May 2014
Monday, May 5, 2014
Bartlesville Public Library Meeting Room
6:45 p.m. Setup and Conversation
7:00 p.m. Club Business
7:10 p.m. This Month's Sky
7:20 p.m. Current Astronomy News
7:30 p.m.
Radio Astronomy
by Mike Maloney
Mike will present a history of radio astronomy and show a video from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) on the scientific contributions of astronomy in radio wavelengths.
Total Lunar Eclipse Composite 4/15/14
Photo by Daryl Doughty
Total Lunar Eclipse 4/15/14, 2:30 a.m., Mike WoodsLunar Eclipse view http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap111215.html
A great composite image of the Earth’s Shadow http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap130425.html
2014 Texas Star Party - Last chance to sign up now!The great tradition of dark sky observing continues with the 36th Annual TEXAS STAR PARTY, May 25-31, 2014! near Ft Davis, Texas Staying on the Ranch in housing, RV, or camping? Staying off-site in other accommodations? Everyone needs to enter the TSP drawing, held in late January. You should submit a Registration/Reservation Request Form to ENTER THE TSP DRAWING before January 22, 2014. This will provide you the highest possible chance of being selected as one of the 500 people who will be able to attend TSP this year. Follow this link to get started! http://texasstarparty.org/get-started/ SIGN UP NOW! You can find out the status of your TSP Registration at any time by visiting http://texasstarparty.org/account/ We have some really neat new stuff for TSP 2014... including The 2nd annual Texas Imaging Symposium, Find out about these and other news at: http://texasstarparty.org/news/ Questions? Visit our web site for the latest and complete details! http://www.texasstarparty.org/ or email tsprooms@texasstarparty.org
We look forward to seeing you next May! Sincerely, the volunteers for Texas Star Party
From the MSRAL 2014 Committee:
St. Louis June 6-8, 2014
The St. Louis Astronomical Society in conjunction with the McDonnell Planetarium and Washington University wish to invite all Astronomical League members to the 2014 Mid-States Convention in St. Louis Missouri.
We hope the following information will give you a feel for what we are offering this year. Whether you spend just the weekend or extend your stay in St. Louis and visit our many tourist sites, we think you will have a great time.
We are planning a Friday night through Sunday morning convention. The traditional Friday Star-B-Q will be at our James S. McDonnell Planetarium, which just celebrated its 50th anniversary. There will be Friday night public telescope viewing, a Sky show and guest speaker as well as Laserium shows. On Saturday we will have our morning and afternoon paper presentations; and a tour of the Earth and Planetary Sciences Center at Washington University. Saturday night will feature our annual MSRAL banquet, Amateur of the Year presentation, and keynote speaker, Dr Ray Arvidson, James S McDonnell Distinguished University Professor at Washington University in the Earth and Planetary Sciences Department. Dr. Arvidson is involved with the Mars Rover missions and will give us the current status of their findings.
On Sunday, we plan to offer workshops on astrophotography as well as other talks, including Night Sky Network. The hope is to provide you with skills to increase your fun and productivity. Bring your laptops, photos, etc.
For people needing hotel rooms, Washington University’s Knight Center offers first class executive rooms. The Knight Center will also be the site of our Banquet, making for easy access to your rooms before and after the meetings. Information regarding accommodations will be updated on the registration page.
Our registration website is now open. Please visit it as soon as possible. We have included important dates and links below, and these are also on our website.
Here is the link for the convention information including registration: http://slasonline.org/msral2014.html
Please distribute this information to your club members. We have created the following slide show that will provide more details. We would appreciate it if you would present this at one of your club meetings.
http://slasonline.org/msralpreview.pdf
We hope to see all of you here in St. Louis June 6-8, 2014.
Best Regards,
2014 MSRAL Committee, St. Louis Astronomical Society
Important Links
St. Louis Astronomical Society Home Page: http://www.slasonline.org/
MSRAL2014 Home Page: http://www.slasonline.org/msral2014.html
St. Louis Astronomical Society Night Sky Network: http://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/club-view.cfm?Club_ID=718
MSRAL Website: http://www.msral.org/
Meeting Location, Saturday 8-5, Sunday 8-noon: Crow Hall, Washington University, St. Louis, MO
When: Friday, June 6 - Sunday June 8
Star-BQ: James S. McDonnell Planetarium, Friday Night
Banquet: Knight Center, Washington University, Saturday Night
MSRAL Yahoo Group: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/msral/info
SKY &TELESCOPE
Table of Contents: 1941 – 2013 by the Editors of Sky & Telescope
S & T is the longest running of the two major American Astronomy Periodicals. A couple of years ago they published a comprehensive DVD set of all their issues
Now they have put online a comprehensive Table of Contents to all those issues. A very valuable tool for subscribers who have collections of back issues or
persons looking for a particular type or information or event.
The Table of contents is available in a searchable Excel format or Text Format
From John Land - Astronomy Club of Tulsa
Current News from Sky and Telescope
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/news
Amateur astronomers have teamed up with the pros to produce four stunning multiwavelength images of galaxies M101, M81, M51, and Centaurus A.
This month you have a chance to spot four planets in the evening sky at once: Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. As a bonus, you might be treated to a spectacular display of meteors on the morning of May 24th.
Astronomers don't know why Jupiter's iconic Great Red Spot has been gradually shrinking since the 1800s — or why the downsizing has accelerated during the past two years. Thanks to the planet's immensity, seeing Jupiter through a telescope can be very satisfying. Its two main cloud belts appear in most any backyard setup, and...
In 2010, a mysteriously bright supernova appeared, later sparking a debate within the astronomy community. But new images of the now-faded supernova reveal an intervening — and until now invisible — cosmic lens, which magnified its light.
By combining nearly 1,500 observations with sophisticated computer models, astronomers have shed light on a nearby planetary system, proving that the planets' bizarre orbits will actually remain stable for the next 100 million years.
In 2002, high-school student Jennifer Barlow had a simple idea: let's take some time to appreciate the beauty of the cosmos and consider ways to reduce the spread of light pollution. Here's how you can join the celebration! Have you ever stepped outside to take in a view of the starry sky overhead —...
- See more at: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/#sthash.qenzlklf.dpuf
The odd behavior of a star in the heart of the Stingray Nebula provides tantalizing evidence that we may be seeing, first-hand, its helium-shell flash: an explosive phase of nuclear burning at the end of a star’s life.
The newly discovered planet, Kepler-186f, is the first Earth-size exoplanet circling in its star’s habitable zone. The media worldwide is gleaming with fantastical headlines, but readers in the know may have an inkling the result is less than it seems.
Looking through a telescope introduces you to a whole new world of unexpected wonders. But telescopes come in a huge range of sizes and shapes. Here's a detailed, printable guide to the essential features that every good scope needs to have.
- See more at: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/#sthash.Uzx4lhbp.dpuf
New images from NASA’s Cassini mission show bright spots along Saturn’s A ring, likely caused by a small moonlet in the process of forming or shattering.
Take a look at this supernova remnant from radio waves to x-rays to see multiple features of its bubble-like expanding shock wave. Supernovae — the dramatic explosions of massive stars ending their lives — can outshine their host galaxies for weeks, allowing them to be seen across millions of light-years of empty space. On...
- See more at: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/#sthash.Uzx4lhbp.dpuf
Scientists have new insight into the damage caused by a Rhode Island–size asteroid that hit Earth more than 3 billion years ago, making the rock that wiped out the dinosaurs look like a lightweight.
Skyweek from Sky and Telescope Magazine also presents a variety of astronomical events for the naked eye as well as telescope viewing.http://www.skyandtelescope.com/videos/skyweek
April 29 - New Moon. The Moon will be directly between the Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth. This phase occurs at 06:14 UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
April 29 - Annular Solar Eclipse. An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon is too far away from the Earth to completely cover the Sun. This results in a ring of light around the darkened Moon. The Sun's corona is not visible during an annular eclipse. The path of the eclipse will begin off the coast of South Africa and move across Antarctica and into the east coast of Australia. (NASA Map and Eclipse Information)
May 5, 6 - Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower. The Eta Aquarids is an above average shower, capable of producing up to 60 meteors per hour at its peak. Most of the activity is seen in the Southern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, the rate can reach about 30 meteors per hour. It is produced by dust particles left behind by comet Halley, which has known and observed since ancient times. The shower runs annually from April 19 to May 28. It peaks this year on the night of May 5 and the morning of the May 6. The first quarter moon will set just after midnight leaving fairly dark skies for what should be a good show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Aquarius, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
May 10 - Saturn at Opposition. The ringed planet will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. This is the best time to view and photograph Saturn and its moons. A medium-sized or larger telescope will allow you to see Saturn's rings and a few of its brightest moons.
May 10 - Astronomy Day Part 1. Astronomy Day is an annual event intended to provide a means of interaction between the general public and various astronomy enthusiasts, groups and professionals. The theme of Astronomy Day is "Bringing Astronomy to the People," and on this day astronomy and stargazing clubs and other organizations around the world will plan special events. You can find out about special local events by contacting your local astronomy club or planetarium. You can also find more about Astronomy Day by checking the Web site for the Astronomical League.
May 14 - Full Moon. The Moon will be directly opposite the Earth from the Sun and will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 19:16 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Full Flower Moon because this was the time of year when spring flowers appeared in abundance. This moon has also been known as the Full Corn Planting Moon and the Milk Moon.
May 24 - Possible Meteor Storm. In the early morning hours of Saturday, May 24, the Earth will pass through the debris field left behind by a small comet known as P/209 LINEAR. Astronomers are predicting that this interaction may result in a brief but intense burst of meteor activity that could range from dozens to hundreds of meteors per hour. Nothing is certain, but many mathematical models are predicting that this could be the most intense meteor shower in more than a decade.
May 28 - New Moon. The Moon will be directly between the Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth. This phase occurs at 18:40 UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
June 7 - Conjunction of the Moon and Mars. The Moon will pass within two degrees of the the planet Mars in the evening sky. The gibbous moon will be at magnitude -12.2 and Mars will be at magnitude -0.8. Look for both objects in the western sky just after sunset. The pair will be visible in the evening sky for about 6 hours after sunset.
(Source: http://www.seasky.org/astronomy/astronomy-calendar-2014.html)
2014 BAS Programs
Next Meeting
May 5, Monday. Bartlesville Public Library Meeting Room (tentative)
Newsletter Contributions Needed
Our club newsletter is reaching more people each month, and member contributions in the form of short articles, interesting news items, alerts of upcoming astronomical events or activities, descriptions of personal observations or useful equipment, and observing tips, are encouraged. Recurring columns or multipart articles are also welcome. Please submit your contributions to Mike Woods or to bvilleastro@gmail.com .
Bartlesville Astronomical Society - Membership
B.A.S. is an organization of people interested in Astronomy and related fields of science.
The current officers are:
The current board members are:
Additional club positions:
Membership is open to everyone interested in any aspects of astronomy.
Adult. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $20.00
Students (through 12th grade) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10.00
Magazine Subscription (reduced rate for members)
Sky & Telescope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $32.95
Astronomy Technology Today Magazine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $14.00
Astronomy Magazine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $34.00/yr
BAS Public Website: http://sites.google.com/site/bartlesvilleastronomyclub/
BAS Yahoo Group: http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/BvilleAstro/
If you want to have your email address removed from the Bartlesville Astronomical Society mailing list, please send an email requesting removal to bvilleastro@gmail.com
BAS Yahoo Group: http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/BvilleAstro/