May 2020

You also do not need to be out long in the cold to take a few looks with binoculars you likely have around the house. A simple pair of binoculars will catapult your reach, magnifying the view seven or 10 times and seeing thousands of stars not visible to unaided eyes. Common binoculars will allow you to pick out - with the aid of a good star chart - planets Uranus and Neptune and the brighter asteroids. The hazy Milky Way will burst into a myriad tiny stars. An abundance of colorful double stars, star clusters, some galaxies and nebulous wisps will come into view. When Jupiter is in view you can even detect its brightest moons, and start to see that the brilliant point of light of the planet is a little disc and not a star-like point. Then there’s the Moon. Binoculars reveal a jumble of craters and mountains, and clearly show the dark plains and bright rays emanating from certain craters. The crescent Moon is most spectacular in binoculars, showing the earth-shine filling the dark portion of the Moon so much better.

Binoculars are really two small telescopes, connected. They come in many varieties and prices. Like anything else, there are better models. Larger is not necessarily better; it depends on your budget and plans to use them. Small 7x35 binoculars are handy for everyday use and can give good night sky views. The “7” means it magnifies seven times. “35” means each of the front (objective) lenses is 35 millimeters (mm) in diameter. Another popular variety is 10x 50, which gives you added magnification and light gathering ability yet is still not too heavy to hold and use. The larger the front lens, the more light it collects and the fainter the star you can see. If you will primarily use them for daytime, then 35mm lenses are probably enough and cost less than 50 mm.

The higher magnifications have a disadvantage it that unless you hold the binoculars very steady, the view will shake more noticeably. You can buy much larger binoculars, including 15x70, 20x80, and 25x100. These will allow you to probe deep into the heavens but you will need a support such as a tripod. After a while of using any binoculars at steep angles your neck will likely hurt. It is better to lay back in a reclining lawn chair. On the market are wonderfully clever though perhaps odd looking gadgets to hold the binoculars up at any angle for you, as you peer through them. They will have a counter-weight in the back to balance the weight of the binoculars.

Keep them covered in a case or bag when not in use (of course) to keep out dust. Avoid touching the lenses. Keep the strap around your neck- it is all too easy to drop them! Clean them carefully, as you would eyeglasses.

They are also great for stargazing with a loved one- you can each look through one side at the same time- but only if you your heads are narrow enough. Maybe not.

Galileo opened up a whole new understanding of the Universe with a telescope in the early 1600’s, much smaller than today’s binoculars.

First quarter Moon is on April 1. Be sure to see brilliant Venus right next to the Pleiades Star Cluster the evening of April 3. The view with binoculars will be spectacular!

Keep looking up!

Top ten night objects to see with just binoculars: https://telescopeschool.com/the-top-10-space-things-to-see-with-binoculars/

…

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

Submitted by John B

Reflections on Astronomy

Brief essays about experiences in astronomy.

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There's a new addition to the newsletter. We're starting a series of brief stories and essays contributed by BAS members. They'll fall into two categories -- 1) BAS history, and 2) unique and interesting astronomical experiences. We hope that many members will contribute their own stories and essays by emailing them to jrgrismore@cableone.net .

Reflections on Astronomy

Brief essays about experiences in astronomy.

The Boonville Eclipse

by Derek Herrman

It seemed certain that the clouds would never clear. Several of us BAS members had driven five hours from Bartlesville, Oklahoma, to Boonville, Missouri, and set up all of our solar scopes, cameras, tents, and lawn chairs in a field between the hotel and the highway. But now all that seemed likely to come to nothing because of weather, the scourge of astronomers since before Ptolemy. The day had started with a clear sky, but as the hours until totality wound down, clouds began to meander overhead. First, there were only a few patchy clouds, but soon those patches coalesced into a quilt, making the sun no more than a hazy, bright spot in the sky.

By this time, the eclipse was well underway, with a chunk of the sun seemingly eaten away by the moon. Totality, the two-minute solar event we had come all this way to see, would start in less than half an hour. We waited in the thick August air with bated breath. Then, gradually, almost imperceptibly, gaps started to open up between clouds. The sun, previously masked, began to peek out for a minute or two at a time before disappearing again. Finally, just minutes before totality was to begin, the sky became almost entirely clear.

Delighted by this miraculous turn of events, those of us photographing the eclipse returned to our work with redoubled effort. Then, after the moon had moved closer and closer to perfect alignment between us and the sun, the eclipse finally reached totality. The sky dimmed, as if late in the evening. The breeze died down and the air became still. Drivers parked their cars on the shoulder of the highway and got out to witness the event. The area was silent, except for an occasional exclamation of awe.

After snapping a few photos, I’m not embarrassed to say that I was jumping up and down in excitement. And for several minutes, I don’t think there was a single person, young or old, novice or experienced astronomer, who wasn’t looking up. The August 2017 total solar eclipse was one I’ll never forget.

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BAS From The Past

Brief essays about the history of the Bartlesville Astronomical Society.

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Kristi and Derek have created a separate BAS email address where members and non-members alike can provide the club with their comments, suggestions and ideas. Hopefully, this will provide us with additional information about what we can do better.

The email address is bvilleastro+comments@gmail.com .

The Mid States Regional Conference had to be cancelled in light of all the “coronavirus” guidelines that are now being implemented. The planning committee has decided to reschedule the conference for 2021 waiting to hear back from the same facility. The date we are considering is June 4th to June 7th so stay tuned for further details.

For those who have registered, you will be refunded your costs shortly. There are several things we have to work on, so we thank you for your patience during this time.

Craig Brockmeier

Bartlesville Astronomical Society

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.

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. POSTPONED TO August 4-7 2021.

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/

Chase a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid As It Flies by Earth

Break out your binoculars or a small telescope, we've got a busy week ahead! Watch as a bright asteroid approaches Earth, the Moon steals a star, and Comet ATLAS's last hurrah.

BY: BOB KING APRIL 22, 2020

Enshrouded Exoplanet or Puff of Dust? The Nature of Fomalhaut b

Is Fomalhaut b “the planet that never was”? Astronomers continue to contest the nature of this directly imaged object around a nearby star.

BY: MONICA YOUNG APRIL 21, 2020

The Origins of Interstellar Objects

The first two interstellar visitors to the solar system are finally shedding light on their places of origin.

BY: JEFF HECHT APRIL 21, 2020

Mismatched Black Holes Merge

For the first time, the LIGO and Virgo gravitational-wave detectors have "heard" gravitational waves from an unequal pair of black holes.

BY: CAMILLE M. CARLISLE APRIL 21, 2020

THE BLACK HOLE FILES WITH CAMILLE CARLISLE

Black Hole Changes Star’s Orbit in Gravity Test

A long-awaited measurement indicates that a star whizzing around the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole has changed its trajectory.

BY: CAMILLE M. CARLISLE APRIL 16, 2020

Vast Magnetic "Strings" Puzzle Astronomers

New observations have revealed plasma strung along vast magnetic "strings" crossing hundreds of thousands of light-years.

BY: MONICA YOUNG APRIL 16, 2020

CELESTIAL OBJECTS TO OBSERVE

New Comet Alert! Quartet of Comets Grace Our Skies

There's a lot happening in the northern sky these days, namely lots of comets! Comet ATLAS (C/2019 Y4) is still worth watching, but look for the new Comet SWAN (C/2020 F8) and Comet ATLAS (C/2019 Y1). And you can still catch a glimpse of our old friend, Comet PanSTARRS (C/2017 T2).

BY: BOB KING APRIL 15, 2020

Astronomers Detect One of the Most Luminous Supernovae Ever

One of the most luminous supernovae ever discovered provides evidence that such extremely bright explosions require exotic sources.

BY: GOVERT SCHILLING APRIL 14, 2020

Is Earth's Minimoon Still Here?

Reports of the loss of Earth's minimoon may have been somewhat exaggerated — new research suggests the moonlet will leave Earth orbit in early may.

BY: NOLA TAYLOR REDD APRIL 9, 2020

BepiColombo's Flyby Past Earth

BepiColombo, the joint ESA/JAXA Mercury-bound mission, will swing by the Earth on Friday.

BY: DAVID DICKINSON APRIL 8, 2020

BepiColombo's Flyby Past Earth

BepiColombo, the joint ESA/JAXA Mercury-bound mission, will swing by the Earth on Friday.

BY: DAVID DICKINSON APRIL 8, 2020

SPACECRAFT AND SPACE MISSIONS

Starlink and the Astronomers: An Update

As Starlink satellites continue to enter low-Earth orbit — there are 360 of them now — SpaceX is working to mitigate the serious problems they pose for astronomy.

BY: MONICA YOUNG APRIL 7, 2020

COMETS

Oh No! Comet ATLAS Is Fragmenting

Find out when and where to see Comet ATLAS (C/2019 Y4) — and stay tuned to see how bright (or not) this comet gets.

BY: BOB KING APRIL 7, 2020

Event Horizon Telescope Finds Bent Jet Near Black Hole

Observations from the worldwide network of radio telescopes show the fire hose of plasma shooting from a distant galaxy does something strange near its source.

BY: CAMILLE M. CARLISLE APRIL 7, 2020

SOLAR SYSTEM

Is the Interstellar Comet 2I/Borisov Breaking Up?

New observations of the interstellar comet — which traveled unaltered for eons before arriving in the solar system — have revealed it's fragmenting

BY: JEFF HECHT APRIL 6, 2020

SPACECRAFT AND SPACE MISSIONS

Sunrise CubeSats Will Study Giant Solar Storms

NASA has selected a unique new mission to study the Sun, targeting a 2023 launch date.

BY: DAVID DICKINSON APRIL 3, 2020

SOLAR SYSTEM

Why Have Parts of Mercury's Landscape "Deflated"?

A type of landscape on Mercury known as “chaotic terrain” might have released materials stored underground for eons.

BY: JAVIER BARBUZANO APRIL 1, 2020

How Amateurs Could Help Future Exoplanet Observations

Large observatories will require precise timing info to measure as many exoplanet atmospheres as possible. Backyard astronomers have the power to keep that intel fresh.

BY: CHRISTOPHER CROCKETT MARCH 30, 2020

A Mysterious X-ray Signal Has Gone Missing

The absence of a mysterious X-ray signal — which could have provided evidence of dark matter — is causing as much controversy as its detection did.

BY: MONICA YOUNG MARCH 27, 2020

The Knife Edge Galaxy Throws Astronomers For a Loop

A 2008 image captured a stunning double loop of stars around an edge-on galaxy. Now, astronomers are questioning whether one of those loops exist.

BY: GOVERT SCHILLING MARCH 24, 2020

Astronomy Calendar of Celestial Events

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

May 6, 7 - 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 6 and the morning of the May 7. The nearly full moon will be a problem this year, blocking out all but the brightest meteors. But if you are patient, you should still should be able to catch a few good ones. 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 7 - 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 10:45 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. This is also the last 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.

May 22 - 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 17:39 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 4 - Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation. The planet Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation of 23.6 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.

June 5 - 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 19:12 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Full Strawberry Moon because it signaled the time of year to gather ripening fruit. It also coincides with the peak of the strawberry harvesting season. This moon has also been known as the Full Rose Moon and the Full Honey Moon.

June 5 - Penumbral Lunar Eclipse. A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the Earth's partial shadow, or penumbra. During this type of eclipse the Moon will darken slightly but not completely. The eclipse will be visible throughout most of Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, the Indian Ocean, and Australia.

(NASA Map and Eclipse Information)

June 21 - 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 06:42 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 21 - 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 in central Africa and travel through Saudi Arabia, northern India, and southern China before ending in the Pacific Ocean. A partial eclipse will be visible throughout most of eastern Africa, the Middle East, and southern Asia. (NASA Map and Eclipse Information) (NASA Interactive Google Map)

June 22 - June Solstice. The June solstice occurs at 21:44 UTC. The North Pole of the earth will be tilted toward the Sun, which will have reached its northernmost position in the sky and will be directly over the Tropic of Cancer at 23.44 degrees north latitude. This is the first day of summer (summer solstice) in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of winter (winter solstice) in the Southern Hemisphere.

July 5 - 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 04:44 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Buck Moon because the male buck deer would begin to grow their new antlers at this time of year. This moon has also been known as the Thunder Moon and the Hay Moon.

July 5 - Penumbral Lunar Eclipse. A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the Earth's partial shadow, or penumbra. During this type of eclipse the Moon will darken slightly but not completely. The eclipse will be visible throughout most of North America, South America, the eastern Pacific Ocean, the western Atlantic Ocean, and extreme western Africa. (NASA Map and Eclipse Information)

July 14 - Jupiter at Opposition. The giant planet will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. It will be brighter than any other time of the year and will be visible all night long. This is the best time to view and photograph Jupiter and its moons. A medium-sized telescope should be able to show you some of the details in Jupiter's cloud bands. A good pair of binoculars should allow you to see Jupiter's four largest moons, appearing as bright dots on either side of the planet.

July 20 - 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 17:33 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.

July 20 - Saturn at Opposition. The ringed planet will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. It will be brighter than any other time of the year and will be visible all night long. 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.

July 22 - Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation. The planet Mercury reaches greatest western elongation of 20.1 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 morning sky. Look for the planet low in the eastern sky just before sunrise.

July 28, 29 - Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower. The Delta Aquarids is an average shower that can produce up to 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by debris left behind by comets Marsden and Kracht. The shower runs annually from July 12 to August 23. It peaks this year on the night of the 28th and morning of the 29th. The second quarter moon will block many of the fainter meteors this year. But if you are patient, you should still be able to catch a few of the brighter ones. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Aquarius, but can appear anywhere in the sky.

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

Next Month's BAS Meeting: June 1, 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 and Board Members: