April 2019
Next BAS Meeting:
Monday, April 1, 2019
6:30 pm Setup/Social, 7:00 pm Meeting
Bartlesville Public Library, Meeting Room A (second floor)
Program: "The History of Optical Astronomy" by Daryl Doughty
BAS meetings are usually on the first Monday of each month.
Meetings are open to the public and visitors are welcome.
Follow our Facebook page for details on our activities.
Members-Only 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 9 PM. We can discuss if we want a pizza party or not.
Texas Star Party
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 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
ALCon 2019
The Astronomical League has announced plans for their next 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. For more information, go to alcon2019.astroleague.org/#ALCon2019
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.
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
Clear Sky Predictor for Bartlesville: http://www.cleardarksky.com/c/BrtlsvlOKkey.html
Please use link below to access BAS Member Presentations:
Hello BAS Members --
With so many people interested in AstroPhotography in the group, we have thought of having an "Astro Picture of the Month" competition each month at our meetings. Entry Rules: Send one picture of the night sky or object of the current month with a description of the picture and the equipment used to take it. Email it to bvilleastro@gmail.com.
Best picture is chosen in the next meeting and uploaded to our Facebook and Twitter pages with your mention!
Thanks,
BAS President
Sky and Telescope News http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/observing-news/
It’s Just 100 Days until the Next Total Solar Eclipse
By: Jamie Carter | March 25, 2019 | Comments 0
Here’s everything you need to know about the first of South America's two total solar eclipses within 18 months.
Amazing Images Capture Giant Fireball Exploding Over the Bering Sea
By: Bob King | March 20, 2019 | Comments 14
A powerful fireball exploded over the wilds of eastern Russia last December. Satellites captured the whole thing.
Hayabusa 2 Finds Asteroid Ryugu Is Young, Dark & Dry
By: Javier Barbuzano | March 22, 2019 | Comments 0
Hayabusa 2’s asteroid Ryugu has some unexpected characteristics. In particular, its dry surface could spell trouble for current theories about how Earth obtained its water.
Bumpy Road Ahead For NASA’s Osiris-REX
By: Javier Barbuzano | March 20, 2019 | Comments
Asteroid Bennu is turning out to be a hazardous place for the NASA spacecraft to sample: It has uneven, rugged terrain and occasionally even hurls rocks into space.
New Results Probe the Origin of “Ultima Thule”
By: Kelly Beatty | March 19, 2019 | Comments 0
As observations trickle in from NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, mission scientists have new insights on how their two-lobed target formed in the Kuiper Belt.
‘Oumuamua “Sped Up” in the Inner Solar System. This Might Be Why.
By: Camille M. Carlisle | March 12, 2019 | Comments 2
Astronomers think a jet-powered rocking motion could solve the puzzle.
Mars Insight’s “Mole” Hits a Snag
By: David Dickinson | March 11, 2019 | Comments 5
Drilling operations for NASA's Mars Insight Lander have been put on hold as the "mole" has hit unexpected obstacles.
Tracing the Cigar Galaxy’s Superwind
By: Monica Young | March 8, 2019 | Comments 3
NASA’s SOFIA airborne observatory has returned a striking far-infrared view of the Cigar Galaxy and its “galactic superwind.”
By: AAS Nova | March 5, 2019 | Comments 0
Super-puffy exoplanets are a problem. They shouldn’t exist — and yet we've detected half a dozen of them. Here's what theory might be getting wrong.
Tilted Exoplanets Could Explain Odd Orbits
By: Monica Young | March 4, 2019 | Comments 5
Scientists think a significant fraction of exoplanets may be rolling on their sides. If they were, it would explain a longstanding mystery.
Pluto and Charon Are Missing Small Craters
By: Monica Young | February 28, 2019 | Comments 0
Scientists studying New Horizons images of craters on Pluto and its moon Charon have found that the Kuiper Belt must contain fewer small objects than expected — which suggests the outer solar system hasn’t changed much since its earliest days.
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.
Astronomy Calendar of Celestial Events
(Source: http://www.seasky.org/astronomy/astronomy-calendar-2019.html)
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 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.
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 been 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 thin crescent moon will set early in the evening leaving dark skies for what should be a good show. 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 18 - Full Moon, Blue Moon. The Moon will be located on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun and its face will be fully illuminated. This phase occurs at 21:11 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. Since this is the third of four full moons in this season, it is known as a blue moon. This rare calendar event only happens once every few years, giving rise to the term, “once in a blue moon.” There are normally only three full moons in each season of the year. But since full moons occur every 29.53 days, occasionally a season will contain 4 full moons. The extra full moon of the season is known as a blue moon. Blue moons occur on average once every 2.7 years.
June 3 - 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 10:02 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 10 - 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.
June 17 - Full Moon. The Moon will be located on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun and its face will be fully illuminated. This phase occurs at 08:31 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 21 - June Solstice. The June solstice occurs at 15:54 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.
(Source: http://www.seasky.org/astronomy/astronomy-calendar-2019.html)
2019 BAS Programs
Next Meeting: April 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.
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