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JANUARY 2018
MARCH 2019
March Meeting Details March Presentation
DATE: Tuesday, March 12th
MEETING TIME: 7:00 P.M.
PLACE: La Posada Recreation Center
MEETING SCHEDULE:
7:00 Meeting Intro and Welcome
7:10 Organizational Announcements
7:30 Featured Presentation
~8:15 Club Activities/Business
~8:30 Door Prizes Drawing?
~8:45 Outside Activities/Snack at
Denny’s
Join us after the meeting at the local Denny’s restaurant for a snack, dessert, or whatever so we can get to know each other better and talk more astronomy .
WHO: Bryan P. Shumaker, MD
TITLE: Stellar Nucleosynthesis: How the elements are made.
ABSTRACT: A straightforward talk on just how the incredible violence of stellar life and death forms the elements that make up our universe. Using hydrogen and helium born during the Big Bang, a series of nuclear reactions taking place within stars yield the metals, gases, and the other members of the periodic table. This depends on star mass, age, and a host of other factors, many of which are still not fully understood.
Although somewhat technical, the presentation is designed to give a good overview of the most common stellar nuclear processes and be understood by almost everyone.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Bryan P. Shumaker, MD is a board certified, semi-retired urologist in Michigan. With a strong background in optical physics and electronics, he built one of the first laser beam communicators in the late 1960’s while as an undergraduate.
In a biomed clinical research position, he mentored the first physics PhD student at Oakland University in Rochester, Mi., successfully building a device to detect cancer via sensitizing drugs and laser fluorescence. Because of his avid interest in astronomy, he was asked to teach mid-level astronomy at the university while the tenured professor was on sabbatical, and also ran the small observatory there. At present, he is adjunct Professor, Dept. of Physics (Astronomy) at Oakland University. He founded the Northern Michigan Astronomy Club (NOMAC) and serves as its president. Additionally, NOMAC runs the International Dark Sky Park at the Headlands in Mackinac City, Mi. He is also a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador and mentors undergraduates in astronomy.
He loves to come to the dark AZ skies for some time every winter!
Next Member Star Parties
DATE: Thursday, Mar 7th
TIME: 5:30 PM
PLACE: Canoa Preserve Park
DATE: Thursday, April 4th
TIME: 6:00 PM
PLACE: Canoa Preserve Park
Please join our Yahoo Group site:
(http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/sas_club/)
To get directions and up-to-date infor-mation on the status of a star party in case a weather issue develops.
If you have a telescope that you don ’t
know how to use, or are looking to buy
a telescope and want to compare differ-
ent telescopes, join us at a star party
and we can give you some help.
SONORAN STARRY NIGHTS
March 2019 2 Volume XI Issue 7
UPCOMING EVENTS
NEXT MEETING
DATE: Tuesday, April 9th
TIME: 7:00 P.M.
SPEAKER: TBD
TITLE: TBD
PRESIDENT’S NOTES
Greetings everyone,
We had a couple of public star parties last month. Early in the month we had one at Canoa Ranch and it went well. We continue to get good participation for these events. Later in the month we had another at Calabasas School in Rio Rico. I arrived a little late because on the way down I realized that I had left my wallet and phone at home and had to go back for them. I thought it would be a good idea to at least have my wallet in case the Border Patrol agents at the checkpoint did not like my looks. The event at Calabasas was a STEM night for the school and it was very crowded. John McGee and I also participated in a STEM event at Sahuarita Middle School. This was a “solar” event in cooperation with TAAA. A number of students stopped by to look through our solar scopes. We have several star parties scheduled for March so please support them if you can.
Our club star parties will continue to take place at Canoa Preserve Park. I have submitted requests for use of the park through May. Hopefully the weather will cooperate in the future.
John Dwyer
President SAS
PUBLIC STAR PARTIES
DATE: March 15th, 2019
TIME: 6:00 PM t0 10:00 PM
PLACE: Historic Canoa Ranch
DATE: April 26th, 2019
TIME: 6:00 PM Presentation/Setup
PLACE: Historic Canoa Ranch
CLUB EQUIPMENT FOR LOAN OUT
TELESCOPES:
2 - 8” Celestron Schmidt Cassegrain telescopes
1 – 4” Refractor telescope
1 – 1” Refractor telescope Note: Instruction may be required for some telescopes. Contact one of the club officers for information and availability.
SONORAN STARRY NIGHTS
March 2019 3 Volume XI Issue 7
THE MARCH SKY
Mars is still visible in the western evening sky, slowing moving east from Aries into Taurus. Its magnitude continues to decrease slightly as does its size. Venus, low in the eastern morning sky, is still brilliant at mag -4. Jupiter is low in the southeast morning sky but reaches due south about sunrise. Saturn is also in the morning sky lagging behind Jupiter by a couple of hours. Mercury is in the evening sky early in the month but will be basically not viewable for most of the month. Uranus, also in the western sky at sunset, will become increasingly difficult to view as it approaches the Sun. Neptune will be too close to the Sun for viewing.
Visible comets are becoming few and far between. The only comet relatively visible is C/2018 Y1 (Iwamoto). It is now about 9th magnitude so you should be able to see it in a telescope.
Be on the lookout for the Zodiacal Light towards the end of the month.
MARCH MOON/SUN TIMES
WANT TO VIEW SATELLITES? WANT CURRENT COMET INFORMATION?
To find out information on when you can view satellites, such as the International Space Station (ISS), or satellite related events, such as Iridium Flares, go to www.heavens-above.com. Under “Configuration”, use “select from map” to enter your specific location (precision can make a difference for Iridium Flares), and choose what satellite’s infor-mation you want to view. Also, information on comets, planets, and other objects are available.
If you want information on current observable comets, go to “The Weekly Information about Bright Comets” site at http://www.aerith.net/comet/weekly/current.html. Comets are listed in brightest to least bright order. Remember, to see a comet without any optical aid, it must be approximately 4th magnitude or brighter. With binoculars, the comet would most likely need to be at least 8th magnitude. Comets below 11th magnitude might be difficult to pick up with other than a large aperture telescope. Visibility can also depend on how diffuse the comet is.
DATE M-Rise M-Set M-Phase Sun-set Star Party
Fri 03/01 3:46 14:11 18:21
Sat 03/02 4:33 15:03 18:22
Sun 03/03 5:15 15:56 18:23
Mon 03/04 5:54 16:50 18:24
Tue 03/05 6:29 17:44 18:24 Wade MS
Wed 03/06 7:02 18:38 New 18:25 Des Shad MS
Thu 03/07 7:34 19:32 18:26 S.A.S.
Fri 03/08 8:04 20:26 18:27
Sat 03/09 8:35 21:22 18:27
Sun 03/10 9:08 22:18 18:28
Mon 03/11 9:42 23:17 18:29
Tue 03/12 10:20 ----- 18:29 SAS Meeting
Wed 03/13 11:04 0:16 18:30
Thu 03/14 11:53 1:17 1st Qtr 18:31
Fri 03/15 12:49 2:17 18:32 Canoa Rch
Sat 03/16 13:52 3:16 18:32
Sun 03/17 14:59 4:11 18:33
Mon 03/18 16:08 5:01 18:34
Tue 03/19 17:19 5:47 18:34
Wed 03/20 18:28 6:28 Full 18:35
Thu 03/21 19:36 7:08 18:36
Fri 03/22 20:42 7:46 18:36
Sat 03/23 21:48 8:24 18:37
Sun 03/24 22:50 9:04 18:38
Mon 03/25 23:51 9:45 18:38
Tue 03/26 ----- 10:29 18:39
Wed 03/27 0:48 11:16 3rd Qtr 18:40
Thu 03/28 1:41 12:05 18:41
Fri 03/29 2:30 12:57 18:41
Sat 03/30 3:14 13:50 18:42
Sun 03/31 3:54 14:43 18:43
(S)=Solar
SONORAN STARRY NIGHTS
March 2019 4 Volume XI Issue 7
THE STARGAZER’S CORNER: Springtime Planet Party
March brings longer days for Northern Hemisphere observers, especially by the time of the equinox. Early risers are treated to the majority of the bright planets dancing in the morning skies, with the Moon passing between them at the beginning and end of the month.
The vernal equinox occurs on March 20, marking the official beginning of spring for the Northern Hemisphere. Our Sun shines equally on the Northern and Southern Hemispheres during the moment of equinox, which is why the March and September equinoxes are the only times of the year when the Earth’s north and south poles are simultaneously lit by sunlight. Exacting astronomers will note that the length of day and night on the equinox are not precisely equal; the date when they are closest to equal depends on your latitude, and may occur a few days earlier or later than the equinox itself. One complicating factor is that the Sun isn’t a point light source, but a disc. Its edge is refracted by our atmosphere as it rises and sets, which adds several minutes of light to every day. The Sun doesn’t neatly wink on and off at sunrise and sunset like a light bulb, and so there isn’t a perfect split of day and night on the equinox - but it’s very close!
Ruddy Mars still shines in the west after sunset. Mars scoots across the early evening skies from Aries towards Taurus and meets the sparkling Pleiades star cluster by month’s end.
March opens with the morning planets of Jupiter, Saturn, and Venus spread out over the southeastern horizon before sunrise. A crescent Moon comes very close to Saturn on the 1st and occults the ringed planet during the daytime. Lucky observers may be able to spot Mercury by the end of the month. March 31 opens with a beautiful set of planets and a crescent Moon strung diagonally across the early morning sky. Start with bright Jupiter, almost due south shortly before dawn. Then slide down and east towards Saturn, prominent but not nearly as bright as Jupiter. Continue east to the Moon, and then towards the beacon that is Venus, its gleam piercing through the early morning light. End with a challenge: can you find elusive Mercury above the eastern horizon? Binoculars may be needed to spot the closest planet to the Sun as it will be low and obscured by dawn’s encroaching glow. What a way to close out March!
jpd
compliments David Prosper of NASA Night Sky Network
SONORAN STARRY NIGHTS
March 2019 5 Volume XI Issue 7
OFFICE/POSITION NAME PHONE NO.
Chairman of the Board Open
President John Dwyer (520) 393-3680
Secretary Michael Moraghan (520) 399-3352
Treasurer John McGee (520) 207-6188
Star party Coordinator Duane Johnson (520) 303-6920
Newsletter Editor John Christensen (520) 869-8983
Webmaster Joe Castor (620) 584-4454
ALCOR* Burley Packwood (520) 396-3576
NSN** Representative Duane Johnson (520) 303-6920
Past President Emeritus Dan F. Case (520) 207-6833
Past President Emeritus Ben Coppock (520) 625-5360
YAHOO! Group Owner John Dwyer (520) 393-3680
*Astronomical League Coordinator
**Night Sky Network
S.A.S CLUB OFFICERS
SAS STATISTICS & FINANCES
Lifetime Members: 0 Bank Balance as of End of Jan: $2388.22
Individual & Family Members: 169 Deposits / (W/Ds): $311.00/($15.99)
Total Membership: 169 Bank Balance as of End of Dec: $2683.23
WHY JOIN SAS CLUB DUES
OUR YAHOO! GROUP & WEB SITES
1. SAS Family Membership Fee is only $15.00 per year.
2. SAS monthly newsletter “The Sonoran Starry Nights.”
3. Top-quality astronomy lectures by local astronomers!
4. SAS Yahoo! Group Website member forum.
(sas_club.)
5. SAS Discount for Astronomy Magazine $34.00 for 1yr
or $60.00 for 2 yr renewed through our treasurer.
6. SAS Discount subscription rate for Sky & Telescope
Magazine $32.95 for 1-year self-renewed.
7. RASC Observer’s Handbook at a discount, $30.00.
8. SAS T-Shirts for sale for $10.00—M, L, XL.
9. Member of International Dark-sky Association (IDA)
and The Astronomical League.
10. SAS Discount for Astronomy 2018 Calendar $10.00
11. SAS monthly Member Star Parties.
12. SAS Telescope and astronomy book loan programs.
13. SAS outreach to astronomy education in schools.
14. SAS fellowship with other amateur astronomers!
Dues (family or individual) are $15 annually, payable each
year in the month you initially joined the club. You will
receive a reminder in the monthly newsletter e-mail of your
due date. You can either pay at the club meeting or mail it
to the club’s address (S.A.S., P.O. Box 1081, Green
Valley, AZ, 85622).
If you want to keep up-to-date with club activities, such as star parties, tours, etc., want information on current astronomical events, or have questions about astronomy, please join our Yahoo group at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sas_club.
Also check out our web site
SONORAN STARRY NIGHTS
March 2019 6 Volume XI Issue 7
LOCAL ASTRO-IMAGING GROUP: Sonoran Desert Astro Imagers (SDAI) (Peter Lammers, Coordinator)
Are you interested in Astrophotography or are you currently involved in imaging the skies?
Please plan to join our monthly meeting of the Sonoran Desert Astro Imagers group. Our meetings
focus on improving our skills, helping each other, workshops, and field trips. Please send your Name
and E-mail address to my address below and we’ll include you in the emailing notices of monthly
meetings; “the when and where meeting notice.” Do you have any questions? If so, call me (Peter
Lammers) at (520) 398-4308 or email to [email protected].
Clear Skies! Peter Lammers
SAS IS A MEMBER OF THE ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE SAS IS A MEMBER OF IDA
OUR SPONSORS
S T A R I Z O N A
ADVENTURES IN ASTRONOMY AND NATURE
5757 N. Oracle Rd www.starizona.com
Tucson, AZ 85704 (520) 292-5010
Stellar-Vision Astronomy & Science
Since 1986
New Address:
3721 E 37TH ST
TUCSON AZ 85713
(520) 571-0877
http://www.stellarvisiontucson.com
Since SAS is a member of the Astronomical League, any SAS member may join the Astronomical League for a nominal fee of $7.50. What are the advantages to you of joining the AL?
1. You can receive various observing awards by joining an “observing club” and observing the required number of objects. There are all levels of clubs from beginner to advanced, viewing constellations to deep-sky objects and using either your naked eyes, binoculars, or a telescope. Contact our ALCOR rep Burley Packwood for details.
2. You can get a 10% discount on books purchased through the AL Book Service.
3. You will receive the AL’s quarterly “Reflector” magazine which keeps you up to date on all the AL activities.
More info at www.astroleague.org
SAS is proud to be a member of the International Dark-Sky Association, supporting the reduction in light pollution around the U.S. and the world. More info at www.darksky.org
SAS NON-PROFIT STATUS
The Sonora Astronomical Society is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit charitable organization! SAS has a CERTIFICATE OF GOOD STANDING from the State of Arizona Corporation Commission for 2009-2011!
MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONS
To order or renew your Sky and Telescope Magazine at the Club Rate, you can go directly to www.skyandtelescope.com/clubspecial To order or renew Astronomy Magazine, see the
Treasurer.
SONORAN STARRY NIGHTS
March 2019 7 Volume XI Issue 7
EQUIPMENT FOR SALE (CONT)
4. Meade LX200GPS 16" Telescope.
includes:
* 2 Meade Super Giant LX Field Tripods.
* 2 Meade Accessory Kits
* 1 Meade Autostar Suite.
* 2 16” Fork Arms.
Contact Gerald Findling at (520) 490-0689 or
5. Celestron CPC 1100 Computerized
Telescope.
includes:
Starbright XLT optical coating
GPS with SkyAlign for quick & easy alignment
9x50 finder scope & Telrad finder
microfocuser
2” star diagonal with Virtual View swivel adapter
40 mm x 1.25” Celestron Plossl eyepiece
13 mm x 1.25” TeleVue, Nagler IV eyepiece
17 mm x 2” TeleVue, Nagler IV eyepiece
2” 2x Barlow magnifier
hand control with 2 line LCD screen
sturdy tripod with 2” diameter steel legs
compatible with StarSense technology & WiFi
ergonomic carrying handles
12 V cable & 120 V adapter
metal carrying case for accessories, manual, original
packaging
In excellent condition was $4400 new, asking $3200 obo
Please contact Muray Croot, at (520)526-2526
or [email protected] for photos.
EQUIPMENT FOR SALE
1. Meade 10" LX200 Advanced Coma-Free
SCT, with GPS FOR SALE ($3200.00).
includes:
* Built-in GPS Controlled Tracking System, over 145,000
objects.
* Meade Standard Field Tripod designed for 8" and 10"
LX90 abd LX200 GPS Telescopes.
* Meade Deep Sky CCD Imager (510x492 - 250,000 pix-
els).
* Meade #644 Flip-Mirror system.
* Meade #777 Off-Axis Guider.
* Meade Autostar II Hand Controller, includes more than
145,000 celestial objects.
* Eye Piece Tray.
* Astronomy Viewing Chair.
* Plus, much more!
Contact Joe Ascarate at [email protected]
2. Celestron 11” Nexstar GPS (Go-To)Telescope.
Includes:
* Alt-Azimuth Mount
* 1 Eyepiece
* Landing Pad
* Feather Touch Focuser
* Vibration Pads
* Asking $1400
Contact Lyle Kolze at (608) 346-5957 or E-mail
3. Orion XT8 Plus Dob.
If you are interested in this scope, contact Robert Shrop-
shire at [email protected] for more information.
SONORAN STARRY NIGHTS
March 2019 8 Volume XI Issue 7
SUMMARY OF THE FEBRUARY 12TH PRESENTATION
Fr. Paul Gabor, S.J., Ph.D., Vice-Director, Vatican Observatory spoke about "Are we alone in the Universe” An update on Astrobiology”
Pope Gregory the XIII established the Vatican Observatory in 1570 to support the calendar reform that produced the Gregorian Calendar. The purpose of the Observatory was best expressed by Pope John XXIII in the 1960s: ‘The Observatory is charged with a two-fold mission, to explain science to the Church and to explain the Church to the world of science’. Father Gabor dismissed conspiracy theories about the Vatican Observatory saying Vatican astronomers are in fact doing real science.
After centuries at the Vatican, the Observatory relocated in 1935 to Castel Gandolfo, the Pope’s summer residence because of increasing light pollution. But light continued to be a problem. A solution was found by Father George Coyne, S.J., a visiting professor at both the UofA's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory and at the Vatican Observatory. When he became director of the Vatican Observatory, he proposed establishing a Vatican Research Group at the UofA’s Steward Observatory, and that was done in 1981. The Vatican Observatory headquarters remains at Castel Gandolfo, so Fr. Gabor travels there several times a year.
In 1993 the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope was dedicated on Mt. Graham, but only a small staff is there, the ten Vatican astronomers spend most of their time in Tucson. Plans are underway to upgrade the VAT telescope to run autonomously for Time Domain Astronomy, studying changes in celestial objects and events. While Fr. Gabor said he would be happy to go into more detail about the phenomena to be studied after the upgrade, he moved on to the subject of his talk, astrobiology.
If life that arose independently of Earth can be found it would be strong evidence for the ubiquity of life in the universe. There are five astrobiology research methodologies in use today. 1. SETI, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, has been searching for radio signals for nearly 60 years and recently received new private funding. 2. Organic Chemistry attempts to replicate the creation of life. 3. Biology studies where and under what conditions life can survive. 4. Investigation of the Solar system. The Lowell Observatory in Arizona was established to look for evidence of life on Mars, now there is interest in Enceladus, Europa, and Titan. 5. Discovery of Exoplanets. Over 4,000 confirmed so far but none in a planetary system like ours. Astronomers attempt to study the spectroscopy of exoplanet atmospheres to look for signs of life, such as carbon dioxide. This is very difficult because of the host star’s glare. Fr.
Gabor earned his Ph.D. while working on a 1992 proposal for a space telescope system capable of occulting a star. Such a system may be launched in 5 to 10 years.
The idea that the Catholic Church suppressed theories about life on other worlds is historically inaccurate. In 1440 Nicholas of Cusa wrote On Learned Ignorance, speculating about life on the Sun, Moon, Jupiter and other heavenly bodies. Eight years later he was elevated to Cardinal. In the 1580s Giordano Bruno advanced the idea of cosmic pluralism, that the stars were like the sun with planets on which there was life. In 1686 Bernard Fontenelle’s book Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds, was widely read. Only Bruno was prosecuted, but there were many heresy charges against him other than cosmic pluralism. For more insights into such questions Fr. Gabor recommended the book “Would you Baptize an Extraterrestrial?” co-authored by Guy Consolmagno, Director of the Vatican Observatory.
jm
CLUB BOOK/CD/DVD LOAN LIBRARY
BOOKS:
The following books are available for check out:
1. Guide to the Stars (16”) by David H. Levy
2. The Next Step: Finding and Viewing Messier’s Objects by Ken Graun
3. Touring the Universe: A Practical Guide to Exploring the Cosmos through 2017 by Ken Graun (2 copies)
4. What’s Out Tonight? Celestial Almanac & Astronomy Field Guide 2000 to 2050 by Ken Graun (2 copies)
5. Sky Atlas 2000.0 Companion by Robert A. Strong (donated by Paul Anderson)
Please see the club treasurer or secretary for availability. Our thanks to Ken Graun for his generous donations. CDs/DVDs:
We have “Understanding the Universe: An Introduction to Astronomy”. This is a 16 DVD set of 96 lectures (30 min per lecture) by Dr Alex Filippenko of UC Berkeley and CalTech. This is a nontechnical introductory college-level course on astronomy. More information about this course can be found at http://www.teach12.com/ttcx/coursedesclong2.aspx?cid=1810. Please see the club treasurer at the next meeting for availability.
