Impromptu Cherry Grove Star Party tonight

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bhamil
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Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2011 12:26 am
Real Name: Brandon Hamil
Location: Dallas-Fort Worth, TX

Impromptu Cherry Grove Star Party tonight

Post by bhamil »

The Clear Sky Chart and forecasts look great for tonight (Monday, May 5th). I am heading down to Cherry Grove. Gunnar Isberg will be joining in as well. All others are welcome!
FYI,
Brandon
Brandon Hamil
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Former,Cherry Grove Observatory Committee
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corycul
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Re: Impromptu Cherry Grove Star Party tonight

Post by corycul »

Darn, I was in the garden last night!

Cory
heinerv
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Real Name: Vic Heiner

Re: Impromptu Cherry Grove Star Party tonight

Post by heinerv »

How did it go for you?
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bhamil
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Real Name: Brandon Hamil
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Re: Impromptu Cherry Grove Star Party tonight

Post by bhamil »

Vic,

Thanks for asking. This past Monday we had three MAS members (Dave Falkner, Gunnar Isberg and myself) in attendance for the impromptu star party. The skies just kept getting better as the night progressed. However, it seems to me the neighbors to our west have added additional outdoor lighting to their garage area and they leave them on all night long. I definitely feel a permanent light wall/fence is now needed on that side of the property at Cherry Grove.

We went into the warming house to record our attanced and noticed one of the power outlets looked like it had experienced some type of a power surge. It appeared blackened. The red lights turned on so power is still going to the warming house. The outlet reminded me of what happened in my garage during a Christmas a few years ago. I had far too many outdoor Christmas lights all plugged into one outlet in my garage. At some point during that Christmas night the ground fault interrupter got tripped. Thank goodness or my house probably would have burned down. The "insides" of my garage power outlet had completely melted and had to be replaced. Close call!!!

Anyway, I just wanted to point out that power outlet concern. I know nothing about electrical wiring other than my close call that I just described. Gunnar and I were just worried that something might have happened to the wiring in the warming house.

The drive down to Cherry Grove is always worth it to access the darker skies. I was thrilled a couple other members joined in that night. We were a few days prior to first quarter moon so we had to fight the moonlight early on in the evening. However, the seeing conditions just kept getting better as the night progressed.
Brandon Hamil
651-436-3888 (Cell)
--------------------------------------------
Former,Cherry Grove Observatory Committee
SCTs: CPC 800, CPC 1100, C14
Refractors: TeleVue NP101, TEC 140
Solar Scopes: Coronado 40mm PST, LUNT 100 DS
Canon 12x36 image stabilized Binoculars
100% visual observer
heinerv
Posts: 475
Joined: Fri Aug 13, 2004 3:21 pm
Real Name: Vic Heiner

Re: Impromptu Cherry Grove Star Party tonight

Post by heinerv »

I'm glad you got some good viewing in. We know about the new lights to the west. (See the discussion in CGO operations). The plug is ok just a little black. Since it's a GFI plug which are expensive, we haven't replaced it. It checks out ok. A hair dryer short did the deed.
Enberg
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Location: Athens, Ohio

Re: Impromptu Cherry Grove Star Party tonight

Post by Enberg »

Vic, I think I have some GFI outlets in a box here somewhere - I bought them to put in the garage of my house when I was adding a workbench, two houses back.... If I find them, I'll bring them down to CGO.
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