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

Bartlesville Public Library

Meeting Room A (second floor)

Program:

Kissing the Milky Way -

Keep It Simple Seven Step Method for Milky Way Photography

by John Blaesi

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.

Star Party tentatively scheduled for April 6, 2019.

More information closer to date of party.

Location: Bob and Glenda's

Sunset: 7:50 PM

Astronomical Dusk: 9:20 PM

Moon Set: 9:15PM

Moon Phase: New - Waxing Crescent 2.8%

Sun Sets around 8 PM and not really dark until 9PM, we can discuss if we want pizza party or not.

March 8, 2019 is the Tulsa Planetarium night.

Also, if you are itching to get the scope out or to do some night time star gazing - please feel free to setup another gazing event. There are places we can meet in town or out of town. Contact Rick Buck if you got ideas. We have proven we don’t need a long lead time with our ISS transit of the sun earlier this year.

Or if you plan to go out and just want some others to go along - send out an email. It is always nice to have a few friends gazing the skies with you.

John B

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/

Hayabusa 2 Touches Down, Collects Asteroid Sample

By: Emily Lakdawalla | February 25, 2019 | Comments 1

The Japanese spacecraft Hayabusa 2 has touched down on Ryugu, the asteroid it's been orbiting since last summer, and collected a sample from its surface.

Radio Survey Maps Hundreds of Thousands of New Galaxies

By: Govert Schilling | February 22, 2019 | Comments 4

The LOFAR survey, based in The Netherlands, has released a bonanza of new sources. And with only 2% of the sky covered so far, this is only the beginning.

Israeli Lunar Lander Heads to the Moon

By: David Dickinson | February 22, 2019 | Comments 2

Israel's Beresheet lunar lander was carried to space today on top of a Falcon 9 rocket, headed for a soft landing on the Moon in April.

Meet Hippocamp, Neptune’s Smallest Moon

By: Kelly Beatty | February 20, 2019 | Comments 0

Although first recorded by Hubble in 2004, subsequent imagery shows that this tiny, innermost moon of Neptune likely had had a violent history.

NASA to Explore Early Universe, Origins of Life with SPHEREX

By: David Dickinson | February 19, 2019 | Comments 3

The SPHEREX mission will create multiple surveys of the near-infrared sky that will reveal the origins of life and perhaps the universe itself.

NASA to Explore Early Universe, Origins of Life with SPHEREX

By: David Dickinson | February 19, 2019 | Comments 3

The SPHEREX mission will create multiple surveys of the near-infrared sky that will reveal the origins of life and perhaps the universe itself.

Opportunity Reaches the End of Its Long Road

By: David Dickinson | February 13, 2019 | Comments 0

Despite months of listening, NASA has failed to pick up any signals from the stalwart Opportunity rover.

Will Sirius Disappear on February 18th?

By: Bob King | February 13, 2019 | Comments 13

On Monday night, February 18th, observers in the western U.S. and Mexico may see the occultation of a lifetime when a tiny asteroid momentarily blots out the night sky's brightest star.

New Study Pushes Back Milky Way’s Dust-up with Andromeda

By: Ben Skuse | February 12, 2019 | Comments 0

By tracing stars in other galaxies, the Gaia satellite has helped astronomers understand the relative motions of the Milky Way's galactic siblings.

New Astro Camera Spots Thousands of Celestial Flare-ups

By: Shannon Hall | February 8, 2019 | Comments 6

A vision from 70 years ago, the Zwicky Transient Facility has produced a wave of discoveries — but it’s only a hint of what’s to come.

Hubble Sets Its Sights on the Ice Giants

By: Monica Young | February 7, 2019 | Comments 0

New Hubble Space Telescope images reveal an expanded polar cap on Uranus and another mysterious dark vortex on Neptune.

Comet Iwamoto Ascends and Brightens

By: Bob King | February 6, 2019 | Comments 9

Comet Iwamoto is visible as a binocular target from a dark sky. Follow it this week as it passes from Virgo into Leo.

Curiosity Rover Exposes Mountain’s Origin

By: Monica Young | February 1, 2019 | Comments 1

Scientists have used an innovative measure of Mars's gravity to reveal the origin of the mountain the rover is exploring.

Did a Mars-size Body Bring Life-essential Elements to Earth?

By: Julie Freydlin | January 31, 2019 | Comments 6

Collision with a Mars-size body — the same body thought to have formed the Moon — might also have brought life-supporting volatile elements to Earth.

Amateur Scopes Help Find Planet Formation’s Missing Link

By: Monica Young | January 30, 2019 | Comments 4

A surprisingly inexpensive setup of amateur equipment is helping astronomers on their quest to find Kuiper Belt objects of every size to better understand how planets formed in our solar system.

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.

Astronomy Calendar of Celestial Events

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

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.

April 5 - 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 08:51 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 11 - Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation. The planet Mercury reaches greatest western elongation of 27.7 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.

April 19 - 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 11:12 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Full Pink Moon because it marked the appearance of the moss pink, or wild ground phlox, which is one of the first spring flowers. This moon has also been known as the Sprouting Grass Moon, the Growing Moon, and the Egg Moon. Many coastal tribes called it the Full Fish Moon because this was the time that the shad swam upstream to spawn.

April 22, 23 - Lyrids Meteor Shower. The Lyrids is an average shower, usually producing about 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by dust particles left behind by comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, which was discovered in 1861. The shower runs annually from April 16-25. It peaks this year on the night of the night of the 22nd and morning of the 23rd. These meteors can sometimes produce bright dust trails that last for several seconds. The waning gibbous moon will block out many of the fainter meteors this year, but if you are patient you should still be able to catch a few of the brightest ones. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Lyra, but can appear anywhere in the sky.

May 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 22:46 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.

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

2019 BAS Programs

April 1, 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