Date: Saturday October 26
Time: 4 pm until midnight and beyond
Light windows: 10 pm, Midnight, and 2 am
Questions? Contact Field Trip & Observing Chair Jim King at jimk@astronomyhouston.org
Caravan from the Walmart in Columbus to the dark site leaves at 3:40 pm. Contact Joe Khalaf at joek@astronomyhouston.org
Hope you’re going to the HAS PICNIC this Saturday. If so, at least one member of your party needs to take SITE ORIENTATION so you get the lay of the land and can practice good observing etiquette. You won’t want to miss what looks to be a great night to observe. We’ll be conducting a tour of the night sky—Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn are all visible—and maybe we can catch the tail end of the Orionid Meteor Shower.
TO TAKE SITE ORIENTATION
Mike Edstrom, aka the Brisket Man, is closing RSVPs by noon Wednesday 10/24/19 as the brisket takes 18 hours to smoke. Also, we have open slots for sides, chips, desserts, and waters so check your email for the latest Sign Up update sent 10/23. Questions? Contact Jim King via the sign up or at fto@astronomyhouston.org.
Joe Khalaf will be leading a caravan from the Walmart in Columbus to the dark site on Saturday. Details are posted in the closed HAS Facebook group or by contacting Joe Khalaf at joek@astronomyhouston.org.
by Todd Murray
I met Dave Herlinger at Stephen F. Austin State Park just after 6PM and we set our scopes down where we hoped we could look up through the trees to see Jupiter and Saturn if the clouds were to go away in time.
As th
e sun went down, Dave gave a great class on how to use sky charts and planispheres and I spoke briefly about how to use SkySafari to help identify things in the sky. The clouds were up there but weren't too much trouble as we showed the scouts Saturn and Jupiter through a C8 and an 80ED. As the evening progressed, we showed them M13 and Albireo and wrapped up with Dave's cool laser show through diffraction grating glasses.
It was a big hit, there was lots of engagement and genuine oohs and ahhs all around.
Editor’s note: HAS received a request for the Girl Scout campout at Stephen F. Austin State Park for Saturday, October 12, from 7pm - 9pm. Why not join us at our next outreach event? Watch the website, Facebook group, and email list for coming events.
(Posted 10/14/2019)
By: Steve Goldberg
Asterism: a grouping of stars that form a recognizable pattern.
month’s asterism is the “Golf Putter and Ball” located in Andromeda. It contains a straight line of stars forming the club’s shaft, and 2 bright stars perpendicular to the shaft forming the club’s head. The open cluster NGC 752 forms the ball that is about to be hit with the putter.
The putter and ball is located between Beta β Triangulum and Gamma γ Andromeda. In this finder view, you can see the putter just below the “ball” NGC 752. The bright star below NGC 752 is 56 Andromeda.
In this view, you can see the stars that form the golf putter and the location of NGC 752.
Sunset: 07:52 P.M.
End Twilight: 09:15 P.M.
Dawn: 05:27 A.M.
Sunrise: 06:50 A.M.
Learn how to read it the clear sky chart.
