Clear skies greeted 24 visitors (16 children and 8 adults) from the 1st Kerwood Cubs / Scouts for Exploring the Stars at the Cronyn Observatory, Wednesday, April 3rd, 2013, 7:00 p.m. Graduate student Allison Hill made her digital slide presentation “Phases of the Moon, Tides and Constellations,” and answered questions.
Allison then brought the group upstairs into the dome. Despite the still bright early evening sky, graduate student Ted Rudyk showed them the planet Jupiter through the big 25.4cm refractor, using the 32mm Erfle eyepiece (137X). The view of Jupiter improved as the sky darkened and Ted was later able to show them the Orion Nebula (M42) through the 25.4cm refractor, using the Orion nebular filter together with the 32mm Erfle eyepiece (137X).
Everett Clark and Bob Duff represented the RASC London Centre. Everett arrived early and set up the London Centre’s 25.4cm Dobsonian on the roof patio outside the dome, installing the 8 X50mm finderscope and 17mm Nagler eyepiece. Bob showed the visitors Jupiter through the 25.4cm Dobsonian and soon replaced the 17mm Nagler (66X) with the more powerful 6mm Ortho (186X) eyepiece for a better view. Everybody was gone by around 8:50 p.m., after a very enjoyable evening of astronomy under clear skies.
Bob Duff
Higher Education Liaison
RASC London Centre