AstronomyNZ

Observing

ThePhoenix Astronomical Society Star Parties

This year we’re running two observing nights each month. The first is on the 2nd Saturday of each month and the second is after the Wairarapa meeting on the 4th Friday of each month. The first night is our dark-sky night and is an all-weather event with a BBQ to start with talks and AVs to follow; while the second night is our lunar, planetary and stellar night.

But, these observing nights won’t be a line-up a view session like you might have had in the past. We want you to bring your binoculars and telescopes with you if you can. Each night our experienced observers will provide you with talks, charts, an observing plan and all the help you need to learn our skies and become a Phoenix Expert Astronomer! Don’t have binoculars or a scope? No problem, use ours.

You can expect to see a similar programme two months running – this will help reinforce constellations and star-hopping patterns you found the previous month, and will provide us some backup in case of poor weather. In April and May we’ll move onto our Autumn Stars observing programme.

CANCELLATION warning: In the case of extreme weather we will cancel evenings – we don’t want anyone getting hurt on their way to the observatory. Notices will be posted on our web site also be sent via Phoenix Announce ( This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it ). If you’re in any doubt please phone or text Cameron Jack on 021-232-6613 or Richard Hall on 027 2305 191.

Up-comingPhoenix Star Parties

The Phoenix Astronomical Society Star Parties for July and August

Winter so far has been cold and wet, but when it’s clear, it’s really, really clear. The June star party gave us some great views of the central Milkyway and in July we continue with our programme the Binocular high-lights of Winter: a presentation all about the best sights to see in Scorpius and Sagittarius with binoculars and our cloudy night programme remains Deep Sky Observing With Binoculars. We can also put on a late-night movie for anyone waiting for the observers to come in from the cold.

The August observing weekend move forward one week to coincide with Winter Astrocamp and we hope you’ll join us for the whole weekend (6^th-8^th August) with our observing nights being Friday 6^th and Saturday 7^th.

Saturday 10^th July (Rain or Shine):

4:00 pm: Maintenance (cleaning out the clubrooms and observatory)
5:00 pm: BBQ and Get-together
6:30 pm: Night Sky AV (Winter Sky)
7:00 pm: Binocular high-lights of Winter
7:45 pm: Observing: Scorpius & Sagittarius

(If it's cloudy: Deep-sky Observing with Binoculars)

Friday 23^rd July (After the Wairarapa meeting):
9:30 pm The Moon and Jupiter, plus the Messier clusters of the Milkyway

Friday 6^th & Saturday 7^th August – Winter astrocamp
All night: Winter Milkyway and Jupiter.

Friday 27^th August: (After the Wairarapa meeting):
9:30 pm: The Moon and Jupiter, plus the Messier clusters of the Milkyway

CANCELLATION warning: In the case of extreme weather we will cancel evenings – we don’t want anyone getting hurt on their way to the observatory. Notices will be posted on our web site also be sent via Phoenix Announce (phoenix-astro-announcement@googlegroups.com). If you’re in any doubt, please phone or text Cameron Jack on 021-232-6613 or Richard Hall on 027-2305-191.

The Society holds regular observing evenings at its dark sky observatory in the Wairarapa. The societies first observatory - which was opened on 17th July 1999 - contains the refurbished 15cm (6") Peter Read refractor (on loan from The Carter Observatory) which is an excellent instrument for planetary observation,
an automated 20cm (8") Schmidt-cassegrain , a 12" Dobsonian (great for beginners), and a 58 cm (23") reflector (for deep space observation, including galaxies).

Observing Etiquette

For many members observing at the Phoenix observatory is a new experience and like any social gathering there are some guidelines to make this enjoyable for everyone.

Seeing Red

It can take more than 20 minutes to fully 'dark adapt' for astronomical viewing. Simply turning on a white light or shining a white light flashlight around observers will set them back at least a half hour, depriving them of the possibility of viewing all the detail in dim objects. Dim red light doesn't cause this loss of dark-adapted vision. Please don't ruin a whole viewing session by turning on white lights or bringing and using a regular flashlight. An easy solution is to fix red cellophane over your flashlight using a rubber band or some cellotape.

Vehicles

If you have to leave the observing early park where your lights will not bother those who are still observing. If possible use your cars park lights to leave the parking area and switch on the main lights in the driveway area.

Telescopes

Experienced members will show you how best to view through a telescope by adjusting focus. Other than that, please keep touching of the scopes and other equipment to a minimum, unless invited to by the operator. Do not grab the scope or pull on the eyepieces.

Observing is more enjoyable for everyone when we practice observing etiquette. :-)

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