Night Watch   15 May 2013

New Quarterly ASTROLOG has been published. Check it out: http://www.cfas.org/filemgmt_data/files/Astrolog%20Volume%2038%20Quarter%201.pdf

Many of our National parks are great astronomy observing sites.  Read on to see which ones are the best

Free Online State-of-the-Art Astronomy Course from Dr. Chris Impey


This course with Professor Impey and a team of instructors from Seward Observatory starts March 25th! 

Access the free online course and outline here:
https://www.udemy.com/astronomy-state-of-the-art/

NASA's Space Place a NASA public education and outreach program, recognizes the Central Florida Astronomical Society for its valuable contributions to its community in the areas of science, technology education and inspiration.

5 February 2013 — ESA/Hubble Photo Release heic1302

A spiral galaxy with a secret

 Top Astronomical Events for 2013

This webpage is a well put calendar for a year long of Astronomical Events for you to observe. Complete with images and diagrams.

if you have an iPad you be interested in the following new iBooks from Hubble:

CFAS supports the Lunar Society Moon Observing Certificate Program.   So far only one of our members, Wayne Frey,  has completed this program.  Wayne found this to be a most interesting and challenging program that has changed his whole attitude and interest in viewing the moon.  He is sure if you complete  this program you will get hooked on observing the moon frequently.

Wayne has written the following article to help CFAS members more easily complete the Certificate.

 I have been working on the Herschel 400 observing certificate for several years. You can find the list at:

www.astroleaque.org/obsclubs/herschel/h400lstc.html 

You can choose to print it out in numerical order or by constellation. I printed both and us the first as a master log to keep track of my observed objects. I use the "by constellation" list to organize my observation list for the night.

To aid in locating the object with a push-to scope I found this web site helpful as it has finder charts for all as well as an atlas.  www.astronomylogs.com  

Because the astro leaque wants sketchs as well as documentation as to when, where, equipment used, etc. I found this web site with pdf sample log sheets.

www.perezmedia.net/beltofvenus/templates/html

I use the condensed observation record sheet because you get 5 per page and I printed it on both sides. Remember you have 400 targets to log and that is a lot of paper.