General Session - August 25, 2018

Jupiter, Mars & Saturn
Time: 8:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Equipment: Visual + Telescope with 10 mm eyepiece

Our grandson pointed to Mars and asked what the name of that "star" was. When he was told it was actually the planet Mars, he was so excited! He ran to his parents shouting, "I saw the star Mars!"

Jupiter was west of Mars and was bright enough to point it out to him. Also showed him Venus that was just about to set in the west; he was so excited to see his 3rd planet for the evening.

I told him he had actually seen 4 planets and he correctly identified "Earth" as the fourth. Smart boy!

Cassiopeia
Equipment: Visual
Because our grandson had stars on his bedroom ceiling, he referred to this constellation as his, the "William" constellation - because of its shape. He was thrilled to see it for real.

Red Moon. Red Sun.
Equipment: Visual
Moonrise: 8:00 PM ADT
Sunset: 6:30 PM ADT
Our grandson asked why the Moon and Sun were quite red in colour. It was explained that because the smoke from the western Canada forest fires was in the air between us and space, it gave them the reddish colour. We couldn't see many stars naked eye this evening but the planets, Moon and Sun stood out. 

Big Dipper + Mizar A & B + Alcor
Time: 9:30 PM 
Equipment: Telescope + 10 mm
Magnification: x120

Because our grandson had stars on his bedroom ceiling, he knew the Big Dipper when I pointed it out to him. I also told him the centre star in the handle was special because it was a double star. I showed him on SkySafariPro what it would look like close up then showed him through the eyepiece. Wow.