Community Education at Mayo Planetarium

[Randy H]

Paul Larson will be presenting Community Education classes at Mayo Planetarium this season. Here is a list of the upcoming classes. If possible, we could provide some telescope viewing before and/or after the class. Post here if you think you could be available outside Mayo High School to help round out one of these classes with real views of the night skies!

Kepler Star Wheel..............Tuesday.....Oct 27, 2015.....6:30-7:30 pm....Children
Deep Space, Deep Time......Thursday....Nov 12, 2015....6-7 pm.............Adult
Sunstruck.........................Tuesday......Nov 17, 2015....6-7:30 pm........Adults w exceptional abilities
Cardboard Rocket..............Tuesday......Dec 1, 2015......6-7 pm.............Children
Astronomers of Antiquity....Thursday.....Dec 3, 2015......6-7 pm.............Adult
From Earth to Universe.......Thursday.....Feb 25, 2016....6:30-7:30.........Adult

[Jeff Newland]

Randy, I would be available for the Tuesdays, Oct 27 and Nov 17.  Let me know and I should be able to do those.  I can't make the first couple of Thursday.  So, if you want me to show up on those 2 day, have you or Paul let me know.

Jeff

[Rick Murray]

Randy
I can make it this evening. At this time it's unclear what other dates I can make.

Rick Murray

[Josef Ch]

I will try to come Tuesday.....Oct 27, 2015.....6:30-7:30 pm
I can't come  Thu Nov 12
I should be available for rest of classes.

[Rick Murray]

I went to Mayo last night 6:30 until almost 8:pm. There was a football game that people were coming in for. I had about 40 people, about half adults, taking a look at he only target available, a first quarter moon, because of the thin cloud cover. Actually it turned out to be pretty good. I stayed until almost 8:pm thinking I would catch some of the people coming out of the planetarium, but that didn't happen. Not sure what the program was there. Had fun anyway.

Rick Murray

[Jeff Newland]

Rick,  the 1st class is next Tuesday, the 27th.  There wasn't any last night.  Sounds like you had fun though and probably a good time to go with the football game there.  Sounds like you had a good time.  Good job!

[Rick Murray]

Well, that's what happens when you retire...you loose tack of what day it is. Quite embarrassing. If it's not cloudy tomorrow night I'll show up.

Rick

[Jeff Newland]

Things don't look too good and forecast calls for getting worse...  raining later? 

I don't plan on going out there tonight.  Maybe Tuesday, Nov 17, as the next time for me.

Schedule that Randy listed earlier as a reminder to everyone:

Kepler Star Wheel..............Tuesday.....Oct 27, 2015.....6:30-7:30 pm....Children
Deep Space, Deep Time......Thursday....Nov 12, 2015....6-7 pm.............Adult
Sunstruck.........................Tuesday......Nov 17, 2015....6-7:30 pm........Adults w exceptional abilities
Cardboard Rocket..............Tuesday......Dec 1, 2015......6-7 pm.............Children
Astronomers of Antiquity....Thursday.....Dec 3, 2015......6-7 pm.............Adult
From Earth to Universe.......Thursday.....Feb 25, 2016....6:30-7:30.........Adult

[Josef Ch]

I should be able to make it Tuesday November 17, probably I will target 7:30 PM after event:
>>
Sunstruck.........................Tuesday......Nov 17, 2015....6-7:30 pm........Adults w exceptional abilities
>>

[Josef Ch]

Weather forecast  for this evening is not promising neither:
Cardboard Rocket..............Tuesday......Dec 1, 2015......6-7 pm.............Children

[Rick Murray]

Depending on the weather I'll be there Thursday by 6:pm

Rick

[Josef Ch]

Weather was reasonable today, so I came at 6 PM to the Planetarium to tell Paul, that I will set two scopes, and people could observe. In that moment I was not able to tell at which location. I put club's LX200GPS and small 60 mm Meade a little bit aside of parking lights on grass. I was able to do alignment, so goto function was ready. Sky was hazy, light pollution huge, parking was full of cars, because there were also another activities than Planetarium class. Actually nobody found me, and I am not sure, if anybody tried to. Paul at the end came, and helped me to disassemble scope and mount and pack it back to the car.
Considering light pollution, cold weather and just one volunteer, it is not the best setup for outreach in such conditions.
Lesson learned, maybe next time at Spring.

[Rick Murray]

Josef
I was there at 5:45 waiting for the parking lot to clear out of parents waiting in there cars for students with their headlights on. Along with the parking lot lights it wasn't going to work to be set up next to the building or somewhere in the parking lot. I thought if I set up to the east in the grass field to the east no one would find me, so I decided to leave. The sky wasn't the best as there was thin clouds.

Rick

[Josef Ch]

Rick,
You was absolutely right with your assessment. It was really crazy environment full of cars, lights everywhere. Grass was only option. We agreed with Paul, that it does not make sense to plan observation at last class in February.
Well, let's hope for better conditions sometimes at Spring.
Josef