(meteorobs) Stargazing from Bryce Canyon, Utah

[Skywayinc at aol.com]

Some of you may remember back in  the spring I had indicated that I was 
interested in heading out west around  Perseid time to spend some time at a 
National Park and spend some time under  some dark skies for observing.  I had asked 
for suggestions as to where I  could go, and the place that was suggested the 
most was Bryce Canyon, Utah,  situated at an altitude of 7,600-feet.  
 
    So . . . this coming  Sunday, my family and I will depart from JFK for a 
two-week visit to "The  Beehive State."  In some ways it will be a  "busman's 
holiday" for me, as you can see by the E-mail message  below.
 
    From:   <Angie_Richman at nps.gov>  To:   Joe Rao, News  12  CC:   
Chad_Moore at nps.gov,  Kevin_Poe at nps.gov  Date:   Monday - July 30,  2007 6:57 PM  
Subject:   Re: Perseid Meteor  Shower at Bryce Canyon   Mime.822 (5084 bytes)    
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Dear Joe,

Thanks for your e-mail  message. I do remember our conversation last April
and I am looking  forward to meeting you in August. As far as the Meteor
shower program  goes, the following is the schedule of events.

At 9:00 PM we will  start with a one-hour multimedia presentation given by
myself. I talk  about lots of astronomy related things but will incorporate
something  about the meteor shower as well.

At 10:00 PM we will invite the visitors to  join us for telescope viewing.
We will also invite them at this time to  bring out lawn chairs,
pads/blankets, binoculars, etc to watch the  meteor shower. We will let
folks stay out with us as late as they would  like, however, the parking lot
where the telescopes will be set-up is  not a place to camp so everyone will
have to leave by 6 AM.

We  would be happy to have your assistance with this program and I  can
foresee you helping in a couple of ways.

1. You could help run a telescope. The park has a  number of scopes that
will be available should you choose to operate  one.

2. You could talk with the folks in lawn chairs at  the observing lot,
giving them more insights into meteor showers and  what they should be
looking for.

Let me know if either of these  things is what you had in mind, or if there
is a different way in which  you would like to contribute.

Thanks again for your interest in  Bryce Canyon and our spectacular night
sky.

Angie  Richman
Astronomy Volunteer Coordinator and Lead Seasonal
Bryce  Canyon National  Park
435-834-4401
---------------------------------------------------------------

 
So . . . "hopefully," the weather will cooperate and  I'll be enjoying a dark 
nighttime sky while sharing a little of my knowledge of  the stars with other 
campers.

-- joe r.
 
 
 
"The night was moonless and cold and a host of  twinkleless stars
filled the sky all the way to the horizon.  On  several occasions
I had experienced nights of amazing clarity, but  none like this, and it
made my very best Ohio skies seem almost murky by  comparison.  
The difference, of course was mostly one of altitude  for here on Mt. Locke,
with its elevation of 7,000-feet, I saw the stars as  from a point more than 
a mile above my home in  Delphos." 
 
-- "Night on Mount Locke" by
    Leslie C. Peltier, from his  autobiography,
    "Starlight Nights/The Adventures  of a Star-Gazer."
    
 
 



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