We'll have a couple telescopes out tonight in Monrovia from 6:30 - 8:30
or so. On display will be the 13-day moon (nearly full) and Jupiter.
Stop by if you're in the neighborhood.
Also, we now have a date for our twice-annual Mojave National Preserve
Star party - May 6. Though this flyer is for last fall's event, you
can get a feel for the event, and can RSVP if you'd like to attend.
Free camping, bring something for saturday night potluck. You might
want a chair to sit in and gaze at the night sky.
http://mojavepreserve.org/index.php/site/article/star_party_in_the_mjave_na…
Free camping, unlimited stargazing, Comet Pan-STARRS (our March comet)
should still be visible.
Weather permitting, Mojo and I are planning dark sky observing outings
to Amboy Crater March 9 and April 6. Amboy Crater is not a campsite -
it's a large parking lot, and we usually snooze in our car a little
after observing, and sometimes take a hike to the crater in the morning.
If you are interesting in joining us, sent me an email!
Jane
2013 What's Up - at a glance
http://jane.whiteoaks.com/2013/01/07/whats-up-in-2013-at-a-glance/
--
Jane Houston Jones
Monrovia, CA
What's Up Podcast for February: Asteroid flyby, comet & planet previews.
On Youtube:http://bit.ly/WM4Ka4
Twitter:http://twitter.com/jhjones,CassiniSaturn,NASAInSight,otastro
My Blog:http://jane.whiteoaks.com/
Sorry we have to cancel sidewalk astronomy this weekend. Clouds, rain or
both don't mix well with telescopes.
Luckily we've been able to work in 4 (or more) school/public star
parties over the last 2 weeks or so. Two of them had a Disney
connection. First, the Sidewalk Astronomers and the Los Angeles
Astronomical Society were invited to set up telescopes on the sidewalk
outside Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles on the 10th,
11th and 12th of January. http://twitpic.com/burd6f The concert? Gustav
Holtz's The Planets, Opus 32, naturally! Then on the 22nd, Mojo set up
our big refractor telescope outside his Disney Grand Central Creative
Campus office in Glendale. http://twitpic.com/bxgwt3 We dodged clouds
but moon and Jupiter popped out every now and then.
In between, we had successful school star parties at Andres Duarte
Elementary and Hamilton Elementary in Pasadena. This time of the year
is perfect for school star parties since it gets dark by 6 p.m. A note
to teachers thinking of asking us to bring telescopes - ask several
months in advance, and let us recommend the date to maximize the chance
of seeing something :-)
We are planning a Mojave National Preserve spring star party, but I have
not heard a final date. I put in for March 9, or April 6 or May 11.
I'll let you know which date is - those from our email list who have
attended can vouch for the fun and fabulous skies! Mojo and I will
likely head to Amboy Crater on the other two dates, and you are free to
join us - it is a large parking lot, not a campsite, tho.
So what's Up? January has been spectacular for the doorstep astronomer
- all you had to do is step outside and see planets and moon pairings at
dawn and in the evening. Our friend Jack learned a good tip -- hold on
to something sturdy when looking straight overhead at the moon and Jupiter!
My January podcast is all about those pairings, and is linked to my blog
below. And February's podcast will be about a near-Earth asteroid on
the 15th (won't be visible easily, and only through telescopes), Mercury
as high as it gets on the 16th, Mercury moon and Mars near one another
from the 6-11th) and moon and Jupiter on the 18. And some other stuff. :-)
I sat down and mapped out monthly What's Up in 2013 previews to offer a
tantalizing peek into the future. It's right here on my blog post,
which I'll be updating as we learn more about the two potentially great
comets in 2013 - one in March and one in December!
http://jane.whiteoaks.com/
Our next astro dates, weather permitting, will be Feb 9 (potential dark
sky trip, weather and schedules permitting) Feb 15 Pasadena, and 16th
Monrovia.
Take care, everybody!
--
Jane Houston Jones
Monrovia, CA
What's Up Podcast for January: Close Encounters (planets & moon)
On Youtube:http://is.gd/kPUtSx
Twitter:http://twitter.com/jhjones /CassiniSaturn /otastro
My Blog:http://jane.whiteoaks.com/
Hi everyone, our sidewalk astronomers are all visiting family (or
working or traveling) this first quarter moon weekend, so we won't be
setting up telescopes in Pasadena or Monrovia Friday or Saturday night.
There is plenty to see if you step outside and look up! I've been
exchanging emails with one of our loyal Monrovia/Duarte telescope
viewers over the last week. Jack has been looking up, wondering the name
of this star or that planet. It's been fun to exchange emails with
him. We are so thankful for our Sidewalk Astronomy family, both those
with and without telescopes.
So, in lieu of telescopes on the sidewalk, and thanks to Jack's
questions, here are some pointers to great views you can see tonight,
and for the next month.
In the evening sky, you can't miss Jupiter alongside (to the left of)
bright red Aldebaran, the brightest star in the constellation Taurus the
bull. Aldebaran is classified a K star -- an orange giant, and is one
of the brightest stars in our sky. Look east to see them both, you can't
miss Jupiter, and now you know something about that pretty star to the
right of Jupiter! Now look above these two. Do you see the Pleiades
star cluster?
Jack asked me what the bright star an out-stretched hand away from
Jupiter is called. To the left of Jupiter, is Capella, the brightest
star in Auriga. It's a G stellar classification "yellow" star 10 times
the diameter of our G classified Sun! But that's not the star Jack was
viewing. He was noticing a brilliant white star rising above the
building obscuring his eastern horizon, and to the right of and below
Jupiter at about 10 p.m.
I stepped out in my jammies at 10 p.m. to see. It was Rigel! The knee of
the great constellation Orion was rising above my building obscuring
eastern horizon, too. Rigel is the brightest star in the constellation
Orion and the sixth brightest star in the sky! Through binoculars, you
may see it's companion. Rigel is a blue-white Class B super-giant
117,000 times as luminous as our sun!
Here's a star chart for 9:30 p.m. tonight - and the next month.
http://img.whiteoaks.com/jane/Public/Starchart_11_22_930pm_east.jpg
Now, if you are up before sunrise tomorrow morning, and have a clear
view to the east, you'll see bright Venus, Saturn below, and Mercury, if
you can see clear down to the southeast horizon. Here's a star chart for
you morning stargazers:
http://img.whiteoaks.com/jane/Public/Starchart_11_22_930pm_east.jpg
I bet many of you know the little acronym for stellar classification
OBAFGKM - or Oh, Be A Fine Girl/Guy, Kiss Me. If not, here's what those
letters and colors mean:
http://www.astronomygcse.co.uk/AstroGCSE/New%20Site/Topic%203/o_b_a_f_g_k_m…
Our next sidewalk astro weekend will most likely be Dec 21/22, so we may
run into the same travel/work/family comes first scenario with our
telescope wranglers. If you wander down to our sidewalk corner at Myrtle
and Lime streets over the next month, you'll see a whole bunch of new
"stars" of many stellar classifications, draped on trees, and
everywhere. If we miss next month too, we'll return once those
artificial stars are put away for another year, and instead, I'll
regale you with a bad poem, a new starchart, and wish you the most
happiest winter solstice season. :-) Jane
--
Jane Houston Jones
Monrovia, CA
What's Up Podcast for Sept: Observe and wink at the moon
On Youtube:http://is.gd/kPUtSx
Twitter:http://twitter.com/jhjones /CassiniSaturn /otastro
My Blog:http://jane.whiteoaks.com/
Yosemite Videohttp://www.youtube.com/user/yosemitenationalpark?feature=watch
The skies over Monrovia are covered with marine layer right now. The
skies at Mount Wilson, on the other hand, are clear, sort of. Take a
look at the Mt. Wilson 150-foot towercam, and you'll see clear skies at
the peaks, but creeping marine layer almost reaching to the observatory.
http://obs.astro.ucla.edu/towercam.htm#imagetop
So, sadly, we're cancelling Sidewalk Astronomy tonight. Next Saturday
night, is a not-quite-full-moon, and we'll tentatively reschedule for
that night -- Saturday, October 27th, 6:30-9:00 p.m.
This cloud layer will also wash out meteor watching overnight, too, most
likely. The forecast calls for a slight chance of drizzle after 8 p.m.
Some of our astronomers will be heading east to catch some shooting
stars. If you are so inclined, take a look at all these astronomers
maps - the Clear Sky charts, and head for an area not showing white in
the hourly grids - those indicate cloud cover.
http://cleardarksky.com/csk/prov/California_charts.html
Finally, since it's an indoor-stargazing and meteor-gazing kind of
night, here's a writeup about the huge meteor (probably a small
asteroid, actually) that broke up over northern California last
Wednesday night. There were reports from Long beach to Red Bluff, with a
sonic boom and a terminal burst - like a roman candle as the meteor
broke up into pieces. It broke up over Marin County, where I grew up!
Dr. jenniskens is out looking for dark pieces this weekend. if you find
one, take a picture and send it to him by email petrus.m.jenniskens
<http://petrus.m.jenniskens>@ nasa.gov
Over and out, Jane
--
Jane Houston Jones
Monrovia, CA
What's Up Podcast for Sept: Observe and wink at the moon
On Youtube: http://is.gd/kPUtSx
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jhjones /CassiniSaturn /otastro
My Blog: http://jane.whiteoaks.com/
Yosemite Video http://www.youtube.com/user/yosemitenationalpark?feature=watch
Monrovia has about 80% cloud coverage tonight. Jane and I are going to
hang out at the corner anyway, for about an hour. If conditions look to
improve, we might set up a telescope.
Meanwhile, if you're somewhere where you can see the moon tonight, give
it a wink!
Mojo
--
Morris Jones
Monrovia, CA
http://whiteoaks.com
This Saturday night is International Observe the Moon night -- a kind of
an annual worldwide group hug -- around the moon! Saturday the 22nd
7:00 p.m. Myrtle and Lime Library Park corner. If the construction near
the fallen tree on the corner blocks some of our area, we may move
further down Lime Street but still within Library Park. Friday Night
Pasadena, TBA Friday depending on work, shuttle flyover logistics. Other
events on this map:
We'll be distributing a moon viewing chart I made, and which you can see
or download here if you won't be able to make it:
http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/whatsup-view.cfm?WUID=1304
October 13 is the fall Mojave National Park Star party. Held in Black
Canyon Group Campground near the middle of the park. *RSVP with David
Lamfrom at dlamfrom(a)npca.org or 760-219-4916*. Allow time to arrive well
before dark, bring something to share to the potluck at 6 p.m, breakfast
on your own. Viewing begins at twilight. Details on this flyer:
http://mojavepreserve.org/index.php/site/article/star_party_in_the_mjave_na…
Park map w/directions http://www.nps.gov/moja/planyourvisit/directions.htm
The Shuttle Endeavour begins its final flight from Kennedy Space Center
Wednesday morning at 7:15 a.m. It will tour the space coast, land in TX
near Johnson Space Center Wednesday, then take off for California on
Thursday, arriving at Edwards/Dryden in the late afternoon/evening
Thursday. Friday morning, it will take off, fly over Palmdale,
Lancaster, Rosamond and Mojave before heading north to Sacramento.
There, Endeavour will fly over the Capitol and turn to San Francisco,
where those hoping to catch a glimpse of the shuttle are advised to
watch from one of several Bay Area museums, including the Chabot Space
and Science Center, the Exploratorium, the Bay Area Discovery Museum,
the Lawrence Hall of Science and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Once the shuttle reaches the Los Angeles area about 10:30 a.m., the
orbiter will be carried over landmarks including the Getty Center, the
Griffith Observatory, Malibu and Disneyland before landing at Los
Angeles International Airport. It will also fly over the California
Science Center in Exposition Park, its new permanent home. (above
details from LA Times blog, so more details about the LA portion of the
trip)
Plans can change, so I suggest you check the local news, the LA Times
blog http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/ KPCC Blog
http://www.scpr.org/blogs/news for latest southern Cal details Weds -
Friday.
Finally (whew) if you have not watched the Yosemite Nature Notes "Night
Skies" video here it is, along with the others in the fabulous series.
Over 100k views and counting - it's turned out to be quite popular!
http://www.youtube.com/user/yosemitenationalpark?feature=watch (video 1
and 2 on the list are the same Night Sky video, different screen formats
only)
Have a great week and weekend, and hope to see you at one or the other
of these astronomical places, Jane
--
Jane Houston Jones
Monrovia, CA
http://jane.whiteoaks.com/http://twitter.com/jhjones
What's Up for Sept video: Int'l Observe-Wink at the Moon Night
http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/whatsup-archive.cfm
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=JPLnews
Yosemite Night Skies Video http://www.youtube.com/user/yosemitenationalpark?feature=watch
We'll have a moment of silence, or rather, as Neil Armstrong's family
has asked for, a wink at the moon ( #winkatthemoon twitter hashtag if
you are on Twitter) moment at 8:30 p.m. tonight at Monrovia's Library
Park. No telescope required if you are at home, but all the OTAstro
telescopes will be aimed at the moon tonight at our usual once-a-month
moon viewing night. If you can't make it out to our moon viewing event,
join a local group, or look up from wherever you are. Gaze at the moon,
zero in on the Sea of Tranquility even with your naked eyes and honor a
true American hero, Neil Armstrong, who died today. (August 5, 1930 -
August 25, 2011)
Here is where to look: Green triangle, Apollo 11, halfway between center
right edge and center of moon.)
http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/display.cfm?IM_ID=804.
I was in high school, on a family trip to Mexico on the day Neil
Armstrong put the first footprint on the moon. I'll never forget it!
Share your own stories with us tonight, or with your friends and family
as you look up and wink at the moon.
--
Jane Houston Jones
Monrovia, CA
What's Up Podcast for August: Mars as Curiosity lands, Perseids
On Youtube: http://is.gd/kPUtSx
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jhjones /CassiniSaturn /otastro
My Blog: http://jane.whiteoaks.com/
Sorry stargazers, but Friday sidewalk astronomy in Pasadena is
cancelled, but weather permitting, we'll be out in force in Monrovia
Saturday night! See you then!
--
Jane Houston Jones
Monrovia, CA
What's Up Podcast for August: Mars as Curiosity lands, Perseids
On Youtube: http://is.gd/kPUtSx
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jhjones /CassiniSaturn /otastro
My Blog: http://jane.whiteoaks.com/