January 2024
Next BAS Monthly Meeting:
Thursday, January 4, 2024 at 7:00pm at the library (meeting room C) and via Zoom
Program: Viewing the October 14, 2023 Solar Eclipse in Bortle 1 Skies
Question: Why view a solar eclipse where it is very very dark?
Answer: It gives you something to do at night!
Speaker: John Blaesi
John Blaesi is president of the Oklahoma Bartlesville Astronomical Society and has been observing the stars since growing up in the dark skies of western Kansas.
Club members will be sent a link to the Zoom meeting. Here is a link to the Join page on our website! If you are not a Club member but would like to attend, please email bvilleastro@gmail.com and ask to have the Zoom link sent to you!
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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A Member’s Message:
The Legacy of BAS
by John Grismore
In the late 1950s, at the height of the Cold War, Operation Moonwatch enlisted thousands of amateur astronomers and interested citizens across the United States in a citizen based surveillance program to monitor the night sky for satellites and Soviet bombers. There were authorized teams in cities and towns all around the country, and one of those teams was right here in Bartlesville, initiated by a group of motivated high school students and their adult sponsors. That was the beginning of the Bartlesville Astronomical Society.
During the 1960s and 1970s the space race amplified the already strong public interest in astronomy and science, and BAS was there, often setting up telescopes at Jo Allyn Lowe Park or other locations, hosting stargazing events for the public, providing programs at schools and informing the local community of interesting astronomical events.
In 1984, a year before Halley's comet returned, BAS President Ken Willcox arranged for Dr. Mark Littman, then Director of Hansen Planetarium, and Dr. Ronald Shorn, Technical Editor of Sky and Telescope magazine, to participate in the local Green Country Science Teachers Workshop. They also talked to a number of school classes, and gave a public presentation about Halley's in the Civic Center. In the spring of 1986, Comet Halley made its return appearance after 75 years in the outer solar system, and BAS was there, hosting an early morning public observing opportunity at Jo Allyn Lowe Park. The event was so successful that more than 400 visitors attended.
An unprecedented astronomical event, never before observed, occurred in March 1993. Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 was discovered, and remarkably, orbital calculations revealed that unlike all other comets known at the time, it was not orbiting the Sun, but was orbiting the planet Jupiter. Furthermore, additional orbital studies showed that it would impact Jupiter in July 1994. And if that weren’t enough, a previous very close pass through Jupiter’s strong gravity had fractured the comet into multiple pieces. As a result, between July 16 and July 22, 1994 at least 21 comet fragments impacted Jupiter. And . . . you guessed it, BAS was there with a public observing session at Sooner High, drawing a large crowd.
A very rare transit of Venus across the disk of the Sun happened on June 5, 2012. There won’t be another until 2117. But an enthusiastic crowd of hundreds at the east side Arvest Bank parking lot was able to safely view it thanks to telescopes with solar filters set up by BAS members. And on May 9, 2016 visitors were able to view a similar event in the Bartlesville Library parking lot, when Mercury crossed the Sun.
These are just a few examples of the many activities that make up the legacy of the Bartlesville Astronomical Society. In order to keep this legacy alive and continue it into the future, BAS needs your help. It is only through the active participation of its members that the club can continue to advance. If you can help with social media postings, website design and updating, club publicity, or assist with public outreach events, BAS needs you. Regardless of your skillset, there are ways you can support club efforts to bring astronomy and the universe to those who don’t yet know they’re interested.
With your help the Bartlesville Astronomical Society will continue its focus on providing astronomical information and experiences to the local community. Bartlesville will be directly in the path of totality when the Moon eclipses the Sun on August 12, 2045, and BAS will be there.
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April 8, 2024, there will be another total eclipse ‘across’ America.
Are you ready?
Do you plan to go?
Don’t wait until 2024 to make your plans!
NASA Site
https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEsearch/SEsearchmap.php?Ecl=20240408
Weather Site
https://eclipsophile.com/2024tse/
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The email address is bvilleastro+comments@gmail.com .
Apps for Consideration
Family Fun with Sky Watching
Clear Sky Predictor for Bartlesville:
https://clearskyalarmclock.com/index.php
Sky and Telescope News https://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/observing-news/
Christmas week this year puts the late-night Moon at the highest overhead you'll ever see it. High Jupiter lights the evening. Venus is the bright "star" lower in the east at dawn.
BY: ALAN MACROBERT DECEMBER 22, 2023
Peering deep into the past, the James Webb Space Telescope’s keen detectors are revealing unprecedented details of some of the oldest structures in the universe.
BY: CHIARA VILLANUEVA DECEMBER 20, 2023
New simulations showed astronomers where to look for evidence of a dwarf galaxy's bow shock as it crashes through the Milky Way's halo.
BY: MONICA YOUNG DECEMBER 19, 2023
You'll have five opportunities in the coming months to see Jupiter's moons in interesting alignments.
BY: JOE RAO DECEMBER 18, 2023
The pioneering NEOWISE observatory celebrates a milestone, even as the end of the mission draws near.
BY: DAVID DICKINSON DECEMBER 18, 2023
Look who's visiting this winter in Orion: Vesta, a bright asteroid with a dark side.
BY: BOB KING DECEMBER 14, 2023
The year's most spectacular meteor shower is upon us. Prepare to enjoy the Geminids under a dark, moonless sky, when you might see more than 100 meteors per hour.
BY: BOB KING DECEMBER 13, 2023
New near-infrared observations from the Webb telescope reveal intricate strands of debris from the exploded star.
BY: CAMILLE M. CARLISLE DECEMBER 12, 2023
Astronomers are gearing up for an unusual celestial event: an asteroid’s occultation of an iconic star.
BY: JAN HATTENBACH DECEMBER 11, 2023
Polygons buried beneath the surface of Mars indicate an abrupt transition in the planet's early history.
BY: JEFF HECHT DECEMBER 11, 2023
Galaxies are embedded within halos of dark matter, and the tilt of those halos can affect the galaxy's stellar halo and stellar disk.
BY: AAS NOVA DECEMBER 7, 2023
A series of stellar occultations has provided evidence that the ring system around this strange object is evolving drastically.
BY: JAN HATTENBACH DECEMBER 6, 2023
An international research collaboration trained computers to sift through millions of images for cosmic treasure.
BY: HANNAH RICHTER DECEMBER 4, 2023
Astronomers have uncovered six sub-Neptune exoplanets dancing in lock-step around the same distant star, shedding light on their formation.
BY: COLIN STUART NOVEMBER 30, 2023
Salt glaciers on Mercury suggest conditions friendly to life — but not life itself — might once have existed on the innermost planet.
BY: JEFF HECHT NOVEMBER 28, 2023
The small object orbiting around main-belt asteroid 5457 Queen’s is the second confirmed asteroid moon discovered during a stellar occultation.
BY: JAN HATTENBACH NOVEMBER 27, 2023
Astronomy Calendar of Celestial Events
(Source: http://www.seasky.org/astronomy/astronomy-calendar-2021.html)
2023
December 27 - 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 00:34 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.
2024
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 waning gibbous moon will block out some of the fainter meteors, but if you are patient this could still 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 11 - 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 11:59 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 12 - Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation. The planet Mercury reaches greatest western elongation of 23.5 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.
January 25 - 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 17:55 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.
February 9 - 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 23:00 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.
February 24 - 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 12:32 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the 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 Hunger Moon, since the harsh weather made hunting difficult.
March 10 - 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 09:02 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.
March 20 - March Equinox. The March equinox occurs at 03:01 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 spring (vernal equinox) in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of fall (autumnal equinox) in the Southern Hemisphere.
March 24 - Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation. The planet Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation of 18.7 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 evening sky. Look for the planet low in the western sky just after sunset.
March 25 - 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 07:02 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Worm Moon because this was the time of year when the ground would begin to soften and the earthworms would reappear. This moon has also been known as the Crow Moon, the Crust Moon, the Sap Moon, and the Lenten Moon.
March 25 - 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 all North America, Mexico, Central America, and South America.
(NASA Map and Eclipse Information)April 8 - 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 18:22 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 8 - 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. This is a rare, once-in-a-lifetime event for viewers in the United States. The last total solar eclipse visible in the continental United States occurred in 2017 and the next one will not take place until 2045. The path of totality will begin in the Pacific Ocean and move across parts of Mexico and the eastern United States and Nova Scotia. The total eclipse will be visible in parts of Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. (NASA Map and Eclipse Information) (NASA Interactive Google Map)
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. Unfortunately the glare of the full moon will block out all but the brightest meteors this year. But if you are patient, you may 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 Lyra, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
April 23 - 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 23:50 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the 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 Fish Moon because this was the time that the shad swam upstream to spawn.
Next Month's BAS Meeting: February 5, Monday. 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:
President
John Blaesi
Vice President
John Grismore
Secretary
Denise Gregg
Treasurer
Evan Zorn
Appointed Positions and Board Members:
Program Director
Bob Young
Mike Woods
Observing Program Coordinator
Rick Buck
Member-at-Large
John Blaesi
Member-at-Large
Karen Cruce
Additional Appointed Positions:
Bartian Youth Astronomers Leader
Rick Bryant
Meeting Arrangements Coordinator
Daryl Doughty
Website and Social Media Administrator
Denise Gregg
Astronomical League Coordinator
Denise Gregg
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
Regular Membership
For age 18 or older. Holds one vote for BAS business.
$25 per year
Student Membership
For age 13 through high school, or age 18 or older and enrolled full-time at a post-secondary educational institution. Holds no vote for BAS business. A student younger than age 13 may join with an adult on a Family Membership.
$10 per year
Family Membership:
Two People
For two people, with at least one member age 18 or older. Holds one shared vote for BAS business.
$30 per year
Family Membership:
Three or More People
For three or more people, with at least one member age 18 or older. Holds one shared vote for BAS business.
$40 per year
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.
Comments: Send email to bvilleastro+comments@gmail.com or our newsletter editor: bvilleastro+newsletter@gmail.com