Return to the Cloudy Nights Telescope Reviews home page
   · Get a Cloudy Nights T-Shirt · Submit a Review / Article   

Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums

Privacy Policy | Please read our Terms of Service | Signup and Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu.... uh, User

International Year of Astronomy 2009 >> Global Coordination

Pages: 1
emersonv
member


Reged: 04/01/09
Posts: 15
IYA event in tiny Edgewood, BC
      #3238704 - 07/26/09 12:21 AM

I put a note on the bulletin board of the only store in my community of about 200 people in the Kootenay mountains, British Columbia, Canada. I set up my scope at our campground on the shore of Arrow Lake which has a wide view and a level parking lot. My CPC8 is one of the few decent scopes within maybe 90 miles. The first 2 nights canceled for rain, but last week, both Tuesday and Wednesday, the seeing was maybe 8/10 and a handful of locals and one tourist had their first views through something bigger than binoculars. There were two 10-year olds who delighted in operating the hand controller, gleefully slewing through the Milky Way. We had a great tour of the major constellations available between sunset and midnight. We zoomed in on a few bright clusters that brought the expected Wows.
The reason I'm describing these small events is my discovery that nearly anyone can do this. A few local loggers and farmers thought I was some kind of Einstein, but I persevered and they realized anyone can look through an eye-piece. They also discovered more than they expected and wanted more, so I'm trying again later when the moon's crescent appears. Once they get into those craters, they'll be hooked like a BC salmon.
Not only did about a dozen people get Astro-fever, but I saw the small black spot near Jupiter's equator for the first time at 270X.
I'm giving you-all a truly Canadian <I'm Sorry> for such a long post, but we deserve it! Those kids have a better shot at being an astronaut than most of us codgers and geezers.
The infant Edgewood Astronomical Society is alive and kicking. Who'd a-thunk it?
Peace, Coatsy.


Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
Pages: 1


Extra information
0 registered and 0 anonymous users are browsing this forum.

Moderator:  Mike Loffland 

Print Thread

Forum Permissions
      You cannot start new topics
      You cannot reply to topics
      HTML is disabled
      UBBCode is enabled


Thread views: 528

Jump to

CN Forums Home



Cloudy Nights Sponsor: Astronomics