Happy Tuesday to you all!
Hopefully you had a great weekend. We start out this month with a bunch of exciting astronomy activities that are open to the public and FREE! For more events, visit the PAS Calendar www.pasaz.org.
The October Newsletter is ready for download. Please help yourself to a copy. You can find the Newsletter by going to the PAS Website www.pasaz.org, then on the left side is the navigation bar. Click on the word Newsletter. That takes you to the current 2011-2012 PAS Season of Newsletters. A PAS Season runs from September to May, just like school does. Help yourself to the October issue, and if you haven't checked out the September issue, feel free to. If you are looking for past issues, a little further down on the right is the word Archive. That's where you find past issue of the PAStimes Newsletter. Normally, you can check, monthly, the Sunday prior to the next PAS meeting, for the next issue of the newsletter. Thus, that would have been this past Sunday. And yes, it was there for your enjoyment.
Let's talk about this weeks' events.
This Thursday 10/6 is the Oct PAS Meeting. Our guest speaker will be talking about Meteorites. We'd love to see you there. Bring a snack to share. PAS will provide the water. And Bring a Friend! We meet in the Library at PVCC Main Campus around 7pm for set up. 7:30 we will open the meeting with few brief announcements and then Sam will give us a mini report on the Dark Skies of Portal. Dolores, the Guest Speaker will take over about 7:45. The meeting will end & we must be out of the Library by 9:30. Please remember to use your Library voices while in the Library, before and after the meeting, when socializing. We do not want to be asked to hold our meetings in another location. Your cooperation is appreciated.
Saturday 10/8 we have the International Observe the Moon Night being held at Mike's home in Carefree. For map and directions, call Mike 480-488-3031 or drop him an email primefactory@q.com. We are also doing the MOON MARATHON, so if you want to be part of that, please sign up with me, today!!! I need to know how many participants will be at the Marathon. RSVP is REQUIRED with me to compete in the marathon. Attendees for the Marathon must have a scope to use, one scope per marathoner, no sharing scopes.
The schedule for this night - weather permitting... will be:
4pm Potluck - Bring a main dish to share, Bring a drink to share
6pm Moon Marathon begins for those competing
If you are not competing but want to start the public Star Party / Observe the Moon Night... feel free to be there at 6pm. Those in the Marathon will be set up away from those showing the night sky, so the public does not disturb those competing.
8pm General Viewing of the Moon + More.
Everyone is welcome!
Here's what's visible that night, aside from the bright, almost full moon:
Sunset is 6:05pm
Moon is visible from 6pm on
Jupiter rises at 7:25, so best viewing of Jupiter will be after 8:30.
Dark is 7pm.
You HAVE TO RSVP with Me to do the Marathon. I need to know who is attending, how many are attending. And if the weather lets us hold this event, this will be the event you will win the MOON MARATHON PLAQUE that Jerry Belcher designed. Very nice Plaque!
So, when you RSVP, please let me know your arrival time. And if you are not staying later into the evening, please park so that your headlights are away from the viewing area, meaning park so the front of your car is facing away from Mikes' house and towards the road. This way you can leave and not disturb the viewing.
Sunday 10/9
We have the Bookmans FREE Telescope Workshop. Due to a scheduling issue at Bookmans PAS was asked to hold our event 2 hours earlier than usual. Therefore we are starting at 1:30pm and going to 3:30pm. We can use your help. Watch the forums for updates on the number of Public RSVP's. Spend a couple hours with Don, William and I as we help the public learn to use their telescope. When there is no public in the room, we discuss club events, and other interesting stuff.
If you need help with your Telescope, RSVP your attendance with me, right now. When you RSVP, please tell me what type of scope we are helping you with so we can match you up with the teacher than can best assist you.
We hope to see you at these three public events! Everyone is welcome, bring a friend! Bring your family! Let's have a great Astronomy Week!
For the rest of the Month of October, here are some more Public events for you to enjoy!
Thursday Oct 13 we have another FREE Telescope Workshop. This one is held at PVCC Main Campus by the Telescope Dome and in G-147 from 7:30 to 10pm. RSVP is required, and again, when you RSVP, please tell me what type of scope you have so we may match you up to a Telescope Teacher who can assist you. Along with the Telescope Workshop, we also provide a Star Party. You may attend either, or both parts of this night's event. But for the Telescope Workshop, RSVP is required with me.
Thursday Oct 20: Indoor / Outdoor Astronomy Event. This event is named such because we have indoor activities, in G-147 on the PVCC Main Campus, as well as a star party outdoors. This event is from 7:30 to 9:30. RSVP is Requested only so we have enough handouts for the number of attendees. We'd love to have you attend. Indoors will have Mike - Meteorite Man, as well as several demos and handouts. The list of demos will be announced in the forums. Everyone is welcome - bring the whole family!
Saturday Oct 22: Orionids Meteor shower & Star Party at Mike's home in Carefree. We have made this a public viewing event. Along with the Meteor Shower, we will be doing a star party. This event is COLD. Bring a jacket, Bring your own chairs to watch the Meteors, bring your own snacks and drinks for the viewing part of this event.
Here's the viewing lineup & schedule:
6pm potluck
7:30pm public viewing
Sunset is at 5:30pm
Jupiter rises at 6:20, best viewed after 7:30pm
Dark is 6:50pm
Orion rises at 10:10pm
Mars rises at 1:20am
Moon rises at 3:10am - there will be no moon in the way of this event!
RSVP is required with Mike to attend 480-488-3031 or primefactory@q.com to get map, directions, and be approved to attend, as parking is limited. Everyone is welcome! Bring the family!
If you are attending the potluck, bring a main dish to share, big enough to feed 4+ people, plus bring a drink to share (a 6 pack of pop, or a 2 liter bottle or other drinks. Since kids will be present, please no alcohol).
Please be sure to park so your headlights are not facing Mike's home, if you plan to leave prior to midnight.
Thursday Oct 27: This is NOT a PAS event, but PAS attends to help out. ASU West Open House & Star Party is a public event. RSVP is with Paul. The "ASU West" link provided takes you to the info you need to RSVP with Paul. Paul is the teacher running this event. The event is from 7pm to 9pm on the ASU West Campus which his at 47th Ave and Thunderbird Road in Phoenix. This event is usually a large turnout of telescopes and we have some great viewing! Bring your entire family and all your friends. Awesome event! This event is held in the Fall and Spring Semesters, so if you miss this event, watch for an announcement of the next one in the Spring.
Please note: Each event above has a link to the Calendar and Forum info within the PAS Website. Please use that link to make sure an event is happening. Should weather cancel an event and you did not RSVP as requested, you could be driving to that location for an event we are not doing. So, Please RSVP where requested and check the calendar before you go there, to be sure the event hasn't been canceled. Cancelled events are posted by 4pm the day of the event. And Always read the forum thread to be sure you know what to expect. Changes to these events will be posted in the forums.
If you are doing an RSVP with me, you can reply to this email, but please let me know which event you are RSVP'ing for. Don't just reply with "RSVP for public star party." As you can see, these are all public star parties in this list, and that would mean you haven't told me the info I need to know about which event you wish to attend. Be specific and include the requested data. Thank you so much.
We hope to see you at these awesome events. Remember, all events that are outdoors are Weather Permitting. And all events I have listed in this email are Public events. I heard there was a storm coming within this week, so if you are looking at the sky, prior to going to an event, and you are not sure the event will happen due to the cloud cover, please first check the calendar and forums for updates, and if that doesn't answer your question, you can call me to be sure we are having the event 602-561-5398. Leave a message and I will call you back as soon as I can with the info. Or, drop me an email up to 4pm the day of the event.
WHAT IS A MOON MARATHON?
That is where you race to identify features on the moon. Prizes will be awarded for 1st - 10th place. RSVP is required with Terri, today.
Have a super day!
Terri, Event Coordinator for PAS
Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society
