SCRATCHED: based on the discussion at RAC meeting 9/12. Moved back to original August 18 date.

Star-BQ 2023

Glorious nights for astronomy in memory of Dean Johnson
(Dean: forum August 3, 2008 at 7:48 am)

PRELIMINARY
Friday 9/15, Backup: Saturday 9/16

Members are welcome to bring own favorited food and beverage and share it with family members and friends. They could bring own BBQ charcoal grilling briquettes and use on site grills.

Program:
– 5 PM Star-BQ afternoon social event
— barbequing
— walking around park
— Sun observing
— 7:22 PM Sunset
— Personal observing program – see resources
— 7:45 PM Observing of the setting comet C/2023 P1 Nishimura 6 deg above West horizon(2 deg at 8:12PM), 5 deg left of Denebola, directly above Sun
— 6:48 AM Sunrise
The only downside – we can not sleep under the tent or inside of RV at Root River park.

Moon on Friday September 15 is 1 day old, Moonset 7:49 PM (9/16 8:06PM)

Credit: NASA Scientific Visualization Studio

Resources:
In the Sky August/2023, Sun and Moon data, Observing programs,
Messier list, Caldwell list, Double stars list, Carbon stars list, Herschel 400

Dean Johnson (1955-2022) was the founder of an annual social and astronomical RAC event called Star-BQ. It started with a barbeque, and Dean never failed to deliver his favorite Spring Grove Soda Pop. The first two day Star-BQ was most likely from Friday afternoon August 1st 2008 till early morning Sunday August 3rd 2008.
Dean received eight Astronomy League awards for completing observing programs: Messier, Double star, Binocular Messier, Lunar, Deep Sky Binocular, Solar System, Lunar II & Herschel 400.

Planning notes