metroparks

Star Trails and Space Station Track

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Photo: Star trails around Polaris are interrupted by a pass of the International Space Station. Photo by Alan Studt.
Star trails around Polaris are interrupted by a pass of the International Space Station. Photo by Alan Studt.

On a seemingly rare clear night recently in Northeastern Ohio, Cuyahoga Astronomical Association (CAA) member, photographer Alan Studt traveled to Hinckley Lake for a bit of stargazing. CAA members can access Cleveland Metroparks for after-hours astronomy.

“Gale and I watched the nice ISS pass on Thursday night. Since it was clear Friday night we went to Hinckley Lake Reservation and sat by the lake while I shot a star trail. Nice surprise – the ISS flew by and photo-bombed the star trail!” — Alan Studt

Technical Items:

  • 102 shots, 20 seconds each
  • Tamron 15-30mm @ 15mm, f2.8
  • ISO 200, Nikon D810

Seeing Double at CAA’s July meeting

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The July 2017 Membership Meeting of the Cuyahoga Astronomical Association (CAA) will take place Monday, July 10, at 7:30 PM.

Gary Kader, CAA member and Director of the Burrell Observatory of Baldwin Wallace University, will present — SEEING DOUBLE: FINDING AND OBSERVING DOUBLE STARS FOR FUN AND SCIENCE. About half the stars in the night sky are actually multiple stars. Some are visible as two stars in a telescope, those are visual binaries, while others are determined from analyzing their light. Many show contrasting colors, which make them fun to observe. Learn all about double stars in this interesting presentation.

CAA’s monthly meetings take place at the Rocky River Nature Center of the Cleveland Metroparks, 24000 Valley Parkway, North Olmsted. The program begins at 7:30 PM, followed by a social break which is followed, in turn, by a business meeting.

Non-members are welcome to attend the evening’s program!

Now Showing: CAA’s 2015 astrophoto exhibit

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by William Murmann, CAA President
Photo: Gallery wall at the Rocky River Nature Center. Photo by James Guilford.
CAA’s 2015 Astrophoto Show
CAA’s astrophoto display is now up and running on the Gallery Wall at the Rocky River Nature Center!  Come and see the excellent work done by our members! The display is from September through October 2015.

Thanks to Steve Gallant, Dave Watkins, Dave Nuti, James Guilford, Chris Christe, Steve Spears, Alan Studt , and Joe Golias for providing photos for the display. We had more photos than we could fit on the Gallery Wall, so we mounted some images on nearby walls in the gallery room.

Unfortunately, due to a lack of room not all the images could be displayed. I helped hang the photos, however, and made sure that everyone who submitted images was represented. Thanks again to everyone for participating!

Season-ending open house November 12

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The CAA will host their last program and star party of the year for the Medina Park District Saturday, Nov. 12, starting at 8 PM at the Letha House building.

Club president William Murmann will give a presentation about the European Southern Observatory at 8 PM, followed by a public star gazing program if sky conditions permit.

If the skies are clear, observers will see the 17-day waning Moon offering great edge-of-terminator views of some large craters on the eastern limb including floor-fractured Petavius.

Io should be crossing Jupiter around 9:30 that moon casting its shadow on Jupiter’s cloud tops — a good target for larger scopes. All of the Galilean Moons will be visible. The Pleiades and Hyades star clusters will be up, and Orion will be rising in the east.

Club members are asked to please bring their telescopes and join in the star party.