Starry, Starry Nite at Chase Farm Park
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After being clouded out Thursday and Friday, the Chase Farm Starry Nite was rescheduled to Tuesday, August 24. About 30 guests were in attendance and six telescope operators: Bill Carpenter brought a 6-inch reflector, Bob Janus, Ron Zincone and Heidi Morgan brought a 60mm Tele Vue and 80mm refractors, Francine Jackson and Jim Hendrickson set up 102mm and 80mm refractors, and Dave Amiel from Bristol Community College brought his 8-inch SCT.
The weather was warm and very humid, with dew point in the mid-70s, but the sky was unusually clear for these conditions, and quite possibly, the best, clearest night we’ve had during any of the Chase Farm nights over the past three years.
Chase Farm was in a different configuration than our normal events due to a movie set being built at the park, and some equipment and lumber had recently been left near the pavilion area where Francine gives her presentations. As a result, the east side of the building, in front of the garage doors, was prepared for the presentation, and Francine had to negotiate with Kevin, the friendly security agent at the main gate, to let our telescope operators drive up to our observing area on the hill.
Francine gave a 30 minute presentation to about 30 guests highlighting the midsummer sky, including the constellations and planets visible, the Moon, and information about our local observatories, even though regular visitation schedules have not yet resumed. She noted Jupiter becoming visible as the sky darkened during the presentation.
At the end of the presentation, the sky was in deep twilight and Venus was just setting behind the trees. Jupiter and Saturn attracted most of the viewing attention, but we also viewed double stars and star clusters. Just as we were leaving, the waning gibbous Moon was rising over the trees, shining rather brightly without the haze and smoke we’ve become accustomed to seeing the Moon through this summer.
Upon leaving, Francine asked for all that were at the telescopes to thank Kevin for his kindness in letting us enter.
