July Beginner Group Observing Session -- Sat. July 8th -- 8:00pm -- Metcalf Field at Belwin Conservancy

[Sureshks]

Hi everyone,

The next MAS Beginner group (B-SIG) observing session will be on Saturday July 8th at Metcalf Field at Belwin Conservancy, near Afton (weather permitting). It will start at 8:00pm (sunset is at 9:02pm that night). If it is cloudy on Saturday night, the backup night will be the previous night (Friday July 7th), 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 near 3rd Quarter, and will rise after midnight. It will be 63% illuminated this night, which is a great phase to see craters along the lunar terminator (day/night line).

Soon after sunset, we will start on the brilliant planet Venus, which will have a pretty 25% crescent shape. Orange-colored Mars, which lies just to the east of Venus, will also be visible in the western sky as darkness falls. It'll be just 4.1" in size, but we'll still take a look to see if we can make out any surface features. Saturn now rises before midnight. Once it clears the treetops in the southeast around 1:00am, we will gaze at its glorious rings and find several of its moons.

We will have 90 minutes or so of darker sky before the Moon rises high enough to brighten the sky. We will use this time to view some of the sky's best galaxies, such as the Whirlpool, Bode's & Cigar, Markarian's Chain, the Sunflower, the Black Eye and Leo Triplet. July is also prime viewing season for globular star clusters, such as M3, M5, and M13. As the galaxies start to sink lower in the west, we will shift our focus over to the beautiful clusters and nebulae of the Summer Milky Way, as they rise in the east. With the Moon out of the way around till around 1:00am, we'll get a nice view of these summertime treasures.

We are re-starting the goodie table!! Feel free to bring something to snack on, such as cookies or other treats. 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 1 small reflectors 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.

When leaving Metcalf Field, there may be construction on the entrance ramp back onto 94W. If so, just take either frontage road west about 2 miles to Keats Ave and re-enter 94W there.

I plan on making the Go/No Go call weather call Thursday July 6th. 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,

The weather forecasts for Saturday July 8th, at Metcalf Field at Belwin Conservancy continue to look great... so the beginner astronomy event at Metcalf Field is a GO!!!!

We'll will start up at 8:00pm that evening. Temperatures are expected to be in the mid-50s overnight, so please bring a few extra clothing layers.

Also, we are starting up the goodie table again after a 4 yr absense... so feel free to bring your favorite yummy treat to share!! (there's no obligation to do so)

Further information, and directions, are below...

If you haven't already communicated that you're planning to attend, please respond here, so we can plan accordingly...

We hope to see you there!!