Key information for official sites with agreements:
- Camp High Road is open unless specified on Camp High Road specific page
- C.M. Crockett is open only during periods specified on the Crockett specific page
- Meadowkirk observing requires explicit permission. See Meadowkirk page for details
- Sky Meadows State Park is open for vetted volunteers only unless posted on the Sky Meadows specific page
- Spruce Knob Mountain Center: See site specific page or contact site coordinator for availability
Open Observing Window for C.M. Crockett Park
In the northern hemisphere, the longest day of the year when the Sun is farthest north. The summer solstice marks the first day of the season of summer. In the southern hemisphere, this is your winter solstice, marking the shortest day of the year. The declination of the Sun on the (northern) summer solstice is known as the tropic of cancer (23° 27′).
http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/astronomy/SummerSolstice.html
A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon completely blocks the Sun, revealing the Sun’s beautiful outer atmosphere known as the corona.
The path of totality will only be visible in parts of the southern pacific Ocean, central Chile, and central Argentina. When it makes landfall, it’s going to zip by pretty quickly. To experience several minutes of totality, you’ll have to be in a boat in the deep south pacific. A partial eclipse will be visible in most parts of the southern Pacific Ocean and western South America.
The July Public Night at C. M. Crockett Park is canceled due to the threat of thunderstorms and cloud cover.
Hope for better conditions on 3 August. Soon, please.
R J ‘Tree’ Greenwood
Crockett Park Site Coordinator
Please read the C.M. Crockett Page for park details.
see http://cantonbecker.com/retrograde for details…
Saturn rules the summer sky, but on this night, the ringed planet truly takes center stage. When it reaches opposition (its closest approach to the Earth), Saturn will be bright and fully illuminated by the Sun. You may even notice that its rings look brighter than usual thanks to a phenomenon known as the Seeliger Effect. Take it all in! Saturn’s rings will be visible in even small aperture telescopes.
A medium-sized or larger telescope will allow you to see Saturn’s rings and a few of its brightest moons.