Here’s an innovative idea from Norma D. for a club that has been unable to meet since early December: How many CMASers would attend a flash star party? The announcement might come in the afternoon, for a star party that night. If the night were clear, would you rush to DRA, or perhaps one of our other sites, to view the planets? This might be on a week night, ending early enough to not ruin the next day at school or work. If this sounds interesting, please write or call your weather-challenged president with your thoughts.
Norma’s reasoning is sound. We have had our share of occasional clearish nights, just never on the weekends when star parties were scheduled. With Mars at opposition, this is an important time, a once-every-two-years opportunity to see some hints of detail on the Martian surface. Upping the ante, Jupiter is still visible, Saturn has reappeared after its annual sabbatical, all three planets are visible early in the night, and such bright objects can be seen even in Moonlight.
