74 replies to this topic

[waso29]

life is fleeting, live it up

 

providing medium and high powered planetary views: fc100dl f/9 and µ180 f/12

 

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[Tnk]

Thank you for sharing.  I hope to do this too for the public someday.   I've done a couple solar outreach days for my kid's school over the years and it is always well received.

[waso29]

Thank you for sharing.  I hope to do this too for the public someday.   I've done a couple solar outreach days for my kid's school over the years and it is always well received.

Look forward to you sharing pics of your tak scope at outreach events.

[waso29]

Took advantage of clear spring night, brought out fc100dz on vixen sxp mount to adler's wednesday nite event.
Showed curious folks mercury, jupiter and comet 12p riding above chicago skyline.
the CAA allowed me to easily adjust to folks of different heights for more comfortable viewing.
One guest had a nikon dslr; i invited her to hook it up to my scope to shoot comet 12p as it was passing thru the antennae of willis tower.
 
look forward to more spring outreach with my collection.

Attached Thumbnails

• 
• 
• 

Edited by waso29, 21 March 2024 - 07:13 AM.

[Astroman007]

^ So many people, and it looks like they are having fun. I love it.

 

It can be nice to share your best.

[waso29]

^ So many people, and it looks like they are having fun. I love it.

 

It can be nice to share your best.

win-win, no compromise views for everyone

[waso29]

spring break is surely here. 

adler planetarium sold out of tickets tonite to visit the musuem.

luckily no tickets required to show folks views of mercury, jupiter and comet 12P with small scopes outside.

 

we had a little tak attack, fsq106ed on em11t2z and classic fsq106n on p2z.

 

hoping more opportunities as weather warms.

 

Attached Thumbnails

• 
• 
• 

[Nankins]

What you do is great.  I visited Adler years ago and would love to come back. 

[waso29]

What you do is great.  I visited Adler years ago and would love to come back. 

Mark off your Weds nites, if clear, come on over to enjoy urban astronomy.

Bring your gear to share too.

[waso29]

Luckily the Canadian smoke was still thin today in Chicago.

Joined several friends for outreach by Adler Planetarium.

 

Started off with solar viewing.

Switched over to lunar viewing.

 

Both FSQ's used Extender Q 1.6x to provide pleasurable views of moon for all.

Attached Thumbnails

• 
• 
• 

[Nankins]

Mark off your Weds nites, if clear, come on over to enjoy urban astronomy.
Bring your gear to share too.

I would only I live 3 hours away in a different state! And with our small farm and animals to care for we really can't get away. We do have friends in Chicago though.

[Nov500]

Thanks for sharing!

[RTLR 12]

There were no outreach events on the calendar for the near future, so a few of us from the club set up at Surprise Lake for an impromptu sidewalk astronomy show.

Stan

 

 

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[waso29]

Good goin, Stan!

For a moment, I thought i was the only one doin outreach with a Tak this year.

[Polyphemos]

The Actual Astronomy Podcast’s latest episode is all about street astronomy outreach with guest Bill Green. It’s well worth a listen if you’re interested in sharing the night sky with people in your community:

 

https://podcasts.app...i=1000656144839

[BFaucett]

The Actual Astronomy Podcast’s latest episode is all about street astronomy outreach with guest Bill Green. It’s well worth a listen if you’re interested in sharing the night sky with people in your community:

 

https://podcasts.app...i=1000656144839

 

Here's a source for the podcast that is not specific to Apple:

 

#426 - Street Astronomy with Bill Green

https://actualastronomy.podbean.com/

 

The audio files are also downloadable. 

 

Just trying to be helpful... Cheers! Bob F. 

[Polyphemos]

Here's a source for the podcast that is not specific to Apple:

 

#426 - Street Astronomy with Bill Green

https://actualastronomy.podbean.com/

 

The audio files are also downloadable. 

 

Just trying to be helpful... Cheers! Bob F. 

Thank you, Bob, much appreciated….Jim

[waso29]

Took advantage of these long days with a little solar outreach at Musuem Campus.

Both the Field and Adler were offering free admission on Weds for residents.

Due to the gusty north winds, used the heavier duty em11t2z mount for the lightweight fc76dcu scope.

The lunt 1.25" wedge provided contrasty views of large sunspots for all.

A snapshot of sol thru 5mm delite ep.

Attached Thumbnails

• 
• 
• 

[waso29]

Doing visual with an astrograph?  Sure you can.  With the Extender Q 1.6x, the fsq106ed becomes a nice visual scope at f/8.

Tonite, guests to Adler Plantarium's Celestrial Bash enjoyed out-of-this-world views of saturn.

Super sharp and contrasty views of the ever-small gap in the rings and saturn's moons punched through even at 20 degrees.

Attached Thumbnails

• 
• 
• 

[RTLR 12]

It’s been too long since I’ve posted anything here. My club did an impromptu sidewalk outreach at the park on Saturday night. After dark the clouds moved away and we had some good views of the planetary parade. Not only was I the only Takahashi, I was also the only refractor in a sea of Dobsonians. 

All in all, it was a good night for viewing and we wowed the people as usual. 

Stan

Attached Thumbnails

• 
• 

[RTLR 12]

Did another outreach night for a local Traditional Academy elementary school. Set up early well before sunset, but I had the scope locked onto Venus and spent the night convincing the observers that it was indeed the planet Venus and not the moon. It was a bit easier to convince them after it got dark and they could see it with their own eyes. Had a crowd of more than 325 observers that night and we had 10 scopes set up for viewing. The Smart Scopes are becoming really popular. 
 

Stan

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[Asterix monde]

Hands down without a doubt Takahashis rule!

[RTLR 12]

Well last night my club had an outreach session at Paloma Community Park in Peoria AZ. This is an 85 acre park with a multiple baseball field complex, multi purpose fields, pickle ball courts, a fishing lake, with picnic areas and playgounds, multiple dog parks and much more. We had and area designated for our viewing field and the park Rangers were there doing a great job with organized displays and equipment for the education of the public. We had 9 scopes set up and an estimated crowd of just under 300 viewers. Again, I was the only Takahashi in the field with my FC100DZ and the only refractor at the event filled with Dobsonians SCTs and a Smart scope or two. I started out before sundown showing some of the early viewers Jupiter before dark. The 70% waxing Moon was up and was framed in a triangle of Mars, Pollux and Castor. Every scope had constant long lines of viewers for the next 3+ hours. A great crowd of curious and well behaved onlookers on a cool but comfortable night for viewing. Just too much fun.

 

Stan

[waso29]

On an almost record breaking warm spring day, I joined three friends for a nice meal.

Afterwards, we brought out our gear to the public square to share what's left of the planet parade.

In preparation of the total lunar eclipse, I brought out my Tak eclipse setup: fs60cb f/10 on eclipse chasing mount, the sky patrol iii.

 

Interestingly, when we aimed at venus, many folks thought they were viewing the young crescent moon. 

We'd tell the folks to look behind them high in the sky for our Moon near full.

 

Hope to take advantage of this stretch of warm days for more outreach.

 

Attached Thumbnails

• 
• 
• 
• 

[RTLR 12]

Been there and done that Venus and the Moon thing. I love the look of confusion on people's faces and then the light comes on! Priceless...of course it does take a lot of convincing some times.

 

 

Stan

Edited by RTLR 12, 10 March 2025 - 10:46 PM.