Astronomy

[Mechman]

Just wanted too let people know that I am an amateur astronomer, who is always looking to get others interested in the hobby.

If anyone is interested in seeing what the night sky has to offer, let me know, and I'll keep you in the loop when I am going out with the scopes.  Or if you have an event that you think may benefit from having a crazy geocacher looking through a telescope, let me know.  Perhaps sometime in September when the evenings are longer, I'll host an observing evening (even turn it into an event cache-more people will come that way!!)for the area cachers

Our group (RASC - Thunder Bay Centre) has a number of evenings in the summer that we do presentations out at the area provincial parks, If I remember i'll try to post the dates here.

Dave

[hunter-killer]

Kathy and I recall a hunting trip maybe 5 years ago in late  October or so that had me paying more attention to the sky then the highway as we were driving out to boreal near heart lake road. We left at 5 a.m and the frequency of this meteorite shower was dozens of meteorites per minute, We had arrived too early for legal shooting time, so sat and watched the show. It continued and was visible even as it got light, and we drove into a cut ( old logging operation) and there stood a Bull moose staring at the sky, with his snout pointing up, he was scenting us, but it almost looked like he was watching the show. That was the most impressive meteorite shower we have ever seen, and the most memorable hunt we can remember. Now I know, We can't  give you an actual date, just wondering was that the Perseid s meteorites, or was it another. And is there anything similar coming up this fall ? We watched meteorite showers from the beach at Lake Marie Louise but nothing compared to that morning.

[shroomAzoom]

This is timely: in the Lakehead University Communications Bulletin today, there's a media release about the hands-on astronomy course at LU as well as their observatory (could that be right?) Apparently people can book times to take a look at the heavens!

For more info, read the media release.

[Mechman]

Hunter-Killer

Sorry for not getting back to you earlier - I've been away from the forums for a while.  Are you sure that it was October and not mid November?  The Leonids are in mid November and I remember a nice display about 8 years ago or so.  In October it would have been the Orionids.  And just a technicality-they are meteor showers - not meteorite showers.  They don't become meteorites until they hit the ground (and most of them during a shower don't).  Our group usually goes to Quetico during the August Perseid shower.  They have amazing dark skies there!!  It's a real treat to get away from town.
Dave

[Mechman]

This is timely: in the Lakehead University Communications Bulletin today, there's a media release about the hands-on astronomy course at LU as well as their observatory (could that be right?) Apparently people can book times to take a look at the heavens!

For more info, read the media release.

Both Lionel and Randy are members in our club...apparently the course was a success, and will be run again next year.  And yes, if you want to see the dome just call Randy - www.thunderbayobservatory.com

He's got a 17 or 18" telescope out there.  Sometimes I'll go out to set mine up outside the dome, nice dark skies there.

Dave