- OTEvents - Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers

Sidewalk Astronomy this weekend
by Morris Jones 11 Nov '05

11 Nov '05

Jane and I plan to be on the sidewalks in Pasadena and Monrovia this weekend, and it looks like the weather is cooperating -- for the most part! This week our weather was influenced by a pesky system called a "cutoff low" over the Pacific -- so-called because it is cut off from the jet stream, and its motion is difficult to predict. As we saw in last year's record rainy season, a cutoff low can sit stationary off the coast for days sucking tropical moisture into the LA basin. That low has now moved southeast over northern Mexico, which causes our winds to shift to offshore. That should bring us drier desert air and clearer skies for several days. Early next week they're forecasting very warm temperatures with the expected Santa Ana wind conditions. When that dry air flows down the mountain slopes into the basin, it heats up and gives us those indian summer conditions in November. Tonight the conditions are not perfect -- we're still sitting in some cool moist air from this week's weather system. Here in the San Gabriel Valley we have some lingering marine layer clouds. We'll be able to see the Moon and Mars okay, but the early part of the evening we'll be looking up through layers of air at very different temperatures and moisture content. Each of those layer boundaries give a slight refraction to the light passing through, and makes for a shimmery view obscuring much of the subtle detail on difficult objects like Mars. So the moral of my rambling story -- the best views for Mars will be Saturday evening in Monrovia. Join us there at Myrtle & Lime in Library Park, from 6:00 'til 9:00 p.m. But even with less than perfect conditions, we'll be in Old Town Pasadena this evening from about 6:30 'til 9:30, on Colorado Blvd. near Delacey, somewhere on the two-block stretch from Fair Oaks to Pasadena Ave. Hope to see you there! Best regards, Mojo -- Morris Jones Monrovia, CA http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org

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Note to astronomers joining us tonight
by Morris Jones 29 Oct '05

29 Oct '05

Just a note to our fellow sidewalk astronomers on the list ... Please let me know if you're planning to join us tonight in Monrovia! You can help with or without a telescope, talking to visitors or helping operate one of our telescopes. If you let me know you're coming, I'll make a name badge for you. Telescopes on tripods may be best set up in the park grass field along Lime. It's important that we leave clearance on the sidewalk especially near the handicap ramp and wheelchair turn-around areas. Best regards, Mojo -- Morris Jones Monrovia, CA http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org

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Free Mars!
by Morris Jones 29 Oct '05

29 Oct '05

Tonight's a big night! It's Mars closest approach, and we'll be out in force in Old Town Monrovia tonight. Library Park, Myrtle & Lime, 9:00 p.m. 'til midnight. If you haven't read the article in the Pasadena Star-News this morning, Jane and I were featured on the front page in the Mars article: <http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_3162189> The weather forecast for tonight looks near perfect. Jane and I plan to bring out our best Mars telescope tonight, a rare Astro-Physics 7.1-inch refractor. Here are some pictures from a visit in April to Library Park for this telescope: <http://www.otastro.org/2005-04-monrovia/> If you're wondering about the later than usual hours for this occasion, it's because the best viewing of the planet comes as it's highest in the sky. If you're looking for the best view, plan to visit the telescope as close to midnight as you can. Besides letting Mars get high in the sky, the lines at the telescopes should be shortest then! If you miss seeing Mars tonight, don't despair -- it won't be much further away on our next trip to the sidewalks on November 11 and 12. For the next couple of months, Mars will be close enough for interesting looks. In addition to November 11 and 12, Jane and I will be travelling to the Borrego Springs Resort on Saturday November 5 in Anza Borrego State Park, and plan to set up for Mars viewing right there at the lovely desert resort. Jane's Mars information page on the Mars opposition has more links, pictures, and events: <http://www.otastro.org/Mars2005/> Best regards, Mojo -- Morris Jones Monrovia, CA http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org

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Pasadena Weekly article
by Morris Jones 13 Oct '05

13 Oct '05

The Old Town Astronomers are featured in an article in this week's Pasadena Weekly: <http://www.pasadenaweekly.com/arspopuli/arspop.html> They got it mostly right. :) By the way, you might be interested in joining us to help show the Moon and Venus at Wild Rose Elementary tonight, but not have a telescope to bring. We plan to have a couple extra telescopes with us, and would be glad to have you "person" one of them! Best regards, Mojo -- Morris Jones Monrovia, CA http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org

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School event tonight
by Morris Jones 13 Oct '05

13 Oct '05

The Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers are attending a PTA family picnic tonight at Wild Rose Elementary school in Monrovia. They're expecting about 250 people for the event. If you have a telescope and would like to join us there from 6:00 'til about 8:00, we'd be delighted. We could use another telescope or two. Targets tonight will be the late gibbous Moon and Venus. If you can join us, drop me a note and I'll send instructions. Or call my cell phone at 626-755-5415. Best regards, Mojo -- Morris Jones Monrovia, CA http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org

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Clouded out Saturday
by Morris Jones 09 Oct '05

09 Oct '05

There might be clear sky where you are, but here it's thick! No telescopes tonight in Monrovia. But see Jane's observing report from our trip to the Oregon Star Party last month, right here: <http://www.otastro.org/2005-10-oregon/> Best regards, Mojo -- Morris Jones Monrovia, CA http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org

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Astronomy forecast doubtful tonight
by Morris Jones 08 Oct '05

08 Oct '05

The Old Town Astronomers plan to be at Myrtle & Lime tonight in Monrovia, but the weather is problematic. The sky over our home in Monrovia right now is solid clouds. The National Weather Service forecaster is unwilling to commit one way or the other. The Clear Sky Clock is clearly wrong today. And the satellite imagery shows an island of clouds right over LA county in a sea of otherwise clear skies. If it's clear at 6:30, we'll give it a shot. But don't make special plans to visit Monrovia for astronomy this evening! Best regards, Mojo -- Morris Jones Monrovia, CA http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org

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No astronomy tonight
by Morris Jones 10 Sep '05

10 Sep '05

We gave it a valiant effort last night, but only had a few minutes of Moon before the marine layer closed in. The forecast tonight is very similar in Monrovia, with a mostly cloudy sky forecast. So no astronomy tonight in Monrovia. We might give it another try next weekend for the mostly full Moon. I'll send a note here if we do. Best regards, Mojo -- Morris Jones Monrovia, CA http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org

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Moon joins Jupiter and (brighter) Venus tonight
by Jane Houston Jones 07 Sep '05

07 Sep '05

"The three brightest objects in the night sky huddle close together in the western sky this evening. We won't see them sharing such a small region of the sky again for more than two years". I could snip more from this evening's Stardate, whuich I heard on the radio as I was driving home from work., but why not go out and take a look at the spectacle for your self. If you missed it (it's almost 8 p.m.Tuesday and the three are quite low ing the west right now) you can experience the view vicariously by reading the rest of Stardate Online http://stardate.org/radio/program.php?f=today Jane See you this weekend maybe? We'll be out with telescopes showing a nice moon Friday and Saturday nights. -- 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 in the Times
by Morris Jones 30 Aug '05

30 Aug '05

Today's Outdoor section of the L.A. Times features me in an inside article titled "They're having a party, BYOT," from the June Yosemite Glacier Point star party. I haven't been able to see the issue yet, but the online edition has some great photographs by Bryan Chan, the Times photographer who joined us for the weekend. His photo library is attached online to an article about John Dobson. Here's BYOT: <http://www.latimes.com/travel/outdoors/la-os-starside30aug30,1,4630350.stor…> And the front of the Outdoor section online has "Heaven on Earth," Hugo Martin's article about John Dobson: <http://www.latimes.com/travel/outdoors/> Off to the Oregon Star Party this week. Back next week with telescopes for the first quarter Moon. On the road, Mojo -- Morris Jones Monrovia, CA http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org

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