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It has been a busy couple of months for me, so I haven't had a lot of time to write stuff. My employer, KNPB TV, got a grant to build a new production control room. The challenge with this project was having to install about half a million dollars of new equipment, and rewire both video and audio in the control room, in about a month and a half, while retaining the ability to produce TV shows during the project. Needless to say, I worked 10-12 hours a day, for about 20 days straight getting this project done. (Ask me for a tour sometime if your interested!) As soon as this was done, I was able to spend 9 days in Southern Nevada, at a friend's place taking care of their animals while they took a trip. (More about that, later!) So, now, I am in 'catchup mode'.

This is traditionally the time of the year when ASN 'wakes up' from the long winter. So, observing activities are starting to ramp up for late spring and summer. But eclipsing all of this (all puns intended) is the upcoming annual eclipse of the sun on May 20th. This will be the biggest astronomical event for the ASN since the close approach of Mars in August of 2003. (I still remember the entire Mapes Hotel site filled with people, taking their turn to see Mars!) Plans for this event are coming together quickly, and you are advised to keep checking our website, as well as the Fleischmann Planetarium website for the event: http://www.eclipsereno.unr.edu. There will be information there for people traveling to the area as well.

The events on May 20th will get underway about 5 PM at the MacLean Observatory, 18600 Wedge Parkway, in Reno. This is just off Mt. Rose Highway for those of you who have not yet joined us for our first Friday monthly public star parties there. There will be plenty to do besides look at the sun. There will be some demonstrations by the Desert Research Institute and Nevada Energy. The local Girl Scouts have some activities going on as well. KNPB TV will be bringing 'Sid the Science Kid' for children to meet. After the eclipse, there will be a dinner (see webpage for costs, etc.) for members of the various organizations (including ASN members) who participated in the event. At the dinner, Dean Regas, host of the popular PBS 'Stargazers' series, will be speaking. In any case, we are expecting a big turnout from the general public, a turnout that should eclipse (those puns again!) the 2003 Mars event!

Late in February, I, for the 1^st time, drove to this little park near Gabbs, NV. Andy Dierenga had tipped me in on a couple of camp spots there that are ideal (yes ideal) for astronomy, and I left with some apprehension as to what I might find. It is a fairly long drive…about the same length as that to Adin, California, but the reward is sharp stars and zero light pollution.    

I took Clifford, the Labrador and budding dog-astronomer, to campsite #13; we were the only inhabitants of the park, except for the park ranger, that week. The campground is RV and pet friendly, well maintained, and fully equipped with guided tours and talks (during the summer), drinking water, trash receptacles, and restrooms. The location affords fairly short walks to nearby peaks and the Ichthyosaur fossil enclosure, and a short drive brings you to Berlin, a mining town of the beginning of the 20^th century. A DSLR astrophotographer, I lucked out to go here at this time of the year because sensor ‘noise’ decreases with temperature, and the ambient temperature ranged from 40-50 at night and 60-65F during the day during this trip.

Spring, Summer and Fall are typically the best observing times here in northern Nevada.  However, as you can see by the list of events to the left, we have events planned all the time.  Check out our calendar to see all of the events planned for this year.

We have events planned for all members of the community:

·         Public Star Parties. In addition to our regular telescope viewing at Rancho San Rafael Park on the first Friday of every month (weather permitting), we are asked by many park rangers to host activities during the summer months.  During these events we pull our telescopes out and view many of the brightest and most fascinating objects in the sky.