30. To see Saturn, you'll need to wait 'til about 8:30. Clear skies! Mojo -- Morris Jones Monrovia, CA http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org

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Sidewalk Astronomy this weekend
by Morris Jones 13 Jun '08

13 Jun '08

It looks like a perfect weekend for Sidewalk Astronomy. We should have a lovely gibbous moon and views of Saturn. Tonight (Friday) in Old Town Pasadena, 7:00 'til 10:00. Come after about 8:30 to see Saturn. We'll be on the north side of Colorado Blvd. near DeLacey, somewhere between Fair Oaks and Pasadena Ave. Saturday night in Monrovia at the corner of Myrtle and Lime, in Library Park, 7:00 'til 10:00. And this new page on the Old Town Astronomers site introduces you to the fine people who join us on the sidewalk to show you the moon and planets: http://www.otastro.org/astronomers/ Best regards, Mojo -- Morris Jones http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers http://www.otastro.org http://twitter.com/mojo_la

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See the space station tonight
by Morris Jones 10 Jun '08

10 Jun '08

There is an excellent pass of the International Space Station tonight visible from the Los Angeles area. The station will first be visible low in the northwest (to the right of where the sun set) at about 8:44 p.m. By 8:46 it will reach its maximum visible altitude of 58 degrees, and will fly past Mars, Saturn, and the first quarter moon, in that order. By 8:50 it will disappear in the southeast entering earth's shadow. The station is so bright now with its added modules and solar arrays, it will be the brightest thing in the sky besides the moon. Space shuttle Discovery is currently docked to the station, and it's fun to keep in mind that there are ten astronauts on that bright moving star as it passes overhead. For predictions based on your own location, visit http://www.heavens-above.com The station has no lighting of its own. The brightness is sunlight reflected off the station. If you're following an object with red or blinking lights, that's not the space station. Cheers, Mojo -- Morris Jones http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers http://www.otastro.org http://twitter.com/mojo_la

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Crescent moon - watch it this weekend!
by Jane H Jones 06 Jun '08

06 Jun '08

This weekend the moon glides past several planetary way points, including Saturn. All you'll need to enjoy this show is a clear evening sky . On Friday, June 6th - that's tonight - the slender crescent is below Mars and might be difficult to see, but give it a try. You'll be looking low in the western sky after sunset. On Saturday June 7th you'll spot the crescent moon just a little below Mars. On the 8th, take another look! The moon is now closer to Saturn, forming a little triangle with Leo' bright star, Regulus! And on the 9th, the much larger crescent will be higher still above Saturn, tracing an imaginary line along the ecliptic plane. There's a different bright planet coming into view a little later in the evening, too. Jupiter! You'll have to wait until about 11 p.m. or later to see Jupiter. Look low in the east for a view of the king of the planets. Over the next few weeks Mars and Saturn draw closer together. On July 10 and 11 both planets will be visible in the same telescope field-of view. Next week - June 13 and 14 will be our sidewalk astronomy nights. See you then! Jane and Mojo -- 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

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