Astronomers - Trick or treating?

I have done this for the past several years too with quite good success. The kids are very respectful of the equipment and very interested and eager to see something in the scope. One teacher told me after the first year I did this that her classes were buzzing about the guy with the telescope!

I think Jupiter will be the main target, maybe Uranus, M13 and M57. Everything else is just too faint in my light polluted skies.

Julian

Mike,

I'll be treating the passers by to the transit of IO over Jupiter, Yes, keep that scope on Jupiter for a real Halloween treat. IO (and it's shadow will be transiting the face of Jupiter on 'All Hallows Eve'! The times for the transit are as follows: 8:49 PM - 11:03 PM EDT on OCT 31.

Tonight 30-Oct-2010 there's a double transit of Ganymede and Europa over Jupiter. You should be able to see both shadows around 10:45 PM. How cool is that!? See the info below:

Ganymede Oct 30 8:19 PM EDT - 11:24 PM EDT

Europa Oct 30 10:25 PM EDT - Oct 31 1:10 AM EDT

Any other planet would be a good choice. Depending on the size of your telescope and location another good option may be Albireo. Others may be Andromeda or the Ring Nebula. Those would all be a real treat in my opinion.

EDIT: ah, then the Messier objects probably wouldn't be a good choice. Albireo should still look nice with a decent sized telescope though.

I used to do this every year when I lived in the city, but now I live at the end of a 500 metre driveway on an unpaved country road, so we get an average of one trick-or-treater a year.

I'd recommend Jupiter and my favourite "scary" star cluster: NGC 457: the "E.T. Cluster."

Below is my article on more Halloween treats.

Mike, I don't know what type or size aperture scope you are using, but if it is 10" or better, you might want to take a shot at M31, M57 and M13. I don't agree with mixing Halloween and astronomy. People are already confused enough thinking we have something to do with the occult (e.g. astrology).

I will second that and say the Andromeda galaxy. Few people have even seen it themselves. Jupiter is also a good choice, however.

Neptune, it is really blue and awesome