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The Denver Observer June 2016 The Denver JUNE 2016 OBSERVER Mercury transits the Sun on May 9, 2016. The planet, seen at the lower left of the Sun's face, has a diameter of about 3,000 miles, but the Sun's 870,000 mile cross-section dwarfs the planet—even though the Sun is seen here at twice Mercury's distance from us. (Note the planet-sized sunspots above-left of solar center.) Image © Ron Pearson. JUNE SKIES by Zachary Singer The Solar System the Martian surface reveals itself. On observing runs over the last few If you haven’t been observing Mars, the “unusually bright orange weeks, with good seeing, early views did indeed yield so-so results, but object in Libra,” now is a really good time: As June begins, the plan- improved noticeably as the planet neared its highest point in the south. et is just past opposition, and even more recently past its closest ap- I was able to make out the Syrtis Major region easily, even though proach to Earth, when the planet’s disk spanned a full 18.6 arcseconds. moonlight was a factor in the initial sessions. It looms large in a telescope now, and even instruments of moderate One great tool for power bring satisfying images at 100 or 150X. By midmonth, Mars improving your view Sky Calendar will be highest around 11 PM, with the disk slightly smaller, at 17.9”; is a “Moon filter.” 4 New Moon by June 30th, though, the planet will have already crossed the Meridian By bringing the sheer 12 First-Quarter Moon at 10 PM, before the sky brightness of Mars’ mag- 20 Full Moon In the Observer is fully dark, and the disk nitude -2 disk down a 27 Last-Quarter Moon will have shrunk some- notch, the moon filter President’s Message . 2 what, to 16.3”. brings richer color and As I noted last month, improved detail. (That Society Directory. 2 the Achilles’ heel of this brightness can be striking, even in a 6-inch ’scope.) Long observation Schedule of Events . 2 pass by the red planet is helps, too, as the eye becomes accustomed to where the detail is and DAS News . 3 that Mars appears low in more used to picking it out. our local sky, exacerbat- Jupiter remains a wonderful target in the beginning of June, ap- NASA Space Place . 4 ing the effects of Denver’s pearing more than 40° above the southwest horizon at 10:30 PM, with About the DAS . 8 turbulent air. Still, by wait- a disk some 37” across. By July 1st, the planet’s distance from us in- ing for the planet to cross creases by about half an Astronomical Unit (AU), to 5.77 AU from 5.3 the Meridian on a night on June 1st. That will naturally reduce Jupiter’s angular dimensions (to of decent seeing, detail on about 34”), but the real problem is that Jupiter’s angular separation Continued on Page 6 THE DENVER OBSERVER JUNE 2016 Society Directory PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE by Ron Hranac DAS Executive Board Tools and Tips for Solar Observing President: Ron Hranac What comes to mind when you think of astronomical observing? Stepping outside on a clear eve- president@denverastro .org ning for naked-eye views of visible constellations and asterisms? Grabbing your binoculars and taking Vice President: a low-power, wide-angle peek at the night sky? Setting up a telescope and enjoying the Moon, planets, Stuart Hutchins (Interim) vp@denverastro .org double stars, open and globular clusters, and various dim fuzzies? Secretary: The common thread to these is the dark of night, but there is another facet of astronomical observ- Jeff Tropeano ing that doesn’t require a nice, dark sky. Indeed, the brighter the better! I’m talking about daytime solar secretary@denverastro .org observing. Yes, a number of Denver Astronomical Society members observe and even photograph the Treasurer: Sun. If you’ve never tried solar observing, ol’ Sol can deliver some spectacular views. The odds are Michael Nowak treasurer@denverastro .org that you can use your existing telescope, too. The key is to do so safely. Executive Board Members: Arguably the most common solar observing by amateur astronomers is what is commonly called Johnny Barela Ed Scholes white-light observing. White-light filters reduce the brightness of the Sun’s light to a level that is safe Jack Eastman Lindsey Shaw to look at, which is somewhere around 1/1000th of 1% of its naked-eye brightness. Not doing so risks Joe Gafford Ken Sturrock Chuck Habenicht Dan Wray permanent eye damage. Past President, Ron Pearson White light observing allows one to see sunspots, and depending on the observing equipment, President Emeritus, Larry Brooks other features such as granulation and faculae on the Sun’s photosphere. Projection methods can also Committees be used to see the Sun, and one method using binoculars is described at http://spaceweather.com/ Van Nattan-Hansen Scholarship Fund: sunspots/doityourself.html. A telescope also can be used to project the Sun’s image for observing; see Jeff Tropeano (Chair) PO Box 100621 http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/celestial-objects-to-watch/observing-the-sun/. Denver, CO. 80250-0621 If you’d like to use your telescope for direct viewing of the Sun, you’ll need a suitable filter that EGK Dark Site Committee: is in most cases placed over the front of the ’scope (don’t use those cheap screw-on-the end-of-the- Darrell Dodge, Interim Chair eyepiece filters that used to come with department store ’scopes—they can crack from heat buildup, darksite@denverastro .org and should be tossed in the trash). I have both glass and Mylar-type film full-aperture filters; they’re IDA Representative: Dr. Robert Stencel low cost and work well. I’ve used a glass filter on my 85mm refractor for more than 10 years. It screws coloida@hotmail .com on the front end of the ’scope with the dew shield retracted. One thing I noticed with the glass filter Volunteers or Appointed on my particular telescope is that under some circumstances, a reflection occurs between the front of Representatives the telescope’s objective lens and the rear of the filter. I found that not tightening the filter completely ALCor: allows it to tilt very slightly with respect to the surface of the objective and move the reflection out of Darrell Dodge 303 932-1309 the field of view, while still being mounted securely on the front of the ’scope. Newsletter Editor: Zachary Singer 303 718-4188 Continued on Page 5 editor@denverastro .org Newsletter Proofreaders: Darrell Dodge, Ron Hranac DAS SCHEDULE The Observer is available in color PDF format from the DAS website . Website: Darrell Dodge JUNE 2016 webmaster@denverastro .org IT Coordinator: 3-5 Dark Sky Weekend—EGK Dark Site & Brooks Observatory Ken Sturrock itdept@denverastro .org 11 Open House—DU’s Historic Chamberlin Observatory—Starts at 8:30 PM External Outreach Coordinator: 17 General Meeting at DU’s Olin Hall, Rm. 105, 7:30 PM Julie Candia 24 E-Board Meeting—At DU’s Historic Chamberlin Observatory, 7:30 PM external@denverastro .org 29 Rocky Mountain Star Stare, Gardner, Colorado Public Night Coordinator: Hugh Davidson 303 679-0629 Librarian: Eileen Barela During Open House, volunteer members of the DAS Public Nights feature a presentation on astronomical DAS Information Line: bring their telescopes to the Chamberlin Observa- subjects and a small-group observing session on the (303) 871-5172 tory’s front (south) lawn, so the public can enjoy historic 20-inch telescope (weather permitting), at Cham- DAS Correspondence: views of the stars and planets, try out different berlin Observatory on Tuesday and Thursday evenings Denver Astronomical Society telescope designs, and get advice from DAS mem- (except holidays), beginning at the following times: bers. The Observatory is open, too (costs listed P.O. Box 102738 March 10 - September 30 at 8:30 PM Denver, Colorado 80250 below), and its historic 20-inch telescope is open president@denverastro .org for observing with no reservations necessary. October 1 - March 9 at 7:30 PM Open House costs (non-members): If the skies are clear, Public Night costs (non-members): $4/adult, The Executive Board conducts the business $2/person ($5/family), $1/person in inclement weather. of the DAS at 7:30 PM, at Chamberlin Ob- $3/child and students with ID. DAS mem- DU students with ID, and DAS members free. servatory . bers and DU students with ID: free. Please see the Schedule of Events for meeting Members of the public (non-DAS/DU, as above), please dates . All members are welcome . make reservations via our website http://www .denverastro .org (www .denverastro .org) or call (303) 871-5172. The Denver Astronomical Society One Mile Nearer the Stars Page 2 THE DENVER OBSERVER JUNE 2016 DAS NEWS Volunteer Opportunities Van Nattan-Hansen Scholarship June 17, 6:00PM-6:00AM (vol- July 25th, 8:00 PM: Troop 506 The Van Nattan-Hansen Scholarship Committee of the Den- unteers can arrive and leave as de- (Arvada), Boy Scout Merit Badge, ver Astronomical Society is now accepting applications for sired). Relay for Life, American Camp at Easter Seals Facility, scholarships to be awarded for the 2016-2017 academic year. Cancer Society, Green Mountain Empire, CO. Details can be found online at http://www .denverastro .org/das/ High School, Lakewood (stargaz- das-scholarships/ . Please note that the application deadline ing). To volunteer, please contact Julie is June 15. We apologize for giving such short notice, but the June 24, 8:00PM: Star Party Candia at external@denverastro .org recently reorganized committee members would like to make the for Boy Scouts, Astronomy Merit —and thanks! scholarship available this year.
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