Published by the Astronomical League Vol. 69, No. 2 March 2017

ALCon 2016: A CapitAL CONvention What to Look at Tonight? Building a Civilization on Mars Earth’s Circumference: Channeling Eratosthenes

T HE A STRONOMICAL L EAGUE 1 2 R EFLECTOR ✶ M ARCH 2017 TORY, GERMANY)TORY,

VA

4 Field of View 5 Reflector Mail 6 International Dark-Sky Association/Scenic America 7 Reflections 8 All Things Astronomical 9 Deep-Sky Objects/The Other Leo Trio 11 Wanderers in the Neighborhood/The Rings of Saturn 12 Solar Minimum Observing 14 ALCon 2016/A CapitAL CONvention 16 What to Look at Tonight? There’s a Program for That 19 Channeling Eratosthenes 21 10, 25, and 50 Years of the Astronomical League’s Magazine 22 Using Two Moons to Make “Mars Direct” Sustainable 24 From Around the League 26 Gallery

TITLE PHOTOGRAPH: NGC 1850, THE DOUBLE CLUSTER; CREDIT: NASA, ESA, AND MARTINO ROMANIELLO (EUROPEAN SOUTHERN OBSER 28 Observing Awards 30 Coming Events

This image of Melotte 15, captured January 25–29, 2017, was provided by Jerry Gardner with the Fort Worth Astronomical Society. He used a Sky-Watcher Esprit 150 mm and a Trius-SX694 camera on a Paramount MX+ mount. Guiding was via a Lodestar X2 off-axis quider. Sequence Generator Pro was used, total exposure was 13 hours with 10-minute subs. Processing was with PixInsight and Photoshop. To our contributors: The copy and photo deadline for the June 2017 issue is April 1. Please send your stories and photos to our managing editor, Ron Kramer ([email protected]), by then. The Astronomical League invites your comments regarding this magazine. How can we improve it and make it a more valuable resource for you, our members? Please respond to the editor’s email address above.

The Astronomical League Magazine Vol. 69, No. 2 • ISSN: 0034-2963 • March 2017 A FEDERATION OF ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETIES A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION To promote the science of astronomy • By fostering astronomical education, • By providing incentives for astronomical observation and research, and • By assisting communication among amateur astronomical societies. Astronomical League National Office: 9201 Ward Parkway, Suite 100, Kansas City, MO 64114

T HE A STRONOMICAL L EAGUE 3 The coolness of Second, imagine what an “everything” astronomy club brings to its No doubt about it. Our community. QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF THE avocation enjoys a high While interested members ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE “coolness quotient.” What of the general public may not Issued by the Astronomical League in March, June, September, other pastime allows people have the same sense of and December, the Reflector (ISSN: 0034-2963) is sent directly, to see the universe as it truly passion or degree of either by postal mail or via a digital link, to each individual is? What other hobby directly knowledge as many amateur

member of its affiliate societies and to members-at-large as a CANADA GRAFTON, ONTARIO, TORY; benefit of League membership. Individual copies of the confronts matter, energy, astronomers, they do have a VA Reflector are available at the following subscription rates, space, and time? What other substantial amount of payable to the League’s national office. avocation deals with... well... curiosity. They want to see Paper subscriptions: everything? That all adds up Field of View more; they want to learn USA & possessions: $3.00 each or $10.00 per year (4 issues) to something exceptionally From the office of your president more. And they respect those Canada: $5.00 each or $16.00 per year cool. amateur astronomers who share views of the Mexico: $6.00 each or $22.00 per year Other countries: $7.00 each or $25.00 per year So, how do we deal with “everything?” heavens while taking time to explain it all in Digital subscriptions: First, imagine what an astronomy club brings friendly, non-condescending ways. All countries, possessions, and territories: $10.00 per year to its members. People are impressed with and somewhat Reflector and Club Roster Deadlines Guest speakers at club intimidated by the March issue January 1 meetings often explain equipment found in June issue April 1 September issue July 1 esoteric topics such as common use today. December issue October 1 planetary geology, They are amazed at Written and graphic material from this publication may be re- stellar evolution, the science, but don’t printed only for non-profit benefit of interested parties, provided galactic morphology, adequately understand specific credit is given to the writer(s), the Reflector, and the and cosmology—all it or comprehend its Astronomical League. Any other use of material, including graph- ics and photographs, is subject to express permission from the subjects having implications. They hear Editor and the Astronomical League. implications deeply and read about black National Officers affecting the emer- holes, dark matter, and President gence of life on Earth, supernovae. They see

TITLE PHOTOGRAPH: BIG LICK GALAXY GROUP; LYNN HILBORN; WHISTLE STOP OBSER TITLE PHOTOGRAPH: BIG LICK GALAXY GROUP; LYNN John Goss and, ultimately, us. fantastic, colorful Astronomical League National Headquarters While the topics images taken by 9201 Ward Parkway, Suite 100 • Kansas City, MO 64114 [email protected] themselves are packed ground-based 816-333-7759 • All cool stuff. All through your Astronomical Vice President with science, most of observatories and Bill Bogardus the presentations are League. Pile of cool stuff amateurs have space telescopes. 190 Pheasant Place, Greenport, NY 11944 accomplished with only at the ready. People want to know 631-477-2246 • [email protected] a smattering of math, making difficult concepts about the science of astronomy, the art of Secretary Bryan Tobias easier to understand. Intellectually cool. observing, and the gear that makes it all Astronomical League National Headquarters Club members often share their latest happen. They look to us, amateur astronomers, 9201 Ward Parkway, Suite 100 • Kansas City, MO 64114 observing concerns such as what for guidance to make sense of “every- [email protected] or [email protected] objects to view and how best to thing.” Treasurer Tom Lynch observe them. How can you see the The result? Amateur astronomy is 43 Elm Street • Lynbrook, NY 11563 Helix Nebula, both with and without seen as being seriously cool. 516-593-8580 • [email protected] a telescope? When can you spot the Next, imagine the importance of Executive Secretary “Lunar X?” What magnification is meeting the public. Ron Kramer best when viewing Ganymede as it Connecting with the public is 1131 W. Safari Drive • Tucson, AZ 85704 520-500-7295 • [email protected] slides into Jupiter’s shadow? Can essential for our incredible hobby National Office you really measure Beta Persei’s to continue. If folks see the stars, Mike Stoakes, Office Coordinator oscillating brightness? Where is and understand the sky, then we Astronomical League National Headquarters Lynx in tonight’s sky? Attend a will have gained allies in the fight 9201 Ward Parkway, Suite 100 • Kansas City, MO 64114 816-DEEP-SKY club meeting and find out. All very against the senseless scourge of National office: [email protected] cool. light pollution. Consequently, Society rosters: [email protected] Like most hobbies, ours requires amateur astronomy will not only League sales: [email protected] equipment—and we have some continue, but will continue to National Observing Program Coordinators of the coolest around. For enjoy a high coolness quotient. Cliff Mygatt Aaron B. Clevenson [email protected] [email protected] starters, just think of all the Let the Astronomical League Astronomical League Historian telescopes that amateurs help with keeping astronomy’s Mike Stewart regularly use: lightweight coolness quotient high. Start on 913-240-1238 •[email protected] “travel” telescopes for trips one of its many Observing Reflector Staff across the country or ocean; Programs—some for beginners, Managing Editor Editor specialty scopes strictly for solar others for intermediate and Ron Kramer OPEN Mobile: 520-500-7295 [email protected] observing; long-focal-length, advanced amateurs; nominate [email protected] Design/Production highly color-corrected scopes for qualified members for its planetary and lunar studies; fast Incredible celestial wonders recognition and youth awards; Photo Editor Chuck Beucher [email protected] OPEN scopes for dramatic, sweeping the public can see through a participate in its rewarding [email protected] Advertising views; large-aperture “light Library Telescope: Albireo, the outreach programs such as Representative Double Cluster, and M31 Assistant Editor buckets” for capturing photons Astronomy Day or the Library Carla Johns from wispy nebulae and faint galaxies; giant Telescope drawing; and submit your celestial Kristine Larsen 1-970-567-8878 [email protected] [email protected] binocular telescopes for enhanced double renditions for its sponsored Sketching Observ- Assistant Editor Coming Events Editor vision; and astrographic scopes not even ing Award and Imaging Award Programs. Kevin Jones John Wagoner designed for visual use. Now consider all the [email protected] [email protected] associated accessories: star maps of any level Letters to the Editor of detail, laser pointers, finderscopes, filters, Send to: [email protected] and the extensive array of eyepieces. All Subject line: “Letter to Editor” amazingly cool. John Goss, League President

4 R EFLECTOR ✶ M ARCH 2017 Hello Mr. Kramer: Dear Mr. Kramer: In the article titled “The There are historical dates and Storms of Jupiter,” the author days that will live in infamy stated, “the material in the that we all should know by Great Red Spot is welling up heart. One of the most from the warm interior, significant dates in spaceflight making this a high-pressure history is the landing of area (an anticyclone, with Apollo 11. counterclockwise rotation).” I read the article by Gregory On the Earth, whether T. Shanos regarding collecting northern or southern meteors. I am surprised and hemisphere, an area of high disappointed that the date pressure is sinking air. That is given for the Apollo 11 why the sky is usually cloud- landing is July 21, 1969. That free. An area of rising air, like error should have been the GRS is described in the article, is an area of obvious to any editor associated with an low pressure on the Earth. So why the different astronomy magazine. It should have been caught designations? Is the author in error? and corrected. Thanks, Siegfried Jachmann Howard Marcus Salt Lake Astronomical Society TITLE PHOTOGRAPH: SEYFERT’S SEXTET; NASA GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER NOVAC member Author replies: Editor replies: The Great Red Spot (GRS) is an area where You are absolutely correct, and my apologies for the air flows outward from its core. Coriolis not catching it. The correct date for the Apollo force causes it to swirl counterclockwise 11 landing is, of course, July 20, 1969. We run (southern hemisphere). Since gas flows each article past two peer-reviewers plus two outward from the GRS, it would be a high- other editors and our executive council before I pressure area at the GRS’s altitude. There may give the final blessing. It should have been be a low somewhere below it feeding the noticed by all of us. I cannot explain why it was upwelling gas, but since there is no surface not caught, and we will print your letter as a on Jupiter, we cannot determine its altitude. correction in the March issue. Like the eye of a hurricane where there is a Thank you for pointing this out. While we low on top and a high on the bottom, the strive for 100% error-free magazines, occasion- GRS is a high-pressure area at its altitude with ally we goof. We really goofed on this one. a low probably somewhere below it. Ron Kramer I hope that makes the situation a little clearer. Dear Editor: Dear Mr. Kramer: Thank you for publishing Dr. Shanos’s article on I have just received my December issue of the meteorite collecting (December 2016); I can also Reflector. I receive it, I assume, because I was a testify as to how fascinating these fragments, recipient of the Astronomical League Award. As samples from across space and time, can be. I’d like editor of JAAVSO and a contributing editor of to add one thought, though: the reason that we JRASC, I think I know a good astronomical know so much about meteorites is that a relatively publication when I see one. And the December small community of scientists have devoted time and issue was particularly interesting and attractive. effort into unlocking their secrets. I enjoy the variety of content. I particularly But, as with other natural sciences (paleontol- enjoyed the article about Rollin Van Zandt, who I ogy comes to mind as a prime example), the knew in my earlier days, and the page 22–25 scientific community not infrequently comes to summary of the League’s many awards and other odds with the community of private collectors. programs. Rare specimens that get purchased by a collector It’s a good way for me to keep up with (who, perhaps surprisingly, may have a larger amateur astronomy in the U.S., and with pro-am budget than a cash-strapped scientific institu- activities. So please keep up the good work! tion) get locked up out of reach of scientific John R. Percy, PhD, FAAAS, FRASC investigation. Professor Emeritus, Astronomy and Astrophysics I volunteer at the Field Museum of Natural University of Toronto History in Chicago, which holds a large research Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H4, Canada collection of meteorites. I help with research [email protected] investigations there, and see researchers from around the world making use of the collection. I Radio Astronomy Observing Program see scores of interesting discoveries being Tired of observing with just your eyes? How published by these people. Not long after I started that work, I donated about looking (or listening) to the skies with an most of my own meteorite collection to the entirely different view not possible with human museum. That made me feel like I was not senses? The Radio Astronomy Observing collecting for myself, but for scientific advance- Program has levels for observing with radio ment. I’m not suggesting that amateurs shouldn’t collect, but that perhaps when we do, frequencies for the beginner, the initiated, and we should place an ultimate goal for our those who are exploring their capabilities in collection “habit;” perhaps just making sure that depth. Explore different methods with simple or when we pass away (or lose interest), our complex equipment—it’s your choice. Ham collections pass on, intact, to some scientific institution—where, I have no doubt, they will be operators find this a unique way to further enjoy most welcomed. I have personally seen very sad their hobby. Design your own equipment, buy alternative things happen: collections being something off the shelf, or adapt designs from carelessly disbursed for pennies, tossed into the others. Any way you choose, radio astronomy dumpster, or otherwise being perpetually kept out of reach of scientific investigators. can be an adventure to meteors, planets, the Drew Carhart Sun, space weather, or even our galaxy and Naperville Astronomical Association beyond in the radio spectrum. Naperville, Illinois dcarhart@fieldmuseum.org

T HE A STRONOMICAL L EAGUE T HE A STRONOMICAL L EAGUE 5 Billboards and amount of light into Electronic Signs neighboring homes and Billboards and electronic the night sky. signs can generate Large digital bill- considerable contro- boards are now prohib- versy. Many consider ited in most parts of billboards to be an Arizona so they will not environmental blight, harm the many profes- and they are banned in sional observatories in some communities. the state. Every Scenic America, for community must rely on example, is a 501(c)(3) local conditions and nonprofit organization customs for how they “dedicated solely to preserving and regulate billboards. I personally feel large enhancing the visual character of digital billboards should be forbidden, America’s communities and countryside.” certainly in environmentally sensitive Scenic America feels “our most cherished areas. scenic resources…are being obscured by a There are several constraints that local blizzard of monstrous billboards, badly advocates can press for if they are sited telecommunications towers, a tangle unsuccessful in fully banning digital of overhead lines, and a hodgepodge of billboards. One can try and prohibit their visual clutter.” I recommend you study the use at night, and one can try to limit their Scenic America website at www.scenic.org. size, their number, and their placement.

TITLE PHOTOGRAPH: “RING GALAXY,” AM 0644-741; CREDIT: NASA, ESA, AND THE HUBBLE HERITAGE TEAM (AURA/STSCI) NASA, ESA, AND THE HUBBLE HERITAGE AM 0644-741; CREDIT: TITLE PHOTOGRAPH: “RING GALAXY,” Others, however, feel billboards serve The maximum sign brightness at night legitimate advertising and informational should be limited to 100 nits. Nit is a unit purposes. When you are hungry, tired, and of luminance commonly used by the nearly out of gas late at night in an unfamil- billboard industry. A technical discussion iar location, a billboard of lighting terms is far pointing the way to fuel, beyond this column, but, food, and lodging is a anecdotally, 100 nits pretty sight indeed. produces a sign bright enough to convey its The billboard industry is big business message without being overlit. which aggressively seeks to protect its Digital signs should not have white or interests and spread its influence. IDA has light-colored backgrounds. There should be no official position concerning billboards no motion, animation, and flashing mes- per se. What does concern IDA is billboard sages on these signs. This is particularly lighting and large digital billboards. Many annoying to those living near the signs and billboards are poorly lit with much up light quite distracting for drivers. Rapidly going into the sky and significant spill light. changing messages are to be avoided. The Such billboards contribute to light pollution message change should not be more and light trespass, and they may produce frequently than once per fifteen seconds. visual clutter and confusion for drivers. Community aesthetics, traffic safety, and We used to address billboard lighting pedestrian safety may be adversely affected issues by recommending all billboard by brightly flashing, rapidly changing lighting be shielded, shining from the top electronic signs. down on the billboard and focused in a Sweden has ordered the removal of all manner so as not to produce much spill digital billboards. Such a countrywide lighting. We also recommended any prohibition does not seem feasible now in billboard lighting be turned off whenever the United States. If digital billboards are the business being advertised was closed. becoming a part of your community scene, While there was, and continues to be, you can use the above recommendations pushback on these recommendations, a far as a starting point to help your commu- larger problem has developed in the last nity construct a workable situation in decade: large electronic signs or digital which digital signs do not detract from billboards. These can be simple, small safety and aesthetics but convey useful ground-mounted signs that are reasonably information for businesses and their lit and provide good information and customers. advertising. Unfortunately, many electronic Tim Hunter, Co-founder, IDA billboards have morphed into huge TVs on Phone: 520-293-3198; Fax: 520-293-3192 sticks, with rapidly changing pictures Email: [email protected]; distracting drivers and throwing large www.darksky.org

6 6 R EFLECTORR EFLECTOR✶✶MMARCHARCH 20172017 Last month, I read a purchased on Canal Street small piece in one of the in New York City. The total magazines I received, cost was perhaps five explaining how a sixth dollars. It was wired grader won his school’s based on some simple science fair by making a logic diagrams, with the tic-tac-toe machine that caveat that if the human never lost. The winning appeared to be winning, entry was a small box with the machine would turn LEDs that lit after the on two lights at the same • Download a FREE Astronomy player would push the time, always winning. button for his turn. The Cheating, but winning. Day Handbook with all kinds of player always went first. The teacher awarded the ideas and suggestions When the child opened the box, there were student for his creativity. some batteries, a few integrated circuits, LEDs, All of this opens the following questions: • Check out the lastest tips for and wiring. When was the last time you were at a science Astronomy Day I was impressed by the creativity of the sixth fair? Did you go as a judge, parent, or specta- • List your event for both the public grader and for a few moments thought about tor? What did you find to be the most interest- how technology has changed over the past ing exhibit? and media to see many years. But as I thought more about it, a I’ve judged hundreds of such fairs around the • Check out past Astronomy Day memory stirred about a much larger tic-tac-toe country (North Carolina, Texas, New Mexico, machine that was built by a sixth grader back Arizona, and others), and frankly I’m somewhat Award winners

ARF GALAXY NGC 1569; ESA, NASA, ANDERS AND P. (GÖTTINGEN UNIVERSITY GALAXY EVOLUTION GERMANY) GROUP, in 1961, using relays, light bulbs, toggle surprised at the entries. From primary and • All this and more at your “one switches, and a rather large power supply. This secondary schools (K through 8 or 9), many of stop Astronomy Day shopping” site sixth grader also won his science fair. Other the displays were duplicates of what was done than the technology, the only thing about the in the 1960s: stick a few electrodes in a potato 56-year-old unit was that this machine always and register voltage, grow green beans under

TITLE PHOTOGRAPH: DW Gary Tomlinson won. No matter who went first (human or various lighting and water conditions to see Astronomy Day Coordinator machine), the machine always won. how they grew, or calculate whether showering The 1961 model was built with some parts or bathing took more water. In more than 90 [email protected] percent of these exhibits, there was no A MEMBER BENEFIT FROM creativity, zero originality, and minimal McDONALD OBSERVATORY thought. After discussing the projects with the kids and teachers, my conclusion was that the StarDate, the bi-monthly publication of the nonprofit teachers knew virtually nothing about the McDonald Observatory, is offering our members a 25% discount. Their magazine provides easy-to-read articles science they were supposed to be teaching, and on the latest astronomy research, skywatching, the kids were not learning science. A few kids history of astronomy, and many other topics. StarDate brought in small telescopes, some color also offers starcharts for each month, a sky calendar, reproductions of Hubble photos, and that was and Merlin’s answers to reader questions. The discounted their entire exhibit. When questioned, they rate is $19.50 for members in the knew almost nothing about how the telescope continental USA, $22 for Canada, and worked, what the images actually were, and $30 to other foreign countries. why they were important. Members-at-Large should send their One would think that with the availability of check (payable to the Astro League) Google and smartphone-based applications, to Astronomical League Office, 9201 Ward Parkway, Suite 100, science projects for these grade levels would Kansas City, MO 64114. For certainly be much better. To be sure, the member’s Societies, the appointed person in each higher grades (9 or 10 through 12) showed club should gather the subscriptions, and send the robots, laser applications, telescope building, appropriate amount to StarDate Magazine, c/o Paul biological research, and other wonderful Previte, 1 University Station A2100, Austin, TX 78712. things, but again, most of the students didn’t You can read more about StarDate at www.stardate.org. have a clue about what they “built.” It was If you have any questions, please contact the League’s very obvious that the entries were mainly National Office at [email protected] either built by parents, or purchased and McDonald Observatory hastily put together, with a few exceptions. The exceptions earned my best scores. On the other stuff I made comments, discussed with the students and teachers, and walked away with a sense of despair. Is this what science in our schools coming to? How sad! Ron Kramer, Editor

T HET HE A ASTRONOMICALSTRONOMICAL L EAGUEL EAGUE 77 Sweden, January 13, 2017 traditional interpretation of Impact Origin of Sweden’s noise, searches can be hampered Siljan Ring by data that obscures or mimics A celestial body with a diameter of exoplanets. five km crashed into the Earth’s Wettlaufer and his colleagues surface about 380 million years ago, decided to look for exoplanets in forming the Siljan Ring in Dalarna, the same way they had sorted Sweden. The original impact crater through satellite data to find was approximately 60 km in complex changes in Arctic sea diameter and the bedrock was ice. The formal name for the covered by a layer of sediments 2.5 approach is “multi-fractal km thick when the projectile struck, temporally weighted detrended according to a doctoral thesis from fluctuation analysis” (MF- Lund University in Sweden. TWDFA). It sifts data at all time Lithosphere geologist Sanna scales and extracts the

Alwmark has researched the impact that produced underlying processes associated with them. TITLE PHOTOGRAPH: M31;COMPLIMENTS OF TOM S. MARTINEZ, ASKC Europe’s largest impact structure, the Siljan Ring, a circle “A key idea is that events closer in time are more of lakes of which the largest is Siljan. She has also likely to be similar than those farther away in time,” investigated the consequences of the collision on the Wettlaufer said. “In the case of exoplanets, it is the bedrock. fluctuations in a star’s spectral intensity that we are Together with colleagues, Sanna Alwmark investi- dealing with.” The use of multi-fractals in science and gated a mineral known as shocked quartz. By mapping mathematics was pioneered at Yale by Benoit B. the extension of shocked quartz, the researchers were Mandelbrot and Katepalli Sreenivasan. For expertise in able to determine the shock pressure to which the the search for exoplanets, the researchers consulted with bedrock was subjected in the impact. Yale astrophysicist Debra Fischer, who has pioneered “Combining the shock pressure estimates with many approaches in the field. numerical modelling, we were able to reconstruct the The researchers confirmed the accuracy of their original impact crater, and to determine its size at 60 km methodology by testing it against observations and in diameter. Our model also shows that the crater was simulation data of a known planet orbiting a star in the formed by a projectile which was five km in diameter,” constellation Vulpecula, approximately 63 light-years says Sanna Alwmark. Furthermore, in Alwmark’s from Earth. assessment, the crystalline bedrock in the Siljan area at Sahil Agarwal, a graduate student in the Yale Program the time of the impact was covered by a layer of in Applied Mathematics, is first author. Fabio Del Sordo, a sediments 2.5 km thick. joint postdoctoral fellow at Yale and in Stockholm, is co- Besides the impact crater in the Siljan area, Sanna author. Grants from NASA and the Swedish Research Alwmark and her colleagues also located and investi- Council helped to fund the research, as did a Royal gated shocked quartz in the bedrock near the lakes of Society Wolfson Research Merit Award. Målingen in Jämtland and Hummeln in Småland. “We Baton Rouge, Louisiana, prove that the two lakes were also formed through an September 27, 2016 impact,” she says. Unusual Martian Region Leaves New Haven, Connecticut, Clues to Planet’s Past December 20, 2016 Researcher Don Hood from Louisiana State University and Searching a Sea of “Noise” to Find colleagues from collaborating universities studied an Exoplanets Using Only Data as a Guide unusual region on Mars—an area with high elevation Yale researchers have found a data-driven way to detect called Thaumasia Planum. They analyzed the geography distant planets and refine the search for worlds similar to and mineralogy of the area they termed Greater Earth. The new approach, outlined in a study published Thaumasia, which is about the size of North America. December 20 in The Astronomical Journal, relies on They also studied the chemistry of this area based on mathematical methods that have their foundations in gamma-ray spectrometer data collected by the Mars physics research. Rather than trying to filter out the Odyssey Orbiter, launched in 2001. What they found was signal “noise” from stars around which exoplanets are the mountain ridge that outlines Greater Thaumasia was orbiting, Yale scientists studied all of the signal most likely created by a chain of volcanoes. The results information together to understand the intricacies within were published recently in the Journal of Geophysical its structure. Research–Planets. “It requires nothing but the data itself, which is a “The chemical changes we see moving northwestward game changer,” said senior author John Wettlaufer, the through the region is consistent with the mantle evolving A.M. Bateman Professor of Geophysics, Mathematics, on Mars. Our research supports that this whole area was and Physics at Yale. “Moreover, it allows us to compare built as a volcanic construct,” said Don Hood, LSU our findings with other, traditional approaches and Department of Geology and Geophysics doctoral improve whatever modeling assumptions they use.” candidate and lead author of the paper. The search for exoplanets—planets found outside our “The chemical composition changes throughout the own solar system—has increased dramatically in recent region. Silica and H2O increase and potassium decreases years. The effort is motivated, in part, by a desire to from southeast to northwest. discover Earth analogs that might also support life. “The chemical composition shifting is the key Scientists have employed many techniques in this progression that tells us that this environment was most effort, including pulsar timing, direct imaging, and likely shaped by a series of volcanic events that measuring the speed at which stars move either toward continually erupted from a changing mantle composition,” or away from Earth. Yet each of these techniques, Hood said. Hood and colleagues from Stony Brook individually or in combination, presents challenges. University, University of Tokyo, and Lehigh University Primarily, those challenges have to do with eliminating ruled out another hypothesis that the abundance of H2O extraneous data—noise—that doesn’t match existing and potassium was caused by water interacting in rock. models of how planets are expected to behave. In this Continued on page 27

8 REFLECTOR ✶ M ARCH 2017 t is always exciting to view the mass of that at the center multiple galaxies in the same of the Milky Way. telescopic field of view. One of The final galaxy in the M105 the best telescopic trios trio is NGC 3389, also discov- iconsists of the three spiral DEEP-SKY OBJECTS ered by Herschel in 1784. NGC galaxies M65, M66, and NGC 3389 is a 12th-magnitude 3628 in the constellation Leo. THE OTHER LEO TRIO spiral galaxy 2.7 x 1.2 Under clear, dark skies, a four- arcminutes in size. All three By Dr. James R. Dire, Kauai Educational Association for Science & Astronomy inch telescope with an eyepiece galaxies can be spied clearly yielding one-degree field of view over a smaller area, 5 M95 and M96. It is unclear why together with an 8-inch or easily captures all of these faint arcminutes in diameter, making M105 never made it into larger telescope. These fuzzies together. However, an 8- it much easier to see than NGC Messier’s original catalog. It galaxies are approximately 35 to 10-inch telescope is required 3628. M105 is a giant elliptical was added to the modern million light-years distant and to resolve some of their spiral galaxy. Its Hubble galaxy Messier Catalog in 1947, along are all part of the M96 group of structure. M65 and M66 are 9th classification is E1, which with M106 and M107, by galaxies, sometimes referred to magnitude, while NGC 3628 is a means it appears nearly round. astronomer Helen Sawyer Hogg, as the Leo I Group. half-magnitude fainter. M105 is thought to be 35,000 after finding a letter by Méchain My wide-field image of the Another triplet of describing them. M105 group was taken with a galaxies in the The second Stellarvue SV102T refractor constellation Leo brightest galaxy in (102 mm, f/7.9) using a 0.8x consists of M105, the M105 trio is focal reducer/field flattener. The NGC 3384, and NGC NGC 3384. NGC exposure was 40 minutes using 3389. These galaxies 3384 shines at a Canon 30D camera. The are located 8 degrees magnitude 10.9. images spans about two degrees west of M65, 9.5 NGC 3384’s angular from left to right. The brightest degrees east of dimensions are 5.5 star in the field, to the upper Regulus, or 1.67 x 2.5 arcminutes. right of the galaxies, is SAO degrees south of the William Herschel 99280, magnitude 6.7. The inset magnitude 5.5 star discovered the view of the galaxies was taken Kappa Leonis. These galaxy in 1784. The with a 190 mm f/5.3 Maksutov- three galaxies are contained in light-years in diameter and has core of NGC 3384 is almost as Newtonian with an SBIG ST- an area spanning a mere 10 a mass of 140–200 billion solar bright as M105’s core. How- 2000XCM CCD camera. The arcminutes, so higher masses. Both its size and mass ever, NGC 3384’s brightness exposure was 30 minutes. magnification can be used when are smaller than our own Milky drops off much faster than As can be seen in the image, viewing all three simulta- Way Galaxy. A black hole at the M105’s does away from the elliptical galaxies demonstrate neously. With a rich-field center of M105 may be 50 core. NGC 3384 was originally no structure at the eyepiece. telescope at low magnification, million solar masses, roughly classified as an E7 (elongated The galaxy NGC 3389 is too these galaxies can also be ten times more massive than elliptical) galaxy. More recent small and faint to see any spiral placed in the eyepiece simulta- the black hole at the center of studies classify it as SB0, a structure in most amateur neously with M95 and M96! the Milky Way. barred lenticular galaxy. telescopes. However, capturing M105’s integrated magnitude M105 was discovered by Lenticular galaxies are all three galaxies in the same is approximately the same as Messier’s assistant Pierre intermediate between spirals eyepiece should be on every- that of NGC 3628. However, Méchain on March 24, 1781, a and ellipticals. NGC 3384 has a one’s observation list during M105’s light is concentrated few days after he discovered central black hole four times spring galaxy searches! 8 You can contribute to releases, in five nights later As we have entered a golden era of observing-alert notice that it has time-domain astrophysics, observa- science through Variable responses, and in changed. tions from our community are an Star observations citizen science Witnessing with increasingly vital resource for projects. The AAVSO my own eyes a professional astronomers to obtain By Stella Kafka, Director, is beyond borders— phenomenon that ground-based light curves of variable American Association of Variable it is an international is happening stars. Along with the Astronomical Star Observers multi-cultural many light-years League, the AAVSO is continuously The mission of the American collaboration, as away (and training and encouraging observers to Association of Variable Star Observers science is. Many probably has improve their observing skills. You can (AAVSO, www.aavso.org) is to enable professional astronomers took their first been “broadcasting” its light for millions of get started at your leisure with the anyone, anywhere, to participate in steps through the AAVSO. And, because years) is an amazing experience. Recording League’s Binocular and Telescopic scientific discovery through variable of the AAVSO, many non-professional those changes and submitting them to the Variable Stars Observing Programs, you star astronomy. For more than 100 astronomers are involved in high-profile AAVSO International Database gives me can learn more through the AAVSO’s years, the AAVSO has been building an projects. the sense that I belong to a committed CHOICE courses and seminars, and you international community of astro- This is not to say that variable star international community, and the satis- can join our conversations through our enthusiasts who strive to study and to observing is difficult. I started my Binocular faction that my data will be used some day forums. Together, we are building a understand some of the most dynamic, Variable Stars Observing Program as a for a research project and can make a community of citizen astronomers who unpredictable, and fun phenomena in “dare” from our members, and I got difference. I am now working towards my push the boundaries of science by the night sky. The AAVSO data are addicted to it! It is fascinating to observe a 60 observations and I can’t wait to get my contributing variable star data. I hope everywhere: in science papers, in press star one night, estimate its magnitude, and AL Binocular Variable Stars pin. you will join us!

T HE A STRONOMICAL L EAGUE 9 10 REFLECTOR ✶ M ARCH 2017 By Berton Stevens While the rings cannot compare because gravity from the moon Mimas Many people consider the most look solid from to the view from changes the orbits of particles in the beautiful planet in our solar system to be Earth, solid rings a spacecraft. Cassini Division, moving them either the sixth planet, Saturn, known for its would be unstable The first inward or outward and clearing the spectacular ring system. Even with a and break up. It terrestrial visitor division. small telescope, the rings of Saturn are a quickly became to Saturn was The features observed in the ring standout view for both amateur clear that they the Pioneer 11 system were exclusively attributed to the astronomers and the public. Rings have were composed of spacecraft in gravitational influences of the moons until been found around other planets, but individual particles late 1979. It 1980, when images from Voyager 1 none in our solar system compare with traveling in similar discovered the F showed almost linear features stretching those around Saturn. orbits. Spectro- Ring and two radially outward in the B Ring. Dubbed Saturn has been known since ancient scopic observa- new moons. spokes, these features are dark when the times. However, its rings are not visible to tions of the rings Pioneer 11 was Sun is behind the observer (frontlit) and the naked eye, delaying their discovery showed that the Wanderers in followed by bright when the Sun is on the opposite until the invention of the telescope. Galileo ring particles are Voyager 1 and side of the rings than the observer Galilei first observed Saturn telescopically 99.9 percent pure the Neighborhood Voyager 2, (backlit). The spokes rotate at a different in 1610, describing Saturn as having “ears” water-ice. The which made rate than the rings, but they are still long- or being made of three objects in a row. It rings are also The Rings of Saturn even more lasting features. Their motion could not be was not until 1655 that Christiaan Huygens extremely thin. If the rings were reduced to discoveries. The Cassini spacecraft was attributed to the moons’ gravity. suggested that they were not separate the size of a compact disc, they would be the the first to orbit Saturn and make close-up The spokes rotate around Saturn at objects, but rings around Saturn. By 1675, only one one-hundredth the thickness of a measurements of the planet, moons, and virtually the same speed as Saturn’s human hair. rings, starting in July 2004. magnetic field. While the exact From Earth’s Images from these spacecraft and the mechanism that creates the spokes is perspective, the Hubble Space Telescope have allowed us unknown, it is believed that they are rings are always to learn a great deal more about Saturn’s microscopic dust particles suspended illuminated by the rings. The three main rings, working above the rings by electrostatic repulsion. Sun, except when outward from the planet, are designated Even more surprising is that the Cassini Saturn’s shadow C, B, and A. At low resolution, they spacecraft did not see the spokes when it appears on the back appear to be uniformly dense. Higher- first arrived at Saturn in early 2004. side of the rings. The resolution images, however, show that Astronomers continued to look for them shadow is most hundreds of individual ringlets compose and finally found them in early September visible when the each ring. Saturn’s potato-shaped Earth is furthest from The ringlets are not moon Prometheus, the Sun from solid either: they are discovered in 1980 by Saturn’s point of composed of myriad view. This occurs particles of water-ice, from Voyager 1, is a shepherd An artist’s conception by Joe Bergeron of the rings of Saturn when Saturn is at dust-size to tens of feet moon helping to confine viewed from inside the rings themselves. The particles of ice that quadrature (ninety wide and larger. While the F Ring. This sequence compose the rings range from the size of dust to small-mountain- degrees from the these particles appear to of images shows size chunks. The ring system begins from the inside out with the D, Sun) as viewed from form ringlets with empty Prometheus’s gravity C, B, and A Rings, followed by the F, G, and E Rings. the Earth. The gaps in between, the rings distorting the F Ring. Image copyright Joe Bergeron, www.joebergeron.com/ shadow appears on are best thought of as a Prometheus is 84 x 49 x 37 the rings east of the particles.html. This is a new version of an old image he made for continuous disk with areas miles across and orbits planet’s disk when that have higher and lower Time-Life Books. Saturn in just 15 hours. Saturn is in western concentrations of particles. the improvement in telescopes allowed quadrature (ninety degrees west of the Much of this clumping is The Cassini spacecraft Giovanni Cassini to see the gap in the rings Sun in the morning sky) and west of the caused by gravity from provided the original that was later named after him—the disk when Saturn is in eastern quadrature Saturn’s moons. The lower- images. Cassini Division. He is also the namesake (ninety degrees east of the Sun in the density areas are called Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ of the Cassini spacecraft that has given us evening sky). gaps or divisions. Space Science Institute incredible close-up images of Saturn, its Images from even the best telescopes, In 2008, the Interna- moons, and its rings. immersed in Earth’s distorting atmosphere, tional Astronomical Union defined a gap 2005. They seem to be a seasonal as a space within a named ring. They also phenomenon appearing only around the defined a division as separating two Saturnian equinoxes. named rings. Divisions are usually large After twelve years of making close-up and gaps are much smaller. The most observations of Saturn, the Cassini famous division is the Cassini Division, mission is ending. Mission Control has which separates the A and B Rings. The kept Cassini away from Saturn’s rings to Cassini Division is clearly visible using prevent an errant ring particle from Earth-bound telescopes. destroying the spacecraft. Now, with Each particle in the rings is in an maneuvering propellant running out, independent orbit around Saturn. These Cassini will be sent through the edge of orbits are influenced by the gravity of the rings to make close-up observations of Saturn’s moons. For example, the Cassini the rings and small moons. Later, Cassini Division has a reduced particle density Concluded on page 30 The mysterious spokes of Saturn’s rings were first discovered by Voyager 1 in 1980. Since then, they had only been seen in Hubble images until the Cassini spacecraft arrived at Saturn in 2004. These three images, taken twenty-seven minutes apart by Cassini, show the motion of the spokes as they move from left to right. The faint, narrow spokes on the B Ring are 2,200 miles long and about 60 miles wide. The final image shows them disappearing into Saturn’s shadow. These images were taken on September The unlit side of Saturn’s A Ring and the Encke Gap (lower right) with a propeller-shaped 5, 2005. Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech. structure (red arrow) caused by a tiny moon around half a mile across, invisible in this image. The moon has cleared material to its left and right, allowing more sunlight through from the sunlit side. Closer to the moon, ring material is more densely concentrated, making the darker propeller shape. There are several of these propeller- moons scattered throughout Saturn’s rings, though this is one of the largest. This image was taken with the Cassini spacecraft’s narrow-angle camera on August 19, 2008. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute

T HE A STRONOMICAL L EAGUE 11 It was during the early- to mid- and dissolve in several minutes 1800s that S. Heinrich Schwabe while bigger instances may last conducted his search for an several hours. The largest intra-Mercurial planet, and examples often morph into stumbled upon the hitherto mature sunspots. unknown 11-year solar activity Best visible when situated cycle. Beginning with “solar near the solar limb are faculae, cycle 1” (1755–1766), we the pale wispy streaks that have experienced 23 full accompany and precede solar cycles. Presently the sunspot groups. Faculae 24th is winding down, with may be glimpsed without recurring instances of a any attending sunspots. In nearly spotless, seemingly fact, tiny bits and pieces of Solar minimum Sun typically quiet Sun. faculae sometimes form displays few sunspots. Limb The Sun, however, is near the poles, frequently darkening is obvious in this whole- never a static lifeless during sunspot minimum. disk view. All illustrations in this celestial body; rather it is The lifetimes of these article are by the author. a churning, boiling, and polar faculae are several lower chromosphere. Plages living star! At those times minutes to several days. consist of numerous tiny bright of outwardly scarce sunspot There’s more to see Again, the contrast of features, many associated with activity there might yet be than just sunspots faculae, like that of granulation, emerging magnetic flux tubes. something brewing on the Sun. will be boosted with the addition Therefore, views at the Ca II K- By Jamey L. Jenkins, Other solar features are often of a green or blue eyepiece line permit observation of Member-at-Large right before our eyes, if you filter. magnetic structures on the Sun. know what to look for. Let me If, by chance, the Sun In a plage, strong magnetic describe a variety of features develops a compact, round fields appear brighter than that have been spotted and sunspot at solar minimum, weak fields. While you are at it, appreciated during many solar watch as it nudges the west look for the plage corridor, a observing sessions, even at limb for the foreshortening void separating the positive and solar minimum. byproduct known as the Wilson negative regions of the magnetic What You Can See effect. Within a couple days of field. In young plages the Through a white-light telescope, approaching the limb, the corridor is sharp and narrow; in limb darkening is obvious at the symmetrical spot appears to older specimens it appears lowest of magnifications. become narrower from diffuse and fuzzy. Position the Sun’s disk near the foreshortening. As the penum- Ellerman bombs are visible in center of a low-power eyepiece bra and umbra become the lower chromosphere near and notice that the fringe of the thinner, the umbra will seem early plages as small micro Sun is a bit darker than the Author’s 102 mm f/7 Megrez to move closer and closer to flares. Ca II K or in the wings of mid-region. We have an ability (William Optics) telescope fitted for the penumbral side nearest H-alpha light is where you see to look a little deeper into the H-alpha solar observing and the Sun’s center. Continued these features as 3 arcsecond solar interior at the center than imaging. On the objective end is a solar rotation causes the or smaller bright points. An Lunt 100 mm energy rejection filter, we do near the edges, where umbra to narrow and eventu- Ellerman bomb may “pop” in at the eye end a 2x Tele Vue gas has a greater cumulative Powermate, Daystar Quark ally disappear. Alexander and out of view with a lifetime opacity. Approaching the limb, chromosphere filter, and an Wilson discovered this of 5–10 minutes. They are we only see cooler upper layers Imaging Source DMK 41AU02 video phenomenon in 1769, attribut- thought to result from magnetic of the photosphere; near the camera. ing it to the supposed concave reconnection events on the Sun. middle we can glimpse the or so, each granule having a shape of sunspots. Nowadays The Wilson effect shows the hotter and brighter inner layers. lifetime on the order of 5–10 we believe the effect has apparent concave nature of Solar granulation is a low- minutes. Observing tip: a green less to do with sunspot sunspots. From left to right, we see the progression of a sunspot exiting contrast, minuscule feature that shape and more with transpar- or blue eyepiece filter that the west limb. For a sunspot covers the entire visible disc of supplements (but does not ency of photospheric gas. entering the east limb, the order is the Sun. The granules are small replace!) the primary solar Observers of Ca II K-line light reversed. (1–5 arcseconds) and require filtration increases granule at 393.4 nm can higher magnification and superb contrast, enhancing visibility. spot plages in seeing conditions to resolve. A Also at the angular size of the chromo- difficult catch, but they are granulation we find pores (the sphere. A plage always present. A granule is the precursor to sunspots), which can be thought of apex of a column of plasma sporadically pop in and out of as an extension rising from the solar interior. view. A pore looks like a granule of a photo- Changes in appearance are that has been filled with dark spheric facula usually evident after a minute material. Small pores can form upward into the

12 REFLECTOR ✶ M ARCH 2017 pleasing formation. study can encompass morphol- and sometimes dramatic Two of the most ogy and statistical investiga- nature, providing the astrono- spectacular solar tions of frequency, position, mer an alternative to long features in H-alpha area, and height, or even the nights and cold fingers light are the bright creation of captivating video. searching for the next faint prominences and The rule of thumb for a solar fuzzy. dark filaments. They observer regarding prominence If this awakens an interest in are one and the development is that anything the Sun, check out the Astro- same feature—gas seems possible. nomical League’s Sunspotter clouds suspended Another feature on the H- and Hydrogen Alpha Observing above the solar alpha Sun that literally pops up Programs or contact the solar surface by magnetic forces—the differ- ence being where they are positioned. When situated on the solar limb, we see a glowing prominence. Positioned before the solar disk, we call the prominence a These Ca II K-line images show filament, now dark because of plages and Ellerman bombs in its cool temperature relative to progress. In the upper right frame two Ellerman bombs (micro-flares) the solar background. They are arrowed. The lower left frame assume a couple of basic depicts a bipolar sunspot group classifications, quiescent or with the plage corridor arrowed. A eruptive. The quiescent small symmetrical spot nearest the prominence is quiet and well limb in the lower right image behaved, changing appearance now and again is the emerging This emerging flux region and the displays the Wilson effect. attending arch filament system only slightly with time. Eruptive flux region (EFR). Tubes of appeared on the Sun on August 4, Many observers today explore prominences, on the other hand, magnetic flux poke up through 2016. Surrounding the EFR in this the Sun with a specialized appear moving and agitated, the photosphere to form a H-alpha image are numerous telescope or filter that passes and sometimes even burst away small patch of plage, the initial patterns of spicules. light from the H-alpha line at from the Sun at hundreds of km EFR. On occasion, an arch sections of the Association of 656.3 nm. Visible around the per second. filament system may develop Lunar and Planetary Observers Sun’s periphery in H-alpha light Prominences take on numer- within the EFR, composed of or American Association of are the spicules, curious ous shapes and forms. Common dark, thick threads (filaments) Variable Star Observers for features similar to gas jets structures include the haystack that cross the magnetic additional information on spiking upward at nearly 20 km or curtain, tree trunk, pillar, negative to positive zones of observing the Sun. per second to a height of nearly loop, and tornado. Prominence the EFR. These tiny filaments Solar minimum normally 10,000 km. Spicules typically A recent H-alpha picture (June 25, are low in the chromosphere limits the amount of spot have a 10-minute life ended by 2016) showing the gas jet nature of and when found near the solar activity we can view, but by disappearing or falling back into spicules on the limb. A large limb as bright objects are turning a discerning eye the Sun. The same spicules “haystack” prominence is in the increasingly difficult to see. toward the Sun, you too will visible against the solar disk center while the “hairy” features on The EFR is a precursor to the discover that there really is the disc are spicules. align themselves into development of an more to see than just sun- many interesting active region. spots. 8 patterns. Three Under the Skies Warning: Solar observing can be common forms are the The Sun, in my a dangerous activity if done bush, chain, and opinion, is one of the improperly! Only observe the Sun rosette. Random most exciting objects through a proper filter that covers clusters of spicules in the sky to observe. the aperture (not the eyepiece) are called a bush. Where else in the and removes both infrared and When spicules align universe can one see ultraviolet light while dimming its themselves into a spectacular changes visual brightness to a safe and column or row, we say transpire at a comfortable level. Never look at they are a chain. minute-by-minute the Sun with your unfiltered eyes Radiating spicules, like pace? The features or telescope. Additional informa- the petals of a flower, reviewed here tion on safe solar observing can are known as a illustrate the degree be found at www.aavso.org/solar- rosette, a very eye- of the Sun’s energetic guidelines.

T HE A STRONOMICAL L EAGUE 13 fter enjoying the dark unique opportunities for Visitors who took the tour to skies and hospitality of special tours and we wanted the meteorite collection at the Las Cruces, New to aggressively pack as Smithsonian Institution’s AMexico, in 2015, the many field trips as we could National Museum of Natural annual Astronomical League into a three-day period. We History were expecting to just be convention came to the wound up with three field guided through the normal bright lights of the nation’s trips each to five different displays that all tourists get to capital for ALCon 2016, sites and set things up so see. Imagine their surprise when August 10th through the that a clever person could one of the curators took them 13th, hosted by the Northern possibly get to all five. into their work areas, provided Virginia Astronomy Club The Smithsonian them with gloves, and let them (NOVAC). Institution’s National Air handle large meteorites them- Our late club presi- and Space Museum is selves while learning about each dent, Phil Wherry, the city’s most popular rock firsthand. The NMNH has always joked that NOVAC tourist attraction, and one of the largest and best was the largest amateur special tours were led museum-based collections of astronomy club in the universe. there by curators with displays meteorites in the world. (Well, try and disprove it!) So, including the Wright Brothers’ NOVAC is fortunate in having when Phil brought the League’s first airplane; Charles a club member who is the public invitation to the board for our By David Werth, the ALCon 2016 Lindbergh’s Spirit of Saint liaison officer at the historic club to host the 2016 event, we chair and member of the Louis; original Mercury, Gemini, U.S. Naval Observatory. Geoff felt we had the right dynamic to Northern Virginia Astronomy and Apollo spacecraft; and a Chester gave our attendees an pull it off. We also felt, with the Club. full-sized mockup of Skylab. intimate tour of the 26-inch abundance of first-class location just five Metro stops Visitors were also able to visit “Great Equatorial” refracting speakers in the area and many from the city, and it would save the museum’s Phoebe Waterman telescope, the voluminous excellent locations for field us $20,000 to $30,000 over Haas Public Observatory for reading room (where copies of trips, that we could give the AL using a hotel. Sealing the deal some daytime solar viewing. the Reflector were spotted) and membership a fun and interest- was that there were several fine The Stephen F. Udvar-Hazy the Clock Room where the ing convention. hotels within easy walking Center is the Air and Space Department of Defense official The first thing that needed distance where attendees Museum’s vast annex where time is kept. Several attendees clarifying was where to host the could stay. visitors could view the Space commented on how much time event. It would have been ideal After we made our sugges- Shuttle Discovery, the World Geoff gave each tour beyond to hold the convention in tions to the AL leadership, John War II bomber Enola Gay, a what was scheduled. Did you Washington, D.C., but costs there Goss and Carroll Iorg traveled Concorde SST, and many other know that the two Martian were prohibitive so we looked to Arlington in March of last historic airplanes, jets, and moons, Phobos and Deimos, hard at taking things across the year to view the NRECA facility space artifacts. At both the were discovered at the original Potomac into Arlington, Virginia. and three of the hotels. They downtown museum and the site of the USNO by noted We were fortunate to find that came away duly impressed and annex near Dulles Airport, there American astronomer Asaph the National Rural Electric we had the “go” to start building is really too much to see on one Hall in August 1877? Cooperative Association out the ALCon 2016 program. two-hour tour, so we hope our The most popular tour was to (NRECA) headquarters building Field Trips guests were able to revisit these NASA’s Goddard Space Flight had everything we would need The Washington, D.C., metro sites on their own to get the full Center in nearby Greenbelt, for facilities, it had a prime area provided us with some experience each has to offer. Maryland. Tour guides joined

DAVID WERTH

DAVID WERTH

DAVID WERTH Dr. Harold Geller of George Mason University marked Dr. Stella Kafka, Director of AAVSO, presented on Vivian White of NASA’s Night Sky Network the 40th anniversary of the Mars Viking missions. Variable Stars and Their Stories. held a workshop on preparing your community for the 2017 solar eclipse.

14 REFLECTOR ✶ M ARCH 2017 JOE TESSMER our guests on their coaches and Skybox”—just his backyard in Mall”—very relevant for those took them around to the suburban Vienna, Virginia—he who would soon be visiting different buildings, giving has taken some absolutely those downtown sites in person. special up-close views of the amazing astrophotos. His talk With the recent detection of work going on there including provided the audience with gravitational waves from binary Mission Control where various recommendations on preferred black holes, it was only proper missions are managed. Of cameras and software for doing that Gregg Harry, a member of particular interest was the this from your own backyard. the Laser Interferometer clean room where the James Dr. Harold Geller noted that this Gravitational-Wave Observatory Webb Space Telescope is being was the anniversary year of one of (LIGO) team, gave a presenta- assembled and tested. JWST is NASA’s greatest programs, with tion on gravitational wave scheduled to launch in 2018 as his talk, “40 Years Ago We Touched astronomy. Gregg illuminated the replacement for the Hubble the Surface of Mars,” a detailed the latest findings and spoke Space Telescope. Keynote speaker, NASA account of the history of the Viking about future plans for the Speakers Administrator General Charles F. mission, which played a large part program. In planning the ALCon program Bolden, Jr. in his professional life. Speaking of timely topics in we wanted to present quality Reynolds made an encore Dr. George Dosheck, who in astronomy and the space over quantity, limiting the presentation and shared his 2015 was awarded the presti- sciences, how about an update plenary session presentations to lifetime fascination with his gious George Ellery Hale Prize in on the New Horizons mission to just sixteen guest speakers. talk, “46 Years of Total Solar solar physics for his contribu- Pluto and Charon? We had just The Association of Lunar and Eclipse Chasing.” tions over an extended period of the man in Dr. Mike Summers of Planetary Observers (ALPO) We also wanted to share the time to the field of solar George Mason University. With was strongly represented by six very real assets NOVAC has astronomy, presented “Our Sun about 90 percent of the New speakers. Leading off, Matt Will within our large club through a and its Mysterious Atmosphere.” Horizon’s data downloaded at gave a look at “ALPO’s Origins, number of presentations by club Last but not least, JPL Solar the time, Mike showed us Purposes, and Progress.” Dr. members. Dr. Genevieve de System Ambassador Greg amazing new photos plus Mike Reynolds followed with a Messieres, who manages the Redfern unveiled the truth atmospheric and geologic data talk titled “Rocks from Space,” astronomy education program behind “The Chesapeake Bay on these distant worlds. And an “everything you wanted to at the Smithsonian’s National Impact Crater—A Cosmic Mike is leading a charge to have know but were afraid to ask” Air and Space Museum, gave an Detective Story.” Greg brought Pluto reestablished as a planet. look at meteorites. interactive presentation titled geologic samples, personally Get in touch with Mike if you Dr. Julius Benton was unable “Young Children at Your taken from the site, for the feel the same! to attend, but his talk, “Observ- Telescope.” There was some audience to examine. Workshops ing Venus with ALPO,” was ably energetic back and forth with We were also fortunate to In addition to the roster of guest presented by Ken Poshedly. the audience on what works and have some distinguished special speakers in the main hall, we Vincent Giovannone spoke on what does not during public guest speakers from outside of wanted to offer the attendees “30 Years of Perseids Meteor outreach events, a subject we NOVAC. Dr. David DeVorkin, some hands-on alternatives Observing,” followed by Dr. can all relate to. senior curator of history of with several special workshops. John Westfall who gave us an Kevin Quin, lawyer by day, astronomy and the space North Carolinian Christi interesting historical look at the astrophotographer by night, sciences at the National Air and Whitworth of the Pisgah Aristarchus experiment for presented “Astrophotography Space Museum, gave an Astronomical Research Institute measuring the distance between Without Superpowers.” From interesting talk titled “Bringing (PARI) and local D.C. legend the Earth and the Sun. Mike Kevin’s “Hole in the Trees Astronomy to the Nation’s Continued on page 20

DAVID WERTH

DAVID WERTH

BILL BURTON AL president John Goss and friends examine one of Dr. David Dunham of IOTA had an interactive display At the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the displays in the vendor room. on occultations. Natural History meteorite collection, Laurel Wanrow, holding a pallasite.

T HE A STRONOMICAL L EAGUE 15 or most of us, the excite- encourage our members to get ment of our hobby is the out and experience the wonder, time we spend under the beauty, and mystery of the night stars, but because amateur sky,” says Astronomical League astronomers comprise a president John Goss. He WHAT TO LOOK AT TONIG Fdiverse community, our emphasizes the League’s core By Bob Kerr observing circumstances vary mission: to promote the science considerably. We have different of astronomy by fostering sizes of telescopes or binoculars astronomical education and by and varying levels of experi- providing incentives for ence. We may prefer visual, observation and research. This imaging or sketching. Some of is done by assisting communica- us belong to clubs and others tion among the League’s 298 don’t. There are those who can affiliated astronomy clubs, as observe under dark skies from well as a sizeable community of home, while many must tolerate members-at-large, patron annoying levels of light pollution members, and supporting or pack up and drive miles to members, a total of over 16,000 suitably dark skies. individuals. “The League’s highly The Astronomical League has successful roster of observing its members covered. Its menu programs, along with award Framed award certificates make an attractive of over 50 observing programs certificates and pins upon wall display. Photo by Mark Clingan specifically addresses the needs completion, is a core benefit of resulting from all of these membership,” Goss points out. considerations. The programs The League’s inventory of provide ample opportunities for programs has been evolving experienced observers, new- through the years since the comers, owners of all kinds of introduction of the Messier Club instruments, those with less in 1967. It has been the familiarity (including beginners League’s most popular program and youngsters), and observers ever since, with over 2,700 constrained by varying degrees awards presented to members. of light-polluted skies. In fact, Launched in 1980, the Herschel as an example of this diversity, 400 Club was the League’s there’s even a suite of programs second program, and its award for the Southern Hemisphere. certificate is one of the most So, when you find yourself highly prized. However, the thinking, “I feel like getting the Binocular Messier Club, scope out tonight, I wonder launched in 1991, is second what is there to see?,” the highest in overall member League has you covered, and participation. Following the can turn your observing success of these three clubs uncertainty into observing (now called programs), there enjoyment. followed a succession of The observing programs offerings that have also become include customized lists of the favorites among League Observing log submission: an Excel best celestial targets visible observers: Lunar, Double Star, spreadsheet by Ken Boquist of the under virtually any sky condi- Binocular Deep Sky, Caldwell, Popular Astronomy Club tion, whether dark skies or and Globular Cluster programs. annoying glow. In fact, the Sue French, popular as- The Horsehead Nebula (B33) and its Urban Program is especially for tronomy writer and “Deep-Sky surroundings were captured as a single 300- observers who can’t see the Wonders” columnist for Sky & second image at ISO 1600 on January 23, Milky Way at all. The numerous Telescope, reflects on her own 2015, using a full-spectrum, monochrome- benefits of these programs have early experiences with the modified Canon T3 DSLR and 6 nm H-alpha filter, Tele Vue 127is refractor, and been widely recognized and League’s observing programs. “A Paramount MX. Capture via BackyardEOS; acknowledged over the years, few years after beginning my calibration and noise removal in but the one most often men- first tentative explorations of the ImagesPlus; cropping, curves, and level tioned is that they provide an night sky, I joined a local adjustment in Photoshop. incentive to go out and use your astronomy club and learned By Anthony J. Kroes, Master Observer No. 15, Quantum Skies Observatory, Neville telescope. about the Astronomical League. Public Museum Astronomical Society “The programs are meant to The League’s Messier Observing

16 REFLECTOR ✶ M ARCH 2017 Program led me to find and describe all the Messier objects in the League’s booklet, which was very useful for a novice like HT? THERE’S A PROGRAM FOR THAT me. I had a lot of fun and proudly received my certificate in 1980. I next tackled the Herschel 400 Program, which I can honestly say taught me how to observe. But you don’t need to be just a deep-sky enthusiast to enjoy the League’s programs.” The coauthors of the well- respected Night Sky Observer’s Guide, George Kepple and Glen Sanner, are long-time Astro- nomical League members and active program participants. According to Kepple, “These programs give you a sense of purpose and a list of objects you might not have observed before.” Sanner hadn’t under- Sketch of M34 by Cindy Krach taken a program until a fellow Huachuca Astronomy Club Arp 26 (M101) from the Arp Peculiar member suggested he give it a Galaxies Program. Also known as the Pinwheel Galaxy, it is notable for its try. “I soon jumped in with both asymmetric shape and one particularly feet,” he recalls. “Any of the heavy arm. Total exposure was 30 League programs are a way to minutes through a PlaneWave CDK 12.5- discover the great variety of inch telescope and an L filter. objects to be enjoyed at the By Hilary Jones, Tri-Valley Stargazers eyepiece.” In 2001, to recognize those members whose interests are broad and whose skills are 2015 National Young Astronomer Award deep, the League introduced the (NYAA) presented to Theodora Mautz at Master Observer Award. This ALCon 2015 in Las Cruces, New Mexico Photo by Dale Taylor prestigious award requires a Stylish observing award breadth of observing knowledge pins accompany each while also permitting members certificate. to pursue special interests. To qualify, at least ten programs must be completed, including a suite of five core programs, of which the Herschel 400 is one. Currently, the League has 175 members who proudly bear the distinction of Master Observer. Recently, the League announced a major enhancement under the new title of Master Observer Progression. This is largely in response to the substantial growth in the number of League programs introduced since 2001, as well as the continuing mastery of astronomy by League members seeking new chal- lenges. The Progression includes six levels ranging from the Observer Award to Master

T HE A STRONOMICAL L EAGUE 17 Observer Platinum Award. The observing log and other oversees these programs. her what a valuable tool existing Master Observer materials; and how to submit “Youth Awards are given to sketching becomes in the Program remains the same, but observations to the program’s encourage, celebrate and honor observing process. She says, is now one of the steps in the coordinator for an award. those students that pursue the “The Sketching Program helps Progression. Members may choose to submit area of astronomy in their people increase their powers of National Observing Program their observations for award educational learning experi- observation when they slow directors Aaron Clevenson and certificates and pins, or they ence.” The premier recognition down long enough to faithfully Cliff Mygatt stay busy keeping may use the program lists is the National Young Astrono- record what they observe.” She all these programs on track and purely to put more variety into mer Award (NYAA) presented quickly adds, “And you abso- assuring the League’s “celestial their observing sessions. annually at Astronomical lutely don’t have to be an machinery” is properly oiled To assist members working League conventions. artist!” and running. According to the programs as beginning Youth interest is best Another new program has Clevenson, “The goal is to observers, Observing Program nurtured at the local club level presented challenges and provide observing subjects of director Clevenson maintains by the commitment of adult rewards even for the League’s interest to everyone, with handy observing tools on the members willing to share their most seasoned observers. The differing levels of complexity League website called “What’s time and expertise. An example Active Galactic Nuclei Pro- and varying equipment require- Up, Doc?” and “What’s Up is the Astronomical Society of gram, authored by Master ments. The programs are Tonight, Doc?” These resources Long Island, where League Observer Al Lamperti of the structured not only to provide a help members know what programs have helped one Delaware Valley Amateur list of things to see but also to objects from various observing teenager discover astronomy Astronomers, joined programs provide the opportunity for the lists can be viewed during a and bolster much needed self- such as Galaxy Groups and observer to learn about those current month or evening, esteem. As a youngster, Ethan Clusters, Flat Galaxy, and objects and astronomy in removing some of the guesswork Maitra was diagnosed with Herschel II that benefit from general.” There are also more involved in preparing for a night Asperger’s and found it chal- observer experience, larger than 30 Observing Program under the stars. lenging to find activities where apertures and dark skies. coordinators assisting with the The numbered award he feels socially comfortable According to Lamperti, the administration of the programs. certificates and pins may be with others. The club’s Thomas purpose of his program is to Details about all the pro- mailed directly to the member Pennino has been mentoring provide the opportunity to find grams may be found on the or to the member’s club Ethan, and the young observer and detect elusive active Astronomical League website at coordinator for presentation at has derived a great sense of galactic nuclei, including www.astroleague.org. For an a local club meeting. Member accomplishment through club quasars, BL Lacertae objects, overview, see the Observing names, certificate numbers, membership and pride in and Seyfert galaxies. He says Programs listing elsewhere in and League affiliations are receiving awards for the his most satisfying personal this issue. published quarterly in the Sunspotter and Binocular experience has been splitting Referring to the listing, Reflector under “Observing Double Star Programs. Accord- lensed quasar QSO B0957+561 Mygatt says it’s a handy Awards” toward the back of the ing to Pennino, “Ethan reminds in Ursa Major. “Neat to see a resource for observers to begin magazine. Members can also us what we felt when we began dot whose light left seven “shopping” for programs of check the status of all their observing the many wonders of billion years ago. Quite interest. However, these are awards in a database main- the heavens.” humbling.” only guidelines, leaving ample tained on the League website. League observers eagerly President John Goss has an room for individuality based on Award certificates are suitable anticipate the annual introduc- enthusiastic outlook on the a member’s own experience, for framing and make showy tion of new observing pro- future of amateur astronomy, as preferences, or sense of wall displays. The award pins grams. Where do these well as the personal benefits exploration. He adds, “In the are often worn on field gear, programs come from? They’re which result from the social end, we just want people to be and some members have created by fellow members aspects of astronomy clubs. He successful and enjoy them- mounted them into attractive with a passion for a particular thinks even though we may have selves.” shadow box exhibits. aspect of observing they wish spectacular images at our Observers may work on Involving young people in the to share. Cindy Krach of the fingertips, amateur astronomers multiple programs at the same science of astronomy has been a Haleakala Amateur Astrono- will always want to see things in time and take as much time as long-standing priority of the mers was the lead author, real time with their own eyes they require for completion. The Astronomical League at both the assisted by club members, on and personally experience the details of each program national and local levels. As the Sketching Program. She beauty and mystery of the generally follow a similar local clubs explore inventive had read how sketching would incredible universe. “More format: an introduction or forms of youth outreach, the help hone her observing skills. people will desire what I call overview; documentation on the League continues its 23-year Trying it, she realized much the ‘authentic observing nature of the objects to be support for these efforts with more detail revealed itself experience,’ that is, that special observed; the object list and award programs directed at when she spent time capturing relationship of telescope, number of objects to be encouraging and recognizing what she observed as accu- observer and sky,” Goss says. observed; a requirements outstanding youth accomplish- rately as possible. Particularly “The Astronomical League section, which includes ments. Astronomical League when looking at very faint observing programs are an specifics on maintaining an vice president Bill Bogardus fuzzies, it really hit home to excellent place to find that.” 8

18 REFLECTOR ✶ M ARCH 2017 ust for fun and to divided that into 360 celebrate the summer degrees and got a factor of solstice, I decided to 24.16; in other words, I am emulate the great Greek about 1/24 of the way geometer Eratosthenes by around the world from trying to measure the where the Sun is circumference of the directly overhead. Earth from my Now if I multiply backyard in Pueblo 24.16 times the West, Colorado! distance between As the story Pueblo West goes, Era- Eratosthenes (276 to 194 BC) and the tosthenes Tropic of asked Cancer himself why (where the should a Sun is Figure 1: Shadow angle at Alexandria stick in overhead Syene at the (now summer Aswan), solstice Egypt cast By Dave Furry, Southern Colorado and where no sha- Astronomical Society the dow at the summer shadow angle of the Sun is solstice, when far to the zero degrees), I would north, in Alexandria, there calculate the circumfer- would be a distinct ence of the Earth! shadow? Eratosthenes At this point, Era- correctly surmised that the tosthenes hired someone only way this could hap- to pace off the distance pen is if the Earth were between Syene and curved—otherwise, if the Alexandria, but I don’t Sun were directly over a have that level of commit- flat Earth, there would be ment. I merely consulted Figure 2: My “high-tech” setup to measure the Sun’s shadow. The concrete no shadows anywhere! my globe and noted that block is to prevent movement due to the famous Pueblo West winds. His reasoning was like Durango, Mexico, lies near that shown in Figure 1. He the Tropic of Cancer placed a vertical stake in (where the Sun will be the ground in Alexandria, directly overhead on the measured the length of its summer solstice) and is shadow at a precise time, almost due south of my and calculated its angle by backyard. From my road simple trigonometry. The atlas, I scaled the distance “shadow angle” is the between Pueblo West and same angle as that sub- Durango at 1,023.5 miles. tended by the curvature of Multiplying 1,023.5 the Earth (alternate miles by 24.16 gave me interior angles are equal— about 24,730 miles. The remember 10th grade actual circumference of geometry class?). the Earth (through the I drove a stake in the poles) is 24,860 miles, an Figure 3: Measuring the shadow ground in my backyard unexpected error of only Figure 4: right; Calculating the (Figure 2) and measured 0.5 percent on my first shadow angle the length of its shadow try—no fudging at all, (Figure 3) at solar noon honest! We are not sure of (Aswan) was on the same (the shortest shadow, the exact answer Era- longitude line as Alexan- which occurred just before tosthenes calculated, dria, but it’s not. In any 1:00 MDT). From the because no can say for case, though, his theoreti- height of the stake I was sure how long his length cal technique was cer- able to calculate the of measurement, the tainly accurate! subtended angle (14.90 stadia, was. Also, he This is how science nerds degrees, Figure 4). I assumed that Syene have fun. 8

T HE A STRONOMICAL L EAGUE 19 JOE TESSMER ALCon 2016/from page 15 In the Vendor’s relief on and listen to the presentations Skip Bird offered two work- Room Thursday by this year’s AL youth award shops: “Eclipses and Seasons: Our vendors and evening to winners. Katie Melbourne, a Activities and Outreach” and other club and head to member of the Popular As- “Energy from the Sun for association nearby tronomy Club in Illinois, who is Families.” With AstroCon 2017 displays set up Barcroft attending Yale University; in Casper, Wyoming, a year in the second Park for the Megan Gialluca, a member of away, this was excellent side hall at annual Star- the New Hampshire Astronomi- preparation for outreach around NRECA. These B-Que. cal Society and a student at the the eclipse. were well ALCon 2016 chair, David Werth, Beneath Hollis Brookline High School; Vivian White, who traveled all visited through- presents NASA Administrator Bolden a the tall trees Ginger Mellott of the the way from California, set up out the three conference cap. next to Four Charlottesville Astronomical next year’s ALCon perfectly with days of ALCon. We had some Mile Run, attendees were able to Society (can’t stop those her workshop “Left in the Light: nice raffle items donated, cool off, make new friends, and Virginians!); Jay Senthilvelan, a Preparing Your Community for including a year’s subscription enjoy some fine Virginia barbeque student at Buchanan High Viewing a Partial Eclipse in to Astronomy magazine, five from Red Hot and Blue. We School in Clovis, California; and 2017.” This was a timely look on DeLite eyepieces, a planisphere wanted this to be relaxed and fun, Swagat Bhattacharyya from how to help others to experi- wrist watch, a jumbo Pocket Sky so no presentations were offered. Morgantown High School in ence the eclipse safely from Atlas from Sky & Telescope As a special treat, music was West Virginia all made a major wherever they are viewing. magazine, a $75 coupon from provided in the open pavilion by impact at ALCon 2016. NOVAC’s Skip Sufitchi Kendrick Astro Instruments, and The Awesome Exaggerations. If you haven’t seen it yet, go contributed two workshops a 102 mm Maksutov-Cassegrain With a wide range of music styles back and read Bill Bogardus’s around his specialty of radio telescope from Celestron! and four fine vocalists, the article in the September 2016 astronomy: “Radio Meteor Star-B-Que attendees were entertained until Reflector for more details on Echoes” and “Solar Flare D.C. weather in August can be well after dark. “Fly Me to the these impressive young Detections.” All of these can be mighty hot, and this summer Moon” was a big hit with the scholars. achieved in one’s own backyard! was no exception, with four ALPO folks! Awards Banquet These outreach-oriented days of baking hot temperatures Youth Award Winners On Saturday the 13th, the final programs were well received in the high 90s to about 100 One of the surprise highlights of day of ALCon 2016, after the and well attended. degrees. It was something of a ALCon 2016 was getting to meet final guest speaker concluded at

Top: A view of the room during the awards banquet. USNO Public Affairs Officer Geoff Chester led attendees through this Bottom: Good food, good company in a pretty park. historic observatory including its extensive library.

ARLEN RAASCH ARLEN RAASCH

The Awesome Exaggerations entertained the ALCon folks until well after dark.

DAVID WERTH

DAVID WERTH

20 REFLECTOR ✶ M ARCH 2017 4:30, we had 90 minutes until The original plan for the the awards banquet was to banquet had the AL and NOVAC 10, 25, and 50 Years of the begin. We turned the main hall leadership with their wives at NRECA over to the caterers sitting at the head table with Astronomical League’s Magazine who would convert the room General Bolden—perks of the By Mike Stewart, Astonomical League Historian from a conference configuration planners! But during the to a dining room for a buffet afternoon, NOVAC president February 1967 Amateurs to Peru for Eclipse dinner. Several people caught Terry Cabell had an idea. Why The sun shone in all its glory at Arequipa in southern Peru me pacing the hallway and said don’t we give up our seats at the Saturday. It was the perfect answer to the prayers of I must be glad this was over. My head table and have the youth amateurs from the Detroit Astronomical Society who had reply was, “it isn’t over until I award winners sit with the traveled 5,000 miles to observe the total eclipse. The 72- second totality, recorded by 11 instruments taking 15 get a call from the general.” The administrator? I loved the idea— different experimental measurements, was an exciting general in question was NASA we sought permission from the climax to over two years of preparation by the local group. administrator General Charles parents and made it happen. In semi-darkness the corona was an awe-inspiring moment for the 20 Indians who squatted on the brow of the hill F. Bolden, Jr., who was to be Watching the animated which marked the expedition site. The group of 14 from our keynote speaker at the discussions during dinner Detroit, augmented by three from Ohio and three who joined at Miami, was led by awards banquet. Until he between General Bolden and the Dr. E.J. Love and Richard Lloyd. Success came as an unexpected climax to the local group, beset by mishaps since arriving in South America Nov. 5. arrived, nothing was finished. five award winners, it was clear No need to travel 5,000 miles in 2017 to observe a total solar eclipse! Observers When I finally got the call on my that this would be a night to in the U.S. likely live within an easy day’s drive of the centerline of the August 2017 cell phone and the voice on the remember for all. General eclipse. other end said, “Hi David, this is Bolden certainly thought so. In a February 1992 Charlie Bolden,” my shoulders note I received from him after The Great Aurora of 1991 could finally come down. the convention, he wrote, “I Did you catch the Great Aurora of 1991? On November 8, When planning the speaking really enjoyed the evening— many parts of the United States enjoyed a rare and schedule, and particularly spectacular auroral display. This extensive aurora was not especially the opportunity to only seen in the northern part of the country, as you would Saturday evening’s keynote talk with the students and learn expect, but as far south as Texas and New Mexico. Friday address, we thought, who in about their projects. Our future night was meeting night for many clubs. But there were Washington would be a home- several dedicated observers who skipped their meetings to is in great hands!” go observing instead and saw the aurora. [T]he most run speaker? How about the The NASA administrator’s eloquent description of the Chicago sighting came from man who runs the U.S. space keynote address was really the CAS member Dorothy Nichols. She observed the aurora program—a U.S. Marine for 45 from her home out in the dark sky country near Apple River Canyon State Park. The highlight of the week for us. show began shortly after 6 PM, she writes, “with greenish-white rays, streaks and years, a four-time space shuttle His talk at the awards dinner eerie brightness throughout the north-northeast portion of the sky. Then came the astronaut, and NASA adminis- absolutely blew away the 130 broad pinkish-red bands which appeared to extend from both east and west toward trator since 2009? It took three the zenith, and which gradually shifted southward. These red streaks extended so guests in attendance. His humor, high that my son could see them through the sun roof in his car as he drove out for months to find an approach to keen insights, and humility the weekend. This phase of the show lasted until well after 7 PM, then faded. We the administrator, get a letter to resonated powerfully with our thought the display was ending and went in for dinner. But that was only the him, and await his response. He beginning. Each time we thought the show was over, the light would return with a guests. When he finished, new form and motion. Although we saw no more red color, we experienced virtually is a very busy man and there everyone in the room spontane- every manifestation I have ever seen illustrated. There were streaks, arcs, an overall were no guarantees. When the ously stood and applauded. They glow, ghostly clouds of light shooting in puffs from high in the north, and finally, email came in that General perhaps most awesome, a wide set of draperies folded back on itself.” would have gone on for five or For many observers, the unexpected appearance and observation of an aurora in Bolden would attend, you could ten minutes but, as emcee, I had the continental U.S. remains an uncommon and treasured memory. Aurora-alerting hear the cheers from Virginia to to quiet the room down. apps increase the chances of seeing aurora when they drift far south of their normal Kansas City! The emails I received after latitudes. Visitors to NASA’s Goddard Space the convention all struck the March 2007 Flight Center could witness the same note—what an inspired Crayon Moon James Webb Space Telescope being speaker and a terrific man he is. I have sketched, drawn, and painted for most of my life, assembled in the clean room. He sent the attendees back and I have had a love affair with the night sky for as long as I can remember. It is only in the last two years that I home across the country with a have combined both these interests into a new adventure. warm feeling they probably had This came about by the example and encouragement of a not expected. dear friend. She introduced me to the absorbing passion of astronomical sketching. This activity has given me an For the Astronomical League outrageous amount of pleasure and learning. I have members who attended ALCon discovered that to achieve a good sketch, you must look 2016, thank you! And for those at what you want and not only observe it but also absorb it. You must make a mental note of your target, and bring it from the subject through the eyepiece to who couldn’t make it, you missed a your paper... fun time. It took a dedicated team Sketching is the best, most intense way to learn the Moon. The ever-changing of NOVAC volunteers to pull this off symphony of shadows and light are a joy to observe and reproduce. Deirdre Kelleghan of the Irish Astronomical Society contributed this fine article on sketching and I wanted to let the entire the Moon. Her article captured the enjoyment of observing and sketching at the NOVAC family know how much I eyepiece. Like Dierdre’s article, the Astronomical League’s Sketching Observing appreciate their efforts. Award encourages us to slow down the observing process and improve observing skills over time. As with anything, practice will improve the ability to recreate what Next year in Casper, Wyo- is observed in the eyepiece.

BILL BURTON ming! 8

T HE A STRONOMICAL L EAGUE 21 Background Moon and its cold traps inside inventions combined to form an n September 2016, amid great cislunar spaces. polar lunar integrated factory for process- fanfare at the 67th annual As part of such craters. ing regolith into useful products, International Astronautical infrastructure, Energy and such as oxygen for life support Congress in Guadalajara, several authors communications and propellant, as well as Mexico, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk have proposed in- infrastructure, on silicon, iron, aluminum, described his plan to build a situ resource the other hand, titanium, and slag for construc- civilization on Mars. His plan utilization (ISRU) of would be supplied tion and additive manufacturing. involves developing a range of lunar resources, by networks of Such ISRU products would new technologies: enormous including solar arrays greatly increase lunar and reusable rockets, gigantic water, metals, and communi- cislunar self-sufficiency, while carbon-fiber fuel tanks, ultra- and building cations giving solar system pioneers powerful rocket engines, and materials, as a equipment on experience for extracting spaceships capable of carrying stepping-stone to the lunar resources from other celestial a hundred or more passengers developing and surface and in bodies, such as minor moons simultaneously to the planet, settling Mars. various orbits and asteroids. then repeatedly returning to One vision for around the Second Step: Utilizing Earth to pick up more. ISRU-supported By Al Anzaldua and Dave Dunlop Earth and Deimos ISRU Musk is not the first person to infrastructure Moon. Although As a potential source of ISRU, boldly propose skipping a Moon involves placing propellant food and other supplies for Deimos is a particularly base or cislunar infrastructure to depots in low Earth orbit (LEO) human maintenance could at tempting target. It is energeti- settle Mars directly. For instance, and in “halo” orbits around first be supplied from Earth via cally easier to reach Deimos in 1996, Dr. Robert Zubrin Earth-Moon Lagrange point 2 cycling in-space ferries, solar from LEO than from the lunar proposed a “Mars Direct” (E-M L2) to refuel in-space system pioneers would eventu- surface. At around 20,000 km approach to settling from the martian humans on the Red surface, Planet. Although his telerobotics from proposal is modest Deimos would be compared to Musk’s, very near real-time.

NATIONAL SPACE SOCIETY Zubrin’s The Case for SPUDIS LUNAR RESOURCES Even better, Mars book neverthe- because Deimos less outlines a step- orbits just above by-step method to Mars-synchronous send humans to Mars orbit (MSO), from within ten years to the perspective of begin settlements Deimos, Mars would there. appear to slowly Critics of Musk, of Zubrin, ferries and tankers, carrying ally have to produce their own rotate eastward at only 2.7 and of other “Mars Direct” people, supplies, and fuel to and food and recycle water, degrees per hour, thus offering advocates have pointed out that from various inner solar system nutrients, and vital gases with a generous line-of-sight any settlement on Mars could destinations. While the propel- bioregenerative systems. telerobotics time, unavailable end with tragic loss of life lant for LEO depots would be Rethinking Mars Settlement from Phobos. Over a period of without an adequate supply supplied from Earth at first, via Two Moons plus the Mons about five and a half days, chain and a transportation, propellant for subsequent LEO Volcanoes strategically placed telerobot communications, and energy depots and E-M L2 depots would First Step: Integrate ISRU into operators on Deimos would be infrastructure connected to the come from water ice found in Cislunar/Lunar-Surface System able to explore and work across Scientists, engineers, and all of Mars, except for extreme architects have proposed polar regions. various technologies and Using Deimos as a natural systems for extracting volatiles, resource goes far beyond it metals, and various elements being an ideal telerobotics from lunar regolith, while platform. Measuring 15 x 12.2 x simultaneously producing 10.4 km, Deimos is much bigger ALLIANCE FOR SPACE DEVELOPMENT building materials. In this than the near-Earth asteroids context, a new lunar regolith NASA is considering visiting at processing technology devel- considerable expense. Yet the oped by Dr. Peter Schubert escape velocity from Deimos shows promise. His “Lunar would still only be 5 meters per A concept of a base at the lunar poles, mining water ice to turn into Factory for LOX and Metals” second, making it a fuel-sparing propellant. Such a base could be developed for $40 billion by leveraging consists of two previously staging platform for solar public-private partnerships, according to a new study. independent solar-powered system transit. In addition,

22 REFLECTOR ✶ M ARCH 2017 several meters of Deimos higher temperatures and regolith between a Deimos- atmospheric pressures, and

AD ASTRA based crew and interplanetary thus are more conducive to space would provide shelter human habitation. from cosmic radiation. Lava tubes are also associated Better still, both Deimos and with the Tharsis Montes equato- Phobos appear to have the rial volcanoes: Ascraeus Mons, characteristics of dark carbon- Pavonis Mons, and Arsia Mons. aceous asteroids, with assem- However, the Tharsis bulge on blages of anhydrous silicates, which they are located is not carbon, organic compounds, connected to any large water ice hydrated minerals, and water deposit. Still, if significant ice. If this carbonaceous amounts of water could be found composition bears out, the within the lava tubes that run regolith of Deimos could provide down from the Tharsis volcanoes water and other volatiles for life support and for fabrication and presence on the western flanks, into the low-lying eastern portion life-support and propellant. construction. In this regard, the particularly at the base of these of Noctis Labyrinthus, human Deimos-sourced propellant western slopes and bases of the gigantic shield volcanoes: habitations could also be could power reusable ferries basaltic shield volcanoes Elysium water! Aside from the likely established in that region. and tankers from Deimos to Mons and Olympus Mons would be frozen water we are likely to Regarding mission sequencing, various solar system destina- excellent sites to initiate perma- find in martian lava tubes, the appropriate resource- tions and back. nent human habitation. These scientists have discovered extractors and systems could The regolith of Deimos will also shield volcanoes are laced with evidence of vast ice deposits to begin robotically producing likely contain silicates, metals, many cubic miles of lava tubes, the west of both Elysium Mons water, oxygen, propellant, and other valuable materials for likely containing useful metals, and other construction and manufacturing. frozen volatiles and fabrication materials Deimos is an accessible orbiting minerals. Because these before humans arrive “platform” already in place and natural caverns have roofs on the Moon, Deimos, readily accessible for staging, estimated to be tens of and Mars. Because communications, Mars meters thick, human solar energy reaching telepresence, and developing habitats would be SCIENCE INSTITUTE PLANETARY Mars’s surface is only asteroid mining technologies. protected from solar 44 percent of that Because the intensity of sunlight radiation, micrometeor- reaching Earth’s, reaching Mars and its moons oids, extreme temperature Schubert-type element Phobos and Deimos (Mars PhD) fluctuations, winds, and separators would Dr. William Feldman of the Planetary Science Institute in is less than half that reaching the dust storms that would 2012 analyzed data from NASA’s Mars Odyssey neutron require very large solar Moon, powering a Schubert-type pose a threat to human spectrometer and found evidence of large amounts of arrays. Yet even large regolith separator will be harder, health and technology. water ice just beneath the surface (more than 4.5 percent arrays would be but not impossible. Luckily, Moreover, if life exists on of water-equivalent hydrogen in orange and red areas). inadequate during Deimos does not have a light- Mars, a compelling place martian dust storms. scattering atmosphere and dust to look for it would be Energy production on storms like Mars. Adequately within a sheltering lava SETTERFIELD Mars would therefore large solar panels could therefore tube or cave. require supplementation be constructed to power the Judging from lava by nuclear reactors. regolith resource-extractor. tubes on Earth, the Conclusions and Deimos would be the best potential yields for Summary ISRU site for a Mars orbital science, life support, A long-term commit- complex, Mars settlement, and and infrastructure development and Olympus Mons at a depth in ment to an Antarctic-style further solar system expansion. on both the Moon and Mars some places of less than a research station will not do. For Telerobotics, oxygen and water would be significant. Moreover, meter. For example, just under self-sufficiency and for life support, vehicle staging our experience exploring the the surface of Utopia Planitia to sustainability, the selling of and fueling, shelter from cosmic lava tube environments on the the west of Elysium Mons exists goods and services must be an radiation, and construction and Moon would advance settlement an ice reservoir larger than integral part of the settlement manufacturing materials would strategies for Mars. The Moon New Mexico and containing as mix. Tourism will undoubtedly all be provided by Deimos. could therefore be a major much water as Lake Superior. be one of the first services that Third Step: Basing On and engineering on-ramp for the Also, the western slopes of both companies will provide for Near the Mars Mons Volcanoes practical experience of explor- Olympus Mons and Elysium profit. Mining of water and Why the Mons volcanoes? Effective ing and modifying lava tubes on Mons plunge to below the mineral resources will run a Mars surface exploration will Mars for habitation. datum—that is, zero elevation. close second. Eventually, require a phased strategy to access Yet there is another practical At a given latitude, these lower- refined goods and sophisticated shelter and natural resources for reason for establishing human elevation areas have relatively Continued on page 25

T HE A STRONOMICAL L EAGUE 23 Bogardus, [email protected]. Please limit all statements to approximately 250 words. All nomination materials must be submitted by March 15, 2017. A New Astronomical League Program: The Astronomical League–OPT Imaging Awards Oceanside Photo and Telescope has always been a good friend to amateur astronomy and to the Astronomical League. They have now enthusiastically offered to sponsor a new AL award program, the OPT Imaging Awards. The AL recognizes the efforts of imagers with a program where they can submit their best work in four categories: 1. Solar System Award: featuring the Moon, Sun, planets, or comets 2. Deep-Sky Award: showing star clusters, nebulae, or galaxies 3. Wide-Field Award: capturing constellations, the Milky Way, aurorae, meteors, or planetary conjunctions and groupings 4. Video/Time-Lapse Award: showing movement in the heavens Each category will have a first, second, and third place. First-place winners will each receive a $250 gift certificate from Oceanside Photo and Telescope, second place winners will each receive a $125 gift certificate, and third place winners will each receive a $75 gift certificate. Please see www.astroleague.org/al/awards/awards.html for complete details of this exciting new program! The Astronomical League– Astronomics Sketching Award Sketching the impression of a celestial scene allows the observer to see more detail and to better enjoy our amazing avocation. Why not try your hand at sketching tonight? The Astronomical League is administering a new award program, the Astronomics Sketching Award. First place sketcher receives a cash prize of $250, second place $125, and third place $75! For all the exciting details, please visit the Astronomical League awards page, www.astroleague.org/al/awards/ awards.html. (left to right) Terry Trees, MERAL Chair; John Goss, AL President; Tom This program is made possible through the vision and generosity Reiland, Director of the Wagman Observatory (and the first recipient of the of Astronomics, www.astronomics.com! Herschel 400 Observing Program certificate); and Becky Nichols, director of the Mingo Observatory 2017 Mabel Sterns Newsletter Editor Award The Mabel Sterns Newsletter Editor Award recognizes the work of Astronomical It’s Been 50 Years of Observing Programs! League club newsletter editors across the country. The deadline for nominations is On Friday evening, January 13, 2017, the Astronomical League and the Mid-East Region quickly coming to a close on April 1, 2017 (no fooling). Nominations from the president presented the Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh with two special plaques or vice president of an Astronomical League–affiliated club should explain why their commemorating the very first Observing Program certificate awarded fifty years earlier. On newsletter editor should be considered for the award. that night in 1967, AAAP President RC Dickensen presented observer Catherine Delaney Please email entries to [email protected]. The nomination should her certificate in the newly launched AL Messier Observing Program. Since then, nearly include: 3,000 Messier Observing Program certificates have been earned by AL member observers. • Name and postal address of the newsletter editor • A recent issue of the newsletter in Adobe PDF or a link to it Solar Eclipse 2017 Special Award • A photo of the editor, preferably in an astronomical setting (JPEG, please) • URL of the club’s website where electronic copies of recent newsletters are posted (along August 21, 2017, should be on your calendar. Over the course of 94 minutes, the shadow with any necessary passwords) would be welcome and helpful of the Moon will pass from Oregon to South Carolina. All of the continental U.S. will • Name and city of the club experience at least a 60 percent partial eclipse, but to see totality, you will need to Both the nominating officer and newsletter editor must appear on the AL roster. travel to the path. If electronic submission is not possible, four (4) paper copies of the letter of The Astronomical League will be offering a Special Observing Award certificate and recommendation and newsletter may be mailed to the League’s national office. One pin to those who are up to the challenge. There will be general certificates for the public photo is sufficient. as well. The goal of the Special Observing Award is to follow in the footsteps of astronomers of the past and to attempt to calculate the effect of the Sun’s gravity on the 2017 Webmaster Award path of the photons coming from stars close to the edge of the Sun. The time is now. The deadline for submissions for the Astronomical League’s Webmaster This is an experiment that was done to test Einstein’s general theory of relativity. The Award is April 1, 2017 (no fooling). deflection of starlight near the edge of the Sun is expected to be less than about 2 The Webmaster Award recognizes the effort of those individuals who produce the vibrant, arcseconds. Instructions and requirements will be posted on the AL website soon. You informative websites that are so essential to the growth and vitality of astronomy clubs. Each may use your own images or images from the Internet. year the League presents the Webmaster Award to the webmaster of the best club Aaron Clevenson, Coordinator, Solar Eclipse Special Observing Award website. A website is an important asset for any astronomy club, and this award acknowl- edges the winning webmaster’s outstanding job of website design and administration. Call for League Officer Nominations Websites are judged on: The two-year term of the office of secretary ends on August 31, 2017. If you are • Technical and visual design and organization interested in using your talents to serve in this important position, we would like to hear • Content, including club activities, club calendar, educational content, and links from you. Please volunteer! • Outreach For specific information regarding the duties and responsibilities of this office, please • Administration and timeliness of content refer to the League’s bylaws, which can be accessed on the League website at Club presidents are asked to send webmaster nominations and the club’s website www.astroleague.org. address, no later than April 1, 2017, to [email protected] or to Mike Each candidate should send a statement explaining why they are interested, along with Rao, Astronomical League Webmaster Award Administrator, 2328 Naomi Street, a photo of themselves for publication in the Reflector, to nominating committee chair Bill Houston, TX 77054.

24 REFLECTOR ✶ M ARCH 2017 Candidate Statement: Two Moons/from page 23 Arizona Press, p. 543–568. http:// services will evolve. A “Two www.uapress.arizona.edu/onlinebks/ Office of Secretary—Bryan Tobias ResourcesNearEarthSpace/resources21.pdf. I have been an amateur astronomer for well over 40 years, since I began looking at the Moons to Mars Mons” strategy Norton, R.O. (2002). The Cambridge Texas sky when I was five years old during the days of Apollo. I have been fortunate in could rapidly extend engineer- Encyclopedia of Meteorites. Cambridge my life, being able to experience many things in the aviation field as a pilot and ing, technological, and commer- University Press, 374 p. See “CH chondrites,” p. 139. technical advisor, another passion of mine. I have since cial advances from the Moon decided to return to school full time and work towards a Redd, N.T. (2014). “Home, Sweet, Moon Cave: Astronauts Could Live in ‘Lunar PhD in astrophysics to begin professional work as an and cislunar spaces to the Mars PhD system, greatly facilitating Pits.’” http://www.space.com/26592- astronomer and educator while managing the university’s manned-moon-exploration-lunar-pits.html. observatory and public outreach programs. sustainable solar system Schubert, P.J. (2008). “Isotope I was chairman of the San Antonio Astronomical development for the benefit of separation process and apparatus Association from 2003 to 2009 and a founding member of humankind. 8 therefor.” U.S. Patent US7462820 B2. the San Antonio League of Sidewalk Astronomers (SALSA) http://ipv4.google.com/patents/ from 2009 to present. In 2003 I was instrumental in the Al Anzaldua, a long-time space US7462820. formation of the “Astronomy in the Park” program that advocate and former U.S. diplomat, has Schubert, P.J., Jeff Williams, Tom takes place every Wednesday evening in a local park here, held leadership positions in NSS and has Bundorf, and A.P. Di Sciullo Jones (2010). “Advances in extraction of oxygen and and it continues to take place today after 12 years of published a series of articles on space development. silicon from lunar regolith.” American success. Another accomplishment that I am very proud to be part of is the David Dunlop is a long-time member Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics implementation of the Texas Amateur Astronomers’ Scholarship to the University of of NSS and current chair of the NSS Space 2010 Conference and Exposition. Texas at Austin’s Astronomy Department. In January of this year we reached full International Committee. http://arc.aiaa.org/doi/pdf/10.2514/ endowment status for the scholarship and the first award to a deserving astronomy 6.2010-8703. student will take place later this year. In 2017, I begin my fourth year as coordinator of For Further Reading: Schubert, P.J. (2011). “Dual use tech- the Astronomical League’s Solar System Observers Program, and it has been an Antonenko, Irene (2015). “Large amounts of nologies for self-sufficient settlements: absolutely wonderful experience communicating with all who have applied for the water ice found underground on Mars.” From the ground up.” International Space http://www.universetoday.com/93059/ award, sharing knowledge and experiences. This is only a small part of my experience of Development Conference. isdc.nss.org/ large-amounts-of-water-ice-found- 2011/http://Proceeding/2011SRC/ leadership and involvement in astronomy, and I would be extremely honored and underground-on-mars. Schubert-ISDC2011.pdf. humbled to continue to serve you as Secretary of the Astronomical League. Bleacher, J.E., P.W. Richardson, W.B. Schrunk, David, Burton Sharpe, B.L. Garry, J.R. Zimbelman, D.A. Williams, and Cooper, and Madhu Thangavelu (2010). The Astronomical League is Giving Away T.R. Orr (2011). “Identifying lava tubes and The Moon: Resources, Future Develop- up to Ten Library Telescopes! their products on Olympus Mons, Mars, ment, and Settlement. Springer Praxis and implications for planetary explora- Books, 261 p. Through the vision of the Horkheimer Charitable Fund, the Astronomical League is again tion.” 42nd Lunar and Planetary Science Spudis, Paul (2010). “The four flavors of offering a free Library Telescope to a lucky Astronomical League club in each of the ten Conference. http://www.lpi.usra.edu/ lunar water.” Air & Space, www.airspace AL regions. This wonderful program consists of an Orion 4.5-inch StarBlast Dobsonian meetings/lpsc2011/pdf/1805.pdf. mag.com/daily-planet/the-four-flavors-of- (or equivalent), a Celestron 8–24 mm zoom eyepiece (or equivalent), and a name plate David, Leonard (2015). “Lunar lava tubes lunar-water-155380917. commemorating the late Jack Horkheimer. The value of this opportunity is approximately might make underground Moon cities Spudis, P.D. (2011). “The Moon: Port of $300; the potential of the program is enormous. possible.” http://www.space.com/28894- entry to cislunar space.” In Toward a The Library Telescope Program was initiated by the New Hampshire Astronomical moon-lava-tubes-underground-cities.html. Theory of Space Power: Selected Essays, Society. Clubs donate an easy-to-use, portable telescope with quality optics and a sturdy Daga, Andrew, Carlton Allen, Melissa C.D. Lutes and P.L. Hays, eds., Institute for Battler, James Burke, Ian Crawford, National Strategic Studies, National mount to their local library. Patrons can then check it out as they do books. Full details of Richard Léveillé, Steven Simon, Lin Tan Defense University Press, p. 241–251. this wonderful program can be found at www.astroleague.org/content/library-telescope- (2014). “Lunar and martian lava tube http://www.spudislunarresources.com/ program. exploration as part of an overall scientific Papers/12SpudisNDU.pdf. The winning entry for each region will be announced at the annual Astronomical survey.” http://www.lpi.usra.edu/decadal/ Spudis, P.D., and A.R. Lavoie (2011). League Business meeting held at ALCon/AstroCon 2017 in Casper, Wyoming, on about leag/AndrewWDagaFINAL.pdf. “Using the resources of the Moon to create August 18. Only one club per region will win for a total of ten telescope–eyepiece Faust, Jeff (2015). “Cutting the costs of a permanent, cislunar space faring combinations being presented. The telescope, eyepiece, and accompanying a human return to the Moon.” The Space system.” American Institute of Aero- commemorative plate will be mailed to the winning clubs in the weeks following ALCon. Review, July 27, 2015. http://thespace nautics and Astronautics Space 2011 By entering the drawing for the telescope, the club agrees to modify the telescope review.com/article/2795/1. Conference and Exposition,www.spudisl Hartmann, W.K. (2003). A Traveler’s unarresources.com/Bibliography/p/102.pdf. and zoom eyepiece, and have the telescope library-ready within three months of receipt. Guide to Mars: The Mysterious Stockton, Nick (2016). “Elon Musk The Astronomical League would like a photograph of the modified telescope being Landscapes of the Red Planet. Workman announces his plan to colonize Mars and presented to the library. Publishing, 468 p. save humanity.” Wired, http://www.wired. The photo may be used in the Reflector and may be used at some point as Hopkins, J.B., and W.D. Pratt (2011). com/2016/09/elon-musk-colonize-mars. promotional material. “Comparison of Deimos and Phobos as University of Arizona (2015). “How the Submit your completed entry form, found at www.astroleague.org/files/ Destinations for Human Exploration and UA delivers ‘Martian’ food.” UA News, library_telescope/2017%20Horkheimer%20LiTel%20entry%20form.pdf, so that the Identification of Preferred Landing Sites.” uanews.arizona.edu/videos/how-ua- Astronomical League national office receives it by July 31, 2017. If mailed, the entry American Institute of Aeronautics and delivers-martian-food. must be postmarked no later than July 31, 2017. Astronautics Space 2011 Conference and Verger, Rob (2014). “Recycling on Mars.” Exposition. http://arc.aiaa.org/doi/pdf/ Newsweek, www.newsweek. The Library Telescope Program is a great club project, one that brings members 10.2514/6.2011-7140. com/2014/05/30/recycling-mars- together while benefiting their community. Indeed, it is the perfect outreach program! Logan, J.S. and D.R. Adamo (2014). 251740.html. “Destination Deimos.” The Space Review, Walden, B.E., T.L. Billings, C.L. York, S.L. Celestial Savings Program—Your Discount November 3 and 10, 2014. http://thespace Gillett, and M.V. Herbert (2016). “Utility of review.com/article/2631/1 and lava tubes on other worlds.” Purchasing Program thespacereview.com/article/2637/1. www.oregonl5.org/lbrt/l5isru1.html. The Astronomical League is excited to announce its new Celestial Savings Program NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Wall, Mike (2012). “Mars cave- where all League members qualify for special discounts at participating vendors when (2009). “Cooking up water from the exploration mission entices scientists.” purchasing equipment, accessories, or books. Please note that discount amounts may Moon? NASA studies water extraction www.space.com/18546-mars-caves- vary by vendor and by items purchased. with microwaves.” 19 October 2009. sample-return-mission.html. See the Celestial Savings Program ad included in this issue of the Reflector to http://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/ Wall, Mike (2016). “Huge underground news/news/releases/2009/09-083.html. ice deposit on Mars is bigger than New determine participating vendors. Nichols, C.R. (1993). “Volatile products Mexico.” www.space.com/34811-mars- If you are a current AL member, you may obtain the discount codes by first logging from carbonaceous asteroids.” In ice-more-water-than-lake-superior.html. into your AL member account. If you do not already have an account (your member Resources of Near-Earth Space, J.S. Zubrin, Robert (1996). The Case for account is separate from your store account) you may obtain one by visiting Lewis, M.S. Matthews, and M.L. Mars: The Plan to Settle the Red Planet Continued on page 27 Guerrieri, eds., Tucson: University of and Why We Must. Touchstone, 368 p.

T HE A STRONOMICAL L EAGUE 25 TITLE PHOTO: NGC 2244; BRIAN KIMBALL

NGC 6992, the Eastern Veil Nebula, is a supernova remnant in the constella- tion Cygnus. The nebula is a diffuse cloud of heated and ionized gas and dust from a supernova explosion about 5,000 to 8,000 years ago. The nebula is located approximately 1,470 light-years distant, is around 100 light-years across, and was discovered by William Herschel on September 5, 1784. Michael Pusatera from the Astronomical Society of Eastern Missouri imaged this on September 2 and 3, 2016, from Lake St. Louis, Missouri.

Jeffrey O. Johnson, with the Astronomical Society of Las Cruces, sent this image of IC 2177, the Seagull Nebula. He used a Takahashi FS-60C telescope at f/6.2 and Em-200 Temma II mount with a QSI 540wsg camera at –15 degrees Celsius.

Jaspal Chadha of the United Kingdom submitted this nice image of the Horsehead Nebula, Barnard 33, in Orion. The data were collected with an FSQ-106EDX III, QSI 683wsg, and Lodestar on an Astro-Physics Mach1GTO. All filters are Astrodon E-Series Tru-Balance. Image Acquisition by Lloyd Smith at The Rosette Nebula (Caldwell 149) imaged by Don Reed of the Von Braun Deep Sky West Remote Observatory and processing by Jaspal Chadha. Astronomical Society in Huntsville, Alabama, using a Celestron C11 Edge with HyperStar at f/2 and Atik 490EX color camera. Mosaic of two images, each 10 x 10-minute exposures, processed using MaxIm DL and Photoshop CS2.

2626 RREFLECTOREFLECTOR✶ ✶MMARCHARCH 2017 2017 All Things Astronomical/from page 8 “We looked for evidence of aqueous alteration through other geochemical means and didn’t find it,” he said. The geography of the region has many shield volcanoes that are similar to the ones found in Hawaii. However, from geochemical analyses, the researchers found that the sulfur that is present was most likely deposited as a volcanic ash. Volcanic ash from various areas could be evidence of explosive volcanism on Mars, which would be an important clue for piecing together the history of Mars. It is significant because explosive eruptions emit a lot of gas that can stay in the atmosphere and can cause global cooling and warming events. “Whether there was explosive volcanism on Mars and how much of it there was is an important question in terms of finding out what the past climate was like,” Hood said. 8 From Around the League/from page 25 http://members.astroleague.org/request_account and entering your email address. An email will be sent to you with instructions describing how to create an account. Once you have an account established and log in to the AL website, you should select the “Members Website” tab. Next, click on “Celestial Savings.” You will then see a listing of the participating vendors, the discounts they offer for their products, their current discount code numbers, their website URLs, and, if appropriate, telephone numbers. Simply provide the appropriate discount code number to the vendor’s salesperson or include it in your website order. We encourage you to share the existence of the Celestial Savings Program with your astronomy friends, AL members or not. However, please do not share discount codes with anyone. You’re not an AL member? Contact an AL member astronomy club in your area and join through them. You’ll find AL dues to be very reasonable, and many local clubs pay them for you. The Astronomical League also has a member-at-large program detailed at http://www.astroleague.org/al/ general/memblarg.html. For additional AL membership details and benefits, visit www.astroleague.org and click the “Join” tab. Questions? Write to the Celestial Savings director at [email protected]. Want to Volunteer? To maintain the quality of the AL’s quarterly magazine, the Reflector, we are expanding. Two volunteer positions are available, and if you really want to assist the Astronomical League, this is a great way to start. We are seeking an editor, who will be responsible for consolidating the necessary data for each quarterly issue. The ideal candidate should have some publishing experience and familiarity with Adobe InDesign and Photoshop and Microsoft Word and Excel. Typical time required is 30 to 40 hours per quarter. We are also looking for a photo editor, who will collect and review the hundreds of images we receive for each issue, and select the front cover, back cover, and Gallery photos. Experience with Photoshop and Word is preferred. If you are interested in either position, please contact the managing editor, Ron Kramer, at http://managingeditor @astroleague.org with a brief description of your experience as it relates to the position. 8 For those of you who are not aware of it, the Astronomical League is now on Facebook. We continue to build followers week by week, and we are becoming better known as the word spreads. We are also on Twitter: @AstronomyLeague.

T HE A STRONOMICAL L EAGUE 27 Editor’s Note: Congratulations to all these Messier Observing Program outstanding astronomical observers! All awards, No. 2748, Dwight A. Larsen, Honorary, Olympic except the Herschel 400, require current Astronomical Society; No. 2749, Lisa Wentzel, Honorary, Astronomical League membership for eligibility. Twin City Amateur Astronomers; No. 2750, Michel If you have questions about an award, please Dellepere, Honorary, Member-at-Large; No. 2751, John contact the corresponding Observing Program Wenskovitch, Honorary, Amateur Astronomers Association chair. Their contact information can be found on the of Pittsburgh; No. 2752, Richard Luecke, Honorary, Observing Program website at www.astroleague. Member-at-Large; No. 2753, Jim Dixon, Honorary, Central org/observing. If further assistance is required Arkansas Astronomical Society; No. 2754, Preston please contact either of the national Observing Pendergraft, Honorary, Member-at-Large; No. 2755, Tim Program coordinators. Livingston, Regular, Oklahoma City Astronomy Club; No. 2756, Marilyn Perry, Regular, Member-at-Large Active Galactic Nuclei Program Meteor Observing Program No. 10-V, Michael A. Hotka, Longmont Astronomical No. 61, Vincent Giovannone, Honorary, Member-at-Large; Society; No. 11-I, Stephen A. Tzikas, Northern Virginia No. 183, Mark Colwell, 6 hours, Member-at-Large Astronomy Club Master Observer (Progression) Advanced Binocular Double Star Observer Award: Al Lamperti, Delaware Valley Amateur Observing Program Astronomers; Paul Harrington, Member-at-Large; Paul No. 16, Anthony J. Kroes, Neville Public Museum Morgan, Umpqua Astronomers; Nina Chevalier, San Astronomical Society Constellation Hunter Observing Antonio League of Sidewalk Astronomers; Jake Hairrell, Analemma Observing Program Program (Southern Skies) Minnesota Astronomical Society; John Sparks, Knoxville No. 14, Seth Watts, Regular, Member-at-Large No. 9, Mike Hotka, Longmont Astronomical Society Observers; Mike Ramirez, Northeast Florida Astronomical Arp Peculiar Galaxies Northern Dark Nebulae Observing Program Society; Alex McConahay, Pomona Valley Amateur Observing Program No. 23, Lisa Judd, Denver Astronomical Society; No. 24, Astronomers No. 85-V, Paul Harrington, Member-at-Large Mike Stewart, Astronomical Society of Kansas City Advanced Observer Award: Al Lamperti, Delaware Arp Peculiar Galaxies Southern Dark Sky Advocate Observing Award Valley Amateur Astronomers; Rodney R. Rynearson, Saint Observing Program No. 9, Mark Simonson, Everett Astronomical Society; No. Louis Astronomical Society No. 11-I, Anthony Kroes, Neville Public Museum 10, John Jardine Goss, Roanoke Valley Astronomical Master Observer Award: No. 191, Alex McConahay, Astronomical Society Society Pomona Valley Amateur Astronomers; No. 192, Mark Asterism Observing Program Deep Sky Binocular Observing Program Bailey, Member-at-Large No. 37, Jeff Hoffmeister, Olympic Astronomical Society; No. 384, Mark Jones, St. Louis Astronomical Society; No. Master Observer Award–Silver: Al Lamperti, No. 38, Raymond B. Howard, Patron Member; No. 39, 385, David Furry, Southern Colorado Astronomical Delaware Valley Amateur Astronomers; Mark Simonson, Rodney R. Rynearson, St. Louis Astronomical Society Society; No. 386, John Glover, Northern Virginia Everett Astronomical Society Asteroid Observing Program Astronomy Club Master Observer Award–Gold: Al Lamperti, Delaware No. 53, William Conner, Gold, Indiana Astronomical Society; Double Star Observing Program Valley Amateur Astronomers No. 54, Raymond B. Howard, Gold, Patron Member; No. 47, No. 591, Charlie Webster, Member-at-Large; No. 592, Tim Open Cluster Observing Program Marie Lott, Regular, Atlanta Astronomy Club Hunter, Lifetime Member, Tucson Amateur Astronomy No. 78, William Skelley, Tallahassee Astronomical Society; Binocular Double Star Association; No. 593, Alan Sheidler, Popular Astronomy No. 79, John Laning, Member-at-Large; No. 80, Rodney R. Observing Program Club; No. 594, Gerard J. Jones, Minnesota Astronomical Rynearson, Saint Louis Astronomical Society No. 114, Vince Tramazzo, Member-at-Large; No. 115, Lisa Society; No. 595, Rob Torrey, Houston Astronomical Society Outreach Observing Award Wentzel, Twin Cities Amateur Astronomers; No. 116, Flat Galaxy Observing Program No. 67-M, W. Maynard Pittendreigh, Brevard Astronomi- Rodney R. Rynearson, St. Louis Astronomical Society; No. No. 29, Honorary, Stephen A. Tzikas, Northern Virginia cal Society; No. 474-M, Eddie Agha, Astronomical 117, Gerard J. Jones, Minnesota Astronomical Society Astronomy Club Society of Eastern Missouri; No. 585-S, Jan Gustafson, Binocular Messier Observing Program Globular Cluster Observing Program Popular Astronomy Club Quad Cities; No. 691-S, Sharon No. 1095, Stephen Andrews, Kern Astronomical Society; No. 296-V, Bill Geertsen, Southwest Florida Astronomical Flemings, Temecula Valley Astronomers; No. 745-S, No. 1096, Seth Watts, Member-at-Large; No. 1097, Society; No. 297-V, Gerard J. Jones, Minnesota Amelia Goldberg, Houston Astronomical Society and Katarina Holmquist, Member-at-Large; No. 1098, Jerelyn Astronomical Society; No. 298-V, Rodney R. Rynearson, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. 759-S, Steve Goldberg; Ramirez; Kansas Astronomical Observers; No. 1099, John St. Louis Astronomical Society; No. 299-V, Steven Houston Astronomical Society and Fort Bend Astronomy Wheeler; The Albuquerque Astronomical Society; No. Sauerwein, Boise Astronomical Society; No. 300-V, Robert Club; No. 760-O, Joe Khalaf, Houston Astronomical 1100, Jim Dixon; Central Arkansas Astronomical Society; Hoover, Huachuca Astronomy Club; No. 301-I, David Society; No. 765-O, Dan A. Chrisman, Jr., Roanoke Valley No. 1101, Robert Primeaux, Austin Astronomical Society; Venne, Minnesota Astronomical Society Astronomical Society; No. 766-O, Jim Sommer, San No. 1102, Mark Colwell, Member-at-Large; No. 1103, Herschel 400 Observing Program Bernardino Valley Amateur Astronomers; No. 767-O, Raymond B. Howard, Patron Member No. 562, Valorie Whalen, Atlanta Astronomy Club; No. Stephen H. Rand, New Hampshire Astronomical Society; Binocular Variable Star 563, Lauren Gonzalez, Austin Astronomical Society; No. No. 768-M, Jason Wallace, Richland Astronomical Observing Program 564, Barbara Biever, Rancho Bernardo/Murrieta Society; No. 769-O, David Downs, The Albuquerque No. 14, Bill Sanders, Central Arkansas Astronomical Astronomical Society; No. 565, Steve Goldberg, Houston Astronomical Society; No. 770-S, Brian Chopp, Neville Society; No. 15, John H. McCammon, Member-at-Large; Astronomical Society; No. 566, Kevin Nasel, Neville Public Public Museum Astronomical Society; No. 775-S, Christy No. 16, Peter Detterline, Member-at-Large; No. 17, Museum Astronomical Society; No. 567, Denny Henke, Wallace, Richland Astronomical Society; No. 776-O, Stephen A. Tzikas, Northern Virginia Astronomy Club Eastern Ozarks Astronomical Society; No. 568, Ryan Melissa Wallace, Richland Astronomical Society; No. Carbon Star Observing Program Behrends, Hill Country Astronomers; No. 569, Gerard J. 777-M, Marc Stowbridge, New Hampshire Astronomical No. 74, Bill Geertsen, Southwest Florida Astronomical Jones, Minnesota Astronomical Society; No. 570, Tom Society; No. 778-S, Matt Lochansky, Raleigh Astronomy Society; No. 75, Kevin McKeown, The Albuquerque Gazzillo, ChesMont Astronomical Society; No. 571, Dan Club; No. 834-O, Carolyn H. Chrisman, Roanoke Valley Astronomical Society; No. 76, Kevin Carr, Minnesota Crowson, Astronomical Society of Eastern Missouri Astronomical Society; No. 835-O, Linda Thoman, Atlanta Astronomical Society; No. 77, John R. “Sean” Sayers, Hydrogen Alpha Solar Astronomy Club; No. 836-O, Raymond L. Bradley, Member-at-Large; No. 78, James Pryal, Seattle Observing Program Roanoke Valley Astronomical Society Astronomical Society No. 34, Carol Smith, Boise Astronomical Society; No. 35, Planetary Nebula Observing Program Comet Observing Program Paul Harrington, Member-at-Large No. 1, Michael A. Hotka, Advanced Southern, Longmont No. 88, Charlie Webster, Silver, Member-at-Large; No. 89, Lunar Observing Program Astronomical Society; No. 10, Brandon D. Jordan, Stephen A. Tzikas, Silver, Northern Virginia Astronomy No. 968, Linda Claire Freeman, Umpqua Astronomers; No. Imaging, Member-at-Large; No. 11, John Skillicorn, Club; No. 90, Mark Simonson, Silver, Everett Astronomical 969, Ben Adlof, Shoreline Amateur Astronomical Imaging, Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association; No. 31, Society; No. 35, Dan Crowson, Gold, Astronomical Society Association; No. 970, Alan Rutter, Flint River Astronomy Jonathan L. Schuchardt, Basic, Manual, Rio Rancho of Eastern Missouri Club; No. 971, Vincent Giovannone, Member-at-Large; Astronomical Society; No. 68, Mark Bailey, Advanced, Constellation Hunter Observing No. 972, Glen Fitzgerald, Texas Astronomical Society of Member-at-Large Program (Northern Skies) Dallas; No. 973, Jerelyn Ramirez, Kansas Astronomical Radio Astronomy Observing Program No. 179, Ethan Karn, Member-at-Large; No. 180, Stephen Observers; No. 974, Mark Colwell, Member-at-Large; No. No. 7-G, Alex Vrenios, Lifetime Member; No. 17-S, Aaron Jones, Houston Astronomical Society; No. 181, Al 975, Mike Booth, Minnesota Astronomical Society; No. Clevenson, North Houston Astronomy Club Lamperti, Delaware Amateur Astronomers; No. 182, 976, Lisa Wentzel, Twin City Amateur Astronomers Sketching Observing Award Vincent Giovannone, Member-at-Large; No. 183, Alex Lunar II Observing Program No. 12, Roy Troxel, Member-at-Large; No. 13, Ann Bruun, McConahay, Pomona Valley Amateur Astronomers; No. No. 78, Ken Boquist, Popular Astronomy Club; No. 79, Astronomy Club of Tulsa; No. 14, W. Maynard Pittendreigh,

184, Mark Colwell, Member-at-Large; No. 185, Stephen Rodney R. Rynearson, Saint Louis Astronomical Society; Lifetime Member; No. 15, Mark Bailey, Member-at-Large; No. TEAM (AURA/STSCI) NASA AND THE HUBBLE HERITAGE TITLE PHOTOGRAPH: M64, THE BLACK EYE GALAXY; L. Snider, The Albuquerque Astronomical Society No. 80, Marilyn Perry, Member-at-Large 16, Rodney R. Rynearson, St. Louis Astronomical Society

28 R EFLECTOR ✶ M ARCH 2017 Southern Skies Binocular Observing Program No. 97, Lee Sikstrom, Member-at-Large Southern Sky Telescopic Observing Program No. 53, Lee Sikstrom, Member-at-Large Stellar Evolution Observing Program No. 36, Kristina Otenti, Member-at-Large; No. 37, Stephen A. Tzikas, Northern Virginia Astronomy Club; No. 38, Kevin Carr, Minnesota Astronomical Society; No. 39, Larry Farrington, Mt. Shasta Stargazers; No. 40, Vincent Michael Bournique, Lifetime Member; No. 41, Mike C. Neal, Echo Ridge Astronomical Society; No. 42, Barb Beiver, Rancho Bernardo/Murrieta Astronomical Society; No. 43, George J. Robinson, Member-at-Large; No. 44, Ryan Behrends, Hill Country Astronomers; No. 45, Mark McCarthy, The Astronomy Connection; No. 46, David Whalen, Atlanta Astronomy Club Sunspotters Observing Program No. 187, David Novotny, Rose City Astronomers; No. 188, Seth Watts, Member-at-Large; No. 189, John Dorio, Texas Astronomical Society of Dallas; No. 190, Paul Harrington, Member-at-Large Urban Observing Program No. 178, Chuck Stewart, Rose City Astronomers; No. 179, Alex McConahay, Pomona Valley Amateur Astronomers Variable Star Observing Program No. 26, James Sykes, Olympic Astronomical Society Can’t wait to display your 2017 Total Solar Eclipse attire? Then order your ASTROCON 2017 apparel now and have them conveniently shipped to your home for early enjoyment. Simply logon to the Infinitees website: www.infini-tees.com/AstroCon2017.htm

T HE A STRONOMICAL L EAGUE 29 April 29 The Rings of Saturn/from page 11 Astronomy Day Nationwide will make a series of daredevil passes between the rings www.astroleague.org/astronomyday/spring and the planet to gather even more data. Finally, Cassini May 6–7 will burn up in Saturn’s atmosphere on September 15, AstroCATS 2017, bringing the curtain down on an unprecedented era London, Ontario, Canada of discovery around the ringed planet. 8 www.astrocats.ca May 18–21 2017 Bootleg Astronomy Star Party Green River Conservation Area, Harmon, Illinois www.bootlegastronomy.com May 19–21 Michiana Star Party 9 Dr. T.K. Lawless State Park, Vandalia, Michigan www.michiana-astro.org May 21–28 Texas Star Party Fort Davis, Texas www.texasstarparty.org To have your star party or event listed, May 25–29 please send the details, including dates, RTMC Astronomy Expo Modern imaging systems and computer sponsors and website, to astrowagon@ YMCA Camp Oakes, Big Bear City, California processing have allowed amateur astronomers to verizon.net. Confirm dates and locations www.rtmcastronomyexpo.org make stunning images of the planets. This image May 26–28 with event organizers. —John Wagoner of Saturn was taken on May 28, 2016, by Tennessee Spring Star Party Michael A. Phillips of Swift Creek, North Fall Creek Falls State Park, Tennessee March 3–4 Carolina, with a 14-inch f/4.5 Newtonian. North Tri-Star 2017 www.cumberlandastronomicalsociety.org June 2–4 is up and east to the left. Guilford Technical Community College Michael A. Phillips, maphilli14.webs.com. Greensboro Astronomy Club and the Cline The Symposium on Telescope Science Observatory Ontario Airport Hotel, Ontario, California Jamestown, North Carolina www.socastrosci.org/symposium.html June 22–25 observatory.gtcc.edu/tristar June 9–11 Wisconsin Observers’ Weekend March 16–19 MSRAL 2017 Convention Hartman Creek State Park, just west of Don Surles Mirror Making Workshop #17 Missouri State University, Springfield Waupaca, Wisconsin Redden State Forest, Delaware www.msral.org www.new-star.org delmarvastargazers.org/wp-content/static/ June 17–24 July 19–22 mirrormaking Grand Canyon Star Party: North Rim, Arizona Green Bank Star Quest 14 March 22–26 saguaroastro.org/content/ Green Bank Observatory, West Virginia Staunton River Star Party 2016GrandCanyonStarPartyNorthRim.htm www.greenbankstarquest.org South Boston, Virginia June 21–25 August 16–19 www.chaosastro.com/starparty Rocky Mountain Star Stare 2017 AstroCon2017 and Total Solar Eclipse March 24–26 Gardner, Colorado Casper, Wyoming Pickett Astronomy Weekend www.rmss.org www.astroleague.org Pickett-Pogue Dark Sky Park Jamestown, Tennessee ADVERTISING RATES for the REFLECTOR tnstateparks.com/events/details/#/?event=dark- sky-celebration-stargazing-weekend-2017 March 25 2017 All-Arizona Messier Marathon Salome Emergency Airfield (south of I-10 at Exit 53) Tucson, Arizona www.saguaroastro.org/content/messier2017 April 6–7 Northeast Astro-Imaging Conference Rockland Astronomy Club, Suffern, New York www.rocklandastronomy.com/neaic.html April 8–9 Northeast Astronomy Forum and Solar Star Party Rockland Astronomy Club, Suffern, New York www.rocklandastronomy.com/neaf.html April 20–23 South Jersey Astronomy Club Spring Star Party Belleplain, New Jersey Astronomical League Membership-at-Large Program sjac.us/starparty.html What does the League offer you as Members-at-Large? April 21–22 North Carolina Statewide Star Party • Full voting privileges at AL meetings.• A subscription to the Reflector. 40+ public sky-watching sessions from the • Book Service offering astronomy-related books at a 10 percent discount. mountains to the coast • Optional subscriptions at discounted rates to the following publications: www.ncsciencefestival.org/special-opportunities/ Astronomy magazine $34.00; 2 years $60 • Sky & Telescope magazine $32.95 starparty RASC Observer’s Handbook $27.00 • StarDate $19.50 April 21–23 NCRAL 2017 Convention (Foreign rates are higher; see website) Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center • Free Astronomical League Observing guide with membership. Lanesboro, Minnesota To join the Astronomical League as a Member-at-Large, send a check for $40.00, $50.00 rochesterskies.org foreign, made payable to the Astronomical League, to: April 27–30 Southern Star Astronomy Convention Astronomical League National Office, 9201 Ward Parkway, #100, Kansas City, MO 64114 Charlotte Amateur Astronomers Club Phone: 816-333-7759; Email: [email protected] Little Switzerland, North Carolina Or join online at: WWW.ASTROLEAGUE.ORG

www.charlotteastronomers.org/southernstar (UCSC/LO), M. CLAMPIN (STSCI), THE ACS SCIENCE TEAM, AND ESA. NASA, H. FORD (JHU), G. ILLINGWORTH TITLE PHOTOGRAPH: “CONE NEBULA”; CREDIT:

30 R EFLECTOR ✶ M ARCH 2017 Solar Eclipse Glasses from the League Sales are online! Astronomical League!! The League’s online store is available at the website, 10 units: $ 9.00, plus shipping 250 units: $ 112.50, plus shipping www.astroleague.org. Click on the link for the store on the 25 units: $ 20.00, plus shipping 500 units: $ 175.00, plus shipping top right of the home page. The online store includes the latest 50 units: $ 37.50, plus shipping 1000 units: $ 300.00, plus shipping shopping cart technology and accepts credit cards. Shipping & 100 units: $ 60.00, plus shipping handling (S&H) is calculated at checkout. Merchandise is also Individual pairs of glasses are also available for $1 each, plus shipping. available by mail order, payable by check. Please select your items, Available at http://store.astroleague.org/. Shipping rates will be add the applicable S&H fee, and mail your order to: added at checkout. Or call or email for shipping rates and options. Astronomical League Sales 9201 Ward Parkway, Suite 100 Get ready for the Great Kansas City, MO 64114 If you have questions about the merchandise, or discounts on Total Solar Eclipse of bulk orders, please call the League office, 816-DEEP-SKY, or email: 2017! Don’t miss out, [email protected]. supplies are limited...

Trucker Hat Printed logo, adjustable, navy only; Sky Puppies $12, plus $5 S&H Observing Manual– Globular VC600 Baseball Hat For the Sky Puppy Clusters Embroidered logo, adjustable; Observers Club $14 plus Colors: royal, maroon, khaki, navy; Regularly $15, $2.10 S&H $16, plus $5 S&H Sale price $8 plus $2.25 S&H 2100 Baseball Hat Embroidered logo, adjustable; “Sandwich” bill; Colors: sage w/stone trim, stone w/navy Planetary Seasonal trim, navy w/stone trim; Nebulae Star Chart $20, plus $5 S&H $14 plus $25 plus $2.10 S&H 2050 Sportsman Bucket Hat $3.75 S&H Embroidered logo, one size; khaki only $22, plus $5 S&H

Messier Astronomical League Objects: A Observe the travel mug Beginner’s Herschel $10: travel mug plus $1.50 S&H Guide Objects $8 plus $6 plus $1.20 S&H $1.20 S&H Astronomical League full color cloth patch (three-inch diameter) $7 plus $1.05 S&H Observe Math for Eclipses Amateur Astronomical League blue and Regularly $18, Astronomers white cloth patch Sale price $9 $10 plus (three-inch diameter) plus $2.70 S&H $6 plus $1.05 S&H $1.50 S&H

Astronomical League lapel pin (one-inch Carbon Stars Universe diameter) A guide to the Sampler $8 plus $1.20 S&H Carbon Star $10 plus Observing Club $1.50 S&H $10 plus “Guide to the Stars” 16” Planisphere $1.50 S&H $21 plus $3.15 S&H

T HE A STRONOMICAL L EAGUE 31 Membership Secretary Astronomical League NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION National Office U.S. POSTAGE 9201 Ward Parkway, Suite 100 PAID Kansas City, MO 64114 Permit #6563 SLC, UT 841

Jamey Jenkins, an Astronomical League member-at-large, sent this solar image of AR2585, which includes a long prominence (filament) to its north and magnetic remnants from the earlier region AR2584 to its southwest, obtained with a William Optics ED refractor (102 mm f/7) at f/14, a 100 mm energy-rejection filter, a DayStar Chromosphere Combo filter, and a DMK 41AU02 camera.

The Astronomical League invites its members to submit astrophotography for publishing in the Reflector. When sending photos, please include a brief explanation telling us when and where the photo was taken, your club affiliation, what equipment was used, and any computer processing that was involved.

32 R EFLECTOR ✶ M ARCH 2017