Once again the 1st grade students of Van R. Butler welcomed the NWFAA to their school for a daytime star gaze. This year the schedule called for all the 130+ 1st graders to attend a single presentation on the Sun in preparation for their time at the telescopes. The presentation finished with a lively question and answer session. The students then adjourned to their classrooms to wait their turn at the scopes.
In the meantime, the NWFAA volunteers finished setting up their solar equipment.
Dean Covey brought his Coronado refractor to provide views of any solar activity at the frequency of H-Alpha light. The Sun did present a couple of small prominences and several obvious filaments.
We had two different opportunities to view the Sun in white light. Dennis Hausch brought his filtered Maksutov and Dave Halupowski brought his ancient and honored Unitron refractor to show the students the classical projection method of viewing the Sun. Although there was a small centrally located sunspot it was so small it proved a difficult target to see.
Tom Haugh rounded out the viewing options by providing a spectroscopic view of the Sun.
Class by class the students took their turns at the scopes with a clear sky offering an unimpeded view of the Sun.
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We want to thank the staff and students of Van R. Butler School for the invite, warm welcome and opportunity to share our passion for the science of Astronomy. Thanks go to Marietta Hausch for the event photos.