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TAO Public Stargaze

August 21, 2010

Gate open: 1900 h -- program: 1930 h

In the sky: Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, luminescent nebulae!!

Where? See our map on the right.

Great viewing at TAO on Aug. 7, when we enjoyed wonderful skies, the Milky Way rising out of Sagittarius and continuing overhead and well beyond Cygnus, plus those early Perseid meteors. We had a big crowd, a bit over 30 I think although some people said 40. Thanks to all the astronomers, both with and without scopes, inside and outside. I learned how important it is to get out small scopes and work with the newbies as dusk falls, showing the planets as they come into view. And to help them see the showy sights, such as double stars, M57 and newly rising planets. Personal thanks go to Lee for helping me with the program, to Gerald for showing me some stacked astrophotos of M56, to Larry for showing us kids the green skies of Neptune, to DR for roaming the skies with our LX-200, and to Troy and Morgan for showing me some astronomy tricks with their Ipad. Thanks to everyone who brought telescopes, food/drinks to share and who helped answer questions. Here's Gerald with M56, after capturing photons traveling for 31,000 years:

Things to do better on Aug. 21 all involve photons:
+ We've got to completely avoid bright white light flashlights in the viewing area. They are problematic for eyeballs and sensitive cameras! We had film cameras and sensitive CCD cameras going, and the big flashlight screwed up both. Many complaints... No more big ugly lights!
+ We've got to have hands off the presentation computer except for presenters. Anyone who must play with a computer may bring their own computer and avoid this one.
+ We need less light pollution from Kingson, Harriman, and 'security lights'. Any ideas of what to do?
+ We need to use little lights or phosphorescent paint to mark legs of telescopes. I was operating a small refractor scope with black tripod, the IBT radio telescope, and the 8" refractor, and someone moved and dumped the small refractor when I was otherwise occupied. So maybe we need more volunteers to help operate observatory scopes.

Skies have been beautiful, with easy naked-eye and spectacular telescopic viewing of Earth, Mars, Saturn and the sun (with a few sunspots seen on Wed. evening).

Aug. 21 will be an excellent evening to visit and enjoy astronomy. The observatory sponsors public Stargazes on the first and third Saturday evenings of each month. Amateur astronomers bring telescopes and binoculars and offer views of astronomical objects, while visitors are invited to bring their telescopes, questions and cookies to share with the astronomers.

Astronomy Canmp

Evengs of Discovery and Adventure

July 2010

The Astronomy Camp/"Evennigs of Adventure and Discovery" was a lot of fun! We had 3 nights of Astronomy lectures and stargazing.

Thanks to all the local people, especially those from teh Kingston Library, for making it happen!

Thanks to ORION for a party and for setting up telescopes for thiese events.

Thanks to ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers/East TN Chapter) for buynig the hot dots.

Did you visit us on Aug. 1, 2009?

SRSS Bad Light Shootout

N4TAO Special Event Station

"TAO Lighthouse, Collecting Starlight under Dark Skies"

Roane County citizens enjoyed the first SRSS Bad Light Shootout on August 1, when Tamke-Allan Observatory operated N4TAO as a Special Event Amateur Radio Station. The Bad Light Shootout was sponsored by Save Roane Starry Skies, and participants will shot at targets picturing inefficient and poorly-designed light fixtures using water balloons. Help stamp out "bad" lights, old-fashioned street lights that shine out and up, wasting energy and money, causing dangerous glare, and blotting out the night sky.

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The Light Conservation citizen's group has a new website.

Fortunately the ORION nebula shown here was well above the horizon. We continue to be challenged by light pollution..

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Here's a gazing ball image from 5/19. Note the heavy light pollution along the horizon and illumination of the classroom by the light trespass (click for full size image). This is a 11 PM photo and the light pollution prevents viewing around the horizon.

Tamke-Allan Observatory of Rockwood is a treasure of Roane County. It hosts free Public Stargazes on the first and third Saturday evenings of each month. These stargazes have opened the night skies, free of charge to everyone, for the past 10 years. Amateur astronomers bring telescopes and binoculars and offer views of astronomical objects, while visitors are invited to bring their questions and cameras and meet the astronomers. Kids are especially welcome.

Too much light causes glare – a hazard on our highways. Directing light downward where it is needed conserves energy and gives us a safer, more secure community. It also keeps our observatory open for education and research. When was the last time that you could see our beautiful milky way? We are losing our Roane County Heritage in the glare of unshielded lights.

Star Party Etiquette

* Bring a red flashlight and avoid using any white light after dark.
* Get to know the lighting controls for your vehicle and ensure as little white light as possible shines from your vehicle. If you cannot control the lights, choose to park as far away from the telescopes as practical.
* Carefully enter the observing location. Speeding into a parking area full of telescopes and observers is a recipe for an accident.

Astronomers from the Oak Ridge Isochronous Observation Network (ORION) and the Smokey Mountain Astronomical Society (SMAS) groups participate in most TAO events. TAO serves as the center for astronomy classes, optical astronomy and radio astronomy observing as well as and public stargazes on the first and third Saturdays of each month.

TAO Academic Associates are Colleges and Universities that have both faculty and students that share research and scientific goals. The emphasis is not just scientific -- this is a humanistic endeavor that encourages both cultural exchange and critical thinking.

Our Associate Groups: