One of the stories read during Holley-Navarre’s reading night was about stars. That was all the excuse we needed to support the event with a short star gaze for the participating students and parents. Reading night started early enough that we were able to briefly view the current crop of sunspots before the Sun dipped below the school building. While we waited for the sky to darken we answered questions and viewed terrestrial targets with Tom’s library scope. We made sure that all the guest observers were aware of the impending ISS pass later that evening.
EAAA members Tom Sajwaj and Lyen McAbee along with NWFAA members Frank Atchison and Tom Haugh each brought instruments for the students to view the sky. We set up the scopes on the asphalt pad behind the school. It is the best school ‘back yard’ for star gazes that we have seen this year. The area was fairly dark with few direct lights.
Once the skies started to darken the costumed participants started to line up. The Ring Nebula, Wild Duck Cluster, and Albireo were among the objects presented. Tom’s crippled 6″ Newtonian sat on Epsilon Lyrae for the whole presentation. All the while anticipation built for the ISS pass.
The ISS showed up right on schedule and passed almost directly overhead. Tom explained that there were 6 crew members currently on board and that the current space station commander, Sunita Williams, had received her Masters degree from a Florida college. The pass of the station proved to be the highlight of the evening. The event broke up about 7:30 P.M.
We would like to thank the staff and students of Holley-Navarre Intermediate School for their warm welcome and enthusiastic participation. We look forward to future events at their school.