SF Sidewalk Observing (kinda long).

From: Uncle Bob (realonespam_at_bogusnet.net)
Date: 12/18/04 

Date: 18 Dec 2004 11:47:29 GMT

I was fortunate this evening to be able to set up with JD, at the corner
of 9th and Irving in San Francisco. High pressure sodium lamps aside, we
had a fantastic time.
We started out on the moon, and seeing was as good as light pollution
was bad, and it was bad, which is to say, "good". JD gave away all 200
of his "Watchers of the Skies" fliers, and was using an 8" sidewalk
scope he's had for the last 35 years. It gave very good views of the
moon, perhaps as good as one would expect from a fine 8" RF Royce,
though I can't be sure of that, lacking a Royce example.
Doing sidewalk astronomy is a transformational experience. You're not
dealing with other amateurs, as we do at star parties. Most of the
people who stopped to look had zero eyepiece time. The questions came
fast and furiously, as did the exclamations--you know, the "Oh My God!!"
and "Wow!" that we hear when the public is getting a good show. These
are just regular, normal city dwellers who were whisked off to the moon
for a few moments on the way to dinner, or hauling the laundry, or
shopping for groceries, or dropping off a video at the video store.
You get the "Oops, I moved it!" when the 65 year old woman steps up to
the eyepiece and uses a truss tube to steady herself. You respond with
"That's OK, let me help you.." and find the object again. You do this a
lot.
My dear friend Ken Swagerty arrived with his grand-daughter and their 13
inch dob. They managed to locate M42, and shortly thereafter I acquired
Saturn. When word of Saturn got out, it was like we were giving away
money or something. Dozens of people stopped and fell in lines--long
lines. JD came back across the street and advised me to crank up the
power to 212X, and set up next to me at about 100X. The joint was
jumping, as they say. For the next two hours, we "processed" viewers.
Hundreds of them. They were appreciative, saying "Thanks for coming
out!" and holding their children up to see something they'd never
imagined they'd see on the way to the movies.
  Saturn, Titan, Rhea, Dione, Tethys (Mimas, at mag 14 or something like
that, wasn't visible) were nicely arranged, and when folks realized they
were looking at the MOONS of Saturn, they nearly fell over.
   So JD is showing Saturn wide-field, then sending them over to me for
a tighter view, and Ken is siphoning them off for M42.
   JD went non-stop for five hours (and this was his second night in a
row doing it), and since MY feet were beginning to hurt around 10pm, I
can imagine how JD, at 89(!) years old was feeling. He does all his
sidewalk astronomy standing up or kneeling at the eyepiece. Amazing.
        We ran the line down to the last viewers, plucked the eyepieces and
started shutting down, just as another group of 8-10 folks arrived--they
had gone home after viewing the moon, and returned for Saturn. So we
let them have their EP time, and finally shut down about 10:30. I could
see JD was getting cold and uncomfortable. I bet we each had between
200-300 people look through our scopes.
   So if you ever get the idea that people aren't interested in
astronomy, or telescope making, or cosmology, take your scope out and
set it up on a busy street some night when the seeing is good, and you
will arrive at a different conclusion.
    I know the sodium lights and the mercury lights are abhorrent, but
if they ain't seen nothin' through a telescope, just the moon or a
bright planet will transform them. It will totally blow their minds.
And mixed in with them will be other amatuers, or opticians, or PhD
physicists, and a couple of drunks, and they'll ALL be grateful to you
for sharing your scope with them. You will not regret it. I promise.

Clear Skies! and "How many power is that scope, anyway?" ;-)
Uncle Bob

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