DOCSLIB.ORG

Paul Sykes Lecture – Sat, Jan. 16 @ 7:30

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Paul Sykes Lecture – Sat, Jan. 16 @ 7:30 NOVANEWSLETTEROFTHEVANCOUVERCENTRERASC VOLUME2016ISSUE1JANUARYFEBRUARY2016 Paul Sykes Lecture – Sat, Jan. 16 @ 7:30 “Plutonic Relationships” featuring Ed Krupp – SFU Burnaby Campus, Room SWH10081 Pluto merged with popular culture renovation and expansion, completed erties of rich clusters of galaxies with as soon as it was discovered in 1930, in 2006. He majored in physics and the late Dr. George O. Abell. Since and since then it has shown up on astronomy as an undergraduate at 1973, Dr. Krupp has actively studied postage stamps, in comic books, in ancient, prehistoric, and traditional science fiction, in planetarium shows, astronomy and the relationships be- in museum exhibits, and elsewhere. tween astronomy and culture, includ- When deprived of full planet status ing modern culture, worldwide. Dr. in 2006, Pluto became even more Krupp is the author and editor of five conspicuous by its absence. Pluto has books on ancient, prehistoric, and a cultural identity that originated in traditional astronomy and author of the name it was given from Classi- four children’s books on astronomy. cal mythology and resonates with its He has also published dozens of re- astronomical character. In the last 85 search papers and hundreds of articles years, it has lodged itself in the public for the general reader, including three imagination with an influence far out on the cultural dimensions of Pluto. of proportion to its physical profile. He has visited more than 2000 an- The arrival this summer of a space- cient and prehistoric sites through- craft targeted on this tiny, distant out the world and most recently has world confirms the obvious: In our returned from an expedition to little hearts, Pluto is not just a dwarf planet. known antiquities in the Caucasus. It’s a destination. For the June solstice, he is leading a Dr. E.C. Krupp is an astronomer Pomona College in Claremont, Cali- tour to Scandinavia for the midnight and Director of Griffith Observa- fornia. He began working at Griffith sun and ancient and historic sites with tory, which is owned and operated Observatory in 1970 as a part-time astronomical significance, including by the City of Los Angeles Depart- Planetarium Lecturer when he was Tycho Brahe’s observatory remains. ment of Recreation and Parks. He led still in graduate school in astronomy at See map on Meetup for directions Griffith Observatory’s $93-million U.C.L.A., where he studied the prop- to the SWH10081 lecture hall. JANUARY 14 SFU FEBRUARY 11 SFU MARCH 10 SFU Dr. Catherine Johnson of UBC dis- Dr Phil Stooke of UWO Earth Sciences: TBA. See Meetup for updates. Room cussing the recently delayed Mars Lunar Rovers & the next edition of his C9002 InSight lander mission. Room C9002 book, The International Atlas of Lunar Exploration. Room C9002 Members’ Gallery Lunar Straight Wall The Lunar Straight Wall by Elena Popovici Equipment: Sony ILCE-5000 camera attached to 102mm Sky- Watcher reflector telescope with prime-focus + barlow adapter setup. 2 rasc-vancouver.com JANUARYFEBRUARY2016 President’s Message by Suzanna Nagy Happy New Year to all. We start 2016 bang by having Dr. Edwin Krupp of the 8, a rare transit of Mercury across the Sun with a newly elected rasc Council. Al- Griffiths Observatory, Los Angeles, CA, on May 9, Mars at opposition on May 22, most all of last year’s Council members give the annual Paul Sykes Memorial Lec- Saturn at opposition on June 3, the Juno returned with the addition of a few new ture on Saturday, January 16. Dr. Krupp spacecraft arrives at Jupiter on July 4, and faces. As always, returning Council mem- will be presenting on the recent Pluto mis- the Perseid Meteor Shower on August bers offer continuity to the Society while sion and the amazing discoveries made. 12/13 under dark skies. new faces offer new ideas, insight, and We look forward to seeing you there. Look to our website and/or Meetup. enthusiasm. A preview of events highlighted for com for details of upcoming observing We are looking forward to a stellar year 2016 include Comet Catalina visible in and lecture events. for 2016 and are starting off with a big January, Jupiter at opposition on March Here’s hoping for clear skies! About RASC The RASC Vancouver Centre meets at 7:30 to the Treasurer at the address below. Annual essarily those of the Vancouver Centre. PM on the second Thursday of every month at membership includes the invaluable Observer’s Material on any aspect of astronomy should SFU’s Burnaby campus (see map on page 4). Handbook, six issues of the RASC Journal, and, be e-mailed to the editor or mailed to the ad- Guests are always welcome. In addition, the of course, access to all of the club events and dress below. Centre has an observing site where star parties projects. Remember, you are always welcome to are regularly scheduled. For more information regarding the Centre attend meetings of Council, held on the first Membership is currently $78.00 per year and its activities, please contact our P.R. Director. Thursday of every month at 7:30pm in the Trot- ($45.00 for persons under 21 years of age; NOVA, the newsletter of the Vancouver tier Studio in the Chemistry wing of the Shrum family memberships also available) and can Centre, RASC, is published on odd-numbered Science Centre at SFU. Please contact a council be obtained online, at a meeting, or by writing months. Opinions expressed herein are not nec- member for directions. 2015 Vancouver Centre Officers President Suzanna Nagy LPA/Past President Mark Eburne Webmaster Rick Vandenberg [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Vice-President Leigh Cummings Dir. of Telescopes Kenneth Lui Observing Michael Levy [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Secretary Adrian Mitescu Membership James Smith NOVA Editor Gordon Farrell [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Treasurer Bruce Hutchison Events Coordinator Jeremy van den Driesen Speakers Barry Shanko [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] National Rep. Doug Montgomery Education Bill Burnyeat, Leigh Cummings At Large Howard Trottier [email protected] [email protected] Elena Popovici Librarian William Fearon AOMO Alan Jones Eimi Anazawa [email protected] [email protected] Public Relations Scott McGilllivray Merchandise Kyle Dally Trustees Pomponia Martinez [email protected] [email protected] J. Karl Miller Library On the Internet Mailing Address The centre has a large library of books, http://rasc-vancouver.com or RASC Vancouver Centre magazines and old NOVAs for your enjoy- http://www.rasc.ca/vancouver PO Box 89608 ment. Please take advantage of this club http://astronomy.meetup.com/131/ 9000 University High Street service and visit often to check out the new http://www.facebook.com/RASC.Van Burnaby, B.C. purchases. Suggestions for future library @RASCVancouver V5A 4Y0 acquisitions are appreciated. JANUARYFEBRUARY2016 rasc-vancouver.com 3 Map to Meeting Site Our SFU meeting site is in room st We C9002 in the Chemistry wing of ve Dri ity ers the Shrum Science Centre. Make niv P P U Sa ywell B Hall lusson your way to the southwest cor- Hall AQ ner of the Academic Quadrangle and follow the adjacent hallway P T So o u w south. The theatre is the second Lecture Room th Cam e pus r Rd C9002 R room on your right. d Pay parking is available at sev- Burnaby Mtn Pkwy eral locations located around G a g Un la iv campus (indicated as “P” on the r er d sity i Dri W ve East a y map). A Call for Volunteers by Jeremy van den Driesen Hello fellow rasc members. terest. we require, at a minimum, about two As the new Event Coordinator 4) Assisting the rasc member in dozen people. The protocol normally for rasc Vancouver Centre, I am charge of the event where needed. adhered to is for a request to go out looking for confirmation from those 5) Bringing your telescope to an about a month before the event call- of you who are already committed event to introduce members of ing for volunteers and confirmation volunteers and wish to continue, and the public to the heavens above. made by me a week or two before the those of you who wish to volunteer This is the most called for activity event. your services for the year. For the un- and most rewarding. Especially Please e-mail me with your re- initiated, a volunteer’s duties are as to see a child’s eyes open wide in sponse, and/or, if you have any further follows: awe and hear the wonder in his/ questions. 1) Interacting with the general pub- her voice, perhaps an astronomer Regards and wishes for clear skies lic with a view to providing infor- in the making. to us all. mation about rasc or anything celestially related. On the average, we have about one Jeremy van den Driesen 2) Handing out rasc promotional event per month requiring about half Event Coordinator material. a dozen people. However, on Astron- rasc Vancouver Centre 3) Speaking on a topic of related in- omy Day which is on May 7th at sfu E-mail: [email protected] Winter Gear for the New Year by Kyle Dally Welcome to 2016, fellow astrono- ies. Also, stay up to date on celestial events mers. While the nights are long and For those who are new to the stars, with the new 2016 rasc calendar, avail- dark, Jack Frost will still be nipping at we have plenty of helpful guides to sat- able for $16.00.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • IAU Division C Inter-Commission C1-C3-C4 Working Group for Archaeoastronomy and Astronomy in Culture Annual Report for 2019
    IAU Division C Inter-Commission C1-C3-C4 Working Group for Archaeoastronomy and Astronomy in Culture Annual Report for 2019 Steven Gullberg (Chair) Javier Mejuto (Co-chair) Working Group Members (48 including Chair and Co-chair) Elio Antonello, G.S.D. Babu, Ennio Badolati, Juan Belmonte, Kai Cai, Brenda Corbin, Milan Dimitrijevic, Marta Folgueira, Jesus Galindo-Trejo, Alejandro Gangui, Beatriz García, César González-García, Duane Hamacher, Abraham Hayli, Dieter Herrmann, Bambang Hidayat, Thomas Hockey, Susanne Hoffmann, Jarita Holbrook, Andrew Hopkins, Matthaios Katsanikas, Ed Krupp, William Liller, Ioannis Liritzis, Alejandro Lopez, Claudio Mallamaci, Kim Malville, Areg Mickaelian, Gene Milone, Simon Mitton, Ray Norris, Wayne Orchiston, Robert Preston, Rosa Ros, Clive Ruggles, Irakli Simonia, Magda Stavinschi, Christiaan Sterken, Linda Strubbe, Woody Sullivan, Virginia Trimble, Ana Ulla, Johnson Urama, David Valls-Gabaud, Iryna Vavilova, Tiziana Venturi Working Group Associates (32) Bryan Bates, Patricio Bustamante, Nick Campion, Brian Davis, Margaret Davis, Sona Farmanyan, Roz Frank, Bob Fuller, Rita Gautschy, Cecilia Gomez, Akira Goto, Liz Henty, Stan Iwaniszewski, Olaf Kretzer, Trevor Leaman, Flavia Lima, Armando Mudrik, Andy Munro, Greg Munson, Cristina Negru, David Pankenier, Fabio Silva, Emilia Pasztor, Manuel Pérez-Gutiérrez, Michael Rappenglück, Eduardo Rodas, Bill Romain, Ivan Šprajc, Doris Vickers, Alex Wolf, Mariusz Ziółkowski, Georg Zotti 1 Objectives The IAU Working Group for Archaeoastronomy and Astronomy in Culture (WGAAC) continues from the 2015-2018 triennium and is in part a discussion and collaboration group for researchers in Archaeoastronomy and all aspects of Astronomy in Culture , and as well for others with interest in these areas. A primary motivation is to facilitate interactions between researchers, but the WG also has significant interest in promoting education regarding astronomy in culture in all respects.
    [Show full text]
  • How to Enjoy the Night Sky from Your Backyard
    4/25/2020 Astronomy tips: Guide to stargazing from your backyard - Los Angeles Times How to enjoy the night sky from your backyard https://www.latimes.com/travel/story/2020-04-24/beginners-guide-to-night-skies-your-home 1/20 4/25/2020 Astronomy tips: Guide to stargazing from your backyard - Los Angeles Times https://www.latimes.com/travel/story/2020-04-24/beginners-guide-to-night-skies-your-home 2/20 4/25/2020 Astronomy tips: Guide to stargazing from your backyard - Los Angeles Times It’s midnight at a campground on the Idaho-Utah border. Bear Lake, known for its Caribbean blue water and deliciously red raspberries, is a popular place for summer rentals and family reunions. My brother is sharing our camp trailer, but I know he wishes he weren’t. He doesn’t have kids. We have our first. He’s 2, and at midnight he’s screaming, “Outside! Outside!” Caddis, our Lab, gets anxious when he sees, hears or smells a critter in camp, so I look to him. There’s no critter. Just a crier. I get out of bed, step around Caddis and reach for my child. I wrap him in a light blanket with one hand and open the trailer door with the other. He is tucked close, which puts his wail right by my ear. “Outside! Outside!” Two steps down from the trailer, seven steps across the dirt and one big step up so I’m perched on the picnic table. As soon as I sit down, my son looks up.
    [Show full text]
  • Around the World
    10 JULY 2015 City Employees Club of Los Angeles • Alive! 10 AROUND THE WORLD 1 Mexico/Chicago/Tennessee Dr. Ed Krupp Director, Griffith Observatory 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) Here’s our intrepid traveler, Dr. Ed Krupp, Director, Griffith Observatory/Rec and Parks, on three different trips. 1) “A road trip last December (http://ranchopuertoblanco.com). the sky through the aperture 4) “Replacement of the to Caborca, in Sonora, Mexico, The panel here has what looks overhead. This picture was Samuel Oschin Planetarium’s transported me, at last, to the like a crescent moon.” taken about an hour before the dome lighting system at Griffith 6000 or so prehistoric petro- lighting program began.” Observatory required a dem- glyphs of Cerro La Proveedora 2) “James Turrell, the cel- onstration of one of the options and Cerro Calera. This rock ebrated artist of light and 3) “The overnight trip to at the Sudekum Planetarium in art was probably produced space, has installed monu- Nashville in May permitted a the Adventure Science Center between 800 and 1100 A.D. mental Skyspaces all over brief visit to the Country Music in Nashville, Tenn.” by people perhaps related to the world, including Chicago, Hall of Fame, where a new the Hohokam of Phoenix and on the southwest corner of exhibit on Bob Dylan, Johnny 5) “An astronomical commit- southern Arizona. Crossing the Roosevelt and Halsted, on the Cash and the Nashville Cats tee meeting brought me to border at Lukeville/Sonuyta and campus of the University of ned on the marquee.” Chicago’s Adler Planetarium the drive to Caborca are easy.
    [Show full text]
  • The Cabin in the Sky Observatory: How Astronomy Changed Everything for One Lucky Family by Howard Trottier (Part Two of Three) Kids in the Camp
    NOVA NEWSLETTEROFTHEVANCOUVERCENTRERASC VOLUME2012ISSUE1JANUARYFEBRUARY2012 The Cabin in the Sky Observatory: How astronomy changed everything for one lucky family by Howard Trottier (Part two of three) kids in the camp. I became with “serious gear,” and located On May 12/13 of 2010, I was obsessed with observing, especially infinitely far from city lights; a fortunate to realize a dream shared deep-sky objects. I endlessly place to which I would escape to by many amateur astronomers. I poured over reference books and plumb the deepest of skies. took first light from an observatory star charts to prepare target lists, After high school, “recreational” that I had built at a remote get-away, and to come up with strategies for astronomy all but disappeared and which by certain providences how I might find those celestial from my life. When I would I was able to equip with first-rate treasurers from the sidewalk in occasionally think back to the time gear. I could when I had been now capture the consumed by deepest of deep- the pursuit of sky treasures. the next deep- As I recounted sky wonder, I in the first part was puzzled at of this story how that dream, (which appeared once so present, in the March/ now seemed so First light images with a CCD camera April 2011 removed. But edition of nova), the dream had front of my parents’ home, under it must have been there all along, its first stirrings in my case at the heavily light-polluted skies just under the surface, waiting for summer camp, when I was about of urban Montreal.
    [Show full text]
  • Ian's Year-End Review 2019 Snapshots of Some of the People
    Ian’s Year-End Review 2019 Snapshots of some of the people (and events) in my world. One of the first events of the year… Looking in on a spectacular exhibition of Aboriginal women artists from Australia – at the Museum of Anthropology, University of British Columbia – with Kaoru Kimura A.A.S. “Dinner for Dome-heads” American Astronomical Society Planetarium nerds descend on Seattle January, 2019 < Alumni from Calgary Centennial Planetarium meet every month. Andrew Findlay, Bill and Celeste Peters, me, Rob Marich, Bob Nelson - and Bob’s yer uncle. Kaoru tracks a partial eclipse of the sun on a remotely-controlled telescope. > Bill and Celeste show off Bill’s big contribution to Calgary culture, TELUS SPARK – Science Centre. > < My friend, John Hanson - CFRN-TV Historian in Edmonton (taken at TELUS World of Science - Edmonton). At Kanes Harley Diner, Calgary.> Three museum veterans… Me, David Rodger and Wes Wenhardt – at the North Vancouver Museum. Wes is the director. My Albanian friend Elvira Hoxha visiting Vancouver… We are trying to get a planetarium built in Tirana, capital of Albania. Noted science fiction writer Robert Sawyer - Three friends of mine all after a pleasant dinner, addressing the connected through our Vancouver Centre, Royal Astronomical support of Seva Canada Society of Canada. > overseas assistance charity. Lunch whenever possible (not often enough)… Michel Maurer, Susan Erdmann and Peter Nash. A good friend, Gil Biderman – my technical guru – and his special and wonderful partner, Shelley Twist. Me - arriving for an event marking the 50th anniversary of the H.R. MacMillan Planetarium in Vancouver. 2019 was also the 50th anniversary of the first human landing on the Moon.
    [Show full text]
  • Space Traveler 1St Wikibook!
    Space Traveler 1st WikiBook! PDF generated using the open source mwlib toolkit. See http://code.pediapress.com/ for more information. PDF generated at: Fri, 25 Jan 2013 01:31:25 UTC Contents Articles Centaurus A 1 Andromeda Galaxy 7 Pleiades 20 Orion (constellation) 26 Orion Nebula 37 Eta Carinae 47 Comet Hale–Bopp 55 Alvarez hypothesis 64 References Article Sources and Contributors 67 Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors 69 Article Licenses License 71 Centaurus A 1 Centaurus A Centaurus A Centaurus A (NGC 5128) Observation data (J2000 epoch) Constellation Centaurus [1] Right ascension 13h 25m 27.6s [1] Declination -43° 01′ 09″ [1] Redshift 547 ± 5 km/s [2][1][3][4][5] Distance 10-16 Mly (3-5 Mpc) [1] [6] Type S0 pec or Ep [1] Apparent dimensions (V) 25′.7 × 20′.0 [7][8] Apparent magnitude (V) 6.84 Notable features Unusual dust lane Other designations [1] [1] [1] [9] NGC 5128, Arp 153, PGC 46957, 4U 1322-42, Caldwell 77 Centaurus A (also known as NGC 5128 or Caldwell 77) is a prominent galaxy in the constellation of Centaurus. There is considerable debate in the literature regarding the galaxy's fundamental properties such as its Hubble type (lenticular galaxy or a giant elliptical galaxy)[6] and distance (10-16 million light-years).[2][1][3][4][5] NGC 5128 is one of the closest radio galaxies to Earth, so its active galactic nucleus has been extensively studied by professional astronomers.[10] The galaxy is also the fifth brightest in the sky,[10] making it an ideal amateur astronomy target,[11] although the galaxy is only visible from low northern latitudes and the southern hemisphere.
    [Show full text]
  • Observatory Landmark Theaters and Club Member, $8.25 Unrestricted! in Front of the Facility in Griffith Park
    Serving over 30,000 City Employees Club of Los Angeles Vol. 11 n No. 10 Oct. 2012 City and DWP Employees ClubDeals KNOtt’S SCARY FARM $32.25 - $46.25 Now available UNIVERSAL ® HALLOWEEN HAUNT $45 - $66 Available only at www.cityemployeesclub.com New Club Deal! Dr. Ed Krupp, Director of Griffith Observatory LANDMARK THEATERS and Club Member, $8.25 Unrestricted! in front of the facility in Griffith Park. – See Page 45 for Tickets Rec and Parks Observatory A Day at the Come along as the Club’s Angel Gomez takes his family to visit the world famous Griffith Observatory. Take your family for a visit, too — what are you waiting for? – SEE PAGE 6 Dr. Ed Krupp, Director of Griffith Observatory, explains a statue of Albert Einstein to the family of the Club’s Angel Gomez. Dr. Ed Krupp, Director of Griffith Observatory, explains meteorites to the family of the Club’s Angel Gomez. photos by Summy Lam Alive! City Employees Club of Los Angeles 120 West 2nd Street Los Angeles, CA 90012 ® Retirees! News, columns, features, benefits… find your section in every issue of Alive! …GO TO PAGE 11 6 October 2012 City Employees Club of Los Angeles, Alive! A Day at the Ob servatory Club staffer Angel Gomez takes his family to Griffith Observatory. Take your family, too! Photos by Summy Lam, Club Director of Marketing tion, paid in part by a public bond issue, restored the building, as well as replaced the aging planetarium dome. The building See the stars this October! was expanded underground, with completely new exhibits, The City boasts many great institutions for the family.
    [Show full text]
  • Work Vs. Life ]
    LIFE AND DEATH IN THE D-POD (For ER physician Kara Toles ’ 7, work stress is part of the balancing act.) 30 | FROM TALIBAN BOMBS TO COCONUT PALMS (Follow the unlikely journey of Steven Gutkin ’86.) 36 | AFTER THE FALL (After Ramona Bridges ’77 fell from working with the homeless to being homeless, this is how she found her way back.) 40 | CITY OF DREAMS (Douglas Preston ’78 discusses his pursuit of a childhood dream into the jungles of Honduras.) 12 C O L L E G E M G Z I N E Fall 2 17 PLUS: The Inauguration of Pomona’s 1 th President, G. Gabrielle Starr 22 [HOME P GE] A Welooked to the west across the vast plain that lay at our feet, far below REUNI N the high summit we had recently ascended by ski lift. An ominous wall of darkness rushed toward us, T enveloping everything in its path. Someone muttered, “Sauron, the Lord of Darkness, comes now in all ECLIPSE his might!” We all then turned from this foreboding view to the sky above to watch the most astonishing and ALL spectacular event in all of nature. This was the moment for which the two of us had been preparing for seven years. Totality had begun for THERS 200-plus Pomona College alumni, their families and friends, in the Pomona College Solar Eclipse By Lew and Chuck Phelps ’65 Reunion of 2017. • Left: The ski lift up Fred’s Mountain brings more participants to the reunion. Below: Sagehens watch the slow progress of the moon across the sun from their mountain perch.
    [Show full text]
  • Iau Commission C3 Newsletter
    IAU COMMISSION C3 NEWSLETTER HISTORY OF ASTRONOMY Welcome to the winter solstice edition of the newsletter We wish everyone health and happiness in the new year. of IAU Commission C3 (History of Astronomy). This The next issue of the newsletter will be in June 2021. issue features the announcement of a new Project Group Please send our Secretary any news you would like us to and reports of pre-existing Working Groups and Project include. Groups since the last newsletter in June 2020. It contains Sara Schechner, Secretary news of upcoming conferences, reports of recent Wayne Orchiston, President meetings, a list of notable publications, and tables of Christiaan Sterken, Vice-President content from a journal devoted to the history of astronomy. The newsletter also contains announcements of research and PhD opportunities in the history of TABLE OF CONTENTS astronomy as well as an introduction to a new Ourania Network. And of course, you will find news from Reports of Working Groups & Project Groups 2 members, announcements of awards, and obituaries. Making History 15 Oral History 24 We are excited to introduce some new sections to the Art & Exhibitions 26 newsletter. The “Making History” section includes Announcements 30 reports on the Astronomy Genealogy Project (AstroGen), Awards and Honors 34 analysis of the Vatican Observatory’s guest book, and the News from Members 35 rescue of a medieval manuscript by Lewis of Caerleon. In In Memoriam 37 the “Oral History” section, there is a first-hand account Notable Publications 39 of the founding of the Journal of Astronomical History and Journal Contents 41 Heritage.
    [Show full text]
  • Iau Commission C3 Newsletter
    IAU COMMISSION C3 NEWSLETTER HISTORY OF ASTRONOMY Welcome to the first newsletter of IAU Commission C3 have been sheltering in place in our homes. It is a scary (History of Astronomy). This issue is jam-packed with time. We fear that family, friends, and colleagues will be progress reports of our Commission, Working Groups, stricken with the awful virus. This virus knows no and Project Groups since the Vienna General Assembly. borders. It has shown the world what we astronomers It contains announcements of upcoming conferences and have long known: We are all under one sky. reports of those that have recently taken place. There is We hope this simple newsletter will entertain and inform a list of notable publications suggested by Commission you in these troubled days. We are a very busy members and tables of content from several journals Commission! The next issue of the newsletter will be in devoted to the history of astronomy. In these pages, you December 2020. Please send our Secretary any news you will find news from members, announcements of awards, would like us to include. and obituaries. Wayne Orchiston These have been very unsettling times. The pandemic of Christiaan Sterken the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, has touched us all. Sara Schechner Many of us are locked out of our research institutions and Executive Committee TABLE OF CONTENTS NEWSLETTER EDITOR Commission and Working Group Reports 2 Sara Schechner [email protected] C3 Organising Committee for 2018-2021 2 IAU Commission C3 Progress Report 3 Please email submissions, reports, and news for the Reports of Working Groups and Project Groups 11 next newsletter by November 15, 2020.
    [Show full text]
  • Is There a Conflict Between Archaeology and Archaeoastronomy? an Astronomer’S View
    FORUM Is There a Conflict between Archaeology and Archaeoastronomy? An Astronomer’s View Juan Antonio Belmonte Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias [email protected] In the early 1990s, Anthony Aveni visited Tenerife and gave a seminar at the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) during a field campaign in the Canary Islands to which he was invited by local archaeologists. I had recently finished my PhD thesis on asteroseismology and was starting a “promising” career in stellar physics. However, due to our personal interest, César Esteban and myself were taking our first steps in the tempestuous ocean of archaeoastronomy, as the discipline was best known in that epoch. The term “cultural astronomy”, recently promoted by Carlos Jaschek (“astronomie dans le culture” – Belmonte 2009) was not widely spread yet (see also Iwaniszewski 1994). After the seminar at the IAC, we went out for lunch with Professor Aveni and I asked him a question: “Who could better investigate archaeoastronomy; an astronomer or an archaeologist − or an anthropologist by the way − ?” His answer was very puzzling. The best, he said, would be to forget anything you had learned by training either in physical or social sciences and become a true archaeoastronomer within the framework of a completely new epistemology. We had started formal contacts with local archaeologists in the Canaries, such as Nona Perera and Antonio Tejera (e.g. Perera Betancourt et al. 1996), bearing in mind the “well-accepted” interdisciplinary character of the subject. Our surprise was substantive and Aveni’s response would heavily influence our future deci- sions. This essay is hence a reflection on my own personal experience.
    [Show full text]
  • Around the World
    46 February 2012 City Employees Club of Los Angeles, Alive! Take the Club with you, wherever you go! AROUND THE WORLD 1 England & Africa 2 Azores At Stonehenge. In front of chief’s house in Obiongta, traditional Himba village in Namibia. Here’s Baron “Mr. B.” Greenhouse, Club Member, in the Azores (Portugal). Dr. Ed Krupp Director, 3 The Caribbean Griffith Observatory On the tropic of Capricorn, Namibia. At the Hoba meteorite, the world’s largest, in Namibia. “I am finally sending a few images from last October’s trip to England and Namibia. The return to England was prompted by a conference in Bristol, ‘Heavenly Discourses,’ at which I presented the closing lecture, a talk called ‘Into the Blue.’ The trip gave me a chance to visit Stonehenge, Avebury, and other sites to which I had not been back for a couple of decades. New and important work at Stonehenge persuaded me I should have a look around again, and I had after-hours access. Most of the interesting new work is in areas around Stonehenge. “From England, I continued to Namibia, in southwest Africa, to catch up with a Friends of the Observatory tour of southern skies and African wonders, including the world’s largest meteorite, prehistoric rock art, wild animals, giant sand dunes, and more. “Here is a picture of me somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean during my “Happy perihelion passage.” eastern Caribbean cruise right after Thanksgiving.” – Dr. Ed Krupp, Director, Griffith Observatory – Rodney Bernaldo, Public Works The Alive! Around the World Map at Club Headquarters Take the Club with you, wherever you go! Club members are a well-traveled bunch.
    [Show full text]