NorthWest Florida Astronomy Association

Once again the Hurlburt Field Library hosted a star gaze for their patrons. They also advised local scout groups of the event and several scouts joined in the festivities.

Club members Dean Covey, Tom Haugh and Dennis Hausch started things off with their solar equipment. There was a small sunspot group visible in the white light filtered scopes, but the H-alpha view was fairly unimpressive with only the smallest hint of a solar prominence.

Dennis assists the scouts at Tom’s H-Alpha scope.

Frank awaits the darkening sky.

By then club member Frank Atchison arrived and added his 8″ Meade SCT to the collection of telescopes pointed at the sky.

As the Sun started setting, the darkening sky brought Jupiter into view. As the line started to form at Dennis’ Mak-Cass Tom interrupted the growing anticipation and started briefing the crowd on star gaze etiquette, telescope safety and how to use the star charts that we routinely hand out at our events. Since the library brought their 4.5″ Newtonian reflector to the event, he explained the library’s telescope lending policy. But the King of Planets could no longer be held off and night time viewing started in earnest.

Tom briefs the growing crowd.

Look! Jupiter!

The rest of the evening, many celestial objects were targeted. In addition to Jupiter, the Alcor/Mizar pair, the Beehive Cluster and many others were presented to the guest observers.

We want to thank the library for the invitation to join them and we also want to thank the base airmen who volunteered to assist the library. Their help was much appreciated.

Dave Halupowski and Dennis Hausch braved the mostly cloudy skies and setup solar telescopes at the Heritage Museum’s 40th annual “Saturday in the Park” celebration in Valparaiso. Dave set up his ancient and honored Unitron refractor and provided a projection view of the Sun. Dennis set up his white light filtered Maksutov-Cassegrain telescope and his Coronado Hydrogen-Alpha scope. Later in the afternoon club member Professor Tony Russo from NWFSC joined the pair and added his expertise to the group.

A local Constable examines Dennis’ equipment.

Dave waiting for the clouds to clear.

When the clouds intervened they answered lots of Astronomy questions and handed out the club’s schedule of public star gazes. Photos courtesy of Dave Halupowski and Marietta Hausch