Observatory News July 2012 Published by the Friends of the Observatory Volume 23 No. 7 513-321-5186 www.cincinnatiobservatory.org Bill Cartwright, editor [email protected]

infrequently (the next one won’t happen until 2117). I explained that Coming Up At Venus frequently crosses between The Observatory.... the Sun and the Earth, but because of the slight difference in the plane FOTO Summer Picnic, July 5, of our orbits, we only see it directly 6:00p The Word crossing the face of the Sun when Late Night @ the COC, July 7, Venus reaches conjunction with the By Dale Zoller Sun at or near one of its nodes – the 10:30p longitude where Venus passes History Tours, July 8, 1-4p One of the main missions of the through the Earth's orbital plane. In A2Z Astro Class, July 8, 7p Observatory is educating the public the same way, the difference in Astro Thursday, July 12, 8:30p about astronomy. In our programs orbital planes between the Earth, we try to impart knowledge about Astro Friday, July 13, 8:30p Sun and Moon is the reason that we the wonders of our universe. But don’t have solar and lunar eclipses FOTO Kids & Teens at knowledge is more than just facts every month. Stonelick, July 14 at dusk such as the size and distance of What we see during the transit is Stonelick Stargaze, July 14 & planets, stars, etc. Another aspect is actually an eclipse of the Sun by helping the public make a Venus. Even though Venus is much July 21 at dusk connection between an event and a Teacher Workshop, July 16-20 larger than the Moon, it is also much concept they have heard about in the farther from the Earth than the FOTO Planning Meeting, news. Moon, so it is seen as a tiny disk July 19, 6p The recent “Transit of Venus” crossing the face of the Sun. If we Astro Thursday, July 19, 8:30p provided such an opportunity for were to use an extremely sensitive me. Unfortunately for those of us instrument to take a measurement of Astro Friday, July 20, 8:30p here in Cincinnati, the clouds rolled the Sun’s light arriving at the earth Sun-day Sunday Sundae, in about ten minutes after Venus during the transit, we would notice a began its journey across the face of July 22, 1-4p very slight dip in its intensity as the Sun. Many people stayed Astro Thursday, July 26, 8:30p Venus crossed the disk of the Sun. around after the sun disappeared Behind the Scenes*, July 31, And now the connection; this is into the clouds; some watching the 7p online video from an observatory exactly what satellites like the FOTO Meeting, Aug 2 that wasn’t socked in. I was talking Kepler space telescope do in their FOTO Kids & Teens, Aug 3 to a couple who wanted to know search for exoplanets – planets *UC Communiversity why the “transit” event happens so around distant stars. Kepler finds

1 planets by looking for tiny dips in Astronomy July’s FOTO Meeting the brightness of a star when a planet passes in front of it as viewed Summer Camps By Dale Zoller from Earth. Even though we didn’t July 23-26 Mark your calendar now for the get to see much of it, I could tell that annual FOTO picnic! The picnic they made a connection between the By Craig Niemi will be held at the Observatory on transit event and the current hunt for Thursday, July 5, 2012 (in place of exoplanets. the regular meeting). The start time for the picnic is 6pm instead of the FOTO Kids and usual 7:30pm. FOTO will supply grills, charcoal, soft drinks, plastic FOTO Teens utensils, etc. Bring your own meat (or meat substitute) to grill. Feel By Dean Regas free to bring a side dish or dessert to share if you wish. This is a great There will be no FOTO Kids and chance to enjoy the company of FOTO Teens program in July at the your fellow FOTO members, meet Observatory. But since it’s summer some new friends, and relax in the break and you have to stay out later beautiful summer evening at the to see the stars, we’re Do You Have Children Who Observatory. The picnic will move recommending that you go to our Cannot Get Enough Astronomy? inside if it is raining. Dark Sky Site in July. Our members will be meeting at Stonelick State This Summer Send Them Late Night at the Park on July 14 and 21. You don’t Into Outer Space. Observatory need to bring anything – they’ll th th have plenty of telescopes for you to The Cincinnati Observatory summer Saturday, July 7 & August 4 10:30 pm-12:00 am look through. The programs start camps are the perfect adventure for after dark but only happen if it’s your "spacey" students to learn Can’t sleep? Looking for a unique clear. Our next meeting will be at about and do astronomy at a unique, night out? Come see what the the Observatory on Friday August 3 working observatory in the heart of Observatory is like after hours. at 8:30pm. the city. Campers will explore the You'll get to use the oldest big Please contact Dean Regas at Moon, solar system, and beyond telescope in the U.S. to view [email protected] if while using the historic telescopes at astronomical objects that are not you have any questions. the Observatory. The camp visible until late at night (weather combines safe solar viewing with permitting). Get a sneak preview of the next season’s planets and stars – nighttime viewing of the planets, ScopeOut 2012 a month or two ahead of everyone star clusters, and nebulae. Our Planning Meeting else. Plus, zoom in on a late-rising campers truly become astronomers moon, or watch the whole sky for a

for the week. meteor shower or satellite passes. By Dale Zoller Each night is different and special! Camp Dates & Ages These programs are recommended We will have our next ScopeOut For ages 8-12 years old for adults only. 2012 planning meeting on Tuesday, July 23-26, from 6-10 pm If the weather does not permit July 10 at 6:30 pm at the viewing, we’ll have fun with some Observatory. Anyone interested in Cost: $175 per camper, $160 for of the crazy science experiments helping with the planning of the members. A limited number of and “adult” constellation mythology various ScopeOut activities is Scholarships are available - please stories that we can’t share with invited to attend. We will have the call for more info. family audiences. volunteer sign-up sheets at the July Reservations are required - space Admission is $10 per person 5th FOTO picnic. ScopeOut 2012 is limited. For further information or The late nights sell out early. To will be held on Saturday, September to register, please call Leo Sack at make reservations please call 513- 8, 2012. 513-321-5186. 321-5186.

2 Sun-day Sunday A2Z+ Astronomy Class Welcome Sundae How High the Moon? New & Renewing At the Observatory (And other stuff) Members!

Sunday, July 22nd By Dave Bosse

1-4 pm The A2Z+ Astronomy class has had such a run of bad luck this spring, Want to view the Sun through the running into several scheduling oldest telescope in the country? conflicts and holidays. The second Don’t want to go blind? We Sunday of each month (the day that have a program for you. the A2Z+ class meets) has been very The Sun is the star attraction popular with social commitments outside the realm of Astronomy, so on this Sunday and you can learn much so that we have been unable all about our nearest stellar to meet at all during the season of neighbor. Sun-day Sunday Spring. Well, Summer is here now Sundae includes hourly programs in its full fury and hopefully we about the Sun, tours of our won’t run into too many vacation trips and we can get back to historic buildings, and safe viewing of sunspots and solar Astronomical inquiry. flares out of our 1845 telescope The topic that we will be looking Teresa & Steven Ahrenholz into this month (July 8th, 7:00 P.M., (weather permitting). Mitchel Building this month!) has Matthew Archibald been on the back burner these many Jason Baldridge months, but is still a fresh and Olivia Ballard interesting subject: Astronomical John Barnes distance measurement techniques. Brad and Rachel Bernstein Everything we know about the Jackie Bonfield Universe has come to us in the form Maryann and Hank Burwinkel of tiny photons of light. How do we Larry Brown and Cristina know that the Andromeda Galaxy is Gutierrez 2.2 million light years away, just Jaqualine Brumm from studying the light from a few dozen of its stars? It’s not quite YWCA of Greater Cincinnati magic, but it is the result of some Mike & Jody Crane Astronomical conjuring of the most Sean Cunat/Dept. of Creative ingenious sort. There are about 27 Leslie and Ralph Demoret As a special treat we will also different ways to deduce distances Rob and Ann Flanagan have free sundaes for those in to Astronomical objects from James W. Frank attendance. Perfect for all ages. photon analysis. Melissa Fugett Cost is just $6 per person. Come on out to the Observatory Aaron & Jaelene Gibbons No reservations required. For (I bet its closer than Andromeda Barbara Gloeckner more information please call from where you live!) for the next Robert Gorham 513-321-5186. A2Z+Astronomy Class and we’ll take a quick survey of these Christopher and Christina techniques that tell us everything we Graney Did You Know That…. know about where things are in the Mark Griffen Universe. The A2Z+ class meets Tom & Nancy Hamant Eventually over trillions of years, the second Sunday of each month at Thomas and Jeanne Hayden star formation in our galaxy will 7:00 P.M. (usually) in the West Elisabeth Huffman stop completely as all the available Wing of the Herget Building, lasts Dwayne Humphrey dust and gas will be used up. about an hour or so and is free to Anna Hutchinson any member of the Observatory. 3 Bev Ketron Craig’s Corner known then. But will Pluto’s Martin and Lisa Koepke planetary status have been finally Gloria Lane By Craig Niemi decided by then? Art and Carol McCardle But even with any unimagined With few exceptions, no one who technologies, what won’t have Chelsea McGimpsey changed is the truly personal, Grant and Susan Mussman witnessed the Transit of Venus on June 5th will see the next one. authentic experience each visitor has Keara Peterson when they gaze through the Mitchel Matthew Schaefer During the recent transit-mania it was fun to speculate about what the telescope at Jupiter and its four Doug and Tatja Schneider world will be like in the year 2117. Galilean moons. Deidre Simpson Its technologies; the careers people They’ll still marvel at the Bonnie Speeg will have; our leisure activities. architecture of the Hannaford Charles and Mary Thompson Given the exponential growth of designed 1873 building and the John Zeszut astronomical knowledge since the treasures it houses. Just like today’s 1800’s it’s impossible to predict students, they’ll take their turns Zoe Zeszut telling time at the Sundial. And Melissa Zimmer what questions astronomers will be asking then. young and old will hike the Planet But we do know what it will be Walk to far away worlds. July FOTO Planning like at your Observatory in the year None of this will be merely a 2117. museum of “how things used to be”. Meeting On April 14, 2117, the Mitchel A century from now the Telescope will be celebrating its two Observatory’s programs will still be By Dale Zoller hundred and seventy-second relevant to teachers, students, scouts birthday. The “new” Clark scope and the public. The next FOTO Planning Meeting is will be only 213 years old. Both will And just as today, the members scheduled for Thursday, July 19, still be in use nightly sharing the and volunteers of 2117 will be the 2012 at 6 pm at the Observatory. same spectacular views of the Moon backbone of the Observatory, The meeting generally lasts a couple and ringed Saturn we see today. welcoming visitors with the same hours. The planning meetings are Both will still enthrall all who enter genuine warmth and personal open to all FOTO members. We their domes with their engineering connection while sharing their encourage your participation in the and intrinsic beauty. wealth of knowledge with young discussion of future FOTO Building on the programs Paul, and old alike. activities. Dean and Leo began in the late 20th Just as today, our talented to early 21st century, the members, volunteers and generous Observatory’s education staff will contributors will make it all Stargazing at Stonelick have grown to more than fifty possible. In fact your contributions State Park educators trying to meet the today help ensure future generations community’s demands for can have the same experience today’s visitors have. By Craig Niemi programming. Using 3D Even though the 2117 transit will holographic images in the state-of- Saturdays, July 14 & 21 the-art underground education not be visible from Cincinnati, for many, it will be a prelude to the center, they’ll transport students to the cratered surface of Ganymede, 2125 transit which will be seen from The summer skies hold remarkable the Observatory. celestial treasures. Bring a picnic explore for life on Titan, then zoom out to the edge of the universe and Imagine the turnout for what dinner and enjoy beautiful Stonelick will be the last chance in their Lake Park and then stay for the free look back toward our little world. School groups will use digital lifetimes to witness a Transit of stargazing. Open to all ages. Bring Venus. Try to imagine what they’ll your own scope for expert help telescopes about the size of today’s iPods, with 10,000X magnification imagine about their future world. navigating the night sky. Stargazing begins at dusk. that will let each student zoom in on far away Pluto and its moons. The Stargazes are weather permitting. Did You Know…. device’s information display will “Friend” the Stonelick Lake compare what little was known Stargazers Facebook page for Clouds in the atmosphere of Venus about the mysterious world way weather and schedule updates, are almost 98% sulfuric acid. back in 2012 versus what will be

4 Transit of Venus After the Transit of 1882, the last one prior to 2004, an op-ed ran in Thoughts on a Twice in the New York Times musing about a Lifetime Event the future when “the June flowers are blooming in 2004.” It said, By Dean Regas “When the last transit season The sky was partly to mostly occurred the intellectual world was cloudy in the Cincinnati area on The June 5th Transit of Venus was awakening from the slumber of ages June 5th. Sue and I elected to drive the last time I will see the beautiful and that wondrous scientific activity west into Illinois where weather planet cross in front of the face of which led to our present advanced predictions were better. Our travels the Sun. I already miss her. knowledge was just beginning. paid off and we saw the transit with Sure I’ll be able to see Venus What will be the state of science only a few scattered again in only a few short days as she when the next transit season arrives clouds. pops out into the pre-dawn skies but God only knows.” she won’t be the same. A Transit of Our scientific knowledge in Venus has transformed her. This astronomy progresses so rapidly that rarest of astronomical events discoveries are made daily. The changes your perspective not only next Transit of Venus won’t be until the planets but the history of the the year 2117 and even that one universe. won’t be visible from Cincinnati. Our ancestors will have to travel to Asia, Australia, or Africa to see it. How will they get there? What will

My goal was to image the life be like 105 years from now? In the 22nd century will space tourists atmosphere of Venus. Between first watch Transits of Venus far above and second contact I over-exposed the Earth any day they choose? the image to see the solar Even as an astronomer it’s hard prominences and watched as Venus to wrap my mind around distances, moved onto the sun. cycles, and expanses of time that A Transit of Venus only occurs are, well, astronomical. But I am when the planet Venus comes reassured that no matter what may directly between the Earth and Sun. happen on Earth, the Transit of Much more subtle than a solar Venus will occur again on eclipse, the Transit of Venus is December 10, 2117 and December unique because of its precision, its 8, 2125. history, and its rarity. The Sun, with To those witnessing the next pair Venus as a small beauty mark of Transits in the 22nd century under marching slowly across its the December Sun, in a future I behemoth face, has been noted just can’t begin to imagine, I wish you seven times in human history. clear skies and the same spectacular For the Transits of the 1700s and view that we had twice in the 21st 1800s, astronomers sailed around The image above shows the century. the world to catch a glimpse of it. Dean Regas is the Astronomer arcing atmosphere of Venus as well In 2004 I drove my Geo Metro to for the Cincinnati Observatory. He as Venus occulting the faint spray New Hampshire to see it over the can be reached at prominence. The black mask and Atlantic Ocean at sunrise. And on [email protected] arrow were placed on the image in Tuesday I flew on a Delta jet to Photoshop to help show Venus Arizona to witness the event over the stark, high desert. Millions of Did You Know…. before it was in front of the solar people watched the various Transit disk. webcasts from around the world. Everything in our galaxy, including We had a great time observing My journeys in 2004 and 2012 and Earth, circles around a super- the transit and made a few new those virtual journeys would have massive black hole at our galaxy’s center friends. been unthinkable to those viewing the Transit of 1882. 5 History of the Summer Arrives: Transit of Venus 2012 Observatory The Paul Nohr Sundial By Craig Niemi

2nd & 4th Sundays Despite mostly uncooperative skies, 1-4 pm over 450 came to the Observatory on June 5th to witness the once-in-a-

lifetime Transit of Venus. Another By Craig Niemi 200+ were on hand at nearby Ault

Park and untold numbers joined in the Venus-gazing at other off-site locations.

1:38pm; Local Noon on the Summer Solstice

By Craig Niemi

Since its dedication on March 21 2009, the Paul Nohr Memorial Sundial has mystified and enlightened hundreds, if not thousands of Observatory visitors. Daytime visitors who walk, jog, ride or drive up to the campus invariably All afternoon more and more stop to explore the sundial. visitors poured onto the grounds. Some got a peek at the beginning of the transit, others near sunset. I’m afraid to think how many visitors we would have had if the skies had been clear. We had tours, presentations, Q&A going all afternoon. Many enjoyed the live NASA web video feeds in the two classrooms and on Our talented volunteer docents from iPads throughout the grounds. the Museum & History Committee Volunteers did what they do best weave the fascinating story of the and enlightened young and old to Cincinnati Observatory’s rich The Sundial has seen extensive use the history of the observatory and history and the unique cast of during K-12 school field trips and astronomy in general. No one characters that made Cincinnati the special events like the upcoming seemed disappointed, in fact, it was Birthplace of American Astronomy. Sun Sunday. Deceptively simple in a festival atmosphere. An ideal opportunity for our appearance, the sundial reveals the Our thanks to COC Outreach astronomy program volunteers to apparent motion of the sun, the Educator Leo Sack for all his hard learn more about the Observatory shape of the earth’s orbit and the work putting together the events and and incorporate its history into your reason for the seasons. all our volunteers! Can’t imagine programming. No reservations A remarkable teaching tool in what Leo has in mind for the next needed, except groups. honor of a remarkable teacher! Venus transit!

6 Engineering is Once the ovens were completed the Nearby Asteroids students presented their results to a

Elemental panel of experts made up of NASA has just released a new count Observatory astronomers Leo, John, of asteroids that come close to the By Craig Niemi Basil and Craig. Overall the results orbit of Earth and could survive were impressive even if the panelist entry through our planet's For their final project before school didn’t get to sample any of the test th atmosphere. The data, gathered by let out for the summer, 5 grade S’mores. an infrared space telescope named students from neighboring Kilgour WISE, reveal important new School were given the task to design information about the origin and and construct solar ovens. Re: Size of Everything make-up of these potentially

– An Amazing Graphic hazardous space rocks. http://science.nasa.gov/science- Here’s a Cool Site for Teaching news/science-at- With Your iPad. nasa/2012/16may_pha/

FOTO Board Members Date Term Expires

President: Dale Zoller / Oct. 2012 Vice President: Rebecca The overall design concept was to Schundich / Oct. 2012 consider third world applications by Secretary: Michelle Lierl Gainey / making them inexpensively and Oct. 2012 with readily found materials. The “The Scale of the Universe” Treasurer: JoAnne Pedersen / Oct. ovens were scored on several http://htwins.net/scale2/ 2012 criteria including: maximum FOTO/COC Representative: Scott temperature reached, time they held Gainey / Oct. 2013 temperature, efficient use of June 2012 FOTO Trustee: Dave McBride / Oct. 2012 materials and ease of construction. Meeting Highlights Trustee: Frank Huss / Oct. 2012 Trustee: Dave Bosse / Oct. 2013 Their project was part of a pilot By Dave Bosse Trustee: John Blasing / Oct. 2013 program with the University of

Cincinnati FUSION Center June’s program “Who Was Dr. Paul UC Communiversity (www.cech.uc.edu/fusion) to partner Herget and What Did He Do?” was schools with informal education presented by Dr. Al Scheide. Dr. Classes for providers such as the Observatory Herget was the seventh director of Life-Long Learners and iSpace. the Cincinnati Observatory. He

served as director from 1943 until Behind the Scenes, July 30, 7pm Rather than just have the students his retirement in 1978. Dr. Scheide Sundial, Aug 4, 12-2p come to the Observatory for a described some of the many Stargazing 101, Aug 14 , 8pm typical once-a-year field trip, the contributions that Dr. Herget made Class start times vary. program brings together teachers, to computational astronomy, the Enrollment is easy – Just a quick students and informal educators for United States Military, the United phone call to 513-556-6932 or visit project-based learning opportunities States Space Program, and the www.uc.edu/ce/ over the course of the school year. Cincinnati Observatory – and of

course the Pringles Potato Chip. The students had previously visited The July 5, 2012 FOTO meeting Did You Know…. the Observatory this year for a will be our annual FOTO Picnic. program on the Reason for the More information about the picnic is Jupiter’s magnetic field is 20,000 Seasons. Leo followed up with 2 included in a separate article. times the strength of Earth’s. additional programs specifically about solar energy.

7 Atlas 5 Rocket Panoramic View of a August FOTO Launches on 50th Turbulent Star- Program

EELV Mission Making Region By Tom East

August 12th - “The Permittivity and Permeability of Free Space - Their Meaning and Measure- ment” presented by FOTO member John Blasing. This presentation is an introduction to two fundamental properties of the universe - permittivity and permeability - including an experimental measurement of permittivity. It will be shown at the conclusion of the presentation that these two properties, taken together, determine yet another universal constant, the speed of light.

Marking a milestone in flight at the John took up the hobby of fore of American rocketry, an Atlas performing experiments in 5 majestically rose away from Cape 30 Doradus is the brightest star- fundamental physics about two Canaveral on the 50th mission for forming region in our galactic years ago. In that time he has the Evolved Expendable Launch neighborhood and home to the most assembled a laboratory which he Vehicle program. massive stars ever seen. The nebula claims would fill the needs of an resides 170,000 light-years away in advanced high school physics the Large Magellanic Cloud.. No curriculum. Asteroid Flyby known star-forming region in our His demonstration is the product galaxy is as large or as prolific as A small asteroid flew past Earth of one of these experiments. John , 30 Doradus. The image comprises May 29 2012 inside the orbit of graduated with honors from the one of the largest mosaics ever geosynchronous satellites and only University of Cincinnati with a assembled from Hubble photos 14,000 km above the surface of our bachelor's degree in mechanical planet. Named "2012 KT42," the 3- engineering, and has enjoyed a long — Several million stars are vying to 10-meter wide space rock ranks and varied career in both for attention in this NASA/ESA #6 on the top-20 list of known mechanical and electrical Hubble Space Telescope image of a close-approaches to Earth, which engineering. He is within a few raucous stellar breeding ground in makes it significant despite its small years of retirement, which he 30 Doradus, located in the heart of size. More information and images anticipates with relish. John has the Tarantula nebula. may be found on been a member of FOTO since 30 Doradus is the brightest star- http://spaceweather.com 2004. forming region in our galactic neighborhood and home to the most Mars Touchdown Annual FOTO Picnic massive stars ever seen. The nebula th July 5 , 6 pm resides 170 000 light-years away in Changed the Large Magellanic Cloud, a Join us for the annual FOTO Picnic small, satellite galaxy of our Milky NASA has narrowed the landing on the Observatory grounds. Bring Way. No known star-forming region zone for Mars rover Curiosity, your own meat or meat substitute to in our galaxy is as large or as which is due to reach the Red Planet be grilled by FOTO volunteers - prolific as 30 Doradus. in August. The rover will touch FOTO will provide the trimmings. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releas down closer to its science target, but Feel free to bring a side dish or es/2012/04/120417102050.htm also closer to the foot of a mountain dessert to share if you wish. slope that poses a landing hazard.

8 Craig B. Waff, Ph.D., National Aeronautics and Space astronomy. He was a member of the Administration (NASA) Langley Antique Telescope Society and 1946–2012 Research Center in Virginia. He attended at least half a dozen ATS attended graduate school at Johns conventions. His research on the By John Ventre & Trudy E. Bell Hopkins University, receiving his early pre-factory telescopes of The Cincinnati Observatory has Ph.D. in 1976. Research for his Alvan Clark was published in the several out of town historians who dissertation on French eighteenth- special double issue of the Journal are assisting in the assembly of the century lunar theory in France and of the Antique Telescope Society Observatory’s history. One of these Denmark was supported by a #27-#28 Fall 2006. Among other historians, Craig Waff, has been Woodrow Wilson Fellowship; his topics, he wrote seminal papers on researching for the past several dissertation was completed under the history of the U.S. Nautical years the lectures that Ormsby noted historian of astronomy Harry Almanac Office, on the early pre- MacKnight Mitchel, the founder of Woolf, who had written what is now factory career of major nineteenth- the Observatory, delivered in a classic book on the eighteenth- century American telescope maker American cities from 1842 to the century transits of Venus in 1761 Alvan Clark, and on aspects of the eve of the Civil War-over 225 and 1769. controversy among nineteenth- individual lectures have been Painfully shy as a young man, identified. century English and French Waff realized after a year of astronomers surrounding priority for teaching mathematics at the the discovery of the planet Neptune. University of Missouri, Kansas City, Papers and articles of his had been that a career as a university published in Scientific American, professor standing in front of a Journal for the History of classroom was not his forte. Thus, Astronomy, Astronomy, IEEE for much of his career he was an Spectrum, Journal of the Antique editor for New York City-area Telescope Society, various Air Force publishers of encyclopedias and publications, and half a dozen other reference works. He also academic encyclopedias. At the time served as contract historian for the of his death, Waff was completing NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, from 1985– research on the popular lectures of 1993, researching the history of Ormsby MacKnight Mitchel, the NASA’s Deep Space Network founding director of the Cincinnati (tracking system for interplanetary Observatory who has been likened spacecraft) and Galileo mission to to a nineteenth-century Carl Sagan. Jupiter, and serving as a technical An avid Yankees fan, Waff also

writer. was keenly interested in the history Craig Waff, center, between At the time of his death, he was of early American pre-1860 pre- John and Val Senior Historian at the Air Force Civil War base ball (when the sport

Research Laboratory at Wright- was still spelled with two words and Historian, editor, and writer Craig Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, played by somewhat different rules B. Waff passed away on Tuesday, from today). th Ohio, where he had worked since June 12, 2012, in his 66 year, in 2004, except for a brief stint at At the time of his death, he had Pasadena, California, just one week Andrews Air Force Base, where he just completed writing and editing after he had observed the rare transit was historian for the 89th Airlift several contributions to an of Venus from Mount Wilson Wing (the wing that maintains Air upcoming book The Greatest Games Observatory. Force One and other aircraft for of 19th Century Baseball to be Waff was born in New York, federal officials). published by the Society for NY, on May 3, 1946, and grew up His love of history was so great American Baseball Research in New York as well as in North that it was also his hobby during his (SABR), of which Waff had been a Miami, Florida. Showing leisure hours, and vacations were member since 1992. Most mathematical ability at a young age, often research trips to archives significantly, however, through his Craig majored in mathematics at the around the United States and dogged research through digital University of Florida, graduating in Europe. His abiding personal databases and newspapers on 1969; during the summers he research interest was history of microfilm, Waff single-handedly worked as a co-op student at the 9 quintupled the known number of lecture series. He also attended both Evidence Mounts for base ball games played between of the Antique Telescope Society 1845 and 1860 from around 300 to meetings that were held at the Ice in the Moon’s at least 1,500 (an early account of Cincinnati Observatory, and he was Shackleton Crater this project and Waff’s Games one of the Chairs for the 2008 ATS Tabulation appear at workshop “The Vintage According to data from NASA's st http://www.retrosheet.org/Protoball/ Observatory: Thriving in the 21 Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter GamesTab.htm). Century”. Also last year he (LRO), ice may make up as much as From 1993–1997, Waff was presented to FOTO a program on his 22 percent of the surface material in married to science writer and editor historical Mitchel research. Shackleton crater at the Moon's Trudy E. Bell, whom Waff had His family solicits reminiscences south pole. known professionally and as a and remembrances from people who friend since the late 1970s. knew Craig Waff professionally or Although the two found living personally. If you plan on attending together challenging and they the July 21 memorial service please divorced and lived apart in different let John Ventre know Ohio cities, they remained [email protected]. extremely close companions, His companion, Trudy Bell and sharing the raising of Trudy’s their daughter, Roxana, from daughter Roxana, spending most Cleveland, and Craig’s Brother and holidays together, and traveling his wife, William and Ellen, from together on research trips, family Connecticut, will be conducting the vacations, and to conferences. memorial service. Waff and Bell were visiting Craig Waff’s family intends to In this laser elevation map of Pasadena to give talks at the same posthumously publish his nearly Shackleton crater, false colors special symposium on the transit of completed major research on indicate height, with blue lowest and red highest. Venus held at Mount Wilson Ormsby MacKnight Mitchel and the Observatory, and together they pre-1860 baseball games. The huge crater, named after the observed the rare transit of Venus Antarctic explorer Ernest across the face of the sun from Shackleton, is two miles deep and inside the 150-foot solar tower Did You Know…. more than 12 miles wide. The small telescope at the observatory on tilt of the lunar spin axis means The full Moon of May 5-6, 2012, Tuesday, June 5. On Thursday, June Shackleton's interior is permanently was a perigee moon, 14% bigger 7, Waff was completing some of his dark and very cold.. Researchers last research on Mitchel at the and 30% brighter than other full have long thought that ice might Huntington Library in Pasadena and moons of 2012. collect there. When a team of had just hung up from a phone call NASA and university scientists used to Bell when he collapsed on the Thank Goodness for LRO's laser altimeter to examine the reading room floor from massive Magnetism! floor of Shackleton crater, they cardiac arrest. Although he was found it to be brighter than the rushed to Huntington Memorial floors of other nearby craters around If it weren't for Earth's magnetic Hospital, he never regained the South Pole. field, we would be toast. We are consciousness, passing away five reminded of our luck whenever we days later. see that the Sun is having another Did You Know…. A memorial service for Craig one of its temper tantrums, as it did Waff will be held at the Cincinnati The recent search for Extrasolar in March. But how would our Observatory Center on Saturday, Planets has produced 27 new invisible shield—and our modern July 21, noon time. His family planets, of which 6 have retrograde technologies—hold up if Earth were requested that his memorial service orbits….they circle their stars in the again in the path of a solar storm be held at the Cincinnati “wrong direction”. This surprise is like the one that struck Earth in Observatory because of the research an unexpected challenge to current 1859? he has been doing for several years theory that planets spin in the same http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/partners on Ormsby MacKnight Mitchel’s direction as their home star.

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