October 2022

www.thelompocvision.com The Lompoc Vision “Good News You Can Use.” 11 OCTOBER ASTRONOMY HIGHLIGHTS from Tom Gerald of the Astronomy Club in Lompoc Nothing is more fun than 42 pickleball aficionados and friends batting a little yellow ball around and enjoying a barbeque on a perfect summer’s day! L ompoc Pickleball Club hosted its First Annual Round Robin Social Games for members at Ryon Park on Saturday August 27th. The event started promptly at 8:30 a.m. Two courts were set up for the regu- lar Saturday play. Two courts were devoted to the round robin chal- lenge. Eight women and eight men partici- pated in the informal competition, play- ing eight games each. Teams consisting of one man and one woman rotated part- ners through sixteen ten-minute games until every woman had played with every man. Each member of a winning pair earned points equal to the difference in the final score. Kathy Darg and Dave Pera were the high scorers for the event. Eric Morlan took second place for the men, while Margo Milligan and Karen Hudson had a playoff, with a man of their choice. Karen Hudson took second place. Following the games, players who did not place participated in a serving challenge that required them to land a serve in a bucket on the far back midline of the opposite court. Mike Darg, Suzie Hearrell, and Beckie Jazo were successful, each landing a ball in the bucket. Even players who scored the lowest were recognized with a jar of, what else? …. pickles. All members of the club are especially thankful to Kathy and Mike Darg who came up with the idea for the social and then implemented it with help from Suzie Hearrall. Players were thankful to members, Russ, John, and Ellen for shag- 1st Annual Round Robin Social ging balls, to Mary for keeping the scoring on track, and to Gay for making sure teams knew when and where to play. One member stated that Gay’s whistle blowing was music to the ears. Pickleball is a paddle sport created for all ages and skill levels. The rules are simple, and the game is easy for be- ginners to learn, but can develop into a quick, fast paced, competitive game for experienced players. Lompoc Pickle- ball Club welcomes all players, including those who want to learn, to join us at Ryon Park on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings from 8:30 – 11:30 am and on Wednes- day afternoons 3:00 – 5:30 pm. Play is free. Paddles and balls are available for those who do not have their own. Photos by Sherri Chavez Photography O ctober finds us with changing guards in the night sky as summer’s constellations, most notably Scorpius and Sagittarius, slowly yield to the lovely hallmarks of win- ter, Orion and the Pleiades. We lose the most intense view of our Milky Way Galaxy as our orbit takes us from looking into its center, to outward toward its edge and the infinity beyond. Much the way Halloween brings ghosts and zombies going house to house, October brings us celestial treats gleaming in the inky darkness of deep space. Three planets are on view: Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars. Bright, white Jupiter and golden Saturn are very prominent in the early evening and across the night, allowing plenty of time for studying with binoc- ulars or a smaller telescope. Mars is best viewed predawn, glow- ing red like a Halloween devil near the V of Taurus. Continuing this theme, next look for a shy Hollywood extra- terrestrial and a pale ghost. As a guidepost, look north for five stars in a distinct W, the constellation Cassiopeia. Sighting down- ward along the two stars of the left leg of the W, you will come to a bright star, Phi Cassiopeiae, the brightest star in a group of stars once known as the Dragonfly Cluster. This star group (86 on chart) is now affectionately known as the ET Cluster after its uncanny resemblance to the beloved movie alien. Faint and hard to discern without being away from city lights, use binoculars to pick out this group of stars. Take your time. Once found, you will see (currently upside down) ET’s big eyes, head, chunky body, short legs, and outstretched arm pointing, “Home….” Next, follow that same line southward toward the great square of Pegasus; half the way there, in the center of the Andromeda constellation, see a fuzzy spot. A near neighbor in cosmic terms [2.5 million light years away], this “ghost” is the famed Andromeda Galaxy (88-89 on chart). Not coming for treats, this galaxy will eons from now be moving in to live with the Milky Way. Huge though it is, Andromeda is difficult see, appear - (continued on page 15)