Feb 212015
We were honored to be invited to support the E.O.Wilson Biophilia Center’s Astronomy for Kids Day. The weather was perfect, the kids were great and we had a wonderful time. NWFAA members Dean Covey, Ken Leone, Gaetan Godin, and Tom Haugh each brought solar observing equipment. Club member Virginia Schreitmueller provided adult supervision and manned our information shelter. She spent the day handing out club flyers, sky charts and answering questions about the club.
Virginia manning the booth.
EAAA member David Cochran
Escambia Amateur Astronomy Association member David Cochran made the trip all the way from Pensacola. He brought his 60mm Coronado H-Alpha scope and provided an alternate view of the Sun than the normal white light.
David’s H-Alpha shot of the Sun and its prominences.
David was also able to get a great shot of the numerous prominences that were visible on Saturday.
Dean answering solar questions.
Gaetan and some of the crowd.
Dean brought his 8″ Celestron and Gaetan brought his homemade green Dobsonian; both providing white light views of our closest star. Also visible in the photo showing Gaetan standing just left of his green Dob is Ken’s new tripod mounted binoculars. Even with filters, they provide a distinctly 3-dimensional effect to the view.
A future spectroscopist getting a better view.
Since David provided an H-Alpha telescope, Tom was able to break out his spectroscope and present yet another view of the Sun.
We would like to thank the staff of the E.O.Wilson Biophilia Center for the invite, the enthusiasm and lunch. Thanks also go to David Cochran and Ken Leone for the photography.