Sat, Mar 24 2012 - Hiking, Astronomy & Skygazing with Telescopes at Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center (View Original Event Details)
Trip Leader(s):
Charlie Cottingham
Participants:
Charlie Cottingham, Regina, Lee Wilschek, Bob, Kathlee, Jimmy, Jason
Write Up: Our friendly Atlanta Astronomy Club hosts treated us to some unforgettable views of the heavens tonight at their dark-sky observing field. Soon after sunset we witnessed a rarely seen lineup of brilliant Venus and Jupiter cradled between the jewel-like Pleiades star cluster just above them and the "new crescent moon in the old moon's arms" just below them on the western horizon. Through one of the telescopes we could actually see the dark "seas" of the moon on its shadowed part above its thin sunlit crescent - made possible by reflected "earthshine." Through another telescope we enjoyed nice views of the 4 Galilean moons of Jupiter lined up in a neat row beside the giant planet and through another a clear view of the red planet Mars. While gazing at the Big Dipper we saw a brilliant meteor streak by. The Astronomy Club's late afternoon indoor program featured a delicious potluck dinner and a recently televised British film on astronomy. The show included a fascinating interview with American astronaut Gene Cernan who reflected on his two trips to the moon more than 40 years ago. We felt lucky to have fantastic weather both for our nighttime observing session and for our adventurous 5-mile afternoon hike on the scenic wooded lakeside, creekside and granite outcrop trails at Charlie Elliott. This was the AOC's 4th very enjoyable "hiking + astronomy" visit to the wildlife center and we definitely to offer the event again in the future. Our hats are off to our friends in the "CE chapter" of the Atlanta Astronomy Club for always being such gracious and entertaining hosts.
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