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Next BAS Monthly Meeting:
Monday, April 7 at 7:00 p.m. at the library in meeting room C
Topic: Marine Navigation and Astronomy
Astronomy has long been an important tool for navigation, especially marine navigation. This month's program will explain the connection between the two, and how simple navigation by the stars developed into a detailed, accurate and reliable process enhanced by the invention of such tools as the sextant and the chronometer. Basic use of a sextant as well as timekeeping will be explained to demonstrate the methods for determining latitude and longitude from simple astronomical observations.
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.
https://sites.google.com/site/bartlesvilleastronomyclub/
The email address is bvilleastro+comments@gmail.com .
Rick Bryant has a friend who is selling her SkyQuest XT8 Dob. He sent me details for an ad that I’ve put in the monthly meeting handout, and he asked that I forward it to you also, to put in the April newsletter. I’ve attached it below. Thanks.
John G
Telescope system for sale $400 Contact Renee: prenee00@gmail.com Orion SkyQuest XT8 Classic Dobsonian Telescope Kit. Original box and Instruction Manual EZ finder Shorty 2x Barlow Orion 9x50 mm Right Angle Finder Scope Moon Filter Collimating EP 0.965 Diagonal adapter mirror (I don’t know what this is and if I bought it separate or its part of something else) Moon Map260 Orion Star Target Starry Night software Orion Telescope Observer’s Guide
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/
While waiting for sunrise on eclipse morning, can you catch Venus rising as a tiny, thin crescent? Go out earlier while the sky is still dark, and you get a preview of July evenings with Scorpius on the meridian.
By: Alan MacRobert March 28, 2025
A team of astronomers has obtained high-resolution images of all known protoplanetary disks in the Lupus star-forming region.
By: Govert Schilling March 28, 2025
The March 29th partial solar eclipse offers unique opportunities for photography and viewing alike.
By: Bob King March 27, 2025
New observations show that the universe's first light penetrated the fog of the cosmic dark ages just 330 million years after the Big Bang.
By: Govert Schilling March 26, 2025
As we wait on recurrent nova T CrB, dwarf nova U Geminorum is teeing up for its next 8-magnitude outburst.
By: Bob King March 26, 2025
New data hint that dark energy is weakening over time. If true, it means that our most trusted cosmological models may be wrong.
By: Colin Stuart March 25, 2025
For the first time, researchers have identified a turnover in the initial mass function of a star cluster.
By: AAS Nova March 24, 2025
A new technique to measure the motions of pulsars for the first time enables more precise estimates of local dark matter density.
By: Arielle Frommer March 20, 2025
Euclid's first data release allows scientists to sharpen the tools they’ll need to unravel the nature of dark matter and dark energy.
By: Jan Hattenbach March 19, 2025
EZIE has launched successfully, poised to probe a poorly understood aspect linking space weather to dazzling aurora.
By: David Dickinson March 18, 2025
With a total now of 274 known moons, Saturn leads all of the planets by far.
By: David L. Chandler March 14, 2025
Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost mission on the Moon has captured a total solar eclipse — but from a lunar perspective.
By: David Dickinson March 14, 2025
The Hera mission sent back unprecedented views of the Martian moon Deimos as a prelude to the mission's final destination: the asteroid Didymos.
By: David Dickinson March 13, 2025
The European BepiColombo mission made a detailed heat map of a large swath of Mercury's surface during its most recent flyby.
By: Emily Lakdawalla March 13, 2025
Following decades of disproven claims, four small exoplanets have been confirmed to orbit Barnard’s Star, the second-closest star system.
By: AAS Nova March 11, 2025
Results from India’s Chandrayaan 3 lander show below-freezing conditions exist farther from the poles than expected.
By: David L. Chandler March 11, 2025
A new Hubble Space Telescope survey shows intriguing patterns of star formation in dwarf galaxies aligned in a plane around the Andromeda Galaxy.
By: Colin Stuart March 10, 2025
Athena landed in the lunar south pole region but fell on its side. After its batteries quickly depleted, the mission ended.
By: David Dickinson March 7, 2025
NASA’s Jupiter-bound Europa Clipper flew past Mars today, using the planet’s gravity to slow its speed around the Sun
By: Emily Lakdawalla March 5, 2025
Blue Ghost makes a pinpoint landing on the surface of the Moon.
By: David Dickinson March 3, 2025
2024 YR4 is no longer a danger for Earth, and a (small) chance of a lunar impact could provide great science data.
By: David L. Chandler February 28, 2025
Martian dust is red because of rust — but the rust on Mars is not the same iron oxide mineral found on Earth.
By: Jeff Hecht February 26, 2025
The hot, inflated atmosphere of Jupiter-mass planet WASP-121b undergoes surprising changes under the close heat of its star, new data reveal.
By: Monica Young February 24, 2025
Astronomy Calendar of Celestial Events
(Source: http://www.seasky.org/astronomy/astronomy-calendar-current.html)
April 13 - 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 00:24 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.
April 21 - Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation. The planet Mercury reaches greatest western elongation of 27.4 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.
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. The thin crescent moon will not pose much of a problem so this should be a good show. 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 27 - 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.
May 6, 7 - Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower. The Eta Aquarids is an above average shower, capable of producing up to 60 meteors per hour at its peak. Most of the activity is seen in the Southern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, the rate can reach about 30 meteors per hour. It is produced by dust particles left behind by comet Halley, which has been observed since ancient times. The shower runs annually from April 19 to May 28. It peaks this year on the night of May 6 and the morning of the May 7. The waxing gibbous moon will block out some of the fainter meteors this year. But if you are patient, you should still should be able to catch a some 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.
May 12 - 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 16:57 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Flower Moon because this was the time of year when spring flowers appeared in abundance. This moon has also been known as the Corn Planting Moon and the Milk Moon.
May 27 - 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 03:04 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.
May 31 - Venus at Greatest Western Elongation. The planet Venus reaches greatest eastern elongation of 45.9 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.
Next Month's BAS Meeting: May 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 Grismore
Vice President
Pat Stefanopoulos
Secretary
Denise Gregg
Treasurer
Evan Zorn
Appointed Positions and Board Members:
Program Director
TBD
Mike Woods
Events Coordinator
Luann Wright
Member-at-Large
Brian Turner
Member-at-Large
Craig Brockmeier
Additional Appointed Positions:
Bartian Youth Astronomers Leader
TBD
Meeting Arrangements Coordinator
Denise Gregg
Website and Social Media Administrator
Denise Gregg, Katlynn Hanks, John Blaesi
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
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