RAS helped the Virginia Museum of History & Culture host a skywatch for one of their annual member events. The event’s theme was based on the museum’s current exhibit: Apollo: When We Went to the Moon. It was held at one of Richmond’s cultural gems: The Virginia House-a manor house built on a hillside overlooking the James River in the Windsor Farms neighborhood. The house was constructed from the materials of a house built in England and reconstructed here in 1929.
While guests rotated through the house and outisde through the front and back lawns, RAS volunteers showed views of Veneus, Mars, and the double star Castor with telescopes set up at the front and back of the house. It was a beautiful evening for sitting outside, with perfectly clear skies. But, because of the urban location, we were pretty much limited to only viewing brighter objects. We did get a lot of interaction with the 50 or so guests, and it seemed like ever one of them ended up gathered around our scops, waiting for a view.
We had two telescopes set up on the front lawn. Here, Jim Browder, has is set up and ready for visitors.
John Barnett is set up on the terraces in the back of the house, leading down to the river.
The Apollo exhibit at the museum runs through the end of the year.