The problems with this year’s outreach program for the week 2 of Charlie Elliott summer campers started before we actually were on site. Stephen’s cases with eye pieces and hand controllers were stolen the night before. However, Stephen did not let up. He was at the Camera Bug first thing on Wednesday morning to see if Tim could get him the pieces he needed to make the outreach event happen!! At 11:30 he was uploading the latest version of the software for the new controllers, but at that time the clouds had already rolled in at Charlie Elliott, 60 miles to the east, so we had to cancel the solar event. Stephen, thanks so much for your effort and your attempts to still make this happen and thanks to Tim for helping him out!!!

The evening session was still on with an inside presentation by Theo Ramakers and outside observing if the clouds would let up. Theo presented material of the NSN on the solar system, followed by a flight throught the solar system showing views future astronauts would be able to see using the program Celestia. After visiting earth, our moon, and practically all the planets and some of Jupiter’s moons, the kids had many questions. Outside the clouds were still persisting, so we had to cancel the observing part of the outreach program. Taking the observing cancellations aside, overall a great event!

Thanks to the management of Charlie Elliott, especially Julie Duncan, for inviting us again this year to reach out to those kids and try to spark interest in Astronomy and Space Exploration, and the members of the Charlie Elliot Chapter, Stephen, Frank and Jim Soboleski, who had volunteered their time but could not because of mother nature.

Click here or use this URL for images of the program.

http://www.ceastronomy.org/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=6790

Theo Ramakers