[Chaos-l] Observing At FPG Elementary Tonight

[Robert Nielsen]

Everyone,

I just met with Ms. Ludington at Frank Porter Graham Elementary ... and 
we were trying to figure out where everyone should setup their scopes 
and (even more important) how to get there.   When I went last night, I 
got confused ... because there is the "Frank Porter Graham Child 
Development Institute" at the location as well.   So let me give some 
directions ...

*Persons With Smaller Scopes Or Who Want To Find Somebody Easily*

I think everyone knows *basically* how to get to FPG Elementary (15-501 
bypass, turn at the Greensboro Rd exit if you are coming from Chapel 
Hill ... at the Smith Level Rd exit if you are coming from Carrboro, 
turn south off the ramp and then take the first left after you are south 
of 15-501).   As you drive up the road off Smith Level toward the 
school, the first building you see ahead of you on the right is the 
Child Development Center.  Go straight (a little to the left so you 
don't end up in the bus loading area) and in a little while you will see 
a 1-story building on your right.  That's the main office of the 
elementary school (there's a sign).   Park somewhere along that road.   
Just past the 1-story building, there will be an entrance to where there 
are dumpsters.   Park up above, but go down next to the dumpsters to a 
little courtyard (grass with a cement area ... surrounded by 
buildings).   This is where Ms. Ludington will greet people.   It is 
possible to set up scopes there ... and that will probably be where the 
hot chocolate is ... but there will be light pollution.

 From that courtyard, head through the buildings ahead of you (you'll 
need to go around the left side of the building directly in front of 
you) and then go down the two flights of steps and back onto the 
playground behind the school.   This is where Ms. Ludington thought most 
people would be ... and where most of the telescopes are setup.  But 
like I said, it's probably 60 stairs to get down there ... and a bit of 
a walk ... so we've devised a different way for people to go that have 
big scopes that need to be transported by vehicle.  If you can carry 
your scope up and down stairs ... or want to be next to the hot 
chocolate, setup in the courtyard.

*Persons With Bigger Scopes*

As you turn off of Smith Level Road, go up the hill but turn right at 
the first place you can (this will be in front of the Child Development 
Institute).  Continue on this left side of the parking lot until you 
meet up with some dumpsters at the end of the road (note:  these are NOT 
the same dumpsters mentioned earlier).  Right before the dumpsters on 
the left will be a gate in a chain-link fence ... and what looks like an 
evil downslope to a hill.   It's not as bad as it looks (although there 
are ruts) and people use it every day to get down to this parking lot.  
Go through the gate and across the parking lot, and look for a gate 
towards the left next to the playground (there is another gate straight 
ahead ... don't use it).   Go through the second gate and stay close to 
the playground fence.   Roughly where the playground fence ends on the 
left, there will be a short cut-through on the right through the wood 
and down to the lower playground.   There will be slides and swings 
right there, but make your way through the playground equipment into an 
open space to setup.

This lower playground is much darker, according to Ms. Ludington (I'll 
bet it is), although it might be difficult to see Saturn because of the 
buildings in the distance.   To see Saturn, it  might be necessary to 
setup slightly higher (go straight instead of going through the 
cut-through) ... but we're not sure of the light pollution at that 
area.   I thought the best idea was to have most of the telescopes in 
the same area - the lower playground - so I suggest you setup there.

So that's it.   Last night the skies were amazingly clear, and the 
viewing toward the south at FPG Elementary is pretty good (not much 
south of there until you hit Pittsboro).  I will be showing up between 
6:30 and 6:45 to setup (all you folks with open-tube scopes are lucky) 
and my cell phone number is 593-5900 if you get completely lost.

Robert