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Árbol del Sol
Thought for the Month The SunTree Traveler A couple of notes about one of our favorite places for SunTree Events:
Annual Easter Bunny Hunt at Faywood Hot Springs Apparently there were a lot of personal conflicts for SunTree members who, as a result were not able to attend the post-Easter event at Faywood Hot Springs. The weather on Friday was what you would expect for springtime in New Mexico. The only sailing vessels approaching Faywood had to arrive from the west. From the east there was a constant fight against the wind. As we have noted before, however, the vegetation and the shape of the Hot Springs Hill helped to develop pockets of calm in the wind for Friday evening. By Saturday morning, the weather was perfect. The morning Kaffe klatch dawn patrol had a fantastic view of a very clear sky with no wind to wake up to. The rest of the day was as delightful. We did have a nice potluck on Saturday evening as usual with a number of non-member participants joining in. It was a very pleasant weekend.
Cinco de Mayo in Alamogordo As you probably recall from last month’s news, the Mother’s Day event at Alamogordo has been slipped a week earlier. This changes the event from a “Mother’s Day Bash” into a “Cinco de Mayo Bash”. That sort-of makes it the same event and same potluck opportunities, but one week earlier on 5 May. The pool and hot tub will be in full operation for the event. Be sure to contact SunTree if you are planning on attending to let us know when you will be there and what you plan on bringing to the Saturday evening potluck meal. Memorial Day Camping in the Gila National Forest In an informal poll of members, it seems as though the camping trip over the Memorial Day weekend will be lightly attended. Once again, there are a number of conflicting plans, but some of the members have indicated that they are interested in the trip. I am asking all who would like to participate in this camping trip to contact SunTree so that we can get back in contact with you in case we have to cancel. There are a number of events that may cause a cancellation including Gila National Forest closures. The camping site is in a dead-zone for cellular phones and it is over twenty miles to a location where you can use your phone. Normal Radio Frequency communication is not reliable either. If you have a satellite phone, you will, of course be able to contact people from the camp site. If there is a reason to cancel the event, we need to get in contact with you before you get on the road to the site. Due to the plan to have the Memorial Day weekend camping trip as well as the plans of those members who will be otherwise engaged during the Memorial Day weekend, we are moving the previously scheduled Faywood Hot Springs event of 2 – 3 June to the following weekend (9 – 10 June).
Not all of Our Extraterrestrial Visitors Travel by UFO I do hope that you got to see the Lyrids Meteor Shower on 23 April. It was not so spectacular, but in most years, we do not see them at all. We will have another in May, but the Moon will play havoc with it. That will be the Eta Aquarids on the morning of 7 May. You should see some of the brighter of the meteors if you are patient. Evening: It seems that the major activity for this month will be during the middle part of the month. Look at the very thin crescent Moon on 17 May at sunset. Just below it, you can see little Mercury shining for all its worth. You can see it better with a pair of binoculars. The next night, the crescent Moon is a little thicker, so you might be able to find it easier. On that night Mercury will be below and to the right of the Moon. The night after that (19 May), the Moon will have acquired a diamond decoration. Very bright Venus will nestle on the left horn of the crescent Moon that night. There will be no need for binoculars that night. Off to your left and high above, as you are looking at that bright Venus – Moon demonstration, you can see Saturn. It has been creeping along the southwestern horizon for the last month. Saturn is not too shabby in the brightness department either, though not as brilliant as Venus. It is glowing at Magnitude 0.5. The rings are still spectacular if you have optical enhancement instrumentation. Saturn will stay in the sky until about midnight. Last month, Jupiter was rising around 1 AM but was spectacular in the high western sky about the time that the SunTree dawn patrol met at the Faywood soaking pool during our post-Easter weekend. This month, Jupiter will be rising at 11 PM. On 31 May, the Moon will be hovering just below it. Like Saturn, Jupiter is not as bright as Venus, but it is still a nice, bright spot in the sky. The headline about extraterrestrial visitors did not refer to the meteors, but the Eta Aquarids probably will be more exciting than this visitor because you will have to do some research to find it. It will be visible to the naked eye, though. On 31 May, while you are looking at the Moon and Jupiter, if you look to your left (almost due East) there is a star in the ho hum constellation of Ophiuchus with the unpretentious name of M107 (exciting, huh?). There will be another somewhat bright object right next to it (shining only at magnitude 5.4). This year is the 200th year of the discovery of that particular object (Happy Birthday Vesta). It is our neighbor, Vesta, the brightest of all asteroids. This year (in observation of its second centennial) it will have the brightest showing ever. Morning: Almost all of the major activity for this month is in the evening, but there are a couple of morning things to see. Earlier, I mentioned the Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower which will be fighting with the Moon for attention on 7 May. In the early part of the month, Jupiter will still be available for the dawn patrol to watch for in the west. Mars will be rising earlier than it was last month, so unless you get up real early, do not bother. Mars is not very bright this month as has been the case for the last couple of months. Do not give up on Mars, though. He has plans for this fall when all of the other planets go into hiding. Currently, it seems that Mars is saving up his energy for a grand presentation in late summer and through the Fall.
© 2004 SunTree Travel Club - Site updated Summer 2008 |
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What Happened in April