DOCSLIB.ORG

Longmont Astronomy Society Newsletter February 2008 (Pic by Brian Kimball)

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Longmont Astronomy Society Newsletter February 2008 (Pic by Brian Kimball) Longmont Astronomy Society Newsletter February 2008 (pic by Brian Kimball) From the President: The LAS banquet in January was a great success. Special thanks to Bill Possel and Dr. Bob Stencel for two great presentations. Thank you to Bob Spohn for all his work making arrangements for the banquet. Thanks also to Julie Carmen for making the table cloths. Successful events don’t just happen; they require work in advance from a number of people. Don’t miss the lunar eclipse this Wednesday, February 20th. In Longmont we’ll setup near the shelter by the duck pond at the southern part of Sandstone Ranch Park, 2525 E Highway 119. See the LAS website for map and directions. Thanks to Bill Paul, supervisor for the Sandstone Ranch from City Longmont for suggesting the site. He’s also arranging to have restrooms open for us. We’ll also be at Community Park, 955 Bella Vista Drive in Louisville. We’ll set just east of the Pavilion. Restrooms will be available as well as power. Thanks to Julie Kovash, Louisville Culture Council, for making the arrangements with the City of Louisville parks department, having an event poster designed, and for advertising on the Council’s newsletter. Volunteer are needed for both events! Contact Gary Garzone or Vern Raben if you can arrange to spend a few hours. Come out anyway and enjoy the eclipse, even if you don’t have a scope. Volunteers are also needed for the Carrie Martin Science Fair in Loveland on Feb 29 th from 5:30 to 8:00 pm, contact Gary if you can make it that evening. Be sure to come to the meeting next Thursday. There will be two great presentations. The first one at 7 pm will be by David Gingerich, Lockheed Martin Space Exploration Systems. He was principal flight software engineer on the Stardust and Genesis space missions and will share his experiences. At 8 pm, Dr. John Stocke, Center for Astrophysics and Space Astronomy, will give a presentation about the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph which will be installed on the Hubble Space Telescope later this fall. See the LAS website for more information. Speaking of which, the website has a new look. Most of the content of the old site has been moved to the new one; we should get the rest moved shortly. Some new content has been added such as information on upcoming star parties. Past newsletters are now online as well. Also, members can have their own image galleries and file observing reports. Thanks to Dieter Kurtz and Steve Albers for their help in making this happen. Fiske Planetarium: 7:30pm Friday , Feb. 22: "Spirits from the Sky" starshow -- Learn Pawnee cosmology from tribal elders themselves. 7:30pm February 28 & 29 -- "Seven Ways a Black Hole Can Kill You" live talk: Join celebrated author Dr. Phil Plait for a leap (on Leap Day) into nature's most gravitationally massive objects. 7:30pm March 4 -- Forum Astronomique -- Enjoy scintillating conversation and light refreshments as you discuss recent discoveries in astronomy! Bring your own images (on CD or thumbdrive) to project on the planetarium dome! Thursday, 3.6.08, at 7:30 pm Enjoy a tour of the night sky with Elin Deeb, then explore the wonder and beauty of galaxies. 7:30pm March 13 & 14 -- "Back to the Moon, Back to the Future" live talk: Investigate the science that can be done on the far side of the moon with space policy expert Dr. Jack Burns and see why it's worth the effort! Eclipse Viewing on February 20: Louisville Report: We had a good turn out here in Steve Hartung or Keith Gleason may Louisville, around 90, maybe more, post a better report later. Marc and I people showed up. Great enthusiastic took no pictures last night, but the ones crowd, lots of kids who asked many that have been posted here are amazing questions. Unfortunately we were with the cover of clouds we had. mostly clouded over for most of the eclipse. Just some glimpses of the lunar One of our volunteers, Will Thornburg disk now and then until about 9. It did (sp?), had some clever teaching tools clear some after 9 so a few got a good with him. He brought a large view of the bright limb re-appearing. planisphere, and put his headlight on it Mike showed them Saturn too. Special and showed visitors how to use a thanks to Glen Frank, Mike Hotka, and planisphere. In addition he used the Shawn Curry for bringing there scopes color constellation booklet that has the out on such a marginal night. Great film that can be removed, showing a support from Julie Kovash and the picture of the star constellation naturally Louisville Cultural Council who in the sky, and then placing the traced sponsored the event, coordinated with drawing over the constellation to better the City, made posters, and got the word see the form. These were two great tools out to everyone in their group -- they that we will remember the next time we even brought hot chocolate and coffee are doing education outreach. Definitely for everyone! Vern nice to have as a back up when there isn't a lot to see. Well done Will! Boulder Report: Julie Congratulations to LAS volunteers! What a way to reach out and keep up the Longmont Report: spirit! Marc and I were at the Boulder I was glad to see I was not the only site, and we were able to talk about optimist in the club. I told you guys not involvement in astronomy clubs. Many to listen to the weather man. We got newcomers, mainly women, were open several objects viewed at Sandstone with us on how they felt like they Ranch . Clouds moved in and out , We wouldn't fit in at an astronomy club jumped around the sky the whole time meeting because they don't know much .First Rigel, then Orion Nebula, then about astronomy or science. However, Moon in clouds, then Saturn opened up, after further discussion, it was clear that then back to moon , was not as bad as it they had enthusiastic interest in dark sky looked.I even took pictures, here are a objects and were thrilled to look through few. scopes. It will be great they take a look We had over 80 people there probably at our web sites and are brave to attend a closer to 100, thru the night, some came meeting or two. We had approximately and went earlier. (Editor: at one time 130 to 150 visitors to the Sommers- after 8, I counted 63 and probably Bausch Observatory. LAS, DAS, and missed a few) I talked with newspaper BASS were discussed often as were their guy to do write up in Longmont's Times web sites. Call . Sandstone Ranch is a great spot for viewing, if no baseball lights on, it next public star party. I had lots of could be our new local viewing spot for people thanking us, kids loved it it too, public events, big enough area and Saturn is always the one that gets darker skies than right in town. them hooked. later, Gary Thanks Bill Possel, Larry Bloom, Anyone who wants to give the new site a Birch, Bob Spohn , Nancy Crispe for ‘test’, enter Sandstone Ranch (on 119 directing traffic, and myself for keeping east of County Line Rd) at the east the crowds entertained. I was amazed entrance next to the Chevy dealer. Go to see so many kids and parents, it was all the way up the hill to the end. Nice like we were doing a school night. We paved parking lot with spaces for 40-50 also got John Minor, FRCC astronomy cars, no lights in the lot, and dark sky to teacher's classes and himself to visit. We the East. When the softball season did manage to pull off quite the night starts, seeing will probably go downhill after all. Thanks Volunteers who never with another dozen light clusters down say die. Lots of people asking about the the hill, we’ll have to wait to verify that. In the sky this month: Meteor Showers Planets: Mercury: greatest elongation on March 3 rd (27 degrees) as a morning star. Uranus and Neptune are nearby the end of March if you want a telescope challenge. Venus: fading fast as it gains on the Earth and goes to the opposite side of the Sun. Venus and Mercury are doing a little dance in the morning sky from now thru March 2 nd (within 2 degrees). Only 1 degree apart on Feb 27 th for the best viewing. Mars: High in the south at nightfall, it’s starting to fade. Around March 10 th , it within 2 degrees of Messier 35 and should be a fine view at low power. Jupiter: improving in the morning low in the southeast. Saturn: Opposition is February 24 th , in retrograde motion. Rings will continue to open slightly thru April. It was a fine sight next to the eclipsed Moon, and we introduced a whole bunch of kids to their first Saturn view last night. (That’s something everyone always remembers) Interesting Stars/Galaxies: Sky & T recommends M36, M37, and M38 in Aurigae, plus M41 to the south of Sirius. In early March the crescent Moon passes Jupiter on the 2nd and 3rd, and parks itself next to Venus and Mercury on the 5th. During the afternoon of the 5th, the thin lunar crescent occults (hides) Venus for viewers in central Canada and most of the United States.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Where Are the Distant Worlds? Star Maps
    W here Are the Distant Worlds? Star Maps Abo ut the Activity Whe re are the distant worlds in the night sky? Use a star map to find constellations and to identify stars with extrasolar planets. (Northern Hemisphere only, naked eye) Topics Covered • How to find Constellations • Where we have found planets around other stars Participants Adults, teens, families with children 8 years and up If a school/youth group, 10 years and older 1 to 4 participants per map Materials Needed Location and Timing • Current month's Star Map for the Use this activity at a star party on a public (included) dark, clear night. Timing depends only • At least one set Planetary on how long you want to observe. Postcards with Key (included) • A small (red) flashlight • (Optional) Print list of Visible Stars with Planets (included) Included in This Packet Page Detailed Activity Description 2 Helpful Hints 4 Background Information 5 Planetary Postcards 7 Key Planetary Postcards 9 Star Maps 20 Visible Stars With Planets 33 © 2008 Astronomical Society of the Pacific www.astrosociety.org Copies for educational purposes are permitted. Additional astronomy activities can be found here: http://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov Detailed Activity Description Leader’s Role Participants’ Roles (Anticipated) Introduction: To Ask: Who has heard that scientists have found planets around stars other than our own Sun? How many of these stars might you think have been found? Anyone ever see a star that has planets around it? (our own Sun, some may know of other stars) We can’t see the planets around other stars, but we can see the star.
    [Show full text]
  • 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 .
    [Show full text]
  • Spring Constellations Leo
    Night Sky 101: Spring Constellations Leo Leo, the lion, is very recognizable by the head of the lion, which looks like a backwards question mark, and is commonly known as “the sickle.” Regulus, Leo’s brightest star, is also easy to pick out in most lights. The constellation is best seen in April and May, but rises after the Spring Equinox in March. Within the constellation, there are several spiral galaxies: M65, M66, M95, and M96. It is possible to fit M65 and M66 into the same view on a low powered telescope. In Greek mythology, Leo was the Nemean lion, who was completely impervious to bronze, steel and any kind of metal. As part of his 12 labors, Hercules was charged to fight the lion and killed him Photo Credit: Starry Night by strangling him. Hercules took the lion’s pelt as a prize and Leo, the lion, was placed in the stars to commemorate their fight. Virgo Virgo is best seen in the late spring and early summer, usually May to June. The bright star Arcturus, in the constellation Boötes, lines up with the Virgo’s brightest star Spica, which makes it easy to find. Within the constellation is the Virgo Galaxy Cluster, which is a conglomerate of thousands of unnamed galaxies. These galaxies are about 65 million light years away, and usually only appear as smudges in a telescope. Virgo, the maiden, is also known as Persephone, or the daughter of the Demeter. Hades, god of the Un- derworld, fell in love with Virgo and took her to the Underworld.
    [Show full text]
  • CONSTELLATION BOÖTES, the HERDSMAN Boötes Is the Cultivator Or Ploughman Who Drives the Bears, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor Around the Pole Star Polaris
    CONSTELLATION BOÖTES, THE HERDSMAN Boötes is the cultivator or Ploughman who drives the Bears, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor around the Pole Star Polaris. The bears, tied to the Polar Axis, are pulling a plough behind them, tilling the heavenly fields "in order that the rotations of the heavens should never cease". It is said that Boötes invented the plough to enable mankind to better till the ground and as such, perhaps, immortalizes the transition from a nomadic life to settled agriculture in the ancient world. This pleased Ceres, the Goddess of Agriculture, so much that she asked Jupiter to place Boötes amongst the stars as a token of gratitude. Boötes was first catalogued by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the 2nd century and is home to Arcturus, the third individual brightest star in the night sky, after Sirius in Canis Major and Canopus in Carina constellation. It is a constellation of large extent, stretching from Draco to Virgo, nearly 50° in declination, and 30° in right ascension, and contains 85 naked-eye stars according to Argelander. The constellation exhibits better than most constellations the character assigned to it. One can readily picture to one's self the figure of a Herdsman with upraised arm driving the Greater Bear before him. FACTS, LOCATION & MAP • The neighbouring constellations are Canes Venatici, Coma Berenices, Corona Borealis, Draco, Hercules, Serpens Caput, Virgo, and Ursa Major. • Boötes has 10 stars with known planets and does not contain any Messier objects. • The brightest star in the constellation is Arcturus, Alpha Boötis, which is also the third brightest star in the night sky.
    [Show full text]
  • A Code to Measure Stellar Atmospheric Parameters and Their Covariance from Spectra
    MNRAS 467, 971–984 (2017) doi:10.1093/mnras/stx144 Advance Access publication 2017 January 19 ZASPE: a code to measure stellar atmospheric parameters and their covariance from spectra Rafael Brahm,1,2‹ Andres´ Jordan,´ 1,2 Joel Hartman3 and Gasp´ ar´ Bakos3†‡ 1 Instituto de Astrof´ısica, Facultad de F´ısica, Pontificia Universidad Catolica´ de Chile, Av. Vicuna˜ Mackenna 4860, 7820436 Macul, Santiago, Chile Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article-abstract/467/1/971/2929275 by Princeton University user on 28 November 2018 2Millennium Institute of Astrophysics, Santiago, Chile 3Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA Accepted 2017 January 17. Received 2017 January 13; in original form 2015 December 7 ABSTRACT We describe the Zonal Atmospheric Stellar Parameters Estimator (ZASPE), a new algorithm, and its associated code, for determining precise stellar atmospheric parameters and their uncertainties from high-resolution echelle spectra of FGK-type stars. ZASPE estimates stellar atmospheric parameters by comparing the observed spectrum against a grid of synthetic spectra only in the most sensitive spectral zones to changes in the atmospheric parameters. Realistic uncertainties in the parameters are computed from the data itself, by taking into account the systematic mismatches between the observed spectrum and the best-fitting synthetic one. The covariances between the parameters are also estimated in the process. ZASPE can in principle use any pre-calculated grid of synthetic spectra, but unbiased grids are required to obtain accurate parameters. We tested the performance of two existing libraries, and we concluded that neither is suitable for computing precise atmospheric parameters.
    [Show full text]
  • Long Delayed Echo: New Approach to the Problem
    Geometrical joke(r?)s for SETI. R. T. Faizullin OmSTU, Omsk, Russia Since the beginning of radio era long delayed echoes (LDE) were traced. They are the most likely candidates for extraterrestrial communication, the so-called "paradox of Stormer" or "world echo". By LDE we mean a radio signal with a very long delay time and abnormally low energy loss. Unlike the well-known echoes of the delay in 1/7 seconds, the mechanism of which have long been resolved, the delay of radio signals in a second, ten seconds or even minutes is one of the most ancient and intriguing mysteries of physics of the ionosphere. Nowadays it is difficult to imagine that at the beginning of the century any registered echo signal was treated as extraterrestrial communication: “Notable changes occurred at a fixed time and the analogy among the changes and numbers was so clear, that I could not provide any plausible explanation. I'm familiar with natural electrical interference caused by the activity of the Sun, northern lights and telluric currents, but I was sure, as it is possible to be sure in anything, that the interference was not caused by any of common reason. Only after a while it came to me, that the observed interference may occur as the result of conscious activities. I'm overwhelmed by the the feeling, that I may be the first men to hear greetings transmitted from one planet to the other... Despite the signal being weak and unclear it made me certain that soon people, as one, will direct their eyes full of hope and affection towards the sky, overwhelmed by good news: People! We got the message from an unknown and distant planet.
    [Show full text]
  • Harappan Astronomy
    In Nakamura, T., Orchiston, W., Sôma, M., and Strom, R. (eds.), 2011. Mapping the Oriental Sky. Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Oriental Astronomy. Tokyo, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. Pp. xx-xx. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK OF HARAPPAN ASTRONOMY Mayank N. VAHIA Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India and Manipal Advanced Research Group, Manipal University, Manipal – 576104, Karnataka, India. E-mail: [email protected] and Srikumar M. MENON Faculty of Architecture, Manipal Institite of Technology, Manipal – 576104, Karnataka, India. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract: Archaeo astronomy normally consists of interpreting available data and archaeological evidence about the astronomical knowledge of a civilisation. In the present study, we attempt to „reverse engineer‟ and attempt to define the nature of astronomy of a civilisation based on other evidence of its cultural complexity. We then compare it with somewhat sketchy data available so far and suggest the possible manner in which their observatories can be identified. 1 INTRODUCTION The Harappan civilisation lasted from about 7,000 BC to 2,000 BC. At its peak it spread over an area of more than a million square kilometres, and boasted more than 5,000 rural centres, over a dozen which had population densities >3 per m2 (Kenoyer, 1998, Possehl, 2002, Agarwal, 2007, Wright 2010). Harappan culture evolved and merged and transformed over this period (Gangal et al., 2011), and it also went through a complex evolutionary pattern (Vahia and Yadav, 2011a). It was the most advanced pre- iron civilisation in the world. It is no surprise, therefore, that the Harappans had a vibrant intellectual tradition.
    [Show full text]
  • The Evening Sky Map
    I N E D R I A C A S T N E O D I T A C L E O R N I G D S T S H A E P H M O O R C I . Z N O p l f e i n h d o P t O o N ) l h a r g Z i u s , o I l C t P h R I r e o R N ( O o r C r H e t L p h p E E i s t D H a ( r g T F i . O B NORTH D R e N M h t E A X O e s A H U M C T . I P N S L E E P Z “ E A N H O NORTHERN HEMISPHERE M T R T Y N H E ” K E η ) W S . T T E W U B R N W D E T T W T H h A The Evening Sky Map e MAY 2021 E . C ) Cluster O N FREE* EACH MONTH FOR YOU TO EXPLORE, LEARN & ENJOY THE NIGHT SKY r S L a o K e Double r Y E t B h R M t e PERSEUS A a A r CASSIOPEIA n e S SKY MAP SHOWS HOW Get Sky Calendar on Twitter P δ r T C G C A CEPHEUS r E o R e J s O h Sky Calendar – May 2021 http://twitter.com/skymaps M39 s B THE NIGHT SKY LOOKS T U ( O i N s r L D o a j A NE I I a μ p T EARLY MAY PM T 10 r 61 M S o S 3 Last Quarter Moon at 19:51 UT.
    [Show full text]
  • TAAS Fabulous Fifty
    TAAS Fabulous Fifty Friday April 21, 2017 19:30 MDT (7:30 pm) Ursa Major Photo Courtesy of Naoyuki Kurita All TAAS and other new and not so new astronomers are invited Evening Events 7:30 pm Meet inside church for overview of winter sky 8:30 pm View night sky outside 9:00 pm Social session inside church 10:00 pm Optional additional viewing outside Objectives Provide new astronomers a list of 50 night sky objects 1. Locate with the naked eye 2. Showcases the night sky for an entire year 3. Beginner astronomer will remember from one observing session to the next 4. Basis for knowing the night sky well enough to perform more detailed observing Methodology 1. Divide the observing activities into the four seasons: Winter Dec-Jan-Feb Spring Mar-Apr-May Summer Jun-Jul-Aug Fall Sep-Oct-Nov Boötes Photo Courtesy of Naoyuki Kurita 2. Begin with the bright and easy to locate and identify stars and associated constellations 3. Add the other constellations for each season Methodology (cont.) 4. Add a few naked eye Messier Objects 5. Include planets as a separate observing activity M 44 “The Beehive” Photo Courtesy of Naoyuki Kurita 6. Include the Moon as a separate observing activity 7. Include meteor showers as separate observing activity Spring Constellations Stars Messier Object Ursa Major Dubhe Merak Leo Regulus M 44 “The Beehive” Boötes Arcturus M 3 The Spring Sky Map Ursa Major Boötes Leo What Are the Messier Objects (M)? 100 astronomical objects listed by French astronomer Charles Messier in 1771 Messier was a comet hunter, and frustrated by
    [Show full text]
  • Astronomy Lab Manual
    MSE2151 Astronomy Laboratory – Stars Lab Manual Department of Astrophysics & Planetary Science Villanova University Spring 2020 Lab Schedule MSE2151: Astronomy Laboratory – Stars Spring 2020 Week 1: Lab A – Working with Numbers, Graphs, & the Computer ASSIGNED AS A TAKE-HOME LAB Week 2: Lab B – Energy Transport in Stars Week 3: Lab C – Introduction to Spectroscopy Week 4: Lab D – Introduction to Optics Week 5: Lab E – Building a Galileoscope Week 6: Lab F – Classification of Stellar Spectra Week 7: Lab G – Effects of the Atmosphere on Astronomical Observations Week 8: Lab H – Taking a Star’s Temperature Week 9: Lab I – Trigonometric Parallax Week 10: Lab J – The Distance to a Star Cluster Week 11: Lab K – Measuring the Mass of the Andromeda Galaxy Week 12: Lab L – Expansion of the Universe Week 13: MAKEUP LAB Observing sessions for the “Observatory Lab” will be scheduled throughout the semester. Spring 2020 Mendel Science Experience 2151 Astronomy Laboratory - Stars Observatory Lab The Villanova Public Observatory PURPOSE: The science of astronomy began with the first humans who looked up into the nighttime sky and wondered “What’s going on up there?” This semester, you will explore some of the answers to this question in your lecture course and in this lab course. Most of this exploration will happen in the classroom or in the lab room. This lab will give you the opportunity to go outside and actually look at the nighttime sky, using both the unaided eye and a powerful modern astronomical telescope. EQUIPMENT: The Villanova Public Observatory, accessible via the Department of Astrophysics & Planetary Science on the 4th floor of Mendel Science Center.
    [Show full text]
  • Download The
    DAVID LINDSAY'S A VOYAGE TO ARCTURUS ALLEGORICAL DREAM FANTASY AS A LITERARY MODE by JACK S CHOFIELD B.A., University of Birmingham, 1969 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH We accept this thesis as conforming to the required standard THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA September, 19 72 tn presenting this thesis in partial fulfilment of the requirements for an advanced degree at the University of British Columbia, I agree that the Library shall make it freely available for reference and study. I further agree that permission for extensive copying of this thesis for scholarly purposes may be granted by the Head of my Department or by his representatives. It is understood that copying or publication of this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. Department of The University of British Columbia Vancouver 8, Canada Date Abstract David Lindsay's A Voyage to Arcturus must be read as an allegorical dream fantasy for its merit to be correctly discerned. Lindsay's central themes are introduced in a study of the man and his work. (Ch. 1). These themes are found to be common in allegorical dream fantasy, the phenomen- ological background of which is established (Ch. 2). A distinction can then be drawn between fantasy and romance, so as to define allegorical dream fantasy as a literary mode (Ch. 3). After the biographical, theoretical and literary backgrounds of A Voyage have been established in the first three chapters, the second three chapters explicate the structure of the book as an allegorical dream fantasy.
    [Show full text]
  • An Aboriginal Australian Record of the Great Eruption of Eta Carinae
    Accepted in the ‘Journal for Astronomical History & Heritage’, 13(3): in press (November 2010) An Aboriginal Australian Record of the Great Eruption of Eta Carinae Duane W. Hamacher Department of Indigenous Studies, Macquarie University, NSW, 2109, Australia [email protected] David J. Frew Department of Physics & Astronomy, Macquarie University, NSW, 2109, Australia [email protected] Abstract We present evidence that the Boorong Aboriginal people of northwestern Victoria observed the Great Eruption of Eta (η) Carinae in the nineteenth century and incorporated the event into their oral traditions. We identify this star, as well as others not specifically identified by name, using descriptive material presented in the 1858 paper by William Edward Stanbridge in conjunction with early southern star catalogues. This identification of a transient astronomical event supports the assertion that Aboriginal oral traditions are dynamic and evolving, and not static. This is the only definitive indigenous record of η Carinae’s outburst identified in the literature to date. Keywords: Historical Astronomy, Ethnoastronomy, Aboriginal Australians, stars: individual (η Carinae). 1 Introduction Aboriginal Australians had a significant understanding of the night sky (Norris & Hamacher, 2009) and frequently incorporated celestial objects and transient celestial phenomena into their oral traditions, including the sun, moon, stars, planets, the Milky Way and Magellanic Clouds, eclipses, comets, meteors, and impact events. While Australia is home to hundreds of Aboriginal groups, each with a distinct language and culture, few of these groups have been studied in depth for their traditional knowledge of the night sky. We refer the interested reader to the following reviews on Australian Aboriginal astronomy: Cairns & Harney (2003), Clarke (1997; 2007/2008), Fredrick (2008), Haynes (1992; 2000), Haynes et al.
    [Show full text]