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April 2008 SKYSCRAPERS, INC · Amateur Astronomical Society of Rhode Island · 47 Peeptoad Road North Scituate, RI 02857 · April Meeting with Dr

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April 2008 SKYSCRAPERS, INC · Amateur Astronomical Society of Rhode Island · 47 Peeptoad Road North Scituate, RI 02857 · April Meeting with Dr The SkyscraperVol. 35 No. 4 April 2008 SKYSCRAPERS, INC · Amateur Astronomical Society Of Rhode Island · 47 Peeptoad Road North Scituate, RI 02857 · www.theSkyscrapers.org April Meeting with Dr. Alan Guth Friday, April 4 at Seagrave Memorial Observatory Dr. Alan Guth, Professor of Origins, Alan Guth, A Golden Age of Physics at the Massachusetts Insti- Cosmology and other publications. tute of Technology, is best known He will be presenting a talk entitled The Orion Nebula: SBIG 1001E on Meade 16” for the “inflationary” theory of “Inflationary Cosmology.” SCT at Barus and Holley Observatory; L = 12 ex- cosmology in which many features For the April meeting we will be posures x 5 seconds each, binned 1x1; R,G,B = of our universe, including how it returning to Seagrave Observatory. 3 exposures each x 5 seconds each, binned 2x2; came to be so uniform and why it Elections will be held at the April 27 exposures total, total exposure time = 2.25 began so close to the critical density meeting and membership renewals minutes. Images combined and processed using can be explained by. Dr. Guth is the are due. An elections ballot and Maxim DL. Photo by Bob Horton. author of The Inflationary Universe, renewal form are included in the the Quest for a New Theory of Cosmic back of this issue. In This Issue April Meeting with 1 Dr. Alan Guth April 2008 President’s Message 2 Glenn Jackson 4 7:30 pm Annual Meeting with Dr. Alan Guth April Lyrids Meteor 3 Friday Seagrave Memorial Observatory Shower Dave Huestis 5 8:00 pm Public Observing Night Tracking Wildlife 4 Saturday Seagrave Memorial Observatory, weather permitting from Space Patrick Barry 12 8:00 pm Public Observing Night April 2008 Celestial Events 5 Saturday Seagrave Memorial Observatory, weather permitting Craig Cortis 8:00 pm March Meeting Notes 6 19 Public Observing Night Nichole Mechnig Saturday Seagrave Memorial Observatory, weather permitting Treasurer’s Report 6 Jim Crawford 26 8:00 pm Public Observing Night Saturday Seagrave Memorial Observatory, weather permitting Spring Double 7 Stars: Cancer Glenn Chaple A Night With the Messiers 8 Join Skyscrapers, Inc. in celebrating Jim Hendrickson National Astronomy Day Proposed 2008-09 Budget 12 Saturday May 10th Glenn Jackson Skyscrapers 2008-09 13 Daytime Programs Elections Ballot at Scituate Community Green Skyscrapers 2008-09 14 10 am - 4 pm • Solar viewing, Demonstrations Membership Renewal Evening Programs at Seagrave Memorial Observatory 6 pm • Workshop: Make a Star Wheel 7 pm • Presentation: “Mysteries of the Night Sky” 6 pm - 8 pm • Seagrave Observatory Historical Walk 8 pm • Public Observing THE SKYSCRAPER • APRIL 2008 President’s Message Glenn Jackson The Messier Marathon Challenge The membership application should is on. The only thing that we need is be completed and mailed to Jim a break in the weather. I have been Crawford or brought to the April 4th observing twice this month, both nights meeting. The one significant change in were cut short by the clouds rolling in. membership this year is the ordering of I encourage all to get the telescopes subscriptions to Sky and Telescope and The Skyscraper is published monthly by out and enjoy any break in the weather Astronomy. As you know if you order Skyscrapers, Inc. Meetings are usually held on the first Friday of the month. Public ob- that we might be graced with. Send in your magazine subscriptions through serving is usually held every Saturday night your log to be included in the minutes Skyscrapers you receive a significant at Seagrave Memorial Observatory, weather of the April 4th meeting and to receive discount. If you plan on this option permitting. a certificate of participation. Your you must pay for your renewal, regard- President observations and participation will be less of the renewal date, at the time you Glenn Jackson [email protected] preserved for all future generations of pay your membership. You do have the Skyscrapers. option of waiting until your subscrip- 1st Vice President The Skyscrapers annual business tions run out but you will have to Steve Hubbard [email protected] meeting will take place this month April re-new on your own. To receive the 2nd Vice President 4th starting at 7:30. The significance of discounted rate you will have to get Kathy Siok [email protected] this meeting is that new officers for the your special membership number from coming year will be voted into office, Jim Crawford and send your funds to Secretary the proposed budget for the coming the appropriate magazine on your Nichole Mechnig [email protected] year will be discussed and approved, own. Treasurer and our new membership year Star parties offered by Skyscrapers Jim Crawford [email protected] begins. The slate of officers has been continue to be popular. We are presented to the membership and the receiving request on a regular basis. Members at Large proposed budget has been amended The weather has not been cooperating Jim Brenek [email protected] and presented to the membership. A but that will change for the good before Joe Sarandrea [email protected] vote on both issues will take place at long. The two star parties that we were Trustees the upcoming meeting. A report from able to squeak in between the clouds Tracey Haley [email protected] Bob Napier and Dave Huestis on the were very successful and enjoyed by Bob Horton [email protected] status of the financial books of the all who attended. Check your calendar Jerry Jeffrey [email protected] society is also anticipated. and come out and support our Public Last year we had a total of 96 Out Reach Programs. We have had Star Party Coordinator Bob Forgiel [email protected] members in all categories. Our goal as many as 15 members volunteer for this year is to have 100 members in these star parties, come be a part of the Librarian all categories. By the time that this camaraderie. I look forward to seeing Tom Barbish [email protected] newsletter reaches you, you should you there. Historian have received a membership mailing. Dave Huestis [email protected] Star Party Calendar Editor Wednesday March 26th 7:30pm Portsmouth Middle Jim Hendrickson [email protected] School Saturday April 4th 8:00pm Seagrave Troop 33 North Attleboro Directions Directions to Seagrave Memorial Observa- Tuesday April 8th 7:30pm Chaffee Athletic Cranston High School tory are located on the back page of this (rain date April 9th) Fields at Briggs newsletter. Farm Thursday April 10 7:30pm Seagrave Christian Home Educators Submissions Submissions to The Skyscraper are always Friday April 11 8:00pm Steere Farm School welcome. Please submit items for the Monday April 14 7:30pm Seagrave Boy Scouts newsletter by April 15 to Jim Hendrickson, 1 Sunflower Circle, North Providence, RI 17th Annual North East Astronomy Forum & Telescope Show 02911 or email to [email protected]. April 26th & 27th, Rockland Community College, Suffern, New York. Email subscriptions To receive The Skyscraper by email, send White Mountain Observing Trip email with your name and address to New Dates: July 26th – August 2nd Still accepting reservations under the best [email protected]. Note that you will no longer receive the newsletter by postal skies in the USA. mail. 2 April Lyrids Meteor Shower Dave Huestis I hope many of you took advan- pass in front of some of the cluster’s disintegrate after hitting our atmo- tage of the clear night sky back on stars. A pair of binoculars or a small sphere at a moderate speed of 29.8 February 20 to observe the total lunar telescope often provides the best view miles per second. They often produce eclipse. Despite a dire weather forecast, during this astronomical event called a luminous trains of dust that can be the partial phase before totality was stellar occultation. observed for several seconds. Some only hampered by occasional scat- A note of interest: whatever phase the recent observations indicate increased tered clouds. By the time of totality the Moon is in, if you were on the Moon’s activity during the last few years. clouds disappeared and only a hazy surface looking back at the Earth, the Because moonlight will interfere by sky prevailed. Earth would be in the opposite phase. brightening the sky, an observer can The eclipsed Moon was still quite In the above scenario, from the Moon expect to see perhaps 10 or less meteors bright. It showed subtle hues of red and the Earth would be three days past full. per hour (below the normal peak rate orange, but did not vanish from the sky. Therefore, the earthshine on the lunar of 15 to 20 per hour). Since the Lyrids The Moon was a beautiful sight to see surface not illuminated by the Sun is are a narrow stream of particles, the nestled within the stars of Leo, with the reflected light from a very large and nights before and after the peak will bright Regulus shining above and even bright Earth in the lunar sky. display even less meteors, given the brighter Saturn to the lower left. If you are a meteor observer I don’t ever present moonlight. More than 200 folks braved the need to tell you that either the weather So despite less than ideal observing chilly weather and visited Ladd Obser- or Moon has conspired to bring meteor conditions, I still encourage you to vatory in Providence to catch a glimpse observing to a standstill during the make an effort to catch a glimpse of of this wonderful lunar eclipse through last few months. And besides those a few shooting stars during the April a variety of telescopes and binoculars.
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