Getting Real in the Year of the Coronavirus

Old business first. Last time I looked at the idea that a 100W solar panel would be more than adequate for replacing the energy spent in a previous night of imaging. What needs to be realized about this idea is the uncertainties that come into play with it. Here are a few:

• I rarely image for an entire night as assumed. In fact, I can recall doing so on only two occasions. Usually either fatigue sets in or the sky goes cloudy and you lose a couple of hours.  
• Getting four or five consecutive nights clear all night is not something that happens often. In my experience the rule is maybe half the nights of a star party are clear.
• Some imaging sites are quite dry (like Nebraska) and active dew control isn't needed for the first several hours. This eliminates one of the larger power requirements.
• Starting with a fully charged laptop (which is almost always the case) greatly reduces its power consumption. 

In other words the estimates I made for required energy were probably overestimates. So I feel safe in saying that the panel in consideration will be adequate. It's not going to be able to run an air conditioner or refrigerator, but it will be fine for imaging.

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Now let's get to the topic of the moment, if not the decade, COVID-19. As I write we know that this virus is relatively contagious, spreading across the country, and tough on older people. Active cases are showing up in Minnesota and Nebraska, and doubtless will appear in South Dakota in the coming days. [Update: The day after posting this South Dakota reported 5 cases with one fatality.] Right now the cases are being contained through quarantine; what the situation will be by mid July and the Nebraska star party it's impossible to know. A safe guess is that the virus will be widespread by then and that most group activities will be suspended; NSP may not even happen. Another consideration is that my wife and I are both in our 60s and stand a significant chance of requiring medical assistance should we become ill with the virus. Because of that my current thinking is trying to avoid the illness at least until the end of the year and the release of a possible vaccine. Even without the creation of an effective vaccine it's hoped that doctors will learn how to better treat the illness.

Avoiding getting sick relies on some simple fundamentals:

1. Avoid people who may be infected. Given the asymptomatic spread of the virus this means avoiding pretty much everyone. Especially to be avoided are being in close quarters with many people, such as might happen on a cruise ship or commercial airplane.
2. Wash one's hands thoroughly and often
3. Avoid touching one's face

This is what we will be doing for the next year and hoping to catch some luck. Barring a minor miracle I won't be at NSP this year or any other star parties. My back yard will be safe enough I hope, so I'll try to do some astronomy from there!

Good luck to you in the coming year, it's going to be a difficult one for all of us!