This was our largest group sky view yet, as 60+ 4-H’ers were scheduled for the summer camp. We had three scopes arrive early enough to setup for solar observation. It would prove to be fortunate. After setting up the scopes we adjourned to the dining hall to share the evening meal. The staff corralled the campers in the meeting hall and we gave a brief introduction to what they would see during the solar observation session.
The youngsters were divided up into groups. One group would come out and view the sun, and one group would work on construction of air pressure powered rockets.
There were only a couple of small sun spot groups on the suns limb, but with 3 scopes we were able to provide three different fields of view and one-by-one the kids viewed their star up close and personal. Meanwhile clouds were building on the northern horizon. The second group rotated into solar mode and started their turn. About then the staff started getting calls from spouses that it was raining up north and it was headed our way. The last few viewers were looking at the sun through thickening clouds and the approaching front looked ominous. We all decided that it was time to call it a day and quickly started to load everything for departure.
Then from over the top of the cloud wall, and almost directly overhead, the International Space Station made a very bright pass; an exciting exclamation point to close out the star gaze.