November 2020

Next BAS Monthly Meeting:

November 2, 2020

“Osage Hills State Park: International Dark Sky Park Designation”, presented by John Blaesi with special guest: Nick Conner, Osage Hills State Park, Park Manager!

ZOOM information and links below.

The meetings are password enabled. Please use link or have the meeting ID and password handy if not using the link.

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BAS Virtual Club Meeting

Bartlesville Astronomical Society is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: BAS November Virtual Club Meeting

Time: Nov 2, 2020 06:45 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85085783855?pwd=eWs4ZldabDZ0cHlHUjRTMUdoMWc5dz09

Meeting ID: 850 8578 3855

Passcode: 011987

ZOOM meeting will start around 6:45 to allow people to log in.

Everyone invited.

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Braum’s Virtual After Meeting

Normally takes place at Braum’s Ice Cream will begin at approximately 9:00 PM.

Everyone invited.

Topic: BAS November Virtual Braums

Time: Nov 2, 2020 09:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86211996533?pwd=NFNleENQeklNS28zekV0Ulp4aTdlUT09

Meeting ID: 862 1199 6533

Passcode: 599975

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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.

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Reflections on Astronomy

Brief essays about experiences in astronomy.

Adventures Tracking the Ice Giants By John LandMany people enjoy the challenge of hunting game in forests or fields. One of my favorite things is finding the small hidden treasures of the night sky. I have a special affinity for the ice giant planets in the far regions of our solar system. I enjoyed astronomy as a child and youth but didn’t discover the Astronomy Club of Tulsa until the spring of 1977. My very first issue of Sky and Telescope magazine was all about the discovery of a ring system around the planet Uranus. It was discovered by the Kuiper flying observatory while observing the planet pass in front of a star. The star unexpectedly disappeared several times before and after the planet occulted it revealing that multiple rings surrounded the planet.

That summer I bought an Edmond Scientific 6” F8 reflector and began searching for the Messier objects. ( I still have that telescope and it is by far my best scope for viewing planets. Which I reaffirmed recently while observing Mars at 1:00 AM in the morning. ) At the time I was teaching school in the small town of Okemah with a population of about 2500 or so. We would time our trips to visit my wife’s mother in Tulsa to correspond to astronomy club weekends.

My yard in Okemah, just a block off main street, was a good place to observe but to find the dimmer M objects I was looking for darker skies. I finally found an abandoned oil rig site two miles out of town that had a concrete pad just large enough to set up on. It was sort of an eerie place in a pasture of black angus cattle. I couldn’t see them when the moon wasn’t up but could hear them wandering about. If I shined a light over the pasture, I saw their green glowing eyes scattered about. HOW DARK WAS IT? I could see Uranus at mag +5.6 fairly easily with the naked eye. In the spring of 1978, Uranus had just passed the double star Alpha Libra in April. Then did its retrograde motion back to the west and returned to pass directly between the pair in October. In my telescope it was easy to identify by its pale green color and disk when magnified. Uranus was one of my regular observing stops when it was up. Since Uranus is visible in binoculars, I enjoyed showing newbies how to find it in binoculars.

My first experience with Neptune is particularly special to me. Not sure of the exact date, but it was sometime in the summer of 1978. I was still a green novice when it came to knowing the sky. I was blessed to have the mentorship of some seasoned observers who knew the sky like an old-time friend. One of them was a brilliant man named Louis DesJardin. Louie, as we knew him, had made custom hand drawn monthly star charts specifically for the latitude of Tulsa. He would plot the positions of the planets on the maps and note other events that would appear in our newsletter.

At one of our summer observing nights Louie offered to guide me to find 8th mag Neptune in my binoculars. By that time in his life his eyesight was failing but he knew the sky like a well-read book. Neptune was in a rich star field of Ophiuchus at the time. He directed me to look toward a particular star, then move my view toward the left- find a pair of stars – then nearby was Neptune! Later that evening we confirmed it by magnifying its tiny steel blue disk in a telescope.

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

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.

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/

Osiris-REX "TAGs" Bennu, Returns Stunning Views

See images and video from NASA’s Osiris-REX spacecraft as it samples the Nightingale site.

BY: DAVID DICKINSON OCTOBER 22, 2020

Moon’s Magnetism Might Have Protected Earth

The Moon's magnetic field, now long gone, might once have shielded Earth from the young Sun's radiation.

BY: MONICA YOUNG OCTOBER 22, 2020

Comets Crawl through the Skies at Dawn and Dusk

Comets have been scarce since NEOWISE departed the scene. Not anymore. Suddenly, there are four fresh faces visible from dusk til dawn.

BY: BOB KING OCTOBER 21, 2020

Osiris-REX Successfully Collected Sample from Asteroid Bennu

NASA's Osiris-REX mission has successfully touched down on the asteroid Bennu to collect a sample of its surface for return to Earth.

BY: DAVID DICKINSON OCTOBER 19, 2020

Casting Doubt on a Nearby Black Hole

New research has shown that the recently-discovered closest black hole to Earth might not be a black hole after all but a binary star.

BY: AAS NOVA OCTOBER 19, 2020

Taking Stock of Backyard Worlds

Scientists have used the Spitzer Space Telescope to confirm seventy-five new substars uncovered by the citizen science project Backyard Worlds: Planet 9.

BY: AAS NOVA OCTOBER 12, 2020

Osiris-REX Finds Some of Solar System's Oldest Rocks on Bennu

NASA's Osiris-REX mission has found evidence of ancient water flows on the surface of asteroid Bennu.

BY: JEFF HECHT OCTOBER 9, 2020

Distant Space Debris a Threat to Satellites

New observations show we're not tracking a majority of debris in higher orbits.

BY: DAVID DICKINSON OCTOBER 8, 2020

Black Hole Scientists Win 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics

This year’s award goes to three researchers who played key roles in developing the theoretical and observational evidence for black holes.

BY: CAMILLE M. CARLISLE OCTOBER 6, 2020

Behold Mars! The Best View Until 2035

After a two-years hiatus Mars returns big and bright at opposition on October 13th, its best apparition until September 2035.

BY: BOB KING OCTOBER 6, 2020

October 2020: Mars is the Star!

October evenings offer many wonderful night-sky sights — including a dramatic appearance by Mars — and you can find them by listening to our guided audio tour of the star-filled sky.

BY: KELLY BEATTY OCTOBER 1, 2020

How Planetary Nebulae Get Their Shapes

New research shows why these celestial gems range in shape from spirals to butterflies.

BY: MONICA YOUNG SEPTEMBER 30, 2020

Two Lunar Lander Missions for 2021

Two commercial landers are set to head to the Moon next year.

BY: DAVID DICKINSON SEPTEMBER 29, 2020

Explore Caroline Herschel's Celestial Showpieces

More than 200 years ago Caroline Herschel pointed her telescope at the heavens and discovered some of the finest deep-sky objects. Follow in her footsteps and see them for yourself.

BY: BOB KING SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

Astronomy Calendar of Celestial Events

(Source: http://www.seasky.org/astronomy/astronomy-calendar-2021.html)

October 29, 30 - Southern Taurids Meteor Shower. The Southern Taurids is a long-running minor meteor shower producing only about 5-10 meteors per hour. This shower is, however, famous for producing a higher than normal percentage of bright fireballs. The Southern Taurids is produced by debris left behind by Comet 2P Encke. The shower runs annually from September 10 to November 20. It peaks this year on the the night of the 29th and morning of the 30th. The nearly full moon will block out all but the brightest meteors this year. If you are patient, 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 Taurus, but can appear anywhere in the sky.

October 31 - Full Moon, Blue 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 14:51 UTC. Since this is the second full moon in the same month, it is sometimes referred to as a blue moon. This rare calendar event only occurs every few months, giving rise to the term "once in a blue moon".

October 31 - Uranus at Opposition. The blue-green 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 Uranus. Due to its distance, it will only appear as a tiny blue-green dot in all but the most powerful telescopes.

November 10 - Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation. The planet Mercury reaches greatest western elongation of 19.1 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.

November 11, 12 - Northern Taurids Meteor Shower. The Northern Taurids is a long-running minor meteor shower producing only about 5-10 meteors per hour. This shower is, however, famous for producing a higher than normal percentage of bright fireballs. The Northern Taurids is produced by dust grains left behind by Asteroid 2004 TG10. The shower runs annually from October 20 to December 10. It peaks this year on the the night of the 11th and morning of the 12th. The thin crescent moon will not be much of a problem this year leaving dark skies for what could be a really good show. Best viewing will be just after midnight from a dark location far away from city lights. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Taurus, but can appear anywhere in the sky.

November 15 - 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 05:08 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.

November 16, 17 - Leonids Meteor Shower. The Leonids is an average shower, producing up to 15 meteors per hour at its peak. This shower is unique in that it has a cyclonic peak about every 33 years where hundreds of meteors per hour can be seen. That last of these occurred in 2001. The Leonids is produced by dust grains left behind by comet Tempel-Tuttle, which was discovered in 1865. The shower runs annually from November 6-30. It peaks this year on the night of the 16th and morning of the 17th. The 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 Leo, but can appear anywhere in the sky.

November 30 - 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 09:32 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Beaver Moon because this was the time of year to set the beaver traps before the swamps and rivers froze. It has also been known as the Frosty Moon and the Dark Moon.

November 30 - 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, the Pacific Ocean, and northeastern Asia including Japan. (NASA Map and Eclipse Information)

December 13, 14 - Geminids Meteor Shower. The Geminids is the king of the meteor showers. It is considered by many to be the best shower in the heavens, producing up to 120 multicolored meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by debris left behind by an asteroid known as 3200 Phaethon, which was discovered in 1982. The shower runs annually from December 7-17. It peaks this year on the night of the 13th and morning of the 14th. The morning of the 15th could also be nearly as active this year. The nearly new moon will ensure 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 Gemini, but can appear anywhere in the sky.

December 14 - 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 16:18 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 14 - 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 southern Chile and southern Argentina. A partial eclipse will be visible in most parts of southern South America, the southeastern Pacific Ocean and the southern Atlantic Ocean.

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

December 21 - December Solstice. The December solstice occurs at 10:02 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 - Rare Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. A conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn will take place on December 21. This rare conjunction of these two planets is known as a great conjunction. The last great conjunction occurred in the year 2000. The two bright planets will appear only 7 arc minutes of each other in the night sky. They will be so close that they will appear to make a bright double planet. Look to the west just after sunset for this impressive and rare planetary pair.

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 first quarter moon should set just after midnight leaving dark skies 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 30 - 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 03:30 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Cold Moon because this is the time of year when the cold winter air settles in and the nights become long and dark. This moon has also been known as the Long Nights Moon and the Moon Before Yule.

January 2, 3 - 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 2nd and morning of the 3rd. The waning gibbous moon will block out most of the faintest meteors this year. But if you are patient, you should still be able to catch a few good ones. 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 13 - 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 05:02 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.

January 24 - Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation. The planet Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation of 18.6 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.

January 28 - 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 19:18 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.

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

Next Month's BAS Meeting: December 7, 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: