May 27–The weather forecast for tonight is for rain so the star party at Caledon State Park is cancelled. However, We will go ahead with our new feature program that was scheduled to occur before the star party. Glenn Holliday will present Your Next Home, Your Next Planet–Mars. The program will be in the picnic shelter at 8 p.m. Hope everybody can come out.
Yearly Archives: 2017
Stratford Hall Star Party
Stratford Hall’s Star Party is going to be a big event, with stars Saturday evening and the Sun Sunday morning. RAC will present Your Next Home — Mars before dark Saturday. It looks like Sunday morning will feature an encounter between a Renaissance astronomer (yay heliocentrism!) and a Colonial astronomer (yay telescopes!). Check out the Stratford Hall Flyer for the May 6-7 Star Party. Sunday morning is a for-fee event; Scout groups may camp for a discount fee. Hope everybody can come out.
Check out the April 2017 StarGazer Newsletter
This issue is full of helpful product and book reviews on a wide range of equipment and subject matter, including the Hyper Star lens and two reasonably priced mounts. Continuing features include astronomy math, event reports, a new article on an interesting Moon feature, and descriptions of meeting presentations for the last quarter. Click the “newspaper” icon to the right.
NOVAC Astronomy Day 2017
Join the Northern Virginia Astronomy Club (NOVAC) for Astronomy Day at C.M. Crockett Park on April 29, 2017. Astronomy Day is a national event held to promote and share amateur astronomy. Come out at 3 PM to observe the Sun! Stay until nightfall to see some planets and deep sky objects! The program features solar observing through safe filters, telescopes to look at and look through when the stars come out, and presentations about astronomy, space exploration, and the night sky.The presentation portion is rain or shine. Presentations are generally appropriate for all ages. Evening observing is weather-permitting, but we can observe under even partly cloudy skies! Entrance to the park ends at 9 pm, no exceptions! Crockett Park charges $7 per vehicle if you’re not a Fauquier County or NOVAC member, but the event itself is completely free..
Video Review of Skywatcher Adventurer Mount
Check out Tom Watson’s helpful video review of the Skywatcher Adventurer mount. He demonstrates the features, discusses the quality (great bang for the buck), and shows some photos taken using it.
XKCD on choosing a telescope
The comic XKCD has a meditation here on the disadvantages of reflectors vs. refractors.