Embedded Files
Next BAS Monthly Meeting
Monday, July 1, 2019
6:30 pm Setup/Social, 7:00 pm Meeting
Bartlesville Public Library, Meeting Room B (first floor)
"50th Anniversary of Apollo 11: First Man on the Moon" by Craig Brockmeier
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.
Next BYA Monthly Meeting
BYA is for ages seven through high school. Follow our Facebook page for information on our activities.
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Bartlesville Astronomical Society &
Bartian Youth Astronomers at SunFest 2019
by John Grismore
As in past years, the BAS/BYA booth at this year’s Sunfest was a big success. Despite relocation to avoid the soft, muddy conditions of our usual spot near the creek, attendance was good and interest was high. Sunfest 2019 took place at Sooner Park from Friday, May 31 through Sunday, June 2, and during that time we were visited by well over 200 people.
A total of 16 club volunteers handled setup, take-down, and one (or more) of the two hour shifts. The booth consisted of a canopy tent and a six foot folding table for displays, handouts, astronomical photos and newsletter signup sheets. Hanging from the front of the table was the new, eye-catching BAS/BYA banner designed by Rick Bryant. In addition, the new club logo, also designed by Rick, was a nice addition to the banner as well as to our six page astronomy guide, which was newly revised and updated by Denise Gregg and Craig Brockmeier.
The presence of youth volunteers at the booth was a real benefit, clearly attracting families and kids with an interest in astronomy, and promoting BAS as a family friendly organization. We hope the addition of even more youth volunteers next year will expand our ability to appeal to the Sunfest crowd.
Several volunteers noted a distinct increase in interest from passersby, after BYA member Andre L. arrived with two refractor telescopes and set them up in front of the booth. These were very distinctive and visible attention-getters that drew in more visitors. We have been inconsistent in past years about having telescopes on display, but should make it a standard part of our setup in the future.
The next club event is:
Renowned storyteller and BAS member Fran Stallings invites interested fellow astronomy buffs to her presentation of "Stories of the Night Sky", with a portable planetarium projector on loan from the Pioneer Library System. The event will take place Friday, June 21st, at 7:00 pm at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bartlesville, located at 5th & Seneca downtown.
"Love, betrayal, monsters, vengeance! Long before 3D and Netflix, our ancestors told hair-raising tales of the heroes whom they immortalized in constellations that wheel over our heads at night. Come hear the stories and learn to spot those star patterns when the Sun sets. We'll project our own starry sky indoors.
I’ll tell stories from Africa, Australia, and Europe (including and beyond the classical Greek myths)."
The event is open to the public and everyone is invited to attend.
Derek Herrman
NASA Wants Your Apollo Moon Landing Memories
https://www.space.com/nasa-wants-apollo-moon-landing-memories.html
Many of us old enough to have witnessed the Apollo 11 landing have vivid memories of where we were on that historic night. “NASA wants the public's help to create an oral history of the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing.
Apollo 11's lunar module touched down safely on the moon on July 20, 1969, carrying astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. With the big anniversary coming up soon, NASA's Explorers: Apollo program will release a commemorative audio series that includes stories submitted by the general public, sharing their views on space exploration and the Apollo moon landings.
All recordings should be submitted to apollostories@mail.nasa.gov . Recordings received before June 14 will have the best chance of getting featured in the series, NASA said. The ultimate deadline for submissions is Dec. 31. NASA has released detailed recording instructions in a statement.”
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
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
Sky and Telescope News http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/observing-news/
Huge Mass Found Under Moon’s Largest Basin
By: Kelly Beatty | June 21, 2019 | Comments 0
Does the massive metallic core of a primordial impactor lie buried under the South Pole-Aitken basin on the lunar farside?
7 Incredible Discoveries from Two Decades of X-rays
By: Monica Young | June 18, 2019 | Comments 2
On the eve of the 20th anniversaries for both the Chandra and XMM-Newton X-ray observatories, we celebrate with a look back at seven of their most incredible discoveries.
Youngest Confirmed Exoplanet Provides Clues on Its Formation
By: Steve Murray | June 17, 2019 | Comments 0
Observations of the youngest confirmed planet, CI Tau b, suggest it's still hot from its birth — a point in favor of a quick-start model of formation.
Astronomers Might Have Found Apollo 10’s “Snoopy” Module
By: David Dickinson | June 14, 2019 | Comments 3
A small near-Earth object might be a historic piece of space hardware: the Apollo 10 lunar module, dubbed "Snoopy."
Evidence for a Dark Matter Clump in the Milky Way
By: Monica Young | June 12, 2019 | Comments 1
There are ghosts in our galaxy’s past. Now astronomers have found a way to detect them.
Astronomers Stalk the “Taurid Swarm”
By: Kelly Beatty | June 11, 2019 | Comments 3
If theorists are right, next month observers should spot a cluster of potentially hazardous asteroids as they cruise past Earth.
Astronomers Directly Detect Newborn Planets
By: Monica Young | June 5, 2019 | Comments 2
Infant planets are coming together in a system 370 light-years away, and they’re shedding light on the early lives of Saturn and Jupiter in our solar system.
Jupiter Is Outstanding at Opposition
By: Bob King | June 5, 2019 | Comments 10
Prime-time Jupiter viewing kicks off this month when the planet reaches opposition on June 10th.
By: David Dickinson | June 4, 2019 | Comments
NASA's NICER instrument aboard the International Space Station is giving us a unique view of much of the X-ray sky.
Does Starlink Pose a Space Debris Threat? An Expert Answers
By: Jan Hattenbach | June 3, 2019 | Comments 6
SpaceX's Starlink satellites have come under heavy criticism for their potential to clutter the sky. Here's what a space debris expert has to say about it.
SpaceX Launches First Volley of Starlink Satellites
By: Bob King | May 29, 2019 | Comments 0
The 60 Starlink satellites parading across the sky make an incredible sight, but some skywatchers wonder at what cost to the night.
Astronomy Calendar of Celestial Events
(Source: http://www.seasky.org/astronomy/astronomy-calendar-2019.html)
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.
June 23 - Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation. The planet Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation of 25.2 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.
July 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 19:16 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 2 - Total Solar Eclipse. A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon completely blocks the Sun, revealing the Sun's beautiful outer atmosphere known as the corona. The path of totality will only be visible in parts of the southern pacific Ocean, central Chile, and central Argentina. A partial eclipse will be visible in most parts of the southern Pacific Ocean and western South America. (NASA Map and Eclipse Information)
July 9 - 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 16 - 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 21:38 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Full 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 Full Thunder Moon and the Full Hay Moon.
July 16 - Partial Lunar Eclipse. A partial lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the Earth's partial shadow, or penumbra, and only a portion of it passes through the darkest shadow, or umbra. During this type of eclipse a part of the Moon will darken as it moves through the Earth's shadow. The eclipse will be visible throughout most of Europe, Africa, central Asia, and the Indian Ocean. (NASA Map and Eclipse Information)
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 July 28 and morning of July 29. The waning crescent moon will not be too much of a problem this year. The skies should be dark enough for what could 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.
August 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 03:12 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.
August 9 - Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation. The planet Mercury reaches greatest western elongation of 19.0 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.
August 12, 13 - Perseids Meteor Shower. The Perseids is one of the best meteor showers to observe, producing up to 60 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by comet Swift-Tuttle, which was discovered in 1862. The Perseids are famous for producing a large number of bright meteors. The shower runs annually from July 17 to August 24. It peaks this year on the night of August 12 and the morning of August 13. The nearly full moon will block out most of the fainter meteors this year, but the Perseids are so bright and numerous that it could still be a good show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Perseus, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
August 15 - 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 12:30 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Full Sturgeon Moon because the large sturgeon fish of the Great Lakes and other major lakes were more easily caught at this time of year. This moon has also been known as the Green Corn Moon and the Grain Moon.
August 30 - 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 10:37 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.
September 9 - Neptune at Opposition. The blue 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 Neptune. Due to its extreme distance from Earth, it will only appear as a tiny blue dot in all but the most powerful telescopes.
September 14 - 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 04:34 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Full Corn Moon because the corn is harvested around this time of year. This moon is also known as the Harvest Moon. The Harvest Moon is the full moon that occurs closest to the September equinox each year.
September 23 - September Equinox. The September equinox occurs at 07:50 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 fall (autumnal equinox) in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of spring (vernal equinox) in the Southern Hemisphere.
September 28 - 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 18:26 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: July 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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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.
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