Friday, April 28, 2017, 7:30pm — Chop Point School Star Party
425 Chop Point Road, Woolwich, ME 04597
Ken Morse and Jon Silverman, Hosts
Chop Point, a small, private, day school in one of the most spectacular locations in all of Central Maine, includes astronomy among the sciences taught to even its youngest students. CMASian Ken Morse has grandchildren there, and so was tapped to arrange an opportunity to observe real skies through actual telescopes, for grades 2 through 6. We need to begin viewing before it is truly dark, and the lights of Bath Iron Works haunt the southern skies, so we’ll be focusing on two bright objects: The Moon, before it sets in the West, and Jupiter, as it rises in the East. Prior to observing, we’ll present an introduction to the telescopes indoors, and we may show them pictures of dimmer objects we won’t be viewing, on the big video screens in their classrooms.
When presenting at a school, there are issues of security, so this event is open only to members of CMAS; it is not open to the general public. CMASians interested in helping must inquire of the President in advance, as the school requires a list of those presenting at least one day before we arrive. There is no rain date. If it is expected to rain, the party will be cancelled a day in advance. If it is only cloudy (as can occur, even when clear skies are expected), the indoor part of the program will be extended to compensate for the lack of viewing. Because the children are young, this event ends early, by 10:30pm or 11:00pm. Still, it may best suited to members living nearby, as a long drive from the further reaches of the realm may be awkward prior to rising early, to return for the Work Day at Brower Observatory beginning at 10:00am the following morning.
