Public Star Party – Woolly Hollow State Park

All are invited to join CAAS and Woolly Hollow State Park for a FREE public star party this Saturday evening, July 21, from 9:00 to 11:00 PM. There will be telescopes set up at the beach area, along with other activities and opportunities to learn about the universe. Bring the whole family! It is a great opportunity to ask any questions you may have and enjoy learning about different types of telescopes and astronomy equipment, and all while enjoying the wonders of the night sky. Hope to see YOU there!

~Stacy Edwards, 2007 CAAS Secretary

June 9 Work Party & Meeting—Everyone Invited!

All are invited to River Ridge Observatory on June 9! The work party will begin at 1:00 p.m., and will be followed by a picnic supper. Our goal will be to install the new storage building, as well as accomplishing other clean-up & fix-up chores.

At 7:00 p.m. we will hold our regular monthly business meeting, and enjoy a presentation by Kyle Edwards on Using Orbital Elements to Find the Position of Planets. The meeting will be followed by observing, weather permitting. Feel free to bring a ‘scope or binoculars!

All are welcome! If you would like a map & directions, please just drop an email to: info@caasastro.org.

Hope to see YOU there!

~Stacy Edwards

CAAS Hosts Scout Troop 770

CAAS hosted 15 scouts and scouters from Troop 770 of Sherwood on Saturday night, April 28 at River Ridge Observatory.  We were treated to outstanding weather.  There were lots of oohs and aahs as the waxing gibbous moon, Saturn, and Venus were introduced to them.  Several double stars, M3, and M35 were also observed through scopes and binoculars  Donald Ferren, Jim Dixon, Pat and Sandy Morris, and Coy Scott provided scopes and expertise.  Some of the boys and adults learned to use a dob.  Stacy Edwards and Don Lewis provided support and took pictures.  Rocky Togni worked on the Merit Badge and constellations with 9 boys in the troop.  The boys sketched the western sky and then plotted where Venus was as one of the Merit badge requirements.  They also sketched the position of the Big and Little dippers in the evening and again at 5:00 am.  The Troop treated several CAAS members to a steak supper.  During the afternoon the troop worked on wood tools and building fires.   They also cleaned up the burn pile and mowed the Western half of the property.  Rocky Togni and Donald Ferren camped out with them.

The whole troop arose at 5:00 am (a struggle for some of us) to see Jupiter, Mars, the Milky Way without the moon, and a whole new set of constellations.  Several even caught a meteor.  The troop was very appreciative and hinted that they might like to do this again sometime if possible.

By Rocky Togni