Details

Astro for Amateurs Shine On Edition

We did this last fall, and it was great fun. Some changes due to COVID-19

New for 2020

No car pooling; max two people in a car, and then only if they live with each other. Otherwise 1 per car.
Masks will be worn
Gloves are recommended
No tripods within 10 feet of each other (easy to follow this one!)

Monday May 18 is supposed to be clear and warm, with the moon well out of the way by the time we start shooting.

I am trying to move the venue about a mile to the farm of the man who invited us to use his place. Otherwise, same place as last year, crossroads of Rt 125 and Blue Creek Road. I’ll let you know if we get the new space (a farm, even darker and no headlights)

You will need: a tripod, a camera with a wide angle lens, and the faster the lens the better. You will also need a remote shutter with a “bulb” setting or a programmed time of you lens’s focal length divided by 450. You’ll also need a headlamp with a red beam. Red headlamps do not affect night vision, especially your neighbor’s!

Ideal lens is between 14-24mm, f3.5 or faster. You’ll also need a headlamp with a red beam. For Nikon shooters, an f24-70 is a great lens for this, as is a 14-24 f2.8. You can set your white balance to “daylight” or to about 3500K or a bit higher.

Obviously, this Meet-Up is weather dependent, and a go-no go decision will be made by 5:00 PM on 5/18. Rain date the next night if possible.

NOTE: The convenience store probably has a restroom. I suggest stopping there on your way to the site. Be prepared.

CHANGE OF DATE
Turbulent weather is killing us. We are re-scheduling for Saturday, May 23, 8:45 PM. That’s iffy on weather, but might work out. The glactic core won’t become visible until 10:57 that night, but we take what we can get.

New Back-Up dates after that: Saturday, 5/30, then June 15. These aren’t arbitrary dates; they’re based on phase and time of moonset, and also take into account when the galactic center is visible, and how far above the horizon it is. (It’s higher even later in the summer).