Hazy, cloudy skies, later cloudy, and cold temperature greeted 39 visitors to the Western University’s Cronyn Observatory Public Night, Monday, January 26th, 7:00 p.m. The event was especially intended for students on campus, with observing only and no slide presentation.
Graduate student Parshati Patel, Shannon Hicks and Emily McCullough operated the big 25.4cm refractor in the dome. They directed the big 25.4cm refractor (52mm Erfle eyepiece, 84X) towards the First Quarter Moon, visible through thin clouds and occasionally obscured completely. Emily later swapped in the 32mm Erfle eyepiece (137X) for a better view of the Moon through the 25.4cm refractor.
RASC London Centre was represented by Tricia Colvin, Mark Tovey, Bob Duff and Peter Jedicke. Tricia set up the London Centre’s 25.4cm Dobsonian (17mm Nagler eyepiece, 66X) and Mark and Tricia supervised as visitors viewed the Moon through the thin and occasionally obscuring clouds. Emily hauled out the framed composite photographic portrait of the Moon from the storage room and leaned against the wall and Emily and Bob explained craters and other lunar features to several of the visitors. Most everybody was gone by around 8:45 p.m. except for 2 student visitors who arrived before 9:00 p.m. Parshati and Shannon took them upstairs for a tour of the dome. Tricia, Mark, Peter, Bob and Emily departed for home with Emily bringing the A-frame Cronyn sign indoors. It was an enjoyable and informative evening of astronomy for the visitors, despite the hazy clouds and cold weather.