March Schedule of Events

We have three events scheduled for March. First is the monthly meeting, held at the Carlisle Visitors Center on Diagonal Road. Our own John O'Neal will be presenting a talk on RADIO ASTRONOMY.  He will have several Radio Telescopes on hand for our guests to see and hear and you won't want to miss trying out John's "Pistolscope." 

As usual the meeting will be held the first Wednesday of the month, March 3rd, at 7pm.

March 11th will be the date, at 7pm, for our usual, 2nd Thursday of the month, Board of Directors meeting. Come on out and enjoy a meal and discuss some club business with us at the Blue Sky Restaurant in Amherst, on Rt 58, just south of Cooper Foster Park Road in the Plaza. All club members are welcome at Board Meetings and are welcomed in discussing club business. (However, only Board of Directors are eligible to vote.)

Next, on Friday, March 12th, join us at the Nielsen Observatory for our annual Messier Marathon. Let's see how many of Charles Messier's 101 "M" objects we can locate this year. This is a weather permitting only event and the backup date, in case we get clouded out is Saturday, March 13th.

Then, on Friday, March 19th, join us at the Nielsen Observatory for  an early look at our Springtime skies. Saturn will be the centerpiece for this outing, after it's long absence in the nether regions. Join us in welcoming Saturn back to the night sky, after it's long journey through the underworld. This is a weather permitting only event and the backup date, in case we get clouded out is Saturday, March 20th.

Last, on Saturday, March 27th we will be hosting another HOBBY DAY at Amherst, Library.  As part of the Black River Astronomical Society's continuing efforts at public outreach, four members, John O' Neal, Dave Gulyas, Mike Harkey, and myself will be at the Amherst Public Library's 3rd annual Hobby Day on Saturday, March 27 from 10am-2pm. (If YOU can come help out please contact Denny.)
As part of our plan this year, we plan to bring a solar observing setup, John O'Neal's home built radio telescope, and a TV/DVD player with which we will play astronomy-themed videos. Black River has been present at the two previous Hobby Days and this year we are going all-out to grab the public's attention, educate about astronomy, and hopefully recruit some new membership to our organization. So, if you know anyone who is interested in astronomy but who has a hard time making one of our regular meetings or observing sessions, this could be the perfect place to introduce them to the Black River Astronomical Society.

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 members of the Black River Astronomical Society, who have been bringing amateur astronomy to Lorain County Residents since 1949. To learn more about Black River Astro visit our website at
http://www/.BlackRiverAstro.org