In an astronomical simulcast, on this coming Saturday night, CMASians will be busily, simultaneously astronomizing at two separate locations. Be sure to be at one or the other! This post features the Bombahook Pizza and Star Party.
Saturday, September 21, 2019, 6:00pm
Pizza, Video Astronomy, and Astrophotography Party
Bombahook Observatory — 8 Sunrise Drive, Hallowell, ME 04347
For those CMASians who are unable to attend Stars Over Katahdin, Brian Murphy will be hosting an astronomer’s potluck pizza party at Bombahook Observatory, to be followed by an evening of video astronomy and astrophotography. In video astronomy, a camera mounted in a telescope outside in the cold sends its video feed into the comfort of Brian’s living room, where everyone present can see the image simultaneously, on a large video screen, instead of at the eyepiece. As in traditional astronomy, the same limitations of transparency, seeing, and the quality of the optics apply to the hunt for the object. It’s a good double for the evening’s other activity, astrophotography, in which similar technology is used to collect much more light over time, allowing dimmer objects to be seen. Traditional telescopes will, of course, be welcome on the lawn outside, for those preferring to tour the skies at the eyepiece. This party will occur regardless of the weather, although if the Gods of the Clouds so demand, the video screen will tour live images from telescopes elsewhere in the world, or databases of images collected previously. Maybe a rainy night would be a fine time to tour the Southern skies?
Master Chef Brian Murphy will cook pizza, including one with a gluten free crust. Please bring side dishes to accompany the pizza: salad, drinks, cookies, or chips. Guest bringing nothing are welcome, but please donate $5 per person to help pay for the dinner.
R.S.V.P. / R.$.V.P.— Brian needs to know how many pizzas to cook, so please call or write ahead with a head count of the number of hungry astronomers in your car, and advise of any side dishes you will be bringing.
