Log, May 21, 1999
Friday: 30 people. The occultation of Regulus (Alpha Leonis) by the Moon at 17 minutes after midnight was the centerpiece of this weeks viewing. Heavy rains earlier in the week caused a short in the external circuits causing us to drape orange power cords about the field.Visitors and staff alike had to make an adjustment to the first visible signs of the new telescope, a large platform which will replace ladders as means of climbing to the eyepieces. It must remain out of service until the existing telescope with its awkward counterweight boom is replaced by the more compact alt-azimuth fork mount of the Meade.Joe donated a Compaq Laptop installed with Windows-95 and Linux. This allows us for the first time to use star mapping tools. This was very handy as we planned the occultation.
