April Star Walk at Copper Breaks …. Fred Koch


	Observing Reports (Cont'd)

(Continued from page 4 )

blue white. Mizar and Alcor in Ursa Major gave a nice contrasting pair after my friend had noticed that many of the stars he saw appeared to be doubles. The constellation tour also touched Leo, Canis Major and Minor, Gemini, Taurus, Auriga.

As the tour progressed, my friend observed that I kept referring to constellations by name. He observed that I was using the constellations to orient myself and my description of the sky. At the completion of the binocular tour the couple said that they now had figured out a new use for their reclining lawn chairs and a need for some replacement binoculars. This was all accomplished with a 6x30 opera glass and a beat up 7x50 that was so twisted that using one eye only was the only way to see anything.

We had been using the skymaps.com star chart to find IZ, so I pointed out how to use it, above their heads to get the orientation correct. Then from their bookshelf came a freebee paper Planisphere that they got years ago on a tour of the McDonald observatory. A little lesson on how to adjust it for time and they were on their way. We may have two new star gazers in Arlington.

Scott McDonald - I just watched Atlantis and the ISS pass over the Metroplex at about 9:22 p.m. this evening. What a fantastic sight! They were moving from the NW to SE, one after the other, and had maybe 10 degrees between them. I believe the shuttle was leading the way. I picked them up about 50 degrees above the northwestern horizon. They passed almost directly overhead before fading out, and both were very bright. I'd guess as bright or brighter than Jupiter. What a sight! Hope you didn't miss it.


	May Star Walk at Copper Breaks …. Fred Koch

The next public Star Walk at Copper Breaks State Park near Quanah, Texas will be Saturday May 4th. Members interested in participating should contact Richard Brown at RABrow@aol.com. Participation brings with it free camping, an excellent supper thanks to the hospitality of the Park Superintendent David Turner and his wife Jeri, and the opportunity to utilize the many telescopes after the public part of the evening program. For participants acting as Star Guides the occasion is meant to be and is as much social as observational.

That afternoon will find solar observing from 1 to 3 PM near the Park headquarters building. There will be both white light and hydrogen alpha filters for viewing sunspots and solar prominences.

The Star Walk begins after twilight at the Big Pond Campground in a newer, darker section of the Park. After a basic astronomy presentation for its benefit the public is then invited to view through instruments run by the Star Guides. Generally, the public stays two to three hours after which the telescopes are available to participants for the rest of the night as desired. Available May 4th will be eight Obsession Dobs ranging from 15" to 25" in mirror diameters. There will also be at least one pair of giant Fujinon binoculars among other instruments.

We have now installed some GlareBusters for the Park lights, which were most obnoxious with immediate improvement for the new Big Pond Campground site. I trust and hope you will be able to make it out our way in the near future.

We welcome all members to come to Copper Breaks. For any additional questions please contact Richard at RABrow@aolcom , the Park at cbsp@srcaccess.net or (940) 839-4331, or Fred Koch at fkoch@chipshot.net.

Star Walk dates for 2002 are the Saturdays of April 6^th, May 4^th, June 1^st, July 6^th, August 3^rd, September 7^th, and October 5^th. In addition, each of these dates will have a Sun Fun at the Park headquarters from 1 to 3 PM wherein there will be white light and hydrogen alpha solar viewing.


	Texas Star Party Time!! You must already be registered to attend. Check for news at www.metronet.com/~tsp/. Lake Whitney - This is a public telescope observing opportunity. Check whitney-astro.com/ for details.