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This Is SKY & TELESCOPE's AstroAlert for Occultations
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The second astro meteo (Clear Sky Clock) forecast indicates that it
will most likely be cloudy along the path in Michigan, and also
across the northern third of Indiana. The best area for the Alcyone
graze will probably be across Illinois and s.e. Missouri, but fairly
poor transparency is forecast even there. Maybe Bob Sandy will try
to observe in that area; contact hime at bobgraze@planetkc.com .

With the current forecast, it's likely that we will not drive to the Alcyone
graze path from the DC area, but may try the 24 Tauri graze near Columbus,
Ohio, or a little southwest of there, it looks like it will be fairly clear there.

I'll talk to the national weather service about 9 am to get the new
forecast before astro meteo does their update, and decide which way
to go then.

The North American forecast maps, and
maps showing the path west of West Lafayette, Ind., are
at http://iota.jhuapl.edu/exped.htm (or, directly, at
http://iota.jhuapl.edu/wx06720b.ppt ).

If we go to the Otterbein, IN
area (that's unlikely now, since it is near the edge of the
predicted overcast area), we would probably use W600N, an east-west
road 2 miles north of the point where US 52 and US 231 split 3 miles
east of Ottenbein. The meeting place would be at the intersection of
Road W600N and US 231, and observation sites would extend east from
US 231 for 1.5 miles along Road W600N. I have annotated the map and
reposted it now. Another astro meteo forecast will be available at
noon EDT (July 19 16h UT), but I will not be able to update this Web
site then; check Derek Breit's Web site for possible updates using
that later forecast that I'll e-mail to him (and can e-mail to you
upon request - see my e-mail address at home at the bottom of this
page). The Astro Meteo forecast is not very favorable for eastern
Maryland and along the two graze paths s.e. of Washington, DC, but
good transparency is forecast for north-central Maryland and central
Penn. Unfortunately, only an 8.2-mag. graze, of SAO 76191, passes
through that area, but it may be the only reasonable graze to
observe in the mid-Atlantic area. Another (last useful) Astro Meteo
forecast will be available at noon tomorrow, and we'll call to get
that information and could then proceed either to the Gaines,
Michigan area, or to Howe or Ottenbein, IN, or even other locations.
I may catch a flight to St. Louis and observe the Alcyone graze from
southern Illinois. You can call my cell phone, 301-526-5590, to
find out where we are going.

We will be leaving home in Maryland, and possibly last chance
for e-mail contact, at about 9 am EDT Wed. July 19, if we try to
drive to the Alcyone path; those of us from the Maryland - DC area
will be carpooling to the graze (we'll travel in just my minivan,
since currently only Wayne Warren and I are travelling). If we try
24 Tauri, we would leave about noon, to get the astro meteo update,
and if I catch a flight to St. Louis, I would leave in the early
afternoon.

Jose Guzman hopes to observe the Pleiades passage, and if the
weather is good enough, he will probably try either the ZC 562 or
SAO 76259 grazes in Maryland. If you might be interested in helping
his effort, his e-mail is jose.guzman@jhuapl.edu and cell phone is
301-213-8647.