January 2022
Monday, January 6, 2022 at 7:00 possibly at the library or via Zoom (due to COVID-19)
Comet Leonard is visible in the west evening sky near Venus after sunset using binoculars
See http://astro.vanbuitenen.nl/comet/2021A1 for location information
Members will be sent a link to the Zoom meeting. Here is a link to the Join page on our website! If you are not a Club member but would like to attend, please email bvilleastro@gmail.com and ask to have the Zoom link sent to you!
BAS meetings feature presentations on a variety of astronomy and space science topics. Meetings are usually on the first Monday evening of each month and are open to the public. Guests are always welcome. More event details are listed on our calendar.
Program: Meteor Showers - Denise
—————
-----
Free online "Introduction to Astronomy" class!
The Kalamazoo Astronomical Society will present a five-part "Introduction to Amateur Astronomy" lecture series online via Zoom.
The lectures will take place biweekly on Saturdays from January 15 to March 12 at 12:00-2:00 Central time (1:00-3:00 Eastern timezone).
To see the announcement for the course: Class brochure
The course is offered at no cost, but you need to register to attend, get the Zoom meeting link, and receive the lecture notes.
To get more information and register: https://www.kasonline.org/amastro.html
This is a great opportunity! Don't miss out!
~~~~~
ALCON 2022 in Albuquerque, July 28 - 30, at the Embassy Suites in Albuquerque.
April 8, 2024, there will be another total eclipse ‘across’ America.
Are you ready?
Do you plan to go?
Don’t wait until 2024 to make your plans!
NASA Site
https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEsearch/SEsearchmap.php?Ecl=20240408
Weather Site
https://eclipsophile.com/2024tse/
~~~~~
The great tradition of dark sky observing continues with the 42nd Annual
TEXAS STAR PARTY, April 24 to May 1, 2022!
near Ft Davis, Texas
Greetings from the Texas Star Party!
Hello Everyone!
It is that time of the Year!
On Wednesday November 24, 2022., TSP Management is opening the Application Page for you to apply fot TSP 2022.
WE ARE LIVE!
THE APPLICATION FORM IS NOW OPEN!
Please log in to your TSP account.
Download the TSP Covid-19 Waiver/General Liability Release and the Covid-19 Mitigation Protocols, Rules, Poliies Document.
Documents must be completed, signed and uploaded to be able to complete and submit your Application to Attend.
Have everyone applying to attend who is 18 and older sign in the spaces provided.
Scan the completed and signed documents, and use the upload features built into the Application Form to upload each signed document to our TSP Website.
TSP Mangement respects your right to not receive Covid-19 Vaccinations. That is your choice. We strongly recommend that our attendees are vaccinated but it is not a requirement to attend TSP 2022.
TSP Management does require that you get tested for a possible active Covid-19 infection within 72 hours before arriving at the Ranch. You are required to provide a Negative Covid-19 molecular PCR test result to enter TSP 2022. Instructions on how to provide your mPCR Test results are in the Application Form instructions.
If you test Positive, please stay home.
You and any family member attending with you will need to be Screened for possible Covid-19 infection and have your Registration confirmed with a current Photo ID. performed by a member of the Front Gate Team before you can enter the Ranch property and attend TSP 2022.
In Leu of the Negative mPCR test reslults, you can provide your CDC Proof of Vaccinations Card. This is an option you make. It is not a requirement of TSP Management.
If you decide to voluntarily provide your CDC Proof of Covid-19 Vaccinations Card, you can upload your proof of vaccinations using the Application Form’s built in upload feature.
We are all looking forward to TSP 2022
~~~~~~~~~~~
For those members of the Mid-States Region who were unable to attend the annual business meeting this past June, it was announced that the St. Louis Astronomical Society (SLAS) has volunteered to host the MSRAL regional convention in 2022. We are hoping that we can finally get together next year and that we will not experience any last minute cancellations at the request of the League.
The convention chair is Jim Small, who is currently President of SLAS. The Vice-Chair is Mark Jones, who is currently the Secretary of SLAS and MSRAL 2022 Treasurer is Cook Feldman who is a past Treasurer and Board Member of SLAS (this position is only for the MSRAL Convention). All 3 individuals have held these same positions for the 2006, 2014 and 2016 MSRAL Conventions. The St. Louis MSRAL Committee has held 3 planning meetings so far and I would like to let you know we are progressing.
Tentatively, the Convention is scheduled for June 2022. The exact dates in June are dependent upon the availability of the venue(s) to hold the actual meetings. We are currently are pursuing one of 3 possible locations. We do know that the Friday Night Star-B-Que will be held at Jefferson College which is the home of our new Observatory located in Hillsboro, Mo. Hillsboro is located approximately 25 miles southwest of St. Louis County. Directions will be provided as we get closer to the convention date.
As we progress towards our milestone dates, we will attempt to keep everyone updated as to our progress. Please pass this information along to your general membership to keep them in the loop. We are not a region without their participation.
Please stay healthy and take care of yourselves, see you in June 2022.
Cook Feldman
Treasurer, MSRAL 2022 Convention
Reflections on Astronomy
Brief essays about experiences in astronomy.
The email address is bvilleastro+comments@gmail.com .
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.
Apps for Consideration
Family Fun with Sky Watching
Clear Sky Predictor for Bartlesville:
https://clearskyalarmclock.com/index.php
Sky and Telescope News https://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/observing-news/
Over a generation in the making, the James Webb Space Telescope is finally headed for space.
BY: DAVID DICKINSON DECEMBER 25, 2021
The material that the Hayabusa 2 spacecraft returned from asteroid Ryugu is the most pristine sample we've ever gotten our hands on.
BY: JEFF HECHT DECEMBER 20, 2021
The soon-to-be-launched James Webb Space Telescope should shed light on exoplanet atmospheres and peer back to the universe's first stars.
BY: DAVID DICKINSON DECEMBER 15, 2021
On its eighth close pass, NASA’s record-breaking Parker Solar Probe entered our star’s atmosphere and “touched” the surface of the Sun.
BY: MONICA YOUNG DECEMBER 14, 2021
New data and analysis show that a long-standing discrepancy in the measurement of the current expansion rate of the universe is real — even as the reason for it remains a mystery.
BY: ARWEN RIMMER DECEMBER 13, 2021
Astronomers have identified the origin of a mysterious flash that occurred three years ago.
BY: GOVERT SCHILLING DECEMBER 13, 2021
At first glance, the annual Geminid meteor shower appears to be on a collision course with a bright Moon. But a closer look reveals a happy window of dark skies.
BY: BOB KING DECEMBER 13, 2021
The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer will shed new light on energetic and enigmatic sources such as magnetars, supernovae, and black holes.
BY: DAVID DICKINSON DECEMBER 9, 2021
A satellite galaxy dwarfed by the Milky Way has a black hole nearly as massive as the one at the center of our galaxy.
BY: ASA STAHL DECEMBER 8, 2021
Astronomers have imaged a giant planet around a massive pair of stars, a discovery that challenges our notions of how planets form.
BY: MONICA YOUNG DECEMBER 8, 2021
NASA will end support for the International Space Station by 2030, transitioning low-Earth orbit to commercial operations.
BY: DAVID DICKINSON DECEMBER 7, 2021
Galaxy clusters take eons to collide. Now, astronomers have caught a pair of merging clusters in an in-between stage never seen before.
BY: GOVERT SCHILLING DECEMBER 7, 2021
New research may explain why satellite galaxies align themselves around the Milky Way
BY: MONICA YOUNG DECEMBER 6, 2021
The year's brightest comet is now on display in the predawn sky this week and next. Here's how to find it.
BY: BOB KING DECEMBER 3, 2021
Astronomers have observed a pair of supermassive black holes set to collide in 250 million years.
BY: GOVERT SCHILLING DECEMBER 2, 2021
Astronomers have observed a pair of supermassive black holes set to collide in 250 million years.
BY: GOVERT SCHILLING DECEMBER 2, 2021
Astronomers have watched a jet launch from a stellar-mass black hole inside the Milky Way.
BY: LYNDIE CHIOU NOVEMBER 29, 2021
The first-ever planetary defense mission is now on its way to the asteroid Didymos and its moon, Dimorphos.
BY: EMILY LAKDAWALLA NOVEMBER 24, 2021
Astronomy Calendar of Celestial Events
(Source: http://www.seasky.org/astronomy/astronomy-calendar-2021.html)
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. The nearly full moon will be a problem this year, blocking all but the brightest meteors. But if you are patient enough, you may 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.
2022
January 2 - 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 18:35 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 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 thin, crescent moon will set early in the evening leaving dark skies for what should be an excellent show. 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 7 - Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation. The planet Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation of 19.2 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.
January 17 - 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 23:51 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the 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.
February 1 - 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 05:48 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 16 - 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 16:59 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the 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 Hunger Moon, since the harsh weather made hunting difficult.
February 16 - Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation. The planet Mercury reaches greatest western elongation of 26.3 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.
March 2 - 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 17:38 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 18 - 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 07:20 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the 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 Crow Moon, the Crust Moon, the Sap Moon, and the Lenten Moon.
March 20 - March Equinox. The March equinox occurs at 15:24 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.
Next Month's BAS Meeting: February 7, Monday. 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:
President
Craig Brockmeier
Vice President
Rick Buck
Secretary
Denise Gregg
Treasurer
Evan Zorn
Appointed Positions and Board Members:
Program Director
Bob Young
Mike Woods
Observing Program Coordinator
Rick Buck
Member-at-Large
John Blaesi
Member-at-Large
Karen Cruce
Additional Appointed Positions:
Bartian Youth Astronomers Leader
Rick Bryant
Meeting Arrangements Coordinator
Daryl Doughty
Website and Social Media Administrator
Denise Gregg
Astronomical League Coordinator
Denise Gregg
Our officers and some individuals holding other club positions can be reached by email. To send an email, just click on a title above.
Membership Rates
Regular Membership
For age 18 or older. Holds one vote for BAS business.
$25 per year
Student Membership
For age 13 through high school, or age 18 or older and enrolled full-time at a post-secondary educational institution. Holds no vote for BAS business. A student younger than age 13 may join with an adult on a Family Membership.
$10 per year
Family Membership:
Two People
For two people, with at least one member age 18 or older. Holds one shared vote for BAS business.
$30 per year
Family Membership:
Three or More People
For three or more people, with at least one member age 18 or older. Holds one shared vote for BAS business.
$40 per year
Members are eligible for these discounted magazine subscriptions:
Sky and Telescope
Astronomy Technology Today
Astronomy Magazine
Please check with the BAS Treasurer for current discounted subscription rates.
Comments: Send email to bvilleastro+comments@gmail.com or our newsletter editor: bvilleastro+newsletter@gmail.com