- OTEvents - Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers

Moon and Saturn tonight
by Jane H Jones 31 May '06

31 May '06

Hi everyone, it's that time again - we'll have telescopes out at the usual spots in Pasadena and Monrovia this weekend. But step out tonight at sunset if you can for a gorgeous view of my favorite planet, Saturn, near the equally gorgeous crescent moon. I hope to see some of you on the weekend. After June, Saturn will not be visible from our sidewalk events for quite a while, so get your viewing in soon. Jane For Wednesday March 31: Look up in the western sky tonight after sunset and you'll have a ring-side view of Saturn near the crescent moon. No telescope required.This article shows a nice chart for tonight, but it is also useful for the weekend viewing too, scroll down to the charts. http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/30may_starsandplanets.htm?list55774 For the weekend: This weekend, look up and view planets and the moon from your backyard without a telescope. Mars and Saturn draw closer to each other each night. These two planets are to the lower right of the moon Friday the 2nd. Meanwhile near the horizon, try to spot Mercury low in the west-northwest 5 degrees above the horizon after sunset. If you don't see it, don't worry, it will be a little higher in June. Meanwhile, Jupiter reigns all alone over the southern sky - you can't miss it - it's the brightest "star" in the sky. Use this star chart [link http://skyandtelescope.com/observing/ataglance/article_110_1.asp ] for guidance. For telescope viewing this weekend, dust off that 'scope in the closet for a tour of the solar system, or join one of these groups for some moon and planet viewing. Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers http://www.otastro.org/ Friday, June 2, 7:30 p.m. 'til 10:00 p.m., Colorado near Delacey - Pasadena Ave., Old Town Pasadena Saturday, June 3, 7:30 p.m. 'til 9:30 p.m., Myrtle & Lime,Old Town Monrovia Griffith Park Observatory Satellite (telescopes courtesy of Los Angeles Amateur Astronomers and LA Sidewalk Astronomers) http://www.griffithobs.org/Special.html Satuday June 3 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Mount Wilson Observatory Association lists events all over Southern California, scroll down for "Star Parties and Telescopes" for more viewing events: http://www.mwoa.org/events.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 Saturn Observation Campaign http://soc.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm

1 0

Dark sky, desert night
by Morris Jones 25 May '06

25 May '06

Jane and I are planning another trek to our favorite isolated desert location for a night of deep sky observing this weekend, and you're welcome to join us. Our favorite spot is a bit of a trek -- 150 miles from our home in Monrovia -- but the desert landscape is beautiful and the skies are nice and dark. You can see pictures of the location here: <http://www.otastro.org/2006-04-01-messier/> If you've marveled at the night sky from a truly dark location, here's your chance to visit with a knowledgeable tour guide. You can bring your own telescope, borrow one of ours, or just "mooch photons." We'll have charts and things to borrow as well. If the weather looks good, Jane and I will depart Monrovia about 3:00 p.m. on Saturday to arrive well before sunset. You're welcome to join us any time in the evening, and stay as long as you like. If you're interested in some help with your own telescope, and want to join us, it's best to try to arrive about 7:00 p.m. Telescope orientation is best done before it starts getting dark. May is probably my favorite month for deep sky observing. The giant Virgo galaxy cluster is high in the sky, along with all the great Ursa Major galaxies. After a short nap, the rich summer Milky Way is available to wander in the quiet morning air. If you'd like to join us, please send me a note and a way to get in touch with you in case the weather turns sour. I'll send along directions. Our spot is on BLM land, just two miles off I-10. Plenty of room to camp, but no water or toilets. Best regards, Mojo -- Morris Jones Monrovia, CA http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Astronomers http://www.otastro.org

1 0

Reminder JPL Open House is this weekend
by Jane H Jones 19 May '06

19 May '06

May 20 and 21 are the dates of JPL's annual Open House - a fun and educational weekend for kids of all ages. Our JPL website has a sneak preview of what you can expect to see and do this weekend. here's that link http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/ If you do decide to come, be prepared to walk a lot and expect large crowds - we counted 20,000 people per day last year. Early mornings are less crowded. As you enter the main entrance, the first thing you'll see is the Cassini Huygens display and behind it, a half scale model of the spacecraft. That's where I'll be most of both days. Surrounding the spacecraft will be a bunch of half scale Cassini mission folks (including me) to demonstrate the i size of the spacecraft, Full sized counterparts will be on hand to take you on a spacecraft tour. :-) The Mars Exploration exhibits are the most popular (and therefore most crowded) venue, so you might want to do that first, if you get there in the morning. But even if there are long lines, there is interesting material to see and read along the way. There will be several movies, including the story of the Cassini Mission to see when you want to get out of the sun for a while. There will be Solar Telescopes for safe solar viewing, weather permitting. There will be an education office and an employment office where you can get a lot of information and even apply for a job! Many of the coolest buildings, such as the Spacecraft Assembly Facility , Spacecraft Fabrication Facility, and the building where I work, the Space Flight Operations Facility will be open. Kids love to become "Martian roadkill", after our Mars rovers roll over them - that's in the Mars area. Don't worry, it's a mini rover, and the kids recover immediately. :-) Wear comfortable walking shoes, and you may want to check on the weather (there looks like a chance of rain according to the forecast http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/total_forecast/index.php?wfo=lox&zone=caz047&fire=c…. I was about to suggest sunscreen, water and hats , but with this forecast, just dress accordingly. There are lots of indoor events and large tented areas, in case of rain. No backpacks or coolers are allowed, but lots of fun, plenty of handouts and activities are encouraged. food, drink , NASA and JPL items are available for sale too. Hope to see you this weekend. As a telescope reminder, we'll be at our usual Pasadena/Monrovia sidewalk astronomy locations on June 2 and 3, have a special stargazing campout night at a Monrovia elementary school on the 9th. And on May 27th - that's the Memorial Day weekend, we are tentatively planning another dark sky adventure to the desert, depending on interest, weather and our schedules. 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

1 0

Likely clouded out in Monrovia
by Morris Jones 07 May '06

07 May '06

Most of LA county is in the clear, but there seems to be a cloud island covering the eastern half of the San Gabriel Valley today. It doesn't look good for sidewalk astronomy in Monrovia this evening. Jane and I will visit the corner to take a look, and likely hang around Monrovia for some dinner. Best regards, Mojo -- Morris Jones Monrovia, CA http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org

1 0

Sidewalk astronomy, May 5
by Morris Jones 05 May '06

05 May '06

It's Jupiter opposition this week, which means Jupiter joins Saturn as part of our evening sky. At opposition, Jupiter rises at about sunset, which is about 7:30 tonight. An hour later, it should be high enough to view. Before then we'll have a nice first-quarter Moon, and Saturn as soon as it's dark enough to find it (probably about 7:50 p.m.). The only unknown right now is the weather. The forecast is for typical "May Gray" marine-layer fog. It might close in before Jupiter is available for viewing. In any case, Jane and I will be in Old Town Pasadena this evening (Friday) from about 7:30 'til 10 p.m., or until the low clouds and fog wipe out the sky. We'll be on Colorado Blvd., somewhere on the two blocks between Fair Oaks and Pasadena Avenues. Saturday evening we plan a repeat performance in Monrovia at Myrtle and Lime, from about 7:00 'til 9:30 p.m. Hope to see you! Best regards, Mojo -- Morris Jones Monrovia, CA http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Astronomers http://www.otastro.org

1 0

Old Town Astronomers deep-sky excursion April 29
by Morris Jones 17 Apr '06

17 Apr '06

Most of you who joined our mailing list became "accidental astronomers" one evening when you stumbled across our telescopes on the sidewalks of Monrovia or Pasadena. From the city, we love to show the Moon, Jupiter, and Saturn. These are the night sky objects that are among the brightest in the sky, and easily visible from any city sidewalk. Many of you have expressed an interest in seeing more and learning your way around the night sky. Maybe it was one of our stories of a night in the desert with our big telescopes, viewing comets, nebulae, galaxies, and star clusters. <http://www.otastro.org/2006-04-01-messier/> Maybe you have a telescope of your own, but frequently find yourself lost in a sky full of possibility, wondering where to go next. Jane and I would love to be your host and tour guide for a night in the Joshua Tree desert. We're planning an excursion to Joshua Tree National Park on Saturday, April 29, and we'll be completely at your disposal for a mini dark-sky star party. You can bring your own telescope if you like, borrow one of ours, or just mooch views. There should be charts and telescopes a-plenty for you to share. It's a lovely time of year to wander through the massive galaxy fields of the Spring sky. You can make a full evening of it, take a short nap, and wake to wander through the Summer Milky Way in all its glory. Frequently the most spectacular view is just a sky full of stars at a place away from city lights. With warm clothes and a comfortable chair, you can identify constellations, count meteors, and see orbiting satellites pass overhead. With a pair of binoculars you can see star clusters and cruise the Milky Way star clouds. If you want help with your own telescope, we'll be available for the hour before sunset to help out. April 29 is the night of the Andromeda Society's monthly public star party in Joshua Tree park, but what we're planning is not part of that star party. We'd like to set up a little bit away from their group, but haven't fully settled on where just yet. Our goal is simply to share the night sky with those of you who have a burning curiosity about it, and might have wanted a guide. We may caravan from a meeting spot, and make our own star party. The nearby towns of Joshua Tree and Yucca Valley have inexpensive hotel rooms, and there is certainly camping to be found in the park. Jane and I usually just nap in our van for a few hours. If this sounds intriguing, put it on your calendar and let me know. We'll do more planning as the day gets closer, and keep an eye out on the weather. Clear skies, Mojo -- Morris Jones Monrovia, CA http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Astronomers http://www.otastro.org

1 0

Spring Sidewalk Astronomy
by Morris Jones 03 Apr '06

03 Apr '06

Jane and I have had a great couple of weekend excursions away from the L.A. light dome to visit with old friends in the sky. Just for fun, we playful astronomers like to see how many objects from Charles Messier's catalog of 110 deep sky objects we can observe in one evening. Because of the Sun's position in the sky in March, it's possible with practice and cooperation from the clouds to see "M" all between sunset and dawn. Jane and I made two runs at it these past two weekends, and here is Jane's story with some great desert pictures: <http://www.otastro.org/2006-04-01-messier/> We certainly haven't abandoned the sidewalks of Pasadena and Monrovia, and this coming weekend we should have some great Moon and Saturn views for accidental astronomers. If the clouds part on Friday and Saturday, except to see us: Friday, April 7, 7:00 p.m. 'til 10:00 p.m., Colorado Blvd. near Delacey, Old Town Pasadena Saturday, April 8, 7:00 p.m. 'til 9:30 p.m., Myrtle and Lime, Old Town Monrovia Given that we've (yawn) switched to Darkness Squandering Time, I don't yet have a good handle on sunset times and such. But we'll be there about sunset for a few hours. Close enough? :) (Maybe it's the lack of sleep over the weekends ... !) Best regards, Mojo -- Morris Jones Monrovia, CA http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Astronomers http://www.otastro.org

1 0

No clear skies at Joshua Tree
by Morris Jones 25 Feb '06

25 Feb '06

Just in case anyone was planning to head to the desert tonight for stargazing, the forecast is very poor for clear skies. We might visit the picnic area, but it doesn't look like there will be much astronomy taking place. Best regards, Mojo -- Morris Jones Monrovia, CA http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org

1 0

Dark sky astronomy this weekend
by Morris Jones 22 Feb '06

22 Feb '06

Normally Jane and I set up telescopes on the city sidewalk to introduce "accidental astronomers" to the Moon and planets. We also like to escape the city's light dome for a night with the beautiful deep sky objects that can't be seen under city lights. Excursions away from the city are most worthwhile when there's no bright Moon in the sky, so we usually pick the weekend closest to New Moon. This weekend on Saturday, February 25, we'll visit Joshua Tree National Park with the Andromeda Society of Yucca Valley for their monthly star party under dark skies. Imagine a sky filled with about 1,700 stars, instead of the 20 or so you usually see from L.A.! Early in the evening we'll have great views of the winter sky and Milky Way, full of star clusters and nebulae. Later in the evening our planet will spin toward the spring sky, and we'll be able to look toward galactic north into the giant Virgo cluster of galaxies. You'll also see meteors and earth-orbiting satellites crossing overhead. From a dark location, you can see enough stars to see the shapes of the constellations and easily imagine the figures for which they're named. It's better than the best planetarium show you'll ever see! But it is colder. If you come along, be sure to dress in lots of layers and bring lots of water or sports drinks to stay hydrated. You also might want to bring along a comfortable chair and a pair of binoculars for cruising through the Milky Way and counting meteors. The star party officially starts near sunset at 5:30 p.m. at the Hidden Valley Picnic Area of Joshua Tree National Park. If you are planning to come, let us know so we can be sure to connect. The star party is sponsored by the Andromeda Society of Yucca Valley: <http://www.andromedasociety.org/> Best regards, Mojo -- Morris Jones Monrovia, CA http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Astronomers http://www.otastro.org

1 0

Saturn near the beehive cluster
by Jane H Jones 08 Feb '06

08 Feb '06

Hi everyone, I thought you'd enjoy this feature about observing Saturn, the moon and the Beehive cluster. There's a nice pairing of the cluster and Saturn from now through June, with a nearly full moon above, next to and below Saturn. Over the past weekend, we showed this starry view, along with Saturn and the moon, to about 500 people through 6 telescopes in Monrovia. We all had a great time, despite partial clouds. http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/scitech/display.cfm?ST_ID=990 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

1 0