Nov 13, 2016 - Super Moon party 6:30 pm

My club is setting up for a Super Moon event tonight at one of the state parks where you need a permit to be there after dark. I have that permit but I won't be attending.

I organized my own super moon event last night at a park close to my house, Stillwell Woods Park, and invited my newbie friends as well as the astronomy club. Two of the club members came but 6 newbies showed up too.

First we set up a snack table. After all this was a Lunatic party. Dipsy Doodles, Lime Tostidos, Potato chips, pringles, salsa, spinich dip, cookies, pretzels, soda. No one went hungry.

2 guys brought 8X40s and one 10X50.

I handed out 2 10X50s a 7x35 and people were sharing my 15X70 on a monopod.

Everyone looked at the moon but, as we all know, full moon is not the best time to view the moon. And, it was so bright that looking at it with binoculars, especially the 15X70s, was hard. So lunar viewing was reserved for later on the telescope.

We spent most of the time going through my star hopping exercises for new binocular users. For some this was the first time they had done this and for some this was a chance to reinforce what they had done but did not remember. Everyone seemed to enjoy finding the Summer Triangle, the Northern Cross, the coat hanger, splitting Mizar and Alcor, the Pleiades, Mel 20, and the Hyades cluster. M31 was too washed out to find and Orion did not rise till we are packing up.

My ETX 80 was the only telescope that was set-up. We went to the scope around 7:45 pm. When I set up the telescope we split Albireo, then went to the moon. Everyone tried it at 16X and then zoomed to 50X. Then I added a 3X barlow and we had 48 to 150X with the zoom. A 25% moon filter had to be used as it was way too bright without.

I then added my Revolution Imager R2 to the scope and we viewed the video screen. I was experimenting with a focal reducer but could not get it to focus with that attached. Still learning this system and how it works best.

Around 8 pm I called for a pause and we all howled at the moon. No werewolves responded so we were OK.

Most of the night was a binocular party. Overall, we had a great time.