Sungazing and Stargazing @AlbanyStarGaze

Phil is organizing two programs at the telescope observatory at the Earth Science rooftop (access by staircase in middle of 3rd floor):

Sun-gazing THIS AFTERNOON, Thursday, Sept. 1, at 1:00.

Tomorrow MORNING, Friday, Sept. 2, 4:30-6:00 AM. Jupiter, Mars, Mercury &
Orion nebula. Take tunnel if podium entrance is locked.

Stargazing / sun-gazing is always weather permitting. Rain or clouds may
cancel a program without further notice.
 
Follow @AlbanyStarGaze  for future events



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Cleaning the 16inch Telescope Mirror

Thanks to Prof. Delano, we were able to bring the 16-inch lens down.
It requires some cleaning up after about 40 5/6 years. The controller was also not functioning properly. The previous posts on observatory can be found here...
Follow AlbanyStargaze @twitter.

 The concave reflector. Yes, it needed cleaning!

 

Saturn's Ring through Mobile camera @ Observatory

Braving the Cold of First of February is not an easy thing to do. But if students make their mind, they will do it.
:)
Despite scattered snow in the beginning and in the end, we were lucky to see Mars and Saturn (and Moon of course!) Mars was visible for only few minutes after we started. Mars was playing hide and seek with us. We gave up on it as it was setting and clouds would never be clear on that side. 
Stunningly my mobile could take the picture of Saturn with its ring distinctly visible. My bigger camera could not get anything better because of auto focus feature...

Here are some pictures of the Events...

 

Phil Erner, adjusting the telescope... Flash photography was prohibited... I took few anyway!

It started snowing again, after we were done.

Old post on the same line...
http://www.nabinkm.com/2009/10/moon-pictures-from-observatory-earth.html

Stargazing @ SUNY Albany -- II

As a part of our Stargazing Events, We invite you to next event on Monday, Feb 1, 2010.


We will see three planets and our moon in the next stargazing session on Monday morning, Feb. 1, starting at 5:30 AM, which is around dawn.

Overcast skies blocked our session on Sunday. It is impossible to predict the weather with certainty; to learn why, take Fluid Mechanics (physics 472/572) or Bayesian Analysis (physics 551).

This early morning session will be a real treat. We can see Saturn, still plenty high toward the southwest. Six of its famous satellites may be in view about the planet's equator, while Iapetus appears to the lower right.

Our Moon is the most dazzling object to view at night through the telescope. On Monday morning it is a waning gibbous, nearing the western horizon.

Mars will be setting as we arrive, in view to the unaided eye but probably out of the telescope's sight. Someday we'll have to catch it up close; but this morning belongs to Mercury.

The sun's closest planet will give its best view for a while on Monday morning around 7. Not to get our hopes too high: up just before sunrise, Mercury may not reach the telescope's sight line before solar glare washes it away.

Please dress warmly as the observatory is outdoors! While waiting for a turn to view you may wish to wait in the warmer hallway.

If the weather isn't clear then we will cancel. Twitter AlbanyStarGaze for updates.

Observatory Night@ SUNY Albany

For our first session of the semester two great planets and our moon as well as farther, wider objects will be in view.

Jupiter, one of the top two planets to see in any telescope, will be setting just as we arrive on the rooftop. At 5 pm it won't yet be dusk, so the sun's glare may prevent us from viewing Jupiter's four giant moons. We will need luck in order to catch the planet in the telescope.

Will anyone bring binoculars? In any case we can get acquainted with the planet using just our eyes.

Our Moon is the most fabulous object to view at night through the telescope. On Sunday it is a waxing gibbous, an excellent time to zero in on the landing sites of some of the Apollo missions! (Sorry, we can't see the flags.)

Next, as we peer at a cloudy white region known as the Great Nebula in Orion, we can imagine it is the birth of our own sun - probably similar stars are being born there now!

Mars will be on the rise as we prepare to exit the premises. While it may not be viewable in the scope, we can identify the planet for next week; its position won't change much in that time!

Remember to dress warmly as the observatory is outdoors! While waiting for your turn to view you may wish to wait in the warmer hallway.

If the weather isn't clear then we will cancel.
Follow the announcements at AlbanyStarGaze for updates.

--

Phil Erner
PhD student, SUNY Albany.

Note: We will be bringing pictures of the event and updates.
Previously we had some nice moon pictures... here.

Moon Pictures from Observatory @Earth Science Department

For long time I was not aware of the 16inch telescope located at the roof top of the Earth Science Department @ SUNY Albany.

This year I am doing Teaching assistant ship job for Prof. Knuth's Star Systems class. (http://knuthlab.rit.albany.edu/courses/F09/StarSystems/)
Today provided very nice opportunity to invite students for stargazing through twitter and Phil's Black Board page. It was dark enough by 7 PM. The night sky was very very clear. We did some observations including Moon and Jupiter.
Here are some pics taken by my Mobile.

Please note that I could get only some portion in the field of view. Let me tell you:
It was amazing

Got a blurred version captured. You can see three of the Jupiter's Moons.




http://www.atmos.albany.edu/mars/telescope-2.html