text: May 2014 - OTEvents - Mailman Whiteoaks
  OTEvents May 2014
  Mojave National Preserve Star party tonight, sidewalk astro June 7
  Tonight's star party is a go! Several of you have RSVP'ed and we are looking forward to sharing the magnificent skies with you tonight. Plan to arrive well before sunset so you have time to set up your tent, and share in the potluck dinner. Bring something you like, and a little to share. There are typically many salads, chips and dips, and desserts which are welcome after dark. There is a large covered picnic table pavilion where you can stow your camp stove if you are cooking, and you an leave your pot luck out until you go to bed. Weather has improved somewhat from earlier cloudy forecasts. It will be mostly clear, with lows overnight of 61 degrees (high close to 100 during the day). Bring plenty of water and loose layered clothes. It will be windy - with 8-15 winds and there may be gusts up to 20 mph. We'll have gorgeous views of Mercury and the moon low on the western horizon I hope, then Jupiter, Mars and Saturn. In the morning, for those getting up before dawn, Venus is a real treat. In between, Milky way wonders and other galaxies. We'll hold another dark sky star party here in the fall, probably around the of the 20th anniversary of Mojave National Preserve on October 31. Info: http://mojavepreserve.org/index.php/site/article/star_party_in_the_mojave_n… Clear Sky Chart: http://cleardarksky.com/c/HlWllCpCAkey.html?1 Views from Amboy Crater dark sky night last weekend: Milky Way Rising from Gary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAtUx-iCZBI Photos from Jane and Mojo http://photo.whiteoaks.com/2014-05-25-amboy/index.html -- Jane Houston Jones Monrovia, CA @jhjones @CassiniSaturn @NASAInsight What's Up For May? Saturn, Mars, Comets, Meteor Showers http://youtu.be/4mxFlUCliWg
  It may be windy, and the views may not be as perfectly crisp as they can be, but your local Sidewalk Astronomers will be out tonight at Myrtle and Lime Streets in Monrovia from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The winds will determine our end time, but we (at least I) hope we can show majestic Saturn to everyone. Tonight is Saturn Opposition. As the Sun sets in the west, Saturn will rise "opposite" to it in the east. Opposition is when Saturn is closest to Earth, and so it shines brightest for the year, but will be beautifully visible for several more months. Since sunset is about 7:45 p.m. Saturn won't rise above the buildings and trees in Monrovia until about 8:30 p.m., later visible in telescopes. In addition to Saturn, we'll have a easy-to-see treat with the moon near Mars. Those not within the sound of my voice, look up and you can easily see the moon! It's that reddish object to the left of the moon tonight! Look again tomorrow night and notice Mars above the moon! Saturn will be the golden "star" rising on the horizon following Mars after sunset. -- Jane Houston Jones Monrovia, CA @jhjones @CassiniSaturn @NASAInsight What's Up For May? Saturn, Mars, Comets, Meteor Showers http://youtu.be/4mxFlUCliWg
  Sidewalk Astronomy next Saturday (not tonight)
  Most of us were not available for sidewalk astronomy tonight, so we'll try again next weekend, May 10. But tonight will be a nice night to look us at the nearly crescent moon low in the Western sky, with bright Jupiter above it. Mars will be visible midway up the Eastern sky. And What's Up for May is availabkle on YouTube - it's about Saturn, Mars, comets and a maybe new meteor shower later in the month. http://youtu.be/4mxFlUCliWg See you next weekend, hopefully! -- Jane Houston Jones Monrovia, CA @jhjones @CassiniSaturn @NASAInsight What's Up For May? Saturn, Mars, Comets, Meteor Showers http://youtu.be/4mxFlUCliWg