At the May 27, 2021 Club Meeting We Will View & Edit All 3 Night Sky Program Power-Point Presentations
THE END OF MAY: LUNAR ECLIPSE, STARGAZER MEETING, FREE LIFE AT CHIMNEY ROCK
Our first Public Night Sky Program will be Friday, May 21. Gate opens at 7:15 with the program, “Our Solar System” starting in the Chimney Rock Amphitheater at 8 PM. This is a perfect time for locals to come, no reservations needed, but there is a program fee. We will be completing our Night Sky Programs this year with what we are calling, “Tour of the Night Sky.” Haven’t you always wanted to look up at the sky & know exactly what you are seeing? This month Judith Jubb is preparing the Tour that will include the brightest stars, constellations, visible planets and whatever else there is.
She is fantastic at knowing the night sky, but she will be preparing to make sure that nothing will be missed. This is something you can then start doing yourself & become like a really attuned ” modern” “ancient” person.
There will be a Total Lunar Eclipse on the morning of Wednesday, May 26. Because it is a Lunar Eclipse, eye protection is NOT NEEDED. It will be a supermoon, meaning the moon is closer to Earth than it normally is because its orbit is not a circle, but an oval. The moon is at the narrowest part of the oval & appears larger. The eclipse will cause it to become a deep red Blood Moon and the color is expected to be exceptional. The eclipse begins at 2:47 AM., which I plan on skipping. The Full Eclipse, the most dramatic part, begins at 5:11 AM with the maximum being at 5:18 AM and the full eclipse is over by 5:25 AM. The end of the eclipse will not be visible from Pagosa because it will be below the horizon.
Our next Stargazer Club Meeting will be on Thursday, May 27, from 7 to 8:30 PM at the Visitors’ Center on Hot Springs Blvd. & the San Juan River. We will be sharing & critiquing all of the power point presentations that will be given at the Chimney Rock National Monument Night Sky programs. We will be indoors, it is free & EVERYONE IS WELCOME. It is a wonderful opportunity for anyone who cannot normally attend our Night Sky Programs. We will show power point presentations on the Ancient People of Chimney Rock, Our Solar System and Stars & Galaxies with people leaving brief written comments & suggestions.
On Friday, May 28th will be our first members-only telescope viewing & training at Chimney Rock. The gate will open at 7PM. This will be our only opportunity to prepare for our important Training session given by Astronomer & Observatory owner, Steve McAllister, on Friday, June 4. He will provide the best training for telescope use. He will be available for training starting at 1 PM. , but we are asking that members sign up & commit for the daytime hours. Because telescopes can pass the corona virus on the eyepiece this is for MEMBERS ONLY. There will be strict rules on sharing of telescopes. If you have your Covid Immunization Card, please bring it. If you don’t have a telescope we have several extra available requiring prearrangements.
May 29 & 30 will be Life at Chimney Rock, which is a free event from 10AM to 4PM on both Saturday & Sunday. There will be all kinds of activities for children & adults, Native Artists, some having ancestors from Chimney Rock, with beautiful jewelry, pottery & other art work available. We are expecting to have the makers of the wonderful Navajo Tacos. We are hoping to have a solar telescope to check on our favorite star which is starting to have an increase in activity on its 11- year- cycle. The reason we have Astronomy activities is that Chimney Rock was basically an ancient astronomy site for the Chacoan Culture. We are so happily continuing their legacy.
At ALL OF OUR EVENTS we will follow the covid regulations for Archuleta County & Colorado for that date. Wear a mask if not vaccinated or in case it is again needed.
If you would like to join the San Juan Stargazers you will also receive Reflector Magazine which is the publication of the National Astronomical League of which you automatically become a member. To join both groups & get an excellent astronomy magazine, annual membership is only $25/ family. You can join at our events or by following the directions on our web site.
The San Juan Stargazers Club is part of the Astronomical League, which includes clubs from all over the US. We have a web-site—www.sanjuanstargazers.org. Hope to see you at an event!!