public event

Saturday, May 27: Our First Public Night of the season!

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The Cuyahoga Astronomical Association (CAA) will host our first public star party of the year for the Medina County Park District starting at 8 PM this coming Saturday, May 27. A program and the star party will take place at Letha House Park.

The public program will be a “Telescope Night” with the visitors invited to bring their personal telescopes to learn how to set up and use them starting at 8 PM.  After it gets dark, we’ll have the usual star gazing program between 9 and 11 PM.

Members: Any and all help will be appreciated!  Please bring a scope if you can and assist with the program.

CAA’s observatory is located at 5800-5994 Richman Road – Just North of Spencer Lake Road Spencer, OH 44275. Click here for a Google Map and instructions on how to get to the observatory.

April Meeting: The Martians are Coming!

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Image: Henrique Alvim Corrêa Illustration
Henrique Alvim Corrêa Illustration

The regular monthly membership meeting of the Cuyahoga Astronomical Association will take place Monday, April 10, beginning at 7:30. Meetings take place at the Rocky River Nature Center; 24000 Valley Parkway; North Olmsted, Ohio, in the Cleveland Metroparks.

“The Martians are Coming! – Astronomical Hoaxes and Panics.” CAA member Steve Gallant will discuss some of the great astronomical hoaxes, including the famous Orson Welles “WAR OF THE WORLDS” radio broadcast of 1938!

Following the presentation, the business portion of the meeting will convene. If Martians have not overrun the auditorium, inciting panic by then.

Milky Way stars during public star party

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Photo: Looking South Along the Lake at Letha House Park, Milky Way Glowing Overhead, the Moon Sinking Low in the West. Photo by Alan Studt.
Looking South Along the Lake at Letha House Park, Milky Way Glowing Overhead. Photo by Alan Studt. Nikon D810: ISO 3200, 13 sec., f/2.8, 14mm.

We had great sky conditions for our August 6 public star party at Letha House Park. We didn’t get an exact count, but I think there were between 75 and 100 guests who came for the program, including Park Ranger Bob who stopped by to say hello.

I had to make a quick count in the dark, but I think we had about 12 telescopes for this Medina County Park District program. Two telescopes were brought by new members who I believe joined one of our star parties for the first time.

Many thanks to Dave Nuti, Chris Christe, Bruce Lane, Jay Reynolds, Nora Mishey, Carl Kudrna, Rich & Nancy Whisler, Bob Wiersma, Alan Studt, Rob Seig, Bob & Mary Deep, and Gale Franko who joined me to help with the program!

Thanks to Jay, who manned the observatory and gave our new 12-inch go-to scope a workout to show the night sky to our numerous  guests.  And thanks also to Nora, who brought delicious homemade cookies and her astronomy Q & A display, and who served as a host in the building to help promote our club and the park district’s programs.

Reported by William Murmann, CAA President

Photo: Summer Milky Way. Photo by Alan Studt.
Summer Milky Way. Photo by Alan Studt. Nikon D810: ISO 5000, 15 sec., f/2.8, 14mm.

Public Observing Saturday, August 6

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The Cuyahoga Astronomical Association’s (CAA’s) observatory at Letha House Park will be open for public observing Saturday, August 6, from 8:30 to 11:00 PM. Visitors will be treated to telescopic views of the Moon (early), Saturn, and as the sky darkens, deep sky objects such as star clusters. Mars may also be viewed but is becoming more distant from Earth and offers less detail to viewers. Click here for our observatory’s web page for information on how to get to the observatory and advice on attending a star party.

The observatory is operated in cooperation with the Medina County Park District (which owns the property). Restroom facilities are available at the park and, in the event of cloudy or inclement weather, an indoor astronomy program will be offered in place of outdoor observing.