Post by bsimon615 on Nov 27, 2021 20:18:44 GMT -6
As of now our dates for the 40th Annual DSSG are set for Tuesday, October 18th to Sunday, October 23, 2022. With those dates we will have a waning Moon rising after 1:30 am on Wednesday morning, October 19th and at almost 5 am on Saturday morning, October 22nd. So the Moon is not really an issue and on the early dates could present the opportunity to observe the "old Moon" for some who may wish to stay up late.
If we were to go with dates a week later with a start of Tuesday, October 25th and an end of Sunday October 30th, 2022, we would have a Moon that is a thin crescent low in the southwestern sky just after sunset on Thursday, October 27th but with the tree line we will not see it. It will be a bit higher the next night but still very low and thin and not an issue. On Saturday evening October 29th it will be 24% illuminated and will not set until about 9:30. It will drop below the tree line sometime between 8:30 pm and 8:45 pm. Not much of an issue and perhaps a plus for those that like to observe the Moon.
Other advantages of one week compared to the other include -
1) No conflict with either the El Dorado Star Party or the Peach State Star Gaze if we go with the earlier week.
2) Further away from the heart of hurricane season if we go with the latter week.
3) Statistically cooler weather if we go with the later week, but this is a marginal advantage at best.
4) Potentially less of a bug issue the later we go. (Was not an issue in 2021, but the DSSG was in November.)
So any opinions on dates one way or the other?
Barry Simon
If we were to go with dates a week later with a start of Tuesday, October 25th and an end of Sunday October 30th, 2022, we would have a Moon that is a thin crescent low in the southwestern sky just after sunset on Thursday, October 27th but with the tree line we will not see it. It will be a bit higher the next night but still very low and thin and not an issue. On Saturday evening October 29th it will be 24% illuminated and will not set until about 9:30. It will drop below the tree line sometime between 8:30 pm and 8:45 pm. Not much of an issue and perhaps a plus for those that like to observe the Moon.
Other advantages of one week compared to the other include -
1) No conflict with either the El Dorado Star Party or the Peach State Star Gaze if we go with the earlier week.
2) Further away from the heart of hurricane season if we go with the latter week.
3) Statistically cooler weather if we go with the later week, but this is a marginal advantage at best.
4) Potentially less of a bug issue the later we go. (Was not an issue in 2021, but the DSSG was in November.)
So any opinions on dates one way or the other?
Barry Simon
