November, 1998 At the November 6 meeting... Dr. Paul Scowen Recent advances in understanding the physics of nebulae and application of this knowledge to giant nebulae in nearby galaxies. Houston Astronomical Society GuideStar Starline - 281-568-9340 Houston Astronomical Society presents Starline -- a recorded message of Society events and astronomical happenings. This service is updated regularly, so call often to keep up-to-date on Society functions, new comets and more. H.A.S. Web Page: http://spacsun.rice.edu/~has Schedule Changes & Up-To-Date Information See the GuideStar's Monthly Calendar of Events to confirm dates and times of all events for the month, and call Starline for any last minute changes. Observatory Site Telephone: 409-732-8967 ««««« The Houston Astronomical Society ««««« The Houston Astronomical Society is a non-profit corporation organized under section 501 (C) 3 of the Internal Revenue Code. The Society was formed for education and scientific purposes. All contributions and gifts are deductible for federal income tax purposes. General membership meetings are open to the public and attendance is encouraged. «««««««««« Officers and past president «««««««««« President: Don Pearce H:713-432-0734 Treasurer: Bill Flanagan Vice Pres: Kirk Kendrick H: (713) 699-8819 H:281-391-3834 Secretary: Matt Delevoryas Past-President: Allen Gilchrist H: 713-795-0808 H: 281-558-1190 «««««««««« Additional Board Members ««««««««« Liaison responsibility John Blubaugh ................. 713-921-4275 .................. Publicity, telescope Jay Levy ............................ 281-992-2708 .................. Program, Field Trip/Observing Warren Wundt .................. 713-697-2960 .................. Audit, Program, Field Trip/Observing Tom Fox ............................ 281-358-5419 .................. Education, Welcoming «««««««««« Committee Chairpersons «««««««««« Audit ....................... Mike Gumler .............. 409-938-4793 Program ............... John Chauvin ............... 713-981-8281 Education ............... James Benthall ......... 713-669-0838 Publicity ............... Marg Nunez .................. 713-529-2549 Field Tr./Obsg. ........ Kenneth Drake .......... 281-367-1592 Telescope ............ Clayton Jeter ................ 281-383-1337 Novice ..................... Mitchell/Goldberg ...... 713-461-3020 Welcoming .......... Susan Spore ................ 281-493-2614 Observatory ............ Michael Dye ............... 281-498-1703 «««««««««« Ad-Hoc Committee Chairpersons «««««««««« Historian ..................... Leland Dolan ......... 713-529-0403 Publ. Star Party .......... Marg Nunez ........... 713-529-2549 Librarian ...................... Peggy Gilchrist ...... 281-558-1190 Rice U. Coord. ............ Matt Delevoryas ..... 713-795-0808 Logo Mds Sales ......... Judy Dye ................ 281-498-1703 Schedule Obs'v't'y ...... Steve Goldberg ...... 713-721-5077 Long Range Plan ........ Don Pearce ........... 713-432-0734 Texas Star Pty ............ Steve Goldberg ...... 713-721-5077 Parliamentarian .......... Kirk Kendrick ......... 281-391-3834 ««««««« Special Interest Groups & Help Committees«««««««« These are now listed on the inside of GuideStar (not every month). See the Table of Contents «««««««««« Advisors «««««««««« Dr. Reginald DuFour, Rice Univ. Dr. Lawrence Pinsky, U. of H. «««««««««« Dues and Membership Information «««««««««« Annual Dues:Regular .... $33.00 Student ........................... $5.00 Associate .... $5.00 Honorary .......................... None Sustaining . $50.00 All members have the right to participate in Society functions and to use the Observatory Site. Regular and Student Members receive a subscription to The Reflector. Regular, Student, and Honorary Members receive The GuideStar. Associate Members, imm ediate family members of a Regular Member, have all membership rights, but do not receive publications. Sustaining members have the same rights as regular members with the additional dues treated as a donation to the Society. Sky & Telescope mag $27/year, Astronomy mag $29/ year -- see club treasurer. Membership Application: Send funds to address shown on outside cover of Guidestar. Attention - Treasurer, along with the following information: Name, Address, Phone Number, Special Interests in Astronomy, Do you own a Telescope? (If so, what kind?), and where you first heard of H.A.S. GuideStar, Page 2 GuideStar, Vol 16, #11,November, 1998 Table of Contents 4 The President's Message 14 B&Ps from the IAUCs 5 Meeting notice 15 School Star Party 6 November Calendar 16 Observatory Duty Roster 7 Other Meetings 17 Comet Giacobina-Zinner 8 1999 Nominations 18 Comet Harrington-Abell 9 If You Missed... 19 Comet C/1998 M5 LINEAR 10 Observatory Corner 20 Comet C/1997 J2 Meunier-Dupouy 12 Astronomy mag price increase 21 Fourth Quarter Total Occultations 13 Logo Sales HAS Web Page Call the Starline, 281-568-9340 for updates and changes Welcome to New Members! The Houston Astronomical Society encourages you to join our group of active amateur astronomiers and take advantage of the benefits of membership. As a member you'll have access to the club observing site near Columbus, Texas. (You're required to participate in a site orientation meeting before you get the gate lock combination.) The site has concrete pads for setting up your telescope, restroom and bunkhouse facilities, and areas set aside for camping. No new members this month. Special Interest Group Listing Any member who wants specific information on a SIG listed below may call the listed individual. Also, see the "Ad Hoc Committee Chairpersons" on the inside front cover and the "Special Help Volunteers" listing (not in every issue). Advanced .......................Bill Flanagan ....................713-699-8819 Comets ...........................Kenneth Drake ..................281-367-1592 Lunar & Planetary ..........John Blubaugh .................713-921-4275 Occultations & Grazes ...Wayne Hutchison .............713-827-0828 GuideStar, Page 3 The Presidents Message «««««««««««««« This month I want to focus on how we can, as a society, do more to welcome and assimilate our newer members. Over the years we have relied on the Welcom- ing Committee to bear the brunt of that responsibility. However, during the last year or so, for various reasons, the Welcoming Committee has become largely non-functional. It also has become apparent that many of our newest members have joined as a result of their learning about HAS through our web-site (again thanks to our webmaster Steve Goldberg). Whereas in the past, most new members joined as a result of either having a friend or acquaintance in HAS, many of these new members may not, initially, know anyone in HAS. I think it is particularly important that, given this situation, that we do everything pos- sible to ensure that our new members feel welcome and at home in HAS. Therefore I propose that our Executive Committee and at-large Directors do everything possible to introduce themselves to our new members, and help them integrate into HAS. For 1999, I propose that the new Welcoming Committee, with help form the Board, develop a New Member Kit, (as I received when I joined HAS in 1984), and truly function as a Welcoming Committee. It is not only our duty,(and the right thing to do), but assists HAS down the road with membership retention and budgeting issues. Clear skies and le croissant lunaire Don Pearce GuideStar, Page 4 Houston Astronomical Society Meeting Notice For Friday, November 6, 1998 Dr. Paul Scowen Arizona State University Recent advances in understanding the physics of nebulae and application of this knowledge to giant nebulae in nearby galaxies. The talk will incorporate some of the knowledge gained from study of the Eagle Nebula, some basic star formation concepts, and some physics, and the application of what weve learned to other, much larger nebulae in nearby galaxies. Schedule of meeting activities: Novice meeting: ............................ 7:00 p.m. Site orientation meeting: ............. 7:00 p.m. General meeting: .......................... 8:00 p.m. See the inside back cover for more information. GuideStar, Page 5 November Calendar: Date Time Event November 3 11:19 p.m. Full Moon, and closest perigee of 1998, expect very high tides 6 HAS Club Meeting 7:00 p.m. Novice Presentation - U of H 8:00 p.m. General Membership Meeting - U of H 11 6:29 p.m. Third Quarter Moon 14 Members Observatory Night-Columbus 17 1:00 p.m. Leonid Meteor Shower Peaks 7:00 p.m. Advanced SIG Mtg.-Rice Univ., contact Bill Flanagan, 713-699-8819 19 10:27 p.m. New Moon 21 Prime Night-Columbus 26 6:23 p.m. First Quarter Moon December 3 11:19 p.m. Full Moon 4 HAS Club Meeting 7:00 p.m. Novice Presentation - U of H 8:00 p.m. General Membership Meeting - U of H 12 Members Observatory Night-Columbus 13 11:00 p.m. Geminid Meteor Shower Peaks 15 7:00 p.m. Advanced SIG Mtg.-Rice Univ., contact Bill Flanagan, 713-699-8819 18 4:43 p.m. New Moon 19 Prime Night-Columbus 21 7:56 p.m. Winter Solstice, Winter begins 26 4:46 a.m. New Moon Send calendar events to [email protected] or call 713-921-4275. GuideStar, Page 6 « « « « « « « « « GuideStar deadline « « for the December issue « « is November 15 « « « « « « « « « « Other Meetings... Brazosport Astronomy Society meets at 7:00 p.m. on the 2nd Thursday of each month in the Planetarium of the fine Arts Center at Brazosport College. Call Steve Lamb for program details (409) 297-3984 Fort Bend Astronomy Club meets the third Friday of the month at 8:00 p.m. at the