(No) Observing Tonight

Clayton A. Feldman, MD (clayfeld@No-Spam)
Fri, 07 Jan 1999 14:27:44 -0800

I'd like to thank Mark Wagner for all the information and help in teaching
me the basics of using the Montebello observing site, although it looks
like my first try will not reach fruition because of the high clouds now
visible. Thanks also to the several people I talked to about the various
relatively local observing sites and their attendant problems. It seems
that we novices have a lot more to learn than just the basics of our
equipment and the night sky! Like everyone else who lives in Silicon
Valley, I have an overloaded schedule, but I still have the basic goal of
getting to a better site than my back yard at least once a season.

The only well-organized-in-advance observing sessions at new moon seem to
be at Grant Park, but those also seem to be open-to-the-public look-see
sessions. The Fremont Peak and Coe Park new moon sessions well-documented
in the SJAA schedules are not at all organized as far as I can tell, so you
can never be sure who (if anyone) will be attending. From what I've heard
of sociologic dysfunctions occuring at the Peak, I don't think I would like
to go there alone! I guess the best thing to do is frequent these pages and
tag along with the Top Guns whenever schedules coincide. I can see why
Michelle Stone chose a permanent location!

By the way, is there any parking available at the Channel 8 tower site at
the peak? Could there be any observing there at a 'secured' site? Anyone
aware of any beggable or leaseable site on any of the surrounding properties?

Clay Feldman


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