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comment by asdfoster
asdfoster  ·  3176 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Pluto has a tail!

Why would you want to go outside, when inside is where all of the cool space stuff is?

Pluto does rotate on its side, but its pole isn't (currently) always facing the sun. In fact, the sun is currently mostly heating the equator. Here is its current orientation, and more details.





user-inactivated  ·  3176 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Outside! We are setting up a 14" dob and an 18" dob today to let people look at Saturn, M3, M13 and if the luck holds out M57.

Scopes this big can cut through the light pollution on some of the brighter Messier objects even from downtown.

asdfoster  ·  3176 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Very nice! I live in Orlando and am involved with an Astronomy Society here. We have a few 8" telescopes and one 21" (in the Robinson Observatory). I know your pain of trying to cut through light pollution (damn Disney) and humidity and poor conditions. Have fun with all of that!

user-inactivated  ·  3176 days ago  ·  link  ·  

We sat outside as long as we could stand it. not nearly the crowd we usually pull in but 200+ anyway. I try to hit the public the week around first quarter as I can have the scopes up and looking at the moon for a few hours before sunset and hype Saturn at nightfall (9:30PM up here).

We dodged clouds all evening but managed to get Saturn at 200x for most of the evening. That is good enough to see 4-5 moons and the Cassini division. And there was a ton of Pluto talk.

Next outreach I have to bring my globes to explain how big Pluto, the moon and the earth are.