Wed, Aug 12 2015 - Post-AOC-Social Night Hike & Perseid Meteor Shower at Mason Mill Park (View Original Event Details) Trip Leader(s): Charlie Cottingham Participants: Charlie Cottingham, Joyce T., HK, Tory, Sheila C, Sharon H, Kathy, Janelle, Huiling, Marianne, Eileen, Herm D, Ron Nichols, Greg Walling, Eric, Mark F, Karen R, Greg K, Lucila, Augusto, David DeLorme, Mark

We had a good time last night and between 10PM and midnight did in fact get to see about a dozen meteors - a.k.a. "shooting stars" - streaking across the sky. Special thanks to Herm for bringing his big "dobsonian" telescope and treating us to a closeup view of Saturn and its amazing rings in "Scorpio"!  Other interesting celestial objects were in view including the North Star, Cassiopeia, Perseus, and the "Summer Triangle" which we observed and discussed with help from my green laser pointer.  
The weather, although a bit cloudier than we had hoped, was ideal for relaxing supine in our T-shirts and shorts on the high wooden deck and staring upward through big gaps in the clouds for passing meteors.
About a dozen of us also got in a little nighttime exercise by hiking together from the observation deck via the PATH trail to Medlock Park and back.
I hope many of you AOC astronomy buffs will join me for a similar leisurely "hike + skywatch" event on Sunday night, Sep 27, when we'll get to observe a dramatic total eclipse of the moon, weather permitting.
- Submitted by Charlie, Thu AM Aug 13