Due to the extreme weather forecasts for tomorrow, especially sub-zero wind chills, Member Night has been cancelled.
The second member night at CRO in November is on Saturday, January 13.
Sunset is at 1739 (5:39pm). Nautical twilight begins at 1806. Astronomical twilight begins at 1838. Twilight ends and true night begins at 1909.
The moon sets at 2023 (8:23PM) and is a Waxing Crescent (9%).
Check the weather forecasts and check back here to ensure it will be good viewing weather and CRO will be open.
If anyone is coming that can open the 14” or 30” scopes, please post on here that you will be attending and it will be open.
If you’re planning to come out, please post on here that you are coming.
If you want to be guided to CRO, please post here and check back to see if a CRO member can meet and guide you. CRO members, please post what time you can meet any members needing guides. Please make arrangements to meet directly with whoever will be guiding you.
The location of the observatory is also now searchable in both Google Maps and Apple Maps. Search for Cheddar Ranch Observatory, Watonga, OK, and it should appear and give you directions if you want. It might also appear in your GPS app/program.
The next member night at CRO is on Saturday, January 6.
Sunset is at 1733 (5:33pm). Nautical twilight begins at 1800. Astronomical twilight begins at 1832. Twilight ends and true night begins at 1903.
The moon sets before sunset and doesn’t rise until 0353. It should be a great night for observing, weather permitting!
Watch the weather forecasts and here on the forum to find out if the viewing will be good that night!
If anyone is coming that can open the 14” or 30” scopes, please post on here that you will be attending and it will be open.
If you’re planning to come out, please post on here that you are coming.
If you want to be guided to CRO, please post here and check back to see if a CRO member can meet and guide you. CRO members, please post what time you can meet any members needing guides. Please make arrangements to meet directly with whoever will be guiding you.
The location of the observatory is also now searchable in both Google Maps and Apple Maps. Search for Cheddar Ranch Observatory, Watonga, OK, and it should appear and give you directions if you want. It might also appear in your GPS app/program.
Well, this is Oklahoma and forecasts can change quickly! Now it looks like it’ going to clearing right around sunset and will be clear to at least midnight.
The wind will be light, but the temps will be cold! Predicted to be about 37F at 1800, dropping to around 27F before midnight. So if you come out, be prepared! The building is available for warming up, but you can’t see the stars from inside the building!
Sadly I will not be able to go out tomorrow night, so if another CRO is able to open it up for our non-CRO members, please post on here that you will, and what time you’re planning on opening.
Non-CRO members: check back here before you leave tomorrow to ensure that the weather forecast hasn’t changed (again) and CRO will be open! Do not go out if no one has volunteered to open it!
So far my weather app is saying its supposed to clear up between 6 and 7 tonight. If this holds i will head out and open up CRO for non members. If you need a guide let me know and i will be happy to help.
Sunset is at 5:35 so i will plan to get there around 5:00.
I’m also planning to stay the night at CRO tonight. I plan to run two of my rigs from a pad and car camp overnight. So, the facility will be open all night and any visitors can stay as long as they want or even overnight like I do.
Was an excellent but cold night at CRO. I was running my seestar while using the spare peir in the roll off room. Andy had his two astrophotography rigs up and running. Ben was testing out his new star adventurer 2i. We all photographed different parts of orion then Andy showed us some tricks in pixinsight and photoshop.
The current forecast is not good. Clouds start moving in about 2 hours after sunset and the winds are predicted at 15-20mph. And temps in the teens, even early in the evening.
If this hold true, I will not be going out. But we’ll see.
As has been common lately, it looks like Friday night will be very nice, if cold. But I’ll be at the club meeting. Oh well.
I will not be going out Saturday. Though it looks like it’ll be mostly clear now (maybe a few wispy clouds), the temps I’m seeing are in the single digits (an overnight low of 3F) with a 15-20mph wind. As Dave posted, the wind chill will be brutal.
Even if the wind was zero, some of my scopes are not rated for those temps.
Everyone who goes out Saturday should dress for arctic conditions.
Unfortunately, I am leaning towards not going as well. I can do cold. But that’s pretty darn cold. I will probabky do some observing from home. Unless the weather drastically changes, I will not be going.