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Sat, 5/30/09: Star watch at Atsion Field

Public Star Watch at Atsion Field
Saturday, May 30, 2009

Weather permitting, a free public star watch will be presented by the Willingboro Astronomical Society at Atsion Field in Wharton State Forest, NJ, on Saturday, May 30, 2009. Atsion Field is on the east side of Route 206, just north of the lake and Atsion/Quaker Bridge Rds. It is roughly midway between Route 70 (the Red Lion Circle) ten miles to the north and Route 30 (the White Horse Pike in Hammonton) nine miles to the south.

The program starts at 7:30 pm with an open-air, astronomical media presentation followed by an observing session with telescopes on the field until 11:00 pm. Before dark, we’ll have our Kid’s Korner, which features “Cooking up a Comet,” where we make one of our own. After dark, there’ll be a laser-guided Sky Tour of the stars and constellations and a Binocular Beam, where participants will follow the laser beam to find objects in their own binoculars.

This will be a great opportunity to look through a variety of optical instruments from a relatively dark site at many of the incredible and diverse things that fill the nighttime sky. Here are some of the many objects we expect to see:

• Saturn, famous for its rings, which are now in an unusual configuration
• M44, the Beehive, a naked-eye cluster buzzing with stars in Cancer the crab
• The Whirlpool Galaxy, M51, and NGC 5195, joined by a bridge of nebulosity
• Mizar & Alcor, a double star with a surprise in the Big Dipper’s handle
• M104, the Sombrero Galaxy in Corvus the crow
• The Trio in Leo, galaxies M65, M66 and NGC 3628
• M13, the Great Globular Cluster in the Keystone of Hercules the strongman

Come and share our enjoyment of the night sky. Whether you are new to astronomy or have a lifetime interest, this will be an event you won’t want to miss; all ages are welcome. Directions and further information about the Society and its 2009 schedule of Public Star Watches can be found at our web site: www.wasociety.net

For possible weather cancellation, check the WAS web site or call the Atsion Ranger Station at (609) 268-0444 after 3:00 pm on the day of the Star Watch.

Details from PDF on the Willingboro Astronomical Society’s Star Watch schedule.