Latest Update:
It was a clear night, Monday, Nov. 16th. Let's hope for another clear night starting the week of Dec. 7th
For further information:
e-mail Dr. Glenn Spiczak, Observatory Director, or call 715-425-3560.
Weather conditions necessary for viewing: The sky should be almost completely clear, so look up before you leave home. Generally, we will decide whether or not to cancel a session by 5:00 p.m. and post our decision here to allow for adequate setup time.
Our decision is a best guess based on the latest satellite image and forecast, so occasionally we are fooled and request your forgiveness. Check this site or call (715)-425-3235 for the latest update.
Feel free to check out the latest satellite images and forecast on Fox9 weather or use your favorite weather site.
Observatory
The UWRF Observatory is equipped with a 16-inch Meade computer-controlled LX200GPS mounted under the dome, three portable telescopes (two 12-inch Meade LX200 and one 18-inch Obsession Dobsonian) and a Coronado PST Solar Telescope.
Fall Sessions, 2009
Oct. 12-15: First clear night M-Th...sorry, cloudy all week, only the talk took place on Oct. 15th.
8:30 pm Talk in CSH 271: “The Wrong Stuff: Bad Astronomy in Space Movies "
9:00 pm Viewing at CSH Observatory...
Nov. 16-19 : First clear night M-Th...yippee! A nice night for observing Nov. 16th.
7:15 pm Planetarium Show in Ag.Sci. 201
8:00 pm Viewing at CSH Observatory...
Dec. 7-10 : First clear night M-Th...
7:00 pm Talk in CSH 271: "The Star of Bethlehem "
7:30 pm Viewing at CSH Observatory...
The Observatory is on the 3rd floor, Centennial Science Hall (CSH), at the corner of 6th and Cascade. Sessions are free and open to the public. If you would like to be on our "stargazers" e-mail distribution list, send a request to glenn.spiczak@uwrf.edu.
For observing, use the outside Observatory stairwell near the south door of CSH to avoid disturbing the sky above with light and heat from inside (otherwise, use the nearby CSH entrance).
If you need assistance or elevator access to the 3rd floor, please let us know (elevator keying is required). Talks are in CSH room 271 on the opposite side of the building, closest to the north entrance.
What's up in the sky this month
(or last month, next month, etc.)?
- Daylight Saving Time starts at 2am, Mar. 8, 2009 and ends at 2am, Nov. 1, 2009.
- Saturn's rings are seen nearly edge-on. You won't see them this flat again until 2038.
- The LCROSS lunar impact took place at 7:32am Oct. 9, 2009. A infrared plume was seen, but a visible light plume was not obvious (debris did not go high enough above the shadowed crater floor to get into the sunlight )
- The Leonid meteor shower occurs on Nov. 16th. Try looking at the whole sky, especially after midnight when Earth's atmosphere is facing forward for lots of impacts of comet debris on our "windshield".
(including comet Holmes Nov. 2007) from the 16-inch with our new large CCD
Observing Tips
It is often best to arrive sometime after the start of a session to avoid long lines. In addition to the main telescope under the dome, one or two smaller telescopes will be set up on the observing deck. Each telescope will staffed by a physics dept. faculty, student, or guest astronomer to answer any questions. Look at as many things as you like, and feel free to request your own observing targets. Dress appropriately for the weather, since the dome is unheated and the observing deck is outside.
Recent Sessions and Some of the Objects Seen
Oct. 15, 2009: Talk “The Wrong Stuff –Bad Astronomy in Space Movies”, Observing canceled...
---needs updating Fall, 2008 and Spring, 2009---
Mar. 2, 2008: Talk “Measuring the Universe – The Story of Parallax”, Observed...
Feb. 3, 2008: Talk “2009: International Year of Astronomy - Galileo”, Observed...
Dec. 1, 2008: Talk “Star of Bethlehem”, Observed...
Nov. 3, 2008: Talk “Toys in Space”, Observed...
Oct. 2, 2008: Talk “The Best of Tonight's Sky ”, Observing canceled due to weather.
May 7, 2008: Talk “A Star by Any Other Name – Origins of Star Names”, Observed...
Mar.10, 2008: Talk “Dieter’s Dream: Weightlessness and Space Travel”, Observed...
Feb. 14, 2008: Talk “The Best of Tonight’s Sky” (Matt Vonk), Observed...
Dec. 10, 2007: Talk “The Star of Bethlehem”, Observing canceled due to weather.
Nov. 12, 2007: Talk “What the Big Bang Does and Does Not Tell Us about the Universe”, Observed...
Oct., 2007: Talk “Weightlessness”, Observing canceled due to weather.
Sept. 19, 2007: Talk “Space Shuttle Mission 118 - Teacher in Space ”, Observed...
Apr., 2007: Saturn's magnificant rings and Galilean moons, Venus in partial phase, M51 Whirlpool galaxy, Beta Cygni double star, Double Cluster NGC 869 and NGC 884, Regulus of Leo, Pleiades, Hyades, Taurus, Cassiopeia, Big and Little Dippers, etc...
Feb., 2007: Crescent Moon craters and maria, Saturn and it's beautiful rings, M57 Ring Nebula, M42 Orion Nebula, M31 Andromeda galaxy, M51 Whirlpool galaxy, M82 Cigar Galaxy, Double Cluster NGC 869 and NGC 884, Betelgeuse, Castor double star, Pleiades, Hyades, Taurus, Orion, Sirius, Gemini, Cassiopeia, Dippers, etc...
Dec., 2006: Uranus, the blue-green planet spinning on its side, M57 Ring Nebula, M31 Andromeda galaxy, the Double Cluster NGC 869 and NGC 884, Albireo, Betelgeuse, Geminid meteor shower, Pleiades, Taurus, Orion, Gemini, Pegasus, Cassiopeia, Open Cluster, Orion Nebula, etc...
Oct., 2006: M57 Ring Nebula, M27 Dumbbell Nebula, M31 Andromeda galaxy, Wild Duck cluster, the Double Cluster NGC 869 and NGC 884, Albireo, Cygnus, Pleiades, Taurus, Orion, Gemini, Pegasus, Cassiopeia, etc...
Sept., 2006: Jupiter and its four large moons, M57 Ring Nebula, M31 Andromeda galaxy, the Double Cluster NGC 869 and NGC 884, Albireo, Betelgeuse, Cygnus, Vega, Pleiades, Taurus, Orion, Gemini, Pegasus, Cassiopeia, etc...
Mar., 2006: Saturn & its ring system, M3 & M5 Globular Clusters, M44 Beehive Cluster, M81 Cigar Galaxy, M82, Mizar & Alcor, Castor, Sirius, M42 Orion Nebula, etc....
Mar., 2006: A thin waxing crescent Moon, reddish Mars, Saturn & its ring system, M3 Globular Cluster, M44 Beehive Cluster, M81 Cigar Galaxy, M82, M97 Owl Nebula, M104 Sombrero Galaxy, M105, The Double Cluster, Ghost of Jupiter Planetary Nebula, Mizar & Alcor, Castor, Sirius, Pleiades, Orion Nebula, etc...
Oct., 2005: M81 and M82 Galaxies, M57 Ring Nebula, M15 Globular Cluster, M17 Swan/Omega/Horseshoe Nebula, M8 Lagoon Nebula, M13 Andromeda Galaxy, M76 Butterfly/Little Dumbbell Nebula.
Sept., 2005: M81 and M82 Galaxies, M13 Great Hercules Globular Cluster, M57 Ring Nebula, M17 Swan/Omega/Horseshoe Nebula, M8 Lagoon Nebula, M13 Andromeda Galaxy, Big & Little Dippers, Mizar, Albireo, Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Libra, Pegasus.
May, 2005: Saturn & Titan, Jupiter & 4 Moons (Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto), M96 galaxy, M81 and M82 Galaxies, M3 Globular Cluster, The Ghost of Jupiter Planetary Nebula, The Owl Nebula, M44 BeeHive Open Cluster, M51 Whirlpool Galaxy, Big Dipper, Arcturus, North Star, Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Gemini, Leo (Regulus).
Apr., 2005: Saturn & Titan, Jupiter & 4 Moons (Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto), M105 and M96 galaxies, M81 and M82 Galaxies, M42 Orion Nebula, M45 Pleiades, Caldwell 14 Double Cluster, M3 Globular Cluster, The Ghost of Jupiter Planetary Nebula, The Owl Nebula, M44 BeeHive Open Cluster, M51 Whirlpool Galaxy, Big Dipper, Arcturus, North Star, Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Orion (Betelgeuse), Sirius, Procyon, Gemini, Leo (Regulus).
Stargazing Links
Hawaiian Astronomical Society: Caldwell Objects
Absolute Astronomy: Messier Objects
Spacewatch: learn about what's up
Sky & Telescope: monthly commentary
US Naval Observatory Data Services: calculates times of astronomical events for any given day & location
Observing the Heavens Above!
Award winning daily science radio series with a variety of articles, teacher resources, kids stuff, etc.
Phil Harrington's StarWare, advice and information page for amateur astronomers
Astronomy 101 portal: for high quality resources of images, activities, news, notes, etc...
NASA's StarChild site: for young (and old) astronomers.
