Monday, December 3, 2018

Setup and casual conversation starts at 6:30 p.m.

Meeting starts at 7:00 p.m.

Bartlesville Public Library

Meeting Room A (2nd floor)

Apollo 8

by Jeff Schmidt

Meetings are open to everyone interested in astronomy

and visitors are welcome.

The Astronomical League has announced their plans for next year's national convention, ALCon 2019. Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing, the Astro League's convention will include a tour of Kennedy Space Center in Florida and a three-day Southern Sky cruise to the Bahamas. It will take place July 25 - 29, 2019.

Thanks!

Kristi Herrman

BAS ALCor

Highlighted Astronomy Outreach Resources

Video: Whats Up for November?

November brings planets in the early evening and morning skies, the opposition of the asteroid 3 Juno, Comet 46P Wirtanen, and early morning Leonids! Find observing tips in the latest What's Up? video on JPL's YouTube page.

Article: How Can You Help Curb Light Pollution?

This article lists some ways you can help measure and mitigate light pollution with smart lighting choices and helpful education efforts in your community.

Activity: Why Doesn't It Look Like the Photos?

This set of activities provides tools to help your visitors understand the two main reasons views through the telescope do not look like photographs from NASA's space telescopes and popular astrophotographers.

One more thing: Handouts from NASA/JPL are available for a limited time to active clubs! Club coordinators can order free handouts from the "Night Sky Network Services" section by clicking on the "Request Outreach Handouts" link, accessible upon login.

Questions or comments? Send a message to nightskyinfo@astrosociety.org

May you have clear, dark skies!

Vivian White, Andee Sherwood, Brian Kruse, & Dave Prosper

Night Sky Network Team

To ensure delivery of this newsletter to your inbox, as well as notices from your local astronomy club, please add nightskynetwork@jpl.nasa.gov to your address book or whitelist.

Apps for consideration

Distant Suns, your personal guide to the cosmos, lists Night Sky Network astronomy club star parties, safe solar gazing events, and lectures in the main navigation bar. Distant Suns is available for Android, Apple iOS, Kindle, and Nook.

SkySafari, a powerful planetarium that fits in your pocket, lists Night Sky Network astronomy club star parties, safe solar observing events, and lectures in the help menu. SkySafari is available for Android and Apple devices and computers.

Family Fun with Sky Watching

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-resources/stargazing-basics/family-projects-and-experiments/

Please use link below to access Member Presentations.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4CQup8TdDvCfnBiUlE5RURWWTl4Y0IyVVlyMnVwWlVtQW9uWnAxTDJHMHk4VmVuNFkxeXc

Hello BAS Members --

With so many people interested in AstroPhotography in the group, we have thought of having a "Astro Picture of the Month" competition each month at our meetings.

Entry Rules:

Send one picture of the night sky/ object of the current month with a description of the picture and the equipment used to take this.

Mail it to bvilleastro@gmail.com.

Best picture is chosen in the next meeting and uploaded to our Facebook/Twitter pages with your mention!

Thanks

BAS President .

Sky and Telescope News http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/observing-news/

Comet 46P/Wirtanen Approaches Earth

By: Joe Rao | November 26, 2018 | Comments 0

On December 16th, the comet will pass within 12 million kilometers of Earth and should brighten to about 3rd magnitude, though the diffuse coma and a nearly full Moon will make observations difficult.

Jezero Crater Selected as Landing Site for Mars 2020 Rover

By: David Dickinson | November 20, 2018 | Comments 0

NASA's next Mars rover will explore a geologically diverse crater that may once have been flooded with water, a crucial ingredient for the mission's search for evidence of past life.

Amateur Planet Hunters Have a New Online Resource

By: Christopher Crockett | November 19, 2018 | Comments 0

A database run by the American Association of Variable Star Observers will organize and archive data on transiting exoplanets collected by amateur astronomers.

A Chilly Super-Earth May Orbit Barnard’s Star

By: Summer Ash | November 14, 2018 | Comments 2

One of the closest stars to the Sun hosts a planet at least three times as massive as our own where temperatures might be just low enough to freeze liquid water.

The Case of the Vanishing Nebula

By: Diana Hannikainen | November 13, 2018 | Comments 0

Now you see it, now you don't. McNeil's Nebula in Orion has disappeared, thanks to a drastic reduction in brightness from the protostar that usually provides illumination.

Dust Storm Electricity Might Forge Perchlorates on Mars

By: Elizabeth Howell | November 9, 2018 | Comments 0

Electrostatic discharge in a simulated dusty Martian environment yields perchlorates — a potential energy source for microbial life — at abundances 1,000 times greater than sunlight alone.

Amateur Don Machholz Discovers His 12th Comet! (Updated)

By: Bob King | November 9, 2018 | Comments 24

Arizona comet hunter Don Machholz did it again! He discovered his 12th comet only two mornings ago. Set your alarm, grab your scope, and take a look.

Evidence Mounts for a Magellanic Collision

By: Emily Sandford | November 7, 2018 | Comments 0

Astronomers have suspected for some time that the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds collided in the recent past. The Gaia space telescope provides striking new evidence for a head-on collision.

New Horizons On Approach to the First Exploration of a Kuiper Belt Object

By: Alan Stern | November 5, 2018 | Comments 2

Take a look behind the scenes as the New Horizons team gears up for the historic first flyby of a body in the remote Kuiper Belt, in this first of a four-part series from the mission's Principal Investigator Alan Stern.

Dusk for Dawn: NASA’s Groundbreaking Mission Comes to an End

By: David Dickinson | November 1, 2018 | Comments 0

After 11 Years, NASA's Dawn mission to explore Vesta and Ceres is about to come to an end.

The Kepler Space Telescope Comes to an End

By: David Dickinson | October 31, 2018 | Comments 1

NASA's planet-hunting telescope has run out of fuel after a nine-year mission that found more than 2,600 planets orbiting other stars along with thousands more worlds yet to be confirmed.

Ancient Merger Wreckage in the Milky Way

By: Camille M. Carlisle | October 31, 2018 | Comments 0

Mounting evidence indicates that our galaxy smashed up another smaller galaxy roughly 10 billion years ago.

After Brief Shutdown, Hubble Goes Back to Work

By: Christopher Crockett | October 29, 2018 | Comments 0

Following three weeks of downtime, engineers have cleared out a mechanical blockage in one of Hubble's gyroscopes and returned the observatory to full science operations.

Saturn’s Moon Dione Has Some Weird Stripes

By: Christopher Crockett | October 29, 2018 | Comments 4

Long straight parallel lines on the satellite's surface could be droppings from Saturn's rings, one of the moons, or a passing comet, researchers suggest.

Trojan Asteroids Are in a Class of Their Own

By: Christopher Crockett | October 26, 2018 | Comments 0

Hordes of debris trapped by Jupiter and Neptune have distinct colors that mark them as possibly the last remnants of the material that built the giant planets.

Planets Appear More Massive Than Disks Where They Form

By: Julie Freydlin | October 25, 2018 | Comments 3

Infant worlds might gobble up dust quickly, the interstellar environment might feed protoplanetary disks, or planet-building dust could be hiding in plain sight. Although disks of gas and dust around young stars are a necessary precursor to planet formation, an expanded survey of stars in our Galaxy confirms earlier doubts that the known matter in…

Source for Europa Geysers Missing

By: Camille M. Carlisle | October 23, 2018 | Comments 0

A new look at old data suggests there’s something missing from suspected plumes on Europa: a heat source.

Astronomy Calendar of Celestial Events

(Source: http://www.seasky.org/astronomy/astronomy-calendar-2018.html)

November 23 - Full Moon. The Moon will be located on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun and its face will be will be fully illuminated. This phase occurs at 05:40 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Full Beaver Moon because this was the time of year to set the beaver traps before the swamps and rivers froze. It has also been known as the Frosty Moon and the Hunter's Moon.

December 7 - New Moon. The Moon will located on the same side of the Earth as the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This phase occurs at 07:20 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.

December 13, 14 - Geminids Meteor Shower. The Geminids is the king of the meteor showers. It is considered by many to be the best shower in the heavens, producing up to 120 multicolored meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by debris left behind by an asteroid known as 3200 Phaethon, which was discovered in 1982. The shower runs annually from December 7-17. It peaks this year on the night of the 13th and morning of the 14th. The first quarter moon will set shortly after midnight leaving dark skies for what should be an excellent early morning show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Gemini, but can appear anywhere in the sky.

December 15 - Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation. The planet Mercury reaches greatest western elongation of 21.3 degrees from the Sun. This is the best time to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the morning sky. Look for the planet low in the eastern sky just before sunrise.

December 21 - December Solstice. The December solstice occurs at 22:23 UTC. The South Pole of the earth will be tilted toward the Sun, which will have reached its southernmost position in the sky and will be directly over the Tropic of Capricorn at 23.44 degrees south latitude. This is the first day of winter (winter solstice) in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of summer (summer solstice) in the Southern Hemisphere.

December 22 - Full Moon. The Moon will be located on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun and its face will be will be fully illuminated. This phase occurs at 17:49 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Full Cold Moon because this is the time of year when the cold winter air settles in and the nights become long and dark. This moon has also been known as the Full Long Nights Moon and the Moon Before Yule.

December 21, 22 - Ursids Meteor Shower. The Ursids is a minor meteor shower producing about 5-10 meteors per hour. It is produced by dust grains left behind by comet Tuttle, which was first discovered in 1790. The shower runs annually from December 17-25. It peaks this year on the the night of the 21st and morning of the 22nd. This year the glare from the full moon will hide all but the brightest meteors. If you are extremely patient, you might still be able to catch a few good ones. Best viewing will be just after midnight from a dark location far away from city lights. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Ursa Minor, but can appear anywhere in the sky.

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January 3, 4 - Quadrantids Meteor Shower. The Quadrantids is an above average shower, with up to 40 meteors per hour at its peak. It is thought to be produced by dust grains left behind by an extinct comet known as 2003 EH1, which was discovered in 2003. The shower runs annually from January 1-5. It peaks this year on the night of the 3rd and morning of the 4th. The moon will be a thin crescent and should not interfere with what could be a good show this year. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Bootes, but can appear anywhere in the sky.

January 6 - New Moon. The Moon will located on the same side of the Earth as the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This phase occurs at 01:28 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.

January 6 - Venus at Greatest Western Elongation. The planet Venus reaches greatest eastern elongation of 47 degrees from the Sun. This is the best time to view Venus since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the morning sky. Look for the bright planet in the eastern sky before sunrise.

January 6 - Partial Solar Eclipse. A partial solar eclipse occurs when the Moon covers only a part of the Sun, sometimes resembling a bite taken out of a cookie. A partial solar eclipse can only be safely observed with a special solar filter or by looking at the Sun's reflection. The partial eclipse will be visible in parts of eastern Asia and the northern Pacific Ocean. It will be best seen from northeastern Russia with 62% coverage.

(NASA Map and Eclipse Information)

January 21 - Full Moon, Supermoon. The Moon will be located on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun and its face will be will be fully illuminated. This phase occurs at 05:16 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Full Wolf Moon because this was the time of year when hungry wolf packs howled outside their camps. This moon has also been know as the Old Moon and the Moon After Yule. This is also the first of three supermoons for 2019. The Moon will be at its closest approach to the Earth and may look slightly larger and brighter than usual.

January 22 - Conjunction of Venus and Jupiter. A conjunction of Venus and Jupiter will be visible on January 22. The two bright planets will be visible within 2.4 degrees of each other in the early morning sky. Look for this impressive sight in the east just before sunrise.

January 21 - Total Lunar Eclipse. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes completely through the Earth's dark shadow, or umbra. During this type of eclipse, the Moon will gradually get darker and then take on a rusty or blood red color. The eclipse will be visible throughout most of North America, South America, the eastern Pacific Ocean, western Atlantic Ocean, extreme western Europe, and extreme western Africa.

(NASA Map and Eclipse Information)

February 4 - New Moon. The Moon will located on the same side of the Earth as the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This phase occurs at 21:03 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.

February 19 - Full Moon, Supermoon. The Moon will be located on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun and its face will be will be fully illuminated. This phase occurs at 15:53 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Full Snow Moon because the heaviest snows usually fell during this time of the year. Since hunting is difficult, this moon has also been known by some tribes as the Full Hunger Moon, since the harsh weather made hunting difficult. This is also the second of three supermoons for 2019. The Moon will be at its closest approach to the Earth and may look slightly larger and brighter than usual.

February 27 - Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation. The planet Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation of 18.1 degrees from the Sun. This is the best time to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the evening sky. Look for the planet low in the western sky just after sunset.

• • (Source: http://www.seasky.org/astronomy/astronomy-calendar-2018.html)

2018 BAS Programs

February 4, 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