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HAS Web Page:http://www.AstronomyHouston.org
See the GuideStar's Monthly Calendarof Events to confirm dates and timesof all events for the month, and checkthe Web Page for any last minutechanges.
Houston Astronomical Society
GuideStarSeptember, 2005○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
Schedule of meeting activities:All meetings are at the University of Houston Science andResearch building. See the inside back cover for a map to thelocation.
Novice meeting: .............................. 7:00 p.m.Bill Flanagan - “Using Your Finder”
Site orientation meeting: ................ 7:00 p.m.Classroom 12145
General meeting: ............................ 8:00 p.m.Room 117
See last page for a mapand more information.
Highlights:50th Anniversary Picnic .............................6Stargazer (book review) .............................7Bull's Eye (Space Place) .......................... 11Astronomy Hacks (book review).............. 14
At the September 9 September 9 September 9 September 9 September 9 meeting...NOTE: 2nd Friday
Pete Nolan50 Years in ReviewPast president of the HAS (1985-1986), PeteNolan will help us celebrate our 50thanniversary by reviewing the first 50 years ofthe organization.
There's a lot to celebrate this month as the HoustonAstronomical Society turns 50. In addition to themonthly meeting on September 9 (not on September2 -- to avoid conflicting with the Labor Dayweekend), there'll be a special picnic event at theHAS observing site, open to all. See page 6 of thisissue for the details.
GuideStar, Page 2
The Houston Astronomical Society
The Houston Astronomical Society is a non-profit corporation orga-nized under section 501 (C) 3 of the Internal Revenue Code. TheSociety was formed for education and scientific purposes. All contribu-tions and gifts are deductible for federal income tax purposes. Generalmembership meetings are open to the public and attendance isencouraged.
Officers & Past PresidentPresident: Steve Sartor .................................................. H:281-370-3544Vice Pres: Bill Leach ....................................................... H: 281-893-4057Secretary: Brian Cudnik .................................................. H: 832- 912-1244Treasurer: Bill Flanagan .................................................. H:713-699-8819
Additional Board MembersLiaison responsibility
Steve Goldberg ............................ 713-721-5077Don Pearce ................................. 713-432-0734Jay Levy ....................................... 281-557-4920 ......... Field Trip and Observing, ProgramKenneth Miller ............................. 936-931-2724Kent Francis
Committee ChairpersonsAudit ............................................... Don Selle ................................ 281-391-5470Education ........................................... Richard Nugent ...................... 713-524-1993
............................................... Susan Kennedy ....................... 281-376-3262Field Tr./Obsg. .................................. Kenneth Miller ......................... 936-931-2724Novice ............................................... George Stradley ...................... 281-376-5787Observatory ........................................ Michael Dye ............................ 281-498-1703Program ............................................ John Blubaugh ...................... 713-921-4275Publicity ............................................. Joe Khalaf ............................... 713- 660-8219Telescope .......................................... Mike Hamlin ............................ 281-489-2926Welcoming ......................................... Susan Kennedy ........................ 281-376-3262
............................................... Darlene Sartor ........................ 281-370-3544
Ad-Hoc Committee ChairpersonsHistorian ............................................ Leland Dolan ........................... 713-688-0981Librarian ........................................... Peggy Gilchrist ...................... 281-443-8773Logo Mds Sales ................................ Judy Dye ................................ 281-498-1703Long Range Plan .............................. Bill Leach ............................... 281-893-4057Parliamentarian ................................ Kirk Kendrick ......................... 281-633-8819Publ. Star Party ................................ Richard Nugent ..................... 713-524-1993Rice U. Coord. .................................. Matt Delevoryas .................... 713-666-9428Schedule Obs'v't'y ............................ Steve Goldberg ..................... 713-721-5077Texas Star Pty .................................. Steve Goldberg ..................... 713-721-5077
Special Interest Groups & Help CommitteesThese are now listed on the inside of GuideStar (not every month). See the Table ofContents
AdvisorsDr. Reginald DuFour, Rice Univ.Dr. Lawrence Pinsky, U. of H.Dr. Lawrence Armendarez, U. of St. Thomas
Dues and Membership InformationAnnual Dues:Regular ............................................. $36.00Associate ......................................................... $6.00Sustaining ....................................................... $50.00Student ....................................................... $12.00Honorary .................................................... None
All members have the right to participate in Society functions and to use theObservatory Site. Regular and Student Members receive a subscription to TheReflector. Regular, Student, and Honorary Members receive The GuideStar.Associate Members, imm ediate family members of a Regular Member, have allmembership rights, but do not receive publications. Sustaining members havethe same rights as regular members with the additional dues treated as adonation to the Society. Sky & Telescope mag $32.95/year, Astronomy mag $29/year -- see club treasurer.
Membership Application: Send funds to address shown on outside cover ofGuideStar. Attention - Treasurer, along with the following information: Name,Address, Phone Number, Special Interests in Astronomy, Do you own a Tele-scope? (If so, what kind?), and where you first heard of H.A.S.
GuideStar, Vol 23, #9, September, 2005
Advanced ..........................Bill Leach .................. 281-893-4057Comets ..............................Don Pearce ............... 713-432-0734Lunar & Planetary ............. John Blubaugh ......... 713-921-4275Occultations & Grazes ......Wayne Hutchison ..... 713-827-0828Advanced ..........................Bill Leach .................. 281-893-4057
Special Interest Group Listing
Any member who wants specific information on a SIG listed below maycall the listed individual. Also, see the "Ad Hoc Committee Chairpersons"on the inside front cover and the "Special Help Volunteers" listing (not inevery issue).
3 .............. Minutes of August Meeting4 .............. September/October Calendar
.............. Web site5 .............. Observations of the Editor6 .............. HAS 50th Anniversary7 .............. Stargazer - book review
.............. Astronomy Mag - rate increase
.............. Heavenly Intrigue - book preview8 .............. Observatory Duty Roster
.............. Want Ads9 .............. Observatory Corner
10 .............. Regional Meeting /.............. Astronomy Day.............. Membership Renewals
11 .............. Bull’s Eye12 .............. Astronomy Day Volunteers14 .............. Astronomy Hacks
.............. - book review
.............. Miss Leavitt’s Stars - book preview15 .............. Special Help Volunteers
Other Meetings...Fort Bend Astronomy Club meets the third Friday of the month at 8:00
p.m. at the First Colony conference Center. Novice meeting beginsat 7:00, regular meeting begins at 8:00. Web site: http://www.fbac.org
Johnson Space Center Astronomical Society meets in the the Lunarand Planetary Institute on the 2nd Friday of each month. Web site:http://www.ghg.net/jscas/
North Houston Astronomy Club meets at 7:30 p.m. on the 4th Fridayof each month in the Teaching Theatre of the Student Center atKingwood College.Call 281-312-1650 or [email protected] site: www.astronomyclub.org
Table of Contents
GuideStar, Page 3
Houston Astronomical SocietyGeneral Membership Meeting
Friday, August 5, 2005University of Houston
Minutes
The Meeting was called to order at 8:08 pm and wasfollowed by the President’s welcome and meetinginformation.
There were 1 new member and no visitors present.
The announcements were as follows:
· The 50th anniversary picnic will occur onSeptember 24th and is being organized bySteve Goldberg. The event is open to all clubsin Houston, Austin, San Antonio, and more.Steve Goldberg shared additional informationabout the event including the 3pm digup timeof the time capsule.
· Judy Dye presented logo sales, with thefeatured item being one picture of the lastsolar eclipse, $25 per copy.
· Bill Leach discussed Astronomy Day,scheduled Saturday October 22nd. Volunteersare needed for talks and to staff a table.Telescopes are needed for the viewing deck.This follows the all-clubs meeting on Fridayevening October 21st.
· Ken Miller announced the formation of thenominating committee and the need forofficers and committee chairs.
· Bill Flanagan reminded themembership that the newsubscription rate forAstronomy Magazine is $34 forone year, $60 for two years, aprice increase.
· Don “Captain Comet” Pearcegave the month’s comet report,which featured two cometsand a mission status report:Comet C2004 Q2 (Machholz),the Deep Impact Mission, andComet 9P/Tempel.
· Don then introduced theevening’s speaker, DonMachholz, who gave theevening’s talk entitled “MyLife as a Comet Hunter”.
Further announcements included areminder to RSVP for the picnic(50th anniversary), a reminder thatthe ISS and Space Shuttle will bevisible from Houston tomorrow(Saturday) morning at 5:46 am.
The meeting adjourned at 10:11 pm.
HAS Logo SalesIf you are interested in any of the club merchandise items (t-shirts, golf-shirts, sweatshirts, books, and other merchandise)please attend the next meeting or contact Judy Dye at 281-498-1703. To reduce Logo Sales inventory many items are being soldat reduced prices.
The list of available items appears regularly in the GuideStar.
GuideStar, Page 4
September/October
Calendar:Date Time Event
September 2005
1 evening Venus and Jupiter 1.2 deg. apart3 1:45 p.m. New Moon
Prime Night-Columbus9 NOTE: Meeting is on second Friday.
7:00 p.m. Novice Presentation - UH8:00 p.m. General membership meeting - UH
50th Anniversary Meeting of HAS11 6:37 a.m. First Quarter Moon17 9:01 p.m. Full Moon22 5:23 p.m. Autumnal equinox-fall begins in N. Hemisphere24 Members Observatory Night- Columbus
HAS time capsule scheduled to be opened25 1:41 a.m. Last Quarter Moon
October 2005
1 Members Observatory Night- Columbus3 5:28 a.m. New Moon7 7:00 p.m. Novice Presentation - UH
8:00 p.m. General membership meeting - UHHAS time capsule unveiled
10 2:01 p.m. First Quarter Moon17 7:14 a.m. Full Moon21 8:00 p.m. All Clubs Astronomy Meeting at a
Houston Community College22 3:00 p.m. Astronomy Day—George Observatory24 8:17 p.m. Last Quarter Moon29 3:00 a.m. Daylight Saving Time ends and Standard Time
begins.Set clocks back 1 hour.Prime Night-Columbus
Send calendar events to [email protected] call 713-921-4275.
Photo by Scott Mitchell
GuideStar deadlineGuideStar deadlineGuideStar deadlineGuideStar deadlineGuideStar deadlinefor the Octoberfor the Octoberfor the Octoberfor the Octoberfor the October
issueissueissueissueissueis September 15is September 15is September 15is September 15is September 15
The Houston Astronomical Society Web pagehas information on the society, its resources,and meeting information.
Want your astronomy work and name on theInternet for the whole world to see? Havesome neat equipment? Pictures in film, CCD,hand drawings or video format are allwelcome on the page. Do you have an idea toimprove the page? I’m listening. Send meEmail at [email protected].
Check the web site:www.astronomyhouston.orgWebmaster: Bob [email protected]
At the HAS meeting, pleaseremember to park across fromEntrance 14 because of theconstruction in the parking lotof the Science and Researchbldg.
Special "Help"Volunteers
Any member who wants specific informa-tion on an astronomical topic may callspecial help volunteer (listed in mostissues of the GuideStar). If you have amoderate knowledge of a special subjectand would be happy to have others askyou about that subject, let the editor knowand your subject, name and phone will belisted in GuideStar in the future.
GuideStar, Page 5
Observations... of the editorObservations... of the editorObservations... of the editorObservations... of the editorObservations... of the editorby Bill Pellerin, GuideStar Editor○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
Continued on Page 13....
If summer comes, can fall be far behind?
What I like about summer observing —
• The summer Milky Way is overhead, including the Milky Waygalactic center.
• Sagitarius is loaded with beautiful objects that I never tire ofseeing.
• Albireo, perhaps the most beautiful double star in the sky isup.
What I don’t like about summer observing —
• It doesn’t get dark until late in the evening, so observing timeis limited.
• The heat — Being hot and sweaty while observing ain’t great(a fan helps)
• The mosquitos — summer is mosquito time, so get out therepellent
• The sky is not often very transparent. A lot of moisture in theatmosphere during the summer limits our ability to see thesky in its full glory.
• Which leads to dew, which gets all your stuff wet and forcesyou to take measures to keep dew from forming on yourtelescope.
So as we approach fall, I look forward to longer and cooler nights. Theideal observing night is one which begins by 8:00 p.m. with an ambienttemperature around 60 degrees F, and with the clarity of the skiesfollowing the passage of a cool front. (Yes, the seeing isn't the best.)
Fall (AKA Autumn) will begin this month on the day of the Autumnalequinox (Sept. 22, 2005) at 5:23 PM CDT. This is the day on which wewill have an equal amount of daylight and darkness (equi = equal, nox= night), and the day on which the sun crosses the equator on its waysouth for the winter. It’ll be spring in the southern hemisphere on thatdate. Since the sun is on the equator on this day the sun will rise dueeast and set due west. So, if you want to use a low-tech way ofdetermining which way is due east or west, watch the sunrise andsunset on this day.
Dew.... for a long time, I believed that there was no mechanism thatallowed a telescope to be cooler than the ambient air. This was wrong.In fact, dew would not form on instruments unless they are cooledbelow the temperature of the surrounding air. They need to cool downbelow the dew point for dew to form on the equipment. The dew point
for tonight (August 19) is 76 degrees, forexample. This means that if your telescopecools below this temperature dew will form.
Ok... so how does this happen. It turns outthat your telescope radiates its heat out intospace, and it is this mechanism that allowsthe telescope to cool below the dew point andform dew, and be a nuisance for you, etc.You see dew form all the time, probablywithout realizing it. A cold glass of ice waterwill have moisture on the outside of theglass because the glass itself is cooler thanthe dew point.
In the winter there’s less moisture in the airand the ability of your telescope to have itstemperature drop below the dew point islimited.
I was not happy to discover that there is aprovision in the new energy bill passed intolaw by our federal government that extendsdaylight savings time by almost a month. In2007, CDT will begin on the second Sundayin March and not end until the first Sundayin November. I don’t know if making thischange saves any energy or not, but I doknow that darkness will come an hour laterin the evening while CDT is in effect. Forthose of us who love the night sky, this isn’tthe best deal. (My opinion — forget about‘daylight time’ altogether. For those of us inthe south it’s so darn hot that we want thesun to go down as quickly as possible.)
Speaking of energy... my little car, with onlya 16 gallon tank costs over $30 to fill it up.Ouch! I’d like to see us move in the directionof more use of (and availability of) publictransportation, and less use of jam-packedfreeways. With gasoline this expensive, itgets costly to go on observing junkets whengasoline is this high. Western Europencountries are paying about $6 / gallon forgasoline, and it has certainly had an impacton their driving habits.
GuideStar, Page 6
• • ♦♦♦♦♦ ♦♦♦♦♦ 50 years ago inSeptember the Houston Astronomical Society wasformed. The Society has done many new things over the years.One of the major accomplishments since the founding of theSociety was the building of our Columbus Observatory. The landsurveying started in 1979, and in 1982 the current observatorybuilding was dedicated. Three years later a time capsule wasplaced in the ground on the south side of the building.
On Saturday, September 24, we will have our annualpicnic. At the picnic we will unearth and open the capsule. Andto help celebrate our 50th anniversary we are inviting all the areaclubs to attend our picnic. As usual, the HAS will supply the foodfor the picnic, including meats and sides, you bring the drinks.We will also have the observatory open for our visitors, aconstellation tour at twilight, and the usual observing sessionwhen it gets dark. Bring your own telescope to test our nightskies. There will be a “light window” around midnight that if you would like to leave you may, oryou can to spend the night at the site if you wish.
Here is the planned schedule of activities:
* Gates open 10AM on Saturday* Unearthing of time capsule at 3pm* BBQ served at 5PM* Observing at any time* Gates close Noon on Sunday
We will need an RSVP by September 10th if you are planning to attend.Please let your club contact know that you will be coming.
* Houston Astronomical Society - Amelia [email protected]
* Fort Bend Astronomy Club - Amelia [email protected]
* Johnson Space Center Astronomy Club - Bob [email protected]
* North Houston Astronomy Club - Bill [email protected]
* Astronomy Society of Southeast Texas - Bill [email protected]
* Austin Astronomical Society - Stephen [email protected]
* San Antonio Astronomy Association - Warren [email protected]
Watch for details in the coming months. Mark you calendar now for September 24.For the latest information, see the 50th Anniversary Event web page:http://spacibm.rice.edu/~has/AnniversaryPicnic.htmSteve Goldberg
Houston Astronomical Society50th Anniversary EventSeptember 24, 2005
The Time Capsule in 1985Who are these people?
GuideStar, Page 7
Book review by Amelia Goldberg
I have just finished reading this fascinating new bookabout the history of the telescope by Fred Watson.
Stargazer is not only a history of the four-hundred-year-old telescope but also a story of humaningenuity and perseverance. It brings to life the storyof some of the most colorful and brilliant figures ofthe scientific world - Galileo, Johann Kepler, IsaacNewton, William Herschel, George Ellery Hale andEdwin Hubble. These extraordinary scientists wereresponsible for the instrument that forever changedthe way we view our universe. From the first simple“spy glass” in 1608 to today’s cutting-edgetechnology of the telescopes in space, Stargazerreveals the science and technology behind thetelescope and its enormous impact in unveiling themysteries of the universe.
The book is well written and easy to read. It’s a“must” for anyone interested in the history ofastronomy and the telescope. Although I am not thatmuch into history, I found the book very interestingand highly recommend it.
The author, Dr. Fred Watson, has spent a lifetimeworking with large telescopes and is Astronomer-in-Charge of the Anglo-Australian Observatory atCoonabarabran in New South Wales. He also holds
Stargazer: The Life and Times of the Telescopebook by Fred Watson
Astronomy MagazineSubscription Rate Increase
Kalmbach Publishing has announced an increase in thesubscription rates for Astronomy magazine.
The new club discounted rates are $34.00 for a 1 yearsubscription and $60.00 for a 2 year subscription. Theclub discounted rate is available to all current members ofthe Houston Astronomical Society. The new club ratesstill offer a significant savings compared to the standardrates of $42.95 for a 1 year subscription and $79.95 for a 2-year subscription.
If you have any questions regarding your Astronomysubscription please contact the HAS Treasurer,Bill Flanagan, at 713 699 8819.
Heavenly Intrigue : Johannes Kepler, Tycho Brahe, and the MurderBehind One of History’s Greatest Scientific Discoveriesbook by Gilder
by Bill Pellerin, GuideStar Editor
adjunct professorships at the University of Southern Queensland andQueensland University of Technology.
Stargazer lists for $24.95 U.S. and is available from Da Capo Press, amember of the Perseus Books Group. You can find it at mostbookstores, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Borders, WalMart,among others.
I won't be spilling the beans by telling you that the assertion ofthis book is that Tycho Brahe was murdered by Kepler so thatKepler would have full access to his observation records. Thebook tells you this in the first few pages, so you know right awaywhat the authors are proposing. The conventional wisdom hadbeen that Tycho died from a burst bladder after a long dinnerparty.
Whether you believe the authors or not, this was an interestingcollaboration of astronomers and it should be an interesting read.Another book on the subject is the generally well reviewed Tychoand Kepler by Kitty Ferguson. Tycho was the observer who, by
the end of his life had collected 40 years ofobservations of the positions of planets and stars.Kepler was the person who finally made sense of theobservations and determined that the orbits of theplanets are... ellipses, a radical notion in his time.
GuideStar, Page 8
Observatory Duty Rosterby Michael B. Dye, Observatory Chairman
Want Ads For Sale: 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 18X80 single wideFleetwood 1999 Mobile Home with approximately 1200square feet of living space. This is the largest single widemobile home on the market. The mobile home sits on17.5 acres of beautiful oak-wooded property. ContactMarilyn at [email protected]
Wanted: High quality photographs of the constella-tions Andromeda, Cassiopeia, Orion, and Ursa Major foruse by my company. Call Richard Braastad at 713-529-4050.
For Sale: Meade ETX 90EC Telescope, and Meade tripodUsed once. Includes Autostar controller. Paid $850 new 6months ago – no time for a new hobby. Includes alloriginal boxes and manuals, and carrying case for scope
and tripod. Before I put it on eBay, I’d like someone local toenjoy this scope. I’ll take $500 or any reasonable offer. ContactBill at [email protected].
Email your ads to Bob Rogers, our Webmaster, [email protected]
This is the duty list for September, October and November. If you are listed in this roster, please be sure to contact your supervisor for anyinformation that you may need and the date and time to be at the site. Kirk and I are sharing the September Site Supervisor job becauseDon Selle has moved out of Houston and can no longer serve as a Site Supervisor. You may change from site duty to open house or fromopen house to site duty by pre-arrangement with the Site Supervisor for that month. Changes between months require Observatory Chairmancoordination.
September Supervisor ....................Kirk Kendrick/Michael Dye 281-633-8819/281-498-1703Stan Musielewicz .................................SiteJohnny Norris ......................................SiteVolunteer ..............................................Members Observatory Night 09-24-05 - PicnicRalph Overturf .....................................SiteDon Pearce ............................................Members Observatory Night 09-24-05 - PicnicSim Picheloup .......................................Members Observatory Night 09-24-05 - PicnicScott Poteet ...........................................SiteEric Rothgeb .........................................SiteLarry Wadle ..........................................Site
October Supervisor .........................Allen Gilchrist .................. 281-443-8773Mark Watson ........................................Members Observatory Night 10-01-05Tom Williams ........................................SiteBarbara Wilson ....................................Members Observatory Night 10-01-05Buster Wilson .......................................Members Observatory Night 10-01-05Peyton Barnes ......................................SiteKelly Biggs ............................................Site
November Supervisor ....................To Be Announced ............ XXX-XXX-XXXXJohn Blubaugh .....................................SiteKen Carey .............................................Members Observatory Night 11-05-05John Chauvin .......................................SiteArt Ciampi .............................................Members Observatory Night 11-05-05Brian Cudnik ........................................Members Observatory Night 11-05-05George Dolson ......................................Site
Please remember that Site work can be done anytime and does not have to be done just before Members Observatory Night. Contact yourSite Supervisor for details. Names are selected for Site Duty using the current Alphabetical listing for Observatory Key Holders. If any memberknows of a conflict please call me before your name is listed.
GuideStar, Page 9
Observatory CornerBy Michael B. Dye Observatory Chairman
The first item I need to talk about is about thepictures in the August GuideStar ObservatoryCorner. I did not take the pictures that were inthe GuideStar. They were sent to me and I hadnothing to do with the label on the one thatindicated that the tree fell on Ed Szczepanski’strailer. I have been informed by Ed, that thetrailer in the picture was not his. I am sorrythat I missed that.
The error in identifying the photo is the fault of your humbleeditor, who apologizes for his mistake. -- Bill
In another part of the article, I was trying to indicate thatsometimes things could happen at the Observatory Site that wehave absolutely no control of. Also my tongue was planted firmly inmy cheek at the time I wrote that part. I am sorry if I was not clear.
The next (and almost only) item is the 50th Anniversary Picnic,which will be held at the Observatory Site on September 24th. TheObservatory Committee and the Society are going all out this yearto make the picnic a smash hit. Most of the picnic committee,consisting of Steve Goldberg (Chairman), Kirk Kendrick, KenMiller, Ed Preston and me, met and the Observatory Site onSaturday, August the 13th to finalize the planing of the picnic. Wediscussed such interesting topics as how to move a 60-inch by 59-inch by 5-inch slab of concrete (without breaking it). This item hasa calculated weight of about 600 pounds. The slab needs to bemoved so that we can get to the Time Capsule under it (the slab).Other fun topics were covered. These included, but were not limitedto, when to cut the grass, cleaning up the Observatory Site beforethe picnic, what to do with all the trash from the picnic, do we haveenough bathrooms (and cleaning of same) and insect control.
The plan is to open the gates to the Observatory Site at 10 AM onthe day of the picnic and not close until we know all the visitorshave left the site. Activities will start at 3 PM with the unearthingand opening of the time capsule that was buried 20 years ago underthe concrete slab that is located at the south end of theObservatory. I expect the removal of the concrete slab to generatesome discussion from the extra ‘supervisors’ that will be availableat that time (tongue planted firmly in cheek). The contents of thecapsule will be also displayed at the October General Meeting.
At 5 PM, the Houston Astronomical Society ObservatoryCommittee will provide hamburgers and hot dogs with all thesides. Ken Miller, Ed Szczepanski and Bob Rogers will do cooking.Members and guests are encouraged to bring your own drinks andsome snacks along with your normal observing equipment.Everyone is encouraged to set up his or her telescopes on theObserving Pads at the South end of the Observatory Site. We willopen the Observatory sometime that evening and will allow alleveryone to view through all three scopes.
If you are coming and plan to eat the food provided by the HoustonAstronomical Society, we need to know so we can have enough foreveryone to eat. Please send an E-mail to Amelia Goldberg at
[email protected], with your name and how manywill be coming in your group by September 10th. If youhave any questions of need a map to the site, send an E-mail to Steve Goldberg at the same address.
More information about the picnic can be found at:http://spacibm.rice.edu/~has/AnniversaryPicnic.htm
Please plan to come to the picnic. We are invitingmembers of other local area Astronomy Clubs to thisactivity and we would like to see a large HAS memberturnout.
A warning here:
It is not safe to drive on the now nonexistent road thatused to be south of the north fence and ran between theentrance gate and exit gates. Because someone has builtup the road that runs in front of the Observatory Site, wenow no longer have any drainage over the road from theObservatory Site into the field across the road. Thismeans that water that used to flow across the road nowcollects in the area just south of the fence. This water can(and has) formed a very nice swamp (when it rains)capable of sinking a full sized FWD SUV up to it’s sides.(I watched it happen). We will be putting up somecaution tape to try and warn people from using this‘road’.
The Society continues to benefit from members who shopat Randalls and now Kroger’s. For this we (the Society)thanks you. Please link your Randalls card to theHouston Astronomical Society so that the society canbenefit from the Randalls program. Our number is#6618. This is very easy to do, just go to the CourtesyBooth and tell the person there what you what to do. Ifyou shop at Kroger, we now have a card available (at theGeneral Meeting) that you present at the cash registerwhen you check out. We can thank Joe Khalaf for hisefforts in getting the cards.
Please fill out the appropriate log form when you use thesite. Remember we use these forms as attendancerecords and to report Observatory Site problems such asbroken toilets.
GuideStar, Page 10
Membership Renewals...
Your membership is renewable on January 1 of each year.
Total yearly dues are $36.
If you paid your dues after the first of 2004, you will only owe for the fraction of the year remaining in 2005. Forexample, if your dues are paid through March, 2005, you'd owe for 75% of 2005, or $24.
Magazine subscriptions can be renewed at any time and the renewal does not need to be synchronized with yourHAS dues.
Membership in the Houston Astronomical Society is one of the great bargains in Astronomy.For a regularmembership of $36 you get the opportunity to support an active and growing organization, you get the monthlyGuideStar newsletter, and you get access to the outstanding H.A.S. observing site near Columbus, Texas. (Youmust attend an orientation, given monthly, to use the site.) And, after two months of membership you can borrow,at no charge, one of the Society's loaner telescopes. It's the best deal in town, we think. Please renew yourmembership when it expires.
Encourage other astronomy enthusiasts to join the organization as well. It's a great group.
Thanks!
Friday, October, 21, 2005 -
5th Houston/Beaumont Regional Astronomy Meeting
Houston Community College
Saturday, October 22, 2005 -
Astronomy Day 2005
at The George Observatory
Current information will be posted at: www.astronomyday.org
GuideStar, Page 11
Improbable Bulls-Eyeby Dr. Tony Phillips
Picture this: Eighty-eight million miles from Earth, a robotspacecraft plunges into a billowing cloud almost as wide as theplanet Jupiter. It looks around. Somewhere in there, among jetsof gas and dust, is an icy nugget invisible to telescopes onEarth—a 23,000 mph moving target.
A blinding flash, a perfect strike
The ship glides deeper into the cloud and jettisons its cargo, the“impactor.” Bulls-eye! A blinding flash, a perfect strike.
As incredible as itsounds, this reallyhappened on the 4th
of July, 2005.Gliding throughthe vastatmosphere ofComet Tempel 1,NASA’s DeepImpact spacecraftpinpointed thecomet’s 3x7-milewide nucleus andhit it with an 820-lb copper impactor.The resultingexplosion gavescientists their firstlook beneath thecrust of a comet.
That’s navigation.
Credit the JPL navigation team. By sending commands fromEarth, they guided Deep Impact within sight of the comet’s core.But even greater precision would be needed to strike the comet’sspinning, oddly-shaped nucleus.
On July 3rd, a day before the strike, Deep Impact released theimpactor. No dumb hunk of metal, the impactor was a spaceshipin its own right, with its own camera, thrusters and computerbrain. Most important of all, it had “AutoNav.”
AutoNav, short for Autonomous Navigation, is a computerprogram full of artificial intelligence. It uses a camera to see andthrusters to steer—no humans required. Keeping its “eye” on thetarget, AutoNav guided the impactor directly into the nucleus.
The system wasdeveloped andtested on another“Deep” spacecraft:Deep Space 1, which flew to asteroid Braille in1999 and Comet Borrelly in 2001. The mission ofDeep Space 1 was to try out a dozen newtechnologies, among them an ion propulsiondrive, advanced solar panels and AutoNav.AutoNav worked so well it was eventuallyinstalled on Deep Impact.
“Without AutoNav, the impactor would havecompletely missed the nucleus,” says JPL’s EdRiedel, who led the development of AutoNav onDeep Space 1 and helped colleague DanKubitschek implement it on Deep Impact.
En route to the nucleus, AutoNav “executedthree maneuvers to keep the impactor on course:90, 35, and 12.5 minutes before impact,” saysRiedel. The nearest human navigators were 14light-minutes away (round trip) on Earth, too farand too slow to make those critical last-minutechanges.
Having proved itself with comets, AutoNav isready for new challenges: moons, planets,asteroids … wherever NASA needs animprobable bulls-eye.
Dr. Marc Rayman, project manager for DeepSpace 1, describes the validation performance ofAutoNav in his mission log at http://nmp.nasa.gov/ds1/arch/mrlog13.html (also checkmrlog24.html and the two following). Also, forjunior astronomers, the Deep Impact mission isdescribed at http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/en/kids/deepimpact/deepimpact.shtml
This article was provided by the Jet PropulsionLaboratory, California Institute of Technology,under a contract with the National Aeronauticsand Space Administration.
Comet Tempel 1, as seen by the DeepImpact impactor’s camera. Threelast-minute AutoNav-controlled
impact correction maneuvers enabledthe Impactor to hit the bulls-eye.
GuideStar, Page 12
Houston Astronomical SocietyAstronomy Day 2005 Volunteers
Event details will be posted at www.astronomyday.org as soon as they are available.
Regional Astronomy Meeting: Friday, October 21, 2005, 8:00 – 10:30 PMHouston Community College
Astronomy Day: Saturday, October 22, 2005, 3:00 – 11:00 PMThe George Observatory at Brazos Bend State Park
To volunteer for one of these Astronomy Day jobs please contact Bill Leach at [email protected]. Volunteers get freeentrance to the state park and sandwiches and beverages for their efforts.
Club Table:
3:00 – 4:00 PM _____________________4:00 – 5:00 PM _____________________5:00 – 6:00 PM _____________________6:00 – 7:00 PM _____________________
Outdoor 20-min talks:
1. ______________________2. ______________________
Help coordinate indoor talks:
1. ______________________2. ______________________
Deck Telescopes (day, night or both?):
1. ______________________2. ______________________3. ______________________4. ______________________5. ______________________
Display Tables, face painting, and astronomy buttons:
1. ______________________2. ______________________3. ______________________
Friday Regional Meeting (5 PM set-up):
1. ______________________2. ______________________
7:00 – 8:00 PM _____________________8:00 – 9:00 PM _____________________9:00 – 10:00 PM_____________________
6. ______________________7. ______________________8. ______________________9. ______________________10. _____________________
GuideStar, Page 13
Observations... from page 5
Until next time...clear skies and new moons!
..Bill..Bill..Bill..Bill..Bill
More on the Michigan Observatory
I got some photos to share with you of the clubobservatory in the Upper Pennunsulia of Michigan thatI told you about last month.
The first of the pictures shows John Burrows (actualsize) next to the telescope that he built (larger thanactual size). The telescope is a beauty, as I said lastmonth, and the only thing better than looking at it islooking through it. Delightful images!!! The telescope is
not finished in this photo(I can see that thefocuser is not in place).John estimated that hespent about 1000 hours(that's half a work-year,full time) building thetelescope!
The other picture whichwas sent to me by DonPfotenhauer shows theobservatory at night.This picture shows theunusual 'dome' used forthe observatory. TheDobsonian telescope wasnot installed when thispicture was taken. Youknow this wasn't Texasbecause there's a bit ofsnow on the ground.
As I mentioned lastmonth, the whole
buildingturns,except forthe centerfloor --where thetelescopesits.
John Burrows andthe 22" Dobsonian
he built
Club observatory nearEscanaba Michigan
Imaging -- maybe it's time
It seems to me that the cost of doing astronomical imagingis going down and the capabilities are going up. You onlyhave to look in the latest astronomy magazines to see thatMeade (among others) is advertising entry level imagingequipment at down-to-earth prices.
The Meade line has three imagers -- the LPI (Lunar andPlanetary Imager) - really a WebCam with software. theDeep Sky Imager (one shot color), and the Deep Sky ImagerPro (higher resolution, monochrome, with a filter set).
The latest Sky and Telescope magazine has a review of theMeade Imagers. Clearly they won't produce the same im-ages as a large field SBIG or a Canon SLR, but the imagesaren't bad, and compared to what was possible before, it's anexciting time.
I expect to see more and more of this as time goes on. It'll belike computers... cheaper and more powerful!
September is the first month where we might have a coolclear observing night. Here's hoping we all get to takeadvantage of it, if it happens.
GuideStar, Page 14
Book review by Steve Goldberg
Why the term “hack”? We hear it in the news when someone “hacks”into a computer and causing chaos. In the computer programmingworld, a hack is something that is done quickly to get it done,sometimes with good methods, sometime not so good methods. Thisbook uses hacks as a quick method to find out information on aparticular topic.
There are 65 different hacks in the 388 page book, organized into 4sections: Getting Started, Observing, Scope and Accessory Hacks. Ofthe four sections, the hack on Observing covers the most material.Each hack has a rating for complexity, based upon the observer’sexperience. And there are many “tips” and “warnings” throughout thebook.
The book is written in the “Dummies” or “Idiot” concept, but not thewriting style. Some of the hacks are titled:
• “Don’t Give Up: It’s harder than it looks, but doable”. Theshortest and first hack about observing the night sky.
• “Don’t Violate Observing Site Etiquette”. About star partydo’s and don’ts.
• “Slow Down, You Move to Fast, You’ve Got to Make theEvening Last”. About how to observe an object, not just lookat it.
• “Choose the Best General-Purpose Telescope”. The longesthack with many different descriptions and definitions.
Astronomy Hacks: Tips & Tools for Observing the Night SkyBook by Robert Bruce Thompson and Barbara Fritchman Thompson.
• “Clean Your Primary Mirror”. About solutionsto use and safety precautions.
• “Star Collimate Your Scope”. About getting thebest performance from your scope.
• “Dark Adapt Your Vehicle”. About how to turnoff or red filter your lights.
• “Please Be Seated”. About having the rightobserving chair
I found the hacks to be easy reading and informative.When necessary, very detailed steps are given toaccomplish a procedure, like center dotting your primarymirror on a Newtonian telescope. Many photos are usedto help explain a concept. Each of the hacks in the bookcan be read when the need arises, there is no specificorder. Some hacks will refer back to another hack forreference. When you have a question about something,look up the hack and see what it says.
Astronomy Hacks lists for $24.95 U.S. and is availablefrom O’Reilly. Check your local bookstore foravailability. For more information about AstronomyHacks see: http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/astronomyhks/
Miss Leavitt's StarsThe Untold Story of the Woman Who Discovered Hot to Measure the Universe.book by George Johnson
by Bill Pellerin, GuideStar editor
Henrietta Swan Leavitt had been hired as a "com-puter" at the Harvard Observatory. In those days,humans, usually women, were hired to do the tediouscomputations required to reduce astronomical obser-vations. Instead of simply computing, HenriettaLeavitt discovered how to determine the distance scaleof the universe by discovering that for a certain typeof variable star its periodicity was related to itsintrinsic brightness. Using this knowledge, EdwinHubble determined that Galaxies were, in fact some-
thing separate and apart from our home galaxy, theMilky Way.
This little volume tells the story of this discovery andthe woman who made it -- in a time when women werenot supposed to be doing science at all. It was a land-mark in the discovery of the size and nature of theuniverse and it's worth some attention. I haven't readthis book yet, but it should be a fascinating story.
GuideStar, Page 15
Special "Help" VolunteersAny member who wants specific information on a subject listed below may call the individual listed. If you have a moderate knowledge ofa special subject and would be happy to have others ask you about that subject, let the editor know and your subject, name and phonewill be listed in GuideStar in the future. Note that we have listed a few possible areas where you might volunteer, but, of course, you arenot limited to these. You can also have a specialty which is a sub-group of another. Note that the number of names for any subject is notlimited to only one person. Also see the "Ad Hoc Committee Chairpersons" on the inside front cover and the "Special Interest Groups Listingarticle.
Subject Name PhoneAsteroids .............................................. Barbara Wilson ..................................... 281-933-1289Astrometry ........................................... Richard Nugent ..................................... 713-910-5945Astrophotography ................................ Steve Goldberg ...................................... 713-721-5077Beginning in Astronomy ....................... Peggy Gilchrist ..................................... 281-443-8773.............................................................. Amelia Goldberg ................................... 713-721-5077
CCDs & Astrophotography ................. Randy Brewer .......................................Comets .................................................. Kenneth Drake ...................................... 936-890-3735.............................................................. Don Pearce ............................................ 713-432-0734
Computers ............................................ Matt Delevoryas .................................. 713-795-0808.............................................................. Leland Dolan ......................................... 713-688-0981.............................................................. Ricardo Palmeira ................................... 713-669-1409
Cosmology ............................................ Ricardo Palmeira ................................... 713-669-1409Deep Sky .............................................. Larry Mitchell ...................................... 281-448-8700.............................................................. Barbara Wilson ..................................... 281-933-1289
Double Stars ......................................... John Blubaugh ...................................... 713-921-4275Drawing (Sketching) ............................. Scott Mitchell ....................................... 713-461-3020Herschel Objects ................................... Larry Mitchell ...................................... 281-448-8700History, Astro'y - General ................... Leland Dolan ......................................... 713-688-0981.............................................................. Ricardo Palmeira ................................... 713-669-1409
History, Astro'y - Amateurs ................ Tom Williams ....................................... 713-526-2868Mathematics, Astronomical ................. Richard Nugent ..................................... 713-910-5945Messier Objects .................................... Novice Committee (seePhotometry ........................................... OpenRadio Telescopes .................................. John Hiatt ............................................. 713-464-4010Satellites, Artificial ............................... OpenSolar Observing ..................................... Larry Mitchell ...................................... 281-448-8700Spectroscopy ........................................ OpenThin Crescent Moons ........................... Don Pearce ............................................ 713-432-0734Telescopes ............................................ Clayton Jeter ........................................ 281-573-1337Variable Stars ........................................ Barbara Wilson ..................................... 281-933-1289.............................................................. Tom Williams ....................................... 713-526-2868
Video ..................................................... Larry Mitchell ...................................... 281-448-8700
Houston Astronomical Society
P.O. Box 20332 Houston, TX 77225-0332
P - Free Parking
S&R - Science &Research Building
Scott
US 59
Entrance 14
WheelerCalhoun
S&R
Downtown
Cullen
HolmanElgin
I-45
P
General Membership MeetingThe Houston Astronomical Society holds its regular monthly GeneralMembership Meeting on the first Friday of each month, unless resched-uled due to a holiday. Meetings are in Room 117 of the Science andResearch Building at the University of Houston. A Novice Presentationbegins at 7:00 p.m.. The short business meeting and featured speakerare scheduled at 8:00 p.m. Also typically included are CommitteeReports, Special Interest Group Reports, current activity announce-ments, hardware reviews, an astrophotography slide show by membersand other items of interest. Parking is NOW across from Entrance 14, bythe stadium.
Board of Directors MeetingThe Board of Directors Meeting is held on dates scheduled by the board at 7:00p.m. at the University of St. Thomas. Information provided to GuideStar will bepublished. The meetings are open to all members of the Society in good standing.Attendance is encouraged.
GuideStar InformationThe H.A.S. GuideStar is published monthly by the Houston Astronomical Society.All opinions expressed herein are those of the contributor and not necessarily ofHouston Astronomical Society. The monthly Meeting Notice is included herein.GuideStar is available on the HAS web site to all members of H.A.S., and to personsiinterested in the organization's activities. Contributions to GuideStar by membersare encouraged. Electronic submission is helpful. Submit the article in text, MS-Word format via email [email protected]. Copy must be received by the15th of the month for inclusion in the issue to be available near the end of the samemonth. Or, bring copy to the General Membership Meeting and give it to the Editor,or phone to make special arrangements.
Editing & Production: Bill Pellerin, 713-880-8061; FAX: 713-880-8850;Email: [email protected]
Advertising: Advertisers may inquire concerning ad rates andavailability of space.
Houston Astronomical Society
MeetingSeptember 9, 20057:00 Novice & Site Orientation8:00 General Meeting
University of Houston
The Houston Astronomical Society welcomes you to our organization. The HAS is a group of dedicatedamateur astronomers, most of whom are observers, but some are armchair astronomers. The benefitsof membership are:
Access to our 18 acre observing site west of Houston -- a great place to observe the universe!A telescope loaner program -- borrow a HAS telescope and try observing for yourself!A monthly novice meeting, site orientation meeting, and general meeting with speakers of interest.Opportunities to participate in programs that promote astronomy to the general public (suchas Star Parties at schools)A yearly banquet with a special guestA yearly all-clubs meeting for Houston area organizationsMeet other amateurs and share experiences, learn techniques, and swap stories
You're invited to attend our next meeting.You'll have a great time.
