NYC events 2008 March
johnp...@yahoo.com
-----------------------
John Pazmino
NYSkies Astronomy Inc
nys...@nyskies.org
www.nyskies.org
The following astronomy activities in the commuting ring
enclosing
New York City are operated by various organizations. A few cultural
items of special importance to City astronomers are also included.
Altho NYC Events confirms the listed items, they are subject to
change by their sponsors. Check with their contacts. Let the sponsor
know that you learned of its event thru NYC Events.
You may ask for previous NYC Events thru 'nys...@nyskies.org',
because only the current issue is in the website. It is replaced by
next month's issue.
For events which missed NYC Events, check the NYSkies Yahoogroup
forum. Join NYSkies by visiting 'www.nyskies.org/yahoo.htm' and
picking either the email or website option.
Hours from March 1st thru the 8th are Eastern Standard Time. From
the 9th thru the 31st they are Eastern Daylight Savings Time
Index of events
-------------
Dates for events; contact if no events
--------------------------------------
BROOKLYN - BK
Canarsie Park - - - - - - 2
Cobble Hill - - - - - - - 2
Floyd Bennett Fd exhbt - 1-indef
Floyd Bennett Fd obsg - - 14
Fort Greene Park - - - - 1, 16, 23, 29, 30
Marine Park - - - - - - - 5, 9
Secret Science Club - - - 5, 8
CONNECTICUT - CT
A S of Gtr Hartford - - - 19
Astro Soc of Greenwich - 5
Astro Soc of New Haven - 25
Bethany Observatory - - - 14
Boothe Meml Astro Soc - - 7, 21
Bowman Observatory - - - 11, 25
CT Tripoli Rocketry Assn 2
Ephemera Twenty Eight - - 14-16
Litchfield Antqn Bookfair 30
Litchfield Hills AAC - - lm...@hotmail.com,
www.fortunecity.com/victorian/twain/1206/id19.htm .
Mattituck Astro Soc - - - 20
Stamford Observatory - - 7, 14, 21, 28
Van Vleck Obsy ASGH - - - 15
Van Vleck Obsy Wesleyan - 5, 26
Western CT St Univ - - - 8, 13, 26, 29
Westport Astro Soc - - - 5, 6, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 26, 27
LONG ISLAND - LI
Amat Obsrs Soc - - - - - 2
Astro Soc of Long Is - - 5, 19, 26
Brookhaven Natl Lab - - - www.bnl.gov, 631-344-8000
Custer Institute - - - - 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
Hofstra Univ Obsy - - - - 2
Jones Beach St Pk - - - - 7
LI Antique Book Show - - 29-30
Montauk Observatory - - - 1
Natl Space Soc-LISS - - - chapters.nss.org/ny/longisland,
trekk...@aol.com
Ringling Bros Circus - - 5-9
Robert Moses St Pk - - - 1, 7, 8
Science Club of Long Is - 26
SUNY Stony Brook - - - - www.ess.sunysb.edu/astro, 631-632-8100,
slutt...@notes.cc.sunysb.edu
Vanderbilt Planetarium - 12
MANHATTAN - MH
92nd Street Y - - - - - - 9
Amer Mus Natl Hist - - - 1-08 Apr 6, 1-08 May, 13, 22
Cafe' Science - - - - - - 10
Cafe' Scientifique - - - 4
Central Park - - - - - - 1, 8
Columbia Univ Obsy - - - 14, 28
Columbia Univ Astro - - - 5, 12, 19, 26
Cornelia St cafe' - - - - 2
Courant Institute - - - - 12, 19, 26
CUNY Graduate Center - - 24
daylight savings time - - 9
Earth Institute - - - - - 27-28
Explorers Club - - - - - 3
Fort Washington Park - - 1
Goddard Inst for Spc Std 14, 28
Guggenheim Museum - - - - 2
Hayden Planetarium - - - 4, 5, 12, 19, 25, 26
Highbridge Park - - - - - 2
Inst Strings, Cosmology - 21
Inwood Hill Park - - - - 9, 22
Isaac Asimov Debate - - - 13
Lwr Manh-Bklyn DT subways 1-indef, 2-indef
Natl Space Soc-NYC - - - 6, 20
New York Univ Astro - - - 7, 14, 21, 28
NY Academy of Sciences - 18
NYSkies Astro Seminar - - 6, 20
subway fare increase - - 2
Penn Station - - - - - - 1-indef
Physics Club of NY - - - 14
Ringling Bros Circus - - 20-Apr 5
Rockefeller University - www.rockefeller.edu, 212-327-8000,
pub...@rockefeller.edu
Sci Ind Biz Liby - - - - 212-592-7000, www.nypl.org/research/sibl
Sony WonderTech Lab - - - 1, 22
South Street Seaport - - 1-indef
State of the Planet - - - 27-28
Surveillance camera tour 212-561-0106, s...@notbored.org,
www.notbored.org/the-scp.html,
Top of the Lawn - - - - - 1
Venus occultation - - - - 5
World Water Day - - - - - 22
NEW JERSEY - NJ
A A A of Princeton - - - 11
A S of Toms Rv Area - - - 7
Amat Astro Inc - - - - - 7, 14, 21, 28
Buehler-Columbia AAA - - 1, 8, 15
Dark Sky Observers - - - www.users.nac.net/gburke/club
Inst for Advd Study - - - 4, 11, 18, 25
Liberty Science Center - 8
Metra Rocketry Assn - - - XX
Morris Mus Astro Soc - - 13
New Jersey Astro Assn - - 22
Natl Space Soc-NJN - chapters.nss.org/nj/njn, cpan...@aol.com
North Jersey Astro Gp - - 6, 12, 13, 27
N W Jersey Amat Astro - - www.nwjaa.org, in...@nwjaa.org
Ocean County Coll - - - - 732-255-0343,
www.ocean.edu/campus/planetarium,
Princeton Univ Astro - - 4, 11, 25
Princeton Univ Obsy - - - 11
Ringling Bros Circus - - 12-16
Rutgers Univ Astro - - - 1, 7, 14, 28
S*T*A*R - - - - - - - - - 6
Schommer Observatory - - 13, 27
Sheep Hill Astro Assn - - 2
Sheep Hill Observatory - 21
Skyland Stargazers - - - skylandstargazers.tripod.com
Stevens Institute - - - - 12
Utd Astro Clubs of NJ - - www.uacnj.org
Washington Xing Pk - - - www.princetonastronomy.org, 609-737-2575,
drexp...@aol.com
QUEENS - QN
Alley Pond Park - - - - - 15
Fort Totten - - - - - - - 1, 2, 29, 30
NY Hall of Science - - - 1, 2, 7
York College - - - - - - 12
STATEN ISLAND - SI
Alice Austen Park - - - - 16
Blue Heron Park - - - - - 8
Clove Lakes Park - - - - 15
College of Staten Is - - 12
Great Kills Park - - - - 8
SI Community TV - - - - - 3
Willowbrook Park - - - - 30
THE BRONX - BX
UPSTATE - NY
Andrus Planetarium - - - 7, 14, 21, 28
Anthony Wayne Rec Area - 15
Catskills Astro Club - - 1, 8
Lamont-Doherty Obsy - - - 7, 14, 21
Lwr Hudson Vy Challgr Ctr 16
Mid-Hudson Astro Assn - - 18
Rockland Astronomy Club - webn...@rocklandastronomy.com,
www.rocklandastronomy.com, 201-768-3298
Swinging Bridge dam - - - 1-indef
Vassar College Obsy - - - 5, 26
Ward Pound Ridge - - - - 1
Westchester Amat Astro - 7
Wilcox Park - - - - - - - 7
Monthly Calendar
--------------
Plain dates are in current month;
minus, last month; plus, next month.
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
--- --- --- --- --- --- ---
-24 -25 -26 -27 -28 -29 1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20 21 22
23 24 25 26 27 28 29
30 31 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5
List of events
------------
XX - XX Mar DATE NOT SET: INQUIRE AT CONTACTS
19:30 - Riverdale - NJ - Metra Rocketry Assn meeting
Zeppelin Hobby store. Free. metrarocketclub.org,
973-831-7717
Sat - 1 Mar
all day - South Street Seaport - MH - Bodies exhibit
CHILDREN SHOULD OBTAIN ADULT GUIDANCE FOR THIS EVENT!
Indefinite duration. 11 Fulton St. About 30 human cadavers,
some intact, some dissected and laid out for inspection of
organs. $27.50 adm. www.southstreetseaport.com
all day - Amer Mus Natl Hist - MH - astronomy exhibit
Thru 2008 Apr 6. IMAX Corridor. 'Beyond', images of
solar system from spaceprobes. Free with Mus adm.
www.amnh.org/programs, 212-769-5100
all day - Floyd Bennett Field - BK - Concord SST exhibit
Indefinite duration. Concord SST, last surviving specimen,
donated by British Airways. Final flight was Heathrow to
JFK, barge to Intrepid Mus, then barge to FBF. Free.
all day - Swinging Bridge - NY - potential flood emergency
Indefinite duration. Flood alert on Mongaup & upper
Delaware
rivers due to sinkhole in Swinging Bridge dam. Listen for
news and advice from local emergency management agencies.
www.ferc.gov/industries/hydropower/safety/swinging.asp
all day - Penn Station - MH - cultural exhibit
Indefinite duration. NY Transit Museum. 34th St corridor.
'East Side Access', building the LIRR connection with Grand
Central Terminal. Free. 718-694-1600.
all day - Amer Mus Natl Hist - MH - 'Water' exhibition
Thru 2008 May 26. $15, incl mus adm. www.amnh.org/programs,
212-792-5100
all day - Lwr Manh-Bklyn DT - MH - subway reconstruction
Every Saturday. Indefinite duration. Many Lwr Manh and
Bklyn Downtown subways are under major work at various
hours. Check posters and flyers for your routes.
www.mta.info/nyct/service/lower_manh cccc
12:00 - NY Hall of Science - QN - clearsky sunviewing
Every Saturday. 111 St & 47 Av. Free, cancelled for clouds.
718-699-0005, www.nyscience.org
13:00 - Fort Greene Park - BK - cultural tour
Every Saturday. Urban Park Rangers. Fort Greene Vstr Ctr.
Walk thru history and culture of park and surrounds. Free.
www.nyc.gov/parks
13:00 - Central Park - MH - science workshop
Urban Park Rangers. Belvedere Castle. Use of maps and
compass. Free. www.nyc.gov/parks
13:00 - Fort Washington Park - MH - cultural tour
Urban Park Rangers. Little Red Lighthouse. Walk thru
history and culture of lighthouse and surrounds. Free.
www.nyc.gov/parks
14:00 - Piscataway - NJ - astronomy lecture
Rutgers Univ, Busch Campus, Phys Lectr Hall. 'New
dimensions
of space and time'. Free. 732-445-3974,
www.physics.rutgers.edu/colloquium
14:00 - Sony WonderTech Lab - MH - science workshop
Madison Av, 56 St. 'Mice dissection' of computer mouses.
Free. www.sonywondertechlab.com, 212-833-7858.
14:00 - Fort Totten - QN - cultural tour
Every Saturday. Urban Park Rangers. Fort Totten Ranger Sta.
Walk thru history and culture of park and surrounds. Free.
www.nyc.gov/parks
18:00 - Montauk - LI - astronomy lecture
OCCASIONAL SESSIONS; INQUIRE AT CONTACTS
Montauk Obsy, Montauk Publ Liby. Indoor talk, clearsky
starviewing. Free. www.montaukobservatory.com
19:00 - Ward Pound Ridge - NY - clearsky starviewing
Westchester Amat Astro. Meadows Picnic Area. Free,
cancelled
for clouds. in...@westchesterastronomers.org
www.westchesterastronomers.org,
20:00 - Central Park - MH - clearsky starviewing
MOST CLEAR NIGHTS; INQUIRE AT CONTACTS
Top of the Lawn. North side of Great Lawn. Free, cancelled
for clouds. tag...@yahoo.com
20:00 - Southold - LI - Custer Inst meeting
Custer Inst. Free. www.custerobservatory.org,
bva...@aol.com
20:00 - Liberty - NY - clearsky starviewing
Catskills Astro Club. Walnut Mountain Pk. Free, cancelled
for clouds. www.catskillsastro.org, ko...@verizon.net.
20:00 - R Moses St Pk - LI - clearsky starviewing
Amat Obsrs Soc. Parking field #2, Free, cancelled for
clouds. www.aosny.org, sue...@optonline.net
20:30 - Paramus - NJ - Buehler-Columbia AAA lecture
Bergen Commty Coll, Buehler Obsy. Free.
www.bergen.edu/buehler, rops...@bergen.edu.
Sun - 2 Mar
all day - Lwr Manh-Bklyn DT - MH - subway reconstruction
Every Sunday. Indefinite duration. Many Lwr Manh and
Bklyn Downtown subways are under major work at various
hours. Check posters and flyers for your routes.
www.mta.info/nyct/service/lower_manh cccc
00:01 - whole City - MH - subway fare increase
General increase in subway fares takes effect. 'Ride' is a
single trip of one fare, including free transfers:
---------------------------------
fare type old new comments
---------- ----- ----- ---------------------------------
'token' $2 $2 no change (cash or 1-ride ticket)
exp bus $5 $5 no change (buses of 'X#' routes)
$-added MC 20% 15% after $7 added, now $10 added.
1-day MC $7 $7.50 free after 4 rides, now also 4
rides
7-day MC $24 $25 free after 13 rides, now 12 rides
14-day MC --- $47 new, free after 24 rides
30-day MC $76 $81 free after 41 rides, now 38 rides
-----------------------------------------------------------
11:00 - Cobble Hill - BK - cultural tour
Urban Park Rangers. Court St & Atlnatic Av. Walk thru
history and culture of nabe and surrounds. Free.
www.nyc.gov/parks
12:00 - NY Hall of Science - QN - clearsky sunviewing
Every Sunday. 111 St & 47 Av. Free, cancelled for clouds.
718-699-0005, www.nyscience.org
12:00 - Bethany - CT - CT Tripoli Rocketry Assn meeting
Bethany Town Hall. Free. www.ctra-narconn.org,
860-583-1690
13:00 - Fort Totten - QN - cultural tour
Every Sunday. Urban Park Rangers. Fort Totten Ranger Sta.
Walk thru history and culture of park and surrounds. Free.
www.nyc.gov/parks
13:00 - Canarsie Park - BK - science workshop
Urban Park Rangers. E 89 St & Seaview Av. Use of maps and
compass. Free. www.nyc.gov/parks
13:00 - Highbridge Park - MH - cultural tour
Urban Park Rangers. W 173 Sr & Amsterdam Av. Walk thru
history and culture of lighthouse and surrounds. Free.
www.nyc.gov/parks
13:15 - Hempstead - LI - Amat Obsrs Soc meeting
Hofstra Univ, Chem-Phys Bdg, Lester Audm. Free.
www.aosny.org, sue...@optonline.net
18:00 - Cornelia St Cafe' - MH - Entertaining Science show
29 Cornelia St & W 4 St, Play & music on various science
themes. $10 adm. www.corneliastreetcafe.com, 212-989-9319
19:00 - Hempstead - LI - clearsky starviewing
Hofstra University, Chem-Phys Bdg, Rm 117. Free, cancelled
for clouds. 516-463-2759, www.hofstra.edu/Academics,
obser...@hofstra.edu
19:30 - Boonton - NJ - Sheep Hill Astro Assn meeting
Boonton Town Hall. Free. www.uacnj.org/clubs/shaa.htm,
ajm...@att.net
19:30 - Guggenheim Museum - MH - astronomy lecture
'Flying to the edge of space and time'. $30 adm.
212-423-3587. www.guggenheim.org/new_york_index.shtml
Mon - 3 Mar
18:00 - Explorers Club - MH - science lecture
46 E 70 St & Madison Av. 'Mission extreme deep' undersea
exploration. $20 adm. 212-628-8383,
www.explorers.org, sto...@explorers.org
19:30 - SI Community TV - SI - science show
100 Cable Way, Mariners Hr. Live audience, televised on SI
cable. Free. www.sictv.org, 718-727-1414
Tue - 4 Mar
11:00 - Princeton - NJ - Inst Advd Stud lecture
Princeton Univ, Bloomberg Hall. Free.
www.astro.princeton.edu/events.htm,
wse...@astro.princeton.edu
16:15 - Princeton - NJ - astronomy lecture
Princeton Univ, Peyton Hall. Free.
wse...@astro.princeton.edu
www.astro.princeton.edu/events.htm,
18:30 - Hayden Plm - MH - Virtual Universe
Live skyshow of computer graphics and astro databases.
$15 adm. 212-769-5100, www.amnh.org/programs
19:30 - Rialto Restaurant - MH - Cafe' Scientifique lecture
265 Elizabeth St & Prince St. lecture & dinner on various
science topics. Free + own meal. www.sciencecafenyc.org,
sgl...@sciencecafenyc.org
Wed - 5 Mar
all day - Meadowlands - NJ - Ringling Bros Circus
Thru Mar 9. IZOD Center. Traditional and new circus
performances, Various hours and prices, $15 & up.
www.ringling.com, 201-935-3900
10:30 - Hayden Plm - MH - Field Trip to the Moon
Live skyshow of rocket trip to the Moon. $17, incl mus adm.
212-769-5100, www.amnh.org/programs Thu - 8 Nov
13:00 - Marine Park - BK - cultural lwcture
Urban Park Rangers. Salt Marsh Natr Ctr.'Women's history
'mock'-tail hour' on famous Brooklyn women.
Free. www.nyc.gov/parks
16:15 - Columbia University - MH - astronomy lecture
Pupin Hall, Rm 1332. Free. 212-854-3278,
www.astro.columbia.edu/outreach,
outreac...@astro.columbia.edu
15:00 - whole City - MH -Venus occultation
Occultation of Venus by Moon in mid afternoon with Moon alt
only 3 deg! Requires excedingly clear horizon and excellent
observing skill. Specs for NYC:
--------------------------------------
immersion | 2008 Mar 5, 15:26 EST
illumination | 5% waning crescent
elongation | 25 degree west of Sun
Sun altitude | 35 degree
Moon alt-azm | 3 deg alt, 247 deg azm
cusp angle | on bright limb, 66 deg from N cusp
position angle | 45 deg from celestial north
--------------------------------------------
19:30 - Greenwich - CT - A S of Greenwich meeting
Bruce Museum. Free. rb...@juno.com,
www.geocities.com/astrogreenwich, 203-896-6786-x338
19:30 - Union Hall - BK - Secret Science Club meeting
707 Union St & 5 Av. Lecture and music on various science
topics. Free. secretscienceclub.blogspot.com, 718-638-4400,
www.unionhallny.com/events
20:00 - Middletown - CT - clearsky starviewing
Wesleyan U, Van Vleck Obsy. Free, cancelled for clouds.
860-685-3664, www.wesleyan.edu/astro/events/
20:30 - Old Westbury - LI - Astro Soc of LI meeting
NY Inst of Techy, Schure Audm. Free. www.asliclub.org,
in...@asliclub.org
21:00 - Poughkeepsie - NY - clearsky starviewing
Vassar College, Observatory. Free, cancelled for clouds.
physicsandastronomy.vassar.edu/observatory.html,
845-437-7340
Thu - 6 Mar
19:00 - St Paul's Luthrn Ch - MH - NYSkies Astro Semnr
TOPIC: THE LARGE HADRON COLLIDER AND THE STANDARD MODEL
Combined meeting with Natl Spc Soc-NYC Chap
315 W 22nd St & 8 Av. Discussion of astronomy topics, show
&
tell, skywatching reports, news of astro activity in
NYSkies
territory. Free. nys...@nyskies.org, www.nyskies.org,
212-273-5958
19:00 - St Paul's Luthrn Ch - MH - Natl Spc Soc meeting
TOPIC: THE LARGE HADRON COLLIDER AND THE STANDARD MODEL
Combined meeting with NYSkies Astronomy Inc
315 W 22nd St & 8 Av. Discussion of astro/space topics,
show
& tell, skywatching reports, news of astro/space activity
in
NYC vicinity. Free. chapters.nss.org/ny/nyc,
astr...@webtv.net
20:00 - Westport - CT - clearsky starviewing
Westport Astro Soc. Rolnick Obsy. Free, cancelled for
clouds. www.was-ct.org, 203-227-0925
20:00 - Upr Montclair - NJ - clearsky starviewing
No Jersey Astro Gp. Montclair St Univ, Richardson Hall.
Free, cancelled for clouds. njagweb.tripod.com,
973-655-7266, mw...@pegasus.montclair.edu
20:00 - Middletown - NJ - S*T*A*R meeting
King of Kings Lutheran Ch. Free. www.starastronomy.org,
s-wa...@comcast.net
Fri - 7 Mar
14:00 - NY Hall of Science - QN - clearsky sunviewing
Every Friday. 111 St & 47 Av. Free, cancelled for clouds.
718-699-0005, www.nyscience.org
14:30 - New York University - MH - astronomy lecture
Meyer Hall, 5th floor. Free. physics,nyu.edu/
cgi-bin/astro, dgs...@nyu.edu, 212-998-7706
15:00 - Piscataway - NJ - astronomy lecture
Rutgers Univ, Serin Lab, Rm 385E. Free. 732-445-3974,
www.physics.rutgers.edu/colloquium
15:30 - Palisades - NY - science lecture
Lamont-Doherty Earth Obsy, Monell Audm. Various topics in
earth science and geophysics. Free. 845-365-8634.
www.ldeo.columbia.edu, jsme...@ldeo.columbia.edu
19:00 - Yonkers - NY - astronomy show
Andrus Plm. 19:00 show is free, sponsored by FujiFilm USA
Inc. Free, different topics each Friday. www.hrm.org,
914-963-4550
19:30 - Wilcox Pk - NY - clearsky starviewing
Mid Hudson Astro Assn. Free, cancelled for clouds
mhaa.whodeanie.com. 845-485-5669, tra...@hvc.cc.com
19:00 - Jones Beach St Pk - LI - astronomy lecture
Amat Obsrs Soc. Roosevelt Natr Ctr, $3 tkt, adv regn reqd.
516-679-7254. www.aosny.org, sue...@optonline.net
19:00 - Toms River - NJ - Astro Soc of Toms Rv Area mtg
Ocean Co Coll, College Ctr, Cafeteria. Free.
www.astra-nj.org, 732-255-0343, webm...@astra-nj.org
19:30 - Cranford - NJ - Amat Astro Inc meeting
Union Co Coll, Sperry Obsy. Indoor talk, clearsky
starviewing. Free. www.asterism.org
20:00 - Stamford - CT - clearsky starviewing
Stamford Obsy. $3 adm, cancelled for clouds.
www.stamfordmuseum.org, cesc...@earthlink.net,
203-322-6537
20:00 - Yonkers - NY - Westchester Amat Astro meeting
Hudson Rv Mus, Andrus Plm. Free.
www.westchesterastronomers.org,
in...@westchesterastronomers.org
20:00 - Stratford - CT - Boothe Meml Astro Soc mtg
Boothe Meml Pk, Obsy. Free. www.bmas.org, in...@bmas.org
20:00 - R Moses St Pk - LI - clearsky starviewing - see Mar 1
Sat - 8 Mar
10:00 - Jersey City - NJ - science lecture
Liberty Sci Ctr. Various topics on geophysics and
earth science. $14, incl mus adm. 201-200-1000,
marine.rutgers.edu/outreach/pulsetalks,
13:00 - Central Pk - MH - cultural tour
Urban Park Rangers. W 72 St & CPW. Walk thru history and
culture of Strawberry Fields and surrounds. Free.
www.nyc.gov/parks
18:00 - Danbury - CT - astronomy lecture
Western Connecticut St Uv, Plm/Obsy. Indoor talk, clearsky
starviewing. Free. www.wcsu.edu/starwatch, 203-837-8671,
aws...@wcsu.edu
18:00 - Blue Heron Park - SI - clearsky starviewing
Urban Park Rangers. Blue Heron Natr Ctr. Free, cancelled
for clouds. www.nyc.gov/parks
18:30 - Union Hall - BK - Secret Science Club meeting
707 Union St & 5 Av. Lecture and music on various science
topics. Free. secretscienceclub.blogspot.com, 718-638-4400,
www.unionhallny.com/events
19:00 - Fort Totten - QN - cultural tour
Urban Park Rangers. Fort Totten Ranger Sta. Walk at night
thru history and culture of park and surrounds. Free, bring
pocket lamp. www.nyc.gov/parks
20:00 - Southold - LI - Custer Inst meeting - see Mar 1
20:00 - Liberty - NY - clearsky starviewing - see Mar 1
20:00 - R Moses St Pk - LI - clearsky starviewing - see Mar 1
20:00 - Great Kills Pk - SI - clearsky starviewing
RISK OF RADIOACTIVITY HAZARD; INQUIRE AT CONTACTS
Natl Pk Svc. Enter from Hylan Bv to model flying field.
Free, cancelled for clouds. www.nps.gov/gate, 718-987-6790
20:30 - Paramus - NJ - Buehler-Columbia AAA lecture - see Mar 1
Sun - 9 Mar
02:00 - whole City - MH - daylight savings time begins
02:00 EST instantly becomes 03:00 EDST. There are NO
moments
between '01:59' and '02:59', this being the lost hour. Set
clocks AHEAD, FORWARD one hour.
10:00 - 92nd St Y - MH - science workshop
Lexington Av & 92 St. 'Living in space' experiences on a
ride on ISS. $40 adm. www.92y.org, 212-415-5500
13:00 - Inwood Hill Park - BK - science workshop
Urban Park Rangers. Inwood Hill Natr Ctr. Use of maps and
compass. Free. www.nyc.gov/parks
13:00 - Marine Park - BK - cultural lwcture
Urban Park Rangers. Salt Marsh Natr Ctr.'Italians of New
York'. Free. www.nyc.gov/parks
Mon - 10 Mar
17:30 - PicNic cafe' - MH - Cafe' Science lecture
2665 Broadway & 101 St. Supper/chat with Columbia Univ
profs. $10 fee, incl 1 drink, + own meal. 212-222-8222,
alumni.columbia.edu/learn/s3_6.html,
cafes...@columbia.edu
Tue - 11 Mar
11:00 - Princeton - NJ - Inst Advd Stud lecture - see Mat 4
16:15 - Princeton - NJ - astronomy lecture - see Mar 4
19:00 - Greenwich - CT - clearsky starviewing
Astro Soc of Greenwich. Julian Curtis Elem Schl, Bowman
Obsy. Free, cancelled for clouds. rb...@juno.com,
www.geocities.com/astrogreenwich, 203-896-6786-x338
20:00 - Princeton - NJ - Amat Astro Assn of Princeton meeting
Princeton U, Peyton Hall. Free. www.princetonastronomy.org,
609-737-2575, drexp...@aol.com
21:00 - Princeton - NJ - clearsky starviewing
Princeton Univ, Peyton Hall. Free, cancelled for clouds
www.astro.princeton.edu/events.htm,
wse...@astro.princeton.edu
Wed - 12 Mar
all day - Uniondale - LI - Ringling Bros Circus
Thru Mar 16. Nassau Coliseum. Traditional and new circus
performances, Various hours and prices, $15 & up.
www.ringling.com, 516-794-9300
10:30 - Hayden Plm - MH - Field Trip to the Moon - see Mar 5
15:30 - Courant Institute - MH - science lecture
251 Mercer St. Various topics in geophysics and earth
science. Free. caos.cims.nyu.edu, sha...@cims.nyu.edu
16:00 - Hoboken - NJ - science lecture
Ctr for Sci Writings, Stevens Intt, Babbio Ctr, Rm 122.
'Force of nature: the story of Ernest Rutherford'. Free.
www.stevens.edu/csw,
16:15 - Columbia University - MH - astronomy lecture - see Mar 5
19:00 - Centerport - LI - Astro Soc of LI meeting
Vanderbilt Plm. Indoor talk, clearsky starviewing. Free.
www.asliclub.org, in...@asliclub.org
19:30 - York College - QN - astronomy lecture
Core Acadmc Bdg, Rm 2E01. Clearsky starviewing, indoor
lecture for clouds. Free york.cuny.edu/observatory
718-262-2082, pagl...@york.cuny.edu
20:00 - Upr Montclair - NJ - No Jersey Astro Gp meeting
Montclair St Univ, Richardson Hall, Room 232. Free.
njagweb.tripod.com, 973-655-7266,
mw...@pegasus.montclair.edu
20:00 - College of SI - SI - clearsky starviewing
Astrop Obsy. Free, cancelled for clouds. 718-982-2818,
rob...@mail.csi.cuny.edu, supernova7.apsc.csi.cuny.edu
Thu - 13 Mar
18:30 - Danbury - CT - astronomy lecture
Western Connecticut St Uv, Plm/Obsy. Indoor talk, clearsky
starviewing. Free. www.wcsu.edu/starwatch, 203-837-8671,
aws...@wcsu.edu
19:30 - Amer Mus Natl Hist - MH - Isaac Asimov Debate
LeFrak Thtr. 'Mining the solar system'. $15 adm.
212-769-5100, www.amnh.org/programs
19:30 - Morristown - NJ - Morris Mus Astro Soc mtg
Morris Museum. Free. 973-386-1848, tedbark...@att.net,
www.morrismuseum.org/static/education/astronomical.html-Fri
20:00 - Upr Montclair - NJ - clearsky starviewing - see Mar 6
21:00 - Piscataway - NJ - clearsky starviewing
Rutgers Univ, Schommer Obsy. Free, cancelled for clouds.
732-205-0020, www.physics.rutgers.edu/ast/ast-serin.html
pr...@physics.rutgers.edu
Fri - 14 Mar
11:00 - Goddard Inst Spc Stud - MH - science lecture
Various topics in geophysics and earth science. Free,
adv regn reqd, else no entry. Have GI photo ID for campus
security. www.giss.nasa.gov, 212-678-5540,
pfor...@giss.nasa.gov
14:30 - New York University - MH - astronomy lecture - see Mar 7
15:00 - Piscataway - NJ - astronomy lecture - see Mar 7
15:30 - Palisades - NY - science lecture - see Mar 7
19:00 - Yonkers - NY - astronomy show - see Mar 7
19:00 - Columbia University - MH - astronomy lecture
Pupin Hall, 14th floor & roof. Indoor lecture, clearsky
starviewing. Free. www.astro.columbia.edu/outreach,
212-854-3278, outreac...@astro.columbia.edu
19:00 - Bethany - CT - clearsky starviewing
Astro Soc of New Haven. Yale Univ, Bethany Obsy. Free,
cancelled for clouds. www.asnh.org, pr...@asnh.org
19:15 - New York Univ - MH - Physics Club of NY meeting
Silver Ctr, 32 Waverly Pl, Rom 207. Free.
jdep...@nyc.rr.com
20:00 - Stamford - CT - clearsky starviewing - see Mar 7
20:00 - Cranford - NJ - Amat Astro Inc lecture
Union Co Coll, Smith Audm. Indoor talk, clearsky
starviewing. Free. www.asterism.org
20:00 - Floyd Bennett Field - BK - clearsky starviewing
Natl Park Svc. Model airplane flying field. Free, cancelled
for clouds. www.nyskies.org, stephe...@nyc.rr.com,
nys...@nyskies.org
Sat - 15 Mar
10:00 - Old Greenwich - CT - Epheera Twenty Eight bookfair
Thru Feb 16. Hyatt regency hotel. Source for astronomy
books, maps, prints. $12 2-day tkt. flaming...@aol.com,
603-509-2639, www.ephemerasociety.org
13:00 - Clove Lakes Park - BK - science workshop
Urban Park Rangers. Clove Lakes comfort station. Use of
maps
and compass. Free. www.nyc.gov/parks
19:00 - Alley Pond Pk - QN - astronomy lecture
Alley Pond Enviro Ctr. Indoor talk, clearsky
starviewing. $12 fee. www.allwypond.com, 718-229-4000
20:00 - A Wayne Rec Area - NY - clearsky starviewing
Rockland Astro Club. Exit 17, Palisades IS Py. Free,
cancelled for clouds. webn...@rocklandastronomy.com,
www.rocklandastronomy.com, 201-768-3298,
20:00 - Southold - LI - Custer Inst meeting - see Mar 1
20:00 - Middletown - CT - clearsky starviewing
Astro Soc of Gtr Hartford, Wesleyan U, Van Vleck Obsy.
Free,
cancelled for clouds. www.asgh.org, 860-872-9069,
ppar...@cs.com
20:30 - Paramus - NJ - Buehler-Columbia AAA lecture - see Mar 1
Sun - 16 Mar
13:00 - Alice Austen Park - SI - cultural tour
Urban Park Rangers. Alice Austen House. Walk thru
history and culture of house and surrounds. Free.
www.nyc.gov/parks
13:00 - Fort Greene Park - BK - cultural lecture
Urban Park Rangers. Fort Greene Vstr Ctr. 'The Irish of New
York'. Free. www.nyc.gov/parks
14:00 - Airmont - NY - science show
Lwr Hudson Vy Challenger Ctr, 225 Rt 29. Multimedia
simulation of space missions. $20 adm. www.lhvcc.com,
dire...@lhvcc.com, 845-257-3416.
Tue - 18 Mar
11:00 - Princeton - NJ - Inst Advd Stud lecture - see Mat 4
18:00 - NY Academy of Sci - MH - science lecture
'Physics of the impossible'. $25 adm. www.nyas.org,
212-838-0230
19:30 - New Paltz - NY - Mid Hudson Astro Assn meeting
SUNY New Paltz, Coykendall Audm. Free.
mhaa.whodeanie.com, 845-485-5669, tra...@hvc.rr.com
20:00 - Westport - CT - Westport Astro Soc meeting
Rolnick Obsy. Free. www.was-ct.org, 203-227-0925
Wed - 19 Mar
10:30 - Hayden Plm - MH - Field Trip to the Moon - see Mar 5
15:30 - Courant Institute - MH - science lecture - see Mar 12
16:15 - Columbia University - MH - astronomy lecture - see Mar 5
19:00 - Waterbury - CT - Mattituck Astro Soc meeting
Naugatuck Vy Commty Coll, Ekstrom Hall. Free.
mastransit.org, btb...@mastransit.org
19:30 - New Britain - CT - Astro Soc of Gtr Hartford meeting
Centl CT St Un, Copernicus Plm. Free, www.asgh.org,
860-872-9069, ppar...@cs.com Thu - 21 Dec
20:30 - Old Westbury - LI - Astro Soc of LI meeting - see Mar 5
Thu - 20 Mar
all day - Madison Sq Gdn - MH - Ringling Bros Circus
Thru Apr 5. Traditional and new circus performances,
Various
hours and prices, $15 & up. www.ringling.com, 212-465-6741
19:00 - St Paul's Luthrn Ch - MH - NYSkies Astro Semnr
TOPIC: THE FIRST AND LAST PEOPLE ON THE MOON
Combined meeting with Natl Spc Soc-NYC Chap
315 W 22nd St & 8 Av. Discussion of astronomy topics, show
&
tell, skywatching reports, news of astro activity in
NYSkies
territory. Free. nys...@nyskies.org, www.nyskies.org,
212-273-5958
19:00 - St Paul's Luthrn Ch - MH - Natl Spc Soc meeting
TOPIC: THE FIRST AND LAST PEOPLE ON THE MOON
Combined meeting with NYSkies Astronomy Inc
315 W 22nd St & 8 Av. Discussion of astro/space topics,
show
& tell, skywatching reports, news of astro/space activity
in
NYC vicinity. Free. chapters.nss.org/ny/nyc,
astr...@webtv.net
Fri - 21 Mar
14:00 - Columbia Univ - MH - ISCAP meeting
Inst for Strings, Cosmlgy, and Astropartcl Phys. Pupin
Hall,
Rm 908. Discussion of cosmology and string theory. Free.
www.iscap.columbia.edu
14:30 - New York University - MH - astronomy lecture - see Mar 7
15:30 - Palisades - NY - science lecture - see Mar 7
19:00 - Yonkers - NY - astronomy show - see Mar 7
19:30 - Cranford - NJ - Amat Astro Inc meeting - see Mar 7
20:00 - Stamford - CT - clearsky starviewing - see Mar 7
20:00 - Stratford - CT - Boothe Meml Astro Soc mtg - see Mar 7
20:30 - Boonton - NJ - clearsky starviewing
Sheep Hill Astro Assn obsy, Free, cancelled for
clouds. www.uacnj.org/clubs/shaa.htm, ajm...@att.net
Sat - 22 Mar
13:00 - Amer Mus Natl Hist - MH - World Water day
Hall of Ocean Life & Kaufmann Thtr. Lectures, demos,
exhibits about preserving water supply. Free with mus adm.
212-769-5100, www.amnh.org/worldwaterday
13:00 - Inwood Hill Park - BK - cultural tour
Urban Park Rangers. Inwood Hill Natr Ctr. Walk thru history
and culture of park and surrounds. Free. www.nyc.gov/parks
14:00 - Sony WonderTech Lab - MH - science workshop - aww Mar 1
20:00 - Southold - LI - Custer Inst meeting - see Mar 1
20:30 - Voorhees St Pk - NJ - NJ Astro Assn meeting
NJAA-HQ, Robinson Obsy. Free, indoor lecture, clearsky
starviewing. www.njaa.org, 908-368-8600
Sun - 23 Mar
11:00 - Fort Greene Park - BK - cultural lwcture
Urban Park Rangers. Fort Greene Natr Ctr.'Historic houses
in New York'. Free. www.nyc.gov/parks
Mon - 24 Mar
18:30 - VUNY Graduate Center - MH - science show
'BrainWave: the neuroscience of the groova' about music and
branactivity. Free. 212-817-8215, web.gc.cuny.edu/cepp,
contin...@gc.cuny.edu,
Tue - 25 Mar
11:00 - Princeton - NJ - Inst Advd Stud lecture - see Mat 4
16:15 - Princeton - NJ - astronomy lecture - see Mar 4/
18:30 - Hayden Plm - MH - Celestial Highlights
Live skyshow of current evening sky. $15 adm.
212-769-5100, www.amnh.org/programs
19:00 - Greenwich - CT - clearsky starviewing - see Mar 11
19:00 - New Haven - CT - Astro Soc of New Haven meeting
Yale Univ, Leitner Family Obsy. Indoor talk, clearsky
starviewing. Free. www.asnh.org, pr...@asnh.org
Wed - 26 Mar
10:30 - Hayden Plm - MH - Field Trip to the Moon - see Mar 5
13:00 - Danbury - CT - clearsky sunviewing
Western Connecticut St Uv, Midtwon Campus, Sci Bdg. Free,
cancelled for clouds. www.wcsu.edu/starwatch, 203-837-8671,
aws...@wcsu.edu
15:30 - Courant Institute - MH - science lecture - see Mar 12
16:15 - Columbia University - MH - astronomy lecture - see Mar 5
19:30 - Holbrook - LI - Sci Club of LI meeting
Sachem Liby. 'Global warming'. Free. 631-421-1523,
www.sciencecluboflongisland.com,
in...@sciencecluboflongisland.com
20:00 - Middletown - CT - clearsky starviewing - see Mar 5
20:30 - Old Westbury - LI - Astro Soc of LI meeting - see Mar 5
21:00 - Poughkeepsie - NY - clearsky starviewing - see Mar 26
Thu - 27 Mar
08:30 - Columbia Univ - MH - State of the Planet conference
Thru Mar 28. Earth Instt. Lerner Hall. Talks, discussion on
climate and health of planet Earth. Free.
s...@ei.columbia.edu, www.earthinstitute.columbia.edu,
20:00 - Upr Montclair - NJ - clearsky starviewing - see Mar 6
21:00 - Piscataway - NJ - clearsky starviewing - see Mar 13
Fri - 28 Mar
11:00 - Goddard Inst Spc Stud - MH - science lecture - see Mar 14
14:30 - New York University - MH - astronomy lecture - see Mar 7
15:00 - Piscataway - NJ - astronomy lecture - see Mar 7
19:00 - Yonkers - NY - astronomy show - see Mar 7
19:00 - Columbia University - MH - astronomy lecture - see mar 14
19:30 - Cranford - NJ - Amat Astro Inc meeting - see Mar 7
20:00 - Stamford - CT - clearsky starviewing - see Mar 7
Sat - 29 Mar
11:00 - Garden City - LI - LI Antique Book Show
Thru Mar 30. Garden City Field House. Source for astronomy
books, maps, prints. $6 2-day tkt. 603-509-2639,
www.flamingoeventz.com, flaming...@aol.com
16:00 - Fort Greene Park - BK - cultural lwcture
Urban Park Rangers. Fort Greene Natr Ctr.'Versed in
traverses' bridges of Brooklyn'. Free. www.nyc.gov/parks
19:30 - Fort Totten - QN - clearsky starviewing
Urban Park Rangers. Fort Totten Ranger Sta. Free, cancelled
for clouds. www.nyc.gov/parks
19:00 - Danbury - CT - astronomy lecture
Western Connecticut St Uv, Plm/Obsy. Indoor talk, clearsky
starviewing. Free. www.wcsu.edu/starwatch, 203-837-8671,
aws...@wcsu.edu
20:00 - Southold - LI - Custer Inst meeting - see Mar 1
Sun - 30 Mar
10:00 - Litchfield - CT - Litchfield Antiquarian Book Fair
Litchfield Commty Ctr. Source for astronomy books, maps,
prints. $6 tkt. bgve...@bookfairs.com, www.bookfairs.com
10:00 - Fort Totten - QN - cultural tour
Urban Park Rangers. Fort Totten Ranger Sta. Walk thru
history and culture of park and surrounds. Free, bring
pocket lamp. www.nyc.gov/parks
13:00 - Fort Greene Park - BK - cultural lwcture
Urban Park Rangers. Fort Greene Natr Ctr.'Women's history
tea party' on famous Brooklyn women. Free. www.nyc.gov/parks
13:00 - WIllowbrook park - SI - cultural lwcture
Urban Park Rangers. Willowbrook Pk comfort station.'Tribute
to Victory Boulevard'. Free. www.nyc.gov/parks
General news
----------
Give a welcome to our new member of NYC events, New York Hall of
Science. It has clearsky sunviewing on every Friday, Saturday, and
Sunday. These session run thru June, then recess for the summer.
The weather clobbered plans for viewing the lunar eclipse on 2008
February 20! Cloudy skies all day, plus dire predictions of snow for
the evening, caused many eclipses sessions to cancel. Others convened
to small visitor turnout. Still others had thinned crew.
The sky DID clear at about 20h EST to reveal a hazed over Moon,
bright and clear enough to see the eclipse. Clouds continued to thin
out and disperse, so that by mid partial phase, the Moon shined in a
mostly clear sky!
Those who stuck it out saw a wonderful colorful, a bit darker
than
usual, eclipse. They also got, and showed!, good sights of nearby
Saturn.
The lesson here is brutal and cruel. In the face of adverse
weather forecasts, given how often they can be so miserably wrong,
YOU
GO TO THE EVENT. Period. No wishy-washy, YOU GO! The ONE and ONLY
cause to hold back is physical blockage or danger. If you humanly CAN
go, you DO go.
Yes, you may in the end fold tent early at the viewing site under
bad weather, but you WILL go to sleep more soundly for the effort.
A happier note is that the NYSkies-National Space Society joint
meetings are going quite well. The ones in February featured 'Why
isn't every full Moon and eclipse?' on the 7th and 'Major space
missions of 2008' on the 21st. The session of March 6th covers 'the
Large Hadron Collider and the Standard Model of particle physics'.
This is a MUST topic for astronomers and spacefarers alike and will
be
a tag-talk by two veteran NYSkies supporters.
NYSkies attended a telephone conference on Fehruary 5th with
Night
Sky Network and GLOBE at Night. GaN, run by NOAO, is trying to
systematize the assessment of sky darkness (or brightness, if you
prefer) to better understand luminous graffiti. It issued
instructions
and starcharts to take measurements of Orion during February 25 thru
March 8. NYSkies and Top of the Lawn are making observations fro the
TOTL site in Central Park.
Event news
--------
The first major event of February 2008 was the NYC Science and
Engineering fair at City College. I, with about 250 other scientists,
was a judge for some 650 high school student exhibits. The exhibits I
judged were all well prepared and the students were well informed on
their projects. Three of my projects were astronomy related:
Evidence for a tsunami generated by an impact event in the
New York metropolitan area about 2,300 years ago
Determining the distance to the M26 cluster
The age determination of the Milky Way galaxy as a function
of
the heat distribution of cool degenerate white dwarfs
On the very same day, in evening, was the Super Bowl! The NY
Giants played against the NE Patriots and beat them! The win trashed
the Patriots's hope of a season of all wins and no losses. It entered
the Super Bowl with a 18-0 record, including a win over the Giants
earlier in the season.
The Patriots even wrote a book, ready to hit the stores!, titled,
ahem, '19-0'!. And they designed a new emblem with '19-0' in it!
Anyone looking for cheap books or emblems? Not that winning 18 out of
19 season games is so terrible. It's a great record, but ... .
On February 4th the Science Writers of New York held its winter
social at a restaurant near Union Sq. About 70 writers from all
sciences attended to banter and debate aspects of science education
and publication. NYSkies had handouts about the lunar eclipse. There
were lots of good food and drink to loosen up the conversations.
Doorprizes included DVDs of science films and 'groundhog' dolls.
On the 5th the City feted the Giants with a world-class
tickertape
parade, the first such parade since the Yankee-Mets Subway Series
parade in 2000. the Yankees took the World Series over the Mets but
both teams were celebrated.
The 2000 parade was feared to become New York's last tickertape
parade because of the World Trade Center horror. The sight of
shrapnel
and debris fluttering over Lower Manhattan could be a disturbing
reminder of that episode, particularly since the parade route passes
Ground Zero.
No way! A full one million spectators lined Broadway, with a good
mix of people from the surrounding towns! The tickertape (mostly
business paper shreddings) fell in a blizzard! Flags, pennants,
banners waved! The roar and cheer was deafening from thirty floors
up!
When you visit New York please walk Broadway from Bowling Green
to
City Hall. It's a K-and-half, traversed in an hour with stops along
the way. In the sidewalk on both sides of Broadway are granite
stripes
commemorating each of the some 200[!] tickertape parades. There are
gaps in the series due to construction where the sidewalk is broken
up, but eventually all the stripes will be in place.
The first one is at Bowling Green for the Statue of Liberty
dedication in 1886. Real tickertape was used to shower the parade,
starting what will be Earth's supreme accolade to its heros, leaders,
and champions. The last one is for the 2000 Subway Series, next to
the
Woolworth building.
The Super Bowl Giants marker goes in place later this year. To
accommodate future parades, about thirty spots are reserved around
City Hall Park.
Besides marking the parades, the stripes are exquisite animators
for education. Bring your children here and let them find the stripes
for Apollo 11, Charles Lindbergh, David Ben-Gurion, Jesse Owens,
Admiral Byrd, Jawaharlal Nehru, General MacArthur, Pope John Paul II,
Amelia Earhardt, to name just a few.
In many cases there are collateral places in the City to visit
related to the parade theme. One is the marker for Jack Binns (who
he?) in 1909. Your children can read up on earthquakes, shipwrecks,
Morse code, Marconi. They then branch off to the NY Herald's first
use
of radio for collecting news stories, the Titanic shipwreck, David
Sarnoff at Madison Square Garden.
If you were into radio gadgeteering as a youth, show them Ground
Zero and explain Radio Row. This was a beehive of about 40 shops
dedicated to radio crafts and arts, before the late World Center
Trade
displaced it. You may elaborate how the destruction of Radio Row to
build the World Trade Center added to the atrophia of the electronics
hobby in America.
Take the kids to the crown monument of the electromagnetic
industry, Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall. Built by
Sarnoff with financing from the Rockefeller family, this urban
project
houses the world's greatest broadcasting studios. While there, check
out the celestial motifs in the murals and statues.
Not enough? Walk a few blocks away to Sony WonderTech Lab. Your
kids will learn what's coming down the track for THEIR children.
The stripe for Jesse Owens can lead you to African Burial
Grounds,
just north of City Hall and maybe to Brooklyn to visit the
Underground
Railroad trail and Weeksville.
The stripe for the flight of the Graf Zeppelin takes you to the
Empire State Building, built specificly as a dirigible port! The 86th
floor was supposed to be the booking and waiting room for the
dirigibles. The boarding gate is now the little room on the 102nd
floor. Why didn't the giant blimps stop there? I have to leave
SOMETHING for you to figure out.
See how looking at a simple granite sidewalk marker can fill you
and your children with history, wonder, awe, and even some astronomy?
In the sky there was the lunar eclipse on February 20th. This was
scrambled up by weather predictions and real bad luck. As noted in
'General news' many eclipse sessions were lost from the lousy weather
forecasts. NYSkies put in a new session a week before the eclipse at
Floyd Bennett Field, announced in the NYSkies discussion forum. Then,
hours before sunset, it cancelled for fear of expected snow and
continuing clouds.
On the other hand, one of the NYSkies sessions, with Top of the
Lawn, moved to Carl Schurz Park, to consolidate Manhattan viewing in
one site. This was a last minute action that paid off handsomely. We
and the 200ish spectators and astronomers saw a beautiful eclipse in
high sky over East River. There was some residual thin high cirrus
that cut transparency to only 3rd magnitude. The major star groups
were delineated, like Leo, Big Dipper, Gemini.
March has three major bookfairs, where you can tank up on those
astronomy books you saw only in museums and libraries. They are fun
to
attend, even if you come home empty-handed (HA!). I do advise that
you
bring your credit card because some items have, uh, astronomical
prices. March 15-16 has the Ephemera Twenty Eight; March 29-30, Long
Island Antique Book Fair; March 30, Litchfield Antiquarian Book fair
Sky news
------
I discussed the lunar eclipse of February 20 in 'General news'
and
'Event news'.
Weather was so capricious in February that forecasts were often
ridiculously wrong. On some occasions, the wrong outcome was
favorable
for starviewing, like for the eclipse. On several nights the sky was
really dark with transparency in the City deepening to 5th magnitude!
Other dark nights were 'only' 4-1/2 magnitude. I think February 2008
may have the most extraclear nights on record, at least four as at
the
24th.
A sky event that almost pushed the eclipse off of the news media
was the interception of the spy satellite NROL-21, or USA-193. The
Navy used an Aegis missile, launched from the SS Lake Erie, to ram
the
craft over the mid Pacific Ocean. Only a timezone quirk made the
strike occur during the lunar eclipse, it being daytime in the
Pacific. The shot was good, with only small pieces left that burned
up
on reentry within days. The preparation for the shot occupied the
news
all day on the 19th and 20th with brief reminders about the eclipse.
Saturn is coming into evening sky in March. His rings are closing
up toward the next edgeon aspect in September 2009. Now they are
tilted about 12 degrees, making for a gorgeous sight in small scopes.
Mars, still bright in the high south and southwest sky, is really
shrinking out of comfortable view. It's only a pink or orange dot in
even larger scopes.
Jupiter and Venus are still in the morning sky, where they were
both tightly clustered around the Moon on February 4th. It was cloudy
on that morning (surprise?).