may be updated further weather - depending.
Remember our Rule #1: Clear Skies = go to the observatory. Cloudy skies = go to classroom 705. If it's mostly clear then we'll probably still go to the observatory. If it's almost completely cloudy, we'll go to the classroom. If it's questionable and you go to the observatory and no one shows up by class start, then we must be in the classroom. And vice versa. If the gate to the observatory remains locked and it's cloudy - that's a sure sign we're at the classroom. Below is the nightly plan if skies are clear. Note that you should follow your lab book at all times! That means every class night you do your visual variable stars, watch for meteors, and observe binary stars and deep sky objects. When there's a bright moon, we can't do deep-sky photo projects or deep-sky telescope projects, as noted below. You can still do your variable stars, your binary stars project, and others not requiring dark skies. For the first night, we meet indoors in room 705 regardless of the weather.
Aug 25 - Meet in 705: Introduction, some basics. Intro to Choosing your Astrophoto Project (done: in classroom)
Sep 1 - waning gibbous moon rises late, photo and other projects OK
Sep 8 - No moon, good for all projects
Sep 15 - waxing crescent moon sets early. good for all projects
Sept 22 - waxing gibbous moon, not great for astrophotos.
Sept 29 - waning gibbous moon rises late, photo and other projects OK
Oct 6 - No moon, good for all projects
Oct 13 - waxing crescent moon sets early. good for all projects
Oct 20 - waxing gibbous moon, not great for astrophotos.
Oct 27 - Full moon; no astrophotos do-able. Some faint star variables not do-able
Nov 3 - No moon, good for almost all projects
Nov 10 - No moon, good for almost all projects
Nov 17 - first quarter moon. Good for occultations, not great for astrophotos.
Nov 24 - Full moon; no astrophotos do-able. Some faint star variables not do-able. We need to process our astrophotos.
Nov 27- Friday - Deadline for submitting your .jpg and labels for the online Student Gallery of your astrophoto projects
Dec 1 - Last regular night of the semester - Go to 705 regardless of weather. we'll spend it at the computers in 705 working on your astro photos.
Dec 8 - 6-9pm. In-class final. Convolve together our light curves, find the winners, turn in your
lab book and framed print with documentation hardcopy labels, photo of the class for our on-line ScrapBook!.