[CMAS] Late Summer & Fall Events, Club Liaison Report
Dwight M. Lanpher
groupcmas at lanpherassociates.com
Mon Aug 6 16:25:41 EDT 2018
To:
Acadia Astronomical Society (Mt. Desert Island)
Amateur Telescope Makers of Boston
Aroostic County Astronomy Club (Presque Isle)
Astronomical Society of Northern New England (Kennebunk)
Central Maine Astronomical Society (Whitefield, Lincolnville & Damariscotta)
Downeast Amateur Astronomers (Pembroke)
Gloucester Area Astronomy Club (Gloucester, MA)
New Hampshire Astronomical Society
North Shore Area Astronomy Club (Andover, MA)
Penobscot Valley Star Gazers (Bangor)
Southern Maine Astronomers (Portland)
Hello All,
Now that we are well beyond the Summer Solstice, the ever earlier twilight
and improving fall dry weather is greeted by a whole slew of festivals. For
those of you asking about the Acadia Night Sky Festival, which is now just a
month away, the signup poll and more information will be distributed in the
next day or two. So get ready for this busy fall schedule:
---Dwight
Coming up at the end of this week:
Stellafane Convention, August 9-12
Springfield Vermont. Need I say more?
Maine State Star Party, August 10-12
If you're not headed to Stellafane, my favorite summer event is the Maine
State Star Party at Cobscook Bay State Park in Edmunds, Maine. No
reservations are necessary and the event and camping at the group site is
free. The Downeast Amateur Astronomers will again be hosting the 12th annual
Maine State Star Party. It's a long ways there for almost all of us, being
located in the easternmost part of Maine, but the skies are some of the best
I've ever viewed under (SQM value 21.57.) There will be many guests at the
camp ground this year to see the Persieds and join us for observing. For
more information see https://www.facebook.com/Downeastaa/ and below.
MARS, August 11-17
Maine Astronomy Retreat and Symposium: "A star party like no other"
>From their website: "This gathering will provide activities for amateurs, to
deep-sky observers and astrophotographers. Enjoy engaging presentations
given by J Kelly Beatty (Sr. Editor, Sky & Telescope), Bruce Berger (Amateur
astronomer, telescope builder and Director of the Amateur Telescope Makers
of Boston Research and Imaging Observatory (ARIO), and Babak A. Tafreshi
(Founder of The World at Night or TWAN program and a photographer for
National Geographic)." Bruce Berger announced on July 21 that there was
only one slot left for MARS. Maybe there's space still available Check their
website at http://www.astronomyretreat.com.
Acadia Night Sky Festival, September 6-9
One of the National Park System's largest astronomy events returns for it's
10th annual Acadia Night Sky Festival. Last year's attendance at the main
star party on on Cadillac Mountain was 45 telescopes, 3 binocular stations,
61 astronomers from 10+ clubs and 1800 visitors. Check for a full listing of
events at: http://www.acadianightskyfestival.org/events/ More to come
tomorrow.
ASNNE Starfest, September 14-16
The Astronomical Society of Northern New England, in Kennebunk, Maine, will
be holding their annual Starfest weekend festival Friday and Saturday at
their Starfield Observatory. The observatory has both a 16" Meade LX-200 and
an 8" Zeiss-Jena refractor. During the day it's equipped with a Daystar H-A
filter for solar observing. There are also nice concrete pads for setting up
your own scopes. A great "Star-B-Que", presentations, astronomy games and
auctions and free camping on site are fun for the whole family. For more
information, to checkout the full schedule click on Monthly Events and
September 14 at their website: http://www.asnne.org.
NEFAF, New England Fall Astronomy Forum September 14,15
At the University of New Hampshire Observatory, Spinney Ln, Durham Campus.
Co-hosted by the New Hampshire Astronomical Society. Free, Keynote speaker:
Dr. Fran Bagenal, Planetary Physicist & co-investigator and tema leader on
NASA's New Horizon's mission to Pluto and beyond sand the Juno Mission to
Jupiter. Observing Friday and Saturday evenings. Saturday educational
activities and tent talks. For more information,
https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=nefaf, http://www.nefaf.com.
Stars Over Katahdin, October 6, 7 rain date
The new Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument will be offering their
fourth annual Stars Over Katahdin Program with an evening of campfire
stories and activities before observing in what are the darkest skies in
Maine. See this Light Pollution Map from the Baxter Clear Sky Clock:
http://www.cleardarksky.com/lp/BkrSPMElp.html?Mn=photoshop
One of the organizers, Nancy Hathaway, is putting out a special request for
amateur astronomers for this event. If you bring a telescope, arrangements
can be made for free space in a cabin after the night's viewing. Contact
Nancy at hathaway.n at gmail.com for more information.
Club Liaison report:
If you don't have an event or meeting happening in your immediate area,
there may be another club not too far away with a presentation or star
watch. Most clubs welcome the general public to their programs and even if
it's a members only event, one of their members often are willing to sponsor
a fellow amateur astronomer from another club.
I always look forward to visiting the many clubs around New England and
despite a few spates of cloudy weather, it's been a busy spring and early
summer. I feel very fortunate to be able to participate in some of the
quality events that happen in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
Beginning on my home turf in the spring, Acadia Astronomical Society hosted
a star party for students of the College of the Atlantic. Not long after
returning from NEAF, Southern Maine Astronomers provided a school outreach
event for the Greeley Middle School in Cumberland where I was able to try
out a newly acquired eyepiece. This was followed a couple weeks later, in
May, by a Downeast Amateur Astronomers outreach star party at the Pembroke
Elementary School.
I joined with my own home club of Penobscot Valley Star Gazers for a star
party at a new member's dark sky location in Herman a week later. Onward
to a Central Maine Astronomical Society's star Party at their Brower
Observatory at the beginning of June. I had recently joined an observing
reporting group and did a sketch of a faint galaxy in Draco while at that
star party. With the sun setting ever later in June, Downeast Amateur
Astronomers turned to solar viewing and had great fun showing large crowds
views of the sun at the Margaretta Days Festival in Machias. After returning
home, the weather forecast was excellent so I packed my scope into my car
and headed up Cadillac Mountain for a late night solo viewing session and
sketching of this months object, the Whirlpool Galaxy. While waiting for it
to get dark, views of several planets were offered to enthusiastic tourists
waiting to view the Milky Way.
A work project that was getting in the way of my fun, didn't stop me from a
road trip to the Gloucester Area Astronomy Club for their July meeting.
There I attending a fine Double Star presentation by Amateur Telescope
Makers of Boston's past president Bruce Berger. A couple weeks later I was
back on the road again to Concord, for the New Hampshire Astronomical
Society's meeting. Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory grad student
Tarraneh Eftekhari presented on her radio telescope work of detecting
astrophysical transients.
And this last weekend, I was at the Southworth Planetarium where author
Jonathan White discussed his book Tides for a special joint meeting of
Southern Maine Astronomers and the Astronomical Society of Northern New
England.
Add in some misc. business meetings at AAS, ASNNE, DEAA and PVSG and it was
indeed a busy four months.
If you've never taken the opportunity to visit another nearby club, most
warmly welcome guests. As well as making new friends, you might get a few
ideas that you could take back to your club.
-- Celebrating the starlit skies of Maine & New England --
Dwight M. Lanpher, Club Liaison
P.O. Box 472, 1 Summit Road
Northeast Harbor, ME 04662
President: Penobscot Valley Star Gazers
member: IDA, IES, AAS, ACAC, ASNNE, ATMoB, CMAS, COG, DEAA, GAAC, NHAS,
NSAAC, PVSG, SMA
Telephone: (207) 276-5350, FAX 276-4067
"Good friends are like stars. Although you may not see them you know they're
always there." -Christy Evans
____________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________
THE MAINE STATE STAR PARTY 2018
Friday/Saturday August 10/11, 2018
Cobscook Bay State Park, Edmunds, Maine
Hosted by the Downeast Amateur Astronomers
www.downeastaa.com
Washington County¹s own Astronomy Club
Friday August 10 (can arrive anytime after 1 p.m.) Set up camping gear,
telescope
Friday evening observing if clear
Saturday August 11 Solar observing throughout the day (weather permitting)
several solar telescopes will be set up for viewing
3:00 p.m Astronomy Jeopardy (winner will receive prizes donated by Downeast
Amateur Astronomers)
7:00 p.m. (Guest Speaker)
Jim Cormier, veteran amateur astronomer and astrophotographer
³The night sky is ripe for exploring under the dark skies of Cobscook Bay
State Park. Join veteran amateur astronomer Jim Cormier in Observing the
Summer Milky Way with Binoculars. The talk will include binocular selection,
use, and observing techniques to fully appreciate the wide-field vistas not
ordinarily obtainable with telescopes. After the evening talk Jim and other
attendees will accompany you on a tour of the Milky Way's finest showpieces.
³
³The Summer Milky Way shines with a peerless light, often elusive, but
always most beautiful and intriguing. Nothing matches the rich-field views
with a good binocular under dark skies. As an astrophotographer Jim has
come to grips on how he wants to spend his time under the starry done. When
conditions are good, he is often reminded that the views exceed any
photograph and the desire to capture takes a back seat. The greatest show
still requires only our eyes and a desire to see.²
Saturday evening observing! (Weather permitting)
For more info, contact Charlie Sawyer at 207-214-1846 or e-mail at
csawyer7 at roadrunner.com
Water fountain near by as well as Park toilets. Showers also available in
park. Each individual/party bring your own food. There is a small grocery
store about 4 miles west on Rt. 1
1. Once again the camping is free for campers who stay on the star party
site. Anyone who comes to the park for the event but chooses to get his or
her own campsite in the park would have to pay for the site.
2. The star party site is usually for tents but anyone with a camper can
find room to park.
3. There is a water fountain on the star party site location and out houses
near by. There is a shower builkding near the entrance. A small grocery
store is about 4 miles to the west. Each individual/group brings your own
food. The closest restaurant is about 15 miles east or 20 miles west.
4. Cobscook Bay State Park is about 90 miles downeast on Route 1 from
Bangor. Or travel down Route 9 and turn right to Machias in Wesley and then
east on Rt 1 for another 20 miles.
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