Save the Night: International Observe the Moon Night, October 5, 2019
The year’s final public stargazing session hosted by the Cuyahoga Astronomical Association (CAA) will take place Saturday, October 5, from 8:00 to 10 p.m. at our Letha House Park West observatory site.
Given good sky conditions visitors will be able to view Jupiter, Saturn, star clusters, and Earth’s Moon. In fact, the date coincides with International Observe the Moon Night: a worldwide appreciation of our world’s nearest neighbor in space.
The event is free, open to the public, and is conducted as an “open house” — visitors may arrive and depart at any time during the event’s hours. The CAA’s observatory will be open and association members also will be on hand to share views through their personal telescopes.
An interesting activity any time of year is to make note of the daily changes we see in the phases of Moon. Open the PDF to print a handy guide and journal for lunar observation: Moon Observation Journal.
Simulated View of Saturn and Moons as they will appear Saturday, September 7, at 9:30 PM EDT. Image via Gas Giants.
Seeing Stars Saturday! Coming this weekend: from 9 to 11 PM at Medina County Park District’s Letha House Park West on Saturday, September 7: Visit our observatory and peer through telescopes at our amazing cosmos. Planets Saturn and Jupiter will be spectacular, the Moon will be bright! And let’s not forget amazing star clusters; they would be sad if we did not look at them. {Such showoffs.}
Public observing nights are conducted in the open night air so dress appropriately for fall-like temperatures. There may also be mosquitoes so insect repellent may be a good idea.
We go now to the Moon, not as a destination, but as a proving ground for all the technology, science, and human exploration efforts that will be critical for missions to Mars. On the lunar surface we will pursue water ice and other natural resources that will further enable deep space travel. From the Moon, humanity will take the next giant leap to Mars.
NASA has led the charge in space exploration for 60 years, and as we mark the 50th anniversary of the first Moon landing, the agency is preparing for its next giant leap with the Artemis program.
Artemis, named after the twin sister of Apollo who is also the Goddess of the Moon and the hunt, encompasses all of our efforts to return humans to the Moon – which will prepare us and propel us on to Mars. Through the Artemis program, we will see the first woman and the next man walk on the surface of the Moon. As the “torch bringer,” literally and figuratively, Artemis will light our way to Mars.
With this in mind, NASA is unveiling the new Artemis program identity, a bold look that embodies the determination of the men and women who will carry our missions forward. They will explore regions of the Moon never visited before, unlock mysteries of the Universe and test the technology that will extend the bounds of humanity farther into the Solar System.
This new identity draws inspiration from the Apollo program logo and mission patch. Using an “A” as the primary visual and a trajectory from Earth to the Moon, we honor all that the Apollo program achieved. However, through Artemis we will forge our own path, pursue lunar exploration like never before, and pave the way to Mars.
With Earth Blue, Rocket Red and Lunar Silver for colors, every part of the identity has meaning:
THE A: The A symbolizes an arrowhead from Artemis’ quiver and represents launch.
TIP OF THE A: The tip of the A of Artemis points beyond the Moon and signifies that our efforts at the Moon are not the conclusion, but rather the preparation for all that lies beyond.
EARTH CRESCENT: The crescent of the Earth at the bottom shows missions from humanity’s perspective. From Earth we go. Back to Earth all that we learn and develop will return. This crescent also visualizes Artemis’ bow as the source from which all energy and effort is sent.
TRAJECTORY: The trajectory moves from left to right through the crossbar of the “A” opposite that of Apollo. Thus highlighting the distinct differences in our return to the Moon. The trajectory is red to symbolize our path to Mars.
MOON: The Moon is our next destination and a stepping stone for Mars. It is the focus of all Artemis efforts.
Come see deep-sky objects, planets, and the Moon up close using the Cuyahoga Astronomical Association’s (CAA) telescopes, from 9:00 to 11:00 PM, Saturday, June 8.
The CAA Observatory will be open for public viewing, and members will be available to answer your questions. Activities and/or displays will be set up inside the barn for further interest on cloudy nights. Given clear enough skies, visitors may view Earth’s Moon, planet Jupiter, and star clusters through a variety of member-owned telescopes.
This is an outdoor program so attendees should dress appropriately for conditions; use of insect repellent is also recommended.
