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by Morris Jones

You may have heard that the annual Perseid meteor shower peaks this weekend, right along with the full moon. Sigh! Sadly, the best time to look for meteors might have been last weekend, when the moon set about midnight. The Perseids have a very broad peak, so anytime a week before or after you're likely to see some Perseid meteors. Next weekend the moon will be rising at midnight, again bad timing. I'm often asked "where is the best place in Pasadena | Monrovia | Glendale | Los Angeles | my town to watch the meteor shower?" The answer is usually your own back yard. Any spot that is unobstructed by trees or buildings, and has no lights that you can see, is a fine spot to watch meteors. They are equally likely to appear in all directions, so any direction is fine as well. More will be seen closer to the horizon, where you're looking through more air, than looking straight up. The best time to look is after 1:00 a.m. and before dawn twilight, when your part of the earth is facing into the particle stream. The problem is that within Los Angeles county, you're not likely to see many meteors, indeed probably none. From a truly dark site on a moonless night, the Perseids sometimes have a rate approaching 100 meteors per hour, most of them faint streaks. From within L.A. county, with or without moon, the overall sky glow will wipe out 98 of those 100 meteors. You may catch a lucky bright one if you can watch for an hour. From a dark site with dry air, the moon will probably reduce the rate by half. The glow of the moon will wipe out the fainter meteors, which are the most numerous. Last year there was no moon for the Perseids, and Jane traveled to one of the darkest spots in the western U.S., Amboy Crater, about 200 miles from home in Monrovia. She had a great night of counting meteors, seeing a peak of 43 Perseids between 2:00 and 3:00 a.m. She wrote a great report of her session on her blog here: http://jane.whiteoaks.com/2010/10/26/the-perseids-from-amboy-crater/ I hope I didn't ruin your meteor watching plans, but this is one I'll sleep through. :) Best regards, Mojo -- Morris Jones, Monrovia, CA http://whiteoaks.com

14 years, 7 months

Sidewalk Astronomy this weekend - Moon and Saturn 2nite!

by Jones, Jane H (1862)

Be sure to take a look at the pretty triangle of first Quarter moon, Saturn to the upper right of the moon, and the bright star Spica to the upper left of the moon tonight. Tomorrow, the moon will be to the left of Spica. Even with your unaided eye, you'll see another star right next to Saturn. That's a pretty double star in Virgo named Porrima. Stay up past midnight and you can watch Jupiter rise. If you want to see the asteroid Vesta, you will have to wait until after midnight too, and you'll need a dark location with good southern horizons. I had a look at Vesta over the weekend. It just took binoculars and knowing where to look. You can see where to look ( in the low southern constellation Capricornus) in my July What's Up video. http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=JPLnews#grid/uploads (or if you are familiar with star charts, this one in Astronomy magazine is good: http://is.gd/jWxX1b) It will be a little brighter next month, but you'll still have to wait until nearly midnight or later for a good view of the constellation Capricornus. This is the weekend for our public star parties and we'll be showcasing the moon and Saturn. Your Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers will be taking telescopes out to Pasadena's Old Town area Friday night – right on Colorado Blvd between Fair Oaks and Pasadena Avenues. Some others of our group will be out at Duarte's Pamela Park ( 2236 Goodall Avenue, Duarte, CA ) Friday night from 8-10 p.m. Saturday night we'll be showing the same two objects at Monrovia's Library Park. This will be the last month for decent evening Saturn viewing until next year. Now, if you have a Harry Potter fan in the family, you might enjoy reading (or observing) all the astronomical Potter Objects. Sidewalk astronomers Caroline, Elizabeth, Catherine and I researched, field tested, and wrote a fun observing list a few years ago. I just dusted it off for the new movie coming out soon. I even added constellations for the Hogwarts houses: Gryffindor's Leo, Slytherin's Serpens (or Hydra, take your pick), Ravenclaw's Aquila, and Hufflepuffs … Badger? How about Vuplecula the fox, Lupus the wolf, or Lynx the Lynx as a badger constellation standin? http://is.gd/V51sxo Jane Houston Jones Senior Outreach Specialist, Cassini Program Phone 818-393-6435 What's Up For July? Asteroids http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/whatsup-archive.cfm Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=JPLnews

14 years, 9 months

Still no sky in Monrovia

by Morris Jones

June Gloom and the Catalina Eddy are bringing us persistent fog and clouds in Monrovia. It's our sidewalk astronomy weekend, but alas there is no sky to be had. Tonight's forecast includes a chance of drizzle. :( Mojo -- Morris Jones, Monrovia, CA http://bridgemojo.com http://otastro.org http://mojo.whiteoaks.com

14 years, 10 months

Stargazing- Monrovia Relay for Life tomorrow

by Jane Houston Jones

This month we have a beautiful viewing target visible from our doorstep and we are sharing it at Monrovia's Relay for Life - our local annual run/walk to fight cancer at Monrovia's Recreation Park, 740 E. Olive Ave., /Monrovia/, CA, 91016. Saturday, June 4, 2011 11 AM for 24 hours - we'll be there Saturday evening - but the walk lasts for 24 hours. Our target? Through the telescope we'll show you Saturn! Two thirds of the way to overhead at 9 p.m. higher later. Look South from your doorstep. Folks walking can have a look, and see a wonderful and inspirational view, while honoring cancer survivors and remembering those who died from this horrible disease. I always have cancer on my mind, and want to do something about it. Monrovia's Relay for Life is my "it". My husband Mojo is alive because of successful prostate cancer surgery last year. My beloved sister Wendy is alive thanks to early detection and surgery for breast cancer last year, too. My friend Susan, a stage 4 breast cancer survivor of IBC - Inflammatory Breast Cancer - is fighting her disease for the 4th time - she is not yet 40 and she is fighting a new recurrance while raising two young children. We need money, advocacy, and research, friends, love and volunteers to keep my family and my friends and your family and your friends alive. Together we will kick cancers butt. Saturday night, June 4th Mojo and I, and possibly some of our other Sidewalk Astronomers will be helping out at the Monrovia Relay for Life in Recreation Park, Monrovia. Stop by for a look at Saturn while walking around Monrovia's park with people supporting finding a cure for cancer! Oh, my! So many places to donate or help kick cancer! You know what to do. Donate, walk?stargaze Local :http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?pg=entry&fr_id=31412 Relay For Life national: http://www.cancer.org/ What I do personally - donate my body for research. http://www.armyofwomen.org/ We all have many causes to support. We all have a connection to cancer. We all have a connection to the universe. Let's connect those dots! Jane -- Jane Houston Jones Monrovia, CA My What's Up Podcast-June: Cosmic Collisions and Craters NASA podcast: http://is.gd/bSXeAl Youtube site: http://is.gd/kPUtSx Twitter: http://twitter.com/jhjones /CassiniSaturn /otastro My Blog: http://jane.whiteoaks.com/

14 years, 10 months

No sky tonight

by Morris Jones

May Gray continues, and the forecast tonight is "mostly cloudy." We'll try again next month. Cheers, Mojo

14 years, 10 months

Weekend astronomy (or not!) plus JPL Open House

by Morris Jones

Last weekend we were clouded out on Saturday evening, and had hopes of trying again this coming Saturday. It's still a slight possibility, but the current public forecast is calling for a 20% chance of showers Saturday evening. I'll send a final update on Saturday afternoon. This weekend is JPL Open House, a busy time for lots of JPL employees and volunteers. Preparing for open house is going to keep us off the sidewalk for Friday. If you've never been, I highly recommend spending a day visiting JPL! The lab will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. both days. Go early if you can, and wear your most comfortable shoes. The lab has lots of hills and long walks. Many of the most popular sites grow a bit of a line by afternoon. More information about JPL Open House: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/open-house.cfm Mojo -- Morris Jones, Monrovia, CA http://bridgemojo.com http://otastro.org http://mojo.whiteoaks.com

14 years, 10 months

No sky in Monrovia

by Morris Jones

The clouds never cleared very much here, and the broken ones are filling in. We're going to cancel tonight's Sidewalk Astronomy, and try again next weekend. We'll have a bigger moon, and of course good Saturn. May Gray and June Gloom caused by the "Catalina Eddy" often gives us these kind of conditions this time of year. Cheers, Mojo -- Morris Jones, Monrovia, CA http://bridgemojo.com http://otastro.org http://mojo.whiteoaks.com

14 years, 11 months

Monrovia sidewalk tonight

by Morris Jones

Tonight, Library Park, 7:30 - 9:30 or so ... We'll have a thin crescent moon and lots of Saturn. But the weather forecast calls for fog to move in during the evening. It may be a short night. It is International Sidewalk Astronomy Night though! If you haven't already, be sure to see Jane's _What's Up_ for May, all about the morning planet gathering: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/whatsup-view.cfm?WUID=824 Best regards, Mojo -- Morris Jones, Monrovia, CA http://bridgemojo.com http://otastro.org http://mojo.whiteoaks.com

14 years, 11 months

Calling off sidewalk astronomy tonight - clouds and chance of rain

by Jane Houston Jones

Mojo is calling our astronomers were planning to attend tonight to tell them it's not worth the drive. There is an unstable air mass, 20% chance of passing showers, so we are cancelling Saturday night stargazing tonight. By the way, the Los Angeles Astronomical Association also cancelled their events tonight just now - that's partly what made do the same - that, and a look out the window! -- Jane Houston Jones Monrovia, CA My What's Up Podcast for April: Saturn NASA podcast: http://1.usa.gov/ggypW3 Youtube site: http://bit.ly/hXVHK7 Twitter: http://twitter.com/jhjones /CassiniSaturn /otastro My Blog: http://jane.whiteoaks.com/

14 years, 12 months

Sidewalk Astronomy tonight - tho' it may be cloudy

by Jane Houston Jones

If you look at the sky from Monrovia right now, you'll see thick heavy clouds snuggling up to the the San Gabriel Mountains, with a few shafts of sunlight piercing through. But the conditions should turn from poor to below average by 8 p.m. - that means partly cloudy with wobbly views through the telescope. That being said, if you are nearby and want to see the moon, and possibly a poor view of Saturn, come on down to Library Park - we should be there from 8- nearly 10 p.m., unless it continues to be completely cloudy. Even a poor view of Saturn (from the eyes of this jaded long-time telescope wrangler) is still better than no view of the ringed beauty. We'll be showing Saturn for many months now, as it gets higher in the sky, so there will be more chances to see Saturn. A couple dark sky public events coming up will feature Saturn in a dark sky location. Join us (you'll have to RSVP for a camp site) at Mojave National Preserve on the evening of April 23. I know the 24th is Easter, but you can go on a desert tortoise photo hike, and maybe see some jackrabbits and spring blossoms on Sunday instead. :-) Maps, directions, and information about Mojave National Preserve will be found soon (not yet unfortunately) at the Conservancy's website http://www.preservethemojave.org/events.html. You need to contact David Lamfrom to RSVP for a campsite or ask questions at dlamfrom(a)npca.org <mailto:dlamfrom@npca.org> . The event is free, but it is being sponsored by the Mojave National Preserve Conservancy, and they will welcome your membership! Bring a potluck item, there will be a group potluck dinner before stargazing on Saturday night. If you plan to bring a telescope, you can let me know, but be sure to RSVP for a campsite with David too. Then in August, Mojo and I and other members of the San Jose Astronomical Society will be bringing telescopes to share with the public at Glacier Point, Yosemite. Only members of this club can bring telescopes, but all visitors to the National Park can partake of the views. Our weekend is August 26-27, 2011, but there is a different Northern California Astronomy club presenting weekend star parties at Glacier Point every weekend from July 4th to labor day, excepting full moon weekends, and subject to snow clearing the roads. So if your visiting the park this summer, check it out! Finally, check out my April podcast - it features Saturn this month :-) There are stunning views of Saturn in the video! YouTubehttp://www.youtube.com/profile?user=JPLnews#p/u/1/pBUkTMk-Icw More formats and educational links: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/whatsup-view.cfm?WUID=804 -- Jane Houston Jones Monrovia, CA My What's Up Podcast for April: Saturn NASA podcast: http://1.usa.gov/ggypW3 Youtube site: http://bit.ly/hXVHK7 Twitter: http://twitter.com/jhjones /CassiniSaturn /otastro My Blog: http://jane.whiteoaks.com/

14 years, 12 months

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