Forest Ecology Preserve Spring
Stargaze
April, 2011
On Saturday, April 9, 2011, AAS members and friends
gathered at the Mary Olive Thomas Demonstration Forest for our spring,
2011, Forest Ecology Preserve stargaze. We began arriving just after
5:30 to set up our telescopes. With both the fall and spring events
for 2010 here clouded out, it was good to be back at this wonderful facility.
Following Jennifer Lolley’s presentation at the
pavilion, the Forest Preserve guests came out to view through the telescopes,
AAS vice president, Allen Screws, gave the visitors some basic information
on AAS and outlined the expected decorum around the telescopes. For
the first time at this venue, we had the 6-day old Moon high enough above
the treeline to have some excellent views. Visitors were also treated
to views of Saturn with the rings opening again nicely now, as well as
a variety of star clusters, nebulae, galaxies, and binary stars.
Volunteering their time and telescopes were:
-
Gregg Glasscock; 12.5 Starmaster & TMB 4.5" refractor
-
Frank Ward; 12-inch Meade Lightbridge Dob
-
Alan Cook; 10-inch Meade LX50 SCT & 3.5-inch
Questar
-
Ray Kunert; 10-inch Meade LX200GPS SCT
-
Russell Whigham; Celestron 11-inch SCT
-
Eddie Kirkland; 16-inch Dob
-
Allen Screws; 10-inch Newtonian
-
Everett Leonard; 10-inch Orion XT10 IntelliScope
reflector
-
Bill McEvleen; AAS 8-inch Dob
-
Tom McGowan; 12.5-inch Dob
Each of us were richly rewarded with the expressions
of awe and appreciation by our visitors.
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