Thank you, FWAS ASTRONOMERS, for making Astronomy Night at Rosemont 6th Grade, Fort Worth ISD, on January 24 a tremendous success!

After warming up on pizza, Danny Arthur, Joe Ashcroft, Byron Copeland, Mitch Wilson, and Mike & Michelle Daniel and daughter, Jackie, set up their telescopes in an alcove behind the building. (The three walls blocked off the cold air.)

The students and parents were thrilled with the excellent images of Jupiter's bands and four Galilean moons lined up perfectly; Saturn's rings and some of its moons; craters on our moon; and Orion Nebula with its "baby stars", the Trapezium.

We also set up the five 60mm Meade beginner scopes that our principal, Manuel Cantu, bought for Rosemont. Trained students helped other students learn to locate Jupiter, Saturn, and the Moon with the 60mm scopes.

Approximately 125-150 students, parents, teachers, and staff attended. Student Chris Cecenas won the door prize - a 60 mm Meade telescope. All the students who signed in will receive certificates from the FWAS Junior Affiliate, "Texas Society of Young Astronomers", for "Telescope Viewing".

Again, thank you, FWAS Astronomers, and also, Principal Manuel Cantu, and the other science teachers at Rosemont 6th, Nancy Garcia and Cynthia Valverde, for making the Astronomy Night a success!

I had a ball!


[Fellow FWAS member Sallie Teames is the local sponsor of the Texas Society of Young Astronomers, and a science teacher at Rosemont 6th Grade School, Fort Worth ISD.]