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We are at a solar minimum cycle which is a period that has very little sunspot activity, so there is no solar viewing schedule for the 2007-2008 school year. Solar Viewing is scheduled once each year at San Miguel from mid-morning to early afternoon. The 4th and 5th grade students learn about our nearest star, the Sun, in the astronomy curriculum with Dotty Calabrese. Students from 3rd through 5th view sunspots through a telescope equipped with an aluminized filter. Another smaller scope is fitted with a Hydrogen alpha filter to view solar prominences and flares. Here is a four page handout (481kB .pdf document) on sunspots, flares, facts about the Sun, and telescopes. Solar Viewing 2007 was May 18 for the 3rd—5th graders and there was a lot to see. We had a big group of sunspots and quite a few prominences. Jim Van Nuland had the S.J.A.A. Personal Solar Telescope for prominences and Patricia Madison had a solar projection device. Thanks to both members of the San Jose Astronomical Association and Jackson Lew for setting up their telescopes. As always, thanks to Dotty Calabrese for coordinating this event with the teachers and astronomers. For 2006, we could not get a team together for solar viewing. In 2005, Paul Mortfield setup his refractor telescopes with an aluminized filter for sunspots and another refractor with a hydrogen alpha filter for looking at prominences. I setup my 11” telescope with an aluminized filter for a closer view at the sunspot group. In the past, Michael Swartz had setup his refractor with an Hα filter. On November 8, 2006 after school, I setup my C90 (3.5”) telescope with a filter to view the Mercury transit as it crossed the sun's disk. The students also saw sunspot groups. The next transit will be on May 9, 2016.
Monday, November 19 at 6:30 pm was the 7th annual San Miguel Star Party. 3rd through 5th graders and their families attended. The half moon was high in the sky and Comet Holmes was visible through my binoculars. I had the Ring Nebula M57 and the moon through the C11. On display were the Ring Nebula, Pleiades, Comet Holmes, the moon, and a binary star. The Sixth Annual San Miguel Star Party was held Thursday, January 25, 2007 at 6:30 p.m. Some members of the San Jose Astronomical Association brought their telescopes. The moon was slightly less than half phase, Orion and the Pleiades can be seen, and Saturn was just rising and low in the sky. Many thanks to Dotty for scheduling all these events, including the Star Party, and volunteering on her non-working days. Thanks to Paul and Michael for devoting their mornings at the school. Do not stare at the sun. Never look through binoculars, telescopes, or other instruments at the sun without proper filter equipment. Blindness will result. Web links:
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