ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA - VICTORIA CENTRE SKYNEWS
Photo by David Lee
IN THIS ISSUE NEXT MEETING
Presidents Report Next Monthly Meeting Stellar Distance Atlas Wednesday December 12th In the Arms of the Milky Way M81 Bode’s Galaxy 7:30 PM in Room 116 Nudge Nudge: Give Lists a Try by Dan Posey Engineering and Computer In Memorium Science Building Upcoming Speakers
www.victoria.rasc.ca
SKYNEWS NOVEMBER 2018 ISSUE #402 PAGE 1! President’s • Centre member Chris Gainor was elected National President at the 2018 General Assembly. Report • Centre members David Lee, John by Chris Purse McDonald, and Jim Hesser assisted with a second concert of the music of William Herschel. The event As my term as in November 2018 was supported by a grant from centre president the RASC special projects fund. draws to a close, I • David Lee and Dan Posey offered a thought I would look workshop on PixInsight to a group of back at some of the astrophotography enthusiasts. noteworthy events • Astro Café continues to be well attended and from the past 2 our monitor is well used. years. • Centre members continue to volunteer • Centre countless hours for the schools program, Vancouver member Brenda Island Regional Science Fair, and other outreach Stuart provided the events. illustrations for the I have enjoyed my term as president. It has been my new edition of the honour to serve the centre and I thank all our RASC publication members for their contributions. It has been a great Explore the experience to work with such an enthusiastic group Universe Guide. of people and I look forward to my next role as past • We had longer seasons of the Summer Star president. Parties at the DAO in both 2017 and 2018. These A reminder that this month’s meeting is our Annual started with Astronomy Day at the Royal BC General Meeting that will take place on Saturday, Museum. The stat parties continued to be well November 17 at the Cedar Hill Golf Club with doors attended. opening at 6 p.m. The evening starts with a dinner so • Centre member Terry Ryals volunteered his if you have not booked a seat please do so by carpentry skills to build a security cabinet so we Sunday, November 11. The meal costs $40 and is a could install our new monitor in the portable where buffet with a pre-selected entrée. The entrée choices we hold Astro Café. are chicken, salmon, steak, or vegetarian ravioli. If • Victoria High School proposed and launched you wish to attend, send me your entrée selection at an Astronomy 11 course. [email protected]. Please see the website • In partnership with Parks Canada, observing for more information. If you cannot attend the dinner, evenings were held at Fort Rodd Hill and Gulf the speaker and meeting portion are open to Islands National Park. everyone at no charge. • Members who had remained in Victoria Due to exams at the University, our monthly meeting hosted public eclipse viewing for the solar eclipse on on Wednesday, December 12 will be held in the August 21, 2017. Many members travelled to the US Engineering and Computer Science building to see the total eclipse. room 116. This is near the room where the June 2018 meeting was held. • The centre purchased a new telescope for the VCO and sold the surplus equipment. • In 2018, RASC celebrated its A final note and a concern. Our centre is not alone sesquicentennial with a number of special events, a in having issues finding members willing to put their commemorative Royal Canadian Mint coin, and a names forward for the leadership positions. We rely pair of commemorative stamps issued by Canada on a group of members to coordinate activities, make Post. decisions, and keep the centre running in • Centre members Lauri Roche and Jim accordance with the relevant regulations. Despite a Hesser organized and coordinated a national contest membership over 270, nominations have not been in honour of the sesquicentennial called Imagining forthcoming for the incoming centre executive and the Skies. this is a major problem. The centre cannot run without the council members. If we do not have • The centenary of the Plaskett Telescope was leaders the centre is not viable and we really must celebrated on May 3, 2018 with the National Historic question if we can continue to exist. That would be a Site plaque unveiled. sad occurrence after a history of 104 years. So, this • RASC members were invited to attend is a final appeal before the AGM. We do need some sessions at the Canadian Astronomical Society more nominees for people to lead the centre. annual meeting held in Victoria during May 2018.
SKYNEWS NOVEMBER 2018 ISSUE #402 PAGE !2 AGM Meeting Presentation: Formation of Our weekly Astronomy Cafe is an excellent, informal, way to meet us. Planets around Stars: What We Know New comers are especially and What We Still Need to Learn encouraged. Click the link for by Dr. Doug Johnstone location:. http://victoria.rasc.ca/events/ astro-cafe/ Saturday November 17th, 2018 ~ 7:30 PM Fairfield Community Centre - 1330 After AGM Banquet at Cedar Hill Golf Fairfield Rd. Victoria. Course, 1400 Derby Road Every Monday at 7:30pm.
Over the last few decades we have uncovered a Contact Reg for further details: great deal about the formation of stars. We have [email protected] also undertaken an extensive census of planets and planetary systems around other stars. We are Email Lists confident that the typical young star begins life surrounded by a gaseous yet dusty orbiting disk of Observer / CU Volunteers / material and that this circumstellar disk is the birth Members site of planetary systems. Nevertheless, it is still Contact Chris Purse to subscribe almost impossible to witness the formation of planets and instead we must settle for indirect circumstantial [email protected] evidence of the planet formation process when comparing observations against theoretical ideals New Observers Group and numerical simulations. For this reason, Hosted by Sid Sidhu - 1642 Davies astronomers have been developing ever more Road, Highlands. Call 250.391-0540 powerful telescopes and instruments to peer deeply for information and directions. into the cloudy environs of star formation and uncover planets in formation. I will discuss some recent observations that suggest planets may form Cattle Point observing in Victoria’s during the earliest stages of star formation. I will also own Urban Dark Sky Park. describe planned and anticipated (space) telescopes Click the link for the date and time of that will provide new ways of searching for planets in the next scheduled session formation. http://victoria.rasc.ca/events/rascals- cattle-point/ Dr. Doug Johnstone is an astronomer at the National Research Council’s Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Centre in Victoria, BC. From 2012-2014 Doug was the Associate Director of Victoria Centre Observatory: the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope, a 15-m Saturday Evenings telescope on Mauna Kea devoted to observations of Open to those on the Active the sky at sub-millimeter wavelengths. Doug's main Observers list only research interests follow the formation of stars and Weather permitting. planetary systems. He began his professional life as a theorist at the University of California, Berkeley, working on the evolution of circumstellar disks around young stars, back before extra-solar planet UVic 32 Inch Telescope detections were common. He has spent time at the RASC Victoria Centre Sessions Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics, the will resume in November. University of Toronto, and the National Research Council of Canada. Today, Dr. Johnstone’s research focuses on the formation and evolution of structure in molecular clouds, attempting to disentangle the Membership Report October 2018 physical processes Total membership is currently 274. There are 17 members through which a molecular cloud in the grace period which means their membership has sheds into individual expired in the past 2 months. Please contact Chris Purse stars and planetary ([email protected]) if you would like to check systems. the status of your membership.
SKYNEWS NOVEMBER 2018 ISSUE #402 PAGE 3! A Stellar January Distance Atlas 78 By Reg Dunkley 81 150 25
You could argue 130 that constellations 120 served as the 434 original Netflix. They have conditioned 447 1500 generations to 2600 clump stars together into dramatic roles.
230 When one 34 52 considers the 42 590 93 distance to the stars 670 97 however, different 130 options for grouping 11 444 our stellar 65 neighbours emerge. 640 Rather than thinking 240 of the night sky as a 2000 celestial sphere it 720 860 may be more 8.6 appropriate to imagine it as a celestial onion. 690 25 83 There are a April 590 number of 154 wonderful 3D 447 diagrams that display the nearest 42 stars. The trouble 75 100 with these 65 360 120 depictions however 78 is that familiar bright stars are lost 75 52 in a crowd of much 34 fainter objects. 640 There is a simpler 37 but more effective 130 36 way to visualize 11 our neighbours. On 77 a typical night sky map I labelled 180 prominent stars 260 8.6 with their distance in light years. One
Distance In Light Years
SKYNEWS NOVEMBER 2018 ISSUE #402 PAGE 4! 230 July of the nicest and cleanest star charts 97 447 can be obtained from skymaps.com. 690 My natural bias assumes the 196 78 brightest stars are 2600 closer. Inspection of the maps, however 154 reveals surprises. 36 For instance Vega in 670 434 Lyra, at 25 light 75 37 110 years, is ten times 75 closer than Spica in 17 Virgo and one 48 hundred times closer than Deneb in Cygnus! Meanwhile 260 Sirius, the brightest night time star is 100 times closer than Rigel in Orion. 600
It was interesting to note that Arcturus in Bootes, Denebola in Leo and Pollux in October 120 Gemini are all ~35 42 light years away. Polaris, Alberio and 78 the Pleiades are all about 440 light years 447 away. So it may be 590 more appropriate to 83 group stars in the 37 690 same layer of the 230 onion rather than 74 associate them with 154 197 a character in a 66 2600 celestial soap opera. 75 97 196 No doubt new data 434 and proper motions 220 48 from GAIA will further refine our 17 670 vision of the local neighbourhood. In the meantime give these charts a try when you next venture out to enjoy the night sky. Distance In Light Years
SKYNEWS NOVEMBER 2018 ISSUE #402 PAGE !5 In the Arms of the Milky Way light years from the galactic centre, quite close By Reg Dunkley to the current value of 28,000 light years. They also determined that the Sun orbits the galactic When I unveiled the Stellar Distance Atlas at centre every 228 million years. Astro Cafe last Spring I was asked if any of the Interstellar dust and gas obscures much of the bright stars were in the adjacent spiral arm of galactic plane but radio telescopes can the Milky Way. It was a great question but it penetrate this barrier. Beginning in the 1950’s stumped me at the time. It did however inspire this tool was used to measure radial velocities a quest to learn more about the Milky Way and of atomic hydrogen and carbon monoxide to it’s spiral nature. detect spiral arms. Results were ambiguous When I study Dan Posey’s cover image of and monitoring variations of signals from Bode’s Galaxy I am mesmerized by the pulsars was more successful. More recent beautiful symmetry of the spiral arms. But when observations at near infrared frequencies from I gaze up at the Milky Way I cannot discern the ground based surveys (2MASS) and the Spitzer slightest hint of a spiral. Even determining the Space Telescope have been an improvement location of the Sun within our Galaxy is and a bar has been detected at the centre of daunting but Dr. J.S. Plaskett embraced the the Galaxy which extends about a third of the challenge. Equipped with freshly derived way to the Sun. galactic equations by Jan Oort, Plaskett and Dr. While there are a variety of opinions it is J. Pearce embarked on a lengthy program of generally agreed that there are two major spiral measuring radial velocities of luminous OB arms extending from the central bar called the stars with the new 72 inch reflector at the DAO. Perseus and Scutum-Centaurus Arms. There In 1935 they estimated that the Sun was 32,000 are also two narrower arms called the
Artists Impression of Milky Way by R. Hurt Source
SKYNEWS NOVEMBER 2018 ISSUE #402 PAGE !6 In Memorium: Phil Teece died on Oct. 23 2018 Sagittarius and the Norma/Outer Arms. The Sun is located between the Sagittarius and Perseus Arms Phil was an active member of the Victoria Centre within a smaller “armlet”called the Orion Spur that during the 1970’s and 1980’s. He co-authored is about 3500 light years wide. The nearest OB star two astronomy books with Jack Newton and in cluster in the Perseus is 6000 light years away so 1988 received the Ken Chilton award for his there is no familiar bright star in the adjacent spiral publications. Phil’s contributions are appreciated arms. The diagram below displays the location of a by the Victoria Centre. number of well known nearby open clusters and nebulae that inhabit the Perseus and Sagittarius Arms. Upcoming Speakers -Wednesday December 12th 2018 So the spiral structure of the Milky Way is more Dr. Chris Gainor President of RASC involved than the two arm “grand design” of Bode’s -Wednesday January 9th 2019 Galaxy. The nature of spiral arms are much more Dr. Ruobing Dong complex than one would expect. Rather than a -Wednesday February 13th 2019 physical line of material that is wound around the To be determined galactic nucleus the arms may consist of a “density -Wednesday March 13th 2019 wave” through which stars and gas flow. It sounds Dr. JJ Kavelaars New Horizon’s Rendezvous to me like a stellar Colwood Crawl where matter with MU69 merges and converges fostering star growth. It is a field of active research and a recent overview of -Wednesday April 13th 2019 spiral structures can be found here. Jacques Vallee Dr Karun Thanjuvar Machine Learning and the of NRC Herzberg recently published an overview Big Data Tsunami on the spiral arms of the Milky Way. -Wednesday May 8th 2019 Michel Michaud Pleiades Update
Open Clusters and Nebulae Near Arms of Milky Way Source
SKYNEWS NOVEMBER 2018 ISSUE #402 PAGE 7! Nudge Nudge (Nag Nag) Give Lists a Try join an exclusive group as there are only three by Bill Weir people who have been awarded this certificate since its inception.
To those who attended Victoria Centreʼs star party If you really want to take on a real challenge I can this past September you might remember a nice suggest the Deep Sky Challenge https:// discussion Friday evening around the idea of making ww.rasc.ca/deep-sky-challenge but itʼs not for the lists. Making observing/imaging lists can help keep faint of heart and will test your skills. On the other one from stagnating by observing the same hand many of the objects on the list can be handful of objects over and over again. If you arenʼt observed with modest equipment. You will though sure where to start then the RASC has a number of need a large scope for many but access to one is observing certificate programs that are essentially possible though several members of the centre or ready made lists. the VCO.
Since recently being added to the National For those wanting to really get to know our closest Observing Committee Ive decided to address the solar system neighbour there are two programs. dearth of applications for observing certificates/pins First there is Explore the Moon for the beginner. by members of the Victoria Centre. The last https://www.rasc.ca/observing/explore-the-moon- certificate and pin handed out to a member of the observing-certificate Then to step it up a bit there is Victoria Centre was in 2014. Perhaps some of you the Isabel Williamson Lunar Observing Program. are quietly pursuing one of the many available from https://www.rasc.ca/isabel-williamson-lunar- the shadows. If this is you then ignore the rest of my observing-program While Iʼm sure that Ive seen all nagging. of the Lunar features on this list I havenʼt officially so itʼs where I plan on focusing my own attention in the Since rejoining the centre I have notice a great near future. number of names Iʼm not familiar with who also seem to express a great deal of enthusiasm. I also Not wanting to leave out those who observe with sense many are new to the hobby on the whole. To sensors there is an Astro Imagers Certificate. you I place special notice in that the RASC has a https:// www.rasc.ca/astro-imaging-certificate To be nicely rounded certificate program to help the honest Iʼm not really sure what it entails but what I beginner learn their way around several aspects of do know is that there are quite a few members of the astronomy. It is called Explore the Universe. https:// Victoria Centre who image. Alas I see no Victoria www.rasc.ca/explore-universe No one from the Centre member names on the list of recipients. Tsk, Victoria Centre has currently received this certificate tsk. Perhaps this program could tie into all this buzz I so perhaps you could be the first. hear about PixInsight.
For those who want to hone their skills a little more Finally there is useful comet, asteroid and variable there is the Messier Catalogue. https:// star observing information to be found in the www.rasc.ca/messier-objects Tracking down the “not observing drop down on the RASC National home a comet” objects was how I first started developing page. Iʼve also noticed a unique Galileo Observing my observing skill even before joining the RASC. Challenge in the Astro Sketchers section. https:// This was back when I knew no one else who did www.rasc.ca/galileo-observing-challenge It looks like astronomy and it was just me and my little 6 inch it could be fun to take on. Dobsonian telescope. The Messier catalogue seemed ready made to give me something to focus on. Then I joined the RASC and saw you could get a If you donʼt feel motivated to carry out an observing certificate for completing the list. So when I finished I project on your own then perhaps find someone else submitted my application and was presented with in the centre with a similar interest and work the my certificate. I thought everyone did this but it program together. turned out I was wrong. Not that anyone is keeping count (ok maybe just a For those wishing to expand their observing beyond bit) but currently there is only one person who has the Messiers there is the Finest NGC Objects, a list all of the observing pins. There it is, my gentle plea compiled by Alan Dyer. https://www.rasc.ca/finest- to stop looking at the same objects over and over ngc-objects There is also a rather eclectic mix of but push forward. observing targets compiled by David Levy called Deep Sky Gems. https://www.rasc.ca/deep-sky- I promise you that you will improve your observing gems If you choose and complete this list you would skills and you will win swag at the same time.
SKYNEWS NOVEMBER 2018 ISSUE #402 PAGE !8 RASC Victoria Centre Council 2017 / 2018
POSITION NAME E-Mail Past President: Sherry Buttnor [email protected] President Chris Purse [email protected] First Vice President Reg Dunkley [email protected] Second Vice President Deb Crawford [email protected] Treasurer Bruce Lane [email protected] Secretary Joe Carr [email protected] Librarian Michel Michaud (Diane Bell) [email protected] Technical Comm Chair/Sys Admin Matt Watson [email protected] Skynews Editor Reg Dunkley [email protected] Public Outreach Ken Mallory [email protected] School Outreach Laurie Roche / Sid Sidhu Telescopes Sid Sidhu [email protected] National Representative Nelson Walker [email protected] Light Pollution Abatement Dave Robinson [email protected] Membership Coordinator Chris Purse [email protected] Observing Chairperson Jim Stillburn [email protected] Website Content Joe Carr [email protected] Members at Large National Officer Chris Gainor Astro Cafe John McDonald NRC Liaison James di Francesco Nat RASC Anniversary Wrkg Group Dr. James Hesser [email protected] FDAO Liaison Laurie Roche UVic Liaison Alex Schmid Observing David Lee Li-Anne Skibo Dan Posey
Online Resources Borrowing Magazines Telescopes The centre has SkyNews Our National RASC Newsletter telescopes for new Sky & Telescope Magazine and seasoned Astronomy Magazine observers that Astronomy Now Astronomy in the UK members can use. Amateur Astronomy Magazine Contact Sid Sidhu Astrophotography Magazine from the email list above.
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