Good Nights For Sharing Stars

The past weekend, the weather gods were smiling on us. The Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh (AAAP) was able to hold four successful star parties, two at each of our observatories, Wagman and Mingo Creek. A few clouds drifted by, but the festivities went on, nevertheless.

    We had a thin sliver of a moon to look at on both nights. Since the moon was visible before the sun set, it was the first major attraction for the member's scopes. A couple members had solar filters and were able to show early visitors views of the sun's surface. At the present time the sun has lots of sunspots on it, making it an interesting view.

    The planet Venus was our next target. The planet Mercury was off to its right, a binocular view if you looked carefully. Since the planets were close to the horizon, we only had a short time to observe them before they dropped down into the trees.

    Mars was observed for a short while but we moved back to the moon since there was so much more to see on it.  As the sky darkened, we moved on to other objects such as Albereo in the constellation Cygnus and the double stars, Mizar and Alcor in the handle of the Big Dipper. A few Messier objects were shown and we watched a couple low passes of the International Space Station. A few guests were lucky enough to see some falling stars though we had nothing to do with that!

      We had a group of veterans visit along with families, students and daters. (I can only assume they were dating…) Everyone seemed happy to be there, some even coming over before they left to thank us for sharing the skies with them.

                                                                     

    My favorite moment was when a small girl took a look at the moon and told her Grampa, “WOW, look at all those craters!” I didn’t have to ask if she had seen it, we all knew it!

    At the Wagman Observatory, the crowds started thinning out after 11. A few waited long enough to see the ringed planet, Saturn, through the Manka reflector. In the Brashear room, we had to wait until the planet rose over the roofline before we could observe it.

    Let me tell you, as always, Saturn is worth the wait! The 11” refractor gave a nice, steady view of the planet along with 3 or 4 of it's moons. The rings are moving towards an “edge on” view, they aren’t as wide open as they were a few months ago but it is still spectacular!

    This is one of the fascinating things about astronomy, watching how the planets (and Moon) change. Saturn’s rings are moving towards a point where we won’t be able to see them.  Venus has phases that it goes through, just like our moon does. Both are currently thin crescents. Soon Jupiter will be visible again in the late evening skies along with it’s four brightest moons. It is always enjoyable to watch as the positions of these moons change over the course of an evening.

    Church was early the next morning, so after spending 15-20 minutes with Saturn, I closed up the Brashear room. A couple members were still out in the field, planning on spending the rest of the night. (I should say morning since it was after midnight.) I went home and crawled into bed for a couple hours before I had to get up again. I definitely had something to be thankful for in the morning. A couple more nights of good observing added onto all the other great things we have in life!

    Next star parties are in August…see ya there?

Star Party Season is Almost Here!

If you are at all like me, you remember the two bright objects, very close to each other, in the western skies a few weeks ago. They weren’t stars, they were planets. The brighter one of the two was Venus and the fainter one, Jupiter. Since then, Jupiter is neared the horizon in the evening skies while Venus still stands strong in the twilight.

    Did you know that the planet Uranus will be close to the bright planet Venus towards the end of the month? You can see the pair from your backyard, use binoculars to see the fainter Uranus, OR, you can come up to the Wagman Observatory and see them there.

    The Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh will be holding star parties on the last day of March, (the 31^st) and the first of April. (no joke!) Being held at the Wagman Observatory in Deer Lakes Park, the club members will show you these objects and many others during the nights. Star parties are held in the warmer (?) months of the year. The March/April parties will be the start of the 2023 Star Party Season.

    The club holds these events to allow the general public to come and look through the telescopes belonging to the club and its members. There are two permanently mounted scopes at the observatory, an 11” refractor built by the prominent Pittsburgh optician John Brashear (above) and a 21” reflector. The mirror for the reflector was made by the same company that John Brashear founded over a century ago. (We are a very Pittsburgh oriented club!)

    There is no charge for these parties; they are open to anyone who wants to see more of the sky above them. Bring the family, please! The observatory is in a darker portion of the county and almost everyone will see many more stars than at home in their light polluted neighborhoods.

    Are you thinking about getting a telescope and aren’t sure how to go about doing it, not sure what kind or what size to get? There are lots of options available. At a star party there are always a variety of scopes, different styles and sizes, you can browse among them and see how the views differ and ask the owners what their opinions are.

    Have you recently gotten a telescope and aren’t sure how to set it up or how to use it? Bring it with you and chances are someone will be there that can give you a hand or some advice. Ask at the desk to see if someone can help you. Just setting up a scope will bring club members over to see what you have! You can also join the club if you're interested!

    The kids enjoy being able to look through the scopes and seeing planets they’ve read and learned about. There are a couple programs available for the kids to participate in. Those between 2^nd and 6^th grades can work on the Passport to the Universe Program. They are given a passport and the idea is to find the various astronomical things listed in it. After finding them, they are awarded a certificate and a book. For the older kids there is the Junior Messier Program. After finding some things a little bit harder, they also can get an award and a certificate. Club members are happy to help them find the objects they are searching for.

    Weather permitting, (a big condition here in Pittsburgh) during these star parties, we will be able to see Jupiter and Mercury, very close to the western horizon. They will be setting soon after sunset. Higher in the sky will be Venus and beside it, the planet Uranus. Since Uranus is so much dimmer than the brilliant Venus, you’ll probably need some binoculars or a telescope to see it. Club members will direct you to it, it won’t be hard to find, especially when you have a bright planet to lead you to it!

    Chances are, the moon will be the first thing the telescopes will be pointing towards, since you can easily see it while the sky is still bright. As the sky darkens, Venus and Uranus will come under scrutiny by the observers. Then things such as Mars, Orion and it’s nebula, star clusters, galaxies and double stars. If we are lucky, we will see a pass or two of the International Space Station or maybe the Chinese space station, Tiangong. There is also the possibility of seeing a couple “falling stars”. You never know what you might see at a star party till you get there and see for yourself. That’s part of the fun of them, what new things will I see tonight?

    Bring your binoculars; you’ll be amazed at how much you can see with them! Leave your flashlights at home, the moon will be providing more than enough light to see. Bright lights are frowned upon because the darker the area is, the easier it is to see the fainter objects and to see more details. So being, please, turn off your car headlights as you enter the grounds.

    For more information about star parties or the A.A.A.P., click here, 3AP.Org. Directions to the clubs two observatories can be found there along with the dates of future star parties. If the weather looks doubtful, call the observatory (724- 224-2510) to see if the party is still on. Inclement weather, clouds, rain or snow will be cause to cancel the event.

    It is a great way to spend a Friday or Saturday night, after a hard week of work, relaxing under the stars in the fresh air. Best thing of all…it’s free!

    If you come, look me up. Hope to see ya there!

Could the Day be any Better?

 The fall foliage is just past its peak here in Pittsburgh. The recent rains have stripped a lot of the leaves off of the trees and littered the ground with their colors.

    Saturday was spectacular. The temperatures were rising again, and the clouds had all disappeared from the sky. After doing a few chores around the house, it was time once again for another adventure.

    There was a star party planned for the evening and so I did a couple geocaches hidden along the trails in Deer Lakes Park. I bought a hoagie for my dinner and then spent some time in the woods.

    This has been a poor year for star parties. I missed a couple due to prior obligations and a bunch of them had been cancelled due to rain and cloudy weather. Saturday’s party was almost guaranteed, it was going to be good! 

I was the second person to arrive at the observatory. I opened up the Brashear room and prepped the scope for the party. 

    A short while later, Rowen Poole arrived and using mathematics, the setting circles on the scope and pure skill, he found the planet Saturn, while the sun was still in the sky! A line soon formed as people heard we were looking at the ringed planet.

    You always know when a person fixes their eye on Saturn, there is always some sort of exclamation! It is one of the things I look forward to! The kids really enjoy seeing Saturn, many came back numerous times to see it again as the night progressed. It goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway, the planet looks much better when the sky is dark! The mere fact that we could see it during the day was exciting, how many people can say they’ve done that?

    The other scope in the observatory was showing Jupiter. We couldn’t see it yet, the eastern skies are blocked from where the scope is located. We watched the ringed planet for another hour or so before we had a chance to move it to another celestial object.

    We looked at M-57, the ring Nebula, we observed Albireo to show the color differences in stars and we looked at Epsilon Lyrae to show some close double stars. The Andromeda Galaxy was in the scope for a short while and then we jumped over to Jupiter.

    When the line dwindled a bit, Rowan searched out a few fainter objects. One was a galaxy that I could hardly see yet he found it with no problem. The Brashear scope is an 11” refractor, built in 1909. It doesn’t have any “go-to” functions on it. Finding objects to observe requires knowledge of what you’re looking for, along with the area of sky it is in. Having good eyes helps also!

    The crowds came and went. We saw numerous people at different times. A nice sized meteor skimmed the northern wall of the observatory causing a couple gasps. Two or three satellites were seen during the night. One couple brought up a new telescope that they couldn’t “figure out”. A quick look discovered what they were doing that was wrong, a little tutorial and they were on their way, happy again. That’s what we do here, make people happy!

    A bit after eleven the crowd started to thin, the noise decreased and when I went outside, the members had packed their scopes and were preparing to leave. Most of the public had left also. In the east, the Pleiades and Mars were getting higher and Orion was climbing over the hills in the distance.

    We watched as one of Jupiter’s moons passed behind the planet. There were 6 of us watching, taking turns as the moon got closer and closer to the planet. One of the group was a young girl, about 6-8 years old along with her father. What a great thing to watch at such a young age. Hopefully this will be something she will tell her children about some day in the future!

    The occultation of Ganymede was the final thing we observed. We closed down the room and said our good-byes. There were a couple other club members still observing on the other scope as I drove away.

    Pulling up in front of my house, Orion was higher in the sky. I said good night to him and went in to bed. In the morning when I woke up for Church, he was slipping behind the hill to my west. In the east, in the brightening sky was a thin sliver of the rising moon. The entire disc could be seen, illuminated by earthshine. It was a fitting start to the day, especially after such a nice evening, the night before!

Welcome to the Star Party

 Welcome to a night under the stars. If this is your first time visiting a star party, here are a few guidelines.

    Star parties are held to allow the general public access to the telescopes owned by astronomy clubs and astronomers. The goal is to introduce you to the night sky and astronomy. On a good night you can expect to see double stars, galaxies and nebulas along with the moon, planets and satellites. Every time you visit one, different things can be seen.

    The telescopes are set up there for you to observe through. All you need to do to look through these instruments is to ask! These are often very expensive, be careful when looking through them and follow the owners instructions. Don’t touch the optics or move the scopes. If you want to look at something else, ask and if possible, the owner will show you.

    They will tell you what you are looking at and hopefully be able to answer any questions you might have. If they don’t know the answer, chances are that someone else near-by will!

    Weather plays a big part in star parties. If there are clouds in the sky, chances are the telescopes won’t be set up. Heavy clouds hamper viewing and the members don’t want any moisture getting onto the optics. So saying, rain will cancel these events. If the weather looks threatening, call the observatory before driving up!

(Observatory phone #’s are usually on the clubs web site)

    If you have a telescope at home, bring it along. Most star parties have darker skies than those closer to the cities; this will enable you to see more than you normally do. If you’ve never used your telescope before, come up early, while the sky is still light, and someone will be able to help you set it up and explain how it works. If you have a pair of binoculars, bring them along also. You will be surprised at how many stars you can see through ordinary field glasses. Bring a lawn chair if you want, to just sit and enjoy the skies above.

    If you are considering buying a telescope, a star party is a great place to see what is available. Compare the views you get through different styles and brands, ask the owners what they like about their scopes and what they would recommend.

    Bringing a jacket and a hat and wearing long pants is suggested since the temperature quickly drops after sunset. Most star parties are held on hilltops and there is usually a slight breeze blowing!

    There is no smoking or alcoholic beverages allowed near the telescopes and it’s best to leave your pets at home to avoid any problems.

    Another important thing is, don’t bring a flashlight! Bright lights are frowned upon at star parties. If you don’t know how to dim your cars lights, please park near the entrance and walk up to the site, it’s won’t be far! This will preserve everyone’s night vision.

    After being in the dark for awhile, your eyes become accustomed to the dim light. Your pupils open up to permit more light in, allowing you to see more. Just a brief glimpse from a white flashlight or a car headlight will cause your pupils to shrink. It will then take up to 20 minutes for you to regain the night vision you had before. Astronomers use red flashlights since this won’t cause your pupils to react.

    Children are very welcome at star parties; we hope to instill the love of astronomy in them at an early age! Keep your children close at hand. Explain to them about how costly these instruments are and share the need to respect the equipment and the owners.

    When you go on trips, check to see if there are any astronomy clubs in the areas you will be visiting. They will usually have the dates of star parties they have planned on their web sites. Major parks have star parties also, their skies are often much darker than what you experience normally and they want to share this with you. Check before you visit. Commonly, star parties are held during the summer months and whenever something special happens, such as eclipses or meteor showers. Keep an eye out for them and come up and visit!

    Should you be bitten by the astronomy bug, members will be more than happy to tell you how you can join the club, anyone is welcome to join! You don’t need any expensive equipment, just your enthusiasm!

    To find out more about the Pittsburgh club, the AAAP, their two observatories and their star party schedule, visit;

http://3AP.Org

    The night sky is a treasure which is often over looked; a visit to a star party just might help you see what great things you’ve been missing! Chances are, I'll be there and I’ll be watching for you! Be sure to say "hi"!

A Few Notes About the Past Week

 

Just a few notes about the past week.

        * I found out that a local hardware store was closing. Winchel Hardware has been located in Etna since 1906, a hundred and sixteen years! It originally was opened as a department store but evolved into a hardware store shortly after World War Two.

        It was the place I would go if I needed a trap for a sink or a switch to replace a broken one on a lamp. Whatever you needed, chances are you could get it there. I remember one time going there to find a hanger for one of my gutters. I was taken up a set of stairs and half way down them, a door was opened and inside was a selection of different types of hangers. Naturally, there were some exactly like what I needed. I bought two, that was all I needed.

        They weren’t prepackaged, sealed in hard to open plastic, they were hanging loose on a nail. “How many did I need?” I got them and some friendly talk in the process. It was always a great place to shop; you were always treated as someone special. It was so much better than a big box store. I’ll miss them!

        *I hid a couple geocaches this week in the local area. One of them was found before I finished hiding it! I met a couple of local geocachers that I knew via e-mails but never met in person. It is always nice to put a face to a name!

        They were searching the spot I was going to hide the cache in. I was running late, the cache is supposed to be hidden before it is submitted to Geocaching.com. I was in the process of replacing the container when I met them. I asked if they were geocachers and when they replied they were, I held up the cache and told them, “You found it!” I had only submitted the cache a few hours earlier; I didn’t know it had been approved already. Live and learn! 

        The other cache I placed had been submitted five or six days earlier and still wasn’t released. It ended up being released the next morning. Here is a shot of the lucky FTF (First to Find) signing the log.

        *The last thing. The Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh (AAAP) had another star party on Saturday night. The night before there were thunderstorms and the morning was filled with misting rain. The day was full of thick clouds covering the sky. Around 5 in the afternoon, bits of blue started showing through. I packed the car and drove towards The Wagman Observatory, hoping for the best.

        We had a small turn out of members and guests. Eleven members showed up to share the skies with about 30-40 visitors. We dodged the clouds, going from one object to another as they were covered over. 

        We were treated to a nice conjunction of Venus and a thin crescent moon hanging over the western horizon. (Sorry, no picture) Jupiter and its moons, Saturn and its rings, a few double stars and the Andromeda Galaxy were some of the other things shown.

        A short while after I arrived, I met a woman as I walked to the observatory. She told me that it was 15 years since she was here last. She was in the Girl Scouts at the time and enjoyed it so much she always wanted to return.

        It just goes to show you never know how long a good thing will take to pay off. We showed the scouts a good time back then and she remembered it! We must have done something right! Whatever it was, it paid off, she brought some people with her to share the experience! Hopefully the guests who visited last night will be back also, preferably sooner than 15 years. I think everyone there had a good time, I know I did!

        *To finish these notes off, it is two in the afternoon while I am typing this. I am sitting in my backyard listening to a live band performing over the hill. They sound really good! While I was typing away at my laptop, a brown hawk landed on a fallen tree 20 feet away. He/she sat there looking around, preening a bit and then flew off after “hangin” with me for eight minutes. (Always happens when I don’t have a camera handy!) It was a nice compliment to the sunrise I saw this morning! Suburban Glenshaw, live music and wild life…no complaints here!

Enjoy the week!

 An Evening Under the Stars at Wagman Observatory

9.11.21

     The evening sky had lots of clouds in it but we were still hopeful for clearings as the night progressed. As sunset neared people started coming into the field surrounding the observatory, some members and some guests. The AAAP star party was starting.

     The clouds came and went during the evening; mostly they stuck to the horizons. The seeing wasn’t great but we could still see the usual crowd pleasers.

     We viewed the Moon and Venus in the west and as the sky darkened Jupiter and Saturn in the southeast. Some of the members with go-to scopes were able to show some of the fainter objects over our heads to the crowds.

     Jupiter had four of its brighter moons visible as the night started, around 9:30, the moon Io passed in front of the planet and disappeared from our sight. I don’t know if anyone was watching as it as disappeared It would have been a great thing to see!

     The moon looked nice as it settled into the thicker atmosphere near the horizon. It turned from bright yellow into a dark orange. With wispy clouds drifting in front of it, it would’ve looked good on the cover of a science fiction novel!

     By eleven, most of the public had left and the members were packing their gear. The “clear” skies had disappeared leaving only the brightest stars visible. It was time to call it a night.

     It was a wonderful evening! For a short while I was able to man the 11” Brashear refractor. (The high point of my night!) Jupiter and Saturn, always look good through that scope! It was originally built in 1910 by Pittsburgh optician, John Brashear, and rebuilt by the club in the mid 1990’s. It is 111 years old!

     We had over a hundred guests show up, there were plenty of questions and something I always enjoy…lots of “OH WOW’s”.

     It was a great night to hang out under the stars with friends! Can’t wait until the next one!

 

A Chance Encounter

 

        Clouds were drifting through the sky as sunset approached. Overhead I could see Vega. I had hopes for an eventual clearing…so I went to take a nap!

        Waking a bit after 11 I went outside to see a nice clear sky. Jupiter and Saturn were right in my “window”.  My front yard is framed by trees. Saturn was heading towards the trees to the west and Jupiter had just appeared out of the trees to the east. Best of all, most of the neighbors lights were off!

        I set up the scope and aligned the finder scope. My first observation was of Saturn. The image moved in and out of focus a bit as the telescope acclimated to the slightly cooler temperature. It settled down rather quickly and I was treated to a nice crisp, steady view of the ringed planet and its brightest moon, Titan. I was using a 12.5mm Coulter Optical eyepiece which gave me 12X. Before the planet slipped behind the trees I put a doubler on it for awhile.

        When I moved over to Jupiter, there were only three of its bright moons visible. I figured the fourth was either behind or in front of the planet Curious about where the fourth moon was, I consulted The Observers Handbook. I quickly found out that the fourth moon, Ganymede, was transiting across the front of the planet. Best of all, I saw that it was due to reappear in about 12 minutes!

        This is one of the reasons I like to have reference materials close at hand. I could’ve looked this up on the computer but I would have ruined my night vision in the process.

        I went to the telescope and put a Meade Ultra Wide 4.7mm eyepiece in the focuser. This gave me 32X.

        One of the first things I noticed was a sharp black dot near the center of the planets disc. Situated between the two darkest cloud bands, it was the shadow of Ganymede!

        I kept a close eye on the edge of the planet’s disc. As the time neared, (12:36AM) I started to see a bump grow. It increased in size until a little after 12:36, I could see a sliver in-between it and the planet.

        Not long after watching this, I started to tear down my set up. Jupiter was heading towards the trees and my scope was covered with dew. In all I had observed for a little over an hour and in that hour I had watched the universe in motion! As so often when observing you are looking at objects that are set in place. They are so far away you can’t see any movement at all except for the spinning of our own planet. Watching the transit of Ganymede was cool, happening upon it at the right time was lucky!

        After putting my equipment away, I went outside to check if I had left anything behind. The sky was starting to cloud over again. Seems I timed it just right! I returned to my bed because I had important dreams waiting for me!

        (Excuse my amateur drawings, they were taken from my notes)

P.S. The A.A.A.P. is scheduled another star party on September 11th, at the Wagman Observatory! You might want to mark that on your calendar!

Finally, Another Star Party! August 14, 2021

         After nearly two years, 21 months to be exact, the Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh (AAAP) has finally been able to hold another star party! The one scheduled for the night before, (Friday the 13^th of Aug.) was cancelled due to rain, or possibly bad luck! Saturday had turned out to be a perfect night to hang out in a field and share the skies with others.

        I arrived early, around 7PM, joining 7 or 8 other members setting up their scopes.  We watched a weather balloon for awhile as we waited for the darkness to arrive.

        A couple friends came up with a new telescope and the three of us started to set it up. Then some other members with more knowledge finished the job, getting it aligned and tracking correctly. They offered their help and then stopped by a few times during the night to make sure everything was operating properly. It is what our club does! Their help and concern was appreciated!

        As the sun set and the skies started darkening, more and more people started arriving. Some had scopes, some brought their children and some were just here to get outside and mingle once again. We were more than happy to show them the stars while they were there.

        Almost everyone started with the moon. It was the only thing visible! As the night darkened, Venus showed up in the west and Jupiter appeared on the eastern horizon. It wasn’t much later that Saturn showed up to join the party!

         I would guess that there was over 100 people who came to visit. Groups of people were walking past, laughing and talking and every so often, yelling about seeing a meteor!

        I showed most of the objects on my list; the planets,(Saturn is always a show stopper!) double stars, the Ring Nebula and the Coat Hanger Cluster to name just a few.

        Just listening, I learnt a few things from the members set up on either side of us. I love looking through other telescopes and hearing about how they work and operate. I talked with people I hadn’t seen in years and met some people I know only by way of the list-server. People continued to come by as the night went on.

        During a bit of free time, I went inside the observatory and took a look through the two big telescopes mounted there. What more can I say but…nice! M13, a globular cluster was in one scope, with thousands of stars looking like a mound of sugar.  Jupiter was in the other scope, its cloud bands visible and its moons nice and crisp in front of the background stars. The seeing was great, all the views I saw were nice and steady.

        The sky stayed clear until midnight neared.  The public started to leave as the air got cooler leaving mostly members behind. Then they started packing up. It was a little after midnight when I left. A bright Perseid meteor was my last observation for the night, a lucky one, I just happened to look up at the right time!

        This evening had done me good! I couldn’t help but be in a good mood the next morning, even though I felt like I needed more sleep.

        Our next star party at the Wagman Observatory will be on September 11^th, a Saturday and the one after that will be on September 24^th, two weeks later. The second party will be a Moonrise Star Party. We will be able to watch the moon rising in the east during this party, something that's always nice to see and photograph.

        Until the next time, keep your fingers crossed for clear skies and keep looking up!

Prepping for a Star Party

 

               I’m excited! The AAAP will be holding star parties once again. With the majority of the population in Pennsylvania being vaccinated, the mask requirements have been dropped.

               This will be the first star party in 20 months. Since my retirement is nearing, I am no longer working Friday nights. This will free me up for both nights (July 16 & 17^th) at the Wagman Observatory in Deer Lakes Park.

               The general idea behind a star party is to show the public the wonders of the night sky. Club members bring their telescopes and set them up so that visitors can use them. Guests are welcome to bring their own scopes or just look through the member’s scopes. All the telescopes are there for you to look through, including the two large scopes mounted in the observatory. 

                  I can’t remember the last time I took a telescope to a star party. I do know it has been a long time! I used to go to lots of them. I had possession of one of the clubs better refractors and would set it up near the observatory. I remember fondly people saying that the refractor showed better images than the two mounted telescopes inside the building. Ahh, those were the days. It is always enjoyable showing people the stars!

               Since it has been such a long time since I went to one and dealt with the public, I figured I needed to make up a checklist to make sure I didn’t forget anything I would need.  I also made a list of possible objects to view during the night.

               Forgetting things is something I tend to do very well. There is nothing worse than driving 10-15 miles only to discover that I’ve forgotten the box of eyepieces or the weights used to balance the scope.

               There are approximately 20 days until the first star party. (Depending on when I post this or when you read it) I’ve made up my “to take” list and my “to view” list. Both are subject to change as the dates near. Here is what I’ve included so far:

To Take:

The Refractor

Tripod

Weights

Eyepieces

Binoculars

Flashlight (red)

Log book/ pens

Star Atlas, Observers Handbook & the current Astronomy magazine

Drinks / Snacks

Jacket

Hat

Bug spray

 

To Observe:

    Venus (west) sets around 10

    Mars (west)

    Moon- sets after midnight

    Jupiter (east) rises around 10:30-11

    Saturn (east) rises around 9:30- 10

    Any satellite passes worth noting

    Mizar and Alcor (Ursa Major)

    M81 & 82 (Ursa Major)

    M-31 Andromeda Galaxy

    M-57 Ring Nebula (Lyra)

    Double Double (Lyra) Epsilon Lyrae     

    Double cluster (Persius) after midnight ?

    Coat Hanger Cluster  (in line with Alberio)

    Alberio Double star in Cygnus 

With my list of objects to observe, I try to go for things which will be exciting for novices to see. It is also important to list things which will be visible during the night of the party! No sense listing the Orion Nebula if Orion won’t be in the sky that night.

               Venus and Mars will be in the western sky, setting shortly after dark falls. The moon will be in the sky until around midnight, being about 40% illuminated, it will be a good object to observe. The mountains along the terminator are always fun to look at.

               The planets Jupiter and Saturn are always crowd pleasers, they will be showing up in the east as the night progresses. The moons of Jupiter can be seen to move over an hour or so and the rings of Saturn are always memorable.

I have included a couple double stars and a few other things such as clusters and asterisms. I also included M-57, the Ring Nebula. This can be a difficult object for some to discern since it is rather faint, I’ll save it for later in the night, after the moon sets.

Before the event, I’ll go out in the yard and try to locate these objects. I haven’t done a lot of observing lately and I need to be able to quickly locate these things. It is always tough when someone is standing there, waiting to see what you have in your scope!

I’m anxiously looking forward to these dates. It will be great to spend a night under the stars. This though, brings up another subject, the possibility of bad weather. We live in Pittsburgh and it has a terrible history of bad weather conditions. I always say, “If there is something astronomical planned, the chances are it will rain!” (The picture above was taken during a VERY close conjunction between Saturn and Jupiter. The weather gods laughed at us…) I might have a cramp or two on July 16^th and 17^th, because I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed until then!

If you’re in the area, I hope to see you there!  Mark these dates...July 16 & 17, 2021! Find out more at The Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh web site:

3AP.ORG

I went outside for awhile last night and located a couple of the items on my list. It was a beautiful night, the temperature was perfect for observing. A pair of shorts and an open shirt was all I needed. (That and some bug spray) The stars competed with the fireflies. I saw a couple shooting stars and then got stuck on the items I was observing.  I wanted to just find them and then go to the next but I found I couldn’t help but stick with them for awhile, enjoying the beauty of the night. I saw LOTS of satellites; it seems as if no matter where I’m looking, one will drift through the field of view. Just before I tore things down, I saw a great shooting star, it was slow and bright and right where I was looking. How can you beat that?

Speaking of satellites, I woke up a little before 5 the next morning and watched the Chinese space station, Tianhe-1, go over and then a short while later, the International Space Station following a slightly different path. I watched both until they were lost in the brightness of the eastern sky.

The birds were chirping away, singing their morning songs and I, went back to bed where my dreams were waiting for me.