THE OBSERVER the Astronomy Club of Tulsa’S Newsle�Er Published Since 1937

THE OBSERVER The Astronomy Club of Tulsa’s Newsleer Published Since 1937

RON WOOD NETA APPLE JOHN LAND JACK EASTMAN CLYDE GLANDON

UNDERSTANDING FILTERS AND WHAT FILTER WHEN

NASA’S LRO FINDS PROFF OF LIFE ON

OKIE‐TEX ROUNDUP!

CLUES TO THE MILKY WAYS PAST

EDITORS NOTES THE COVER As always I am pleased to present another issue of the Observer. This month I would like to welcome back a writer many of you already know, Neta Ap‐ ple. For those of you who were not with the club when Neta was a member you are not aware of what we lost when Neta moved away. She was always deep‐ ly involved with all of our out reach and a great teacher. Neta is a good friend of mine as well as many others in the club and geng her to write for the Observer again did not take much coaxing to my surprise. Neta has that personality that just wants to help when astronomy is involved. Starng this month the Observer will honor great astronomers throughout history. This will be in the She also asked that I let all of you who did not get boom right hand corner of the cover and your to go to Okie‐Tex know how much she misses our challenge is to guess who it is before you open to club and wishes she could come back. We miss her this page and find the answer. as well. This month we begin with Thales (624‐547 B.C., Thanks for the arcle Neta and we hope this is just Ionian) he was a Greek philosopher who traveled the beginning. widely in Mesopotamia and Egypt, and brought astronomical records from these cultures back to Greece. He believed that the Earth is a disk floang on an endless ocean. Legend has it that he correctly predicted a solar eclipse in the year 585 NEW MEMBER CORNER B.C. Slight problem with ming on With a lile work on your favorite charng pro‐ gram you can figure out where he was, what day our new members as the list did and me it was when he made the predicon not arrive in me all will be pub‐ based on the clues above. lished next month. Sorry for the As a total eclipse actually cuts a very narrow path across the earth you only need to figure out its delay. Jerry path that year and assume he was in a populated area. This is because the legend probably would not have survived had he been walking the desert with one or two others. 1 1 THE OBSERVER THE OBSERVER IS EDITED & PUBLISHED BY: JERRY MULLENNIX OCTOBER FEATURES CONTENTS

3 Guest Speaker and Elecons

4 Leer From the Editor Jerry Mullennix

5 NASA’s LRO Finds Evidence of Life on Submission by Jerry Mullennix the Moon. A Few Spectral Lines 6 A Few Spectral Lines Ron Wood By: Ron Wood Page 6 8 Open and Globular Star Clusters: Neta Apple Clues to the History of the Milky

11 Photos From Okie‐Tex Jerry Mullennix & Tamra Green

12 Moon Viewing in the Japanese Haiku Clyde Glandon, ed. Tradion 14 Treasures Report John Land

Open and Globular Star Clusters: 16 ActoMart Clues the History of the Milky‐Way? 21 NASA NEWS NASA By: Neta Apple 23 Jack Eastman Speaks on his Tele‐ Jack Eastman Page 8 scopes Part 1

Photos From Okie‐Tex Page 11

Jack Eastman Speaks on His Tele‐ scopes Part 1

THE OBSERVER 2

ELECTIONS ARE HELD Our guest speaker this month is a webcast interview with Tom Field on De‐ AT THE MEETING ON coding the Mysteries of Starlight. Tom will tell us about the informaon hid‐ FIRIDAY 10‐14‐2011. den in the spectrum of starlight and how amateur astronomers can now be COME OUT AND LETS involved in Spectroscopy. See Tom’s Interview with Sky and Telescope edi‐ PICK OUR OFFICERS tor Dennis di Cicco at AND BOARD MEM‐ BERS. HOPE TO SEE hp://www.skyandtelescope.com/skytel/beyondthepage/121557614.html YOU ALL THERE!

This Friday October 14, 2011 at 7:00 PM

3727 East Apache, Tulsa, OK 74115 Room 1603 Building #2 Student Union

1 3 THE OBSERVER WHAT AM I GOING TO OBSERVE TONIGHT?

By: Jerry Mullennix

Well another Okie‐Tex has come and on Mounds. Our current observatory or James on the field with twenty gone. For the Astronomy ccub of Tul‐ would sll be every bit as useful as it kids teaching them about the won‐ sa that means elecon me. This is is now, we would just be adding a ders of the Universe it is a personal the me in our club that you should dark sky site to compliment what we commitment on their part to make be thinking about the direcon you have. It will allow a more detailed our club beer. There are many oth‐ would like to see our club go and if study of the sky. ers who play a part in making our you have me thinking about giving group what it is and we all know who of yourself by serving on our board. A dark sky site is not a new idea, alt‐ they are. hough I believe this is the first me it As the editor it is probably not ap‐ has been menoned in our news‐ Someme during the 80’s this club propriate for me to say who I do or leer. It has been a topic at board mustered up everything necessary to do not support unl elecon me. meengs and observing sessions for secure the land and build an Obser‐ However, I can say my biggest hope many years. vatory and ever since we have en‐ is that we elect a board with the goal joyed the benefits of their efforts. of finding our club a dark sky site as Realizing the need and discussing it Some are sll here and the others the number one priority behind are the easy parts. The hard part is are sll talked about on cold winter growing our membership. all of the work that follows and it nights gazing up at the stars on the could take several years to do this very field they help secure. For long me members, we can all right. tesfy that we have seen a slow deg‐ It’s me for a new group to reach Somemes as a member its down and find a way to get us a dark easy to say why don’t they sky site. We need a board that is will‐ paint the dome or why ing to put together an exploratory don’t they have more pads commiee to begin narrowing down at the observatory. The and outlining the possibilies and thing is, we are all “They” where we go next and we need them and its not just the board to report to the membership as a that makes our club what it whole every few months so all can is, it is all of us as a group. be involved. Let’s keep in mind the board is made up of all volunteers Then on a cold winter night 35 years and nobody at the Astrono‐ from now a group will be out at the my Club of Tulsa receives a Tulsa Dark Sky Site and say these radaon in sky quality at Mounds. check. NOBODY. words “How did they ever manage to This is not to say we should give up make this happen?” When you see Teresa, John 1 THE OBSERVER 4 NASA’S LRO FINDS EVIDINCE OF LIFE ON THE MOON.

SUBMITED BY: JERRY MULLENNIX

Day

The

Picture

Astronomy

Explanaon: This view of the altude corresponds to only foot trails le by astronauts Apollo 17 landing site in the about twice the height of a Eugene Cernan and Harrison Taurus‐Lirow valley was cap‐ commercial airline flight over Schmi, the last to walk on the tured last month by the Lunar planet Earth. Labeled in this lunar surface, are also easily Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), image are Apollo 17 lunar visible at the Apollo 17 site. the sharpest ever recorded lander Challenger's descent (Credit NASA and Astronomy from space. The high resolu‐ stage (inset), the lunar rover Picture of the Day.) on image data was taken dur‐ (LRV) at its final parking spot, ing a period when LRO's orbit and the Apollo Lunar Surface Since other publicaons failed was modified to create a close Experiments Package (ALSEP) to recognize the significance of approach of about 22 kilome‐ le to monitor the Moon's en‐ this photo I felt the Observer ters as it passed over some of vironment and interior. Clear, should bring it to light. Sorry I the Apollo landing sites. That dual lunar rover tracks and the could not resist. Jerry

5 THE OBSERVER By:BY: Ron RON Wood WOOD

The subject of filters causes a lot spectrum rather than a continuous lengths producing a continuous of confusion among amateur as- spectrum as in the case above. spectrum. Other objects contain- tronomers. There are many types ing rarified excited gases, such as of filters available, but they all Wavelengths are commonly given planetary and diffuse nebulae, ra- work by blocking out part of the in units called Angstroms, equal to diate strongly at discreet wave- incoming light in order to gain one 10 billionth of a meter, and lengths producing an emission line some viewing advantage such as symbolized here by A*. Another spectrum. improved contrast. There are po- commonly used unit is the na- larizing filters, neutral density fil- nometer, abbreviated (nm) which Some of the important emission ters, color filters, broadband filters, is one billionth of a meter. The vis- lines have proper names which narrowband filters, O-III filters, H- ible part of the spectrum lies be- indicate which chemical element alpha filters, H-beta filters and oth- tween 4000 A* on the blue end produces them. From hydrogen ers. and 7000 A* on the red end. we get the wavelength called H- alpha at 8563 A*. This wavelength In order to understand these filters Stars radiate at all wavelengths is red and gives the beautiful red it is helpful to keep in mind some with a temperature-dependent the- color seen in the photographs of basic information about oretical energy distribution spec- many nebulae such as the Ro- light. Photons of electromagnetic trum given by Planck's Law for sette. Another hydrogen energy are created whenever an Blackbody Radiation. (See line called H-beta is seen in the electric charge, such as an elec- graph.) For an average star very blue at a wavelengthl of 4861 tron, is accelerated. Small accel- little energy is radiated at very long A*. There is strong H-beta emis- erations produce long wavelength or very short wavelengths. The sion around the Horsehead nebu- low energy photons, and large ac- peak of the energy distribution la. Doubly ionized oxygen, (O-III), celerations produce short wave- lies between these two ex- produces a green emission line at length high energy photons. Stars tremes. 5000 A*. This line is seen in many consist of a plasma of charged particles which are accelerated by According to Wien's Law the violent random thermal motions wavelength of the peak radiant en- resulting in the production of a ergy varies inversely with tempera- "continuous" spectrum of electro- ture. This means that cool stars magnetic radiation at all wave- will radiate most intensely at long lengths. red wavelengths while hot stars will radiate most intensely at short Electromagnetic radiation may al- blue wavelengths. Thus, Rigel so be produced by excited neutral with a temperature of 11,000 de- atoms, when an orbital electron grees appears blue, while Antares jumps from one allowed orbit to at 3,100 degrees ap- another at lower energy. The en- pears red. The Sun at 5,800 de- ergy difference between the two grees radiates most strongly at an orbits appears as a photon of a intermediate yellow wavelength. definite wavelength so that a gas made of these excited atoms will So objects such as stars and gal- produce a bright "emission line" axies radiate a mixture of all wave- THE OBSERVER 6 nebulae such as the Dumbbell overlooked is that a filter always and Veil. dims anything you look at slight- The diagram below may help ly. However, the image contrast bring the big picture into fo- We might call these wavelengths can be enhanced and the view cus. The first line represents all "good" because they are coming improved because the filter dims the wavelengths of the visible to us from things we want to the background sky more than it spectrum from 4000 A* to 7000 see. There are other wavelengths dims the object of interest, which A*. The second line shows the we might call "bad" because they is radiating strongly at the trans- desirable wavelengths of light are coming from things we don't mitted wavelengths. such as H-alpha and O-III. The want to see, like street next three lines show which wave- lights. Sodium vapor lights have a The Orion Skyglow, Broadband, lengths are transmitted by differ- close pair of bright emission lines and Ultrablock filters work by ent filters. A solid line indicates in the yellow at about 6000 blocking the parts of the spectrum that those wavelengths are A*. Mercury vapor lights give us containing the bad wavelengths. blocked and a gap indicates trans- several bluish lines from 4000 to The H-alpha filter used for viewing mission. The last line shows the 4500 A*. the sun transmits a very narrow undesirable wavelengths of light band of the spectrum at about pollution. Filters work by blocking the bad 8563 A* allowing us to see the wavelengths and allowing the spectacular prominences shooting Good luck and good viewing and good ones to pass. This creates a out from the limb. The O-III filter be sure to get a good look at the very dark background sky and in- transmits the 5000 A* green light Veil through an O-III filter as soon creases contrast with the nebula from doubly ionized oxygen very as possible. which is bright at the transmitted well, but blocks other wave- wavelengths. A subtle point often lengths.

7 THE OBSERVER By:By: Neta John Apple Land

Go outside in a dark locaon on Astronomers looking to study globu‐ maon of the stars in globular clus‐ most any night and you can see fuzzy lar clusters can’t look just anywhere ters metals were much rarer than patches in the sky or collecons of [13]. These highly compact, spherical now so these stars have low metallici‐ stars in close proximity to each other. objects, (see Figure 1 image), contain‐ es [3][11][12][14]. (Remember that Using binoculars or a telescope these ing 100,000 to one million stars, are in astronomy metals are any element fuzzy patches are revealed to be only distributed in two main areas of other than hydrogen and helium.) groups of stars, known as open clus‐ our galaxy; in the surrounding halo Head on collisions, or near head on ters, resembling bright diamonds on and the galacc bulge. There are 150 collisions, in the dense cores, can pro‐ black velvet. Individual stars are easi‐ known globular clusters [6][15]. They duce bluish colored stars known as ly resolved since the stars in the clus‐ appear dim and reddish due to the blue stragglers, but these are not like ters can be widely spread, as in the great age of the majority of the stars the familiar young blue O and B type Pleiades, also known as the Seven contained in them [3] [11][12]. Some stars, e.g. Vega or Rigel, found in oth‐ Sisters. have been found to harbor black er locaons [19]. holes in their cores [18]. If we lived Other groups of stars not visible to near the core of a globular cluster we the naked eye are even more breath‐ would see thousands of stars all taking. Globular clusters, so named because they look like a glob of stars, about one parsec away, each brighter the full Moon. We could not have the appearance of a coon ball than stand to look at them as they would in the telescope; only large tele‐ be such bright pinpoints. Visual as‐ scopes may resolve individual stars in tronomy would be virtually impossi‐ their ghtly packed cores, though ble [21]! smaller instruments reveal individual stars around the edges. There are no areas of acve star birth or clouds of dust or gas in these Both groups have been favorites of ancient clusters of stars which are so astronomers for centuries, with most of the objects on the famous Messier ghtly packed by the gravitaonal forces of the combined mass of the list being of one class or the other. Figure 1 Hertzsprung‐Russel dia‐ Modern astronomers are finding that stars inside [3][7]. Over the billions of years of their existence, they have gram and image of M5 a globular globular and open star clusters are cluster located in Serpens. hp:// much more than just visually beau‐ exhausted all the material le nearby for making new stars. Cores of these outreach.atnf.csiro.au/educaon/ ful objects. They differ greatly in dis‐ senior/astrophysics/ tribuon and in the types, chemical clusters are so ghtly packed that stellarevoluon_pleiadesact.html composion, and number of stars close encounters between stars are comparavely frequent and binary they contain. These differences may pairs containing one white dwarf are lead astronomers to an excing new A Hertzsprung‐Russell (H‐R) diagram common as a result. Most of the understanding of our galaxy’s chemi‐ which plots the luminosity of stars on stars are small, reddish populaon II cal history and structure as surely as the vercal axis and the temperature stars. Populaon II stars are old, DNA can reveal one’s biological herit‐ of stars on the horizontal axis can be coming from the generaon prior to age. used to demonstrate the ages of stars that of our own more metallic, Popu‐ in a parcular group. Contrary to Globular Clusters laon I Sun. At the me of the for‐ common convenon, highest values THE OBSERVER 8 TRACKING SATELLITES IN THE SKY. on the horizontal axis are located upper end of this span. With refine‐ compares the two types of clusters nearest the diagram’s origin, thus ment it is possible that globular clus‐ [3] [12]. stars of highest temperature are lo‐ ters could give astronomers limits for cated on the le of the diagram. Fig‐ the age of the Universe [3][12]. ure 1, from the Australia Telescope

Outreach and Educaon website, shows an H‐R diagram of M5 in addi‐ Open Clusters on to the already referenced image. In many ways open clusters are op‐ Note how most of the stars are locat‐ posites of globular clusters. These ed low in the center of the diagram loosely held groups of stars are found and going upward toward the right in locaons containing large amounts with a characterisc bend low and of dust and gas. They are oen em‐ toward the center. This is typical of bedded in giant molecular clouds or Figure 2 Hertzsprung‐Russel dia‐ theBY: H‐ BRADR diagram YOUNG of a globular cluster. on the spiral arms of the galaxies gram for the open cluster known as This indicates there are no young, where star birth is occurring, and we the Hyades. Credit: Johnson, H. L.; high‐mass stars le. The stars in this can observe locaons where more Mitchell, R. I.; Iriarte, B., Astrophysi‐ group are old and deparng from the open clusters are forming, such as cal Journal, vol. 136, p.75 hp:// typical diagonal that runs from upper the Orion Nebula [3] [12]. le toward lower right known as the outreach.atnf.csiro.au/educaon/ main sequence of stellar evoluon. Their stars are oen young, bluish‐ senior/astrophysics/ Diagrams such as this one indicate colored Populaon I stars with high stellarevoluon_pleiadesact.html metallicies of classes O and B, the that globular clusters are billions of Since stars in individual globular and hoest and youngest on the main years old, perhaps older than the disk open clusters appear to all be the sequence of stellar evoluon. In of the galaxy, and maybe as old as same age, they can also give astrono‐ some older open clusters the more the Universe [3][7]. mers another method to test theories massive young stars have already of stellar evoluon. If these stars are It is unknown how globular clusters aged and have le the main se‐ formed from molecular clouds in form, but observaons would indi‐ quence. Based on their high metallic‐ groups at the same me and have cate most form in conjuncon with ity, some of the young stars are cal‐ the same chemical composions, the galaxies [6]. It is now thought that culated to be only millions of years only factors to change the way in some in our galaxy may represent old [3] [12]. (Younger stars are more which the stars evolve will be due to cores of other smaller galaxies con‐ metallic because they contain materi‐ the different masses of individual sumed by the Milky Way [3]. Stars in als previously processed by older stars. This gives astronomers a way to each cluster appear to have been stars.) Below, (Figure 2), is the H‐R test theories about how mass of a formed at the same me, possibly by diagram for the Hyades, a young star affects its evoluon over me. If disturbances in the giant molecular open cluster located in the constella‐ current theories are true, stars in the‐ cloud (GMC) that eventually con‐ on Taurus. Note how the stars in se clusters with higher masses should densed to form the galaxy. No new this cluster lie near a line that runs evolve off the main sequence before globular clusters are seen to be form‐ diagonally from the upper le to the their more modest sized siblings. So ing currently in our galaxy; they ap‐ lower right, known as the main se‐ far observaons support theory in pear to be ‘fossils’ from the me of quence, with only a few stars not in this case [8][9][10]. the formaon of the galaxy. As such this general area. This indicates that they may contain clues to the chemi‐ the stars are relavely young. Com‐ The stars in a given globular or open cal make‐up of the GMC from which parison of Figure 2 with the H‐R dia‐ cluster are also located at nearly the the galaxy formed [15]. gram in Figure 1 shows definite and same distance from the Earth. This Ages for globular clusters are es‐ easily seen differences in mass and gives astronomers a way to compare mated between 11.5 and 18 Gyr temperature and, thus, ages of the the luminosies of a group of stars of (billion years), however, new data on stars in these clusters. Such differ‐ different masses or different evolu‐ the age of the Universe rules out the ences are highly typical when one onary stages located at similar dis‐ 9 THE OBSERVER Cassu, Mark, “New Observaon of a Star Cluster by U of M tances. Using this informaon they Hyades, Collinder 261, and the Researchers Help Sele the Dust on Sun’s Origin.” June, 2005 may test methods for determining HR1614 moving group have high cor‐ hp://www.ur.umn.edu/FMPro?‐db=releases&‐ lay=web&format=umnnewsreleases/ the distance to stars based on their relaon in their chemical abundanc‐ releasesdetail.html&ID=3414&‐Find luminosies [3][12]. es astronomers may now be able to Chabrier, Gilles and Baraffe, Isabelle, “Theory of Low‐Mass ‘chemically tag’ stars and compare Stars and Substellar Objects,” Annual Rev. Astro. Astrophys. An even more excing use of open 2000.38.337‐337 hp://web.mit.edu/8.972/www/readings/ them to other stars to see if they chabrier_baraffe_araa2000.pdf clusters is now taking shape. Astron‐ might have a common origin [8][9] Clavin, Whitney, Newfound Star Cluster May be Final Milky omers have theorized that stars in Way ‘Fossil.’” Oct, 2004. hp://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/ [10]. This is very similar to compar‐ Media/releases/ssc2004‐16/release.shtml open clusters might have nearly ing DNA from living organisms to CSIRO, Australia Telescope Outreach and Educaon, “Star idencal chemical composions Clusters.” October, 2004 hp://outreach.atnf.csiro.au/ educaon/senior/astrophysics/stellarevoluon_clusters.html since they come from molecular look for common ancestry. Using this method, astronomers may for De Silva, G.M.; Freeman, K.C.; Asplund, M.; Bland‐Hawthorn, clouds considered to be homogene‐ the first me be able to find stars J.; Bessel, M.S.; Collet, R. “Chemical Homogeneity in Collinder ous. Results from recent measure‐ By: Ron Wood 261 and Implicaons for Chemical Tagging,” Nov, 2006. hp:// that were formed from the same xxx.lanl.gov/PS_cache/astro‐ph/pdf/0611/0611832.pdf ments of chemical composion of molecular clouds, then trace them De Silva, G.M.; Freeman, K.C.; Bland‐Hawthorn, J.; Asplund, stars in the Hyades, moving group M.; Bessel, M.S. “Chemically Tagging the HR1614 Moving back by their proper moons to their Group,” Oct. 2006. hp://xxx.lanl.gov/PS_cache/astro‐ph/ HR 1614, and Collinder 261 indicate common points of origin to find how pdf/0610/0610041.pdf the stars in these clusters are chemi‐ De Silva, G.M., Sneden, C., Paulson, D.B., Asplund, M., Blaud‐ the galaxy has changed over me Hawthorn, J., Bessell, M.S., Freeman, K.C. “Chemical Homoge‐ cally very similar [8][9][10]. neity in the Hyades.” Sep 2005. hp://xxx.lanl.gov/PS_cache/ and perhaps gain clues about how astro‐ph/pdf/0509/0509241.pdf Over me open clusters tend to be the galaxy formed [8][9][10]. Frayn, Colin, “Star Clusters and Globular Cluster Systems.” No shredded due to gravitaonal effects date available hp://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/STELLARPOPS/ from the galacc core and the com‐ While gorgeous to observe visually, star_clusters/globular_home.php the true value of globular and open Freedman, Roger A. and Kaufmann III, William J. “Universe.” ponent stars dri away to other lo‐ 6th ed, W.H. Freeman, New York, 2002 caons [20]. More loosely held stars clusters lies in informaon obtained from them that may contribute to Harris, W.E. “Catalog of Parameters For Milky Way Globular on the edges of globular clusters also Clusters,” Revised Feb, 2003. 1996, AJ, 112, 1487 hp:// physwww.physics.mcmaster.ca/%7Eharris/mwgc.dat dri away due to these same influ‐ our understanding of stellar evolu‐ on, origins of the galaxy and per‐ Heald, A.J., Griffiths, W.K., Penny, A.J., Morris, P.W. “The ences. This effect, known as evapo‐ Metal Homogeneity of the Globular Cluster M5,” 1999. Month‐ raon, is thought to produce collec‐ haps the Universe. The common ly Noces of the Royal Astronomical Society 307 (4), 789‐801 origin of stars in both types of clus‐ doi:10.1046/j.1365‐8711.1999.02656.x ons of stars called moving groups, Hotka, Michael A. “Globular Cluster Observing Club Hand‐ ters provides a method to test theo‐ nd which are remnants of the original book” 2 ed. Astronomical League, Kansas City, MO, 2004 ries of stellar evoluon. Globular clusters. The stars of moving groups, Jones, Benjamin, “Open Cluster Observing Club Handbook” clusters with their great age and low Astronomical League, 2005 an example of which is the HR1614 metallicity may provide a window to Kaler, James B. “Star Clusters.” No date available hp:// moving group, can be spread over www.astro.uiuc.edu/~kaler/sow/cluster.html the chemical abundances in the gal‐ vast distances. De Silva et al (2006) Maccarone, Tom, ESA News, “Black Hole Boldly Goes Where axy at the me of its formaon. No Black Hole Has Gone Before.” Jan, 2007 hp:// have found that the HR1614 moving www.esa.int/esaCP/SEML0QZTIVE_index_0.html Tracking the movement of stars that group have similar enough chemical Savage, Don, “Hubble Catches up with a Blue Star Straggler.” have been torn from globular clus‐ Oct, 1997. hp://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/1997/97‐ abundances to have originally ters and stars from evaporated open 246.txt formed as a cluster from the same clusters by chemical tagging could Staude, Jakob, “Sky Survey Unveils Star Cluster Shredded by molecular cloud [9]. the Milky Way.” June, 2002 hp://www.sdss.org/news/ provide an image of the infant galaxy releases/20020603.pal5.html It is thought that eventually the Villard, Ray, “Hubble Yields Direct Proof of Stellar Sorng in a and insight into how it was formed. Globular Cluster.” Oct, 2006 hp://hubblesite.org/ stars in moving groups dri apart to Truly the beauty of these objects is newscenter/archive/releases/2006/33/full/ become part of the general star more than ‘skin deep’! Villard, Ray, “Hubble Sees Star Cluster ‘Infant Mortality’” Jan, field. Astronomers wishing to know 2007 hp://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/ releases/2007/05/full/ more about the birth and develop‐ References Zwart, Simon Portegies, “Star Cluster Ecology IVa: Dissecon ment of our galaxy have unl now of an Open Star Cluster‐Photometry.” May, 2000. hp:// arxiv.org/abs/astro‐ph/0005248 had no way to track where these Abbot, Brian, “Globular Star Clusters.”May, 2006 hp:// haydenplanetarium.org/universe/duguide/mwg_gc.php stars may have originated in the gal‐ Abbot, Brian, “Open Star Clusters.” May, 2006 hp:// axy [8] [9][10]. With the findings haydenplanetarium.org/universe/duguide/mwg_oc.php that the stars in clusters such as the Archinal, Brent A. and Hynes, Steven, “Star Clusters.” Willman ‐Bell Inc. Richmond, VA. 2003 THE OBSERVER 10 Ok, Okie‐Tex 2011 has come and gone and I hope everyone who made the trip got all they were hoping for. This year was une‐ venul as far as the weather goes and

there were plenty of great nights for star gazing. Green We here in the Tulsa Club would like to pass a special thank you to the Oklahoma Tamara City Astronomy Club who sponsors the By: event and makes sure every year that it goes oﬀ without a hitch. Photo

Top: Steve Chapman, Mike Blaylock and Jack Eastman Green look through Jacks 6” Alvin Clark Refractor manufactured in 1883. Of special note Jack was one of the ﬁrst opcians

Tamara hired by Celestron back in the 60’s. Jack has a degree in

Astrophysics and is a brilliant opcal engineer. He de‐ By:

signed the Opcal System for the Cassini Huygens Probe!

Photo Aer a long talk with Jack he graciously consented to us publishing arcles he has wrien over the years right here in The Observer. You can ﬁnd the ﬁrst later in this edion.

Mullennix

Top Le: Moon and Sunset over the ridge. Jerry Boom Le: Tony White prepares for the night. Tony and By:

Rod deﬁnitely use the Big Boy Mounts. Photo

11 THE OBSERVER ANOTHER DAY AT CAMP

To the right is the famous Flamin‐ Mullennix go Ridge and below that is a view of the camp sites in the Tulsa area Jerry

when its sleeping me. By:

The three pictures below are inter‐ Photo esng shots I took during the day. The abandon house is located about 10 miles from Okie‐Tex and

though its not related I found it of interest and since I am the Editor you have to look at it as well. Mullennix

Jerry All in all everyone had a great me By: and with some luck we will see some arcles next month from

some of our parcipants. Hint Hint. Photo

GROWING UP WITH ASTRONOMY Below: Here is a picture of Ein Apple walking in front of the Tulsa Headquarters at Okie‐Tex the picture to the right was taken in 2005 when Neta and her sons Alex and Ein joined us on a trip to Chaco Canyon to see the Deep Impact Mission. Ethan is the one sing. Their excite‐ ment for astronomy will connue for a lifeme. I am sure!

Mullennix Mullennix

Jerry Jerry

By: By:

Photo Photo THE OBSERVER 12

By: Clyde Glandon, ed.

Here are excerpts from a short pam‐ Enjoy these haiku as you engage in Contemporary English Language Hai‐

phlet I prepared as a handout for the your own moon viewing, with your ku recent Moon Viewing event at the naked eyes or with instruments, the moon at dawn Tulsa Space Museum and Planetari‐ alone or with others. um on Friday October 7, 2011. lily pads blow white

Australia in a sudden breeze Nick Avis The following are words from the in‐ Tradional Haiku Translated from 3RF troducon and from the selecon of the Japanese various tradional and contemporary haiku poems related to the experi‐ moon gazing full advent moon ence of looking at the moon. looking at it, it clouds over the pine tree starts singing MacDonald, … Those familiar with the Japanese not looking, it becomes clear without any wind Clyde Glandon tradions associated with the wring of haiku poetry know of a widely Chora

pracced set of customs known as Lachlan down wind “moon viewing” or “moon fesval” the autumn moon in the spruces gatherings of various kinds. on the other side of the river the late moon Jack Kerouac I write this in the context of the de‐ velopment of contemporary “star who is it? Chora pares” among astronomy enthusi‐ autumn night asts. In this case: as such gatherings a thin moon may be focused on the moon. the sandy shore the only smile I see Michele Harvey There is a rich quality of shared non‐ why are they making a ﬁre verbal experience when viewing the under the summer moon night skies and their wonders at the Shiki To close, from the Japanese heritage, same me and locaon. The common Lachlan perhaps one of the most powerful of or communal quality of the experi‐ haiku in terms of philosophy, healing, ence is happily noceable while a sing in the shadows and a “spirituality” if you will, of as‐

group of people are “doing astrono‐ MacDonald, tronomy: my.” and leng the moonlight the moon in the water D.T. Suzuki, in his book Zen and Japa‐ have the room Seibi broken and broken again nese Culture, explores a number of meanings which “moon viewing” has sll it is there Choshu

the3RF summer rains had. He writes:

one evening the moon appeared The Japanese are lovers of soness, Australia gentleness, semi‐darkness, subtle behind the pine tree, secretly suggesveness. They like to sit quiet‐ Ryota ly in the moonlight, enveloped in its pale, bluish, soul‐consoling rays.

13 THE OBSERVER THE OBSERVER 14 Night Sky Star Stencil™

 Night Sky Star Stencil™ transforms the ceiling of your darkened room into a dramac replica of the real night sky while leaving the lighted room unchanged (no posters or noceable mark‐ ings).  Dazzling and romanc. Guaranteed bedme fun for everyone.  Soothing and relaxing. Finally a simple cure for fear of the dark. The peaceful comfort of a starry night inspires a feeling of "connectedness" with the universe. Enhance your sense of peace with our new tape, Night Sounds™ (see below).  Accurate and educaonal! Stars and constellaons are in proper posions with accurate rela‐ ve brightness. You also get a hand‐held Star Map and Constellaon Finder that shows the names and locaons of hundred of stars‐‐an enre hemisphere! In addion, the star map is an excellent take‐along item anyme you're star gazing outdoors.  Easy! You simply aﬃx the stencil to the ceiling or wall‐‐the adhesive won't stain or remove paint or wallpaper‐‐and paint the stencil holes with the special glow‐in‐the‐dark paint. Then you remove the stencil. Works on both smooth and textured ceilings!  When you're ready for the stars to shine, expose them to normal room light. Turn out the lights, and the stars glow and keep glowing for up to 30 minutes. They can be recharged indeﬁ‐ nitely and are unnoceable in lighted rooms or on light‐colored surfaces. The 8‐foot stencil takes one hour to apply; the 12‐foot takes two hours. The stencil can be saved and reused.  It's all here! Your kit contains everything you need. The Night Sky Star Stencil (either 8‐ or 12‐feet in diameter), adhesive, a spe‐ cial formula luminous paint, brush, and easy‐to‐follow instrucons.

hp://www.ursamajorstencils.com/cgi‐bin/ursamajorstencils/nightsky.html

THE PROFIT FROM THE SALE OF THESE ARE GIVEN TO A VARIETY OF SERVICES

15 THE OBSERVER ACTOMART BUY SELL TRADE

ACTOMART is a available to any member of the Astronomy Club of Tulsa free of charge. If you would like to sell your items on ACTOMART please contact John Land or Jerry Mullennix and we will be happy to post your products.

Long me Tulsa club member Denny Mishler is downsizing and moving to the dark clear skies of Arizona. He has decided to sell his 13” Dob‐ T sonian reflector, a Coulter Odyssey 1 for the unbelievably low price of N E$250.00.D It comes with a Tuthill 80mm finder, a Telrad finder, and 2” RI V focuser mounted at a 45 degree angle for opmum viewing comfort. P O O The original 1.25” focuser is sll aached at 90 degrees. The mirror T M has been carefully stored and has a good original coang. The Odys‐ R RE O sey I comes in two parts, a barrel with an esmated weight of 60 RI FO pounds and a base weighing about 50 pounds. The mirror has one P IN minor blemish on the circumference that doesn’t effect seeing. The LD T telescope will require adjustment and realignment, as it has been in O C storage (fully covered) for 6 or 7 years. S TA N CO

DENNY, WE ARE TRULY SORRY TO SEE YOU GO BUT GLAD TO HEAR YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE GREAT SKY’S AT YOUR NEW PLACE. THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES!

THE OBSERVER 16 Here is a vintage Tasco there are several past scopes ACTOMART 76.2mm f/15.7 from late 60s, like this sold on Astromart. no electronics. It could be a Lee is negoable and would BUY SELL TRADE #10TE oﬀered by Lee Bickle. I like to sell this one. Turns out know from the one I have he purchased the scope on these are nice scopes and not the previous page from Den‐ the Tasco company you might ny. You can contact Lee at experience today. Lee is not [email protected] sure about the value but

Addional 10% Oﬀ Coupon Code “ACT” AstronomyBinoculars.com

17 THE OBSERVER This was just way too cool not to print this month. Jerry

A new image from NASA's Dawn spacecra their hypotheses on the origins of Vesta's Paul Schenk, Dawn parcipang scienst, shows a mountain three mes as high as Mt. curious craters. Lunar and Planetary Instute, Houston Everest, amidst the topography in the south Debra Buczkowski, Dawn parcipang scien‐ polar region of the giant asteroid Vesta. The meeng, at the Minneapolis Convenon st, Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hop‐ Center, runs from Oct. 9 to 12, with the kins University, Laurel, Md. The peak of Vesta's south pole mountain, Dawn news conference scheduled for Federico Tosi, Dawn Visible and Infrared seen in the center of the image, rises about Wednesday, Oct. 12, at 10 a.m. PDT (noon Spectrometer team member, Italian Space 13 miles (22 kilometers) above the average CDT). Agency, Rome height of the surrounding terrain. Another impressive structure is a large scarp, a cliﬀ The event will air live on the Geological Soci‐ Following a year at Vesta, the spacecra will with a steep slope, on the right side of this ety of America webcast page at: depart in July 2012 for Ceres, where it will image. The scarp bounds part of the south hp://hosted.mediasite.com/mediasite/ arrive in 2015. Dawn's mission to Vesta and polar depression, and the Dawn team's sci‐ Viewer/? Ceres is managed by the Jet Propulsion La‐ ensts believe features around its base are peid=e8adbee5a37e455e199b29129e3b7c boratory, Pasadena, Calif., for NASA's Sci‐ probably the result of landslides. 1d . Media representaves not able to aend ence Mission Directorate in Washington. JPL the meeng may parcipate by registering is a division of the California Instute of The image is online at: hp://www.nasa.gov/ at: hp://rock.geosociety.org/ Technology in Pasadena. Dawn is a project of mission_pages/dawn/mulmedia/ forms/11_pressConf.asp . More informaon the directorate's Discovery Program, man‐ pia14869.html . It was created from a shape about the webcast is at: aged by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center model of Vesta, and shows an oblique per‐ hp://www.geosociety.org/news/pr/11‐ in Huntsville, Ala. UCLA is responsible for specve view of the topography of the south 63.htm . overall Dawn mission science. Orbital Scienc‐ polar region. The image resoluon is about es Corp. in Dulles, Va., designed and built the 300 meters per pixel, and the vercal scale is The event will also be carried live, with a spacecra. The German Aerospace Center, 1.5 mes that of the horizontal scale. moderated chat, at: hp://www.ustream.tv/ the Max Planck Instute for Solar System nasajpl2 . Research, the Italian Space Agency and the Dawn entered orbit around Vesta in July. Italian Naonal Astrophysical Instute are Members of the mission team will discuss The news conference panelists are: internaonal partners on the mission team. what the spacecra has seen so far during a news conference at the Annual Meeng of Carol Raymond, Dawn deputy principal in‐ More informaon about the Dawn mission is the Geological Society of America in Minne‐ vesgator, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, at: hp://www.nasa.gov/dawn apolis. Among other things, they'll share Pasadena, Calif. THE OBSERVER 18 THE ASTRONOMY CLUB OF TULSA

FRONT ROW SEATS TO THE BATTLES OF WINTER AT AN ASTRONOMY CLUB OF TULSA STAR PARTY! OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

For More Informaon Please Visit www.astrotulsa.com

19 THE OBSERVER PASADENA, Calif. – NASA's Gravity propellant. mit radio signals precisely defining Recovery And Interior Laboratory the distance between them as they (GRAIL)‐B spacecra successfully exe‐ These burns are designed to begin orbit the moon. Regional gravitaon‐ cuted its first flight path correcon distancing GRAIL‐A and GRAIL‐B's ar‐ al differences on the moon are ex‐ maneuver Wednesday, Oct. 5. The rival mes at the moon by approxi‐ pected to expand and contract that rocket burn helped refine the space‐ mately one day and to insert them distance. GRAIL sciensts will use cra's trajectory as it travels from onto the desired lunar approach these accurate measurements to de‐ Earth to the moon and provides sep‐ paths. fine the moon's gravity field. The da‐ araon between itself and its mirror ta will allow mission sciensts to un‐ twin, GRAIL‐A. The first burn for The straight‐line distance from Earth derstand what goes on below the GRAIL‐A occurred on Sept. 30. to the moon is about 250,000 miles surface of our natural satellite. (402,336 kilometers). It took NASA's "Both spacecra are alive and with Apollo moon crews about three days NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, these burns, prove that they're kick‐ to cover that distance. Each of the Pasadena, Calif., manages the GRAIL ing too, as expected," said David Leh‐ GRAIL twins is taking about 30 mes mission. The Massachuses Instute man, GRAIL project manager at that long and covering more than 2.5 of Technology, Cambridge, is home NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in million miles (4 million kilometers) to to the mission's principal invesga‐ Pasadena, Calif. "There is a lot of get there. This low‐energy, high‐ tor, Maria Zuber. The GRAIL mission me and space between now and cruise me trajectory is beneficial for is part of the Discovery Program lunar orbit inseron, but everything mission planners and controllers, as managed at NASA's Marshall Space is looking good." it allows more me for spacecra Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. Lock‐ checkout. The path also provides a heed Marn Space Systems, Denver, GRAIL‐B's rocket burn took place on vital component of the spacecra's built the spacecra. Launch manage‐ Oct. 5 at 11 a.m. PDT (2 p.m. EDT). single science instrument, the Ultra ment for the mission is the responsi‐ The spacecra's main engine burned Stable Oscillator, to be connuously bility of NASA's Launch Services Pro‐ for 234 seconds and imparted a ve‐ powered for several months, allow‐ gram at the Kennedy Space Center in locity change of 56.1 mph (25.1 me‐ ing it to reach a stable operang tem‐ Florida. JPL is a division of the Califor‐ ters per second) while expending 8.2 perature long before beginning the nia Instute of Technology in Pasade‐ pounds (3.7 kilograms) of propellant. collecon of science measurements na. GRAIL‐A's burn on Sept. 30 also took in lunar orbit. place at 11 a.m. PDT. It lasted 127 More informaon about GRAIL is seconds and imparted a 31.3 mph GRAIL‐A will enter lunar orbit on New online at: hp://www.nasa.gov/grail (14 meters per second) velocity Year's Eve, and GRAIL‐B will follow and hp://grail.nasa.gov . change on the spacecra while ex‐ the next day. When science collec‐ pending 4 pounds (1.87 kilograms) of on begins, the spacecra will trans‐

THE OBSERVER 20 PASADENA, Calif. ‐‐ Astronomers Sciensts theorize Earth started out where the comet formed. have found a new cosmic source for hot and dry, so that water crical for the same kind of water that ap‐ life must have been delivered mil‐ By tracking the path of Hartley 2 as it peared on Earth billions of years ago lions of years later by asteroid and swoops into Earth's neighborhood in and created the oceans. The findings comet impacts. Unl now, none of the inner solar system every six‐and‐ may help explain how Earth's surface the comets previously studied con‐ a‐`half years, astronomers know that ended up covered in water. tained water like Earth's. However, it comes from the Kuiper Belt. The Herschel's observaons of Hartley 2, five comets besides Hartley 2 whose New measurements from the Her‐ the first in‐depth look at water in a heavy‐water‐to‐regular‐water raos schel Space Observatory show that comet from the Kuiper Belt, paint a have been obtained all come from comet Hartley 2, which comes from different picture. an even more distant region in the the distant Kuiper Belt, contains wa‐ solar system called the Oort Cloud. ter with the same chemical signature Herschel peered into the comet's This swarm of bodies, 10,000 mes as Earth's oceans. This remote region coma, or thin, gaseous atmosphere. farther afield than the Kuiper Belt, is of the solar system, some 30 to 50 The coma develops as frozen materi‐ the wellspring for most documented mes as far away as the distance be‐ als inside a comet vaporize while on comets.

tween Earth and the sun, is home to approach to the sun. This glowing icy, rocky bodies including Pluto, envelope surrounds the comet's "icy Given the higher raos of heavy wa‐

other dwarf planets and innumera‐ dirtball"‐like core and streams be‐ ter seen in Oort Cloud comets com‐Mullennix

Mullennix ble comets. hind the object in a characterisc pared to Earth's oceans, astrono‐ Jerry

Jerry tail. mers had concluded that the contri‐ By:

By: "Our results with Herschel suggest buon by comets to Earth's total wa‐

that comets could have played a ma‐ Herschel detected the signature of ter volume stood at approximately Photo Photo jor role in bringing vast amounts of vaporized water in this coma4th and,Fireworks to and10 percent. Moon—Downtown Asteroids, Tulsa which are water to an early Earth," said Dariusz the surprise of the sciensts, Hartley found mostly in a band between Lis, senior research associate in 2 possessed half as much "heavy wa‐ Mars and Jupiter but occasionally physics at the California Instute of ter" as other comets analyzed to stray into Earth's vicinity, looked like Technology in Pasadena and co‐ date. In heavy water, one of the two the major depositors. The new re‐ author of a new paper in the journal normal hydrogen atoms has been sults, however, point to Kuiper Belt Nature, published online today, Oct. replaced by the heavy hydrogen iso‐ comets having performed a previ‐

5. "This ﬁnding substanally expands tope known asMullennix deuterium. The rao ously underappreciated service in

Mullennix the reservoir of Earth ocean‐like wa‐ between heavy water and light, or bearing water to Earth. Jerry

Jerry ter in the solar system to now in‐ regular, water in Hartley 2 is the By:

By: clude icy bodies originang in the same as the water on Earth's sur‐ How these objects ever came to pos ‐

Kuiper Belt." face. The amountPhoto of heavy water in a sess the telltale oceanic water is puz‐ Photo comet is related to the environment zling. Astronomers had expected Kui‐ 21 THE OBSERVER per Belt comets to have even more solar system, is incomplete," said co‐ schel Project Oﬃce is based at the heavy water than Oort Cloud comets author Geoﬀrey Blake, professor of agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory because the laer are thought to planetary science and chemistry at in Pasadena, Calif., which contribut‐ have formed closer to the sun than Caltech. "In the early solar system, ed mission‐enabling technology for those in the Kuiper Belt. Therefore, comets and asteroids must have two of Herschel's three science in‐ Oort Cloud bodies should have had been moving all over the place, and struments. The NASA Herschel Sci‐ less frozen heavy water locked in it appears that some of them crash‐ ence Center, part of the Infrared them prior to their ejecon to the landed on our planet and made our Processing and Analysis Center at fringes as the solar system evolved. oceans." Caltech in Pasadena, supports the U.S. astronomical community. Cal‐ "Our study indicates that our under‐ Herschel is a European Space Agency tech manages JPL for NASA. standing of the distribuon of the cornerstone mission, with science lightest elements and their isotopes, instruments provided by consora of as well as the dynamics of the early European instutes. NASA's Her‐

HULAH LAKE SUNSET Photo

By:

Jerry

Mullennix

THE OBSERVER 22 Jack Eastman Speaks on His Telescopes Part 1

About Jack Eastham: I meet Jack at Okie‐Tex this year and had a very long discussion about his career and his telescope. I was previously aware of who he was from a book by Bob Piekiel called Celestron the Early Years. Bob became a friend of mine when I purchased my old Blue and White Celestron 8” and Bob and I have had many discussions about scopes and astronomy since. Jack has had a very interesng career and he oﬀered to let us publish his work here in our newsleer. Jack Eastman was one of the ﬁrst op‐ cians hired by Tom Johnson to work on his newly created line of tele‐ scopes, back in the mid 1960s. Jack has a degree in Astrophysics and is a brilliant opcal engineer. Today he works for Marn‐Mariea (Lockheed Marn) in Colorado. (NOTE: JACK DESIGNED THE OPTICAL SYSTEM FOR THE CASSINI‐HUYGENS PROBE!)

In response to Pat Ryan's quest for aempts at telescope making in a few from the rest of the place that they installments. First, a bit of history. had a gas generator to run the tele‐ This whole business of astronomy scope drive) The view was stunning (and subsequent telescope making) and I was terminally hooked. The KBF got started here in Denver when I was telescope was a 9‐inch Newtonian. in the 2nd grade. My dad took me out My parents bought me a book in the yard and we observed the (Bernhart, Benne & Rice, New Hand‐ moon with his 8X30 binoculars. A year book of the Heavens) and that was it. or so later we moved to Los Angeles, I was caught. and by a fluke the hook of astronomy Then came the Griffith Observatory, became more firmly set. We were at Planetarium shows and peeks Knos Berry Farm enjoying dinner, through their 12‐in. Zeiss refractor. I gold panning and their various miner‐ HAD to have a telescope!! The 8X30s al exhibits and as we were leaving we simply didn't cut it. My first ever real telescope was a 40mm Polarex, iden‐ saw a sign, "observatory". We went cal to the Unitron 40mm Alt‐Az. Jack Eastman shows off his over to this lile building full of astro‐ homebuilt 12.5" Telescope. Wow! the moons of Jupiter, Rings of nomical photos, books etc. and for a Saturn and all. I needed a bigger tele‐

dime we could go out back and see scope! Got to have a bigger tele‐ material for the D files, I am wring Jupiter with a gasoline powered tele‐ scope!! Next came a 60mm Alt‐Az., Also a Polarex, and this was a new the descripons of several of my scope. (The building was far enough one with lots of eyepieces and other 23 THE OBSERVER goodies. I sll have this one, you'll seemingly, at the rate of feet per ings and the polar axis was welded hear about it in another arcle. A minute unl it got to about f/10 By to a piece of the 6" pipe at the req‐ year goes by, I had discovered the me it was at f/9 it was geng uisite 34 degree angle (the latude Unitron, and they have even bigger shorter, it seemed, by feet per of L.A.) and bolted to the pier via the 'scopes! I needed a bigger tele‐ month. Several pounds more of #80 big pipe flanges. This in turn is bolt‐ scope! Got to have a bigger tele‐ grit and it was down close to f/8, ed into a half yard or so of cement in scope!! This me my folks took me geng shorter now by inches per the ground. ( The whole thing now up to the Griffith Observatory where decade. This is why it is f/7.6. Yes! leans at about a 6 degree angle to I joined the L. A. Astronomical Socie‐ 's a monster. Over all it took about accommodate the latude differ‐ ty, signed up for the mirror grinding 100 hours from start to finish on the ence from LA to Denver) school, bought a 6‐inch kit and had mirror over the course of about 6 at it. There'll be more about the 6" months. I had all but given up on the The drive is a 12", 96 tooth worm in a later wring. A couple of years mirror, aer my best effort at figur‐ gear, clutched to the polar axis, go by, and I needed a bigger tele‐ ing, and took it to Cave opcal Co. which carries a 10" driven R.A. cir‐ scope! Got to have a bigger tele‐ for possible refiguring. Tom Cave cle. A 15:1 reducon to a 1 RPM mo‐ scope!! My parents really got red redid my first 6" and did a magnifi‐ tor completes the drive. A second of this, and under the Christmas tree cent job on it. When I went to hear motor doubles the speed and pro‐ in 1956 was a real big and heavy the verdict aer Tom had tested the vides a 15 deg/hr slow moon to the box. I had wanted (besides a bigger 12, he told me it was as good as any West, the other buon turns all the 'scope) a 7mm eyepiece. That's what of his and to take it home and build motors off for 15 deg/hr to the East. I thought was in the box. The last a telescope! I did. I had the mirror In addion a small reversible motor, eyepiece I got for my birthday or tested again by Joe Miller, who then via a differenal, provides guiding at whateverPhoto was in a huge box with a taught mirror making at the L.A. club +/‐ ~ 3 deg/hour. The polar axis also zillion other lile things, pieces of (who later became the director of carries a 7" Hour Angle circle. The wood,By: stones etc. I thought "here the Lick Obs) he said it looked very Declinaon slow moon is a manu‐

we go again". My folks did have a good, probably beer than tenth ally operated tangent screw with the Jerry sense of humor. No, in this box was wave. This thing saw ﬁrst light Au‐ equivalent of a ~3675 tooth gear.

a Mullennix 12.5‐inch grinding kit, the biggest gust, 1957, (Jupiter) unfortunately a The slow moon and clamp for the obtainable. I think my parents were couple of months too late for the declinaon are operable from the so sick of me squealing "I needed a high school science fair, as I had al‐ eyepiece through long shas and a bigger telescope! Got to have a big‐ ready graduated in June of '57. gear system. The dec. circle is 15" in ger telescope!!" that they thought diameter and can sort of be read this would shut me up and keep me The whole mount design revolved from the eyepiece. A 18"X44" or so busy for a while. They hoped for around a box of aircra engine main plate is welded to the dec. sha and quite a while! bearings from the old DC‐3. My dad carries the saddle for the tube as‐ was able to get these from his work sembly. What follows is a descripon of this at Western Airlines. Figuring that instrument, which I sll have and is bearings were expensive, and I now The 14"DiaX106"long tube is of 18 sll in service. I call it the old work‐ had enough for this thing we'd make gauge galvanized steel, reinforced horse, and is the one I do most of everything else fit. The bearings with 14" piston rings from an old my serious observing with. were 7"OD X 4"ID. We made the diesel powerhouse engine. The mir‐ pier from 6" diameter pipe, filled ror cell is sort of the standard two The design desirement for this with cement and found 7" steel tub‐ triangle design made from 1" thick 'scope was to be an f/6, in the belief ing, with about 1/8 wall for the aluminum plates, separated by a that the opcs were sll "makeable" bearing housings. 4" OD pipe, 1/4" push‐pull screw system. No springs! and it wouldn't be impossibly large wall, machined to fit inside of the My first one was 1.5" plywood with mechanically. As I roughed out the bearings served as the shas. these really hey springs, but it wouldn't mirror, the focal length got shorter, shas were welded to the 7" hous‐ hold collimaon! This one has a 9‐

THE OBSERVER 24

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THIS IS THE TYPICAL JOY EXPRESSED WHEN YOU ARE ABOUT TO SPEND AN EVENING VIEWING FROM HULAHA LAKE!!!! Photo

By:

Jerry

Mullennix

THE OBSERVER 26 OBSERVER CLUB OFFICERS BOARD MEMBERS AT LARGE

President Owen Green 918‐851‐8171 Bill Goswick

Vice‐President Teresa Davis 918‐637‐1477 Allen Marn 918‐407‐9706

Treasurer John Land 918‐357‐1759 Tim Davis

Secretary Tamara Green 918‐581‐1213 Chris Proctor 918‐810‐6210

APPOINTED STAFF MEMBERSHIP INFO Newsleer Editor Jerry Mullennix Astronomy Club of Tulsa membership ($45/ year) includes membership in the Astronomical Facility Manager Chris Proctor 918‐810‐6210 League and subscripon to ACT’s “Observer” and AL’s “Reﬂector”. “Astronomy” ($34/year) Membership Chair John Land 918‐357‐1759 and “Sky and Telescope” ($33/year) are also available through the club. For more infor‐ Observing Chair Ann Bruun 918‐834‐0757 maon contact John Land at 918‐357‐1759. New Members Owen Green 918‐851‐8171 Permission is hereby granted to reprint from this publicaon provided credit is given to the Group Director Tamara Green 918‐581‐1213 original author and the Astronomy Club of Tulsa Webmaster Jennifer Jones “Observer” is idenﬁed as the source.

Night Sky Network Teresa Davis 918‐637‐1477

Jim “O’Toole” Millers—Astro Words of Wisdom: “When you don’t know the answer tap your chin and look up like you used to know it” ACT welcomes your quesons, suggesons, comments and submissions for publicaon. Please send all in‐ quiries to [email protected]