Clear skies greeted 36 visitors (estimated, 23 children, 13 adults) from Ekcoe Central Public School (Grades 6-7) in Glencoe for Exploring the Stars at the Cronyn Observatory, Wednesday, April 4th, 7:00 p.m. Graduates student Robin Wing made the digital slide presentation, Our Solar System.
RASC London Centre member Bob Duff directed the big 25.4cm refractor, with the 28mm Meade Super Wide Angle eyepiece (157X), so that it was tracking with its clock drive on the gibbous Moon, visible in the eastern sky. Robin gave a brief introduction and invited everybody to observe the Moon through the big telescope. He later redirected the telescope towards Mars, which revealed a small white north polar cap and dusky markings.
Bob also set up the London Centre’s Dobsonian, with the 17mm Nagler eyepiece (67X), on roof patio, and after viewing the Moon and Venus, swapped in the 12.5mm Orthoscopic eyepiece (91.4X) to show visitors Venus and Jupiter. He also showed them Mars in the Dobsonian, using the 6mm Orthoscopic eyepiece (190.5X), which revealed a hint of the north polar cap and dusky markings.
Bob gave the teacher and one parent a RASC London Centre brochure and everybody was gone by 8:50 p.m. after thanking us for an interesting and enjoyable evening of slide presentation and observing.