John Wagoner is one of the best known binocular observers in the country.
Not only is he familiar with the skies of both the Northern and Southern
Hemispheres, but he has created some of the most popular binocular observing
programs available. And he is also the observing coordinator for the
internationally known Texas Star Party, the premier dark-sky observing event for
amateur astronomers in North America.
If you are going to the 2003 Texas Star Party, and want a head start on the binocular and telescope observing
programs, here is your chance. Just download the programs here in PDF format. You will still need to observe all of the objects at this year's Texas Star Party,
but downloading the files now will allow you to plan your observing sessions ahead of time.
TSP
2003 Observing
Programs
PDF File Name
TSP 2003 Telescope Observing
Program - The Great Celestial A.R.C.
The purpose of this program is not to test your observing skills by throwing
the toughest objects at you that are hard to see under any conditions, but to
give you an opportunity to observe 25 showcase objects under the ideal
conditions of these pristine West Texas skies, thus displaying them to their
best advantage. This year we have planned a program called
"The Great Celestial A.R.C."
(Asterisms,
Radio
sources, & Clusters).
The rules are simple. Just observe the 25 objects listed. Do not be afraid to
use a little magnification on the planetaries or the 5350 galaxy group. Also
keep in mind that this year we have some early evening objects, so you will need
to plan accordingly.
That's it. Any size telescope can be used. All observations must be made at
the Texas Star Party to qualify. All objects are within range of small (6") to
medium sized (10") telescopes, and are available for observation between 10:00PM
and 3:00AM any time during the TSP.
Each person completing this list will receive an official Texas Star Party
Telescope Observing Club lapel pin. These pins are not sold at the TSP and can
only be acquired by completing the program, so wear them proudly.
The TSP Binocular Observing Club
The purpose of the TSP Binocular Observing Club is not to test your observing
skills by throwing the toughest objects at you that are hard to see under any
conditions, but to give you an opportunity to observe 25 showcase objects under
the ideal conditions of these pristine West Texas skies, thus displaying them to
their best advantage.
The rules are simple. Just observe any 25 objects listed below, and log those
observations in the spaces provided. That's it. Any size binoculars can be used.
All observations must be made at the Texas Star Party to qualify. For a Southern
Skies challenge, observe those objects marked with an "S". For an easy list,
observe those objects marked with an "E". For a tougher list, observe those
objects marked with an "H". But remember, a total of 25 objects must be
observed, and you can mix and match lists.
All objects are within range of small to medium sized binoculars, and are
available for observation between 10:00PM and 4:00AM any time during the TSP.
All objects are listed in Right Ascension order so that you can observe them
before they set in the West, or as they rise in the East.
Each person completing this list will receive an official Texas Star Party
Binocular Observing Club lapel pin. These pins are not sold at the TSP and can
only be acquired by completing the program, so wear them proudly. All objects
were tested at Ft. Davis, so you should not have trouble with any of them.
John Wagoner,
TSP Observing Chairman
The Southwest Region of the Astronomical League is made up
of 28 member societies of the Astronomical League in the states of
Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico.
Join the AAAA's
SWRAL Newsgroup
Hosted by Yahoo Groups and the American Association
of Amateur Astronomers
The purpose of the SWRAL Yahoo! Newsgroup, hosted by the American
Association of Amateur Astronomers, is to create a forum where
members of SWRAL clubs can share ideas and experiences, and just get
to know each other. If you belong to one of the member societies of the Southwest Region of the Astronomical League,
or just want to know more about what is going on in this part of the
Astronomical League, please
join us as we share ideas about our region and what we can do to
encourage more communication between clubs.
Developed by TSP Observing Chairman John Wagoner, these observing programs are provided here in PDF format by the American
Association of Amateur Astronomers at no charge, as a service to members of the AAAA,
the Texas Star Party, the Southwest Region of the Astronomical League, and the astronomical community at large.
Click HERE
for TSP 2004 Observing Programs
Click HERE
for TSP 2003 Observing Programs
Click HERE
for TSP 2001 Observing Programs
Click HERE
for TSP 2000 Observing Programs
Click HERE
for TSP 1999 Observing Programs
Use Adobe Acrobat Reader Version 3.02 to access the Portable Document File for the observing program of your
choice.
The PDF files were created using Adobe Acrobat Exchange Version 3.0. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader
Version 3.0 or higher to read these files in your web browser. Adobe Acrobat Reader is a plug-in that works with
both Netscape and Microsoft Internet Explorer browser software. If you have an older version of Adobe Acrobat Reader,
or need to download this FREE software, click here
now.
The Texas Star Party is the Annual Convention of the
Southwest Region of the Astronomical League,
sponsored by SWRAL and hosted by TSP, Inc.
Click HERE
to Read Our Report on TSP 2003
Click HERE
to Read Our Report on TSP 2002
Click HERE
to Read Our Report on TSP 2001
Click HERE
for TSP 2003 Observing Programs
Click HERE
for TSP 2001 Observing Programs
Click HERE
for TSP 2000 Observing Programs
Click HERE
for TSP 1999 Observing Programs
