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RussL
Music Maker
Reged: 03/18/08
Posts: 1575
Loc: Cayce, SC
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Many of you probably know this, but I didn't. I did a search on Halloween and found that it is a "cross-quarter" day--the day in the middle between the Autumnal Equinox and the Winter Solstice (although November 5th or 6th is more accurately in the middle). The ancient Celts acknowledged it as the beginning of a new year as well as winter. And there are three other cross-quarter days in the year between equinoxes and solstices:
Feb. 2--Groundhog Day
May 1--May Day
August 1--Lammas Day (and other names)
So, really you could have eight celebrations per year. The more the merrier, eh? 
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--Russell
"Akita mani yo." Observe everything as you walk. (--Lakota)
Celestron Celestar 8 Standard SCT, f10
Celestron 80mm Wide View ref., f5
Criterion RV-6 Dynascope, Newt., f8, (c. 1962)
Sears Discoverer 60mm ref., f7, (c. 1973)
Celestron Ultima DX 10x50, 6.5 TFOV
Tasco 7x35 wide
Several mediocre eyepieces
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Mr Q
sage
Reged: 02/25/08
Posts: 351
Loc: N Central New Mexico
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But getting the Feds to make them legal holidays? Now that would be something indeed. If they can take a couple of presidents days and combine them into one, why not? Maybe it would be a good pre-election promise to not keep 
Mr Q
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What goes around, comes around, eventually.
Meade DS-10(10" newt)
10x50, 10x70 binos
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dgs©
Postmaster
Reged: 03/29/04
Posts: 13849
Loc: West Monroe, Louisiana
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Quote:
But getting the Feds to make them legal holidays? Now that would be something indeed.
I don't know... the Feds already get way more holidays than I do. 
• New Year's Day
• Good Friday (4 hour holiday)
• 4th of July (4 hour holiday this year)
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Friday after Thanksgiving (4 hour holiday... and a recent addition)
• Christmas Eve
• Christmas Day
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- david
8"Ø Newtonian on SVP, Moonlite CR2, Telrad
PST Oberwerk Ultra 15x70 Orion Ultraview 10×50
Hand-me-down Sears Refractor (Discoverer) 60mm×900mm
"What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world, remains and is immortal." --Albert Pike
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epee
professor emeritus
Reged: 11/30/06
Posts: 577
Loc: Suh-van-nuh, Jaw-juh
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I used to work for a bank years ago and of course we always got the Fed holidays. Trouble was with all the Columbus Day and Presidents' Day sales I' d end up with more than two days' the work waiting for me on Tuesday.
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Jim Girardeau
Orion XT12 Intelliscope
Celestron 11X80mm binoculars
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Bill Weir
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 06/01/04
Posts: 880
Loc: Metchosin (Victoria), Canada
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I thought you were bringing up the fact that Halloween is a great time to do a little Sidewalk Astronomy.
My little community which is rural with houses very spread appart, has a big (OK little) Halloween party at the Fire hall, with a bonfire, haunted house and such. I like to setup my little refactor or dob next to the haunted house line to show kids things while they wait in line. Over many years I have yet to have any problems due to unruley behavior.
It's usually good if the Moon is up (unfortunately it not this year). Still I suggest you set up on the sidewalks of your neighborhoods and spread the word.
Bill
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6'' Orion SkyQuest
12.5'' f/5 Custom Truss Dob
William Optics 80mm ZenithStar II ED Doublet
f/5 25" newtonian on a giant GEM, any time I want
Observing sessions grand total for 2007, 171.
So far in 2008, 111
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RussL
Music Maker
Reged: 03/18/08
Posts: 1575
Loc: Cayce, SC
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Well, now that's a good idea. Yeah, I guess I could've named the thread differently. It does sound like what your suggesting. But you've given me a great idea. Thanks.
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--Russell
"Akita mani yo." Observe everything as you walk. (--Lakota)
Celestron Celestar 8 Standard SCT, f10
Celestron 80mm Wide View ref., f5
Criterion RV-6 Dynascope, Newt., f8, (c. 1962)
Sears Discoverer 60mm ref., f7, (c. 1973)
Celestron Ultima DX 10x50, 6.5 TFOV
Tasco 7x35 wide
Several mediocre eyepieces
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RussL
Music Maker
Reged: 03/18/08
Posts: 1575
Loc: Cayce, SC
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Quote:
But getting the Feds to make them legal holidays? Now that would be something indeed
We'll have to get a Pagan elected for that, I guess. 
--------------------
--Russell
"Akita mani yo." Observe everything as you walk. (--Lakota)
Celestron Celestar 8 Standard SCT, f10
Celestron 80mm Wide View ref., f5
Criterion RV-6 Dynascope, Newt., f8, (c. 1962)
Sears Discoverer 60mm ref., f7, (c. 1973)
Celestron Ultima DX 10x50, 6.5 TFOV
Tasco 7x35 wide
Several mediocre eyepieces
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David Knisely
Postmaster
Reged: 04/19/04
Posts: 6760
Loc: Beatrice, Nebraska
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Well, due to the way the weekend falls this year, we do things a little early, but on Saturday night October 25th, at Homestead National Monument (west of Beatrice, Nebraska), we will have our scopes out at the "Howling Homestead". We usually get from 300 to 500 people out to observe through our scopes, so we usually have a pretty good time. Clear skies to you.
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David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial Observatory
http://www.hydeobservatory.info
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