Beauty Without Borders - Venus 2009

BWB in New Zealand

2009-03-03T15:45:00.000-08:00

by Paul Moss

Friday night was completely cloudy and Saturday the clouds lifted for a few minutes to reveal the most beautiful sunset, but no venus or moon. Sunday was clear and I managed to show a german tourist venus and the moon, through both the C8 and the HD video camera (using eyepiece projection) and the still camera using prime focus.

However I talked about this so much over the last two weeks and shared that video, so I’m happy at this end. Everyone else in NZ was rained out for their plans, and we appreciate the reports from around the world. We learned quite a bit by sharing here, and being inspired to go and rehearse, and I thank you for that energy that you put in, I believe that we created a huge presence ahead of the main weekend. I’m really happy when I think about the longer future of astronomy, and how ISAN may continue growing each year.

I have attached the images that I posted up on facebook, I am happy to have them all posted to the blog site, and anywhere else. I’ve quite lost track of the whole picture, if any of you wish to copy and paste my pics please do, or suggest to me where else they could go. One of the best outcomes is my new ability to bring the moon to a big screen, in amazing glory! I plan to do just that for as many events as possible, live high quality video of a real moon. If its cloudy then recorded HD files. I believe that will have an impact on the street!

Event Host: Sharing Space www.astronomy.net.nz
Location: Porirua, New Zealand
Equipment: Celestron C8 (200mm 8in SCT) 2inch and 1 ¼ eyepieces, HD video camera, EOS20D still camera.
Events: Sunday 1st March 2009 8:30pm

Paul Moss

BWB in USA

2009-03-03T15:19:00.000-08:00

By Donna Smith

Friday night (which was the best for us here in Ca.) was good despite the fact that our original plans had to be scraped. On our way to the planetarium, we got a call that it was clouded out so we turned back and instead went to downtown Burbank near the movie theater. We had about 120 people looking at Venus and the Moon before Venus fell below the buildings.

Saturday night we headed back out to the same location and we had about 100 people. Viewing wasn’t as good on Saturday, we were dealing with more clouds and Venus wasn’t as close to the Moon as it had been the night before. One really great thing, some people came up to us and asked what was going on and when I told them about BWB they started nodding and saying they knew about it because they had just been to dinner in Pasadena and the students from Cal Tech had a big BWB banner out along with some scopes. I didn’t know the kids at Cal Tech were going to do anything so it was a good surprise.

Because of the location, I didn’t have an internet connection. I did take some photos but not with a digital camera – I’m a little strange, I like to use those disposable cameras. I’ll post the photos when I get them developed tomorrow.

Donna Smith

BWB in Philippines

2009-03-03T06:50:00.000-08:00

by Dr Armando Lee

Site: Antipolo National High School, Antipolo, Rizal Province, Philippines

Astronomers: Sidewalk Astronomers Philippines, AstroCamp astronomers, 2nd year RTU BS Astro Tech Students, and Mr. Bernie Esporlas

Telescopes used: W0 ZS80ed II on a CG5, Konus 8inch Newt on EQ5, Apex 127 on an ASGT mount, Apex 127on an CG4 mount, FS80wa on an EQ2 mount, ST80 on an EQ2 mount, 5inch Nextonian on an EQ2 mount, Nextstar 8 on Atlas mount, Meade 8on an Atlas mount, Celestron 80mm ED on an EQ2 mount, and a 10inch Dobsonian.

Report:
Last February 28, 2009 the telescope viewing session coordinated by Dr Armando Lee for the 1st year High School students of Antipolo National High School pushed through as planned. Antipolo is a mountainous area just 20km Northeast of Manila and provide a view of the Metropolis of Manila like Griffith park which provides of high vantage view of Los Angeles.
As early as 5:30pm, all scopes and sound system were in place and ready for the night’s viewing. The planet Venus was spotted approximately 5 degrees West of the crescent Moon. Students who came in early immediately ushered to the school ground were 11 scopes of different make were waiting to be pointed to the planet Venus. There were around 300+ students when they first started viewing this gradually grew up to a crowd of 800 students when the Sun finally set and darkness set in. First scope which gave the view of crescent Venus was the 10inch Dobsonian manned by Dr Lee. The rest of the scopes followed as the crowd got bigger. Students enjoyed the fun of figuring out which scope showed which crescent object. They learned that Venus like the Moon can appear crescent like the Moon. The big crowd was managed easily by assigning one amateur astronomer to each scope and also by a big public address system (sound system) which facilitated control of a big crowd and avoided problems. Later, when Venus and the Moon set, the students were given views of the Pleiades star cluster, Great Orion Nebula, Beehive star cluster and the planet Saturn. Vangelis and Enya music were played while the students were struck by great awe and wonder while looking for the first time at theses celestial wonders. A short lecture explaining the constellations was given and short IYA promotional films were shown as well during breaks.
Viewing continued through the night until 12 midnight when the astronomers packed up the telescopes and left the students with their prepared program of singing and dancing competition.
The kids enjoyed Astronomy spiced up with music and dancing. Learning made enjoyable and of course easier with lots fun.

BWB in Japan

2009-03-03T02:08:00.000-08:00

by Kazuya Ayani

On the 27th, no one visited us because of the bad weather.

This evening, i.e., on the 28th, the weather was not so good, but we watched Venus, Moon, Saturn, Pleiades and some other bright stars through thin cloud. About 40 visitors enjoyed Venus. "Looks like crescent Moon!". However, cloud became thicker and thicher, and at 21 o'clock local time, no celestial objects could be seen by the naked eye.

Other Japan BWB reports
Mr. Onodera at Sendai Astronomical Observatory, which had already sent
me a photo of star party, reported that they had 14 participants on
Friday, 247(evening) + 80(daytime) on Saturday, and 77 on Sunday
evening.

Mr. Kousaka at Toyama Astronomical Observatory reported that they had
51 and 32 participants on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

Mr. Tokimasa at Nishi-Harima Astronomical Observatory reported that
they had 58(daytime) + 80(evening) participants on Sunday.

We, at Bisei Astronomical Observatory had about 40 and 20 participants
on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

Toyama Astronomical Observatory

BWB in India - Kutch Astronomy

2009-03-03T01:58:00.000-08:00

by Narendra Sagar

The Program Beauty without Borders here in Bhuj went very nice. We put One Telescope and Two binoculars for the public.

The place was middle of the city near Hamirsar Lake.Though city street lights were bright we show Moon Venus and also Lulin late. People were exited to watch the Vinus as it was looking like Moon!!!

Nearly 70 people were get chance to see through telescope first time in their life.

We tried to live web cast the event. We were successful for few minutes but after that the battery of laptop gone so we couldn't continue.

There were seven children who are just wondering like beger and not going to school any time also get the chance to see.....

The helping hands were Vijay Vyas, Bipin Vakil, Miss Krupa, Manan Thakker, Rahul Zota, Piyush Parmar, Gunjan Doshi, and my wife Rasila Gor

Mr. Deep Mehta took initiative for live webcast

BWB in Nicaragua

2009-03-03T01:28:00.000-08:00

-by Julio Vannini

On the evening of February 27th, the Nicaraguan Amateur Astronomers Society (ANASA for its name in Spanish) conducted the event "Beauty without Borders: An Evening with Venus" at several places in Managua, Nicaragua.

The main observation site was Galerias Santo Domingo Mall. Adelmo Sandino, Luis Rivas and Julio Vannini installed 2 newtonian reflector telescopes and aimed them toward the Moon and Venus. At first, both scopes were setup to their lowest magnification in order to capture
both the Moon and Venus inside the same field of view, allowing the observers to notice the shapes of the Moon and Venus at the same time.
The public crowded around the telescopes lined up in order to get their chance to gaze inside the telescopes.

Moments later, each telescope aimed toward the Moon and Venus separately so the crowd could see in better detail the shapes and surface features in the Moon and the Waxing Crescent in Venus.
Exclamations of woe and surprise were heard among the people that by first time watched such images live!

We experienced a remarkable surprise when we realized the presence of several astronomers from the Southern Cross Astronomical Society from the U.S.A. After exchanging several impressions and contact information, our new friends from SCAS left the place, carrying with
them a copy of the Astronomical Calendar for Nicaragua.

In the mean time, Dr. Rene Urroz took his camera and shot many beautiful images for the Moon and Venus.

Julio Vannini

Brazil BWB

2009-03-03T00:04:00.000-08:00

-by Marcelo de Oliveira Souza

Friday, February 27, we organized a public activity as part of the event "Beauty Without Borders". In our blog new images of Venus and the Moon and images of the public. We later also saw Saturn.

Images of the event in our blog (http://calc.zip.net)

WE also had the support of the press. I gave a live interview in one of the most famous TV channel of our region in Brazil and they produced a video in the moment we were doing the activity. They will show this video today. With a new invitation to people join us today.

The Iraqi BWB

2009-03-02T11:28:00.000-08:00

One Great chance for one BWB event in Erbil And the 1st BWB activity in Baghdad

-by Azhy Hasan

We was hopeless to participating on BWB, but yesterday the weather completely turned from cloudy and rainy to perfect (after rain) clearest sky.

.This was out of our plans which we declared before to make our activity on
Minaret and Shanadar Park in the middle of Erbil city...Suddenly I decided to do something!

The time was running after the sunset, there was no time to take our
Meade LX200 8 inch, I was too far away from our association's office, so there is always (Plan B!).

In my home, there was the 2inch Celestron C65 with maximum magnitude of X60, which was proudly gifted to AAAK 2 years ago by our beloved friend and most famous astro-photographer Wally Pacholka.This was the only good equipment I have on that time to inviting our people to watching the crescent of Venus.

Just in front of my home there is a large super market called Ronaky General Markets...Most of the peoples there are know me and my hobby!...After one minute to put the little telescope over the tripod tenth of side walkers gathered and surrounded me. All of them were too admired by this activity, some of them even where shy to joining or even asking me …..What is this? And what is for

Sure, the entire participant asked about Venus and its physical facts....And: Why Venus takes that crescent like shape?
Some of them asked me:" Is that really non lunar crescent?"

Any way, there was nearby 70 persons with deferent ages and nationalities (Kurds and Arabs) police man, university teachers, high school teachers, market casheirs,employees,bakers,free workers, journalists,but unfortunately the time was late and very cold for kids to be outside there homes, except two kids with them family.

Media coverage was good to our activities, sooner there was a interview with Gali Kurdistan Space Channel in Erbil , it was focused on IYA2009,100HA,ISAN3 and specially for Beauty Without Borders…They are now waiting for us to providing them with photos of the day of activity to inserting it with the interview and broadcasted later.

The BWB of Erbil city started on 06:33 to 08:00 pm local (18:33 -20:00 UT) on the sidewalk of Ronaky Street.
Sure I was alone, because there was no enough time to calling AAAK members to joining or helping me!

Finally From Baghdad...
An astronomical festival about Venus and BWB!

Although the security situations in Baghdad is looks like better than before from terror and terrorists attacks, but still is risky to gathering peoples in one location, specially at night.
So, the best and safest way for joining on BWB is by presenting and presentation about this wonderful event.
Mr.Jawad Kadhim Farhan,president of Iraqi League for Science amateurs and Talents in Baghdad, the ISAN3 National Organizer of Baghdad made a very good cooperation with College of Science/University of Baghdad to make this seccesful goal on Feb.26.2009.

There were 4 activities there:

1 - An astro photos exhibition for Venus and astronomical objects.

2 - Three seminars about :

• The University and the best ways to Cooperation between University of Baghdad and NO's of 100HA and ISAN3,presented by Dr.Nihad Ali Karam, the president of Dept. of Physics-College of Science/University of Baghdad.

• The Focusing on IYA2009, 100HA and ISAN3, Presented by Mr.Jawad Kadhim Farhan, president of Iraqi League for Science Amateurs and Talents in Baghdad.

• The Secrets of Planet Venus, presented by Mr.Draid Abdul Salam Mohamed in the Dept. Of Physics.

There was very good media coverage for that event, especially by the Baghdadya Satellite Channel, and there was a report about that activity and presented for twice on Feb.26.2009.

Also the Baghdad and Erbil team of BWB, are ready to continuing the program if the
weather getting better tomorrow when the Showtime started...The BWB conjunction
between the Lunar and Venus crescent.

Ahzy and Venus!

Featured on Bad Astronomy Blog

2009-02-25T14:29:00.000-08:00

Phil Plait - (bad astronomy) has featured "Beauty Without Borders" on his blog post.

LINK - http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/25/beauty-without-borders/

BWB Venus promo video

2009-02-25T14:10:00.000-08:00

BWB events around the world

2009-02-24T02:00:00.001-08:00

Australia - Donna Burton
Event: Live viewing (Sidewalk astronomy style) using 10" and 8*
dobsonians on the streets of Coonabarabran - showing Venus, the moon,
Saturn, Comet Lulin magellinc clouds and 47 tuc Orion Neb and whatever
lese takes our fancy.
Location: Coonabarabran

Brazil - Marcelo de Oliveira Souza

Event: Louis Cruls Astronomy Club
Public Observation – 26, 27 and 28 from 18:00h until 21:00h
São Salvador Square - Praça São Salvador – three Newtonian telescopes with 127mm
Jiri Vlcek Observatory – Observatório Jiri Vlcek – Newtonian telescope with 0.3m
Domingos Fernandes da Costa Observatory – Observatório Domingos Fernandes da Costa – Schimidt-Cassegrain with 0.2m (C-8)

The Observation will be transmitted by Internet .
Coordinator: Marcelo de Oliveira Souza (http://calc.zip.net )
Location: Campos dos Goytacazes – Rio de Janeiro – Brazil

Event: Campinas Municipal Observatory Jean Nicolini (Observarório Municipal de Campinas Jean Nicolini) -
February 26, 27 and 28 from 18:00h until 20:00h
During Venus Observation the team of the Observatory will tell legends, histories of Brazil folklore and curiosities about Venus. Will be used a Zeiss telescope with 0.5m. Coordinator: Julio Lobo ( http://juliolobo.blogspot.com/ )
Location: Campinas – São Paulo - Brazil

Honduras - Hugo M. Sanchez
Event: Public Observation session
Location: -

India - Nilesh Vayada
Event: Observation & Photography set ups will be put up for amateurs & public at large. Range of Telescopes, Binoculars, Camera.
Location: Mumbai (Bombay), India. (Please contact directly if you need resources for local set ups at other places)

India - Narendra Gor
Event: Venus Moon Observation with the help of Telescope Three Telescopes will be available for public to watch the events. We also invite other amateurs to put their telescopes at the venue.Night Sky Observation
Location: Near Hamirsar Lake (The Pride of Bhuj), Bhuj Kutch Gujarat

India - Amar Sharma
Event - Star Party. We are around 6 (maybe 2 more) confirmed people. I will get only my 25x100 binoculars.
Location : BAS, Banglore

India - Arvind Panchal
Event - The Amateur Astronomer's Group of Bharuch in association with Science community centre Narmada Nagar Bharuch organising a Star Party on 28th February 2009 (Saturday) at 7pm onwards. The programme is a part of Global Star Party campaign and will be celebrate by more than 14 countries of the world. The event will be web casted.
Programme: Night Sky Observation, Astro-Photography session,
Location Narmada Nagar Bharuch

India - Dr Suresh Menon
Event - A group of IIT ians along with some BAS members and some of my friends incl star party Vijay Kumar are meeting at Yelagiri on 28th evening with overnight observations and astrophotography.
Location: Yellagiri, Tamil Nadu

India - Srinivas Aundhkar
Event : Star Party and observtion of the Beauty Without Borders function. They are also making arrangements for the webcast
Location: Mahatma Gandhi Centre for Astronomy & Space Technology, ( Late Prof. N. C. Rana Memorial Observatory ) Near Airport, Nanded

India - Lawrence Dzouza
Event: Beauty Without Borders a global star party.
Locations: Astronomy Club, Ahmedabad would be putting up scopes at various sidewalks in the city and a few would be in school premises like Nelsons, Hiramani etc.

India - Mukesh Pathak
Event : Gujarat Nature Conservation Society (GNCS), Vadodara in association with The Amateur Astronomers Association of Vadodara is organizing the Star Party as a part of Global programme on National Science day eve. The program will start by 7 pm at Nature Education Park, Village Sindhrot, Dist. Vadodara, India.
The group is trying to arrange the webcast. Two amateurs Bhargav and Shreejit will handle this technical part.
Location: The center is an Environment Education Center run by Gujarat Nature Conservation Society (NGO working in Nature conservation and Environment Education). Is 16 km from Vadodara City. The Center is located in the forest of 35 acres of land having all facilities.

Indonesia - Avivah Yamani
Event: March 1st, 2009. Public observation and astronomical gathering. Starting at 5 pm in Dago Tea House ( this is a cultural park), so then we will invite all the people around to join us.
Location: - Dago Tea House

Indonesia - Aldino Adry Baskoro
Event: February 27th evening from 6pm until February 28th in Sekolah Alam (it is an elementary school) for the students and teachers there. Star Party and telescope session in an elementary school.
Location: - Sekolah Alam

Iran - Pouria Nazemi
Event: public star party including: observing moon and venus , give some flayers to people about IYA 2009, 100HA and venus and moon data on the 27th friday.
Location: Tehran, Sadaf Park - Heravi Sq.

Event: Star party in Zahedan on 27th Friday by Mehbang (BigBang) group at Zahedan.

Iraq - Azhy Chato Hasan
Event: Two teams to covering most wide area on Erbil city.
Location: Minaret and Shanadar Park of Erbil city atthe northern Iraqi region known as Kurdistan

Japan - Kazuya Ayani
Event: Using the 1-m reflector at the Observatory will be showing Venus and the Moon
Capella, M42, h and chi Persei, Saturn and more.
Location: Bisei Town in Okayama

Mexico - Miguel Leal Rendon
Event: Public Observation session
Location: -

New Zealand - Paul Moss
Event: New Zealand (Aotearoa) we are running a global star party at 8:30pm to 9pm after Pickle Pot at the site, or close by maybe at the beach.
Location: -

Nicaragua - Julio Vannini
Event: Best time for Nicaragua will be on Friday 27th, at 18:00 Local Time (0:00 GMT). The Moon and Venus will be at some 30 degrees above the horizon whit the evening sunlight fading away slowly. That would make the Moon and Venus a nice target for binoculars observation. At 1900 hours, Moon and Venus will still be above the horizon about some 15 degrees. Enough time and altitude for a beautiful event.
Location: - Managua and several other places

Pakistan - Khalid Marawat
Event: Public Observation session
Location: -

Philippines - Armando Lee
Event: Estimated 800+ students will get a view of planet Venus. They will be staying the whole night for an overnight Stargazing activity where I will be lecturing and showing IYA films and meteor exhibit.
Venus and the Moon. We will be using around 10 telescopes of different kinds (mostly with motors)
Participanting astronomers: Sidewalk Astronomers, AstroCamp Astronomers, and Philippine starmap author Bernie Esporlas.
Telescopes: W0 ZS80ed II on a CG5, Konus 8inch Newt on EQ5, Apex 127 on an ASGT mount, Apex 127on an CG4 mount, FS80wa on an EQ2 mount, ST80 on an EQ2 mount, N8 on Atlas mount, Meade 8on an Atlas mount, Celestron 80mm ED on an EQ2 mount, and a DSH10 dobsonian.

Location: Antipolo National High School Rizal Province

RUSSIA - Vladimir Krupko
Event: Public Observation session
Location: -

Sri Lanka - Thilina Heenatigala
Event: Public observation session. From 7pm on onwards.
Location: Piliyandala and several other places.

UAE -Nazar Salam
Event: Starting - 18:00 Emirates Mobile Observatory (EMO) will invite all the different sectors of the society as well as the police society to participate in our activities.
Main Targets: Venus _ Moon

Other Targets: M42, M45, M44, Sirius, and other using sky glow filter.

Telescopes: LX200 10” GPS (for Adults), Nextstar 4”SE (for short Children), Orion intelliscope Dob 10” (Deep Sky Objec- wide F.O.V) + Celestron 80mmED on LXD75 mount (For Live Show by Data Show).

Location: Abu Dhabi Chornich (Peach), next to Marina Mall.

UKRAINE -Denis Svechkarev
Event: Public Observation session
Location: -

USA - Donna Smith
Event: 7:00 pm, we will be observing during and after the planetarium show, which will highlight Venus. We will have several telescopes
Location: Drescher Planetarium at Santa Monica College.

USA - Katy Hugland
Event: Public observation session at Griffith Observatory
Location: Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles, California, United States

USA - Mark Teran
Event: observation session in the corner of Wardman and Greenleaf, in Whittier, starting at
about 6:00.
Location: Wardman and Greenleaf, in Whittier

National Science Day in India - "Expanding Horizons of Science"

2009-02-24T01:32:00.001-08:00

Gujarat Nature Conservation Society (GNCS), Vadodara in association with The Amateur Astronomers Association of Vadodara is organizing the Star Party as a part of Global programme on National Science day eve. The program will start by 7 pm at Nature Education Park, Village Sindhrot, Dist. Vadodara, India.

The center is an Environment Education Center run by Gujarat Nature Conservation Society (NGO working in Nature conservation and Environment Education). Is 16 km from Vadodara City. The Center is located in the forest of 35 acres of land having all facilities.

The group is trying to arrange the webcast. Two amateurs Bhargav and Shreejit will handle this technical part.

Mahatma Gandhi Centre for Astronomy & Space Technology, ( Late Prof. N. C. Rana Memorial Observatory ) Near Airport, Nanded, India will also be observing the Beauty Without Borders function. They are also making arrangements for the webcast. This is as per the mail received from their Director, Srinivas Aundhkar.

Astronomy Club, Ahmedabad would be having programs at various locations, mostly at schools. Similar program would be held in Bhuj, where the Kutch Astronomy Club, fresh from their marvelous Star Peace activity would have programs at half a dozen places.

It would be interesting to note that 28th February is being celebrated as National Science Day in India, the day when Noble Laurate CV Raman's effect was invented. The theme for this year is - "Expanding Horizons of Science", making it a fiting time to observe "Beauty without borders".

All these groups will work under the guidance of Confederations of Indian Amateur Astronomers.

"And Now I am Galileo"

2009-02-19T14:16:00.000-08:00

Its a Portuguese project entitled "And Now I am Galileo" This is an interesting project, involving children following the steps of Galileo in carrying out observations through out the year 2009. Its almost like making the children become a real life Galileo by carrying out the very experiments carried out by him 400 years ago.

By coincedience, the first observation program for this project happens to be on 28th February, 2009 and the activity is the same as "Beauty Without Borders ... an evening with Venus."

Though the difference is only in the name, the goals of both the project is the same as that of IYA2009 - Universe Yours to Discover.

Full details on this project is available at the following link

http://www.astronomia2009.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=38&Itemid=129

Beauty Without Borders featured on COSMIC Diary!

2009-02-19T00:51:00.000-08:00

Cosmic Diary blogger Shashikiran Ganesh has written a piece about "Beauty Without Borders" project.

================
One of the nice things about astronomy is that there are no borders in the skies. Interesting events happening in the sky can be seen by people from all over. There may be some variations in appearance - for example the celestial gathering late last year of Jupiter, Venus and the Moon appeared as a frown in the Western Hemisphere and as a smile in Asia.

Read more here.
===============

Shashikiran Ganesh is a scientist in the Astronomy & Astrophysics Division at the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), India.

An Evening With Venus

2009-02-18T02:10:00.000-08:00

Join this event from anywhere in the world, even if you are going to watch from your deck or backyard. Use binoculars if you havent got a telescope.

Already 16 countries has got together to enjoy the beautiful views of Venus.

Start Time: February 25, 2009 at 7:00pm
End Time: Sunday, March 1, 2009 at 9:00pm
Location: Global - Everywhere, Your street or your event street, you choose.

Venus event;

The crescent Venus meets the new Moon, will be an awesome spectacle, seen and shared locally and globally. “On the evening of Feb. 28, the crescent moon will pass near Venus and will create a beautiful sight for sky watchers.” This event is a ‘mini trial’ of our new global organisational network for Earth Hour, Globe at Night, ISAN on April 4th and 100HA April 2nd to 5th, and Sun Day April 5th.