January 2020

Next BAS Monthly Meeting:

Monday, January 6, 2020

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

Bartlesville Public Library, Meeting Room A (second floor)

Program: TBA

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:

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

BYA is for ages seven through high school.

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Looking for a 2020 Calendar?

Want to help the Astronomical League help amateur astronomy?

I'll have AL 2020 Calendars at the next BYA and BAS meetings for sale!

Perfect Christmas gifts for your fav nerds!🤓🎄 They're loaded with astronomical data, history and much much more. $13 from me face to face, no shipping! If you aren't local, you can still buy these online from the AL website. All proceeds go to ALCON jr 2020 in Albuquerque.🚀🌟🔭🌜

Club Events:

Subject: New Year's Eve First Day Hike and night sky and telescope viewing at Osage Hills State Park - 12:01 a.m. on January 1

What is this about?

The First Day Hikes offer individuals and families an opportunity to begin the New Year connecting with the outdoors by taking a healthy hike on New Year’s Day at the State Park. First Day Hikes offer a great way to get outside, exercise, enjoy nature and welcome New Year with friends and family. There are hundreds of scheduled First Day Hikes across the United States. The Osage Hills State Park is one of them.

This year (Aka Dec 31, 2019 and Jan 1, 2020) the Bartlesville Astronomy Society will be part of that event with a public viewing of the night skies through telescopes, binoculars, and the unaided eye. We will setup on the tennis courts and the hike will pass through the courts and provide the hikers an opportunity to view the night sky. Hikers usually start arriving about 11:15 or so, and the hike starts at 12:00 AM. They usually hike between 30 and 45 minutes. The length in this case would depend on how long they wanted to look at the stars. There is usually snacks and hot beverages provided after the hike.

We are looking for several people with telescopes and/or binoculars to come out and assist with the viewing.

It could be a nice night for viewing - the moon will set by Midnight!

If it is cloudy - come on out and take a hike!

It may be a little cold - dress appropriately.

Location: Osage Hills State Park - tennis courts - park just south of the courts.

Date: Tuesday - Dec 31, 2019 through midnight and ending on New Years Day Jan 1, 2020

• • 5:17 PM Sunset

  • 10:39 PM Moon Set - Moon Phase Waxing Crescent 30%

  • 5:00 PM to Midnight BAS members show up and setup

  • 11:00 PM to Midnight hikers usually show up

  • 12:00 AM hike begins

  • 12:00 AM to 1:00 AM night sky and telescope viewing at the tennis court - this may go later

  • Snacks and Hot chocolate will probably be served somewhere.

I know this is late at night - but it is New Years! Watch New Years come in as we should - perhaps there will be a super nova!

Let me know if you can make it so we can tell Park Manager Nick Conner how many members to expect.

Thanks you!

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/

What to See with Your New Telescope

By: Alan MacRobert | December 25, 2019 | Comments 0

Maybe you just got a shiny new telescope to call your own. Congratulations — you could be on your way to discovering many amazing, far, deep things in the night sky.

How Young Galaxies Grow

By: Monica Young | December 20, 2019 | Comments 0

A pair of recent studies sheds light on some of the universe’s earliest galaxies and how they grow.

European Mission Launches to Examine Alien Worlds

By: Govert Schilling | December 18, 2019 | Comments 0

The European Cheops mission launched Wednesday on a mission to improve our understanding of hundreds of known exoplanets.

2020 Total Solar Eclipse: Update from Patagonia

By: Kelly Beatty | December 14, 2019 | Comments 0

Check out the viewing site and accommodations in Argentina's lush Lake District for Sky & Telescope's expedition to witness the 2020 total solar eclipse on December 14, 2020.

Hubble Images Comet Borisov at Perihelion

By: Monica Young | December 13, 2019 | Comments 6

The Hubble Space Telescope imaged the interstellar comet 2I/Borisov when it came closest to the Sun before heading back out of the solar system.

New Cyclone Joins Jupiter’s South Pole Club

By: Monica Young | December 13, 2019 | Comments 0

Stunning new images from NASA’s Juno mission reveal that a new cyclone has budged its way into the grouping at Jupiter’s south pole.

NASA Announces Site of Sample Selection for Osiris-REX

By: David Dickinson | December 12, 2019 | Comments 0

NASA has picked the "Nightingale" site, located within a small crater on the asteroid Bennu, for its Osiris-REX mission to sample next year.

Geminids and the Moon Duke it Out

By: Bob King | December 11, 2019 | Comments 0

Don't let light from the gibbous Moon discourage you from enjoying the annual Geminid meteor show on the peak night, December 13-14.

How Saturn’s Moon Got Its Stripes

By: Monica Young | December 9, 2019 | Comments 0

Astronomers have struggled to understand the origin of the parallel fractures on Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus, known as “tiger stripes,” from which water-ice spews into space. Now, a single explanation ties all the pieces together.

Asteroid Bennu’s Activity Still a Mystery

By: Camille M. Carlisle | December 5, 2019 | Comments 0

The near-Earth asteroid constantly shoots out rocks, leaving planetary scientists perplexed.

First Science Returns from NASA’s Parker Solar Probe

By: David Dickinson | December 5, 2019 | Comments 0

In the first public release of data from NASA’s flagship heliophysics mission, scientists on the Parker Solar Probe team reveal surprises and mysteries from our host star.

How a White Dwarf Is Vaporizing Its Giant Planet

By: Govert Schilling | December 5, 2019 | Comments 0

Astronomers have long suspected that white dwarfs eat their planetary companions. Now, indirect observations show the process in action.

New Method May Expedite Search for Exoplanets with Atmospheres

By: Kate S. Petersen | December 2, 2019 | Comments 0

A team of astronomers propose screening exoplanets by their temperatures to determine whether they host an atmosphere — and are worth following up.

Three Black Holes May Merge in Nearby Galaxy

By: Monica Young | November 25, 2019 | Comments 0

New observations of a galactic crash site show that there are not just two but three supermassive black holes on the verge of union. Two of them are only 650 light-years apart, the closest pair known.

First Global Geological Map of Saturn’s Moon Titan Released

By: Monica Young | November 18, 2019 | Comments 8

Working with data from NASA’s Cassini mission, scientists have produced the first global map of Titan’s geological features.

Astronomy Calendar of Celestial Events

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

December 22 - December Solstice. The December solstice occurs at 04:19 UTC. The South Pole of the earth will be tilted toward the Sun, which will have reached its southernmost position in the sky and will be directly over the Tropic of Capricorn at 23.44 degrees south latitude. This is the first day of winter (winter solstice) in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of summer (summer solstice) in the Southern Hemisphere.

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 waning crescent moon should not interfere too much this year. Skies should still be dark enough for what could be a good show. 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.

December 26 - 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 05:15 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.

December 26 - 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 of the eclipse will begin in Saudi Arabia and move east through southern India, northern Sri Lanka, parts of the Indian Ocean, and Indonesia before ending in the Pacific Ocean. A partial eclipse will be visible throughout most of Asia and northern Australia.

(NASA Map and Eclipse Information) (NASA Interactive Google Map)

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 first quarter moon will set shortly after midnight, leaving fairly dark skies for what could be a good 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 10 - 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 19:23 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Full 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.

January 10 - 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, the Indian Ocean, and Western Australia. (NASA Map and Eclipse Information)

January 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 21:44 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 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.

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

2020 Astronomy Highlights

January

03 - Auadrantids meteor shower

10/11 - Penumbral Lunar Eclipse

27 - Venus/Neptune conjunction

February

09 - Supermoon

March

20 - Mars/Jupiter conjunction

24 - Mercury at greatest western elongation

24 - Venus at greatest eastern elongation

31 - Mars/Saturn conjunction

April

22 - Lyrids meteor shower

May

07 - Eta Aquarid meteor shower

21 - Mercury/Venus conjunction

June

04 - Mercury at greatest eastern elongation

05 - Penumbral lunar eclipse

12 - Mars/Neptune conjunction

24 - Bootids meteor shower

July

14 - Jupiter opposition

20 - Saturn opposition

August

12 - Venus greatest western elongation

12 - Perseids meteor shower

September

01 - Aurigids meteor shower

12 - Neptune at opposition

October

01 - Mercury greatest eastern elongation

07 - Draconids meteor shower

14 - Mars at opposition

22 - Orionids meteor shower

31 - Uranus at opposition

November

08 - Andromodids meteor shower

11 - Northern Taurids meteor shower

18 - Leonids meteor shower

30 - Penumbral lunar eclipse

December

14 - Geminids meteor shower

21 - Jupiter/Saturn conjunction

Next Month's BAS Meeting: February 3, 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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