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Next BAS Monthly Meeting:
Thursday, September 4 at 7:00 p.m. at the library in meeting room A upstairs
Presentation on the James Webb Space Telescope
Evan Zorn
Evan will display some of the beautiful and unprecedented photos from the James Webb Space Telescope as well as discuss a few of the groundbreaking discoveries and remarkable new insights that this extraordinary telescope has already revealed. In addition he will have a couple of videos to show.
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 .
"DobsonFest, a Telescope Fair", will be held at Stacy Park, in Olivette, MO on September 13, 2025, from 6-10pm. This telescope fair is hosted by all of the astronomy clubs in the St Louis area. Members from each club will exhibit and demonstrate a large variety of telescopes, so that visitors can see and ask questions. Links to each astronomy club, directions to Stacy Park, and helpful astronomy links, can be found on our website: - https://tinyurl.com/bdfcs3rx
Are you thinking about buying a telescope? Get tips from local amateur astronomers on selecting a good telescope. Do you need help with the telescope you already have? Bring your own telescope and get help and advice on how to setup and use your telescope. Are you interested in making your own telescope using 3D printing? Do you want to learn how to take photos of the night sky? We can provide tips and advice. We will have observing with solar telescopes during daytime and telescopes for viewing the stars after dark. We will have attendance prize drawings for free astronomy items during this event.
Stacy Park is a 35-acre park located in Olivette, Missouri and is approximately 10 miles west of St. Louis City. On October 3, 2021, Stacy Park became only the world's fourth location to be certified as an Urban Night Sky Place by the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA). Night viewing activities take place in the center of the park, as it is a flat area where telescopes can easily be set up and it is away from tall trees so a large part of the sky can be seen. Skyglow from the surrounding community is mitigated by tall trees along the boundary of the park on all sides and the structure of Stacy Park Water Reservoir. The Park gates are open 24 hours a day with one weekend per month designated for stargazing activities to encourage night sky viewing. The Olivette Parks and Recreation Department partners with other organizations to offer programs on preserving the night sky and the detrimental effects of light pollution on wildlife and the environment. Additional information can be found here: https://www.olivetteparksandrec.com/stacy-park.html
Organization Sponsors. St Louis Astronomical Society; Astronomical Society of Eastern Missouri; River Bend Astronomy Club; Eastern Missouri Dark Sky Observers; Sangamon Astronomical Society; Dark Sky Missouri; Library Telescope Program; and Olivette Parks and Recreation.
For more information, please send a request to: contactus@slasonline.org.
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/
With the Very Large Telescope in Chile, astronomers have spotted a planet forming around a star 430 light-years away.
By: Govert Schilling August 27, 2025
Some fast X-ray transients — quick flashes of energetic radiation — may come from massive stars collapsing and exploding at the same time.
By: Govert Schilling August 26, 2025
How a determined amateur astronomer may have hit on the identity of a Cepheid variable double star described by a beloved author.
By: Bob King August 20, 2025
A "little red dot" galaxy from when the universe was roughly half a billion years old shows signs of the most distant black hole known.
By: AAS Nova August 19, 2025
Astronomers at the South African MeerKAT observatory have discovered the most distant flash of radio waves to date, most likely stemming from activity around a magnetar.
By: Govert Schilling August 12, 2025
New research suggests the first stars weren't the behemoths we expected them to be — which might explain why we haven't seen them yet.
By: Govert Schilling August 11, 2025
A new image from the Gemini Observatory might show a stellar companion to Betelgeuse, but the discovery is tentative.
By: Colin Stuart July 25, 2025
Astronomers have found a baby system that’s just beginning to build planets — and it can tell us about how and where planet formation starts.
By: Arielle Frommer July 23, 2025
The Kite of Boötes tips. The Great Square of Pegasus balances en pointe. Cassiopeia climbs. And Saturn muscles up in the east.
By: Alan MacRobert August 22, 2025
Astronomers have spotted a new small moon for Uranus in images from earlier this year.
By: David Dickinson August 21, 2025
How a determined amateur astronomer may have hit on the identity of a Cepheid variable double star described by a beloved author.
By: Bob King August 20, 2025
A "little red dot" galaxy from when the universe was roughly half a billion years old shows signs of the most distant black hole known.
By: AAS Nova August 19, 2025
Scouring old data from NASA’s Cassini mission revealed puzzling atmospheric stripes that could help probe Saturn’s icy moon.
By: Hannah Richter August 18, 2025
New James Webb Space Telescope observations of the third world in the seven-planet TRAPPIST-1 system rule out a variety of atmospheres.
By: Monica Young August 15, 2025
Astronomers at the South African MeerKAT observatory have discovered the most distant flash of radio waves to date, most likely stemming from activity around a magnetar.
By: Govert Schilling August 12, 2025
Sure, the Moon will be a problem. But clouds are worse. Don't miss one of the best meteor showers of the year.
By: Bob King August 11, 2025
New research suggests the first stars weren't the behemoths we expected them to be — which might explain why we haven't seen them yet.
By: Govert Schilling August 11, 2025
Direct images from the James Webb Space Telescope show what could be a Saturn-mass planet around Alpha Centauri.
By: Colin Stuart August 7, 2025
Observations have revealed the comet’s fuzzy coma, hinted at a weird tail, and suggested an ancient history. Plus, some missions might keep observing the interstellar comet when it ducks behind the Sun.
By: David L. Chandler July 28, 2025
A new image from the Gemini Observatory might show a stellar companion to Betelgeuse, but the discovery is tentative.
By: Colin Stuart July 25, 2025
Astronomy Calendar of Celestial Events
(Source: http://www.seasky.org/astronomy/astronomy-calendar-current.html)
September 7 - 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 18:10 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. This moon is also known as the Harvest Moon. The Harvest Moon is the full moon that occurs closest to the September equinox each year.
September 7 - Total Lunar Eclipse. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes completely through the Earth's dark shadow, or umbra. During this type of eclipse, the Moon will gradually get darker and then take on a rusty or blood red color. The eclipse will be visible throughout all of Asia and Australia and the central and eastern parts of Europe and Africa. (NASA Map and Eclipse Information)
September 21 - 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 19:55 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 21 - Partial Solar Eclipse. A partial solar eclipse occurs when the Moon covers only a part of the Sun, sometimes resembling a bite taken out of a cookie. A partial solar eclipse can only be safely observed with a special solar filter or by looking at the Sun's reflection. This partial eclipse will only be visible in New Zealand, Antarctica, and the southern Pacific Ocean. It will be best seen from New Zealand with 76% coverage.
(NASA Map and Eclipse Information)September 21 - Saturn at Opposition. The ringed 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 Saturn and its moons. A medium-sized or larger telescope will allow you to see Saturn's rings and a few of its brightest moons.
September 22 - September Equinox. The September equinox occurs at 18:17 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.
September 23 - 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.
October 7 - 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 03:49 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. This moon has also been known as the Travel Moon and the Blood Moon. This is also the first of three supermoons for 2025. The Moon will be near its closest approach to the Earth and may look slightly larger and brighter than usual.
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. Unfortunately the glare from the nearly full moon will block most of the meteors this year. Combined with the low hourly rate it would probably be best to skip this one unless you are really patient. 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 21 - 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 12:26 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 October 21 and the morning of October 22. This is an excellent year for the Orionids. The moon will be absent all night long, 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 Orion, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
October 29 - Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation. The planet Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation of 23.9 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.
Next Month's BAS Meeting: October 6, 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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