Aug. Beginner Group Observing Session -- Sat. Aug. 5th -- 7:30pm -- Metcalf Field at Belwin Conservancy

[Sureshks]

Hi everyone,

The next MAS Beginner group (B-SIG) observing session will be on Saturday Aug. 5th at Metcalf Field at Belwin Conservancy, near Afton (weather permitting). It will start at 7:30pm (sunset is at 8:35pm that night). If it is cloudy on Saturday night, the backup night will be the previous night (Friday Aug. 4th), also at Metcalf Field.

There are no COVID restrictions for this outdoor activity. If you are planning to attend please respond here (with your e-mail address) or drop me an e-mail at sureshks1@msn.com so I can keep you informed of changes due to weather.

There is no charge to attend a Beginner group event, and you do not need to be an MAS member to attend -- everyone is welcome!! The purpose is to help beginners learn the night sky, and how to set up and use a telescope. Volunteers from the MAS will be on hand to answer your questions and show objects thru their telescopes.

You do not need to bring any equipment to attend. But if you have a telescope, bring it!! If you need help with learning how to set up and use it, we are happy to help. There is AC power available on the east side of Metcalf Field, so if you need power to run your telescope or other equipment, just bring an extension cord so you can connect!!

The Moon will be a few days after Full, and will rise around 11:00pm. It will be 75% illuminated this night, and will provide a nice phase for viewing craters along it's terminator (day/night line) once it clears the trees around midnight.

As nightfall happens, we will gaze upon Saturn as it climbs in the southeastern sky. Opposition is on Aug. 27th, so Saturn is getting close to being up all night long. Saturn's rings are getting closer to being edge-on. When we viewed it during the July BSIG event, we noticed that its moons are now not aligned with the ring plane. They can now appear well above or below the planet's plane, making for some interesting interactions with the globe of Saturn, the rings, and the other moons! After we finish with the Ringed Planet, we'll saunter over to Neptune and its moon Triton, which are now just 21° to the east of Saturn.

Before the Moon takes over the sky, we will have close to 2 hours of darker sky. We will use this time to view some of the summer Milky Way's best sky's best objects, including emission nebulae, open clusters, supernova remnants, planetary nebulae and some globular clusters. We might also see some bright meteors flash by during the night, as the Perseid meteor shower peaks a week after this event.

During the July BSIG event we re-started the goodie table... and it was a hit!! Feel free to bring something to snack on, such as cookies or other treats to share. This is totally optional, and no one should feel obligated to do so.

If you'd like to join us, please bring a lawn chair or blanket. Also, bring a few extra clothing layers in case temps dip at night.

Directions to Metcalf Field: (see this Google Maps link): https://goo.gl/maps/UNkt67YPWg4qAjuP6

Metcalf Field GPS Coordinates: 44.93734 N / 92.82157 W

For more information on Metcalf Field, see here: http://www.mnastro.org/facilities/metcalf/

Directions:
Head east past Woodbury on I-94 to the Manning exit (exit 253). Turn south and then take the first left onto Hudson Road S. Continue east about 1.5 miles and turn right onto Indian Trail. Check your odometer here, and then travel 1.1 miles. You'll see an unmarked chain-link gate on the right side. This is the entrance to Metcalf field. Enter the dirt path and park on the left side. There will be a small reflector on a pole and a white MAS sign marking the entrance. If you have a telescope with you, you can also park on the right (north side) of the field.

If you haven't been to Metcalf Field, it can be a little difficult to locate the entrance. So please arrive in daylight.

I plan on making the Go/No Go call weather call Thursday August 3rd. But if the weather forecasts are iffy, or if there's a lot of smoke in the air, I may wait to give the final Go/No Go as late as Saturday afternoon. Please check this thread for updates, or e-mail me at sureshks1@msn.com to stay informed.

Also, if you'd like to volunteer to help out at this or any future Beginner group events, please let me know.

Suresh

[Sureshks]

Hi everyone,

Just a reminder that our next MAS beginner outdoor observing session is scheduled for this Saturday August 5th, at Metcalf Field at Belwin Conservancy, near Afton (weather permitting). It will start at 7:30pm (sunset will be at 8:34pm).

We will continue to keep an eye on the weather forecasts. If it is cloudy on Saturday night, the backup night will be the previous night (Friday August 4th), also at Metcalf Field. I plan on sending an update on Thursday evening to the people who have signed up for this event.

Please let me know if you are planning to attend so I can keep you up-to-date.

Directions to Metcalf Field: (Google Maps link): https://goo.gl/maps/UNkt67YPWg4qAjuP6

We hope to see you there!!

Suresh

[Sureshks]

Hi all,

Unfortunately, all of the weather forecasts are predicting clouds with possible rain for Friday night, and heavy rain for Saturday night... so we decided to reschedule the next Beginner Astronomy Observing session (BSIG) to Saturday Aug. 26th. We'll start at 7:00pm that night.

I apologize for the inconvenience. Between clouds and smoke, this has been a challenging year to do astronomy!!

Also, please note the new email address!! You can now reach me directly at BSIG@mnastro.org. This will make it easier for me to keep track of people's inquiries and sign-ups.

I'll send out further communications as we get closer to 8/26.

We hope to see you there!!

Suresh