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You may have heard a few oafs ranting about how incredible the skies were last year at the Great Mantiou Star Party. Transparency was well into the triple-x rated adjectives on the expletive scale. GMST has updated their website for 2001: http://www.manitoulin-link.com/starparty/ <http://www.manitoulin-link.com/starparty/> Gordon's Park, who host the starparty, have added bed&breakfast rooms for 2001. Out of curiosity, I asked Gordon's for their B&B rates. Their reply is attached. I say "on site", because the Gordon's house is a 15 to 20 minute walk from the observing field. Still, that may be more comfortable than camping on the obsreving field. -ad -----Original Message----- From: Gordon's Park [mailto:gordons@...] Sent: Monday, April 09, 2001 8:54 PM To: Danko, Attilla [SKY:TD26:EXCH] Subject: B & B Hello Attilla, We are charging $65.00 & Gst for our bed and breakfast rooms. The B & B rooms can be accessed via private entrance to the house at the ground floor level. Both have double beds, share a common room with a bar size fridge, microwave, coffee pot and washroom with a shower. The units are very clean and private. If you would like to reserve a room we require a 50% non refundable deposit sent in advance. This will also qualify you for a 10% discount on the ferry applicable to reserved sailings only. Once I receive the deposit I can give you this code. I anticipate the rooms will go pretty fast, please let me know what you decide. Thanks! Rita P.S. Did you like the website?

Good morning Al! Could you please post a location for tonights sidewalk observing in Almonte? I will be arriving between 7:00 and 7:30. Thanks!! Richard

Hi, Well unfortunately its completely clouded over here and by the looks of the sat pics its not going to get better anytime soon, they say clearing after midnight, but that does'nt help us! So I'd have to say sadly that for tonight its a no-go ;( But I'd like to come out to Almonte tommorrow if its nice! BTW, Al and those that like the sounds of the Dish movie, its not at any theatres that I looked up ...yet but it may show up soon so stay tuned! --I may try some Mars observing around 4:30 tommorrow am if it looks good, anyone do that yet for Mars? --Mike W

I don't know how long it will last, but right now (19:40) it is clear here (I can see clouds in the west, but not to the east - oops, just took a look there are a couple to the east (and I can't see as far that way - there may be more). If anyone out there feels lucky give me a call (521-5139), otherwise if things remain clear I might just set up in the driveway (the backyard is still a swamp). Here's hoping the skies stay (get) clear. Rob P.S. If someone has an authoritative reason for being optimistic, I'll consider Perth, but since it's already been called off once...

Mike Wirths wrote: I was also thinking that tomorrow (Tuesday) might be a good night for Almonte as discussed earlier. If I can, and if the weather holds, will try to join you in Perth tonight. And also if conditions are right will try for Almonte on Tuesday. Cheers - Al

--- In OAFs@y..., "Mike Wirths" <mwirths@s...> wrote: >So I'd have to say sadly that for tonight its a no-go ;( > But I'd like to come out to Almonte tommorrow if its nice! Yeah, looks bad now in Ottawa as well, and the weather maps don't show clearing until later in the night. Oh well! Hopefully an Almonte session tomorrow PM might have more luck. > --I may try some Mars observing around 4:30 tommorrow am if it looks good, anyone do that yet for Mars? Not yet. Mike, if you do, maybe post a micro report, to whet our appetites for the coming few months? I just love to read observing reports. On second thought, you're probably working way too hard right now to be posting reports. Enjoy the view, Mike! Good observing! Roland

Hi everyone! Just got off the phone with Roland and we though perhaps tonight might be one of the better looking nights for some sidewalk observing here in Perth. There are some ominous clouds to the north but I would give a go, no -go around 6:00 depending on how it looks. The location will be the Perth mall (there is only one!) on Hwy 7, its actually afew 100 feet furthur west on hwy 7 on the left past the left turn that you would normally take to go to my observatory (wilson st.). I will set up near the middle of the lot towards the Independent grocer store-- look for a large red crew cab Ford truck--thats where I will be. So lets hope for clear skies! ---Mike W

Last night (Sunday) I happened to take the dog out at 9:00 and I just lucked into a really nice view of the moon. It was quite low in the sky (something like 5 degrees) and almost full so it looked HUGE, and it hit a break in the clouds just when I got out. What was really neat (I can't believe I'm saying good things about clouds...) was the clouds lit from underneath. Quite impressive (I'm sure Roland would have preferred fewer clouds, but we have to enjoy what we get...). It was pure luck that I was out, and walking the right direction when the moon hit the gap. Clear skies (though the occasional cloud is permitted if it provides a really cool effect), Rob

Hi everyone! here's a link to a interesting movie that might be fun if we got together to see: http://www.suntimes.com/output/ebert1/dish06f.html Also has everyone seen the new Hubble pic of the center of M51? http://heritage.stsci.edu/public/2001apr/display.html -clear skies Mike W

Sess.#286 7:30-9:30pm lim mag=4.0 seeing=5/10 Mostly Cloudy Set up the SCT-8" in the back yard after shovelling the snow and ice off some of the flagstone. Excellent setup with the new foldout observing table, charts, etc. However, the weather did not co-operate and I got to observe only for 30 minutes out of two hours before I gave up. Saturn - looking out Westward from Orleans, over Ottawa, Saturn was churning so much that I could not distinguish cassinni's division. This is in sharp contrast to the views I've gotten from the West end of Ottawa. Jupiter - had two moons very close to each other and the other two far on opposite side. Could only see some banding and polar caps on the planet itself. Castor - alpha Geminorum - this is a bluesih white double star with one being slightly brighter than the other. When near overhead, I magnified alot to check the seeing - the diffraction pattern of an in focus star showed the seeing to be no better than 5/10. Gamma Leonis - A very nice and very yellow pair of stars in Leo. Similar brightness. The colour is very different than Castor. Did not have an opportunity to calibrate my reticle eyepiece to the 3X barlow yet. Cloud banks kept giving me only short 10 minute opportunities to observe. After two hours of playing that game and getting only three short observing windows between clouds, I packed it in. Tech Note - I had felt some concerns about my polar alignment skills in Kanata. Tonight, the polar alignment, using my 1-minute finderscope approach, turned out fairly accurate. When I placed the illuminated reticle over a Gamma Leo afterwards, there was no drift at all east or west for 3 minutes, and in that same amount of time, only 20 seconds drift northward. Half the field of view (from center to rim) for that eyepiece is 10 arc minutes, so that means a target would stay in the eyepiece for more than an hour. Good to know nothing's wrong with the scope. Roland

Just a quick note to mention, to any of you who are (or wish to be) members of "OAFuscators", that there is a proposal there up for discussion, to maybe make a simple handout mostly for the purposes of sidewalk astronomy. Please post further messages regarding this on the OAFuscators eMail group. Muchos Gratias! Roland "BlancManges - 20 Humans - 0"

Here's the additional information I promised re: Mars observation. There's a free downloadable software package available at the link below. It not only automatically draws the correct face of Mars for any given evening and time, but it also allows you to generate the image as it would show in a Refractor, Newtonian or Schmidt-Cassegrain. I find it very useful in identifying features you are seeing, or finding out if you are imagining things or not... you can find it at: http://members.nbci.com/marsprev/mpenglish.htm Also note, the May 2001 issue of Sky & Telescope has a couple of excellent articles on the subject, incuding useful maps for naming various features you see, starting on page 102 of that issue. It also had more details on which kind of filters to use with which kinds of telescopes. Happy Mars-Watching over the next few months! Photonman

--- In OAFs@y..., "Matt Weeks" <mweeks@i...> wrote: >Long time no type!...I would have loved to get out to the FLO site >to see it at least, it would be a great spot for me as I > live in the west end. Hi Matt! Glad you're still on planet! We'll keep you in mind over the next month, when going to RASC's Fred Lossing Observatory. And maybe you could also keep your eyes open for postings to that effect? For someone in the West End of Ottawa, I suspect it might give darker skies than the Carp airport... ;-) The last bit of road in has a bit of mud this time of year, so it's better to go with others, if at all possible, just in case you got stuck or something. B.T.W., a cell phone works from FLO. Too bad you're unavailable for dinner tonite. Talk with you soon! Photonman

Hello All!! Long time no type! I am sorry I could not join any of you over the last couple of weeks, this is the busy time at work and I have been putting in a lot of extra hours. I would have loved to get out to the FLO site to see it at least, it would be a great spot for me as I live in the west end. I will not be available to go to the meeting tonight but I should be able to make it out next week for some sidewalk sessions or other events. Mike W, I am interested in helping out with the cadets next weekend. I would be happy to bring my 8in SCT if it is required. I hope you all have a good time tonight. Clear skies all!!! Matt Weeks

Hi Mike! If there's any way this Perth sidewalk session could happen within the next seven days, that'd be great from my point of view, as I am in between teaching weeks at Algonquin, and so could make it out there on a weekday without problem. I could never refuse a session in your very fine Observatory, but on this occasion, it wouldn't be so bad either to just focus on the sidewalk session, for me at least. Whatever is easiest for you. Truth be known, sidewalk astronomy and your company, Sir Mike of Wirths, would quite be incentive enough for the trek. About the cadets on the 14th, I understand that a few OAFs might be out of town on that particular night, so you can count on me for that one also. Janice says that unless something unexpected comes up, she'd likely attend to give a hand as well. Perhaps we could assist inside with the traffic and answering questions, or if you prefer, we could set up outside with the SCT-8". Maybe we'll discuss what's best at dinner over a usual brown ale. CU tonite... Photonman "Yes it is!" "No it isn't!"

Hi Mike! Just a thought, up as a trial balloon: I think I remember that, a while back, you tried a solo sidewalk session in Perth. Just wanted to say, if ever you get to be "less busy" and would enjoy having one of these sidewalk sessions in Perth again, I'd be interested in joining you. The fine people of Perth have a right to some sidewalk astronomy too, I figure. ;-) Roland "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life."

Most people have voted to dine at Kelseys at 1910 St-Laurent opposite the NMST. I will make reservation for 18:00. I will assume that the 8 people who voted will want to be there. If you want to bring someone other than yourself, email me and I will increment the reservation. I'll make the reservation around 13:00 tomorrow. If you want to add people after that, just phone the restarant and ask to be added. 733-2200. I will reserve under the name "danko". -ad ps. OB Astronomy. A link for a cloudy night: http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/~rhill/alpo/marstuff/marsapp.html Its a page of very detailed notes of observing mars from the last apparition. It includes a list of what color filters to use. I'd cut and past the text of the page into a plaintext file since the color scheme of the webpage is jarring.

The poll so far indicates a clear majority for Kelsey's. I suggest we close the poll at midnight tonight. If a restaurant that takes reservations wins, I volanteer to make the reservation. Hmm. The rasc meeting starts at 20:00. How about 18:00 for dinnner? -ad "and dont skimp on the pate"

To each of you... Just in case you don't realize it yet, each of you has options that you can change regarding how you might want to get messages from the yahoo email group. For example, I have option for no individual eMails and I have a bookmark on my browser that I use to check the messages online only whenever I want. I really like that option. This reduces the amount of clutter in my personal eMial box. It may be that you personally prefer to get all individual eMails and that's quite fine. If however you would like to temporarily try one of the many different options, you could set that for yourself if you wish, or, you could just ask me and I'd be glad to give you a hand, if you're not sure how to make those changes. All for now, Roland ( aka Photonman )

Sess.#285 8:00 - 9:45pm Kanata Chapters Mostly Clear A short sidewalk session. About 40-45 persons stopping by the 3 scopes to catch a glimpse of the Moon, Jupiter or Saturn. Nice to have the three types of scopes for people who wanted to understand the different types. Richard, Attilla, Janice and I were there. A very easy-going relaxed session, with a chance to chat with each other, as well as slower, deeper astronomy conversations with passerby. Different types of sessions each have their different types of pleasures. The favourite quote I heard from a person who stopped to look was when a man, who had fairly obvious difficulty expressing himself in the English language, looked at the moon in Attilla's scope and exclaimed with perfect enunciation, and relatively loud: "OH WOW!" Four clear nights in a row! Ahh, it's been a long time since that happened! Also, it's so nice not to have your cheeks stinging or your fingers sticking to the eyepiece due to the intense -31C cold. Spring at last! Roland Post Scriptum - Rob, after observing (around 10:10pm), we did try the door to the dessert place you suggested, but alas, twas locked. Thanks for the suggestion. Maybe next time. See you Saturday night.