We are still GO for Wednesday night!
There will be about 200 people, kids aged 5-8 years, plus parents.
We start with a site briefing from the school at 7pm, followed by our briefing and laser tour.
Parking is in the small school car park on Weedons Ross Rd a bit further up from the shopping centre, beside the school field.
We will be setting up in the field beside the car park. The car park is mostly reserved for us to avoid headlights shining on the field.
Setup is from 6pm.
The talk will be on the netball court beside the field. We may move to the field for the laser tour.
School lights shining on the field should have been turned off. Efforts will be made to reduce other lights but there may be some stray light.
We’ll have dobs and tracking scopes and we’ll need volunteers to operate them. We also need more scopes so feel free to bring your own!
We’ll have steps from the observatory, and the school will also provide 3 sets of steps for the kids to reach the eyepiece.
The school is strongly encouraging parents to wear MASKS, and ask that we do as well.
Some targets:
Low targets will make it easier for small kids to reach the eyepiece, but some higher targets may work with the steps.
- The moon will be optimum for viewing. Loderately low to the north. It should look awesome!
- Orion nebula is low to the west
- M41 is higher
- Alpha cen (double) is higher again.
- Jewel box and Omega Cen are getting pretty high but might work.
- 145CMa is a bright colourful and wide double star to the west.
- M44 (Beehive) is low to the north (for low-power eyepieces).
- NGC6231 open cluster in the tail of Scorpius is low to the east and is a nice bright cluster with wow factor.
- Antares is a big bright orange star (twinkling) quite low in the eastern sky.
- 47 Tuc is low to the south.
- No planets.