CORONATION PARK - ORMSKIRK

WORLD ASTRONOMY DAY

SATURDAY 10 MAY 2008 - 8:30 PM - 10:00 PM

Members of the Liverpool Astronomical Society, (founded in 1881), will display several telescopes for viewing the Moon, Saturn and Mars, if clear. There will also be an illustrated talk on astronomy.

This event is free, and is open to all members of the public.

For more information contact:-

Chris Horsfall - West Lancs Park Ranger - 01695 585147 - chris.horsfall@westlancsdc.gov.uk

Liverpool Astronomical Society

Dave Owen, LAS Sidewalk Astronomers - 07778 454524 - dowenlas@yahoo.com

EVENT REPORT - Dave Owen - I arrived, slightly late, at about 19:35, with Brendan and his 10 inch Dobsonian. Dave Bentley, Jim Lawler and Alan Dennot arrived at the same time. The Crescent Moon was visible in a mostly clear sky. Jim Stacey had already set up his C6 GoTo telescope on the bowling green

At 20:08 the sky was still too bright to see Saturn, Mars or Mercury. We never did get to see Mercury, due to cloud near the western horizon. However, although the sky was too cloudy to see the daylight occultation of Mars, between 13:19 and 13:56 BST, by 20:30 BST I was able to find Mars by sweeping west of the Moon by just over 3 degrees, using a wide field 2 inch eyepiece in John Leek's 10 inch Dobsonian.

Saturn was eventually found in several scopes and despite the rings being tilted by just under 10 degrees it was still a very fine site in Brendan's 10 inch telescope.

The Ranger was very helpful and allowed us to use the indoor facilities. This meant that Brendan could do an illustrated talk while I looked after his telescope.

We started to pack up at about 22:00. There was increasing cloud and it was still not very dark.

EVENT PICTURES by Jim Stacey:

Ormskirk 10 May 2008 Photos

HOW TO FIND CORONATION PARK, ORMSKIRK: