Snow and clouds are in the forecast so the Great Meadow Public Observing Night scheduled for tonight (3-5-2016) is cancelled due to bad weather. ~Lyle Mars
See front page of NOVAC Site for changes to event. More information about Great Meadow including directions and parking visit the Great Meadow Site page.
Jupiter is sure to delight all who view it, from professional observatories to amateurs with handheld binoculars. Make sure to check out its four Galilean moons and see if you can make out colorful cloud bands or the Great Red Spot. If you’ve ever considered dabbling in planetary imaging, tonight (adjacent to a dark new moon) would be the perfect night to start!
Unfortunately tonight’s public night is canceled, the third cancelled Crockett Public Night in a row. Â The astronomy forecast predicts 70 percent or more cloud cover and the local forecast is cloudy with a 20% chance of showers or drizzle. Â Not acceptable conditions; nobody wants precipitation on lenses, mirrors or electronics.
Hoping for clear skies next month and many days before and after.
Tree Greenwood
Please read the C.M. Crockett Page for park details. Details will be updated for the Messier Marathon too!
Our meetings on the second Sunday of the Month, The events are normally held evening at 7:00 pm in Research Hall Room 163 on the campus of George Mason University.
Our web page, http://www.novac.com/meetings/, has directions and additional details.
We look forward to seeing you on Sunday evenings!
The date (near March 21 in the northern hemisphere) when night and day are nearly the same length and Sun crosses the celestial equator (i.e., declination 0) moving northward. In the southern hemisphere, the vernal equinox corresponds to the center of the Sun crossing the celestial equator moving southward and occurs on the date of the northern autumnal equinox. The vernal equinox marks the first day of the season of spring.
If you live south of the equator, this is your Fall Equinox.
http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/astronomy/VernalEquinox.html