The current gate closure time is 7 p.m. After that time, a code is needed for park entry (& access to the astronomy field).



Category: Observing

October 2020 Meeting (!) and Observing Night

24 September, 2020 (16:55) | Events, Observing | By: mlott

We will be having a meeting followed by observing on October 10, 2020! Facemasks and social distancing are requested.

The meeting will begin at 5 pm in the Campbell Building on Murder Creek Church Road, rain or shine. We will have observing afterwards on Jon Wood Astronomy, weather permitting.  See our home page for more details.

Sunset will be at 7:36 p.m. Astronomical dusk ends (and maximum darkness begins) at 8:59 p.m.

The Elliott Trail automatic road gate at Marben Farm Rd. closes for incoming traffic at 7 p.m., so be prepared to enter the gate code if you arrive afterwards. The gate opens automatically for outgoing traffic as you approach it to leave.

September 2020 Observing Night

1 September, 2020 (11:21) | Events, Observing | By: mlott

Our next monthly observing night will be on September 19, 2020, weather permitting, on Jon Wood Astronomy Field. Informal observing with social distancing. No program. Facemasks are strongly suggested.

Sunset will be at 7:36 p.m. Astronomical dusk ends (and maximum darkness begins) at 8:59 p.m.

The Elliott Trail automatic road gate at Marben Farm Rd. closes for incoming traffic at 7 p.m., so be prepared to enter the gate code if you arrive afterwards. The gate opens automatically for outgoing traffic as you approach it to leave.

August 2020 Observing Night

19 July, 2020 (17:17) | Events, Observing | By: mlott

Mark your calendars! Our next scheduled observing night on the astronomy field will be on August 15, 2020, starting at sunset.

New Closing Time for the Elliott Trail Gate

17 July, 2020 (16:53) | Events, Observing, Outreach | By: mlott

The entrance gate on Elliott Trail is now open until 7 PM. This is a change from the early closing time of 4:30 PM while the Conference Center was closed due to COVID-19. (As always, the gate opens automatically for cars to exit.)

July 2020 Observing Night

7 July, 2020 (16:56) | Events, Observing | By: mlott

On Saturday July 18th, and weather-permitting, the Charlie Elliott Astronomy Club will have an informal observing night on the Jon Wood Astronomy Field (which is on the right, shortly after turning onto Elliott Trail from Marben Farm Rd). We will NOT be at the Campbell Aquatics Building. This event is free.
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  • Recommended arrival time is at sunset (~8:45 PM).
  • The automatic road gate on Elliott Trail at Marben Farm Road closes for incoming traffic at 4:30 p.m., so be prepared to enter the gate code when you arrive. The gate opens automatically for outgoing traffic as you approach it to leave, so no gate code is required to exit. [Gate codes are issued to current members of the Atlanta Astronomy Club. Contact a CE officer or committee chair if you need help with this.
  • Those who arrive early are invited to bring a camp chair and their own drink, food, or snack. We look forward to socializing but will not be sharing food due to COVID-19.
  • We remind all attendees that the CDC’s 6-foot social distancing guideline remains in effect. In consideration of others, please wear a facemask if you are within 6′.
  • According to Sky Safari, the 3.4% moon sets at 7:15 p.m. at our location. Sunset will be at 8:44 p.m., astronomical dusk ends at 10:22 p.m. with the Sun finally 18 degrees below horizon and “full darkness”.

June 2020 Field Meeting

7 June, 2020 (12:16) | Events, Observing | By: mlott

On Saturday, June 20 the Charlie Elliott Chapter of the Atlanta Astronomy Club will have an informal observing night on Jon Wood Astronomy Field, weather-permitting. We will NOT be at the Campbell Aquatics Building. Start time is 7:30 PM.

  • While the latest official announcement from the Georgia governor’s office has lifted the 25-person limit on gatherings, we remind all attendees that the CDC’s 6-foot social distancing requirement remains in effect.  Also, facemasks are strongly suggested.
  • The Elliott Trail automatic road gate at Marben Farm Rd. closes for incoming traffic at 4:30 PM, so be prepared to enter the gate code when you arrive. The gate opens automatically for outgoing traffic as you approach it to leave, so no code is required to exit. [Gate codes are issued to current members of the Atlanta Astronomy Club. Contact a CE officer or committee chair if you need help with this: http://ceastronomy.org/blog/home/officers.]
  • We will have a VERY brief business meeting at 7:30 PM to elect our officers for the upcoming year and to distribute a few awards (short and sweet — no program, no talks).
  • Attendees are invited to bring a camp chair and their own drink, sack supper, carryout food, or snack so we can sit and socialize for awhile after our short meeting (articularly if it’s cloudy!) We will not be sharing food due to COVID-19 guidelines.
  • Sunset at our location will be at 8:48 PM. Astronomical dusk ends at 10:31 PM with the Sun finally 18 degrees below horizon and “full darkness”.
  • All attendees are invited to stay for observing while maintaining Georgia’s social distancing requirement.
  • Because this will be on the Jon Wood Astronomy Field and not indoors, we will reschedule if the weather is bad.

Visit our Facebook Page for updates and more info at https://www.facebook.com/groups/ceastronomy/. There you’ll find a welcoming group of people sharing ideas and tips as well as organizing ad-hoc observing and imaging sessions on the Jon Wood Astronomy Field.

Outreach for Cousin’s Middle School 2015-09-21 to 24

24 September, 2015 (15:57) | Events, Observing, Outreach | By: tramakers

A mammoth event of four days for Cousin’s in Covington.  Three days of inside presentation for about three hundred students and a day of outside astronomical activities and Solar observing.  This was a great event in which the students learned some more about some of the planets in our Solar system and the effect of gravity.  In addition, they became asteroid hunters and learned how to separate Space Rocks from Earth rocks.  A great event and great teachers.  Thanks to Frank, Dan and Theo for putting the time in for these events.  We still have to go back for a 5th day for some more Solar observing.

East Newton Elementary Outreach 2015-09-18

18 September, 2015 (21:46) | Events, Observing, Outreach | By: tramakers

Back for another year at East Newton Elementary School.  Frank and Theo went to let 100 students learn a little more about our Solar System and observe the Sun as well.  The weather was real nice and the students saw some nice filaments as well as a few prominences and small Sun spots and inside they learned a little more about some of our planets as well as the effect of gravity at different planets and moons. Thanks to Mrs Thompson for inviting us for another year!

2914-09-02 Solar for Cousins Middle School

2 September, 2014 (19:56) | Events, Observing, Outreach | By: tramakers

Theo Ramakers responded to a request from Cousins Middle School to show the 240 6th grade students what goes on on the Sun. The Students observed the Sun through a visible light scope and an Ha scope. About 8 sunspots were visible and through the Ha scope the students could see small prominences protuding in one quadrant. They then experienced how small we are in the realm of the Universe and our solar system. They placed to scale models of Mercury, Venus and Earth in their proper orbits around the Sun and found out how small we really are on Earth and how far we are from the Sun. A great experience for the 8 classes who did rotate through this in around 95 degree weather. :-) Click the picture below to link to the gallery.

Outdoor Wildlife Leadership School 2014-07-17

17 July, 2014 (21:54) | Events, Observing, Outreach | By: tramakers

Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center organized the Outdoor Wildlife Leadership School workshop at CEWC for members of different locations of the Department of Natural Resources in Georgia. Of course if it is CEWC, astronomy is part of the curriculum. So we went to show these leaders what we do. It was clouded when we started, so we did our inside presentations and as time went on, the skies started to break open allowing us to go to the JWF to show them what we wanted to show them. Transparency stayed bad but they got a pretty good look at Saturn, Mars, the ring nebula, the great cluster in Hercules, M4 and M7 as well as the double stars Mizar and Albireo and learned a lot about the summer constellations. They all loved it. Thanks to Jim Lancaster and his wife, Jon and Marilyn Edwards, Dan Schmitt, Frank Garner and Theo Ramakers to participate in this great event.
Theo