Key Takeaways:
Originally scheduled for October 11, a big observational event in southwestern New Mexico has been changed to Saturday, November 15. The original October date now faces a high chance of rainstorms in the area.
This event will take place near Animas, New Mexico, under an incredibly dark sky. Not only will the new 30-inch scope be under the stars for observing, but also telescopes used by Clyde Tombaugh which are in the collection there. These include 16-inch and 18-inch telescopes owned and used by the discoverer of Pluto, which have been refurbished into large Dobsonians that reveal incredible views.
Michael Bakich recently observed through the refurbished 16-inch scope used by Clyde Tombaugh, offering a taste of the views awaiting attendees:
“As I swung the scope around, my mind’s eye reminded me of the many times Clyde had done the same thing for me. And then, there it was: the magnificent globular cluster M22 in Sagittarius. Any concern about the quality of the mirror or the telescope it was in vanished during that first moment. The cluster displayed a concentrated core and a gentle thinning of its stellar density as you viewed farther from its center. Hundreds of individual stars — the tiniest points of light — surrounded the central glow.”
Read Michael’s full observing report here.
I will be there observing under the dark New Mexico skies on November 15, and I hope to see you there too. For more information, see the Facebook page Mars NM — The Off-World Experience.
I’ll see you in New Mexico!
Dave Eicher is Editor Emeritus of Astronomy Magazine, where he was on staff for 43 years.
