Desert Skies Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Desert Skies Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Volume LV, Number 1 January, 2009 Cassiopeia A Supernova Remnant ♦ School star parties ♦ TAAA Astronomy Complex Updates ♦ Constellation of the month Desert Skies: January, 2009 2 Volume LV, Number 1 Cover Photo: This image is a composite of Chandra (X-ray), Spitzer (IR) and Hubble space telescopes (JPL-CalTech, NASA, Steward Observatory) TAAA Web Page: http://www.tucsonastronomy.org TAAA Phone Number: (520) 792-6414 Office/Position Name Phone E-mail Address President Ken Shaver 762-5094 [email protected] Vice President Keith Schlottman 290-5883 [email protected] Secretary Luke Scott 749-4867 [email protected] Treasurer Terri Lappin 977-1290 [email protected] Member-at-Large George Barber 822-2392 [email protected] Member-at-Large John Kalas 620-6502 [email protected] Member-at-Large Teresa Plymate 883-9113 [email protected] Past President Bill Lofquist 297-6653 [email protected] Chief Observer Dr. Mary Turner 743-3437 [email protected] AL Correspondent (ALCor) Nick de Mesa 797-6614 [email protected] Astro-Imaging SIG Steve Peterson 762-8211 [email protected] Beginners SIG JD Metzger 760-8248 [email protected] Newsletter Editor George Barber 822-2392 [email protected] School Star Party Scheduling Coordinator Paul Moss 240-2084 [email protected] School Star Party Volunteer Coordinator Roger Schuelke 404-6724 [email protected] Webmaster Debra Malmos 495-5830 [email protected] Club Sales Ann Scott 749-4867 [email protected] TIMPA Gate Card controller John Kalas 620-6502 [email protected] Equipment Loan Coordinator Richard Dougall 245-5441 [email protected] Claude Plymate Librarians 883-9113 [email protected] Teresa Plymate Grand Canyon Star Party Coordinator Jim O’Connor 546-2961 [email protected] General Information Terri Lappin 977-1290 [email protected] TAAA Board Of Directors All Board Members [email protected] Membership in the TAAA magazines. To change an individual subscription to the group rate, pay the subscription amount to the TAAA treasurer. Include your Annual Fees magazine renewal notice. Individual membership ...........................................................$25.00 Family (includes two adults plus minor children) .....................$30.00 • Please include a note explaining what you are paying for. Credit Youth under 18 years must join as a family upon parental or guardian cards are not accepted. Write one check or money order for fees plus acknowledgement of participation in TAAA events. Ask the Treasurer any options or donations. Make it payable to TAAA and send to: for the required form. Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Discounts (one discount allowed, subtract from above rates) PO BOX 41254 Tucson, AZ 85717 Seniors (over 60 years) .............................................................$2.00 College Students, Teachers (K – 12) ..........................................$8.00 Mailing Address or Email Changes - Send to address above or email the Youth under 18 yrs (form required, contact the treasurer).......$13.00 treasurer. Options (add to above membership rates) TAAA Mission Statement - The mission of the Tucson Amateur Astron- Tucson society of the Astronomical League (TAL) fees............$ 7.50 omy Association is to provide opportunities for members and the public Sky & Telescope Magazine 1 year (12 issues) ..........................$32.95 to share the joy and excitement of astronomy through observing, educa- Astronomy Magazine 1 year (12 issues) ..................................$34.00 tion and fun. 2 years (24 issues) ................................$60.00 Postage for New Member Pack ...............................................$ 4.80 Desert Skies Publishing Guidelines - All articles, announcements, news, Donations are accepted for the following funds: SA-IDA/Light Pollution, etc. must be submitted by the newsletter deadline. Materials received TIMPA, Education, 30” Telescope & Land, and General/Undesignated. after that date will appear in the next issue. The editor retains all submis- Renewal Information sions unless prior arrangements are made. Submissions should be sub- mitted in Word compatible files via e-mail or on a recordable media.. All • Your membership expires as indicated on your mailing label. material copyright Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association or specific • TAAA members may join the Tucson society of the Astronomical author. No reproduction without permission, all rights reserved. We will League (TAL) at the time they join or renew. not publish slanderous or libelous material! Send submissions to: George Barber • Discounted Sky & Telescope or Astronomy magazine subscriptions TAAA/Desert Skies Editor are available to members and can be started or renewed at anytime. 15940 W Ridgemoor Ave Rates are given above. Allow 3 months for processing. Subscriptions Tucson AZ 85736 must be sent through the TAAA. Do not send money directly to the Join our Email Lists on YahooGroups Announcements: http://tinyurl.com/e7o3y (TAAA news, no posting allowed, 15/month) TAAA Forum: http://tinyurl.com/hwoau (general astronomy discussion, posting allowed, 75/month) TAAA Dark Site: http://tinyurl.com/3d8ts9 (discussion of dark site issues, posting allowed) Desert Skies is published monthly by the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association, Post Office Box 41254, Tucson AZ 85717. Volume LV, Number 1 3 Desert Skies: January, 2009 President’s Message I hope that everyone had a wonderful and safe Holiday. There are several ideas that have been discussed among The holiday party was a great success as usual. I would the board members. We will share these with you as we like to offer a huge thank you to Bill and Mary Lofquist for develop and finalize them. If you have ideas or hear of hosting the party. We all are very grateful for their gener- something you would like the club to participate in, please osity and hospitality in opening their home to us once bring them to a board member. We would love to hear again. I would also like to thank everyone who provided from you. the generous gifts we were able to raffle off. Thank you also to everyone who brought the delicious food we all This year we will also see a great deal of activity on the enjoyed. dark site development. In the December board meeting, a motion was passed to make the financial commitment of Well it’s a new year, and what a year it stands to be, both the club to fund Phase 1 development of the dark site. We within the club and for Astronomy in general. This year see this as an important milestone for moving forward has been officially designated “The International Year of with the deeding and permit activity for the site. Please Astronomy” by the IAU. It marks the 400th anniversary of look for articles within this issue for a status of the devel- when Galileo turned his telescope toward the heavens and opment of the site and for future fund raising activities. It forever changed how we look at the stars and planets. is very important as we move forward with all of the won- What does that mean for us? derful plans on this project that we find ways to fund them. Events and activities are planned throughout the year all over the world to bring the night sky to more people than Happy New Year and as always, clear skies, ever around the world. Since this ties in directly with our clubs mission, we will be planning to join in with the Ken Shaver IYA2009 activities as often and in as many ways we can. TAAA President Meeting Information and Calendar of Events TAAA MEETING DATE: Friday, January 2, at the Stew- or imaged with today’s sensitive CCDs. Existing profes- ard Observatory Auditorium – Room N210 sional pictures of these objects are often pre-CCD and not state of the art. I’m confident that today’s amateur ASTRONOMY ESSENTIALS: 6:30 pm observers and imagers can detect many of these objects, Title: Objects of the season and improve on existing image detail. Speaker: Dr. Mary Turner Dr. Turner will give her quarterly update on the best ob- BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING: Wednesday, Jan. jects for observing during the winter season. 14, 6:30 pm. The meeting is held at Steward Observatory Conference Room N305. GENERAL MEETING: 7:30 pm Title: Observing and Imaging Virtually Unknown Super- STAR PARTIES AND EVENTS: nova Remnants 05 Jan – Astro-Imaging SIG at China Rose Speaker: Bill Gates 08 Jan – Astronomy Fundamentals SIG 09 Jan - Blenman ES Solar Observing Party This month’s lecture is being presented by TAAA member 16 Jan - Anza Trail School Star Party Bill Gates who recently joined the TAAA. He provided this 17 Jan - Sunsites Community Star Party description of his lecture. 23 Jan - Blenman Elementary Star Party 24 Jan - TAAA Star Party at Las Cienegas Supernova remnants such as the Veil nebula are among 29 Jan - Picture Rocks Intermediate School Star Party the sky’s most beautiful objects. Often attaining speeds 31 Jan - TAAA and AF-SIG Star Party at TIMPA approaching 3,000km per second, these interstellar shock fronts are exciting targets for amateur imagers and visual observers. While more than 250 supernova remnants are now recognized, most observers assume that only a NEWSLETTER SCHEDULE: Deadline for articles: Sat, handful, such as the Crab, Veil and Vela SNRs are visible Jan. 17. Printing: Mon, Jan. 19. Folding Party: Wed, TBA. to amateurs. Mailing: Thu, Jan. 22. The newsletter will be published on the TAAA website at least one week prior to the following I was excited to find that dozens of fascinating supernova month’s General Meeting. Paper copies, when requested, remnants are within the reach of today’s amateur astrono- will be mailed at least one week prior to the General Meet- mers. Observing with modest telescopes, I have seen seg- ing. ments of 14 SNRs that are not even plotted on Millennium Star Atlas! Few of these have ever been reported visually, Desert Skies: January, 2009 4 Volume LV, Number 1 Club News Member News Calendars for 2009 are still available but they are going fast.