[Chaos-l] "Our Vanishing Night" at Morehead, Apr. 17 (questions!)

[Amy Sayle]

Hello CHAOS members,

Mickey Jo recently emailed the list about a planetarium show light pollution
that we're working on ("Our Vanishing Night").  It's happening Tuesday, April
17 in the star theater at Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, as part of
UNC's celebration of Earth Week.

We'll begin the evening at 7:30 with the planetarium presentation and a couple
of (brief) speeches, then a walking tour of the lighting in the surrounding
area & observing at the Sundial in front of the building--many thanks to Robert
Nielsen, who I hear from Mickey did some scouting out of various possibilities
for observing.

We would love to see CHAOS members at this event!  It's free and open to the
public, and we're hoping for a large crowd.  Note that we don't control the pay
lot in front of the building, but there is free parking at the metered spaces on
Franklin Street after 6 pm.

Now a question for you:
As part of the star theater show, I'll simulate varying levels of light
pollution.  I'm wondering if anyone happens to have a sense of the limiting
magnitude for any of the following places on a good night:
 - downtown Chapel Hill? (especially the Sundial area in front of MPSC--I feel
like I ought to know this already, but I don't!)
 - The "darker" parts of Chapel Hill, but still within city limits?
 - Ebenezer Church Recreation Area at Jordan Lake?
 - The CHAOS dark site? (I won't broadcast the address to the general public.)
The way things are set up, it's hard to "dial up" a specific limiting magnitude
for the star theater sky, but I think it'll be helpful if I have these figures
in mind.

And another question:
If you're bringing a telescope to this event, what might you be planning to look
at?  I'd like to mention your telescope targets during the show where possible,
to encourage folks to come outside to look at the REAL sky with you.

Thanks, and we hope to see many of you on April 17th!
Amy

--
Amy Sayle
Adult Programs Coordinator
UNC Morehead Planetarium and Science Center