RASC Calgary Centre - Star-B-Q
June 30 - July 3, 2006
Page created July 11, 2006Click on any picture to see the full-sized image in a new window.
Article and Photos by Larry McNish
Well, folks, another Star-B-Q has come and gone and a great time was had by all!
This year I didn't bring my camper as I had a place to stay nearby, so I just set up a screen house on Wednesday (June 28) evening to keep the pesky bugs off my equipment (and me). My host and I also put together a new picnic table that I am donating to the ERO when the Star-B-Q is over. Wednesday night was very clear and pretty dark overnight (as dark as can be expected at 52° N., a week after Summer Solstice and 3 days after New Moon). But hey - keep in mind that the Star-B-Q is a club social event geared to meeting other club members (especially new members) and having a great summer camping/astronomy/pig roast get-together as well as a place to try out all those new gadgets before the fall star-parties. It's also a great time to do some lunar, solar and planetary observing as well as a chance for us southern city-dwellers to see a northern aurora (if it happens).
Luckily the people I stay with understand that amateur astronomers arrive home at dawn and sleep all day. Once I got up I used my host's workshop to create a crucial part for the automated camera platform I am building and programming, and I was ready to go again Thursday evening. Unfortunately, the riding-mower had objected strenuously to being woken up after its hibernation and simply refused to obey any of Duff's commands (even after re-booting several times). This resulted in a point under the "win" column for the grass and weeds. Together with last year's wet season and this year's hot season, the mosquito eggs had no problem becoming full-fledged buggers and doing what they do best - hence the screen house and the electric bug zapper. There were only a couple of campers and tents spread around the large field on Thursday. It was cloudy at dusk, but cleared up later. While observing we were "serenaded" for a few hours by a couple of dogs who had discovered the unusual 'barking echo effect' at ERO, and then the coyotes started up providing additional background accompaniment. Dew finally put an end to things and by 03:30 the morning twilight was up. However, I had observed the planets Saturn and Mars setting in the west, Jupiter in the south, Uranus in the east, the brighter Messier objects and a bunch of the nicer star clusters. Scope was working well and my dew remover (a 20 year old automotive accessory) was able to extend the observing a couple of hours.
Friday June 30 - Duff and I set up the "ERO Linear Solar System Model" (EROLSSM in NASA-speak). This fine example of 21st century high-technology (10 carefully chosen wooden stakes, a Sharpie marker, and a sledge hammer) provided the attendees with a 1300 foot model of the Solar System from the Sun to Pluto along the entrance road. OK - so I stole the idea from the RAO and used my Build a Solar System page to do all the calculations, but hey - Duff and I had to actually walk the entire distance from the Sun to Pluto and back again in the daytime heat! A lot more people had shown up on Friday and there was more socializing. Later that night we were treated to a light show with corresponding thunder-boomers in full Dolby surround-sound. This was accompanied by numerous 'coverings-up' and 'puttings-away'. My screen-house became the temporary home to a few additional telescopes and associated gear. However, the rain didn't materialize so I was able to use my laptop and worked on my camera platform software while watching the show.
Saturday July 1 - I didn't have a good day's sleep and I (sob) missed the pig roast. However I hear it was pretty good. After dark I did an (unofficial) camper count - there were 30 cars and trucks, 15 tents, and 11 campers. The night was clear and cool and as dark as can be expected with a beautiful crescent moon in the west. Several RASC members gathered together after the bino walk to discuss the sky (which I measured at magnitude 21.04) and several newly discovered constellations such as Larry's Tetrahedron, Roland's martini glass with parasol, and "Gramma's Dentures". We did our own "bino-walk and Roland pointed out some really good locations for dark nebulas and star clusters. It was quiet and a lot of people were doing a lot of observing until the dew shut us down again.
Sunday July 2 - by the time I arrived, most people had left (with a few exceptions - see below) and I had some things to get done in Calgary, so I just packed up everything and departed.
Note to self - "remember the screen house, bug zapper, dew remover and warmer socks for next year".
The newly discovered constellations (see the text above).
The EROLSSM - the Sun (at the far left),
the planets Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars,
and the Near-Earth Asteroid 'Biffy'.
Article and Photos by Garry Barton
Ed and Garry Take In The 2006 Star-B-Q
This years Star B-Q at the Eccles Ranch Observatory was our first time out to this site. What a place! Room for lots of observers and even overflow. (Would it ever be nice to have people forced to use the overflow.) The grass was a little long, but since I had to go back in town on Saturday, I brought back a mower and turned a fairly large section into a nice camping spot, so we stayed until Monday.
Friday rained a bit, luckily for us, before we got there. Setting up took quite some time as we weren't in a real hurry, and I occasionally strolled around to see who was there. Met a few people from SSSP 2005, and a bunch more that I'd never met before. There is a Mewlon beside us. I finally get to look through a Mewlon. Thanks Steve. I was surprised to see Rick Huziak from Saskatchewan, but then found out that he almost always comes. What a die-hard. The dark didn't really get too dark or last too long, but lots of observing, through ours and other people's scopes was done. Even got in some solar viewing. Got a chance to check out a Coronado PST. Quite surprising for a small package.
Saturday, Canada Day, we got in some more solar viewing and socializing. I had to go back to Calgary for some personal issues, so I missed the food. Well, sort of. Ed did save me a plate of food, but if I had been there to serve myself, I would have had at least 3 plates. The food was great warmed up, but I'm sure it was much better fresh. Door prizes? I think there was almost enough for one for everybody. But, staying with my raffle luck, I didn't win anything. Didn't win the lottery either. Go figure. I didn't get back until late and then had some problems with my mount, so I just sneaked peaks in other peoples scopes. Keith was there with his new 18" Obsession. I got a great view of the moon through it. Aperture can make a difference. Ed had troubles with his mount too, so he was using his scopes on camera tripods. I did notice, on the way out, the start of the solar system model that Larry and Duff set up, after it had been pointed out to me what the stakes in the ground were for. Interesting.
Sunday - where did everybody go??? Only about 4 or 5 people were left by the time I got up. So many pictures I wanted to take... that amazing bino chair... lots more people had shown up... oh well. Decided to get a little solar viewing in and then started to cut grass. What a chore. Finished results where worth it and the bar-b-q that followed as well. Talked a lot with the Browns and Shirley. Got a little viewing in that night, but I was worn out. Some other people showed up late and we viewed and socialized with them as well (yes I'm still bad with names) but it got light by 3:30 a.m. so that was that. Wish I had have known more about the asteroid that skirted by our little planet. I would have liked to have planned a search for it, but as it was, I didn't find out soon enough. I wonder if anyone did catch it.
Monday we had to pack up and go. We didn't rush anything so we still didn't leave until 5:00 p.m. or so. Had a bar-b-q brunch with Shirley and kids. Got a few more peeks at the sun, what with Ed's 60mm Coronado filter system on his Megrez 80, prominences abounded and a huge sunspot as well. It was like that all weekend. My white light and Herschel Wedge viewing were great also.
Before we left, we went to say goodbye to Shirley who had decided to stay. Ed was mowing the bits where our trailer and tent had been, and then surprised us by mowing a path all the way across the field to where Shirley's trailer was. Quite the struggle. Why? - you'll have to ask him. Since Shirley was going to stay indefinitely, we mowed the grass around her trailer as well. Said our goodbyes and headed back to Calgary.
All in all, another fine Star-B-Q. Looking forward to the Alberta Star Party in September as well. But really getting pumped for the SSSP, since we get to stay for a week. See you there!
