I had the pleasure of hosting the first Public Star Party of the year last night, March 28, alongside Ken Everheart and Richard Ren.

The event was a success, with over 200 attendees and 28 member telescopes on-site. I arrived at 6:30 PM to find several members and guests already checking HALO and setting up. We began the observatory session by viewing the moon during the twilight hours. Once it was dark, we observed M81 and M82. At 8:30 PM, we attempted to view the ISS passing through Jupiter’s field of view; while we couldn’t get them in the same frame, the ISS was clearly visible to the naked eye and through binoculars.

We also received a visit from the Park Rangers, who expressed their interest in attending future events. Throughout the evening, I noticed a high level of interest regarding the distances of the objects we were observing. While I didn’t always have immediate answers, this has provided me with a great research focus for my next event as CTO. We concluded the night with views of the Orion and Horsehead nebulae.

I officially closed HALO at 11:00 PM, though a few members remained with Ernie, who took over as the key holder in charge.

This was a wonderful experience and my first time being fully in charge of HALO and guest entertainment. Although I can be nervous speaking to crowds, the guests were very respectful and shared that they had a great time.

Best regards,

Jose Urias