This past Friday night I participated in a outreach event, showing off the night sky to almost 600 visitors at Astronomy Night with the Raleigh Astronomy Club at Prairie Ridge Ecostation (part of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Science). Fellow Solar System Ambassador Doug Lively and I as well as another a dozen club volunteers provide 10 telescopes for viewing.
I set up my 11″ SCT for EAA (Electronically Assisted Astronomy) and showed off the Moon, Jupiter, Saturn, M13 the Hercules Globular Cluster and M16 the Eagle Nebula to visitors.
One new question that came up several times is “where’s the best place to see the Milky Way?” It seems the public is become more aware of the effects of light pollution.
Clear & Steady Skies!
-Mike
