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The Sky The Newsletter of The Club of Akron www.acaoh.org

Volume 35 Number 9 September 2013 Next Meeting: Friday - September 27, 2013 - 8:00 PM - Tudor House The President’s Column INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION! By Gary Smith

Hello to all fellow members of the ACA. The start of the modern era of space exploration probably was the launch of Sputnik-1 atop a two stage R-7 Semyorka Rocket on October 4, 1957 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The world’s press was taken by surprise and the launch was front page news for months. Please note that the world’s first artificial satellite, the Sputnik-1, should not be confused with the Vanguard TV3 rocket which was given the name “Flopnick” by the press.

In the years to follow, the manned space program of both countries was given top priority in newspapers, magazines, television, radio, books, of nearly every country on . The INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION (ISS) by ACA Member Jason Shinn pilots of the manned space vehicles Captured August 25 from the grounds of the ACA observatory. Canon Digital were heroes even before their rockets Rebel XT at prime focus of Meade LXD55 6” refractor, ISO400, 1/1000sec. had left the ground. And we as human history and is also considered of 1959. These historic images Ohioans can take pride to have to have ended the “space race” showed a huge impact crater now produced two of the most famous between us and the soviet union, with called the South-Pole Aitken basin. names of the American space America declared the winner. What is equally remarkable is the program. John Glenn flew in a small resurgence in interest for Lunar space capsule in 1962 in a But there is another space program exploration. The 100 million dollar five hour flight to be the first that took place at the same time, is LADEE (Lunar Atmosphere and Dust American to orbit the Earth. Neil ongoing today and for the foreseeable Environment Explorer) lunar probe Armstrong is considered to be one of future. This is the unmanned was launched on September 6, 2013 the most famous Americans of all exploration of space. The Soviets took atop a Minotaur V rocket at the lesser time. He commanded the Apollo 11 an early lead with the Luna 3 lunar known Wallops Island Flight Facility mission in July 1969 and was the first space probe that made a lunar flyby (it in Virginia. person to set foot on the . This did not orbit) and took the first images was an absolutely remarkable event in of the far side of the moon in October (con’t page 4)

OFFICERS 2012 – 2014 August Treasurer’s Report

By Glenn Cameron

President 8/1/2013 Through 8/31/2013 Gary Smith Phone: 330-633-9873 E-mail: [email protected] Checking Beginning Balance $2,861.01 Vice President Income Anthony Scarpitti E-mail: [email protected] 0.00 Total Income $0.00 Treasurer Glenn Cameron Expenses E-mail: [email protected] Observatory Expenses -323.00 Secretary Scope Accessories -416.69 Juan Contreras Total Expenses -$739.95 E-mail: [email protected] Income Less Expenses -$739.95 Assistant Secretary/Treasurer Ann Ferrell Checking Ending Balance $2,121.06 E-mail: [email protected]

Observatory Director Savings Beginning Balance $2,500.35 Ron Kalinoski Phone: 330-837-5848 Earned Interest 0.11

Savings Ending Balance $2,500.46 ACA Webmaster Dave Jessie E-mail: [email protected] Petty Cash Beginning Balance $60.01

Publications Secretary - Editor, Newsletter Postage -0.46 Jason Shinn Phone: 330-685-5382 E-mail: [email protected] Petty Cash Ending Balance $59.55

Trustee Lewis Snodgrass Petty Cash 59.55 E-mail: [email protected] Savings 2,500.46

Trustee Checking 2,121.06 John Shulan Grand Total $4,681.07 Phone: 330-836-0800 E-mail: [email protected]

Statutory Agent Article by Glenn Cameron Mark Kochheiser ACA Treasurer. Phone: 330-882-3713 E-mail: [email protected]

OTAA Representative Lou Poda

2 SWAP & SHOP

For Sale: For sale: 15mm Ultra-Wide Eyepiece Pentax XW 20mm Eyepiece Asking: $40 Excellent condition. Contact: Lew Snodgrass Small mark on 1.25” barrel. Phone: 330-819-4886 Always used in a compression clamp. Phone: 330-867-4800 Ask for Lew. Asking: $220 (cash) Email: [email protected] Contact: Fred Fry Email: [email protected]

For sale: For Sale:

Teleview Radian 12 mm 22mm Orion Epic ED-2 ED Eyepiece Eyepiece 25mm Orion Epic ED-2 ED Eyepiece Excellent condition. Asking: $40 each or $70 for both Asking: $180 (cash) Contact: Glenn Cameron Contact: Fred Fry Phone: 330-737-1472 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

For Sale:

Teleview Radian 18 mm Eyepiece Excellent condition. Asking: $180 (cash) Contact: Fred Fry Advertize in the Swap n Shop! Email: [email protected] Send a picture of your item and relevant information to the newsletter editor: [email protected]

Observatory Report Members and non-members have paint, and the observatory building By Ron Kalinoski been asking about our next scheduled needs cleaning and rearrangement. I solar party. We'll try to schedule one would also like to plant some We had a couple of within the next couple of weeks while arborvitae on the observatory grounds good impromptu the Moon reappears in the evening to help block car headlights. Mark observing sessions in sky. Thanks to all members who Kochheiser has checked with park A u g u s t a n d helped make our parties a officials and all we need to do is September. The success. present them with a plan. Let's discuss observatory at our September meeting. has performed well. The observatory building and privy We are still working needs some external work to get them Article by Ron Kalinoski, on a couple of prepared for winter. We should plan a ACA Observatory Director. telescope issues and hope to have maintenance day at the observatory to these resolved soon. As Autumn address these issues. Some of the arrives, so does beautiful crisp problems needing attention are: evening skies with earlier sunset molding on privy needs attached or times. This makes for great star replacement, roof roll off area parties when skies are clear and we supports need paint, weeds need plan to capitalize on each opportunity. pulled, ACA Observatory sign needs 3 President’s Column Con’t The four largest of The Galileo spacecraft completed are the of Io, Europa, 35 orbits around Jupiter over the It is a robotic mission that will Ganymede, and . The name following eight years. Its mission orbit the moon to gather information Galilean is from Galileo Galilei who ended with the planned deorbit and about the lunar atmosphere, turned his first telescope to the skies entry into Jupiter’s vast atmosphere conditions near the surface, and and also toward the planet Jupiter in on September 21, 2003. The Galileo environmental influences on lunar 1610. The diameter of these moons is mission gathered a wealth of dust. enormous. Europa’s diameter is information and images of Jupiter and 89.8% the diameter of the Earth’s its moons which will be studied for One of the most interesting aspects Moon. Io is 1.05 times, Callisto is years to come. of this exploration of space are the 1.38 times, and Ganymede is 1.51 space probes sent to the king of the times the diameter of the Moon. The I have at this time what are planets, Jupiter. In Roman mythology, fact that all these moons have solid considered to be nine of the most Jupiter is the king of the gods, and the surfaces has long made them important discoveries made by the god of sky and thunder. Jupiter with tempting targets (along with ) for Galileo Mission. his two brothers, and , places to land a manned or unmanned 1. Galileo made the first observation presided over the three realms of the spacecraft. of ammonia clouds in another universe; the Sky, the Waters, and the planet’s atmosphere. Jupiter’s Underworld. The year 1979 was a banner year atmosphere creates ammonia ice for fans of this large gas giant planet. particles from material coming up The planet Jupiter is an undisputed Both Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 from lower depths. favorite of amateur astronomers spacecraft made flyby’s past Jupiter 2. The moon Io was confirmed to throughout the world. When other with state of the art cameras and have extensive volcanic activity planets are obscured or poorly visible, relayed the images back to Earth. The that is 100 times greater than that Jupiter stands out. As the largest of close distance of the Voyagers to found on Earth. The heat and the planets and a gas giant, it takes a Jupiter gave us Earth-bound humans frequency is reminiscent of early good imagination to comprehend its the best images of Jupiter to date. And Earth. size and planetary characteristics. things were going to get better. On 3. Complex plasma interactions in Jupiter’s mass is only one thousandth October 18, 1989 the space shuttle Io’s atmosphere create immense of the , but that makes it 2 ½ times Atlantis launched with the 5,653 lb. electrical currents which couple to as massive as all other planets Galileo spacecraft in its cargo bay. Jupiter’s atmosphere. combined. It is composed mostly of We have heard the slogan “faster, 4. Several lines of evidence from hydrogen with helium accounting for better, cheaper” from NASA, this was Galileo support the theory that ¼ the mass of the planet. Because just the opposite. The estimated cost liquid oceans exist under Jupiter is gaseous and rotating of the Galileo space mission was 1.6 Europa’s icy surface. rapidly, its equatorial diameter (11.2 x billion dollars. In 1989 dollars this is 5. Ganymede possesses its own earth’s) is larger than the polar the equivalent to a “blank check”. The substantial magnetic field – the diameter (10.5 x earth’s). Jupiter at 1986 space shuttle Challenger disaster first satellite known to have one. maximum brightness is –2.94, making had a major impact on the Galileo 6. Galileo magnetic data provide it the third brightest object in the night spacecraft launch date. The earliest evidence that Europa, Ganymede, sky (at its max ). In the planned launch date was January of and Calliso have a liquid- darkest places on Earth, it is bright 1982. There were delays caused by saltwater layer under the visible enough to cast a shadow. Its angular the process of developing and surface. diameter varies from 29.8” to 50.1” improving the space shuttle. And by 7. Evidence exists that Europa, depending on its distance. The the lack of an alternative plan to Ganymede, and Callisto all have a maximum angular diameter of Jupiter launch via a conventional rocket. The thin atmospheric layer known as a is 2.65% of the average diameter of Challenger disaster occurred on “surface-bound exosphere”. the moon, which is not bad January 28, 1986. Galileo finally 8. Jupiter’s ring system is formed by considering Jupiter’s average distance launched October 18, 1989 with a dust kicked up as interplanetary from the Sun is 5.2 A.U’s. And does substantially less powerful solid-fuel meteoroids smash into the the king of the planets have any booster. The Galileo spacecraft fired planet’s four inner moons. The moons? The answer is yes, and plenty its braking thruster on December 8, outermost ring is actually two of them. It now has been credited as 1995 and became the first man-made rings, one embedded with the having 67 moons. object to orbit the planet Jupiter. other. There is probably a separate ring along Almathea’s orbit as well. 4 9. The Galileo spacecraft has Rocket. It will contain a myriad of SPECIAL ANNOUNCMENT identified the global structure and complex scientific instruments along GENERAL MEMBERSHIP dynamics of Jupiter’s with cameras. It is hoped to provide MEETING SEPTEMBER 27 magnetosphere. evidence that liquid water does exist AT THE TUDOR HOUSE below the frozen surface of these These are only the highlights of the large Jovian moons. The Guest Speaker for our September results from Galileo’s eight years in 27, 2013 ACA Meeting is Mr. Gary Kader, Director of the Burrell Memorial Article by Gary Smith, orbit around the gas giant Jupiter. And Observatory. The Burrell Memorial ACA President. this is not the end! In April 2012 the Observatory houses a Warner & Swasey European Space Agency 13 3/8inch refracting telescope which is recommended Project JUICE over the largest refractor between here and two other major projects. Project Pittsburgh. It is on the campus of JUICE stands for JUpiter ICy Moon Baldwin Wallace University. The topic Explorer. This is a very large budget of Mr. Kader's presentation is a subject planned return mission to the Jovian that goes to the very core of modern astronomy: The Big Bang Theory. For system focusing in particular on the th three Galilean moons, Ganymede, more information on our September 27 guest lecture with very informative links, Callisto, & Europa. It will study these please visit the ACA website at three worlds, all thought to have www.acaoh.org . significant bodies of liquid water beneath their surface. The planned Article by Gary Smith, launch is in 2022 via an Ariane 5 ACA President

MOONS A H Y Q U G R V H Q R E N H Q D K C L G Q T P S B Q Z S A S A H Y O C A C Y Z N A I M O N S Y D L O R P E C O A J Y N D Z D Z C H D N Q J G E P C A G M E U S T E N C E L A D U S R H P H F O N E Y A A E L Q N R J B O I O S O M I E D H H I P T V Y I U G S O B D S X N H S T A P T O K I M T N Q N O I E C O J D E H N U F R S I T H C S S I K N R E Q T V J P C P U G I I A W A A J Q R F O F M E C S K A E G K K G N O D M N W N E N Z X A U G Z B O A X P T I G P I C N N G D G L T C S G W S N N O R A H C M U O S R T L E A P W T Z X Y N X T W C G A I H N R I P A R Z G V U A M P H O E B E D N A I S A N O F K A T A J E D L E Q I E F D T T I C T Y L I I E F Q D U M B R I E L O O D D E L T V A G F M R E X E S Y Q Z N L V B U U A R I E L B D R I R Q Y Z P U H Y F S P Z Q X I H G P D S F N W D O Y N M U V I ARIEL GANYMEDE PROTEUS CALLISTO HYPERION PUCK IAPETUS RHEA DACTYL MIMAS TETHYS MIRANDA THEMOON DIONE NEREID TITAN DYSNOMIA OBERON TITANIA ENCELADUS TRITON EUROPA PHOEBE UMBRIEL

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THE ASTRONOMY CLUB OF AKRON OCTOBER 2013 ACTIVITIES CALENDAR Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 5 at STOW ASTRONOMY New Moon 0:34UT 14h UT. PUBLIC EVENT ACA OBSERVATORY (www.stowastronomy.org) PUBLIC EVENT 7:00p

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Mercury greatest Moon at perigee First Quarter 23:02UT at 10h UT. (closest) at 23h UT. STOW ASTRONOMY (morning sky 25°) PUBLIC EVENT (www.stowastronomy.org)

13 14 15 16 17 Full Moon 23:38UT 18 19 STOW ASTRONOMY PENUMBRAL LUNAR . MID AT 23:50UT. MOONRISE AT 22:30UT. 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 ORIONID METEOR ACA MEMBERSHIP Last Quarter 23:40UT SHOWER PEAKS. METTING (KIWANIS) ACA OBSERVATORY 8:00p PUBLIC EVENT 7:00p

Moon at apogee (farthest) 14h UT. 27 28 29 30 HAPPY 31 AKRON, OH SUNRISE HALLOWEEN OCT 1 7:23AM EDT OCT 31 7:56AM EDT SUNSET OCT 1 7:08PM EDT OCT 31 6:23PM EDT

EST = UT - 5 hrs, EDT = UT - 4 hrs The Night Sky Newsletter of the Astronomy Club of Akron c/o Jason Shinn, Editor 1025C Hemlock Hills Dr. Akron, OH 44313