[pasmembers] Re: Night Sky Training Event - Your input is requested
- From: Terri <cosmicstarstuff@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: stargazersilent t <stargazersilent@xxxxxxxxx>, PAS ListServ <pasmembers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 9 Jan 2013 15:43:58 -0800 (PST)
Kabrina,
You could attend to view the objects, learn the night sky with us,
and maybe look through the Telrad's or other finder scopes
to find the objects, and take notes. I realize that isn't the same
as working your own scope, but until you have your own,
learn what you can without help. And viewing the object
is as much fun as finding it.
Plan to attend, even with out a scope.
Good luck with Grad School.
Terri, Event Coordinator
PS: let me know that you got two copies of this
email, as I'm going to reply back to the List Serv
to make sure you got connected and signed up. : )
Good friends are like stars. You don't always
see them, but you always know they are there.
Terri Phoenix Astronomical Society Event Coordinator
Visit the P.A.S. Blog & My Facebook Page
Visit my Music Page: Private Music Instructor
>________________________________
> From: stargazersilent t <stargazersilent@xxxxxxxxx>
>To: Terri <cosmicstarstuff@xxxxxxxxx>
>Sent: Wednesday, January 9, 2013 4:20 PM
>Subject: Re: Night Sky Training Event - Your input is requested
>
>
>Hi Terri,
>I just subscribed to the list serv, but I wanted to give my two cents. This
>is exactly the type of event I was hoping PAS would host. So, regardless of my
>personal attendance in this round, I am excited to read about these events.
>However, I don't have a scope and with grad school kicking my rear I don't
>think it will be in the cards for some time. I don't know if it would still be
>possible for me to attend with no scope - if I did, I don't even know how to
>work a scope to find an object I can't see with the naked eye. I know there
>is some sort of question or conclusion in there, but I'm not sure what it is,
>haha. Anyway, I will stay tuned for details.
>Thanks,
>Kabrina Kershaw
>On Jan 9, 2013 2:55 PM, "Terri" <cosmicstarstuff@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>Good afternoon PAS Members,
>>
>>
>>I'd like some input, and we have about a week to discuss this before
>>a date is set. So, your input is important to me. Please, if you
>>are on the List Serv, send your answers to that location.
>>If you aren't already on the List Serv, and with to continue this
>>discussion with the rest of the PAS Members,
>>please use the below info to get connected.
>>
>>
>>Topic: Night Sky Training Event
>>
>>
>>I'd like to open this up to just PAS members to start. If it goes over good,
>>I think we should hold 1 or 2 of these events, open to the public,
>>during the summer months. But let's make the first 1 or 2 PAS members only,
>>so that we can test the idea. If it works good, we continue. If it doesn't
>>work out,
>>can't find enough people or objects to view, then we may just not do it with
>>the
>>public.
>>
>>
>>Here's the proposal:
>>
>>
>>This came about because I discovered that a few of our members who do not
>>get to, due to their work schedule, or other activities they are involved in,
>>attend star parties or do observing regular enough to learn the night sky. One
>>can't expect to set up a scope, and know where the fun objects are.
>>
>>
>>At a PAS meeting or it might have been a MOM's, Jerry Belcher suggested that
>>I,
>>or PAS, put together a star party designed to find objects in the night sky,
>>as a goal, together. So, let's say you didn't know where M31 was. Yes, at
>>times,
>>this is a very elusive object that can't be seen naked eye at a school event,
>>most of
>>the time. At Mike's, in Carefree, we can see it, sometimes, but most of the
>>time,
>>it is elusive. How does one find it?
>>
>>
>>So, we, some of the PAS members who were having difficulties finding objects,
>>decided we wanted to set up a star party to train those PAS members who may
>>not
>>know where to find objects, a couple times a year. With the intent of learning
>>most of the Messier objects, which would help if you are doing the Messier
>>Marathon (and we can prepare for the 2015 Marathon, because we don't plan to
>>have
>>that many events between now and next Messier Marathon to cover all 110
>>objects) as well as learning some additional fun objects.
>>
>>
>>Who would teach? Everyone who attends could possibly share what they know.
>>For instance, if Eric attends, he has so many really awesome objects he has
>>found in
>>the past, that he could point it out in the night sky, and we, as a group,
>>could go
>>find it in our own scopes, get to know it's location, make notes of what it
>>looks like,
>>maybe write down coordinates, etc.... and learn where some new objects are,
>>that Eric knows about. Don, he's another one with great info on where objects
>>are and because he has a Go-to, he can go to new objects, and we can all make
>>an effort to learn some new objects.
>>
>>
>>So, what do we do at these events?
>>
>>
>>Potluck 2 hours before the observing session. Why? Because if you haven't
>>eaten, you won't be as receptive a learner if you are concerned about your
>>tummy
>>rumbling and distracting you from the goal at hand.
>>
>>
>>Where: Mike's home in Carefree.
>>
>>
>>Fee: $1/scope. Why? We give this to Mike as a donation for the supplies
>>he needs to get, such as toilet paper, paper towels, etc, to keep his house
>>availablefor use by PAS members.
>>
>>
>>Who attends? The first 2 sessions, will be PAS Members and their scopes. I
>>think
>>in order to learn a few different objects in one night, we should limit the
>>attendance
>>to only those PAS Members with scopes and immediate family members who
>>might want to come see some new objects. If we have too much in the way of
>>public, or extra people, we won't get to enough objects to make the night a
>>worth
>>while training session.
>>
>>
>>Plans: We all set up. We all work our own scopes. We pick what objects we want
>>to learn about. It would be helpful if we also learned some facts about each
>>object.
>>So, if someone wants to have access to the internet or books, we can discuss
>>each object, the distance, features, size, etc.... so that something is known
>>about
>>each object and I suggest that we all take notes. So, plan to bring a note
>>book,
>>pencils, maybe even draw the object in your book as you are looking in your
>>scope,
>>as a reference to what we observed.
>>The rule will be: who ever knows how to find that object, uses a green laser
>>pointer - or super blue laser pointer if you have one - to point out in the
>>night sky where to find this object. Then, ALL scopes go to the object
>>and find it. We then compare views. So, let's say I find it in my 8", Sam also
>>has an 8", and maybe for his view, he decides to zooooooooom way in on it
>>bringing it in larger than my view. Doesn't matter, we aren't competing on
>>the view of it. We are learning to find the object. We want to see it well
>>enough
>>to confirm we have found it. And we aren't in any rush. So, after it is
>>found, let
>>everyone attending look through your scope. If we do this for each object,
>>I'd guess we can find and complete one object about every 1/2 hour.
>>What I had in mind was to make notes of what eyepiece, filter, etc, i used
>>to make this object look good. Then, I would want to keep a hold of that
>>info, maybe type it up and make it look good, and use it at star parties, so I
>>remember my best view, using the notes I took while doing this training
>>class.
>>
>>
>>So, the next thing is... when do we want to hold these events? I suggest on
>>the
>>nights that are marked on the calendar for the Antenna's site. However, I
>>do not want to take all those dates, but maybe every other month so that the
>>sky
>>is slightly different and we learn different objects. Or even every 3 months.
>>Also, those who like to attend Antenna's site, may want to do this event as
>>well, and since the Antenna's events were listed first, I don't' want to be
>>the one
>>who messes up the schedule for the Antenna's attendees. That wouldn't be
>>very fair.
>>
>>
>>So, when do we want to do this? Here are the next possible dates. Let's get
>>1 set up for now, and then I will figure 2 or 3 months later, for the next
>>event.
>>I"d like 2 events before the summer, to test this idea, and then maybe 2
>>during
>>the summer (because 1 may be canceled to monsoons), for the public.
>>
>>
>>Mike, of course has to agree to this, as well, since it is his home we are
>>using
>>to do these events at.
>>
>>
>>The next Dark Sky Antenna's event is on Feb 9. Do we think it will be warm
>>enough
>>to just have a medium weight jacket and not be freezing? Or do we want
>>to use the Mar 9 event, which is the date that the other clubs are using
>>as a practice session for the Messier Marathon? I was leaning more towards
>>the Mar 9 event. That's my input. We already have an event lined up to
>>start at 4:30 with a potluck on Mar 9, although it isn't on the site just
>>yet,
>>and it would be perfect as our first session, temperature wise. Easier on the
>>fingers and toes and noses if it isn't as cold as the Jan 4th event for the
>>Scouts.
>>
>>
>>So, that is the input I'm looking for.
>>Feb 9 or Mar 9. I vote Mar 9 for the first event of this kind. If it goes
>>over good,
>>we can do 2 months in a row, if needed, based on the below possible dates to
>>have
>>a second event of this type before the Summer months.
>>
>>
>>Or, should be do both those dates... why?
>>
>>
>>Looking ahead:
>>
>>
>>We aren't doing January because it will be just downright too cold on Jan 12,
>>with this storm coming in that's due to arrive and leave a super cold front,
>>according to Ch3 News. So, January is out.
>>
>>
>>Feb 9 works in the schedule.
>>
>>
>>Mar 9 works in the schedule.
>>
>>
>>However April 6 is Antennas, and I can not attend. I have a Garage Sale that
>>whole weekend. And Mike has 2 events 2 weekends in a row, already for April.
>>Dark Sky Private event, oh, that's our event. we could do Apr 13.
>>And Public Astronomy Day Apr 20.
>>Well, Apr 13 would work, as well.
>>Except if the attendees of the Dark Sky star party for PAS Members only is
>>not when they want to have this training session. It has be something all
>>the attendees want to have, or it doesn't work for everyone.
>>
>>
>>In May, we have the dark sky event on May 11, but there is a paid
>>star party that Eric, Don, me, and a few others who want to do this
>>type of event, need to be at THAT paid event instead. So, May is out.
>>
>>
>>June 8is the next dark Antenna's night. It is a possibly and might
>>be doable if the monsoons don't catch up to us that soon.
>>
>>
>>So, those are the dates in question. Give me your input.
>>I will duplicate this to the List Serv so that those of you who are on the
>>List Serv can answer directly back to the List Serv, and those
>>who are not, know the discussion and can join the List Serv using
>>the directions below.... if you care to. Remember, the List Serv
>>is the PAS Life Line. We discuss weather, events, cancel events through
>>the list serv, and plan events, too. It is where you want to be connected.
>>Consider joining today, if you aren't already with us on the PAS List Serv.
>>
>>
>>Everyone have a super Wednesday!
>>Your input is greatly appreciated.
>>
>>
>>Terri, Event Coordinator for PAS
>>
>>
>>Directions on how to join the PAS List Serv:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>Good friends are like stars. You don't always
>>see them, but you always know they are there.
>>Terri Phoenix Astronomical Society Event Coordinator
>>Visit the P.A.S. Blog & My Facebook Page
>>Visit my Music Page: Private Music Instructor
>>
>
>
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