FreeLists / az-observing / [AZ-Observing] Mormon Mountain Star Stare report

[BillFerris@xxxxxxx]

It's 2:30pm on Sunday and afternoon thunderstorm clouds have been rolling in 
from the east since 1:00pm. Welcome to the Arizona monsoon. Er wait, it's June 
1 and the monsoon isn't supposed to be here for another month. I guess somebody 
forgot to tell Ma Nature that.

Twelve hardy souls braved the clouds and rain by arriving Friday. The night was 
almost totally clouded out. Frank Martin did have a fine view of Mars at 
3:15am, Saturday morning. Saturday dawned gray and cloudy. By lunch, rain was 
beginning to fall and, understandably, some of the folks in attendance began 
packing to leave.

Normally, one person leaving a star party is enough to "guarantee" clear skies 
for observing that night. But this weather pattern exacted a higher toll. I 
want to thank Frank Martin, Bob Hughes and Steve Coe for sacrificing themselves 
to the goddess Precipitace. Their selfless acts appeased the goddess, allowing 
the ten of us who remained to observe at least one night, this weekend.

As Tom Polakis described, the clouds cleared out for the most part after 
10:00pm on Saturday. High humidity knocked the transparency down to well below 
Arizona standards and, for only the second night since arriving in Flagstaff 
over six years ago, dew was a problem. Nevertheless, I enjoyed views of the Bug 
nebula (Tom Polakis), M57 (Bill Maleena) and Mars (Brent Archinal, in addition 
to a few select objects in my 10-inch.

As a consolation prize to those who quite understandably chose not to make the 
trip up the hill, what would folks say to a late June weekend at Antelope Park? 
June 27-29 is the next new Moon weekend. If by Wednesday of that week the 
weather is looking like a "lead pipe lock" to be good for the 27-29, I'd post 
an announcement to this list that the event is on. The club will even try to 
arrange for a portable toilet, on short notice. Anybody interested?

Thanks to the 17 folks who attended the event. Hopefully, this year's Star 
Stare was just the first of what will become an annual late spring/early summer 
dark sky event in northern Arizona.

Regards,

Bill Ferris
Coconino Astronomical Society

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