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by Jane H Jones

Yesterday, December 18th Mars reached its closest approach to Earth, and 6 days later, on December 24th is Mars Opposition. This year Mars is 55 million miles from Earth at closest approach. This month and next month too both offer outstanding views of Mars, but by late January Earth pulls away from Mars and the best viewing window ends in mid-February. So we've added some extra sidewalk astronomy viewing nights to the Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers schedule. We may add more, too, so keep looking for these little notes from us. Join us, weather permitting, in Pasadena, on Colorado Blvd somewhere between Fair Oaks and Pasadena Avenues Friday night December 21 and Saturday night at Monrovia's Library Park at Myrtle and Lime Streets (less room for the next 2 years due to library construction fencing). The current forecast calls for mostly clear both Friday and Saturday nights. Do check out website for any weather changes. If the mostly clear conditions change to mostly cloudy, we would probably cancel and reschedule. Expect cold temperatures (high 30's/low 40's) this weekend - it'll be even colder - in the 20's on Mt. Wilson! Both of these events will get started a little later so we can show Mars higher in the sky. Plan on telescope viewing from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. We probably will not arrive until then. By 9:00 p.m. we may be too cold to continue. Our Sidewalk Astronomers founder, John Dobson, is fond of saying "many are cold, but few are frozen". :-) Each Mars opposition, Zolt Levay from the Space Telescope Science Institute updates the excellent Hubble telescope "Mars close encounters comparison chart ". And he updated it just today. I hope you enjoy it - it really helps to show the apparent size of Mars each year. http://imgsrc.hubblesite.org/hu/db/2007/45/images/i/formats/print.jpg JPL has a Mars Opposition feature today too, it's great, especially the Mars Rotation video, and a link to the monthly What's Up Video. :-) http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/features.cfm?feature=1560 I hope to see you on the chilly sidewalk this weekend. We only see our red neighbor on its approach to Earth every two years, and Mars won't be this close to Earth again until 2016. I'll be handing out some very special NASA Mars lithographs this weekend, while the supplies last. Want more Mars? Visit my Mars page: http://www.otastro.org/Mars2005/ Finally, speaking of John Dobson, you might enjoy listening to astronomer Bob Cesarone's song about John Dobson, called "Telescope Man". Bob's band, Northern Cross recorded the song a couple years ago, and he gave a copy of it to John (and to us) late last year. http://photo.whiteoaks.com/telescope-man.mp3 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

18 years, 3 months

December What's Up? It's Mars!

by Jane H Jones

Step outside this month, look up in the east, and you'll be in for a real treat! Mars is really bright and easy to view. That's the topic of this month's What's Up: Mars! It's as big and as bright as it will get this month, and it won't be this great a view again until 2016! What's Up here: http://education.jpl.nasa.gov/amateurastronomy/index.html Tonight, I stepped outside of my San Francisco hotel, walked a few feet to Union Square, and looked East down Post Street and there was Mars high in in the cloudless sky. Mars is easy to see from the city, the backyard, everywhere. Have a look! This weekend, the Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers will be showcasing Mars and the moon from Monrovia on Saturday December 15. We'll be out again Dec 21 in Pasadena and Monrovia December 22, weather permitting. 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

18 years, 3 months

Telescope buying season

by Morris Jones

Our good friends and associates from the San Francisco Sidewalk Astronomers have published an excellent guide to buying telescopes, in the spirit of the season. I'll be adding a link from the Old Town Astronomers site, meanwhile you can enjoy the article here: http://sfsidewalkastronomers.org/telescopes/buying/ Best regards, Mojo -- Morris Jones Monrovia, CA http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org

18 years, 4 months

Quickie Monday -- Mars and the Moon

by Morris Jones

I know some of you won't see this until tomorrow -- sorry! If you peek outside tonight, Monday, and find the moon -- that bright red pumpkin-colored star right next to it is Mars. Cheers, Mojo -- Morris Jones Monrovia, CA http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org

18 years, 4 months

Moon viewing this weekend Nov 16/17

by Jane Houston Jones

This coming weekend is our public astronomy weekend in Pasadena and Monrovia. Mojo and I will be setting up telescopes on Colorado Blvd in Pasadena, CA - some place between Fair Oaks and Pasadena Avenues from 5:30 until 9:30 p.m. Friday the 16th. Saturday the 17th is our Monrovia night - corner of Myrtle and Lime Streets in Monrovia, CA as usual, from 5:30 until 9:30. Saturday is also the peak of the Leonid Meteor shower. I doubt anyone wants to hop in a car and drive to a dark location but I am bringing it up, just in case. The Meteor fluxtimator http://leonid.arc.nasa.gov/estimator.html tells us that the time to view is from 3:00 - 5:00 a.m. Sunday Morning and the rates will be about 4 - 8 meteors per hour. That's not a lot, but if you enjoy getting out of the city lights this would be a great weekend to do it. We'll stay in town, show the moon, skip the Leonids, unless from the back yard. Here is the forecast for the Leonids: http://leonid.arc.nasa.gov/ Here's the weather forecast (good for moon viewing): http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=LOX&llon=-118.968747&rlo… Clear sky clock (the astronomers tool to determine the sky conditions) http://cleardarksky.com/c/MnrviaCAkey.html See you I hope! Jane and Mojo -- Jane Houston Jones Monrovia, CA 34.2048N 118.1732W, 637.0 feet http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org

18 years, 4 months

What's Up for November? Mars and Mira!

by Jane H Jones

When you look at Mars, have you ever wondered where the rovers are at that moment? I do, and it adds to the fun of looking at Mars when I know the rovers are facing Earth as I am looking up at that bright ruddy planet. Wow is it ever getting bright! Where and when to see the Rovers is part of the topic of my November's What's Up. That and how to find a wonderful star, Mira, which was captured in a fascinating image by the Galaxy Evolution Explorer in August. Connecting stargazing to NASA missions adds some complexity and extra enjoyment, at least it does to me. I hope you enjoy this one! Here is the What's Up: http://education.jpl.nasa.gov/amateurastronomy/index.html Here is the GALEX image of Mira: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2007-090 Here is my favorite Mars Map showing the locations of the rovers: http://www.damianpeach.com/images/mars/mars_2005dp_labeled.jpg Next sidewalk astronomy is November 16 and 17th http://www.otastro.org/ Have a look at Comet 17P/Holmes. If history repeats, it will only stay bright for 20-30 days. That is what happened in 1892 when it was discovered. And we're on day 16 now! 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

18 years, 4 months

Shuttle + ISS pass near Comet Wednesday morning

by Jane H Jones

I am not much of a morning person, but tomorrow morning - that's Wednesday the 7th there is a shuttle +ISS pass over the Pasadena area. The two spacecraft will be visible in the same part of the sky as the bright comet 17P/Holmes in Perseus. That should make a very pretty picture. (if it is foggy, well, then I am sure someone will have a very pretty picture of this lineup) A friend here at work drove up CA Route 2, just a couple miles up got him above the fog this morning, where he snapped a photo of the shuttle and International Space Station. Then he emailed it to one of the astronauts aboard the shuttle today. Here is the chart http://www.heavens-above.com/PassDetails.asp?Session=kebgcaianecpbahhnoafgb… Here are the details: Look to the North East at 5:00 a.m. (not P. M.) - this allows a few minutes to get oriented. It's a short pass just 3 minutes from 5:07 to 5:10 a.m. The two spacecraft travel from NW to NNE 33 degrees above the horizon. Then you should take a look at the planetary lineup. Strung along the ecliptic will be (starting from the Eastern horizon: Mercury, the moon, Venus, Saturn and Mars (almost overhead). Now that's what I call a lineup! Date: Wednesday, 07 November, 2007 Observer's Location: Pasadena ( 34.1480°N, 118.1440°W) Local Time: Pacific Standard Time (GMT - 8:00) Leaves shadow 05:07:38 33 degrees above horizon Maximum altitude 05:07:44 33 degrees above horizon Drops below 10° altitude 05:10:24 Sets 05:12:30 There is another pass at 5:30 a.m. on the 8th, but it only is 12 degrees above the horizon. http://www.heavens-above.com/PassSummary.aspx?satid=25544&Session=kebgcaian… 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

18 years, 5 months

Special comet viewing in Monrovia this Saturday evening

by Morris Jones

Normally on the third quarter moon weekend, you don't find the Sidewalk Astronomers setting up. There will be no moon in the early evening. But the sky gave us a big surprise late in October. Normally extremely faint, comet 17P/Holmes had an outburst that made it a million times brighter -- bright enough that we can see it from downtown Monrovia without a telescope! Over the past couple of weeks, amateurs and professionals alike have been watching the comet's coma, the glowing cloud of dust that surrounds it, grow in apparent size. It's a fun object to see in a telescope, and we invite you to join us this Saturday evening in Old Town Monrovia to do exactly that. We'll be in our usual spot, at the corner of Myrtle & Lime, from 7:30 'til 9:30 p.m. Because the comet is fairly far to the north in the sky, whereas the moon and planets are usually found to the south, we'll have to move a little up the walk towards the Mark Twain statue to get a clear view without a tree in the way. Right now the weather forecast looks good for Saturday night. I'll send a follow-up note if that changes. More about the comet and links to other pictures can be found on JPL's web site here: <http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/features.cfm?feature=1514> Mojo -- Morris Jones Monrovia, CA http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Astronomers http://www.otastro.org

18 years, 5 months

Tricks and Treats

by Jane H Jones

Do you need some eerie sounds to spook the little ghouls and goblins tonight? Why not play the Eerie and Bizarre Sounds of the Saturnian System. http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/sounds/ ? Included are sounds of Enceladus, echoes from Titan's surface, speeding through Titan's haze, and sounds from the Lord of the rings, Saturn! There are even more spooky sounds of our solar system on the JPL webpage today http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm look on the New Multimedia section. And if you want to see a ghostly interloper in the sky tonight, take out the binoculars and see a comet from your own front (or back) yard! Here's where to look: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/features.cfm?feature=1514 To the unaided eye, the comet looks like a fuzzy star, but in binoculars (or telescopes) it looks like a ghostly snowball with a bright center, much like the image shown on the link above. It was taken by Gary Spiers, who is one of our sidewalk telescope gang in Monrovia. Congrats on the picture! "To see the comet, all you have to do is step outside and look to the Northeast. You should be able to see the "W" that is the constellation Cassiopeia - it's standing on its end. One and a half "fists" away to the right is a bright star in the constellation Perseus. You probably won't be able to see all the Perseus stars, but the bright one - Mirfak - should be visible. It marks the top of a triangle, which is about the size of your thumb held at arms length away. The triangle's lower left corner is the comet!". We may set up telescopes for a special comet viewing night Saturday the 3rd. Stay tuned, we'll send an announcement if that plan firms up. October What's Up is about tricks and treats in the night sky. It starts out with some of those spooky sounds from the solar system. http://education.jpl.nasa.gov/amateurastronomy/index.html 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

18 years, 5 months

Mojo to speak to Riverside Astronomical Society Sat. Oct. 27

by Jane Houston Jones

Mojo is giving a talk to the Riverside Astronomical Society Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. To set the scene, [from the web blurb] "Mojo's talk called "You Are Here" includes a brief travelogue of some of the many places in the western U.S. parks that Mojo and Jane have given this presentation, and the talk he most recently presented at Yosemite, Grand Canyon and Bryce Canyon star parties. A nice writeup is on the RAS website http://www.rivastro.org/ras_meeting.html Location is La Sierra University, E. E. Cossentine Hall (Riverside, CA.) http://www.rivastro.org/ras_meeting_campus_map.html I highly recommend this talk :-) Pre meeting is at 5:00 PM - Coco's Bakery Restaurant 10098 Magnolia Riverside, CA 92503 (951) 687-3846 (call to join the dinner party) http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=10098+Magnolia,+Riverside,+CA+92503… -- Jane Houston Jones Monrovia, CA 34.2048N 118.1732W, 637.0 feet http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org

18 years, 5 months

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