Prime Focus (04-17).Pub
Highlights of the April Sky
- - - 1st - - - DUSK: Mercury reaches its highest altitude of the year. Look for the it in the west 30 - 45 minutes after sunset. Mars A Publication of the Kalamazoo Astronomical Society is 15° above Mercury. - - - 3rd - - - First Quarter Moon 2:39 pm EDT
- - - 6th - - - KAS PM: A waxing gibbous Moon is within 2° of Regulus, Leo the Lion’s brightest star. General Meeting: Friday, April 7 @ 7:00 pm - - - 7th - - - Kalamazoo Area Math & Science Center - See Page 12 for Details Jupiter is at opposition.
- - - 10th - - - Board Meeting: Sunday, April 9 @ 5:00 pm PM: The Moon is about 3.5° from Jupiter. Sunnyside Church - 2800 Gull Road - All Members Welcome
- - - 11th - - - Observing Session: Saturday, April 15 @ 8:00 pm Full Moon 2:08 am EDT Jupiter & the Galilean Moons - Kalamazoo Nature Center
- - - 16th - - - AM: Saturn is 5° to the lower Astronomy Day: Saturday, April 29 @ 10:00 am left of a waning gibbous Moon. KVCC Texas Township Campus - See Pages 7 & 8 for Details
- - - 18th - - - PM: Mars is less than 4° from the Pleiades for the next 5 nights. Look low in the west. Inside the Newsletter. . .
- - - 19th - - - Last Quarter Moon March Mee ng Minutes...... p. 2 5:57 am EDT Board Mee ng Minutes...... p. 3 - - - 22nd - - - AM: The Lyrid meteor shower Observa ons...... p. 4 peaks (10 meteors/hour). KAS Remote Telescope...... p. 5
- - - 23rd - - - Astronomy Puzzler...... p. 6 DAWN: A waning crescent Moon is about 8° to the right of Astronomy Day 2017...... p. 7 Venus, low in the east. AD2K17 Eclipse Presenta ons...... p. 8 - - - 26th - - - NASA Space Place...... p. 9 New Moon 8:16 am EDT April Night Sky...... p. 10
- - - 28th - - - KAS Board & Announcements...... p. 11 DAY: A thin crescent Moon, about 30° from the Sun, General Mee ng Preview...... p. 12 occults Aldebaran in broad daylight at 12:22 pm. March Meeting Minutes
The general meeting of the Kalamazoo Astronomical Society theorists predicted that 99% of the energy of a supernova is was brought to order by President Richard Bell on Friday, in the form of neutrinos. March 3, 2017 at 7:05 pm EST. Approximately 44 members and guests were in attendance at the Kalamazoo Area Math James Chadwick discovered the neutron, a subatomic & Science Center (KAMSC). particle, at Cavendish Laboratory in 1932. Two years later, Walter Baade and Fritz Zwicky proposed that neutron stars Before introducing the guest speaker, and waiting for our might exist supported by degenerate neutrons. Cores of the doorman at the Dutton Street entrance to come upstairs, most massive stars that collapse at the end of their lives Richard made some preliminary announcements. Volunteers exceed the white dwarf stage, the ultimate fate of medium- are needed for upcoming community outreach activities, mass stars like the Sun. The core collapse continues, and such as Science Night at Vicksburg Middle School. Our atomic nuclei are broken apart by gamma rays. Increasing most ambitious Astronomy Day to date is on April 29th, density forces protons to combine with electrons and become which means it’s time to distribute fliers throughout the area neutrons. In a fraction of a second, the collapsing core of and to start seeking volunteers. massive stars become a contracting ball of neutrons. Theory predicts neutron stars will be ~20 km in diameter and have a Dr. Ed Brown, a Professor of Physics and Astronomy at density of ~1014 g/cm3, making them some of the densest Michigan State University, was the guest speaker for the objects in the universe. evening. The title of his presentation was Supernova 1987A and the Densest Matter in the Universe. This year marks the Neutrinos are created along with the neutrons, but race out of 30th anniversary of Supernova 1987A (SN1987A), which the core at nearly the speed-of-light. These are the neutrinos was spotted in the Large Magellanic Cloud (a satellite galaxy that were detected in 1987. It should be noted that the of the Milky Way) on February 23, 1987. This supernova neutron star formed during SN1987A has yet to be detected. was a Type II supernova, also known as a core-collapse It’s likely hidden from view by the hot, expanding cloud of supernova. Basically, it was a single star with at least 8 gas. Astronomers don’t think the star was massive enough to times the mass of the Sun that reached the end of its “life.” form a black hole, but that remains a remote possibility. Dr. Dr. Brown also explained a Type Ia supernova, which occurs Brown did mention that much remains unknown about how when a white dwarf exceeds its mass limit by accreting exactly stars explode. Interestingly, all stimulations of matter in a binary star companion. massive stars fail to produce a supernova.
SN1987A was the closest observed supernova since Kepler’s Dr. Brown then shared an audio clip of the famous pulsar in Supernova in 1604 (that one occurred in our own galaxy) and the heart of the Crab Nebula. Pulsars are rapidly rotating thus the closest supernova to occur in modern times. Many neutron stars that emit regular pulses of radio waves and fundamental discoveries were made thanks to this historic other electromagnetic radiation at rates of up to one thousand event. The progenitor star was revealed to be a blue pulses per second. The radiation is focused by the pulsar’s supergiant, which were once thought to be too dense to go powerful magnetic field, about a trillion times stronger than supernova. The most significant discovery happened about the Sun’s. The Crab pulsar and resulting supernova remnant two to three hours before the visible light from SN 1987A (known as the Crab Nebula) are the result of a supernova that reached Earth. Twenty-five neutrinos were detected by three was seen by Chinese astronomers on July 4, 1054. The Crab separate neutrino observatories around the world, including pulsar rotates once every 33 milliseconds! Dr. Brown shared Kamiokande II in Japan. This was significant because a 1996 image from the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer, which revealed numerous neutron stars all over the sky.
Dr. Brown then discussed Binary X-ray Systems. Some of these occur when a neutron star pulls material off its nearby companion. The rapidly rotation disk around the neutron star becomes superheated and emits copious amounts of X-ray. These systems can help us understand the interior structure of neutron stars. Dr. Brown concluded his presentation by discussing his research at MSU that help us understand the nature of these ultra-dense objects.
Richard gave his President’s Report after the snack break. A new manager for our Facebook page is needed. The KAS officer position of Publicity Manager will soon be open, with the resignation of Lydia Hoff. Mike Sinclair agreed to host the Solar Filter Workshop at KAMSC beginning at 1pm on Saturday, May 20th. Joe Comiskey reported that his family Dr. Ed Brown, from Michigan State University, was the plans to observe the eclipse in Lincoln, Nebraska. The guest speaker at the general meeting on March 3rd. meeting concluded at 9:12 pm after discussing current astronomical events.
Prime Focus Page 2 April 2017 Board Meeting Minutes The Kalamazoo Astronomical Society Board met on March Up item was Astronomy Day 2017, on April 29th. Talks with 19, 2017 at Sunnyside Church. The date was a week later KVCC intended to settle the final details of our use of their than usual because of the number of members who were in facilities revealed that there were scheduling problems Arizona the previous week working on the robotic telescope. unknown to us. Our understood agreement was made with President Richard Bell called the meeting to order at 5:05 KVCC personnel who had not included the facilities pm. Board members present were Joe Comiskey, Mike manager in the discussion, and we were now told that the Cook, Lydia Hoff, Scott Macfarlane, Rich Mather, Jack rooms for which we had planned were not available. This Price, Don Stilwell, and Roger Williams. KAS member Jean left KAS with three possibilities: (1) Cancel the entire DeMott was also in attendance. Astronomy Day plans; (2) Find another venue that could provide what we needed; (3) Make the best arrangements we The meeting began with a Treasurer’s Report from Rich, could get with KVCC for the facilities still available. Option showing a healthy balance in the accounts. Richard asked 1 seemed a last resort, given that so much planning had been about a check from KAMSC for Eclipse Shades that did not done and especially that three speakers of national repute had appear on the report, and Rich said that he would make sure been retained. Option 2 had the problem that most of our it was deposited promptly. The report was accepted without publicity had already gone out naming the KVCC site, and further questions and with the comment that eclipse shades we would need to steer people to the new site after they had were selling very well, especially in association with the arrived at the “wrong” place. Options 2 and 3 both require a public lectures that Richard has been doing. bigger budget, as well.
March/April events coming up included the general meeting After considerable discussion, the Board felt that the best on April 7th, featuring Eric Schreur reporting on an aurora solution at this point would be to make option 3 work, if expedition. Messier Marathon was set for March 25th at possible. Jack reported that he had a contact who could rent Richland Township Park, but Jack and Joe reported that they out AV equipment, in case we need to use a room without would not be able to attend. this capability. Possible solutions for the additional expense were aired, some involving extra member donations or Discussion of Follow-Up items began with the Robotic member-initiated redirection of some old donations from the Telescope Project. The team who drove to the telescope site Robotic Telescope fund to Astronomy Day. While the Board in Arizona began with installation of the Takahashi refractor felt ill-used by the actions of KVCC, biting the bullet to and SBIG STX-16803 camera. Examination of the mount salvage the program as much as possible was the agreed- tracking showed that the polar alignment done by PlaneWave upon action. After a motion by Rich and second by Don, the was far from the precision needed, so that it was necessary to Board voted to authorize Jack and Jean to meet with KVCC redo both the polar alignment and a calibration on many and if possible to make satisfactory alternative arrangements, stars. There was little time left for testing the equipment in with the proviso that KVCC would make a firm commitment taking astrophotos, but it is believed that it is working to the new plans. properly now. In the New Business category, Lydia announced that she had On the question of the NexStar 8 loaner telescope, Don had unanticipated responsibilities in a new job which would not confirmed that the drive would not operate. After discussions leave her time to carry out the duties of Publicity Manager, with the manufacturer, Don found that returning the and consequently she must resign from this position. A new telescope for repair would cost in the range of $500-$600. election will be required to fill the opening. Richard reported Then if the problem was in one of the boards, a repair would that he had a large number of responses to his offer to give a be straightforward, but a failure in one of the drive motors talk on the coming solar eclipse. Most of these are handled would be fatal, since this kind of component is no longer by Richard alone, but some needed help with the solar available. We therefore faced a possible significant cost with viewing after the talk. Particularly, he asked for volunteers at no usable instrument at the end. A much more reasonable Parchment High School on Tuesday, April 18th, at 8:54 – approach was suggested by Richard, who had found a 9:58 am. Roger agreed to help with this one. Celestron Super Polaris mount for sale on Astromart for a fraction of the costs being quoted for repair. This is an older In Other Business, Jean suggested that a KAS display would (but apparently hardly used) mount that would hold our be appropriate at the Kalamazoo Community Foundation NexStar optical tube assembly. The current mount could then Meeting on March 23rd that featured an appearance of female be discarded or salvaged for parts. The replacement mount astronaut Mae Jemison. Jean had asked about this possibility would not have a Go-To capability, but would be very at Miller Auditorium and learned that permission would be reliable. After a motion by Don and a second by Mike, the required from the Foundation. Jean agreed to pursue this Board voted to buy the Super Polaris mount. possibility. (Update: The Foundation was not letting any external groups setup displays.) In other Follow-Up business, Richard mentioned the observing session at Gull Lake Middle School on March 21st, The meeting was adjourned at 6:30 pm. The next board 7pm (Update: Skies were clear, but very cold due to strong meeting was set for April 9th, 5:00 pm, at Sunnyside. winds. Thanks to Richard Bell, Rich Mather, and Don Stilwell for providing telescopes). The most urgent Follow- Respectfully submitted by Roger Williams
Prime Focus Page 3 April 2017 Astronomy Day 2017, the most ambitious event the only event, so be sure to arrive early. Mr. Anderson, the Kalamazoo Astronomical Society has ever attempted, will be Espenak’s, and Dr. Nordgren will also be signing copies of held at Kalamazoo Valley Community College’s Texas their books throughout the day. We will have copies Township Campus on Saturday, April 29th from 10am - 4pm. available for purchase, along with Eclipse Shades. Other I’ve encouraged you, the membership, to attend and/or Astronomy Day attractions include the ever-popular hands- volunteer at A LOT of activities over the years. They’ve all on activities, two of which will focus specifically on the been worthy of your time, but this event in particular eclipse. Weather permitting, we’ll hold a Solar Star Party demands your attention. After all, Astronomy Day marks the along with other daytime activities, and observing after dark official start of our build-up to the Great American Eclipse. at the Kalamazoo Nature Center. So please, clear your calendar and join us on April 29th. There’s something for everyone... Five KAS members spent five days at Arizona Sky Village, working on the Remote Telescope. (I’ve been torn between Obviously, the main attraction are our three main speakers, remote and robotic telescope. It can and probably will all of which will now be held in KVCC’s gymnasium. Page operate autonomously at times, but we’ll often control it 8 highlights our Featured Eclipse Presentation's, while the remotely from Michigan.) We arrived on Sunday, March 5th, Astronomy Day website has full details. Dr. Tyler Nordgren, but decided to rest since we were all fatigued after a 28 hour an astronomer and author, will trace the natural history of drive. Sunday night turned out to be cloudy anyway! As solar eclipses from supernatural to scientific at 11am. The during our last visit, Frank Gilliland generously offered us retired Canadian meteorologist, Jay Anderson, covers a free use of his house at ASV. Frank was originally planning timeline of events to watch for and remember on Eclipse Day to be there during our stay, but had a change of plan at the during his presentation at 1pm. “Mr. Eclipse” Fred Espenak last minute. He’s offered KAS members free use of his is the most widely recognized name in solar eclipses. At home whenever we visit Arizona Sky Village. 3pm, he will share some of his experiences chasing eclipses and give us a preview of total solar eclipses beyond 2017. On our first full day at ASV, March 6th, we relocated the Jean DeMott Constellation Camera (which should work Two other talks will be aimed at younger eclipse chasers, but better, since it’ll give landscape oriented images) and all are welcome to attend. Fred’s wife, Patricia Totten mounted the Takahashi FSQ-106EDXIII refractor with our Espenak, recently wrote an eclipse book for children. second SBIG STX-16803 CCD camera with FW7-STX filter During our recent visit to Arizona Sky Village, we invited wheel (the same camera attached to the 20-inch PlaneWave). her to give the first kids talk at 12:15 pm and she happily A beauty shot of the upgraded telescope is on page 5. accepted. Like Dr. Nordgren, her presentation shares the same name as her book, Total Eclipse or Bust! Our very Every day after Sunday was clear, so we had time to work own Mike Sinclair will show attendees how observe the with the Paramount MEII German equatorial mount. It turns August 21st eclipse safely during his talk at 2:15 pm. Mike is out PlaneWave “Services” only developed a pointing model a regular presenter for the KAS, both at general meetings and and never precisely polar aligned the mount. So, the next Astronomy Days, and he never disappoints. few nights were spent perfecting the polar alignment, creating a new pointing model, and training the Periodic Fred Espenak has also agreed to lead an Eclipse Photography Error Correction. If PlaneWave “Services” actually did those Workshop at 12:15 pm in room 8580. Naturally, “Mr. three things we hired them to do, we would have made even Eclipse” is an eclipse photography expert who shot over 20 more significant progress. total solar eclipses. This may very well be a standing room Toward the end of the week Jim Kurtz mounted the SBIG AllSky-340C camera. Special thanks once again goes to Rick Beno for creating a mounting bracket for the AllSky. The cables that SBIG included with the camera were way too short to reach the KAS computer, so Jim ordered longer cables once we got back to Kalamazoo. Mike Patton quickly got it running and I saved one of the images on March 23rd (pictured at left). I’m not sure why the northern sky is so cut off, but plan to look into it when time permits. We also hope to make the “live” images available for viewing on the website.
My main goal for our week at ASV was to work with the Astronomer’s Control Panel (ACP). Once this software is up and running it’ll be considerably easier for members to obtain images from the telescopes. Due to delays throughout the week, I didn’t get as far as I wanted. I plan to get back at it once Astronomy Day has passed. It’ll be easier if Astronomy Day is a big success, so please attend!
Prime Focus Page 4 April 2017 For those who helped make this project a reality: This is the first (and some of you might hope the last) 1 Why soap opera titles? The obscure author has no love of astronomy puzzler. Since we’re still in the gray, boring, soap operas, but the titles sure are catchy. Perhaps next cloud-filled observing doldrums, just kick back and read this time we can use space movie titles. brief description of a stargazing adventure. The characters are fictitious, including the storyteller. Here’s the puzzler part (and yes, this is really kind of cheesy): See how many Answers: 1 soap opera titles from the present and the distant past you Saturday evening I did some stargazing with all my can pick out of this paragraph. There are 18. Answers appear children, as this seemed to be one of the clearest days of on a later page. our lives. We started at twilight, so as we watched the edge Saturday evening I did some stargazing with all my of nightfall, we focused our sights on Mars. Since the children, as this seemed to be one of the clearest days of seeing was not ideal, we aimed the telescope at another our lives. We started at twilight, so as we watched the world, Jupiter. As darkness set in, the rising gibbous moon edge of nightfall, we focused our sights on Mars. Since provided a guiding light for us, and casted dark shadows on the seeing was not ideal, we aimed the telescope at another the driveway. Some of the doctors that live in the world, Jupiter. As darkness set in, the rising gibbous neighborhood were walking by and stole a few peeks at moon provided a guiding light for us, and casted dark Jupiter and also noted that many of the stars of early shadows on the driveway. Some of the doctors that live in summer set (sommerset). I pointed out the clock drive on the neighborhood were walking by and stole a few peeks at the German Equatorial mount, and explained that this is what Jupiter and also noted that many of the stars of early kept Jupiter in view as the world turns. We then focused summer set. I pointed out the clock drive on the German on the double star Albireo. The yellow star and the blue star Equatorial mount, and explained that this is what kept were the bold and beautiful, respectfully. I indicated to my Jupiter in view as the world turns. We then focused on the son Ryan that we were literally looking into the past since double star Albireo. The yellow star and the blue star were the stars are so many light years away. Ryan’s hope was the bold and beautiful, respectfully. I indicated to my son that someday a different style telescope would be invented so Ryan that we were literally looking into the past since the that we could search for tomorrow. As the night wore on, stars are so many light years away. Ryan’s hope was that my middle kids were getting fidgety, being among the someday a different style telescope would be invented so young and the restless. Another neighbor showed up, an that we could search for tomorrow. As the night wore on, old army retiree, who asked me how I attracted such a my middle kids were getting fidgety, being among the crowd. I said, “Well, General, hospitality is the key.” He young and the restless. Another neighbor showed up, an told me he would have stopped by earlier, but he had been old army retiree, who asked me how I attracted such a watching a documentary about Walter Payton plac(i.e., crowd. I said, “Well, General, hospitality is the key.” He “Peyton Place”)ing autographed footballs in mailboxes of told me he would have stopped by earlier, but he had been underprivileged kids. Suddenly, an unpredicted squall watching a documentary about Walter Payton placing approached from the west — must have been a secret autographed footballs in mailboxes of underprivileged storm. As we scurried into our garage, one of the physicians kids. Suddenly, an unpredicted squall approached from claimed that my enthusiasm for astronomy shows my great the west — must have been a secret storm. As we scurried love of life, which is important since we have only one life into our garage, one of the physicians claimed that my to live. enthusiasm for astronomy shows my great love of life, which is important since we have only one life to live. Puzzler provided by Joe Comiskey
Prime Focus Page 6 April 2017 Solar Star Party Safely observe the Sun through KAS member telescopes. (weather permitting)
Displays Solar Eclipses ● KAS Robotic Telescope ● Vanishing Night Meet the Telescopes ● KAS Member Astrophotography
Hands-on Activities Eclipse Pinhole Viewer ● Solar Eclipse Flipbook ● Sundial
Eclipse Photography Workshop Learn tips from “Mr. Eclipse” Fred Espenak, an eclipse photography expert who has shot over 20 eclipses. 12:15 pm in room 8580 Kids Eclipse Talks 12:15 pm 2:15 pm Total Eclipse or Bust! Be Safe: Tips for Eclipse Viewing presented by Patricia Totten Espenak presented by Mike Sinclair
Kalamazoo Valley Community College ● Texas Township Campus ● 6767 West O Ave. The KAS is pleased to feature three presenta ons by these esteemed authors, eclipse experts, and world‐ renowned eclipse chasers:
11:00 am Sun Moon Earth: Solar Eclipses from Omens to Awe presented by Dr. Tyler Nordgren
Eclipses of Sun and Moon have been the subject of omens and awe throughout human history. We've told stories of why they happen and when they occur that over me have allowed us to predict them with amazing accuracy.
Tyler Nordgren is a Full Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Redlands. Dr. Nordgren recently published is “Sun Moon Earth: The History of Solar Eclipses from Omens of Doom to Einstein and Exoplanets.”
1:00 pm Moonshadow Madness: The Lure of the Total Eclipse presented by Jay Anderson
This presenta on will prepare the observer for the race of visual treats — a meline of events to watch for and remember; with the hope that at least some will be sought out and remembered in the two minutes of totality.
Jay Anderson is a Canadian meteorologist and avid eclipse chaser; the eclipse on August 21st will be his 30th. With Fred Espenak, he is co‐author of “Eclipse Bulle n: Total Solar Eclipse 2017.”
3:00 pm Predic ng and Chasing Solar Eclipses presented by “Mr. Eclipse” Fred Espenak
Espenak has spent the past 47 years chasing eclipses around the world. He will share some of his eclipse experiences with us through photos and video. He will also give us a preview of upcoming total solar eclipses beyond 2017.
Fred Espenak is a re red NASA astrophysicist. He is known as "Mr. Eclipse" because of his work on predic ng and observing solar eclipses. Espenak has wri en over a dozen books on eclipses.
Full Program Details @ astroday.kasonline.org What it’s Like on a TRAPPIST-1 Planet?
by Marcus Woo
With seven Earth-sized planets that could harbor liquid water on their rocky, solid surfaces, the TRAPPIST-1 planetary system might feel familiar. Yet the system, recently studied by NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope, is unmistakably alien: compact enough to fit inside Mercury's orbit, and surrounds an ultra-cool dwarf star — not much bigger than Jupiter and much cooler than the Sun.
If you stood on one of these worlds, the sky overhead would look quite different from our own. Depending on which planet you're on, the star would appear several times bigger than the Sun. You would feel its warmth, but because it shines stronger in the infrared, it would appear disproportionately dim.
"It would be a sort of an orangish-salmon color — basically close to the color of a low-wattage light bulb," says Robert Hurt, a visualization scientist for Caltech/IPAC, a NASA partner. Due to the lack of blue light from the star, the sky would be bathed in a pastel, orange hue.
But that's only if you're on the light side of the planet. Because the worlds are so close to their star, they're tidally locked so that the same side faces the star at all times, like how the Man on the Moon always watches Earth. If you're on the planet's dark side, you'd be enveloped in perpetual darkness — maybe a good thing if you're an avid stargazer.
If you're on some of the farther planets, though, the dark side might be too cold to survive. But on some of the inner planets, you can enjoy eclipses multiple times a week (they'd planets, the dark side may be the only comfortable place, as be more like transits, though, since they wouldn't cover the the light side might be inhospitably hot. whole star).
On any of the middle planets, the light side would offer a Looking away from the star on the dark side, you would see dramatic view of the inner planets as crescents, appearing the outer-most planets in their full illuminated glory. They even bigger than the Moon on closest approach. The planets would be so close — only a few times the Earth-Moon only take a few days to orbit TRAPPIST-1, so from most distance — that you could see continents, clouds, and other surface features.
The constellations in the background would appear as if someone had bumped into them, jostling the stars — a perspective skewed by the 40-light-years between TRAPPIST-1 and Earth. Orion's belt is no longer aligned. One of his shoulders is lowered.
And, with the help of binoculars, you might even spot the Sun as an inconspicuous yellow star: far, faint, but familiar.
Want to teach kids about exoplanets? Go to the NASA Space Place and see our video called, “Searching for other planets like ours”: https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/exoplanet-snap/
This artist's concept allows us to imagine what it would This article is provided by NASA Space Place. With articles, be like to stand on the surface of the exoplanet activities, crafts, games, and lesson plans, NASA Space TRAPPIST-1f, located in the TRAPPIST-1 system in the Place encourages everyone to get excited about science and constellation Aquarius. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/T. technology. Visit spaceplace.nasa.gov to explore space and Pyle (IPAC) Earth science!
Prime Focus Page 9 April 2017 April Night Sky......
This star map is property of the This map represents the sky at the Kalamazoo Astronomical Society. NORTH following local times: However you may make as many Late March 11 pm copies as you wish free-of-charge, so long as it is for non-profit Early April 10 pm educational purposes and full Late April 9 pm credit is given to the KAS. Early May 8 pm www.kasonline.org EAST WEST
SOUTH
ercury reaches its highest altitude planet will thus be closest to our planet the peak of the Lyrid meteor shower M of the year on April 1st. Begin your and visible all night long. during the early morning hours of April search for the innermost planet low in the 22nd. This is fairly weak shower, only west starting 30 minutes after sunset. Red A Full Moon comes within 3.5° of Jupiter producing 10 meteors per hour. -orange Mars will be 15° above Mercury. on the night of April 10th. The duo will be highest about an hour after midnight. A thin waxing crescent Moon will occult Jupiter will be at opposition on the night the Aldebaran during daylight hours on of April 7th - meaning it will be opposite In mid-April, Earth will pass through April 28th. The Moon’s unilluminated the Sun as seen from Earth. The giant debris left by Comet Thatcher and bring portion coves up the star at ~12:22 pm. April 2017 Page 11 PRESIDENT Richard S. Bell Share the Sky! Volunteers Needed For... VICE PRESIDENT Jack Price Green‐A‐Thon Saturday, April 15th @ 11:00 am ‐ 3:00 pm TREASURER Portage Celery Flats Rich Mather Earth Day Fes val Saturday, April 22nd @ 3:00 pm ‐ 8:00 pm SECRETARY/ALCOR Bronson Park Roger Williams Rock & Mineral Show Friday, May 5th (4 ‐ 8pm) & Saturday, May 6th (10am ‐ 6pm) PUBLICITY MANAGER Kalamazoo Expo Center VACANT Please contact us for more informa on and/or to volunteer. We need you! MEMBERS‐AT‐LARGE Joe Comiskey
Mike Cook
Sco Macfarlane On the 21st of August 2017, an eclipse of the Sun will Don S lwell occur across a 70‐mile‐wide path from Oregon to South Carolina, giving tens of millions of people a chance to see the greatest phenomenon in Nature. E‐MAIL a BOARD MEMBER Eclipse shades will allow you to safely view this momentous event. Buy a pair for yourself, friends, family, co‐workers, etcetera! Hurry and order now before eclipse fever sweeps the na on! Send your orders to: [email protected]
Public Observing Sessions Saturday, April 15th
Saturday, April 29th
Kalamazoo Nature Center ─ 7000 N. Westnedge Ave. ─ General Meeting Preview
The Churchill Northern Studies Center is on an abandoned rocket range at the edge of Hudson Bay in northern Manitoba. It offers an educational program called “Winter Skies: Astronomy and Auroras in Churchill” that places participants under Earth’s northern auroral zone. Evening lectures cover basic astronomy, astrophotography, and northern ecology. Daily programs take participants by snowmobile to the boundary of the boreal forest and tundra, to a dog sledding experience, and into town to visit Churchill’s museums. Friday, April 7 @ 7:00 pm Kalamazoo Area Math & Science Center
600 West Vine, Suite 400 • Use Dutton St. Entrance ─ Dutton Entrance Locked by 7:10 pm ─
Kalamazoo Astronomical Society c/o KAMSC STAMP 600 West Vine, Suite 400 Kalamazoo, MI 49008
© April 2017, Stargazer Productions