the vol. 40 no. 6 Skyscraper June 2013 AMATEUR ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF RHODE ISLAND  47 PEEPTOAD ROAD  NORTH SCITUATE, RHODE ISLAND 02857  WWW.THESKYSCRAPERS.ORG

June Meeting & Potluck Dinner Saturday, June 8, 6:00pm Seagrave Memorial Observatory 6:00pm Skyscrapers annual summer potluck We return to our Saturday meeting schedule for the summer and the June meeting is our annual potluck dinner. Make your signature delicacy and come out for socialization, and bring your telescope too. 7:30pm Restoration of the George N. Saegmuller Telescope Clock Drive at In this issue The Ladd Observatory by David Gow

2 President’s Message David Gow will present all aspects of the involved in clocks and watches was finally real- 3 Previewing June’s conservation: assessment, working with the Cu- ized. Evening Skies ratorial staff, treatment plan, restoration versus The first few were a learning curve, conservation, documentation, and maintenance which culminated in specializing in 18th and 4 Full Circle schedule will be discussed and illustrated. 19th century clock restoration. David owns a An Amateur Astronomer's nicely-equipped workshop in Shrewsbury, MA. Journey Home For the past seventeen years he has been the Conservator at the Willard House and Clock 8 A Visit to Museum in Grafton, MA. Recent restoration Morehead Planetarium work has included two historic clocks in the Capitol Building in Washington D.C., a Lon- 12 : Xi Boötes don tall-case marquetry clock by John Sweeby, 13 A "Double-Double" Challenge circa 1690, an astronomical clock having two Nu (ν) Scorpii pendulums, made by Hezekiah Conant, for a college in New England, and finally, the resto- 14 Secretary ration of the telescope clock drive at the Ladd David was born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Observatory in Providence, RI. 14 Treasurer He followed his father and brother by serving He has two adult sons. Along with his wife a five- apprenticeship in traditional wood- Barbara, they have just completed a six month 15 The Art of the Crescent working. After getting married and some inter- trip to the Bahamas, surviving Hurricane Sandy esting diversions, a persistent desire to become aboard their thirty-seven foot sailboat, Podjo. 9:00pm Observing at Seagrave Observatory The Skyscraper June 2013

President’s Message Ed Haskell

Your feedback last year about chang- have been developed to answer questions The Skyscraper is published monthly ing the meeting day during the summer about what happened during the first frac- by Skyscrapers, Inc. Meetings are held months was very strongly in favor, so we are tion of a second after the Big Bang to how monthly, usually on the first or second going to do it again. Since you may have stars form. Friday or Saturday of the month. Seagrave August 3 Memorial Observatory is open every missed the announcement of the summer (Saturday) at Seagrave Me- Saturday night, weather permitting. meeting dates and programs I will recap morial Observatory. Coffee and refresh- that information for you: ments at 7pm, Talks at 7:30pm. The pro- President June 8 (Saturday) at Seagrave Memo- gram for the August meeting will consist Ed Haskell [email protected] rial Observatory. The meeting will com- of short presentations by members of Sky- mence with a pot luck supper at 6:00pm. scrapers. If anyone would like to give a talk, 1st Vice President Our June speaker will be David Gow, who please contact Kathy Siok or Bob Horton. Kathy Siok [email protected] did the restoration work on Ladd Observa- An important element of the rationale 2nd Vice President tory's clock drive system. All aspects of the for these changes during summer is to en- Bob Horton [email protected] conservation will be presented: assessment, courage a more relaxed environment for working with the Curatorial staff, treat- member socialization and to promote more Secretary ment plan, restoration versus conservation, use of the instruments after the meetings. Tom Thibault [email protected] documentation, and maintenance schedule This seemed to work very well last summer Treasurer will be discussed and illustrated. and I was encouraged to see that as soon as Linda Bergemann [email protected] July 13 (Saturday) at Seagrave Memo- we returned to Seagrave for the April and rial Observatory. Coffee and refreshments May meetings there was a resumption of Members at Large at 7pm, presentation at 7:30pm. Prof. Greg the collegial atmosphere and lingering for Pat Landers [email protected] Tucker, Dept of Physics, Brown University: observing late into the night. Ernie Ross [email protected] "Astronomy Above the Antarctic". Flying Remember that the June meeting starts Trustees telescopes on high altitude balloons from with a pot luck dinner. Make your signature Steve Siok [email protected] the Antarctic provides relatively low-cost delicacy and come out for socialization, and Conrad Cardano [email protected] access to a space-like environment. This bring your telescope too. Jim Crawford [email protected] talk will describe two experiments which Thanks for all you do for Skyscrapers. Outreach Coordinators Conrad Cardano [email protected] Bob Forgiel [email protected] Seagrave Memorial Librarian Alex Bergemann [email protected] Observatory Historian Open Nights Dave Huestis [email protected] Editor Saturdays at 9:00 pm Jim Hendrickson [email protected] weather permitting Directions Directions to Seagrave Memorial Observatory are located on the back page of this newsletter. Submissions Submissions to The Skyscraper are always welcome. Please submit items for the newsletter no later than June 21 to Jim Hendrickson, 1 Sunflower Circle, North Providence, RI 02911 or e-mail to [email protected]. E-mail subscriptions To receive The Skyscraper by e-mail, send e-mail with your name and address to jim@ distantgalaxy.com. Note that you will no longer receive the newsletter by postal mail.

2 The Skyscraper June 2013

Previewing June’s Evening Skies Dave Huestis

Though the month of June does provide mal when foreground objects allow a com- these when the is still in the much more reasonable temperatures for parison, June’s full strawberry moon would sky. While it would be futile to try anyway, amateur astronomers to enjoy their hobby, hardly receive any attention if not for the you don’t want to risk losing your eyesight most of us do not welcome the summer hype. At least it may have folks looking should you wander too close to the Sun, months. Why? The sky doesn’t get suffi- at the sky and marveling at our desolate either with your eyes, binoculars or a tele- ciently dark for deep sky objects (galaxies neighbor. scope. Many more astronomical wonders and nebulae) until close to 10:00 pm as we During the last week of May through await your gaze throughout the coming near the summer solstice on June 21 at 1:04 the first week of June, stargazers will be able year. am. And morning twilight begins between to observe three planets above the western In conclusion, while the initial June 3:30 and 4:00 am! These circumstances def- horizon after sunset. While this column is conjunction of planets just above the west- initely limit a serious stargazer’s observing primarily prepared for June, it often is pub- ern horizon will be difficult or impossible session. lished before the new month begins. Start to observe from the local observatories, Still, dedicated sky enthusiasts find time observing this triple planetary conjunction Saturn will still be the focus of atten- to scan the heavens no matter what time of on May 24. You will see brilliant , tion throughout the summer. Afterwards the year it is. While many stargazers will be bright Jupiter and much dimmer the summer along with the concentrating on observing beautiful Sat- above and to the left of the sunset horizon Milky Way will provide access to a mul- urn (see last month’s column), this summer point. You will need an unobstructed ho- titude of clusters and nebulae at which to many other astronomical events will be ob- rizon in order to view this conjunction of marvel. While it won’t get dark enough to servable with and without telescopes. Here planets. Once evening twilight has deep- recognize adequately many of the familiar are a few highlights that will be visible dur- ened, all three heavenly bodies will be with- star patterns until after 9:45 pm or so, the ing June. in twelve degrees or less (about a fist held sky vault will certainly reward a patient More than likely you will hear about an- at arm’s length provides this measurement) stargazer with splendid views of the heav- other supermoon during June. Even though of the horizon. (See the May issue of The ens once twilight has faded. this term is not an astronomical one, back Skyscraper, the monthly newsletter of Sky- Don’t forget that the local observatories in 1979 an astrologer coined the phrase, scrapers, for diagrams showing sky charts provide open nights for telescopic viewing and it has become more widely used in the for May 24-31 at www.theskyscrapers.org.) of the heavens throughout the summer. media lately. The term is used to describe a Watch the positions of theses planets Seagrave Memorial Observatory in North time when a Full or New Moon coincides change with each successive night. On the Scituate (http://www.theskyscrapers.org/) with the Moon’s closest approach to the night of May 28 Jupiter and Venus will be is open every clear Saturday night for ob- Earth. The Moon’s elliptical brings it only one degree (two Full Moon diam- serving. Ladd Observatory (http://www. as close as 221,824 miles and as far away eters) apart. On June 1 the planetary trio brown.edu/Departments/Physics/Ladd/) as 252,581 miles. On June 23 at 7:32 am will form a straight line from and above the in Providence will be closed during the EDT the Moon will be full, just 32 minutes sunset point on the horizon in order of Ju- month of June for annual maintenance. after reaching perigee (close approach). At piter, Venus and Mercury. (This scene will Frosty Drew Observatory (http://www. that time the Moon will be approximately look practically identical to the sky diagram frostydrew.org/) in Charlestown is open on 221,853 miles from the Earth. for May 31 in The Skyscraper newsletter.) every clear Friday night. Please visit the re- While this scenario will make the Full It will be quite a beautiful sight to behold. spective websites for details about opening Moon the closest one until August 10, Jupiter will soon be lost in the solar glare, times and closures. 2014, it is not the closest it can be, and I se- so bid farewell until later this year. On June Turn off the lights and turn on- toas riously doubt whether anyone could truth- 10, Mercury and Venus will be joined by a tronomy. Good observing. fully say that it looks any larger than any thin waxing crescent Moon passing nearby. other recent Full Moon or even any brighter This sky scene would make an excellent op- than usual. While it is true that a Moon at portunity to snap a few images. the extreme perigee (farthest distance from Mercury will reach its highest elevation Phases of the Moon Earth) appears about 14% larger and 30% from the horizon on June 12 and will then brighter than the extreme apogee, making begin to sink lower each night. Meanwhile, New Moon an observation from one Full Moon to the Venus will continue to rise up past Mercury June 8 15:56 next would not be as noticeable. However, as the month progresses. On the 18th they First Quarter Moon imaging successive full using the will be a mere two degrees apart (that’s four June 16 17:24 same camera and lens would definitely al- Full Moon diameters). Venus keeps on its low for an accurate comparison. upward swing into a darker sky, while Mer- Full Moon Also, so-called supermoons are not at all cury will quickly draw closer towards the June 23 11:32 as rare as they are made out to be. There are Sun and will soon be lost in the solar glare. four to six such events yearly. So while a ris- I must add a word of caution here to be- Last Quarter Moon ing Full Moon may appear larger than nor- ginner stargazers. Do not attempt to locate June 30 04:54 3 The Skyscraper June 2013

Full Circle An Amateur Astronomer's Journey Home by Matthew T. White

It was late March when I decided to visit the Seagrave Memorial Observatory, having already de- cided to apply for membership in the organization. I pulled into the parking lot around ten of eight and made my way to the main building, which I knew from my research on the web, housed the Society’s centerpiece instrument. I climbed the stairway and joined the group of people who had gathered to view the heavens that evening. It was there that I met Dave Huestis and his very capable assistant, a young man by the name of Alex Bergemann. As I got to know this young man, I soon realized I was looking in the mirror, a mirror that added a temporal distortion of about forty years.

December 24, 1968 of the finest science fictions shows to grace hours looking at the stars. I don’t remember It was Christmas Eve and I was sitting the TV screen. In February of 1968, Stan- seeing any planets, but this was over forty in my second grade classroom at St. Joseph ley Kubrick released what was to be called years ago. It did not matter, I was hooked. School in Pascoag, Rhode Island. Every the proverbial good science fiction movie; When we came in, I told Mon and Dad member of my class, along with the first 2001: A Space Odyssey. But all of this utterly that I wanted a telescope for Christmas. and third graders, was glued to the televi- paled in comparison to the real life drama Unfortunately, it would be another cou- sion set. Three American astronauts, Frank which was played out on the classroom ple of years before my parents could afford Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders, were television that morning. to grant my request. I didn’t know it at the orbiting the moon in the Apollo 8 space- The following summer, my family drove time, but they were having trouble making craft. I remember thinking; we’ve actually down to Wilmington, North ends meet. It didn’t help that put men in orbit around the moon. This Carolina to visit with rela- Dad was still going to night wasn’t science fiction, it was real. That tives. Most of my mother’s school, at Bryant College, in morning, I think every child in the class- family lived down there, as an effort to finish his busi- room wanted to be an astronaut. well as my father’s parents. ness degree. The Space Race was well underway and (They moved back to Rhode But, my interest in astron- it looked as if the United States was finally Island the following year.) omy never wavered, in fact, taking the lead from the Soviet Union. The While we were visiting, I my grandfather helped keep dream of stars seemed to fill our culture as met my older cousin Keith, it alive when he presented me many popular TV shows would indicate. who was an avid amateur with the August 1970 Na- Three years prior, in 1965, the introduc- astronomer. One night, the tional Geographic Magazine, tion of Irwin Allen’s Lost in Space teased sky was clear and Keith set Volume 138, Number 2. The our imaginations, and a year later, Gene his telescope up in the back- magazine contained an ar- Roddenberry followed with Star Trek, one yard. We spent the next few ticle titled Voyage to the Plan- 4 The Skyscraper June 2013 ets written by Kenneth Weaver as well as was full. my cousin Keith had been diagnosed with a map titled, The Heavens. That map hung Around late spring or early summer, I leukemia. The prognosis was not good and in my bedroom for the next several years. spotted what I thought was a bright star he would succumb to the disease before our There was also an article about the March in the southern sky. I carted my scope onto next visit to North Carolina. It was the first 7, 1970 solar eclipse contained within that the neighbor’s deck (with their permission time I had come face to face with my own issue. I wore the magazine out by reading it of course) and trained the scope on the mortality. (When you are a kid, you think over and over again, dreaming of the plan- “star”. It turned out that this wasn’t a star that you will live forever.) ets, stars, galaxies, and the thought of ex- at all; it was the King of the Planets, Jupi- December 7, 1972 marked another ploring the cosmos. ter. Even at 100x power, the four Galilean milestone in the space race with the launch moons were plainly of Apollo 17, the last manned mission to visible as well as the at- the moon. My Uncle David, who worked mospheric bands. Also for NASA, had told me the prior year that visible, much to my 17 would be the last lunar mission, but delight was the Great NASA had plans for a new space station Red Spot, the hurri- called Skylab, and a re-useable spacecraft cane which has raged known as the STS (Shuttle Transportation for over four hundred System). years. I was just as ex- While astronomy still remained near the cited, about Jupiter, as I top of my list of interests, it gave ground to was the first time I saw other pastimes as I progressed into junior Saturn through the high school. I didn’t know it at the time, as I scope. still wanted to be a pilot, but my interest in In addition to my electronics would someday evolve into my observations, I con- livelihood. tinued to study every- By the time I became a freshman in thing, and anything high school, I knew my dream of flying On Christmas Day, 1970, I received I could get my hands, on that related to was destined to be only a dream, due to my my first telescope, a Sears and Roebuck astronomy, planets, space, or space travel. eyesight. To keep my options open, I took 100 power refractor with a sun projection I was reading, and much to my parents college prep classes including accelerated screen and an erecting lens which increased delight, understanding my father’s college sciences. In the advanced group, doing a the power to 150x. I was elated to say the science textbooks. I memorized the facts science project was mandatory and I turned least. A few nights later we had clear skies about the solar system, including distances back to astronomy for my project. This and I was able to take the scope out for first from the sun, number of moons, relative would be my first exposure to the world of light. I vividly remember the night being sizes, and so on. My fourth grade science astrophotography. Remember, this is back bitterly cold but I knew Saturn was go- project was titled The Nine Planets and I in the day where digital cameras didn’t ing to be up in the of Taurus. won 1st place in my grade in the school sci- exist, and motorized RA drives were well Using my planisphere, I located the target ence fair. Truth be told, I never expected to beyond the budget of most middle class constellation and started searching for the even show, much less come in first. I found families. Still, I was able to get a few decent ringed . When I moved to the third out later that my knowledge of the material shots of Venus, Jupiter, and the moon. The object, I found my quarry! I had seen Sat- is what impressed the judges. project also gave me some experience with urn in magazines, including images from I spent quite a bit of time using my black and white developing and printing. some of the world’s largest telescopes, but scope for solar observing. With the simple By the summer of 1976, I was unsure seeing the ringed wonder, with all its glory, but effective solar projection setup, I was about what I wanted to do with my life, with one’s own eyes was an experience I able to watch as sunspots traversed the so- and I knew that I was running out of time will never forget. I soon forgot about the lar surface. On July 10, 1972, a partial solar to decide on a career path. I didn’t want to cold and would have stayed there all night eclipse was to occur in the greater Rhode make the same mistake my father did, but if it wasn’t for my mother worrying about Island area. I set my scope up and watched as a sixteen year old kid, I wasn’t sure what me catching a cold. as the moon, ever so slowly, covered the so- to do about it. When I was unable to find I spent the next several nights outside; lar disk. Alas, the clouds rolled in ten min- a summer job, my parents sent me to the unencumbered by the temperature, in or- utes before the point of maximum coverage Project Horizons program at the William der to take in the magnificent beauty that is and rain began shortly thereafter. Ah, the M. Davies Vocational Technical School in Saturn. I eventually turned to the stars, but, trials of an amateur astronomer. Lincoln Rhode Island. I had been to the at the time, I considered them just boring It was around this time that I became program in the summer of 1974 and en- points of light. (I would change my mind interested in a TV show (that would later joyed exploring the different trades, taught about that later.) reignite my waning interest in astronomy) by the school, so I agreed to go. It would Looking at the moon was another favor- called UFO. It was a somewhat obscure prove to be a turning point in my life. I ite pastime as I could often observe from British offering, but, in my opinion one of knew I had an aptitude for electricity/elec- the comfort of my bedroom window. I soon the best speculative science fictions shows tronics, as well as the data processing pro- learned that the best views were obtained of the twentieth century. gram, so I needed to decide if any of these with a crescent moon rather than when it Sometime in late 1972, I learned that career paths were right for me. In the pro- 5 The Skyscraper June 2013

cess, I discovered amateur radio, a pursuit phy. Using our little 2 megapixel point and story of my own. My first story was long, which still competes with astronomy for shoot, she clicked off about twenty shots of over eighty thousand words and I spent my attention. the moon in various phases of eclipse. four months writing it. When I finished By the end of the eight week program, I Well, she got an “A” for effort. After all, the first story, I added companion short knew what I was going to do. The one career it’s the thought that counts. stories to supplement the saga and some of path that encompassed all of my interests In late 2005, my employer was laying my work mentioned astronomy. Suddenly, I was the electronics field. In September of people off, and I suddenly found myself found myself longing to delve back into my 1976, I transferred to Davies Voc-Tech and beating the pavement looking for a new boyhood hobby. dove headlong into my studies. Contrary job. The sudden loss of income resulted After doing some research, I ordered to popular belief, the academic program at in us having to drain our savings account the Meade LS-6 in November of 2010. the school sported a college prep program (including my telescope fund) to keep the The scope arrived a few days before Christ- for those students in the technical fields, mortgage and bills paid. I was out of work mas and saw first light on December 24. In such as, electronics, drafting, data process- for almost six months. I expanded my job addition to the telescope, I had ordered a ing, and health occupations. I worked my search into central Connecticut and found a T-ring and T-mount for my 35mm Digi- tail off to maintain an “A” average and my two-way radio company looking for an ex- tal Rebel. I took my first images of Jupiter telescope was relegated to the closet, only perienced and licensed technician. I started and the Great Orion Nebula on January 3, brought out on a rare occasion of a lunar with WPCS on May 6, 2006. It took me a 2013. eclipse or when Jupiter happened to be up. couple of years, pulling down overtime, and As one can see, I still have a ways to go When the Space Shuttle Columbia was negotiating pay raises to re-establish some on the astrophotography learning curve. I first launched on April 12, 1981, my inter- financial security. I did manage to procure est in the space program was revived for a a decent pair of Nikon 10x50 binoculars. I time, but other concerns would soon oc- use them to check the antenna feed lines cupy my thoughts and my passion for ob- on radio towers, but they also can be used serving the night sky with my telescope was for star gazing. It was a win-win. Using my all but forgotten. I still tried to catch the binoculars, I often would gaze up at the shuttle launches and, as fate would have it, night sky not looking for anything par- I was watching when seven Americans, in ticular. I stumbled on a few star clusters by the words of Ronald Reagan, “slipped the accident. The passion for astronomy was re- surly bonds of Earth, and touched the face awakening. of God.” Like many Americans, the Chal- It was in late 2009, when I discovered lenger disaster was a kick in the gut for me. Fan-Fiction.net, a repository of stories As the next fifteen years passed I would written by the fans of both past and cur- soon realized that I hadn’t purchased a suit- sometimes find myself looking up at the rent TV shows. Remember that British able platform for serious astrophotography stars with nothing but my own eyes. The TV show I mentioned earlier? One of the work. Fortunately one of my co-workers siren song of the heavens provided some first sections a stumbled on was a collection was in the market for a portable scope and solace for a rather turbulent time in my life. of stories which had been written for that the LS-6 fit his needs perfectly. I parted In 2002, I married the lady I had been show. with the LS-6 and ordered the 8” LX-200. dating since 1993. We closed on our first Science fiction has always been one of The new scope arrived a couple weeks home a few days later. Susanne knew of my favorite reading genres so I decided later. Compared to what I was used to, my interest in the stars and bought me a that I would try my hand at writing a UFO this telescope was a monster. I’m sure glad new telescope for Christmas, that year. It was a Bushnell 6” reflector with a motor- ized equatorial mount. While the optics seemed to be okay, the mount was unstable, and having gone through the same frustra- tion with my first scope, I didn’t want her to waste good money on something that would end up collecting dust. When I told her how much we would have to spend to do what I wanted to, we both decided to wait until we were a bit more financially secure before we would make that kind of investment. On May 15, 2003, a partial lunar eclipse occurred while I was at work. Not want- ing me to miss it, my wife tried her hand at astrophotogra- 6 The Skyscraper June 2013

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I didn’t order the 10” model. I spent sev- Sirius, and Betelgeuse. eral sessions just getting used to the scope Of course the moon was the star of the before I tried it out with the camera. On show that evening. I started at 1/125 of a March 19, 2012, the moon was due to make second exposure and continued to lower a close approach during its full phase. The the value until I was at 1/4000 of a second. weather looked as if it was going to cooper- I suppose I could have dropped the ISO ate so I set up to take some astrophotos. I setting down but 1/4000 seemed to be just had just received a 6.3 focal reducer and the right. moon would be a good target to try it out. I My interest now revived, I started look- also wanted to take another crack at M42. ing on the internet for star parties and dark I have to admit, I was very pleased with skies. It was then that I came across the This might not look like much at first the way this one came out. I took several Skyscraper website. Having learned the glance, but this the X-37B, an unmanned photos that night, most of them of the hard way to look before you leap, I spent a mini-shuttle that the earth for moon, but I also managed to capture the great deal of time on the website to ascer- months at a time. I got this shot through Pleiades, the Double Cluster (Caldwell 14), tain what the organization was all about. I my telescope early in the morning on decided to submit my application for mem- June 5. I can make out a basic structure, bership at the April, 2013 meeting. enough that I think I see the wings, and Present Day a color difference between the white top As I gazed at the rings of Saturn, of the spacecraft, and the gray heatshield. through the Alvan Clark refractor, I felt as Also note some kind of structure sticking if I had finally come home. And while it out that is orange in color. Photo by Bob is true that astronomy shares the top spot Horton. with my radio interest, the two are uniquely compatible. I’m working on a way to dis- play the voice of Jupiter on the computer using a program I use for precise frequency measurement. If things work out the way I hope, I may be able to give a radio as- tronomy presentation to the group. As I listened to the oohs and aahs from the people gathered in the dome I fondly remember my own reaction four decades ago. I still hear the siren sound of the stars. Here's the shot I got of the ISS about 5 minutes after the X-37B. 7 The Skyscraper June 2013 Before they flew to the Moon, they came here to learn how to navigate by the stars. A Visit to Morehead Planetarium by Jim Hendrickson

It is natural for us to give credit to as- tween 1959 and 1975, NASA astronauts gled company headquarters in Chapel Hill, tronauts for knowing much more about the were trained in the art of celestial naviga- North Carolina, Morehead Planetarium sky than us amateurs. After all, we're not tion at the Morehead Planetarium on the has been on my short list of places to visit guiding our spacecraft with precision while campus of the University of North Caro- for several years. In 2010 I asked our local flying through space at eight kilometers per lina Chapel Hill. planetarian Francine Jackson if she knew a second, but rather pointing our simple tele- Many of us have had fond memories of point of contact at Morehead and she con- scopes at our favorite planets and seasonal visiting planetariums when we were young- nected me with Richard McColman, Full- objects or showing others how to use the er, on school field trips or on summer va- dome Theater Director at the planetarium. Big Dipper to find the North Star. But the cation. Some of us still aspire to travel far While I always consider my trips to North fact of the matter is, those astronauts had and wide to visit notable observatories and Carolina to be business as well as pleasure, to learn the same sky we did, and given the planetariums around the country. In recent I hadn't been able to find the time during time constraints of the Space Race and all years I have had the pleasure of visiting the these busy week-long trips to pay the visit. the other aspects of astronaut training they Hayden Planetarium in New York, Adler I would finally get that chance in the had to attend to, the men of the Mercury, in Chicago (including the original Atwood days before our annual spring retreat at the Gemini, and Apollo programs didn't have Sphere), and Griffith in Los Angeles. This beginning of May 2013. I contacted Rich- the luxury of meeting with their local as- is in addition to the numerous visits to the ard to let him know my travel schedule and tronomical society once per week in the Charles Hayden in Boston over the years, availability and we worked out an appoint- hopes of clear enough skies for at least a and locally the Cormack Planetarium ment on Tuesday morning, May 7. year to adequately learn their way around, (named after one of Skyscrapers ten origi- Upon arriving at the planetarium the not to mention that a good portion of the nal Incorporators Maribelle Cormack), the most prominent feature you will notice is sky simply isn't visible from a fixed point planetarium at URI, and the home-built the very large sundial in the courtyard to on Earth. planetarium that was set up at Ladd Ob- the north of the building. A native Rhode What was needed was a planetarium. servatory a few years back, the projector for Islander will notice the difference in lati- A high-tech piece of science wizardry that which Skyscrapers used for its 1975 Mid- tude of the gnomon, which points the could simulate the sky in any direction at land Mall portable planetarium. north celestial pole. Chapel Hill is about six any time of year regardless of weather. Be- Located just over a mile from Newfan- degrees farther south than North Scituate. 8 The Skyscraper June 2013

We then went "off-world" and began to simulate what traditional planetarium pro- jectors cannot produce. Through the magic of the Digital Sky software, the planetar- ium is capable of taking the viewer on a journey through the solar system and out into the galaxy. I had seen this demonstrat- ed in programs at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles and at the Charles Hayden planetarium in Boston, but it wasn't until I was given this personal tour at the More- head Planetarium that I knew what it was capable of. The tour continued through the solar system as we explored Jupiter and Saturn and the motions of their moons. Zooming out a bit further reveals the size of the so- lar system and how far the Voyager space- craft have traveled. Beyond the solar system the simulation moves out among the stars, Unlike traditional planetarium arrangements of the past, the seats are arranged in a semi- showing the position of the Sun relative to circular orientation facing one quadrant of the dome. This allows for live presentations to the nearest stars and still further out shows be given in addition to or in conjunction with fulldome shows. Notably missing is the large the stars which have confirmed exoplanets. Zeiss Model VI star projector that once dominated the center of the dome. Unfortunately, The journey outward continues to a point the planetarium was not able to preserve the historic Zeiss star projector because they have which reveals the radio sphere, representing neither the storage space nor a suitable place to put it on display. They do plan to display a the expanding bubble of radio transmis- section of it, however, and are offering the lenses as collectibles. sions from planet Earth, the beginning of which was defined as the television broad- It was still mostly cloudy from overnight etarium behind which was one of a pair of cast of the opening ceremonies of the 1936 rain so I wasn't able to get a good read on projectors that comprised the digital full- Olympics. Traveling even farther, the limit the sundial. dome projection system. The projector was of our naked-eye constellations is shown in When I approached the building, Rich- rather diminutive compared to the large comparison to the size of the galaxy as the ard was waiting to greet me, and after in- mechanical projectors which once adorned troductions he ushered me into the plan- planetariums, but boasted rather impres- etarium through a service entrance. Upon sive specifications, considering that it illu- entering the dome I was impressed not minates half of the 68-foot diameter dome only by its size, but also how sparse it ap- (nearly 1,200 square feet of area). The dual peared. This was the first time I had been projectors each have two lamps and pre- inside a planetarium dome that did not cisely calibrated optics which project onto have a large projection system in the center. the opposite side of the dome via diagonal I had known before my visit that the Zeiss flat mirrors mounted just above the pro- Model VI projection system had been re- jectors. They weigh 300 pounds each and moved, but what I didn't realize was that produce over 30,000 BTUs of heat, which the new fulldome projection system was so must be dissipated using their own ventila- cleverly concealed in the perimeter of the tion system. dome. After we talked about the history and Richard give me a brief history of the technical details, I was treated to some- planetarium, which opened in 1949 and thing I wasn't expecting--a full demonstra- originally utilized a Zeiss Model II star tion of the planetarium. Richard dimmed projector. He talked about the 2011 re- the lights and showed me the capabilities placement of the Zeiss Model VI star of the planetarium as I stood beside the op- projector and efforts to preserve parts of erator's booth. We first toured the night sky One of the two Sky-Skan Definiti fulldome it (unfortunately a new home could not be on the dome. We talked about how the dig- projection systems in the 68-foot dome. found and the planetarium does not have ital projection systems do not display stars Each projector uses two lamps and projects the space to preserve it in complete form) quite as sharp as the old mechanical projec- upward onto a diagonal flat mirror and and also talked about planned renovations tors and he showed how there are adjust- against the opposite half of the dome. The to the building ments that can be made to display stars as projectors weigh 300 pounds each and have When we began talking about the pro- brighter, condensed points or larger discs, a custom ventilation system to dissipate the jection system he showed me to a nonde- something that helps to enhance the colors 30,000 BTUs of heat they generate while in script closet door at the front of the plan- of stars such as Betelgeuse and . use. 9 The Skyscraper June 2013

simulation transitions to the Digital Uni- verse databases. This simulation contains data that extends from the local group all the way out to the cosmic background ra- diation and shows the large-scale structure of the Universe. Richard then brought the demonstra- tion back to the inner solar system and demonstrated some custom programming that can be done with the planetarium software by showing a simple and intuitive animation of the seasons. After the nearly hour-long presentation he showed me downstairs to the exhib- its containing artifacts from the astronaut training programs and invited me to his first official presentation. Unfortunately I needed to get back to work and only had time to view the exhibits gallery, but I felt privileged to have gotten a personal show- ing in the planetarium dome which was used by all of the astronauts of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs.

The roster of astronauts from Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and even the early STS missions who trained at Morehead Planetarium.

Richard McColman, Fulldome Theater Director at Morehead Planetarium.

10 The Skyscraper June 2013

Top: A display of instruments, photographs, and drawings from Joseph Caldwell, first president of UNC, professor of mathematics and devoted astronomer. Bottom left: This flag was flown aboard STS-1 Columbia in April 1981. Bottom right: a letter from Jim Lovell to then planetarium director Tony Jenzano. 11 The Skyscraper June 2013

Binary Star: Xi Boötes Scott MacNeill

June is a fantastic time of the year to ob- stars south of Xi Boötes and not nearly as these stars do not present themselves, ad- serve the night sky. The bright Sagittarius colorful. just your focus to slightly blur the view and arm and galactic center of the Milky Way Observations of Xi Boötes will easily colors should become apparent. Galaxy rise early like an approaching storm reveal distinction between both stars with Don't hurry away from the eyepiece from the southeast. The starscape at this even modest backyard telescopes due to its when taking in the view of binary awe- point has switched to summer mode fea- relatively wide 7 arcseconds of separation. someness with this target. The easy sepa- ture rich awesomeness. This month we will A noticeable yellow with hints of purple ration and vivid colors make this star hard turn our aperture towards the constellation will emit from the luminous primary star to leave behind and I am sure it will earn Boötes (The Bear Herder) where we find with a rudy-red present in the smaller com- a special note on your list of killer binary the rather dim yet colorful star Xi Boötes. panion star. If the colorful differences in stars. A sometimes overlooked star, Xi Boo- tes, lies a mere 21.9 light years away from Earth with a visible magnitude of 4.6 mak- ing this star quite dim even under slightly light polluted skies. Xi Bootes is made up of two stars with a clearly visible degree of separation at 7 arcseconds. Xi Bootes A, the primary star, has a spectral classification of G8, is 10% smaller in diameter than the Sun, and displays bright yellow character- istics. The companion star, Xi Bootes B, has a spectral classification of K4, presenting a distinctly visible red-orange hue, and is slightly smaller than Xi Bootes A at 29% smaller than the Sun. Finding Xi Bootes in the sky can be somewhat challenging, especially if observ- ing under light polluted skies. At magni- tude 4.6 this star will surely be overpow- ered by local light pollution. Fret not, as the super bright star Arcturus is in the same neighborhood as Xi Bootes and will serve as a suitable guide. Shortly after sun- set, while facing South, the bright yellow star Arcturus will be shining dominantly overhead. Once identified, Xi Boötes can be found 20 degrees to the left of Arcturus, the north-most star in a small group of four faint stars. When hunting for Xi Boötes be sure not to mistaken the binary star Mu Boötes for Xi Boötes. Mu Boötes is two Kim Arcand book signing & solar star party

May 18 at Greenville Public Library Left to right: Kim Arcand, Tom Gilson, Bob Forgiel, Dave Huestis

1212 The Skyscraper June 2013 A "Double-Double" Challenge Nu (ν) Scorpii Glenn Chaple

I first met nu (ν) Scorpii in the summer of 1971. Using a 3-inch f/10 reflector and magnifying power of 60x, I saw the same wide (41 arc-second) magnitude 4.2 and 6.6 double star that the German astrono- mer Christian Mayer had discovered nearly two centuries earlier. At the time, I had no idea there was more to be seen. Neither did the American astronomer Ormsby M. Mitchel (who would later be- come a decorated Civil War general) when, in 1846, he eyed nu Scorpii with the 11- inch refractor at the Cincinnati Observa- tory. He was able to split the fainter star into its magnitude 6.6 and 7.2 components, which were 1.1 arc-seconds apart at the time. In 1873, the eagle-eyed double star observer S. W. Burnham outdid Mitchel by detecting the duplicity of the brighter star when its magnitude 4.4 and 5.3 com- ponents were a mere 0.3 arc-seconds apart. This was an amazing visual accomplish- ment, as Burnham made the discovery us- ing a 6-inch refractor! In the ensuing decades, these two pairs (designated Mitchel 2 and Burnham 120) widened and, by the early 1900s, were within reach of medium aperture scopes. In 1905, Agnes Clerke wrote that nu Scorpii is “perhaps the most beautiful quadruple group in the heavens.” Other astronomers likened it to the better-known “Double- double” epsilon (ε) Lyrae. Today, the two binary stars that com- prise the nu Scorpii system are wider than ever – 2.4 arc-seconds for Mitchel 2 and 10pm on a mid-June evening). Optimum Scorpii accurate? Does it actually out- 1.3 arc-seconds for Burnham 120. Splitting seeing conditions are a must, and you’ll rank the celebrated epsilon Lyrae in visual them will still require planning and pa- need an optically sound telescope of at least splendor? You won’t know unless you give tience. Because of its southerly , 6-inch aperture and a 200x-plus magnify- each a telescopic examination. you’ll have to wait until nu Scorpii is as ing power. high above the horizon as possible (around Was Agnes Clerke’s assessment of nu

1313 The Skyscraper June 2013

MAY REPORTS

ed the enjoyable time had after last month’s Secretary meeting with the Double Star Challenge Treasurer with Glenn Chaple. • AstroAssembly is Tom Thibault scheduled for October 4th and 5th this Linda Bergemann year. Volunteers will be needed to assist in Skyscrapers Annual Meeting Cash Flow YTD May 21, 2013 our organizations premier event. More to Minutes – May 3, 2013 (4/1/2013 through 5/21/13) come and please consider in lending a hand. Treasurer Linda Bergemann: President Ed Haskell called the Sky- INFLOWS scrapers May Members Meeting to Order Introduced for future membership con- Donation at 7:32PM. sideration was Mark Bruck. • Matthew President Ed Haskell: Misc Donation $132.00 Ed opened the White was voted into Skyscrapers by the Refreshment Donation $7.20 meeting and the floor for updates from the membership. • Matthew and Lauren Ouel- Star Party Donations $54.00 Trustees and B.O.D. lette were voted into Skyscrapers by the TOTAL Donation $193.20 Trustee Steve Siok: Informed the membership. Good of the Organization: Dues membership the restroom facilities has Member Contributing $59.05 been delivered and is opened for business, Observations • Scott Tracy noted Star- Family $240.00 so to speak. Conn is being held on June 1st at Wesleyan Regular $640.00 1st Vice President Kathy Siok: In- College in Middletown, Ct. Speaker Will Vaughan Senior $150.00 formed the membership the June, July, and provided the TOTAL Dues $1,089.05 August Members Meeting will be held on membership with a wealth of information Subscription Income Saturdays. • June and July speakers have about Mercury and updated all on the cur- Astronomy $196.00 been confirmed and August will feature rent findings concerning the closest planet Sky & Telescope $131.80 Member Presentations. Those interested to our sun. • Ed Haskell closed the meeting TOTAL Subscription Income $327.80 with sharing their current and past proj- at 8:45PM and invited the membership to TOTAL INFLOWS $1,610.05 ects or activities, please contact Kathy. • stay and enjoy the views through the orga- The June Members Meeting will be held nizations telescopes which are open for rest OUTFLOWS on June 8th and will be a Pot Luck event of the evening. Our speaker Will Vaughan Facilities Expense beginning with refreshments at 5:30. Kathy joined us and was treated to views of M3, Electric $14.98 encouraged all to bring one of their favorite M51, M65, M66, M81, M82, M104, and Trustee Exp $179.09 summer dishes to share. Saturn before closing. 2nd Vice President Bob Horton: TOTAL Facilities Expense $194.07 Not- Submitted by Tom Thibault - Secretary Misc Expenses Postage and Delivery $9.20 Refreshment Expense $26.37 TOTAL Misc Expenses $35.57 Subscription Payments Astronomy $196.00 Sky & Telescope $131.80 TOTAL Subscription Payments $327.80 TOTAL OUTFLOWS $557.44 OVERALL TOTAL $1,052.61

Cash and Bank Accounts 5/21/2013 Balance Capital One Bank $12,304.53 Checking $11,814.00 PayPal Account $0.00 TOTAL ASSETS $24,118.53

William Vaughan 14 The Skyscraper June 2013

MAY REPORTS variably, when a person draws a The Art of the Crescent Moon crescent Moon in the nighttime sky, he will represent it like so: Francine Jackson For the Moon to be seen like this in the sky, the viewer would either have to be up I think I’ve found the answer to a long- side of the Moon away from the Earth is very late (or get up just before dawn), or standing pet peeve of mine. lit, and the side facing us is dark, making a look up at the Moon when it is in the early For many years, whenever I’ve seen “new” Moon. daylight hours, generally before noontime. drawings of a crescent Moon in a night The next night, the Moon will be about The proper crescent for a normal night sky sky – especially in the daily comics – the 14 degrees east of the Sun, and will set just should be this: horns of the Moon have invariably about an hour after sunset. If you could see But, then, why does almost everybody faced toward the right, like so: As a the Moon before it leaves the sky, it would draw the Moon backwards? After trying lover of astronomy, I shudder every show just a little sliver of itself. And, be- to answer this question for several years, time I see the poor Moon exposed in such cause the Moon is located to the I believe I’ve found the answer – courtesy a fashion. left of the Sun, the right side of the the February, 1981 Omni magazine (living The sky, from our view, seems to travel Moon will be lit, like so: proof – never throw anything away). The from east to west. When the Moon is vis- Every night, the Moon will continue to reason is that most artists are right-handed, ible, it also appears to move with the stars. be around 14 degrees farther to the left of and drawing the Moon that way is more Actually, the Moon is moving independent the Sun, and we see more of it lit. Finally, comfortable for them. For myself, a left- of the rest of the sky – travelling about two weeks after “new,” the Moon will be hander, it feels more natural to draw it the 2,000 mph west to east, or counterclock- opposite the Sun, and we see its entire lit other (actual) way – try it yourself. wise against the stars. However, it is far side, the “Full Moon,” rising just as the Sun My main reason for writing this is that enough away, about a quarter million miles, sets. artists should try for truth in art, even that for our swift looks, it appears to be The next night, the Moon will seem to though something doesn’t “feel” right. Of moving with the rest of the sky. start its trek toward the Sun. Each night, course, sometimes it does appear there are In thinking what this has to do with we will see a little less of the Moon than other points that must be considered: I re- the shape of the Moon: Let’s start with the the day before. And, because the Moon is cently spoke with an artist who had done Moon at “zero,” that is, when it is in the now to the right (west) of the Sun, this reversal of the Moon for a concert se- same part of the sky as the Sun. The only the sunlit side is now the left: Each ries poster. Her defense – artistic license. reason we see the Moon is because it re- day, the Moon will appear smaller All right, I can concede: Perhaps artistic flects sunlight, with one half of the Moon and smaller until it is again “new,” and the license is a viable rationale. But, so, too, is lit at any time. When the Sun and the process starts all over again. good science. Moon are on the same side of the sky, the Now, on to the art of the Moon. In-

Scott MacNeill and Francine Jackson present an award received by Frosty Drew Observatory from Yankee Magazine for Best Stargazing in New England

15 The Skyscraper June 2013 Mercury, Venus & Jupiter Conjunction May 26 Steve Hubbard

May 27

16 The Skyscraper June 2013 Mercury, Venus & Jupiter Conjunction May 31 Jim Hendrickson

17 Directions to Seagrave Memorial Observatory From the Providence area: Take Rt. 6 West to Interstate 295 in Johnston and proceed west on Rt. 6 to Scituate. In Scituate bear right off Rt. 6 onto Rt. 101. Turn right onto Rt. 116 North. Peeptoad Road is the first left off Rt. 116.

From Coventry/West Warwick area: Take Rt. 116 North. Peeptoad Road is the first left after crossing Rt. 101.

From Southern Rhode Island: Take Interstate 95 North. Exit onto Interstate 295 North in Warwick (left exit.) Exit to Rt. 6 West in John- ston. Bear right off Rt. 6 onto Rt. 101. Turn right on Rt. 116. Peeptoad Road is the first left off Rt. 116.

From Northern Rhode Island: Take Rt. 116 South. Follow Rt. 116 thru Greenville. Turn left at Knight’s Farm intersec- tion (Rt. 116 turns left) and follow Rt. 116. Watch for Peeptoad Road on the right.

From Connecticut: www.theSkyscrapers.org • Take Rt. 44 East to Greenville and turn right on Rt. 116 South. Turn left at Knight’s Farm inter- section (Rt. 116 turn left) and follow Rt. 116. Watch for Peeptoad Road on the right. • or • Take Rt. 6 East toward Rhode Island; bear left on Rt. 101 East and continue to in- tersection with Rt. 116. Turn left; Peeptoad Road is the first left off Rt. 116.

From Massachusetts: Take Interstate 295 South (off Interstate 95 in Attleboro). Exit onto Rt. 6 West in Johnston. Bear right off Rt. 6 onto Rt. 101. Turn right on Rt. 116. Peeptoad Road is the first left off Rt. 116.

47 Peeptoad Road North Scituate, Rhode Island 02857