First Friday Crowd

First Friday Crowd


On Friday evening, June 3rd, 2011, the Raleigh Astronomy Club (RAC) participated in the North Carolina Natural Science Museum’s First Friday event by setting telescopes outside the museum for the public to view through.  The theme for this First Friday event was all about Mars from highlighting a full scale model of the Mars Science Lab Rover to a screening of the 1954 film “Devil Girl from Mars.”

An estimated 200 members of the public were treated to views of celestial objects through RAC members’ telescopes.  However the highlight of the evening was viewing Saturn with its beautiful rings.  During periods of steady seeing, banding could be observed on the face of the Saturn as well as the Cassini Division with the rings.  Saturn’s moon Titan was clearly visible and some folks even saw the moons Rhea and Tethys (magnitudes 10.1 and 10.6 respectively).

First Friday Observing

First Friday Observing


It was approximately 10pm by the time the crowd dwindled down to a trickle and the RAC members pack up.  It was a wonderful event.