Observation Post

So this is a basic wrap-up observation post for the last couple weeks of the quarter.

On Saturday, March 1st, we had Astronomy Night! The weather could not have been more perfect and it was so exciting. I got to school at 5 pm to help set up all of the telescopes and equipment. At 7, people began arriving as the sky darkened, and you could see so much in the sky. It was clearer than any stargaze we've ever had. Visitors questioned me about constellations and satellites, and I ended up pointing out most of the constellations in the winter sky to several people (including several students who are actually taking astronomy this year). I pulled up a list of satellites passing that night and announced them to the crowd to observe; only about two or three were visible from 7 to 9.  The telescopes were set up to observe Jupiter and its moons, which I always love seeing, and many people were impressed with how much we could view. It was a really great stargaze, with a fairly good turnout.

On Wednesday of this week, Emma and I spent about an hour outside under the stars (have I mentioned that we are extremely fortunate in the location of our house? It's perfect for stargazing). It was really clear, and we pointed out most of the constellations in the winter/spring sky, noting how much they had moved since they were first visible. We dragged our father out at one point, and like always, we probably taught him way more about the sky and stars than he wanted to know. We saw a total of 4 satellites that night.

General observation: I love the time change and the darkness when I leave for school in the morning. Venus is super bright, and in such a position that it's the first thing I see when I open the front door to leave. The moon in its waning gibbous phase the past couple mornings has been really bright and beautiful, and Mars has been visible, which I am excited about, with Spica in close proximity.