Our first meeting of each new year is a “How to use your new telescope.” event. We hear so many comments from the public at our star gazes about the telescope they have at home. Unfortunately, it is in the closet because it doesn’t work, they don’t know how to put it together any more, or they just don’t know how to use it. This annual event is our attempt to remedy those situations. By holding this event is January, we hope to capture the enthusiasm still in place with any recently acquired Christmas telescopes and give any new astronomers a little help if they need it.
Last year’s event was clouded out, but this year the skies stayed clear enough. We had a great turnout of club members. Dennis Hausch, Dave Halupowski, Frank Atchison, Tom Haugh, Bob Schritter and Dean Covey all manned the telescope array. Tony Russo, manned the observatory so that anyone that mistakenly went there, would be able to find us on the college driving pad.
We don’t know if it was a lack of publicity, the mid 40’s temperatures or just the clouds earlier in the day, but we only had one guest observer attend. But that is all that is necessary for us to consider the event a complete success.
Shelly showed up with a nice 8″ Dobsonian and with just a little finder alignment help, was viewing Jupiter and the Andromeda galaxy like a pro.
The skies were dark enough that Dennis aimed his 12″ Dob toward M 82 and its newly discovered supernova. Several members have gotten photos of the explosion, but this is the first visual attempt for most of the assembled observers. SN 2014j was just visible in averted vision, but it could be seen.
After we wrapped up, we adjourned to the observatory for a quick, impromptu meeting. All-in-all a great start to 2014.