Telescope work day December 16

[Jane H Jones]

Some of you met Sidewalk Astronomers John Dobson, Bob Alborzian and 
Donna Smith last Saturday night in Monrovia - they were helping out 
with the telescopes in addition to Todd and Caroline, and Mojo and 
me.  It was a really fun night and our friends Bob and Donna really 
enjoyed our Monrovia sidewalk gang.  John's next  Southern California 
"event" will be his annual visit to Furnace Creek in Death Valley 
National Park,  between Christmas and New Years.

Before the annual Death Valley trek, the Sidewalk Astronomers 
homemade telescopes usually need a little "repair" in Donna's 
workshop. If you are interested in helping, watching, or spending 
some time with John and the gang, you can do so by attending the 
"Work Party" on Saturday December 16th contact Donna Smith 
dsmith1055 at earthlink.net 818-846-1722

This is a great way to see the not-so-mysterious construction details 
of the telescopes.  Donna says that four telescopes - 8, 10, 12 and 
18-inch reflectors on Dobsonian mounts -  will be in the shop for 
some minor surgery. :-)

If you are interested in attending the Death Valley Astronomy program 
on one or more nights (or days), here are some details from Donna - 
ask her directly if you have any questions.

Furnace Creek - arrive Dec. 26th in the afternoon, John speaks that 
night at the visitor center. We leave the morning of Dec. 30. For 
camping information call 800-365-2267 and for lodging at the Furnace 
Creek Ranch/Inn call 760-786-2345  and the number for the Furnace 
Creek Visitor Center is 760-786-3200.

We will have sun scopes out daily and telescopes out nightly. We have 
plenty of scopes, if someone wants to swing by on their way to/from 
Vegas and doesn't want to tote a scope.

Lodging might also be available at  Stovepipe Wells or Armagosa - 
which are 20 to 30 minutes from Furnace Creek.

Here are a few astro happenings this week and next:

Tonight, December 8th - watch Saturn accompany the moon across the sky.

December  8-14 - 45 minutes before sunrise:  Watch Jupiter, Mars and 
Mercury come close together in the southeast at dawn.  Look very 
close to the  SE horizon, less than 10 degrees above the horizon. 
Mars is the dimmest of the three planets.  Watch from now until the 
14th of December as the trio comes closer together. The three planets 
fit in a one degree circle on the 10th.  This is the closest 
observable "bunching" of three bright planets for the next  25 years! 
No telescope needed, this is a view for the unaided eyes or 
binoculars.

Check back on the Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers website 
http://www.otastro.org/ in a week or two. We should have our next 
dark sky and sidewalk dates listed, plus a photo journal from last 
Saturday night, plus a cute song about John Dobson on the website.


Jane
-- 
Jane Houston Jones
Senior Outreach Specialist, Cassini Program
JPL - 4800 Oak Grove Drive, MS 230-205
Pasadena, CA  91109  818-393-6435
jane.h.jones at jpl.nasa.gov
Cassini Saturn Observation Campaign
http://soc.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm