Outreach

 

 

Astronomers
of
Verde Valley

 

 

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The Astronomers of Verde Valley have allied themselves with several organizations to conduct public

astronomy outreach programs. These programs include solar viewing with specialized solar

telescopes, night time telescope viewing, presentations and project workshops for kids and adults alike.

 

Club member James Keyworth shows off the partial solar eclipse to 300 students at the Beaver Creek School District thru his Questar Maksutov telescope.

 

 

The kids Beaver Creek School line up for a look at the partial solar eclipse on August 21st.

 

Over 200 came out at a local Sedona resort to see the partial solar eclipse. 8 telescopes were available to view thru including Hydrogen Alpha scopes.

Photo: Karen Maddy

 

While taking a break from enjoying the eclipse, viewers could cool off with bottled water while looking at the displays in the Night Sky Network tent.

Photo: J D Maddy

 

While taking a break from enjoying the eclipse, viewers could cool off with bottled water while looking at the displays in the Night Sky Network tent.

Photo: J D Maddy

 

Even though the eclipse was only about 69%, the air cooled off about 15 degrees and the sky darkened noticeably.

Photo: J D Maddy

 

The kids at the Posse Ground Park day camp look at the Sun thru special solar eclipse glasses and solar telescopes.

Photo: Rachel Murdock

 

The kids at the Posse Ground Park day camp look at the Sun thru special solar eclipse glasses and solar telescopes.

Photo: Rachel Murdock

 

Camp Verde folks that attended the grand opening of the new library had a chance to see the Sun and Venus thru telescopes.

Photo: J D Maddy

 

Youngsters that attended the Camp Verde Library grand opening are getting ready early for the 2017 Solar Eclipse.

Photo: J D Maddy

 

Night Sky Network tents being set up at Alamo Lake State Park for the Night Under the Stars event.

Photo: J D Maddy

 

Solar viewing and daytime planet viewing was a hit at the Sci Tech Festival at Mingus High School.

Photo: J D Maddy

 

Karen Maddy works with students of Mingus High School at a recent Sci Tech Festival. Meteor Right Meteor Wrong was a favorite activity.

Photo: J D Maddy

 

The Astronomy Club's field trip to look thru the recently refurbished Clark Refractor at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff.

Photo: J D Maddy

Click the picture to expand.

 

Red lights are used by attendees at the Kartchner Caverns Star Night while the Milky Way glows overhead.

Photo: J D Maddy

 

Click picture to expand.

 

Karen Maddy is training a family how to use their solar eclipse glasses safely.

Photo: J D Maddy

 

Outreach Director Karen Maddy works with a family in the Night Sky Network tents at Kartchner Caverns Star Night. 

Photo: J D Maddy

 

Telescopes being set up for a Night Under the Stars at Tuzigoot National Monument in Clarkdale, AZ.

Photo: J D Maddy

 

Here's a look at what observers saw at the Night Under the Stars event at Tuzigoot National Monument in Clarkdale, AZ.

Photo: J D Maddy

Click the picture to expand.

 

Students at the Sci Tech Festival at Camp Verde High School enjoy views of the Sun thru hydrogen alpha and visual wavelength telescopes. 

Photo: J D Maddy

 

Even Corn can enjoy views of the Sun thru special solar telescopes at Camp Verde's annual Corn Fest.

Photo: J D Maddy

 

The 5th grade class at Mountain View Preparatory in Cottonwood enjoy the night skies with the astronomers on Oct 1st, 2015.

Photo: J D Maddy

 

Solar Viewing at the July 4th, 2015 Clarkdale Celebration, Parade and Pancake Breakfast.

Photo: J D Maddy

 

Solar Viewing at the July 4th 2015 Clarkdale Celebration, Parade and Pancake Breakfast.

Photo: J D Maddy

 
Family Campout at Dead Horse Ranch State Park in Cottonwood.

June 6th, 2015

 

Photo Credit: Nancy Snyder

Family Campout at Dead Horse Ranch State Park in Cottonwood.

The Outreach Crew. (Nancy not pictured)

June 6th, 2015

 

Photo Credit: Nancy Snyder

Solar viewing @ Sunset Crater Visitor Center on June 20th, 2015.

Photo: J D Maddy

Star Party set up at Red Rock State Park in Sedona.

June 6th, 2015

 

Photo Credit: J D Maddy

Waiting for darkness at Red Rock State Park in Sedona.

June 6th, 2015

 

Photo Credit: J D Maddy

A team from Lowell Observatory set up their scope at Red Rock State Park in Sedona.

June 6th, 2015

 

Photo Credit: J D Maddy

Participants at the Sedona Parks and Recreation Summer Kids Camp learn how to properly observe the Sun.

June 3rd, 2015

 

Photo Credit: J D Maddy

Participants at the Sedona Parks and Recreation Summer Kids Camp learn how to properly observe the Sun. Here, they are looking at the Sun in the hydrogen alpha and ultraviolet wavelengths.

June 3rd, 2015

 

Photo Credit: J D Maddy

Participants at the Sedona Parks and Recreation Summer Kids Camp learn how to properly observe the Sun.

June 3rd, 2015

 

Photo Credit: J D Maddy

Participants at the Sedona Parks and Recreation Summer Kids Camp learn how to properly observe the Sun. Here, they are looking at the Sun in the hydrogen alpha and ultraviolet wavelengths.

June 3rd, 2015

 

Photo Credit: J D Maddy

Students of Mingus Union High School at their annual school's end star party.

May 18h, 2015

 

Photo Credit: J D Maddy

Students of Mingus Union High School at their annual school's end star party.

May 18h, 2015

 

Photo Credit: J D Maddy

Family Campout at Red Rock State Park in Sedona.

May 2nd, 2015

 

Photo Credit: J D Maddy

The cloudy skies did clear up for the Family Campout at Red Rock State Park in Sedona.

May 2nd, 2015

 

Photo Credit: J D Maddy

Students of Cottonwood Elementary show their appreciation for the Club's  star party.

May 13th, 2014

 

Photo Credit: Taryn Quenzer

Students of Mingus Union High School at their annual school's end star party.

May 19th, 2014

 

Photo Credit: J D Maddy

Students of Mingus Union High School at their annual school's end star party.

May 19th, 2014

 

Photo Credit: J D Maddy

Students of Mingus Union High School at their annual school's end star party.

May 19th, 2014

 

Photo Credit: J D Maddy

The Rangers at Red Rock State Park in Sedona help kids build recycle rockets out of plastic water bottles and glow bracelets. A crescent Moon sets in the background.

May 30th, 2014

 

Photo Credit: J D Maddy

Karen Maddy conducts some long distance solar outreach at the Visitor Information Station on the volcano Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii.

May 6th, 2014

 

Photo Credit: J D Maddy

Karen Maddy explains some of the finer points of night time observing to Rangers and those who came out to the Red Rock Ranger Station star party.

May 3rd, 2014

 

Photo Credit: J D Maddy

The Club's outreach is now going really far out to the island of Hawaii at the Visitor Information Station on Mauna Kea.

May 6th, 2014

 

Photo Credit: J D Maddy

The Science Class of Mingus Union High School have a look at the night skies thru the several telescopes present on the ball practice field. Jupiter, Saturn, Venus and many other stellar objects were seen. Even Comet Panstarrs made an appearance.

May 15th, 2013

 

Photo Credit: J D Maddy

The Science Class of Mingus Union High School have a look at the night skies thru the several telescopes present on the ball practice field. Many of the students had check lists and questions for the visiting astronomers.

May 15th, 2013

Photo Credit: J D Maddy

The Science Class of Mingus Union High School have a look at the night skies thru the several telescopes present on the ball practice field. Jupiter, Saturn, Venus and many other stellar objects were seen. Even Comet Panstarrs made an appearance.

May 15th, 2013

Photo Credit: J D Maddy

The Science Class of Mingus Union High School have a look at the night skies thru the several telescopes present on the ball practice field. Although the Sun had just set, the cloud bands of Jupiter were easily seen. After the skies darkened a bit, the Galilean Moons were seen as well.

May 15th, 2013

Photo Credit: J D Maddy

Brian Stephens of Lunt Solar Systems showcased a 100mm Double Stack Ha and 152mm Ha solar telescopes at the past Kartchner Caverns event. Scattered clouds didn't hamper the 125 plus crowd viewing thru solar telescopes.

 

Photo Credit: J D Maddy

As the clouds moved in and out for solar viewing, the Night Sky Network tent was busy with activity. Members Karen and Terry tried to keep up with all the questions they crowd had.

 

Photo Credit: J D Maddy

The wind blustered up in the afternoon and we had to take the tents down. The solar viewing continued.

 

Photo Credit: J D Maddy

As others were showing off the Sun spots and solar flares, JD trained his scopes onto Jupiter. Yes, Jupiter can be seen quite well during the daytime. Cloud bands could be easily seen. The moons escaped visual looks until the evening.

 

Photo Credit: Karen Maddy

A small spotting scope projects the Sun spots visible onto a white card. This an easy way to observe the Sun with out a solar filter. It can be rough on the eyepiece though, and should only be used for a short period of time.

 

Photo Credit: J D Maddy

A local Cub Scout troop learns about astronomy while earning their  loops, patches and badges. They were going to look thru telescopes also, but an unusual blizzard was going on in Sedona. Karen Maddy is presenting proper telescope etiquette.

 

Photo Credit: Kim Seda

A local Cub Scout troop learns about astronomy while earning their  loops, patches and badges. They were going to look thru telescopes also, but an unusual blizzard was going on in Sedona. J D Maddy is discussing stellar evolution and the life of our Sun.

 

Photo Credit: Kim Seda

On November 10th, 2012 the 6th Annual Night Under the Stars at Alamo Lake State Park took place. Night Sky Network tents kept the crowd busy as the clouds moved around during the daytime. Later, 19 telescopes dotted the viewing field as the 200+ viewers enjoyed a clear, cloud free sky.

 

Photo Credit: Karen Maddy

At Alamo Lake State Park's Night Under the Stars for 2012. As the adults viewed thru the solar telescopes during the day time, the kids gathered in the Ramada and worked on several types of projects at the Kids Zone.

 

Photo Credit: Karen Maddy

On April 22, 2012 in conjunction with Sedona Parks and Recreation, the Astronomers of Verde Valley conducted a Solar Workshop at Posse Ground Park. After a Power Point presentation, the 50 attendees were able to look thru a variety of solar telescopes viewing Sun spots, solar flares and evening viewing in ultraviolet wave lengths.

 

Photo Credit: Karen Maddy

On April 22nd, 2012 in conjunction with Sedona Parks and Recreation, the Astronomers of Verde Valley conducted a Solar Workshop at Posse Ground Park. Here, Ranchers from Rusty's Morning Star Ranch stopped by to have a safe look at the Sun.

 

Photo Credit: Karen Maddy

Bob Gent (left) President of the Huachuca Astronomy Club , Father Chris Corbally (center) of the Vatican Observatory and Karen Maddy share a photo moment at the recent Kartchner Caverns Star Night on March 17th, 2012.

 

Photo Credit: Bob Gent

Young folks in our outreach tent learn about the solar system, asteroids and meteors at the Tonto National Monument Star Party at the Windy Hill Recreation area on March 10th, 2012.

 

Photo Credit: Karen Maddy

Several gather at the telescopes at Roosevelt Lake for the Tonto National Monument Star Party at the Windy Hill Recreation area on March 10th, 2012.

 

Photo Credit: JD Maddy

Infra-red camera photo.

Camp Soaring Eagle kids have a Spooky Halloween presentation before they start their Saturns.

 

Photo Credit: JD Maddy

Camp Soaring Eagle Kids eagerly decorate their Saturns.

 

Photo Credit: JD Maddy

This young lady is looking thru a "Shoe Box Universe" created by member Doug Ostroski at the fall 2011 Kartchner Caverns Star Party.

 

Photo Credit: Karen Maddy

More activities for the kids at Kartchner Caverns fall 2011.

 

Photo Credit: Karen Maddy

JD is explaining the phases of the Moon to campers at Alamo Lake State Park the afternoon of the Night Under the Stars event.

 

Photo Credit: Karen Maddy

Karen operates the Club's Coronado PST piggy backed on a Celestron 6Se with a visual solar filter at Wupatki National Monument.

 

Photo Credit: J D Maddy

The outreach table at Sun Set Crater National Monument before the evenings star party.

 

Photo Credit: Nancy Snyder

Rich Bohner "mans" the outreach table at Sun Set Crater National Monument.

 

Photo Credit: Karen Maddy

Karen explains the use and operation of a reflector telescope to a group at Kartchner Caverns.

 

Photo Credit:

These kids are making Saturns before a star party at a Camp Soaring Eagle event at Jack Pot Ranch.

 

Photo Credit: J D Maddy

These kids are finishing their  Saturns at a Camp Soaring Eagle event held at Briar Patch Inn.

 

Photo Credit: Karen Maddy