Esparza Elementary School – Tuesday, November 16:

The school event on Tuesday, November 16 was perfection. The weather is
clear and the viewing was steady. Despite a few misdirected lights in
the distance that area we sat up at was relatively dark for an urban
school. The children and the parents that viewed through my scope were
really well behaved and polite. Many had detailed questions about the
object I was showing with my telescope. I brought my scope named “Big
Red” and showed NGC457 the Owl Cluster a.k.a “E.T.” ; “Wall-E”
to the crowd of 175 or so. SAAA members present were: Don B., Bill B.,
Jay M., Danielle R., John and Amy E. and I. The school fed us Subway
Sandwiches.

Sidewalk Astronomy Event Timelapse

My New Sunspotter Telescope

My Last School Outreach for this School Year

Outreach Videos: #5

Saying Good Bye to IYA2009

It has been great but as 2010 is right around the corner it is time to say goodbye to the International Year of astronomy 2009. In tribute here is a look at some photos taken at events I attended and also some videos I found on the net about the IYA2009:

Telescope I built as part of a IYA challenge presented on Cloudy Night Forums discussion board. It is a 4" reflector telescope finished Jan. 2009:


February 2009- Sidewalk astronomy at Barnes and Noble Bookstore 281/Loop 1604 (San Antonio)


Many School Star Parties around San Antonio:


Girls Inc. Event March 2009. Huge all day event. Tina ran the PST while I photographed activities.






Wednesdays at McAllister Park- Weekly event happening every Wednesday at sunset:



San Antonio College Astronomy Club/Scobee Planetarium Star Party:




Hyatt Regency Resort event (June 2009):





Hogg Plum Ranch Star Party - Karnes City, TX - June 2009




Garner State Park- Lakey, Texas - June 2009




Rolling Oaks Mall (San Antonio) - X on the Moon- Sidewalk Astronomy- June 2009




July 4th - Family Star Party - San Antonio- With Celestron IYA2009 Edition Firstscope


July 20, 2009- Amazing Skies at Witte Museum:









McDonald Observatory Late July 2009- My wife and I volunteered to help for a few days with public star parties. We also got to tour all the scopes at night!


















Tina in the Drivers seat of the Hobby-Eberly Telescope:


Me in the driver seat of the 107"


Private tour of HET with UT Austin Students at 2 A.M.


Gardens By Moonlight - San Antonio Botanical Garden Event- 2009




Eldorado Star Party 2009:
A light Cup: ESP2009

Rick A. and Robert Reeves at my camp site: ESP2009

Me at ESP2009:

Blackie at ESP2009: