December List of Events

First, on Wednesday, December 2nd, @ 7:00pm come on out to our Annual  Christmas Party at  The Beaver Creek Reservation in Amherst, by the Police Station. Please bring a covered dish to share. (This is a rain or shine event.)If you think the club has been good this year bring a gift along for the club. We can always use gifts of coffee, cups, napkins, eyepieces, filters, and a whole host of other things...

Second, we will be holding our monthly Board of Directors meeting at the Blue Sky Restaurant in Amherst on Thursday, December 10th @ 7:00pm. This meeting is open to all active club members, and  regular members are encouraged to attend and work with us in deciding what best suits our club goals and meets our memberships' wishes. (This is a rain or shine event.)

Third, join us for for a Public Star Party to observe The Geminid Meteor Shower. We will also have some nice telescopic views of Jupiter and her moons, as well as Mars and Cygnus the Swan and Perseus. This Star Party is scheduled for Sunday, December 13th. (This is a weather permitting event.) If cancelled, there will be no rain date since this shower only peaks on this night. Watch this page for cancellation notices. Please dress warmly (layers) for this meteor shower. Bring coffee, hot chocolate, etc to keep you warm and hydrated. If you have a reclining lawn chair bring it along, with some blankets to cover up in...

Be aware that at this time of year anything can happen weatherwise so don't be fooled by the warmth of the day. Temperatures can fall dramatically after the sun sets. To be on the safe side, bring a sweater, jacket, gloves, cap and coat. Then you can add or subtract layers to fit your personal needs.

The Nielson Observatory address is 13630 Diagonal Road LaGrange, Ohio. It is located at the Lorain County Metroparks Carlisle Reservation, specifically at the Equestrian Center Entrance. When arriving, be sure to go slow, because the entrance to the Equestrian Center is not lit and is very easy to miss in the dark. Rely on headlights to illuminate the sign. Watch the street numbers for 13630 or enter the address into your GPS.

Upon entering the drive, pass through the gate and proceed down a long winding road through the woods. The road will eventually split, with one fork continuing into the woods and the other branching off to the right. Keep left and go deeper into the woods. (The right fork goes to a service building.) You will soon come to a steep curve, cross a bridge and emerge in a clearing. After driving up a low hill, there will be a parking lot and restrooms to the right. Park in the lot and walk to the observatory across the road along a narrow path. The Observatory is south of the parking lot, or left of the road you just drove in on.

The Nielsen Observatory is manned by the membership of The Black River Astronomical Society, who have been bringing Amateur Astronomy to Lorain County residents since 1949.To learn more about Black River, visit our website at www.BlackRiverAstro.org