Skyscrapers Solar Observing Day

Saturday, June 18, is “Solar Observing Day” at Seagrave Observatory! June 18 is the Saturday closest to the Solstice so it is an apt day to celebrate the sun! Skyscrapers hope we have clear skies and we can have fun with a whole bunch of activities.

Solar observing will begin at 1 PM. All members, guests and public are invited. We will have several telescopes available for solar observing; all of them safe for solar viewing. We will have a telescope with a white-light (aperture) filter to see sunspots under normal white light; the best way to see sunspot groups. We will have a telescope with a hydrogen-alpha filter for viewing  prominences/eruptions coming off the edge of the sun in addition to sunspots. We will also have a Sunspotter telescope which will project an image of the sun onto a paper surface, for very safe observing. At 1:30 and 2:30 PM, Skyscrapers member and solar observer Jeff Padell will give a presentation in the meeting hall discussing all aspects of solar physics, chemistry and dynamics. And, we will have a short video about the sun from the Kalamazoo Astronomical Society which will run continuously, also in the meeting hall.

The second phase of our day will be a telescope workshop. Several new members have expressed a need for assistance setting up and observing with their scopes. This is meant to be a time to get together, talk about scopes and assist those struggling to get started. This part of the program will begin at 4 PM. If you plan to bring your telescope for some guidance, please let us know the make and model in advance so we can have someone prepared to assist. Help with polar alignment and finding objects will occur after dark.

From 6-8pm,Skyscrapers will be holding a social hour for the membership.  Bring food to eat and Skyscrapers will provide beverages, and dessert.  Come enjoy the camraderie of fellow amateurs while meeting news friends and catching up with old ones!

Finally, we will observe with the public in the evening, clear skies permitting! Obviously, starts after dark.

So, everyone, please mark June 18 on your calendars.  I am hoping for clear skies and think we can have a real old-fashioned day of observing.