OBSERVATORY NEWS March 2014 Published by the Friends of the Observatory (FOTO) Volume 25 No. 3 513-321-5186 www.cincinnatiobservatory.org Bill Cartwright, editor

this will not pose a problem for too COMING UP AT many of our previous Thursday evening attendees! But it seems THE OBSERVATORY.... there are some people who could not come on Thursdays and can come on Mondays, so we are looking forward to meeting you! Stonelick Stargaze Mar 1 dusk The first Astrophotography Dean’s Astro class Class was given by Fred Calvert for members Mar 3 7p on February 20th and was an Astronomy Thursday Mar 6 8p excellent introduction to the FOTOKids Mar 7 7p principles of astrophotography. Astronomy Friday Mar 7 8p Even I could understand it! If you History Tours Mar 9 1-4p missed the first class but want to **FOTO Meeting Mar 10 7:30p THE WORD participate in future classes, e-mail Astronomy Thurs Mar 13 8p me ([email protected]) and I will send you Fred’s slides from the Astronomy Friday Mar 14 8p By Michelle Lierl Gainey first class. Following Fred’s *UC Science Expo Mar 15 12-4p Hello friends! instructions, I was able to “take” Astronomy Thurs Mar 20 8p At our February FOTO my first astrophoto using a remote Astrophoto Worksh Mar 20 7p meeting, a vote was taken to telescope at New Mexico Skies Astronomy Friday Mar 21 8p change the Bylaws so that the (for free!). See my photo of the 5th Anniversary of the Paul Nohr meetings are no longer required to Whirlpool Galaxy below! Memorial Sundial Mar 23 1-4p be held on the first Thursday of Astromony Thurs Mar 27 8p each month. The reason for this Astronomy Friday Mar 28 8p was to move the FOTO meeting to Stonelick Stargaze Mar 29 dusk a different day so that the Observatory is free for public ** Note the monthly FOTO programs every Thursday. Based on the Survey Monkey poll taken Members Meeting has moved to through the newsletter, it seems 2nd Mondays - 7:30pm at the that Monday evenings are the best Observatory day for the most members, so we

decided to have FOTO meetings on Save-The-Dates! the second Monday of the month. Marsapalooza Apr 10-12 Thus, our next monthly meeting The telescope does all the technical st 1 Night Light Apr 13 will be held on Monday March work, so it is a no-brainer, but it Intro to Astronomy Apr 16, 23, 30 10th, at 7:30 pm. Please mark was still a fun way to get started. Astrophoto Workshop Apr 17 your calendars for the second The next class is on Thursday, Saturn Saturday May 10 Monday of each month. I hope March 20th at 7 pm. I know we

1 have many intelligent and talented members of FOTO. Many of you FOTO Kids and 50 For 50! are knowledgeable about interesting astronomical or FOTO Teens By Aashi Mital historical topics. If you would like By Aashi Mital to give a presentation at one of the As many of you know, the Cincinnati Observatory has been FOTO meetings, feel free to Thank you for the amazing submitted as an entry for the contact one of our program turnout at February’s meeting! We Cincinnati Preservation committee members: Dave saw some new faces in the room McBride, Tom East or John and were thrilled to share the Association’s “50 FOR 50!” Blasing. world of Galileo with all of you. Contest. They are celebrating their th Saturday, March 8th is This month is bound to be just as 50 Anniversary by selecting the International Sidewalk Astronomy exciting as we dive into the life of top 50 buildings and historical Day! This year, the event is held French astronomer Charles sites that make Cincinnati unique. in honor of John Dobson, the father Messier and his astronomical The list comes out April 10th, so of sidewalk astronomy, who died catalogue. Be prepared for the we need to really go for it over the in January at age 98. John Dobson adventurous challenge of our very next few weeks! The higher up on has left a beautiful legacy of own Messier Marathon! the list we are, the greater the outreach astronomy, which we at Make sure that you dress for presence of the Observatory in the FOTO are helping to carry on. I the weather, as we’ll be spending a regional area. hope FOTO members will turn out great deal of time outside. Don’t The contest is through in record numbers to hold sidewalk worry! If the weather doesn’t Facebook, but you don’t need to astronomy events on March 8th. cooperate, we’ll have plenty of fun have Facebook to vote. All you Dean Regas is coordinating this activities to do indoors. We’ll see have to do is go to the link event; please contact Dean if you you in the Herget Building at the (https://www.facebook.com/pag are interested in participating. Observatory at 7 p.m. on Friday, es/Cincinnati-Preservation- th March 7 . Association/185964090342?v=app Have questions? Don’t hesitate _448952861833126&rest=1). When The Red Planet Returns! to email Aashi Mital you get there, click on “View ([email protected]) or Aaron Entries” option, select the picture Mark Your Calendar for Eiben ([email protected]). of the Observatory, which opens a Until then, stay warm and keep new page where the “Vote” option Marsapalooza 2014 looking up! becomes available and hit the

th “Vote” button. Thanks for the April 10, 11 & 12 9-11pm Museums and Historic Sites support.

The Cincinnati Observatory will open its doors and telescopes to of Greater Cincinnati the public while Mars is at its Greater Cincinnati STEM closest for the year. There will be Q&A about Mars, tours of our Collaborative amazing buildings and history, and viewing through the two vintage 1845 and 1904 telescopes (weather permitting). MHSofGC is currently comprised of over 30 participating sites across And we'll have tips on how to The Observatory is proud to be observe the upcoming April 15 Greater Cincinnati. Each site offers a unique perspective on local working with the Collaborative to lunar eclipse too. further STEM education in our $7 per person. No reservations history and culture through public programs, exhibits, lectures, and region. You can find out more at needed. Check out the What’s Up their new website! web page for any updates. tours. www.historicgreatercincinnati.org http://www.greatercincystem.org 2

Went to the observatory for the first UC Communiversity Craig’s Corner time a couple of weeks ago, it is truly

By Craig Niemi amazing and should be protected. Enrich Your Life With

Quality Courses Following the founding of the The marriage of science, education original Cincinnati Observatory in and history the Cincinnati 1842, and with astronomy’s Observatory provides for its citizens is subsequent spread across the a distinctive to our community and city. nation, observatories became symbols of a city’s culture, Simply beautiful. You've got to visit knowledge and affluence. this gorgeous campus or you haven't One of our goals has been for seen all of our city.

the Observatory to be recognized When the observatory started back in as an integral part of Cincinnati’s 1845, it opened the doors to citizen cultural fabric. science and opportunities in The Observatory was recently education. It still upholds this included in the Best of Cincinnati message. Guide (pg 20) and is in a top spot in

the Cincinnati Preservation Thank you for helping people to learn April 21th 7-9p Association’s 50 for 50 celebration. more about Cincinnati and trying to Behind the Scenes Both speak to the power of place open the eyes of the local people who May 12th 8-10p and the tremendous impact we’ve don't appreciate this city. They always Stargazing 101 had on the community. ask, "Why Cincinnati?" They think in May 14th 7-9p When we say “the modern day terms rather than going Mysteries of the Universe Observatory” we don’t just mean back in time when we were the 4th largest city in the country and aided the iconic buildings and All classes $22 per person (+ any the nation in several ways. telescopes. The Observatory is you materials fees.) and me; our staff, volunteers and The observatory is one of the best kept To register contact UC members; our donors and secrets. Go! Take your family! Look Communiversity at 513-556-6932 supporters; our inspired and awe- through time. Enjoy every moment of or www.uc.edu/ce/commu.html struck visitors young and old. this historic landmark.

That’s what power of place is. This is one of the few entries on here Planning Meeting We hope you will visit that actually talk about how it defines Cincinnati’s observatory often in the city and makes it special. By Michelle Gainey 2014! One day on the list and the The next FOTO Planning Meeting Here are some of the recent Observatory rose from 50th to 3rd! is scheduled for Thursday, March comments posted online. It's a special part of Cincinnati's

27, 6 pm at the Observatory. The history. I LOVE the Observatory! planning meetings are open to all More than a just a hidden treasure, a FOTO members. We encourage I didn't know much about the hidden gem. your participation in the observatory until I read this young discussion of future FOTO woman's caption. I couldn't help A place that has earned our activities. myself, so I went to one of their community’s support.

programs and was blown away! More than an attraction or fun thing Did You Know…. The architecture, the history, the to do. telescope viewing and the knowledge

of their volunteers. Did you know they The dark areas of the Sun are Something that visitors from out of only have 2-3 people on staff and the town will make part of their regions of low density gas that place is run on its volunteers? The Cincinnati experience. emit a stream of particles known upkeep and standards are pristine. as the Solar Wind. Good job COC.

3 Welcome International Sidewalk New & Renewing Astronomy Night

Members! By Dean Regas Various sites around the region Solar Cycle 24 has just set a record Saturday March 8, from 7-10pm for itself. A large sunspot group has remained intact for a third "Have telescope, will travel." Motto of passage across the solar surface the Sidewalk Astronomer facing . On January 2nd Active Region 1944 rotated into The premiere sidewalk view on the eastern solar limb and astronomer, John Dobson passed just south of the Sun’s equator. away earlier this year and to help For 14 days it grew in size and commemorate his life people shape and produced flares as it around the world will be setting crossed the solar disk. The up telescopes in public place. The sunspot rotated out of view only Cincinnati Observatory is the local to return 13 days later, again on sponsor of the event and we’ll be the eastern side of the Sun and setting up telescopes at Fountain below the solar equator. AR 1944 Eric Dunn and Judy Allen Square, Newport on the Levee and was re-named AR 1967. For 14 Robert A Allison Washington Park. If you would days it again traversed the solar Fred and Judy Bay like to help at one of those disk throwing flares into space. Jeff Blazey locations or select your own For the same sunspot to live for 2 Andrew Boehmer sidewalk astronomy station please passages was something out of the R. Terry Bolen let Dean Regas know ordinary for this solar cycle. Many Elizabeth Brown at [email protected] of the sunspots in the past few Janet Canter years have only survived for 5 to 7 Marcia Clifton Even if you do not have a days. So, AR 1967 was a record Lesta Cooper-Freytag telescope we could use extra breaker for this 11 year sunspot Eric Cronk people to work the crowds and cycle. Fred Sanborn and Janet Dieman pass out literature. It’s always a Then on February 25th, a new Doug and Shannon Disbennett fun time surprising passers-by large sunspot rotated into view. It Carl and Joanne Eastwood with a view of the ! was our old friend AR 1944 Richard Eby renamed AR 1967, and now Terry and Kim Endres named AR 1990. A day later, it Chuck and Fields FOTO Board Members exploded with an X 4.9 solar flare. Paul Franz Terms expire Oct. 2014 That flare was not aimed at the Jacob Glazer Except as noted Earth so we did not see any Robert Heslar adverse effects from it. The Jeff and Kathleen Howe President: Michelle Gainey sunspot has become smaller now Karen Kennedy VP: Aashi Mital and will likely not live long Brian Laake Secretary: John Barnes enough for another passage. Kathleen and Matthew Lynch Treasurer: JoAnne Pedersen However, it did break the record Sarah Melson FOTO Rep: Frank Huss (exp Oct for longest surviving sunspot of Megan Miller 2016) James Morrow Solar Cycle 24. If you would like Trustees to see more details of this Sinan Ozyol John Blasing (exp. Oct 2015) Frank and Nancy Palmisano sunspot’s life, check out Aaron Eiben (exp. Oct 2015) Valydon Philip Poonoosamy spaceweather.com and use the Al Scheide Donald Seltz archives area of the web page to Chris & Nancy Virgulak Dave McBride go back to January 2, 2014.

4 nineteenth-century origins of our Craig B. Waff Symposium national sport. Astrophotography Many volunteers will be needed June 27-29 to support this symposium. We Workshop will need volunteers to assist with By John Ventre preparation, sign-in, food-service, Thursday March 20th clean up, tour guides, paper 7:00-9:30 pm Dr. Craig B. Waff, historian of timers, car transportation from mathematics, astronomy, and the hotel to Observatory, etc. origins of baseball, had a massive etc. Please block out Friday night heart attack in June 2012. While June 27, daytime and nighttime on visiting California he was actively Saturday, June 28, and daytime conducting historical research on Sunday, June 29 to volunteer with Ormsby MacKnight Mitchel, the this symposium. Detailed duties founder of the Cincinnati for the volunteers will be posted at Observatory, when he experienced a later date. his heart attack. Craig’s memorial Also please consider registering Interested In Learning How service was held six weeks later at to attend the sympos- Astronomers Take Those Amazing the Cincinnati Observatory Center ium. Registration details will be Images Of The Heavens? (COC), an institution dear to his announced in the April FOTO Interested In Taking Those heart for its important role in the Newsletter. Pictures Yourself? history of astronomy. This Monthly Course Will A national historical symposium Teach You The Tricks Of The in the memory of Craig will be Leo Sack Update Trade, Help You Get The Most conducted at the COC from Friday By Craig Niemi Out Of The Equipment You evening, June 27 through Sunday, Already Have, And Point You June 29, 2014. Toward The Best Upgrades. You The Antique Telescope Society, Might Find Your Images In A in which Craig was very active, Future Observatory Calendar. has agreed to be a lead Free For Cincinnati Observatory participant. Also, members from Members. the Euler Society (Mathematics- Space Is Limited. If You Have Astronomy-Science) the Society for Questions Or Would Like To American Baseball Research Register, Please Call Us 513-321- Leo has enrolled in grad school at (SABR), and the Vintage Base Ball 5186. University of Colorado at Association (VBBA) are expected to contribute papers at the Colorado Springs working toward symposium. his Masters of Science degree in Guide To The Planets Moreover, two eminent Space Studies and Science historians who were both Teaching. For Ipad colleagues and friends of Craig— He’s found an apartment in Steven J. Dick, former NASA Cascade, in the foothills of Pikes From tiny Mercury to distant Chief Historian, and John Thorn, Peak and reports…You should see Neptune and Pluto, this interactive Official Historian of Major League the dark skies there! And the hiking. guide to the planets from And the wildlife... Astronomy Now magazine takes Baseball—have agreed to be keynote speakers at the dinner you on a tour of our Solar System Saturday night, June 28. Each will Did You Know…. and beyond. reflect on the role and significance https://itunes.apple.com/us/app of Craig’s research in the two The of Jupiter, Saturn and /planets-astronomy-now- fields of history of astronomy and Neptune are at least 50% water. guide/id633956878?ls=1&mt=8

5 always appreciate program ideas Observatory from June 27 – 29, 2) FOTO's March 2014 Meeting that you may have. Please share Dean Regas if you would like to them with any of the Program help with an observing session at By Dave McBride committee members. Washington Park immediately

following the presentation Dean The March meeting of the Friends will be giving in cooperation with of the Observatory marks a new Highlights of the February the Cincinnati Opera, and 3) Dale opportunity for our organization. Zoller if you want to help with the After more than two decades of FOTO Meeting planning of ScopeOut 2014 (it will membership meetings scheduled be here before you know it!). We were fortunate to have two on the first Thursday of each By John Barnes presentations in February: month, we now move our meetings to the second Monday of First, Frank Huss shared with On February 6, we, the Friends of each month. The general us some fascinating facts about his the Observatory, held our first recent cruise in the Atlantic. Frank membership approved this change regular monthly meeting since by majority vote at our February was aboard the four-masted November; December’s meeting clipper ship Star Flyer for 21 days meeting. Please join us, then, was the Holiday Dinner and on Monday, March 10, 2014 at at sea during which time the January’s meeting was cancelled clouds parted just in time for 7:30pm for the inaugural meeting due to snow. Frank to witness the total solar of our new schedule. First up, we voted to amend the eclipse on November 3, 2013 Several members have by-laws. They had been written in Next we were treated to a mentioned to me that the March a way that required FOTO presentation / demonstration, by meeting will be a bit confusing at meetings be held the first Aaron Eiben and John Blasing, of first because it creates some Thursday of each month. A their recently constructed cloud changes to other FOTO functions request from Craig and Dean chamber; a remarkable device for such as the timing of the made sense; move the monthly providing a visual display of newsletter and the day selected for meetings to another day and allow cosmic rays. our Planning committee meetings, the COC to be open to the public The next monthly FOTO etc. One issue that arose right on all Thursdays and Fridays. The meeting will be held at 7:30 pm away was that the Program amended by-laws do just that. As on March 10, i.e., the second speaker we scheduled for March long as appropriate notice is given, Monday in March! Mark your had a calendar conflict with the the monthly meetings can now be calendars! held on any day we choose. Don’t new meeting day. We have invited worry; we don’t intend to have our the speaker to consider another meetings one day this month and Meet Me Outdoors meeting date in the future. In the another day the next, but we do meantime we have an interesting want the freedom to respond to video feature to present to you at the changing needs of the COC the March meeting. and our membership. The net In the past we have at times result is: FOTO monthly meetings encountered a situation where a will now be held on the second speaker was unable to bring their Monday of each month at 7:30 PM. Looking for one site to find this topic solely because they could not Any deviation from that schedule winter’s outdoor recreation join us on our first Thursday will be communicated to the schedule. We are looking forward membership at least five days in events? Visit the Meet me Outdoors now to the benefits of the new advance. website to find great things to do meeting schedule and the Several opportunities for outdoors, including stargazing (we possibilities that it presents to us volunteers were announced. count indoors under the dome as as we strive to provide our Please see 1) John Ventre if you being outside) membership with interesting would like to help with the Craig http://meetmeoutdoors.com cutting edge presentations. We B. Waff Symposium that will be conducted at the Cincinnati 6 Nearly Misses Be an Observatory Star With Supernovas Slosh Before Earth Feb. 17th Your Kroger Rewards Card! Exploding

Two million miles away, A longstanding mystery of astronomers consider that a close astronomy, how supernovas call. Great. They say that it was explode, might finally have been the size of three football fields and solved with the help of NASA's traveling at about 27,000 miles per Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope hour. Array (NuSTAR). The high- It doesn't sound like we were in energy X-ray observatory has TOO much danger. Even so, CBS mapped radioactive material in This Morning says the asteroid was the supernova remnant Cassiopeia given a name: 2000 EM26. By Lyn Marsteller A (Cas A). The map reveals how 'Hundreds of thousands of shock waves likely rip massive people logged onto a special The Cincinnati Observatory Center dying stars apart--by sloshing. website to watch it go by.' is now a recognized participating Stars are spherical balls of gas, USA Today says 2000 EM26 nonprofit organization in the and so you might think that when was actually first discovered in Kroger Community Rewards they end their lives and explode, March of 2000 and Monday Program. It’s a simple as 1, 2, 3, that explosion would look like a evening was the first time it's been and 4! uniform ball expanding out with observed since. great power. This asteroid-sighting comes If you have a Kroger Rewards http://science.nasa.gov/science- just about a year after an asteroid card, simply go to news/science-at- blew up over Russia, leaving more krogercommunityrewards.com nasa/2014/19feb_slosh/ than 1,500 injured. and sign in. CNN spoke with astronomer Immerse Yourself in the Bob Berman who said a previously  Go to the My Account tab undiscovered asteroid hits Earth and enter your email World of Science about once a century, like it did in address and password, February 2013 in Russia. He went  Then select Edit Kroger on to say that discovering and Community Rewards, and tracking all NEOs (near-Earth most importantly, objects), as well as setting up  View organizations to contingency plans for deflecting select the Cincinnati them on short notice should the Observatory Center or need arise, would be a wise use of enter 55142, resources.'  Confirm your selection.

A2Z Astronomy Class If you don’t have a Kroger Rewards card yet, simply ask for By Dave Bosse one at your checkout the next time

Due to my recent surgery, the A2Z you are shopping at Kroger. Astronomy class will be taking a Kroger will send the Brian Green’s Website is little time off for R & R. Observatory a quarterly portion of The regular attendees are aware the proceeds it collects from the launching soon. of this and semi-regular or other Community Rewards program. Education for Everyone at all attendees should watch this space This does not affect your Kroger levels of interest and Knowledge for any upcoming A2Z activity. Fuel Points, so go ahead, be a star! http://welcome.worldscienceu.com

7 Naturally, everyone connected and mid-deck levels of the crew Shuttle "Crew Compartment with the NMUSAF was stunned at compartment. not receiving one of the Shuttles. Having seen the Discovery at the Trainer" Exhibit Opens However, it was announced that Smithsonian this summer, I the NMUSAF would receive the honestly think we may have got By Dale Zoller "Crew Compartment Trainer 1" the better deal. Sure, it's a real (CCT1) which is a mockup of the Shuttle that actually went into forward section of the Shuttle used space - but all you can do is walk for crew training simulations. Not around it (no touching!) and take exactly as exciting as having a pictures. The NMUSAF has "real" Shuttle, but as they say, created an interactive display that when handed lemons, make lets you actually see where the lemonade! The museum crew controlled and operated the contracted a local company to spacecraft. You can even see the During the last year of my tenure build a replica of the Shuttle cargo "space toilet" through a window as president of FOTO, NASA was bay and tail section. This was then that covers the escape hatch! In selecting the sites where the soon- mated to the crew compartment to addition, they built a small theater to-be-retired Space Shuttles would create a nearly complete Shuttle. next to the exhibit that is used for be put on display to the public. Walkways for entering and exiting STEM-related educational The National Museum of the United the display mimic the shape of the programs. States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio orbiter's delta wings to complete The staff of the NMUSAF was one of the top sites on the the effect. You can walk up the should be commended for their "short list" of future homes for one wing-shaped ramps and into the efforts in making a first-rate of the iconic spacecraft. And for cargo bay where you will find a exhibit! I highly recommend good reason - the Air Force replica of a satellite that was making the short drive to Dayton provided many of the pilots and carried to orbit by the Shuttle. At to see the only Space Shuttle crew for the Shuttle, plus the the forward section of the cargo exhibit in the Midwest. Shuttle was used to deploy many bay you can climb a stairway and classified and unclassified Air look directly into the cockpit of the Force payloads and experiments. orbiter (complete with a History of the Observatory When the list of final destinations mannequin dressed in a shuttle th rd for the Shuttles was released, the launch/reentry suit). March 9 & 23 1-4 pm NMUSAF was not included. Discovery went to the National Air & Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center near Washington, DC. Atlantis is at Cape Canaveral in Florida, and Endeavour ended up in Los Angeles, California. Enterprise - which was a prototype used for early glide tests, and was never flown to space - ended up at a museum in New York City. Since this was used to train the The “New” Telescope: Three Shuttles on the east coast; shuttle crews, the layout and Only 110 Years Old one on the west coast, and nothing instrumentation is exactly like that for middle America. I recall using in the actual cockpit. The exhibit Drop in anytime between 1-4pm $5 my "bully pulpit" for several rants designers created a large per person suggested donation. Free about the unfairness of the "window" in the rear bulkhead so for members. Group tours by decisions. that you can see both the flight appointment.

8 Remembering Paul Nohr A Breakthrough in 'Blueberries' on Mars May

Sunday March 23rd 1-4 pm Discovering Planets Not Hold Ancient Secrets

By Craig Niemi NASA has just announced a After All We hope you can join us for the 5th breakthrough addition to the In 2004 Martian blueberries were anniversary of the dedication of catalog of new planets. the Paul Nohr Memorial Sundial. Researchers using Kepler have discovered by NASA's rover confirmed 715 new worlds, almost Opportunity. quadrupling the number of planets previously confirmed by the planet-hunting spacecraft. Some of the new worlds are similar in size to Earth and orbit in the habitable zone of their parent stars.Video: http://www.youtube. com/watch?v=B4hHt3bxaGQ FullStory: http://science.nasa.gov /science-news/science-at- nasa/2014/26feb_multiplication/

The Sundial has been a A popular theory, described in a tremendous addition to our For Sale - Giant Right-Angle campus and our education study published in June 2012, held programming! Prism Binocular System that the blueberries formed as a Paul was a master at using a result of the flow of water through sundial to teach about our nearest FOTO member Graham Davis rocks on the planet -- the same star; the motion of the earth in our has a giant 5-inch VIXEN right way similar iron-rich spheres are solar system; telling time; the angle binocular system for sale. formed on Earth. But researchers reason for the seasons and more. (A recent review in Astronomy from the Hawaii Institute of We’re sure he would have loved to magazine rated these as probably the have had the Sundial as a teaching best available today in the price Geophysics and Planetology now tool. range.) believe that the spheres formed It comes with a custom from meteorites that broke up in manufactured yoke and tripod; the Red Planet's atmosphere. green laser pointer finder and http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ three pairs of matched Televue 2014/02/28/mars-blueberries- Nagler oculars. The views are water- stunning, not only wide field, but meteorites_n_4866189.html?utm_h planets too! All in fitted p_ref=science&ncid=webmail1 The afternoon will feature tours aluminum cases for storage and of the observatory Paul was so transportation! dedicated to, solar viewing and New value Total $5,750.00 Sundial demonstrations (weather Did You Know…. Asking $4,300.00! permitting) and remembrances. Contact Graham Davis at Unlike the Earth, no other planet Free, and there are no [email protected] or phone in our solar system has a total reservations needed. Drop in 513-386-9612 or 513 787-3272. eclipse from any of their moons. anytime between 1 and 4 pm.

9 Kepler Finds a Very Stargazing at Stonelick 715 New Planets Found Wobbly Planet State Park by Kepler

A statistical analysis of data Imagine living on a planet with By Craig Niemi collected by NASA's Kepler space seasons so erratic you would st th Saturdays – March 1 & 29 telescope has confirmed the hardly know whether to wear discovery of 715 newly-found Bermuda shorts or a heavy planets orbiting 305 stars, pushing overcoat. That is the situation on a to total number of known planets weird, wobbly world found by beyond Earth's solar system to NASA's planet-hunting Kepler nearly 1,700. space telescope. http://spaceflightnow.com/news The planet, designated Kepler- /n1402/26kepler/ 413b, precesses, or wobbles, wildly on its spin axis, much like a child's top. The tilt of the planet's spin Water Detected on Dwarf axis can vary by as much as 30 degrees over 11 years, leading to Planet After a long, snowy, cloudy winter rapid and erratic changes in we’re all looking forward to clear seasons. In contrast, Earth's Scientists using the Herschel space spring skies. Need help with your rotational precession is a relatively observatory have made the first telescope? Bring it for expert tips tame 23.5 degrees over 26,000 definitive detection of water vapor setting it up and exploring the on the largest and roundest object years. night sky. Kepler 413-b is located 2,300 in the , dwarf planet Stargazing begins at dusk. Ceres. light-years away in the Open to all ages. Stargazes are constellation Cygnus. It circles a weather permitting. “Friend” the close pair of orange and red dwarf Stonelick Lake Stargazers Facebook stars every 66 days. The planet's page for weather and schedule orbit around the binary stars updates. appears to wobble, too, because the plane of its orbit is tilted 2.5 degrees with respect to the plane of the star pair's orbit. As seen from Earth, the wobbling orbit New Star Gazers Report Data suggests that plumes of moves up and down continuously. water vapor shoot up when Astronomers are still trying to portions of its icy surface warm explain why this planet is out of slightly. The results come at the alignment with its stars. There right time for NASA's Dawn could be other planetary bodies in mission, which is on its way to the system that tilted the orbit. Or, Ceres now after spending more it could be that a third star nearby than a year orbiting the large that is a visual companion may asteroid Vesta. Dawn is scheduled actually be gravitationally bound Star Gazers airs locally on to arrive at Ceres in the spring of to the system and exerting an channels 14 and 48 and you can 2015, where it will take the closest influence. watch each month’s episodes on look ever at its surface. http://science.nasa.gov/science- our website: http://science.nasa.gov/science- news/science-at- http://www.cincinnatiobservator news/science-at- nasa/2014/04feb_wobble/ y.org/stargazer.html nasa/2014/22jan_ceres/

10