I N F I N I T Y…………becky ramotowski

Wow!

What a great star party! We had 16 astronomers with 12 scopes/binoculars and a crowd of over 200 show up for the Wildlife West Nature Park Star Party in Edgewood Friday, June 12.

We had visitors from as far away as the Naval Academy at Annapolis, and a few from Houston, Texas that have summer homes in the East Mountains.

The skies were great and our hosts at Wildlife West were very accommodating.  They provided sky maps for the public, and a slide show with popcorn and cider in the Bean Barn. There were a lot of youngsters and everyone really enjoyed seeing Saturn, Alberio, M57, and a couple of nice satellite passes. Other targets were shown, but Saturn was the scene stealer of the night as it usually is when it’s being show at a star party.

The local High School students’ exclamation of appreciation was “that’s legit” so I think we all did a great job of informing and pleasing the crowd.

Thanks to all who came!  It could not have happened without your support.

Photo above was from the party, lots of long lines at each scope.  Sorry about the image quality, but I was using a high ISO and long exposures to avoid firing the flash.  The blob of light in the photo is from a security light on the site.  The little white dots in the sky are stars.

Out near the driveway where I set up my scope lives this little critter.

He’s making quick work of the oregano in the herb garden.

Call me stubborn, intrepid, or just plain hardheaded…but lucky!

There was a predicted minus 8 Iridium satellite flare tonight and in between rainclouds, I somehow managed to capture it flaring through the clouds at exactly 10:16:39 PM.

The star at the lower left of the flare is Vega-which I could not see while aiming the camera.

Nikon D70 on tripod

A stop in San Antonio on the way home….

Image from my pilot friend, “Triple” Nickel.