Fifth Annual CAP Astronomy Night
M45 - Pleides (from nasaimages.org)
Tierra del Sol, CA -- Our fifth annual Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Astronomy Night held on 17 and 18 October 2009, was a repeat of the last four; dark clear sky, warm night, and wonderful liaison with our fellow CAP personnel and members of the San Diego Astronomy Association (SDAA). Again three squadrons participated with San Diego Cadet Sq. 144 the host, South San Diego Cadet Sq. 201, and for the first time, Escondido Charter High School Sq. 714. Another first were three members of the 147th Combat Communications Sq. (CBCS), California Air National Guard (ANG) who joined us. This Air National Guard unit has been supporting Sq. 144 since 2005 with an excellent place to meet each week.
Each year Mr. Dennis “Astro Man” Ritz invites CAP out to his observatory located at the SDAA, just one hour east of San Diego and ten miles south of I-8 freeway. Mr. Ritz is a retired chemical engineer, private pilot, and an avid amateur astronomer with three telescopes. With his vast knowledge of the night sky and his trusty lap top computer, he can zoom in on any planet, star, galaxy, nebula, one might ask for. The three telescopes he let use were: a 16” Meade LX200 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, and two Meade Dobsonians 18” and 16” telescopes.
At about 1430 hours all three squadrons met at the Golden Acorn Casino where Mr. Ritz guided the CAP convoy to the SDAA astronomical site. There C/1Lt Chandra Murphy quickly formed up the three squadrons for the mandatory safety brief by Maj Dennis Ammann concerning the altitude (3,500’), hydration, wild animal/insect concerns, and navigating in the dark using red filtered flashlights.
The following CAP personnel were present:
San Diego Cadet Sq. 144
Maj Dennis Ammann (Cmdr)
Capt David Saavedra
Lt Russ Wesley
C/1Lt Chandra Murphy (Cadet Cmdr)
C/1Lt Douglas Saavedra
C/MSgt Jesse O’Keefe
C/TSgt Andrew Elsken
C/SrA Andrew Overson
C/SrA Michael Saavedra
C/A1c Calvin Amos
C/A1c Zoe Horton
C/Amn Brad Fiske
C/Amn Everett Costello
C/Amn Nicholas Elsken
C/AB Seth Bauman
Escondido Charter High School Sq. 714
C/Amn Ryan Grenier (Sq. 714)
C/TSgt Nathan Blackburne (Sq. 714)
South San Diego Cadet Sq. 201
LtCol Steve Handrop (Cmdr)
Maj Bill Riddle (Chaplain)
C/CMSgt Jason Hannibal
C/MSgt Zachary Hamner
C/MSgt Steve Hannibal
C/MSgt Wayne Stokes II
C/SSgt Jacob Hamner
C/SSgt Philip Barlis
C/A1C John Handrop
C/A1C Julian Ditona
C/A1C Christian Salaiz
Guests:
147th Combat Communications Squadron, CA ANG
SMSgt Leona La Madrid
SMSgt Michelle Roberts
SMSgt Cindy Amparan
Parent Drivers/Assistants
Mrs. Kuei-Mei Ammann (cook)
Mr. Steve Murphy (cook)
Mr. Kevin Fiske (cook)
Mr. Alan Blackburne
Mrs. Susan Blackburne
Mr. Jon Hannibal
Mr. Wayne Stokes
The tents were quickly off loaded from Lt Russ Wesley’s ‘pack mule’ or pick-up truck with 22 tents set up – CAP Tent City. At about 1700 hours the BBQ dinner was served. Cooking for the fifth year was Mrs. Kuei-Mei Ammann and assisting her were Mr. Steve Murphy and Mr. Kevin Fiske. The standard hot dogs, hamburgers, potato salad/chips, and desert were on the menu along with chicken/shrimp skewers. Each cadet was responsible for bringing an item for the BBQ dinner. Extra food is always planned for so that an invitation is extended to the SDAA astronomers to eat with us. Prior to eating, Chaplain Bill Riddle was asked to say Grace.
At about 1815 hours, dinner was over and everything stowed for the night, our hosts Mr. Dennis Ritz and SDAA President Mr. Bob Austin were asked to say a few words about the rules and regulations which included how to conduct oneself at this field laboratory/observatory. Mr. Ritz spoke about what we would see that night, i.e., Jupiter, Neptune, Saturn, Mars, galaxies, nebulae, star clusters, etc. Maj Ammann pointed out five prominent stars along with a few WOW items about them. Cadet Jesse O’Keefe was tasked with adapting all flashlights with red cellophane in case they did not have red filters. White light along with the moon are two items astronomers will not tolerate. So red filters were affixed on all flashlights and the moon was taken care of by scheduling this night during the new moon, which was next to the sun. After witnessing a beautiful sunset of orange, the cadets fanned out for their respective observations.
Everyone was encouraged to introduce themselves to the various SDAA club members and inquire what they were observing. The club members were more than happy to share their telescopes, teach the cadets about what they were viewing, and answer questions about their equipment. Each year Mr. Austin makes his 17” Dobsonian telescope available to the cadets and welcomes them to view the stars in his observatory. Likewise Mr. Ritz’ observatory was open for everyone’s viewing through his three powerful scopes. Some of the cadets became expert pointers and trackers of the heavens inside Mr. Ritz’ porthole to objects millions of light years away.
It’s very important that the cadets go home knowing they have seen the most distant object one can see with the naked eye: Andromeda Galaxy (M31) our nearest neighbor. Seen as a tiny fuzzy ball, it’s 2.2 million light years from Earth and is high in the sky for easy viewing during October. Billions of years from now Andromeda will collide with our Milky Way Galaxy, with Earth already turned into a bunch of star dust as the Sun will have died out long before.
At 2200 hours a second meeting was held to discuss what the cadets viewed. Jupiter was a popular object with it’s four Galilean Moons. The star cluster Pleiades (M45) (about 440 light years from Earth) was also a hit and in an excellent viewing position. The cadets were taught how to say Pleiades in Japanese: Subaru. That’s right, next time you see a Subaru car, look at the insignia on the trunk or front grill; you’ll see the Seven Sisters Star Cluster - Pleiades. This cluster is truly a beautiful sight to be hold with its blue-white stars shining away and the gaseous cloud scattering the light, a perfect example of God’s handiwork. The Ring Nebula (M57) was also popular and looks like a very nice place to visit being only 2,300 light years away, keep in mind light travels 186,000 miles a second.
After the short meeting the cadets were informed there is no taps and can stay up all night, but most turned at 0100 hours and commenced viewing the insides of their respective eye lids. The last hold out was Cadet Jesse O’Keefe, who turned in at 0400 hours! Capt Saavedra headed up the early stargazers at 0400 hours for an in-depth look at the constellation of Orion which is a treasure chest of nebulae and star clusters, plus Saturn was rising with it’s ring almost edgewise to Earth, with Mars straight up.
As in years past, reveille was held at 0600 and CAP Tent City was quickly dismantled and loaded back in the vehicles by 0700 hours. Prior to departure, the traditional “FOD” walk-down was held as the cadets formed a line abreast and collected trash from one end of the site to the other. About five bags of trash were taken home with us.
Prior to departure, the squadrons thanked “Astro Man” for hosting this year’s CAP Astronomy Night and opening up his observatory to us. Maj Ammann presented a Sq. 144 hat and patch as tokens of his friendship to CAP. Mr. Ritz was made an honorary member of Sq. 144, the Phoenix Squadron. As a pilot and amateur astronomer, he was invited to Sq. 144 and perhaps give a one hour presentation on the Cirrus SR22 low wing, four seat aircraft he used to own or any topic about astronomy. Although Mr. Austin was sleeping when we departed he too was very instrumental in allowing CAP to access the site, his telescope, club conference room, and opportunity to camp out under the stars.
The squadrons left at 0830 hours and headed back to San Diego for the one hour drive.
I do not know of any other CAP squadron in California Wing that has this type of intense ‘classroom’ to reinforce what cadets learn in Module 5 of the AE Study Guide. This is truly a gold mine and more fun than reading about the heavens. Cadets will never be lost, because they can now point to the center of our galaxy (only 50 light years away) and know which arm of the Milky Way we’re in.
People who supported this activity were all the parents who drove us to the SDAA site and helped with the cooking, clean up, tent set up/stowage. This was the second year 1Lt Russell Wesley provided his ‘pack mule’ saving more room in the vehicles for cadets. Mr. Steve Murphy was everywhere, driving, cooking, stowing food away, and assumed the duties of ‘Astro Trash Man’, taking the five bags of star dust home.
Last, we would like to thank LtCol Steve Handrop and his squadron for joining us each year, our two wingmen from Sq. 714, and our three amigos from the 147th CBCS CA ANG for joining us and supporting us throughout these many years. Not only did our cadets learn about astronomy, they made friends with other squadrons, felt a closer bond with our ANG fellow wing ladies, and experienced the friendliness of the SDAA. Some of us saw more than just the beauty of that starry night, for this is truly God’s handiwork that not very many people are able to enjoy anymore. Perhaps you will join us next year and make the effort to see and learn what we experience each year.
Keep looking up! Semper Vigilans!
Maj Dennis S. Ammann
Commander, San Diego Cadet Sq. 144
“You much knowing tube, more precious than any scepter.”
Johannes Kepler (1571-1630)
-- describing Galileo’s telescope. --
