Monday, February 4, 2019, at 7:00 pm

Bartlesville Public Library

Meeting Room A (second floor)

Program:

Introduction to PixInsight for Astrophotography

by Rick Buck

6:30 pm Setup/Social

7:00 pm Meeting

Bartlesville Public Library

Meeting Room A (second floor)

Meetings are open to the public

and visitors are welcome.

January 2019 Edition: An Evening Eclipse and Morning Conjunctions

Updated December 20, 2018

Observers in the Americas are treated to a total lunar eclipse the evening of January 20th, 2019. Early risers can spot some striking morning conjunctions between Venus, Jupiter, and the Moon late in January.

This article is distributed by the NASA Night Sky Network, a coalition of hundreds of astronomy clubs across the US dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, stargazing info and more.

The Bartlesville Astronomical Society recently donated a telescope to the Bartlesville Public Library. The telescope, an Orion StarBlast 4.5 inch Dobsonian reflector, is easy to use and features quality optics.

Observers can use it to view lunar craters, Saturn's rings, Jupiter's Galilean moons, and more. The Bartlesville Astronomical Society (BAS) was awarded the telescope by the Astronomical League's Horkheimer Charitable Fund. Each year, only one club from each of ten regions of the United States are granted one of these telescopes to donate to their local library.

Pictured are BAS President Craig Brockmeier, along with two representatives of the BAS youth group, known as Bartian Youth Astronomers, Derek Herrman and Abigail Bollenbach, and Library Director Shellie McGill. Not pictured are BAS member Lashawn Bollenbach, who completed the application for the telescope, and Bartian Youth Astronomers Leader Rick Bryant, who assembled the telescope and prepared it for use by library patrons.

Richard Bryant, Bartlesville Astronomical Society and Bartian Youth Astronomers

Last chance to sign up, before the housing drawing on January 18th!

The great tradition of dark sky observing continues with the 41st Annual

TEXAS STAR PARTY, April 28 – May 5, 2019!

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 18, 2019.

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!

https://texasstarparty.org/get-started/

SIGN UP NOW!

You can find out the status of your TSP Registration at any time by visiting

https://texasstarparty.org/account/

Find the latest news at:

https://texasstarparty.org/news/

We have a NEW Texas Imaging Workshops, where you can learn more about imaging from our experts during TSP!

https://texasstarparty.org/tsp-imaging-workshops/

Questions? Visit our web site for the latest and complete details!

https://texasstarparty.org/ or email tsprooms@texasstarparty.org

We look forward to seeing you next April!

Sincerely,

the volunteers for Texas Star Party

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

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/

What Quasar Cosmology Can Teach Us About Dark Energy

By: Monica Young | January 28, 2019 | Comments 0

Astronomers have found a way to turn quasars into standard candles, with potentially far-reaching implications for the nature of mysterious dark energy.

Speeding Up Plutonium Production for Space Exploration

By: David Dickinson | January 25, 2019 | Comments 0

Automation of a key process may yield an eightfold boost to U.S. plutonium production, a promising development for deep-space exploration.

Astronomers Identify Weather Cycle on Jupiter

By: Sean Walker | January 24, 2019 | Comments 0

Astronomers have identified a periodic clearing at the gas giant's equator; amateurs may have spotted the change at the end of 2018.

Astronomers Identify Weather Cycle on Jupiter

By: Sean Walker | January 24, 2019 | Comments 0

Astronomers have identified a periodic clearing at the gas giant's equator; amateurs may have spotted the change at the end of 2018.

A Space Rock Strikes Moon During the Total Lunar Eclipse

By: Bob King | January 23, 2019 | Comments 9

The Moon got bonked by a space rock during Sunday's total lunar eclipse. Take a look!

Asteroid Impacts Increased 290 Million Years Ago, Lunar Craters Reveal

By: Javier Barbuzano | January 23, 2019 | Comments 1

Researchers have estimated the ages of craters on the lunar surface, finding that the rate of large impacts nearly tripled 290 million years ago — an increase that might be ongoing.

Initial Results from the Ultima Thule Flyby

By: Alan Stern | January 23, 2019 | Comments 2

NASA's New Horizons made history when it flew by "Ultima Thule" on New Year's Day, but the science return is only beginning. Here's the latest from mission principal investigator Alan Stern.

Saturn Hasn’t Always Had Rings

By: Camille M. Carlisle | January 22, 2019 | Comments 0

Analyses of data from Cassini’s final days suggest the rings are a late addition and use them to solve a Saturnian mystery.

How to “See” Interstellar Space Probes

By: Daniel Johnson | January 21, 2019 | Comments 9

So far, humans have sent five probes into space that are or will go far beyond the solar system: the Pioneers, the Voyagers, and New Horizons. As an exercise in fun, here's how you can find those probes' locations on the sky.

Scientists Question Popular Planet Formation Theory

By: Monica Young | January 16, 2019 | Comments 3

New studies are challenging the core accretion theory, the primary model astronomers use to understand how worlds form in our solar system and beyond.

Celestial Highlights in 2019

By: Diana Hannikainen | December 31, 2018 | Comments 1

What will the night sky hold in 2019? Sky & Telescope lays it out, day by day, in this new Celestial Highlights infographic.

Solar and Lunar Eclipses in 2019

By: Kelly Beatty | December 26, 2018 | Comments 5

There'll be something for everybody in 2019, with total, annular, and partial solar eclipses — and total and partial lunar eclipses to look forward to.

The Best Meteor Showers in 2019

By: Kelly Beatty | December 26, 2018 | Comments 4

Sky & Telescope predicts that the two best meteor showers in 2019 will be the Quadrantids in early January and the Eta Aquariids in early May. The popular Perseid and Geminid showers will be spoiled by bright moonlight.

Astronomy Calendar of Celestial Events

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

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.

March 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 16:04 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.

March 20 - March Equinox. The March equinox occurs at 21:58 UTC. The Sun will shine directly on the equator and there will be nearly equal amounts of day and night throughout the world. This is also the first day of spring (vernal equinox) in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of fall (autumnal equinox) in the Southern Hemisphere.

March 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 01:43 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Full Worm Moon because this was the time of year when the ground would begin to soften and the earthworms would reappear. This moon has also been known as the Full Crow Moon, the Full Crust Moon, the Full Sap Moon, and the Lenten Moon. This is also the last 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.

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

2019 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