September 2020
Next BAS Monthly Meeting:
September 7, 2020
In person meeting canceled c Covid 19
6:30 pm Setup/Social, 7:00 pm Meeting
Bartlesville Public Library
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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Next BYA Monthly Meeting:
6:30 pm Setup/Social, 7:00 pm Meeting
Our Savior Lutheran Church
300 NE Madison Blvd., Bartlesville, OK
Bartian Youth Astronomers is an interactive, hands-on youth group for ages seven through high school.
BYA meetings are usually on the third Monday evening of each month. More event details are listed on our calendar.
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Reflections on Astronomy
Brief essays about experiences in astronomy.
Moon Man
by Brian “Neil” Turner
My mother claims I wanted to be a “moon man” as a young child, and, well, why not? I took my first steps the same year that man took steps on the moon, my middle name is “Neil” (as a tribute to NASA’s great gentleman hero), and I certainly drank my fair share of Tang.
Although I do not remember those very early years, I do remember developing a love for math and science, and I eventually ended up as a Physics and Math major in college. My fellow physics friends there built their own 10” Dobsonian (someone donated a mirror to the college), as well as restored an old observatory dome on top of the science building. This was my real introduction to astronomy, and we saw some amazing sights (the planets, the Orion Nebula, and the Andromeda Galaxy stand out). My two strongest telescope memories, however, are 1) being so cold observing one night that I thought my feet were going to fall off, and 2) taking girls on dates to eat dinner in the dome – the top of the building had a nice view of the city.
In college, I also fell in love with General Relativity, Einstein’s beautiful idea that the universe is a spacetime fabric curved by gravity. The theory is conceptually stunning, mathematically elegant, and mind-blowing in its results: black holes, wormholes, the expansion of the universe, and even time travel. I pursued a PhD in Relativity with one of its early pioneers, Wolfgang Rindler, whose variables, yes, have appeared on the whiteboard of TV’s “Big Bang Theory”. My dissertation involved the computer modeling of gravitational waves - 20 years ahead of LIGO coming on-line to detect such things. My colleagues and I secretly want to say: “See, we told you so…”
And, now, I have been a math and science professor at a Christian college (OKWU) for over 20 years. I have only taught astronomy a few times, and am still learning the art of amateur telescopes. But with lessons learned from the past, a legacy telescope of Ken Wilcox (past BAS member and friend of OKWU ), and the generous guidance of BAS, I am teaching students to explore the universe with their own eyes. So, in a way, I became a “moon man” after all.
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
Clear Sky Predictor for Bartlesville: http://www.cleardarksky.com/c/BrtlsvlOKkey.html
Sky and Telescope News http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/observing-news/
Half-ton OGO 1 Spacecraft Set to Reenter
NASA's Orbiting Geophysical Observatory 1, a bus-sized relic of the early Space Age, is set to reenter in the coming week.
BY: DAVID DICKINSON AUGUST 27, 2020
Scientists have discovered a new candidate source for Earth's water: building blocks of the primordial solar system known as enstatite chondrites.
BY: JEFF HECHT AUGUST 27, 2020
A massive collision with Pluto’s moon Charon could have formed the dwarf planet’s collection of smaller moons.
BY: NOLA TAYLOR REDD AUGUST 27, 2020
Take a Roller Coaster Ride on a Fast Eclipsing Binary
How would you like to see a star drop two magnitudes in the time it takes to eat dinner? Easy to do. Just check out one of these fast eclipsing binaries — they'll make your head spin.
BY: BOB KING AUGUST 26, 2020
See the Invisible: A Gallery of Magnetic Fields
Magnetic fields affect everything from star formation to galaxy evolution. View a gallery of images that show magnetism's role.
BY: MONICA YOUNG AUGUST 24, 2020
The Hubble Space Telescope imaged the famous comet on August 8th.
BY: MONICA YOUNG AUGUST 21, 2020
"Dead Ringer" for the Milky Way Found in Early Universe
A cosmic magnifying glass has revealed a Milky Way-like galaxy in the early universe that doesn’t conform to cosmologists’ expectations.
BY: MONICA YOUNG AUGUST 20, 2020
Winds and Tides Drive Sea Waves on Titan
Sunlight glittering off rough patches of sea on Saturn’s largest moon indicates ever-changing waves.
BY: CAMILLE M. CARLISLE AUGUST 17, 2020
By studying the images of small young star systems, astronomers expect to learn more about the formation of our solar system.
BY: AAS NOVA AUGUST 13, 2020
Asteroid Ceres: An Ocean World
Scientists have thought that the largest main-belt asteroid, Ceres, had an ancient ocean beneath its surface. But new data from the Dawn spacecraft show the underground ocean might still be there.
BY: MONICA YOUNG AUGUST 10, 2020
Potential New Targets for Japan's Hayabusa 2 Mission
The Hayabusa 2 team has laid out a proposal for an extended mission to one of two asteroids after the spacecraft's sample return this December.
BY: DAVID DICKINSON AUGUST 6, 2020
Radioactive Aluminum Sheds Light on Solar System History
Astronomers thought giant stars were reponsible for flooding the early system with a radioative isotope — but the Sun itself might have made it.
BY: JAVIER BARBUZANO AUGUST 5, 2020
Was Early Mars "Wet and Warm"? Or Wet and Cold?
A new model suggests that Martian valley networks might have been created by ancient subglacial rivers rather than water flowing on the surface.
BY: JEFF HECHT AUGUST 4, 2020
Neutron Star Found in Supernova 1987A
After decades of searching, astronomers have finally found the collapsed core of the nearest supernova recorded in recent history.
BY: MONICA YOUNG AUGUST 1, 2020
Our Unexpectedly Smooth Universe May Point to New Physics
The latest data release from a survey of 31 million galaxies reveals that our universe is even smoother than we thought it was.
BY: GOVERT SCHILLING JULY 31, 2020
NASA Launches Perseverance Rover for Mars
NASA’s Perseverance rover heads to the Red Planet.
BY: DAVID DICKINSON JULY 30, 2020
Cool Off with Pluto This Summer
Pluto might be a challenging target but it's well worth the effort. Grab your telescope and see if you can spot this distant, chilly world.
BY: BOB KING JULY 29, 2020
Remains of an Ancient Star Cluster Revealed
A torn-apart globular cluster provides a window into the Milky Way's past.
BY: MONICA YOUNG JULY 29, 2020
An Infant Pulsar Defies Categorization
The discovery of the youngest pulsar yet has lead astronomers to question the current classification system of these objects.
BY: AAS NOVA JULY 28, 2020
The summer of 2020 will see three spacecraft launch toward the Red Planet, each one with distinct objectives.
BY: EMILY LAKDAWALLA JULY 28, 2020
Astronomy Calendar of Celestial Events
(Source: http://www.seasky.org/astronomy/astronomy-calendar-2019.html)
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 the 28th and morning of the 29th. The second quarter moon will block many of the fainter meteors this year. But if you are patient, you should still be able to catch a few of the brighter ones. 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 3 - 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 15:59 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the 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 11, 12 - 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 the 11th and morning of the 12th. The second quarter moon will block out some of the fainter meteors this year, but the Perseids are so bright and numerous that it should 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 13 - Venus at Greatest Western Elongation. The planet Venus reaches greatest western elongation of 45.8 degrees from the Sun. This is the best time to view Venus since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the morning sky. Look for the bright planet in the eastern sky before sunrise.
August 19 - 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 02:42 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 2 - 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 05:23 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Corn Moon because the corn is harvested around this time of year.
September 11 - 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 17 - 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 11:00 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 22 - September Equinox. The September equinox occurs at 13:30 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.
October 1 - 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 21:06 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Hunters Moon because at this time of year the leaves are falling and the game is fat and ready to hunt. It has also been known as the Travel Moon and the Blood Moon. This full moon is also known as the Harvest Moon. The Harvest Moon is the full moon that occurs closest to the September equinox each year.
October 1 - Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation. The planet Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation of 25.8 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.
October 7 - Draconids Meteor Shower. The Draconids is a minor meteor shower producing only about 10 meteors per hour. It is produced by dust grains left behind by comet 21P Giacobini-Zinner, which was first discovered in 1900. The Draconids is an unusual shower in that the best viewing is in the early evening instead of early morning like most other showers. The shower runs annually from October 6-10 and peaks this year on the the night of the 7th. The second quarter moon will ensure dark skies in the early evening for what should be a good show. Best viewing will be in the early evening from a dark location far away from city lights. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Draco, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
October 13 - Mars at Opposition. The red 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 Mars. A medium-sized telescope will allow you to see some of the dark details on the planet's orange surface.
October 16 - 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 19:32 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.
October 21, 22 - Orionids Meteor Shower. The Orionids is an average shower producing up to 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by dust grains left behind by comet Halley, which has been known and observed since ancient times. The shower runs annually from October 2 to November 7. It peaks this year on the night of the 21st and the morning of of the 22nd. The waxing crescent moon will set before midnight 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 Orion, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
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)
(Source: http://www.seasky.org/astronomy/astronomy-calendar-2019.html)
Next Month's BAS Meeting: October 5, 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:
Appointed Positions and Board Members:
Additional Appointed Positions:
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
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.