February 2020

Next BAS Monthly Meeting:

Monday, February 3, 2020

6:30 pm Setup/Social, 7:00 pm Meeting

Bartlesville Public Library, Meeting Room A (second floor)

Program by: Rick Buck

BAS meetings are usually on the first Monday of each month.

Meetings are open to the public and visitors are welcome.

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Next BYA Monthly Meeting:

Monday, February 17, 2020

6:30 pm Setup/Social, 7:00 pm Meeting

Our Savior Lutheran Church

300 NE Madison Blvd., Bartlesville, OK

BYA meetings are usually on the third Monday of each month.

BYA is for ages seven through high school.

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February 18 at 6:30pm.

Planetarium Show

From Earth to Saturn

by

Abigail Bollenbach

You can purchase $5 tickets with debit/credit card here:

https://www.jenkscommunityed.com/class-calendar or here

https://www.jenkscommunityed.com/class-calendar&a=view&class_id=2218

or Call the Community Education office at 918-298-0340 with a credit card. $5 per show.

or $7 debit or credit card at the door. NO CASH at the door.

Thanks to John Blaesi for the following newsletter submission.

This is an unusual green flash as the Sun was setting past the ocean horizon as seen from San Francisco, December 10, 2007. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creative_Commons

So where are the green stars? This close-up of the dense globular star cluster Messier 5 is rich in red and blue stars. The typical distance between stars in the core of a globular cluster is about one light year (about 5.88 trillion miles). ESA/Hubble & NASA/ Wikimedia

Looking Up: Searching for Green Starlight

By Peter Becker via More Content Now

Most stars appear basically white to the eye, although a closer look will reveal hints of blue, yellow, orange and red. What about green?

Alas, astronomers say there are no green stars, but I still find it hard to believe.

Most stars appear white to the eye, but that is primarily because our retinas are not sensitive to color in low light conditions. In a backyard telescope, beautiful swathes of stellar clouds such as the Great Nebula in Orion (M42, visible in the south in mid-March evenings just below the famous three “belt stars” of Orion), appear white. Long exposure color photographs bring out vivid colors, which can do a disservice to the stargazer, if one expects the same thing at the telescope eyepiece.

Brighter colored stars do stand out in shades of blue, yellow, orange and red. Many others still appear white. With the unaided eye you can appreciate the orange-red star Betelgeuse on the upper left corner of Orion, or the bright yellow star Capella high overhead. Brilliant Sirius gleams to the lower left of Orion and is distinctly bluish-white. Aim binoculars at the outer, top tip of the Big Dipper “bowl,” which is named Dubhe and is vivid orange.

Stars vary in color with their surface temperature and are classified by “spectral types” listing stars by letters. Cooler stars with spectral type K or M radiate most of their energy in the red end of the spectrum. Hotter stars such as spectral type O and B, emit mostly at blue and ultra violet wavelengths. Our Sun is of spectral type G and is yellowish-white.Spectroscopes reveal the stellar spectrum, and in the rainbow of light, there is always a component of green! Even if the star’s light is predominantly another shade, there is still green light!

Unfortunately our eyes do not perceive a star as green because those with the right temperature to mainly emit green light, emit starlight in a manner that is blended by our eye as white.

Spectrums of stars also reveal dark lines where elements making up the star- such as hydrogen or helium- absorb narrow frequencies of the light, which show up as thin dark lines in the color. Like a fingerprint, astronomers are able to learn the chemical makeup of stars and other celestial bodies this way.

Occasionally we can even see green sunlight. When the conditions are right at sunset or sunrise, a green spot of light is visible above the upper rim of the disk of the Sun. Called the “green flash,” it normally is seen for no more than a second or two. On rare occasions it has been seen like a green ray shooting up from the point of sunset or sunrise.

The green flash is caused by refraction, with the component colors of the sunlight split. Green flashes are more likely to be seen in stable, clean air, when more of the light of the low Sun reaches the observer’s eyes without being scattered in the atmosphere. They usually are seen on a flat horizon such as over the ocean.

Now, where’s the purple stars?

What about the planets? The Earth has lots of green. The planet Uranus has a bluish-green hue as a result of methane in its atmosphere. Venus, so bright in the evening sky (look southwest), is really white.

Last quarter Moon occurred January 17-18. After this, watch for the early morning crescent, waning towards New Moon on January 24. The Moon, by the way, is also not green despite the cheese it’s supposed to be made of.

Keep looking up!

Peter Becker is Managing Editor at Tri-County Independent. in Honesdale, PA. Notes are welcome at pbecker@tricountyindependent.com. Please mention in what newspaper or web site you read this column.

BAS Historical Materials Needed

In conjunction with the upcoming BAS Library Display, an effort is being made to locate as much historical club material as possible. Only a small part of the material will be included in the display, but we need to centralize all historical club information. If you know the location of, or have any access to old club photos, newspaper clippings, articles or other historical materials, or if you have memories or recollections of past BAS events or information, please contact John Blaesi or John Grismore. Thanks.

With the dark of the moon once again upcoming upon us, I challenge thee to find the below mentioned ten (10) winter sights with one, or more, or all of four methods:

1. Five objects with the naked eye

2. Seven objects with binoculars

3. All 10 objects without GoTo assistance. Use star hopping, star charts, right ascension and delineation, altitude and azimuth, or just point and shoot.

4. For all ye wimps, wimp out and GoTo.

Find the 10 winter sites here:

https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/space-science/patrick-moores-top-10-winter-sights/

And you might ask, who is Sir Patric Moore?

From Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Moore

Sir Patrick Alfred Caldwell-Moore CBE HonFRS FRAS (4 March 1923 – 9 December 2012) was an English amateur astronomer who attained prominent status in that field as a writer, researcher, radio commentator and television presenter. Moore was President of the British Astronomical Association, co-founder and president of the Society for Popular Astronomy, author of over seventy books on astronomy, and presenter of the world's longest-running television series with the same original presenter, BBC's The Sky at Night. He became known as a specialist in Moon observation and for creating the Caldwell catalogue. Idiosyncrasies such as his rapid diction and monocle made him a popular and instantly recognisable figure on British television.

Good luck in your mission and let us know what you have seen!

John B

The BAS now has storage at First Christian Church for club equipment and records. We are trying to consolidate and we are requesting any members with club equipment or records to contact one of the officers to arrange to move the items to storage and log it into our inventory.

Fantastic ALCORS,

Save the Date! ALCON 2020 will be held in Albuquerque, NM, July 16 – 18.

The conference is hosted by The Albuquerque Astronomical Society (TAAS), and we are excited to welcome the astronomical community to Albuquerque. I am attaching a flyer & information package for event. Both can be found at the bottom of our website: TAAS Home Page Check back frequently for updates.

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/

Clear Sky Predictor for Bartlesville: http://www.cleardarksky.com/c/BrtlsvlOKkey.html

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

See Ancient “North Stars” Eclipse Each Other

By: Monica Young | January 23, 2020 | Comments 1

The ancient pole star known as Thuban turns out to be an eclipsing binary. If you're up for a challenge, you can see the eclipses for yourself.

60-Second Astro News: Planets in Tight Quarters & Kuiper Belt Forays

By: Camille M. Carlisle | January 17, 2020 | Comments 0

Astronomers have calculated the loss of planets around stars in globular clusters, and New Horizons returns observations of worlds in the outer solar system.

Astronomers Discover Second Planet in Nearest Star System

By: Julie Freydlin | January 15, 2020 | Comments 5

Astronomers have announced the discovery of Proxima Centauri c, an inhospitable super-Earth just 4.3 light-years away.

Comets to Catch in 2020

By: Bob King | January 15, 2020 | Comments 0

Here's the lowdown on which comets will brighten our skies in 2020.

Hubble Sheds Light on Dark Matter and Cosmic Expansion

By: Govert Schilling | January 13, 2020 | Comments 8

The Hubble Space Telescope, which will celebrate its 30th birthday this April, has images cosmic mirages that yield two remarkable cosmological results.

Selection of Observing Resources for Getting Started in Astronomy

By: Gary Seronik | January 8, 2020 | Comments 0

Here are some great books, star charts, and other observing accessories to help you get the most out of your new telescope.

Solar and Lunar Eclipses in 2020

By: Kelly Beatty | January 3, 2020 | Comments 6

Six eclipses occur in 2020, with one total and one annular solar eclipse in the mix. But the four lunar eclipses will be disappointing brushes through the fringe of Earth's shadow.

January 2020: Mid-winter Wonders

By: Kelly Beatty | January 1, 2020 | Comments 2

New Year's resolution: Do more stargazing! (Hint: Get an easy and entertaining head start by downloading this month's Sky Tour podcast for a guided tour of the night sky.)

High Hopes for the 2020 Quadrantid Meteor Shower

By: Bob King | December 31, 2019 | Comments 4

The annual Quadrantid meteor shower is expected to put on a great early morning show this weekend.

What’s Up With Betelgeuse?

By: Bob King | December 31, 2019 | Comments 15

The bright star Betelgeuse has faded to a historic low as astronomers try to figure out why.

The Best Meteor Showers in 2020

By: Kelly Beatty | December 27, 2019 | Comments 0

Sky & Telescope predicts that the three best meteor showers — the Quadrantids (peaking on January 4th!), Perseids and Geminids — will all have strong showings this year.

Astronomy Calendar of Celestial Events

(Source: http://www.seasky.org/astronomy/astronomy-calendar-2019.html)

February 9 - 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 07:34 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 first of four supermoons for 2020. The Moon will be at its closest approach to the Earth and may look slightly larger and brighter than usual.

February 10 - Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation. The planet Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation of 18.2 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.

February 23 - 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 15:33 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 9 - 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 17:48 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 second of four supermoons for 2020. The Moon will be at its closest approach to the Earth and may look slightly larger and brighter than usual.

March 20 - March Equinox. The March equinox occurs at 03:50 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 24 - 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 09:29 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 24 - Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation. The planet Mercury reaches greatest western elongation of 27.8 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.

March 24 - Venus at Greatest Eastern Elongation. The planet Venus reaches greatest eastern elongation of 46.1 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 evening sky. Look for the bright planet in the western sky after sunset.

April 8 - 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 02:35 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. This is also the third of four supermoons for 2020. The Moon will be at its closest approach to the Earth and may look slightly larger and brighter than usual.

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 nearly new moon will ensure dark skies for what should be a good show this year. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Lyra, but can appear anywhere in the sky.

April 23 - 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 02:27 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-2019.html)

Next Month's BAS Meeting: March 2, Monday. Bartlesville Public Library Meeting Room A (tentative), Presenter: TBA

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 multi-part articles are also welcome. Please submit your contributions to Mike Woods or to bvilleastro@gmail.com.

Bartlesville Astronomical Society is an organization of people interested in astronomy and related fields of science. Membership is open to everyone interested in any aspects of astronomy.

Elected Officers

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