Steve,

From S&T...

This year is expected to be better than average. The "traditional," most
reliable part of the shower should peak around 4 a.m. EST (1 a.m. PST) on the
morning of Tuesday, November 17th. You might see 20 or 30 meteors per hour under
ideal dark-sky conditions. (Remember, if you want to stay up late instead of
getting up early, you'll be staying up Monday night. It's easy to get the date
wrong for events that happen after midnight!)

A second, briefer, but very intense outburst is expected about 12 hours later —
during the early-morning hours of November 18th in Asia. (See "Will the Leonids
Roar Again?".) There's only an off-chance that some activity from that burst
will still be going on by the time the Earth turns halfway around and the
Leonids become visible in the Americas on the morning of the 18th.


--- In delmarvastargazers@yahoogroups.com, Steven Long <longsteven@...> wrote:
>
> On Nov 16, 2009, at 9:25 AM, Tim wrote:
>
> > I am thinking about going to TSP tonight for the show.  Not sure if
> > I am going early (midnight) or later (2-ish)?  S&T says "peak" is
> > around 4 am Tuesday morning.   I have not done this in a while.  Not
> > since the great foggy show of 2000/2001 at the ballfield.
> >
>
> Am I thinking of something else?  The information I had a couple of
> months ago said that Leonids peak would occur on Tuesday night an hour
> or so after sunset.  I even put it on my calendar.
>
>
> Steve
>

On Nov 16, 2009, at 9:42 AM, Tim wrote:

> Steve,
>
> From S&T...
>
> This year is expected to be better than average. The "traditional,"
> most reliable part of the shower should peak around 4 a.m. EST (1
> a.m. PST) on the morning of Tuesday, November 17th. You might see 20
> or 30 meteors per hour under ideal dark-sky conditions. (Remember,
> if you want to stay up late instead of getting up early, you'll be
> staying up Monday night. It's easy to get the date wrong for events
> that happen after midnight!)
>
> A second, briefer, but very intense outburst is expected about 12
> hours later — during the early-morning hours of November 18th in
> Asia. (See "Will the Leonids Roar Again?".) There's only an off-
> chance that some activity from that burst will still be going on by
> the time the Earth turns halfway around and the Leonids become
> visible in the Americas on the morning of the 18th.

As I remember from the fantastic show in 2000 (2001?) at the ball
field, Leo doesn't need to be above the horizon in order for an
exceptional display to occur.  We saw numerous reasonable meteors
including some large and bright ones through most of the early night,
some even appearing to come from the west and northwest.  (Though it's
true that the meteor "explosion" occurred in the early morning as the
sky was getting light.)  If there's going to be an intense outburst
over China at 5 or 6 PM Dover time on Tuesday, there ought to be
something visible from the alfalfa field across the street from my
house.

And I won't have to wreck my carefully-cultivated sleep schedule.   :-)

Steve

i am planning to go to the deer stand parking lot at mallard lodge around
midnight.  and probably top that off with a Smyrna Diner breakfast around 5-6
am.

Anyone interested?

Don...


On Nov 16, 2009, at 10:18 AM, Steven Long wrote:

> On Nov 16, 2009, at 9:42 AM, Tim wrote:
>
>> Steve,
>>
>> From S&T...
>>
>> This year is expected to be better than average. The "traditional,"
>> most reliable part of the shower should peak around 4 a.m. EST (1
>> a.m. PST) on the morning of Tuesday, November 17th. You might see 20
>> or 30 meteors per hour under ideal dark-sky conditions. (Remember,
>> if you want to stay up late instead of getting up early, you'll be
>> staying up Monday night. It's easy to get the date wrong for events
>> that happen after midnight!)
>>
>> A second, briefer, but very intense outburst is expected about 12
>> hours later — during the early-morning hours of November 18th in
>> Asia. (See "Will the Leonids Roar Again?".) There's only an off-
>> chance that some activity from that burst will still be going on by
>> the time the Earth turns halfway around and the Leonids become
>> visible in the Americas on the morning of the 18th.
>
> As I remember from the fantastic show in 2000 (2001?) at the ball
> field, Leo doesn't need to be above the horizon in order for an
> exceptional display to occur.  We saw numerous reasonable meteors
> including some large and bright ones through most of the early night,
> some even appearing to come from the west and northwest.  (Though it's
> true that the meteor "explosion" occurred in the early morning as the
> sky was getting light.)  If there's going to be an intense outburst
> over China at 5 or 6 PM Dover time on Tuesday, there ought to be
> something visible from the alfalfa field across the street from my
> house.
>
> And I won't have to wreck my carefully-cultivated sleep schedule.   :-)
>
> Steve
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>

Don,

Can you remind us where the deer stand parking lot is in relation to the lodge
itself?   Traveling late at night to Smyrna may not be that bad vs. me going to
TSP.  I would rather have company than be at the EQ. Center all by myself.

Tim

--- In delmarvastargazers@yahoogroups.com, Don Surles <don.surles@...> wrote:
>
> i am planning to go to the deer stand parking lot at mallard lodge around
midnight.  and probably top that off with a Smyrna Diner breakfast around 5-6
am.
>
> Anyone interested?
>
> Don...
>
>
> On Nov 16, 2009, at 10:18 AM, Steven Long wrote:
>
> > On Nov 16, 2009, at 9:42 AM, Tim wrote:
> >
> >> Steve,
> >>
> >> From S&T...
> >>
> >> This year is expected to be better than average. The "traditional,"
> >> most reliable part of the shower should peak around 4 a.m. EST (1
> >> a.m. PST) on the morning of Tuesday, November 17th. You might see 20
> >> or 30 meteors per hour under ideal dark-sky conditions. (Remember,
> >> if you want to stay up late instead of getting up early, you'll be
> >> staying up Monday night. It's easy to get the date wrong for events
> >> that happen after midnight!)
> >>
> >> A second, briefer, but very intense outburst is expected about 12
> >> hours later — during the early-morning hours of November 18th in
> >> Asia. (See "Will the Leonids Roar Again?".) There's only an off-
> >> chance that some activity from that burst will still be going on by
> >> the time the Earth turns halfway around and the Leonids become
> >> visible in the Americas on the morning of the 18th.
> >
> > As I remember from the fantastic show in 2000 (2001?) at the ball
> > field, Leo doesn't need to be above the horizon in order for an
> > exceptional display to occur.  We saw numerous reasonable meteors
> > including some large and bright ones through most of the early night,
> > some even appearing to come from the west and northwest.  (Though it's
> > true that the meteor "explosion" occurred in the early morning as the
> > sky was getting light.)  If there's going to be an intense outburst
> > over China at 5 or 6 PM Dover time on Tuesday, there ought to be
> > something visible from the alfalfa field across the street from my
> > house.
> >
> > And I won't have to wreck my carefully-cultivated sleep schedule.   :-)
> >
> > Steve
> >
> > ------------------------------------
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
>

Don,

I woke up at 2:20am and decided to go to TSP.  I was there from about 3:30 - to
5:40.  When I first got there the clouds were starting to close in around me
then things opened back up (execpt to the north).  Things were dead at first
then about 3:50/4:00 a bright streak went thru the bowl of the big dipper. I saw
a small number of faint trickles drop to the east of Leo.  And a few more bright
streaks go into Gemini and Orion.  I also saw 5 or 6 faint/mod. faint Taurids
heading in the opposite direction of the Leoinds going into Orion/Gemini/Monc.
At about 5:20 I saw a bright orange streak drop east from Leo into Virgo.

Well I wasn't nearly as adventuresome as you folks but did manage to rouse
myself and venture to the back deck at around 3:30. Wrapped in a sleeping bag
and armed with binoculars in one hand and a Grand Marnier in the other I
positioned myself comfortably in a reclining chair. I saw one very quick and
bright meteor, and a hint of what may have been a couple of others. Some clouds
came and went.
I did enjoy the night sky with Mars shining brightly in front of me below Castor
and Pollux, the big dipper on my left hand and Sirius and Orion just over my
right shoulder.
The real treat for me was seeing the beehive cluster just above Mars as a naked
eye object. Although I've seen it many times, it was a first from my location
west of Wilmington, which rarely breaks 4.0 Mag skies.
Anyway a good clear night at Tuckahoe ususally produces at least a couple of
meteorites which might be one more than I caught with this years Leonids.
Ralph D.

--- In delmarvastargazers@yahoogroups.com, Don Surles <don.surles@...> wrote:
>
> Jerry Truitt and I made our way to the Aquatic Education Center's deer
hunter's parking lot last night.
>
> I arrived at 11:30 and set up my camera and lounge chair.  I took a few shots
with my Canon digital  camera...trying to focus at infinity with a wide angle
lens is frustrating.  It seems the manufacturers allow the lens to go past
infinity to compensate for thermal expansion of the interior elements.  The
digital cameras do not have a circle with a split image to aid in focusing -
just a matte finished screen.  After a few shots that produced circles for stars
I put the camera away, lit the cigar...and waited for some pesky clouds to
dissipate so the meteors would be easier to see.
>
> Whilst lying there in the air conditioned lounge chair, puffing away on the
cigar (btw, it kept the mosquitoes away), looking intently for meteors, a huge
black shadow suddenly appeared directly over my head.  I have to tell you I am
glad I had used the bathroom before I left home!  The black shadow was an
owl...wingspan like a C-5...apparently he was checking me out to see if I was a
double cheese burger with a large order of fries and diet coke.  Fortunately for
me, I assume he was more interested in smaller prey and he quietly, I mean very
quietly...I never heard a sound...flew out over the mash, circled around and
checked me out once more before boogeying off to where ever owls boogey.
>
> By 12:15, I decided the meteor activity needed a warming up so I retreated to
the cab of my truck and fired up the heater...to rest my eyes from all the
brilliant streaking meteors.  By the time I was getting comfortably warm a set
of headlights dimly lit Rt 9 and I could see what appeared to be mobile shadows
of a couple of small critters moving south while the headlights were coming
north.  The headlights were Jerry's...seems he had set up down at he observation
tower and had gotten so lonely he decided to prowl the area for other meteor
watchers.  Also, he reported a 500 lb 20-point buck had passed close by his
setup.  Oh, he also reported the mobile shadows I had seen looked like a cat or
some small critter.  I say they were raccoons.
>
> So, we began the meteor watch in earnest...with a round of hot black coffee.  
The skies had cleared by 12:30 and the stars were very pretty.  The meteors were
late and the few we saw were certainly not hard-hat worthy.  Geese never sleep. 
Canada geese honk all the time!  We retreated to the truck again around 1:30 to
knock the chill off.  Our next session of meteor watching was no more fruitful
than the previous ones.  So, around 2:15 we decided to retire to the new and
improved Smyrna Diner.
>
> Those Smyrna Diner folks have done gone city on us...they are no longer a 24
hour diner.  So we retreated to the all-night comforts of the Waffle House next
door.  After a snack and a cup of coffee we parted...I stayed in Smyrna and
Jerry went to the hinterlands of Maryland along the C&D Canal.
>
> So, learnings for next year...learn how to focus today's digital lenses at
night...take 2-3X the clothes you think you will need...build a heated
observation enclosure with a glass roof...talk to the comets and get them to
shed a bit more meteor materials...you get the drift.
>
> See you at our Dec 1 meeting.
>
> Don...
>
>
> On Nov 17, 2009, at 9:35 AM, Tim wrote:
>
> > Don,
> >
> > I woke up at 2:20am and decided to go to TSP. I was there from about 3:30 -
to 5:40. When I first got there the clouds were starting to close in around me
then things opened back up (execpt to the north). Things were dead at first then
about 3:50/4:00 a bright streak went thru the bowl of the big dipper. I saw a
small number of faint trickles drop to the east of Leo. And a few more bright
streaks go into Gemini and Orion. I also saw 5 or 6 faint/mod. faint Taurids
heading in the opposite direction of the Leoinds going into Orion/Gemini/Monc.
At about 5:20 I saw a bright orange streak drop east from Leo into Virgo.
> >
> >
>

Are any of the other Delmarva Stargazers going to TSP Friday 11-20-09?  Per CSC
it's supposed to be average transparency and seeing, humidity around 80% (to be
expected), and temps in 40's and 30's.  My family and I observed at TSP a number
of times this past summer at the ballfield and enjoyed it.  Isn't the ballfield
closed now and we would have to go to the Equestrian Center?  The way I
understand it, that would mean I'd need the combination to the gate.  I've never
observed at a dark site in cold weather before.  I'd like to try it.  (Maybe I
can see the California Nebula, or even the Horsehead?)  In general, I prefer
warm weather astronomy, but TSP is a dark site after all.

How do I go about getting the combination to the Equestrian Center gate?  Can
one of the club officers e-mail it to me at sarkikos56@..., or
sarkikos@... ?  We may or may not go this Friday, depending on what
comes up here at home, but it would be good to be able to observe at the
Equestrian Center either Friday night or at other times when the ballfield is
closed.  I do have that correct, don't I, that the ballfield is off limits after
the summer camping season ends?

Thanks,
Mike Rowles

I am considering going, although I won't be there until late - 9-11pm -
with the intention of looking at winter objects in the morning.

Do we need to call the ranger station?

Bob

Patrick Robinson wrote:
> hey, I may be going if the weather holds from 5:00-8:30 or so. won't know till
friday.
>
>                                        patrick robinson
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: sarkikos56 <sarkikos@...>
> To: delmarvastargazers@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Thu, November 19, 2009 8:51:53 PM
> Subject: [delmarvastargazers] TSP Friday 11-20-09?
>
>
> Are any of the other Delmarva Stargazers going to TSP Friday 11-20-09? Per CSC
it's supposed to be average transparency and seeing, humidity around 80% (to be
expected), and temps in 40's and 30's. My family and I observed at TSP a number
of times this past summer at the ballfield and enjoyed it. Isn't the ballfield
closed now and we would have to go to the Equestrian Center? The way I
understand it, that would mean I'd need the combination to the gate. I've never
observed at a dark site in cold weather before. I'd like to try it. (Maybe I can
see the California Nebula, or even the Horsehead?) In general, I prefer warm
weather astronomy, but TSP is a dark site after all.
>
> How do I go about getting the combination to the Equestrian Center gate? Can
one of the club officers e-mail it to me at sarkikos56@yahoo. com, or
sarkikos@comcast. net ? We may or may not go this Friday, depending on what
comes up here at home, but it would be good to be able to observe at the
Equestrian Center either Friday night or at other times when the ballfield is
closed. I do have that correct, don't I, that the ballfield is off limits after
the summer camping season ends?
>
> Thanks,
> Mike Rowles
>
>
>

Thanks Don!

Don Surles wrote:
> i have contacted the Park...we are ok to use the Equestrian Center tonight.
>
> there is no lock on the gate.
>
> the light near the flagpole can be turned off at the breaker box - located in
the same vicinity as the flagpole.
>
> please remember to turn the light on when you leave...do not turn any other
breakers off...I don't know what they are powering.
>
> Don...
>
>
> On Nov 20, 2009, at 10:06 AM, Bob Bunge wrote:
>
>> I am considering going, although I won't be there until late - 9-11pm -
>> with the intention of looking at winter objects in the morning.
>>
>> Do we need to call the ranger station?
>>
>> Bob
>>
>> Patrick Robinson wrote:
>>> hey, I may be going if the weather holds from 5:00-8:30 or so. won't know
till friday.
>>>
>>> patrick robinson
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ________________________________
>>> From: sarkikos56 <sarkikos@...>
>>> To: delmarvastargazers@yahoogroups.com
>>> Sent: Thu, November 19, 2009 8:51:53 PM
>>> Subject: [delmarvastargazers] TSP Friday 11-20-09?
>>>
>>>
>>> Are any of the other Delmarva Stargazers going to TSP Friday 11-20-09? Per
CSC it's supposed to be average transparency and seeing, humidity around 80% (to
be expected), and temps in 40's and 30's. My family and I observed at TSP a
number of times this past summer at the ballfield and enjoyed it. Isn't the
ballfield closed now and we would have to go to the Equestrian Center? The way I
understand it, that would mean I'd need the combination to the gate. I've never
observed at a dark site in cold weather before. I'd like to try it. (Maybe I can
see the California Nebula, or even the Horsehead?) In general, I prefer warm
weather astronomy, but TSP is a dark site after all.
>>>
>>> How do I go about getting the combination to the Equestrian Center gate? Can
one of the club officers e-mail it to me at sarkikos56@yahoo. com, or
sarkikos@comcast. net ? We may or may not go this Friday, depending on what
comes up here at home, but it would be good to be able to observe at the
Equestrian Center either Friday night or at other times when the ballfield is
closed. I do have that correct, don't I, that the ballfield is off limits after
the summer camping season ends?
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Mike Rowles
>>>
>>>
>>>
>
>

I will be at the Pittsville Library Saturday around 4-4:30. I'll be giving a
power point show on astronomy. If the sky is clear it will be a short one, and
retire to the telescope outside. if the weather is not clear I'll set up my
scope inside along with other items we use and I'll give a longer version of my
slide show.

Directions are on our home page under out reach events.

I can always use help.

Jerry

--- In delmarvastargazers@yahoogroups.com, lance biechele <ltb0076@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Folks,
> Sorry about the internote - but is the Pittsville school program still
> scheduled for Saturday night?  I could help out if needed.
> Thanks,
> Lance
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Bob Bunge <bbunge@...>
> To: delmarvastargazers@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Fri, November 20, 2009 2:45:16 PM
> Subject: Re: [delmarvastargazers] TSP Friday 11-20-09?
>
> Thanks Don!
>
> Don Surles wrote:
> > i have contacted the Park...we are ok to use the Equestrian Center tonight.
> >
> > there is no lock on the gate.
> >
> > the light near the flagpole can be turned off at the breaker box - located
in the same vicinity as the flagpole.
> >
> > please remember to turn the light on when you leave...do not turn any other
breakers off...I don't know what they are powering.
> >
> > Don...
> >
> >
> > On Nov 20, 2009, at 10:06 AM, Bob Bunge wrote:
> >
> >> I am considering going, although I won't be there until late - 9-11pm -
> >> with the intention of looking at winter objects in the morning.
> >>
> >> Do we need to call the ranger station?
> >>
> >> Bob
> >>
> >> Patrick Robinson wrote:
> >>> hey, I may be going if the weather holds from 5:00-8:30 or so. won't know
till friday.
> >>>
> >>> patrick robinson
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> ________________________________
> >>> From: sarkikos56 <sarkikos@...>
> >>> To: delmarvastargazers@yahoogroups.com
> >>> Sent: Thu, November 19, 2009 8:51:53 PM
> >>> Subject: [delmarvastargazers] TSP Friday 11-20-09?
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Are any of the other Delmarva Stargazers going to TSP Friday 11-20-09? Per
CSC it's supposed to be average transparency and seeing, humidity around 80% (to
be expected), and temps in 40's and 30's. My family and I observed at TSP a
number of times this past summer at the ballfield and enjoyed it. Isn't the
ballfield closed now and we would have to go to the Equestrian Center? The way I
understand it, that would mean I'd need the combination to the gate. I've never
observed at a dark site in cold weather before. I'd like to try it. (Maybe I can
see the California Nebula, or even the Horsehead?) In general, I prefer warm
weather astronomy, but TSP is a dark site after all.
> >>>
> >>> How do I go about getting the combination to the Equestrian Center gate?
Can one of the club officers e-mail it to me at sarkikos56@yahoo. com, or
sarkikos@comcast. net ? We may or may not go this Friday, depending on what
comes up here at home, but it would be good to be able to observe at the
Equestrian Center either Friday night or at other times when the ballfield is
closed. I do have that correct, don't I, that the ballfield is off limits after
the summer camping season ends?
> >>>
> >>> Thanks,
> >>> Mike Rowles
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >
> >
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>

Is anyone thinking of heading to a dark sky site tomorrow evening if it's clear?

Thanks
Rick Spencer
(Member of Howard Astro League, would like to join a club with a darker site!)
rgspencer@...

--- In delmarvastargazers@yahoogroups.com, lance biechele <ltb0076@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Folks,
> Sorry about the internote - but is the Pittsville school program still
> scheduled for Saturday night?  I could help out if needed.
> Thanks,
> Lance
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Bob Bunge <bbunge@...>
> To: delmarvastargazers@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Fri, November 20, 2009 2:45:16 PM
> Subject: Re: [delmarvastargazers] TSP Friday 11-20-09?
>
> Thanks Don!
>
> Don Surles wrote:
> > i have contacted the Park...we are ok to use the Equestrian Center tonight.
> >
> > there is no lock on the gate.
> >
> > the light near the flagpole can be turned off at the breaker box - located
in the same vicinity as the flagpole.
> >
> > please remember to turn the light on when you leave...do not turn any other
breakers off...I don't know what they are powering.
> >
> > Don...
> >
> >
> > On Nov 20, 2009, at 10:06 AM, Bob Bunge wrote:
> >
> >> I am considering going, although I won't be there until late - 9-11pm -
> >> with the intention of looking at winter objects in the morning.
> >>
> >> Do we need to call the ranger station?
> >>
> >> Bob
> >>
> >> Patrick Robinson wrote:
> >>> hey, I may be going if the weather holds from 5:00-8:30 or so. won't know
till friday.
> >>>
> >>> patrick robinson
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> ________________________________
> >>> From: sarkikos56 <sarkikos@...>
> >>> To: delmarvastargazers@yahoogroups.com
> >>> Sent: Thu, November 19, 2009 8:51:53 PM
> >>> Subject: [delmarvastargazers] TSP Friday 11-20-09?
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Are any of the other Delmarva Stargazers going to TSP Friday 11-20-09? Per
CSC it's supposed to be average transparency and seeing, humidity around 80% (to
be expected), and temps in 40's and 30's. My family and I observed at TSP a
number of times this past summer at the ballfield and enjoyed it. Isn't the
ballfield closed now and we would have to go to the Equestrian Center? The way I
understand it, that would mean I'd need the combination to the gate. I've never
observed at a dark site in cold weather before. I'd like to try it. (Maybe I can
see the California Nebula, or even the Horsehead?) In general, I prefer warm
weather astronomy, but TSP is a dark site after all.
> >>>
> >>> How do I go about getting the combination to the Equestrian Center gate?
Can one of the club officers e-mail it to me at sarkikos56@yahoo. com, or
sarkikos@comcast. net ? We may or may not go this Friday, depending on what
comes up here at home, but it would be good to be able to observe at the
Equestrian Center either Friday night or at other times when the ballfield is
closed. I do have that correct, don't I, that the ballfield is off limits after
the summer camping season ends?
> >>>
> >>> Thanks,
> >>> Mike Rowles
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >
> >
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>

Hope I didn't break protocol, but I called and left a message at the
Ranger station in the afternoon and headed out about 9pm after getting
the kids in bed (and dealing with an emergency at work).

The gate to the Equestrian center was closed, but not locked.  I found
the breaker panel for the pole light just south of the pole and flipped
switch #5... poof.  Except there is also a light on the east side of the
barn.

A search didn't uncover any apparent switches for it, so I headed to far
south end of the field where the barn light was out of direct sight and
only a couple of light trees were in view but weren't that bright.

As I was setting up, I heard the some what distinct sound of a Maryland
State Highway Patrol helicopter taking off to the north.  Within a
minute or so it was orbiting perhaps 2 miles to the north looking for
something with it's search light.  The light wasn't a bother so set up
was finished.

Temps were in the mid-40's with no wind.  I wrapped two hand warmers
around the secondary of the 20-inch expecting a good amount of dew.
Collimation was amazing easy considering I had done a good amount of
surgery to the 15 year-old mirror box of the 20-inch, cleaned the mirror
and put several new truss clamp blocks on the mirror box since no-frills.

Nonetheless, seeing was horrid because of the warm scope as I spot
checked the DSC's on M-42.

I then bounced over to some 12th magnitude galaxy in Cetus for an
additional DSC check/alignment, then headed down to two Arp galaxies in
Fornax.  Both are bright and were easy.  The 2nd object, NGC 1316 is the
southern most object on the Arp list and I found myself on my knees
looking through the eyepiece instead of perched on the ten foot latter.

After drawing and noting both of these objects, I did a little dance and
gig across the field, as NGC 1316 represented the last Arp galaxy that I
had not yet observed.  I started this "little" project of drawing all
338 Arp objects in June of 1999, so it only took a decade!  (newsletter
article to come later).

At some point, the helo disappeared as they likely went "bingo fuel" and
reappeared about 20 minutes later.  They orbited for another hour before
landing and then disappearing.   Finally, quiet returned to the field,
but I never did hear any of the Tuckahoe owls.

After the gig, I started on my new list, the Herschel 400, of which I've
drawn about 150 of 'em so far.  I've observed all of the summer/fall
Herschel objects, so my purpose this night, after the Arp galaxies was
to get the winter milky way objects before it gets much colder.

At some point, while drawing an open cluster in Orion using a 38mm
eyepiece - a 6.9mm exit pupil for the 20-inch, so about as low as it can
go - I accidentally panned into a jaw-dropping "wide field" view of
M-42, now higher in the sky with glorious red, greens and blues hues.

About 2:30, after logging a dozen Herschels, I packed up, turned on the
light and moved through the gate.

All in all, a special night, both for finishing a long project and for
wonderful skies and wonderful objects.  A special thanks to all the
Stargazers who work to make this site available to club members!

Clear Skies,

Bob Bunge
Bowie

As you know our next meeting is Dec 1 at Mallard Lodge, 7:00 PM just as always -
the first Tuesday of the month.

I would like to see if there is any interest in meeting at the Smyrna Diner
around 5:30 for a quick dinner before the meeting.  If you would like to try
this arrangement I will take names and make arrangements for us to have a place
at the Diner at 5:30.  This should allow us to have dinner and be at Mallard
Lodge twixt 6:30 & 7:00PM.

For info, the Smyrna Diner is on US 13 at the South Smryna exit from DE 1.  It
is new, spacious, and the food is about the same as always...reasonable in
quality and price.

So, if you are interested please email or call me...302-653-9445.

Oh, the cost of your meal is your responsibility.

Don...

Thanks Lance, it was a pleasure meeting you. It is always tough skies down there
but we've always managed to show a few good things.

Thanks for your help. While we concentrate our meetings on astronomy we are
always open to new vistas, so maybe you could stop up some time and give us a
lecture on mushrooms?

Thanks Jerry

--- In delmarvastargazers@yahoogroups.com, lance biechele <ltb0076@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Folks,
>   As a new member, it was a real treat to meet both Jerry
> and Michael at the Pittsville Library outreach program
> last night.
>    Considering how "far-away" Pittsville is from the more
> populated regions of the Delmarva, more than 10 people
> were treated to a marvelous power-point program and all
> had a chance to see the waxing crescent moon, Jupiter,
> several star clusters, the Pleiades, a magnificent planetary
> nebula and the double star Albiero.. 
>    It was a wonderful adventure for all!
> Thanks,
> Happy Thanksgiving,
> Lance
>

I guess we'll have to spend the time with family, friends and football because
the sky sure isn't going to be clear.

I'm heading to Tappahanock Va. to visit my sister. The skies are very dark at
her home located right on the Rappahanock river. No sense in taking a scope for
this visit however. I might pack my big binoculars and tripod just in case.

I hope you all have a great holiday and that I see you at the next meeting.

Jerry