October Beginner Group Observing Session – Saturday Oct. 16th -- 6:00pm -- Metcalf Field at Belwin Conservancy
Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2021 11:50 am
Hi everyone,
The next MAS Beginner observing session is scheduled for Saturday October 16th at Metcalf Field at Belwin Conservancy, near Afton (weather permitting). It will start at 6:00pm (sunset is at 6:27pm that night). If it is cloudy on Saturday the backup night will be Friday October 15th also at Metcalf Field.
If you are planning to attend please respond here (with your name and e-mail address) or drop me an e-mail at sureshks1@msn.com so I can keep you informed of schedule changes due to weather.
There is no charge to attend a beginner 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.
If you have a telescope, feel free to bring it. If you need help with learning how to set up and use it, we are happy to help!
Please note: Metcalf Field presently does not have A/C power. It was removed over the winter by Xcel Energy when the old storage shed was removed. We are working with them to have it added back. So if you need power for your telescope, bring a DC battery.
The Moon will be 88% illuminated this night and will be located near Neptune in the sky. Still, there will be plenty of objects available that we can view thru our telescopes, including several nebulae, clusters and galaxies. Summer Milky Way objects will still be visible and the Andromeda Galaxy and Autumn sky will be rising in the east after sunset. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune will also be observable right after dark in the south & southeastern sky.
Don Gazdik provided this list of objects for people to search for with their telescopes during this event:
Double Stars:
- Eta Cassiopeia (Achird) Mag. +3.5 and +7.5 at 13" (beautiful colors)
- Gamma Andromeda (Almach) Mag. +2.2 and +5.0 at 9.4" (similar colors to Albireo)
- Gamma Aries (Mesarthim) Mag. +3.9 and +4.6 at 7.4" (very easy to find)
- Alkurah (Xi Cephei) Mag. +4.4 and 6.4 at 8.5"
Carbon Stars
- W Cassiopeia (Mag. +9.0)
- WZ Cassiopeia (Mag. +7.1 -- part of double star system 58" apart)
Deep Sky Objects:
- M52 (Beautiful +6.9 magnitude open cluster in Cassiopeia)
- NGC 7789 (Caroline's Rose -- beautiful +6.7 mag. open cluster in Cassiopeia)
- NGC 869/884 (h and Chi Persei -- Famous Double Cluster in Perseus)
- M31/M32/M110 (Andromeda Galaxy and 2 close companion galaxies)
- NGC 7662 (Blue Snowball -- +8.3 mag. planetary nebula in Andromeda)
- NGC 404 (Mirach's Ghost -- +10.3 mag. elliptical galaxy located in the same field as very bright B Andromeda (Mirach))
Visible Planets:
- Venus: the 56% illuminated "evening star" will be a pretty sight just after sunset low in the southwest
- Saturn: see the glorious rings, as well as a few atmospheric bands and up to 4 of its moons!
- Jupiter: Io and Europa will pass very close to one another around 10:45pm on the 16th
- Uranus: the turquoise-colored ice giant is coming up on its 11/4 opposition in Aries
- Neptune: see this blue planet from 3 billion miles away, and maybe it's moon Triton too!
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 MAS sign and 2 small reflectors on poles 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 will make the final Go/No Go call on the evening of Thursday 10/14, based on the weather forecast. I will pick the clearer of the two nights.
Please check this thread for updates, or e-mail me at: sureshks1@msn.com.
If you'd like to volunteer to help out at this and future Beginner group events, please let me know.
We hope to see you there!!
Suresh
The next MAS Beginner observing session is scheduled for Saturday October 16th at Metcalf Field at Belwin Conservancy, near Afton (weather permitting). It will start at 6:00pm (sunset is at 6:27pm that night). If it is cloudy on Saturday the backup night will be Friday October 15th also at Metcalf Field.
If you are planning to attend please respond here (with your name and e-mail address) or drop me an e-mail at sureshks1@msn.com so I can keep you informed of schedule changes due to weather.
There is no charge to attend a beginner 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.
If you have a telescope, feel free to bring it. If you need help with learning how to set up and use it, we are happy to help!
Please note: Metcalf Field presently does not have A/C power. It was removed over the winter by Xcel Energy when the old storage shed was removed. We are working with them to have it added back. So if you need power for your telescope, bring a DC battery.
The Moon will be 88% illuminated this night and will be located near Neptune in the sky. Still, there will be plenty of objects available that we can view thru our telescopes, including several nebulae, clusters and galaxies. Summer Milky Way objects will still be visible and the Andromeda Galaxy and Autumn sky will be rising in the east after sunset. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune will also be observable right after dark in the south & southeastern sky.
Don Gazdik provided this list of objects for people to search for with their telescopes during this event:
Double Stars:
- Eta Cassiopeia (Achird) Mag. +3.5 and +7.5 at 13" (beautiful colors)
- Gamma Andromeda (Almach) Mag. +2.2 and +5.0 at 9.4" (similar colors to Albireo)
- Gamma Aries (Mesarthim) Mag. +3.9 and +4.6 at 7.4" (very easy to find)
- Alkurah (Xi Cephei) Mag. +4.4 and 6.4 at 8.5"
Carbon Stars
- W Cassiopeia (Mag. +9.0)
- WZ Cassiopeia (Mag. +7.1 -- part of double star system 58" apart)
Deep Sky Objects:
- M52 (Beautiful +6.9 magnitude open cluster in Cassiopeia)
- NGC 7789 (Caroline's Rose -- beautiful +6.7 mag. open cluster in Cassiopeia)
- NGC 869/884 (h and Chi Persei -- Famous Double Cluster in Perseus)
- M31/M32/M110 (Andromeda Galaxy and 2 close companion galaxies)
- NGC 7662 (Blue Snowball -- +8.3 mag. planetary nebula in Andromeda)
- NGC 404 (Mirach's Ghost -- +10.3 mag. elliptical galaxy located in the same field as very bright B Andromeda (Mirach))
Visible Planets:
- Venus: the 56% illuminated "evening star" will be a pretty sight just after sunset low in the southwest
- Saturn: see the glorious rings, as well as a few atmospheric bands and up to 4 of its moons!
- Jupiter: Io and Europa will pass very close to one another around 10:45pm on the 16th
- Uranus: the turquoise-colored ice giant is coming up on its 11/4 opposition in Aries
- Neptune: see this blue planet from 3 billion miles away, and maybe it's moon Triton too!
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 MAS sign and 2 small reflectors on poles 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 will make the final Go/No Go call on the evening of Thursday 10/14, based on the weather forecast. I will pick the clearer of the two nights.
Please check this thread for updates, or e-mail me at: sureshks1@msn.com.
If you'd like to volunteer to help out at this and future Beginner group events, please let me know.
We hope to see you there!!
Suresh