The Observer of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers

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THE OBSERVER OF THE TWIN CITY AMATEUR ASTRONOMERS

Volume 43, Number 12 December 2018

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

1«Editor’s Choice: December Image – Full Moon 1«3rd Mag Comet 46P/Wirtanen on its Way 2«President’s Note 3«Calendar of Celestial Events – December 2018 3«New & Renewing Members/Dues Blues/E-Mail List 4«This Month’s Phases of the Moon 4«This Month’s Solar Phenomena 4«AstroBits – News from Around the TCAA 5«The Pleiades and a Minor Planet 6«TCAA Saturnalia Party December 7th 6«Basic Small Scope Lunar Imaging 11«December 2018: Morning Planet Dance 16«Minutes of the November 27th Board Meeting 17«ISU Planetarium Renovations Noted 18«ISU Planetarium Holiday Offering 18«Call for Nominations 18«Dave Osenga’s Father Passes Away 18«Education/Public Outreach for November 2018 19«Public Viewing Schedule for 2019 19«TCAA Calendar of Events for 2018-2019

20«HowTimeFlies 20«Renewing Your TCAA Membership EDITOR’S CHOICE: IMAGE OF THE MONTH – FULL MOON 21«TCAA Treasurer’s Report as of November 30, 2018 This month’s Editor’s Choice is a picture of the Thanksgiving full moon by Tim Stone.

3RD MAG COMET 46P/WIRTANEN ON ITS WAY http://bit.ly/2BHqLTW

The TCAA is an affiliate of the Astronomical League. For more information about the TCAA, be certain to visit the TCAA website. Visit Astroleague.org for additional information about the League and its membership benefits.

Vol. 43, No. 12 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers December 2018

PRESIDENT’S NOTE The OBSERVER With the Holiday season in full swing, it’s is the monthly electronic newsletter of Twin time for family and friends to enjoy each other City Amateur Astronomers, Inc., a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit educational and reflect upon a successful year. To that organization of amateur astronomers end, Diann and I would like to invite the TCAA th interested in studying astronomy and to our home on December 7 at 6:30 PM for sharing their hobby with the public. our Astronomical Christmas Party. The

location is 920 Summit St. in Bloomington. TCAA OFFICERS & CHAIRPERSONS Last year’s party was well received and so much fun. We hope you’ll come and have President, Director, & Property Manager Tim Stone 309-531-2401 some food and fellowship with us again this [email protected] year. We will provide desert and hot sandwiches. If you would bring a dish and soft TCAA President Tim Stone Vice President & Director/Membership Coord. drink to share, that would be great. We’re Tom Willmitch 309-846-2423 [email protected] looking forward to hosting this party, and I’m looking forward to what 2019 has in store for our club. Treasurer & Director/Registered Agent Our Annual Meeting is coming soon! In fact, it’s just around the corner. We are Dave Osenga 309-287-0789 [email protected] making plans, we have a speaker lined up, and we have officer nominations. Nominations are still open, so if you’d like to participate in the club in that way, just Secretary & Director/Historian/Editor let one of the current officers know. Carl J. Wenning 309-830-4085 [email protected] Meanwhile, I hope you and yours have a warm and happy holiday!

Director/Technology Coordinator Tim Stone, President

Justin Meyer 630-649-0611 P.S. For those of you who are wondering, the 2019 Tim Stone Astrophotography [email protected] Calendar is almost ready to go on sale. I've created a new website where you can Astronomical League Correspondent order it, instead of having to find me to give me a check, or mail it to me, or Robert Finnigan 309-846-9533 whatever. Check it out at http://bit.ly/2Q6jRk6. [email protected]

Webmaster Lee Green 309-454-7349 [email protected]

Lighting Educ. & AL Observing Club Coordinator Lisa Wentzel unlisted number [email protected]

Publicist Rick Lasher 309-825-2768 [email protected]

The OBSERVER Carl J. Wenning, Editor in Chief

Submission deadline two days before the end of each month.

MEMBERSHIP DUES

Individual Adult/Family $40 Full-time Student/Senior $25 (Senior status equals ages 60+)

To join, send your name, contact info and dues payment to Dave Osenga, TCAA Treasurer, 1109 N. Linden St., Normal, IL 61761-1471.

Vol. 43, No. 12 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers December 2018

ALENDAR OF ELESTIAL VENTS ECEMBER EW ENEWING EMBERS C C E – D 2018 N & R M

The following individuals have paid dues for new or MORNING PLANETS (12/15): Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter renewed memberships as of November 30, 2018. (Others EVENING PLANETS (12/15): Mars, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune who paid after that date will appear in the January 2019 issue of The OBSERVER.) The following table gives the date and time (24-hour clock) of important astronomical events for this month. All times are Central Daylight Time. Allan Griffith

Day Time Event

03 12:42 Venus 3.6°S of Moon DUES BLUES

05 15:06 Mercury 1.9°S of Moon If you have received a “your dues are due” 07 01:20 NEW MOON statement along with the email that brought you this 08 23:30 Saturn 1.1°S of Moon: Occn. issue of The OBSERVER, please remit your dues to Mr. Dave Osenga, TCAA Treasurer, 1109 N. Linden St., 10 11:57 Moon at Descending Node Normal, IL 61761-1471. Dues are currently $25 for 12 06:25 Moon at Apogee: 405177 km seniors (60 years of age and over) and $40 regular. 14 06 Geminid Meteor Shower 14 17:21 Mars 3.6°N of Moon SUBSCRIBING TO THE TCAA EMAIL LIST 15 05 Mercury at Greatest Elong: 21.3°W By subscribing to a group’s mailing list, you will 15 05:49 FIRST QUARTER MOON receive email messages from the group though you 21 01:31 Aldebaran 1.7°S of Moon won’t have access to the group’s web features (like 21 14 Mercury 0.8° of Jupiter photos, files, links, polls, calendar, etc.) unless members activate it later. The club has an open email listserv. It is 21 16:22 Winter Solstice known as the TCAA YahooGroups listserv. It will be used 22 02:05 Mercury 5.8°N of Antares to share announcements and reminders about 22 09:03 Jupiter 5.1°N of Antares astronomical and club events. To join this main listserv, 22 11:49 FULL MOON you must do the following:

22 15 Ursid Meteor Shower 1. To subscribe: Send a blank email to TCAA- 24 03:52 Moon at Perigee: 361060 km [email protected] Note: You’ll be sent a 24 05:54 Moon at Ascending Node confirmation email from the group. Reply to the 24 22:52 Beehive 0.6°N of Moon confirmation email to activate your subscription. 2. To post a message: [email protected] 26 10:06 Regulus 2.5°S of Moon 3. To unsubscribe: [email protected] 26 12 Venus at Perihelion 29 03:34 LAST QUARTER MOON http://www.astropixels.com/ephemeris/astrocal/astrocal2018cst.html

EVENING SKY MAP Click on the icon found here to access a current evening sky map along with a more detailed celestial events calendar.

Vol. 43, No. 12 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers December 2018

THIS MONTH’S PHASES OF THE MOON

New Moon First Quarter Full Moon Last Quarter Friday, December 7 Saturday, December 15 Saturday, December 22 Saturday, December 29

All moon phase dates are Central Daylight Time. Additional moon phases for the 2018 calendar year (Central Time) can be found by clicking here. Images provided by J. K. Howell of the Champaign-Urbana Astronomical Society & used with permission. THIS MONTH’S SOLAR PHENOMENA

In the table below, you will find times of sunrise and sunset along with rising and setting azimuths, length of day including difference from previous day, start and end times of astronomical twilight, and the time of solar noon along with the elevation of the midday sun. These data come from https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/usa/bloomington

2018 Sunrise/Sunset Day Length Astronomical Twilight Solar Noon Dec Sunrise Sunset Length Difference Start End Time 1 6:59 AM (118°) 4:29 PM (241°) 9:29:55 -1:17 5:22 AM 6:06 PM 11:45 PM (27.7°)

11 7:09 AM (120°) 4:29 PM (240°) 9:20:11 -0:42 5:31 AM 6:07 PM 11:49 PM (26.5°) 21 7:15 AM (121°) 4:32 PM (239°) 09:16:44 -0:02 5:37 AM 6:10 PM 11:54 PM (26.1°)

ASTROBITS – NEWS FROM AROUND THE TCAA

ó On November 5th, Carl Wenning submitted the TCAA’s 2019 Public Viewing Sessions brochure to Bloomington Offset Press, Inc. (BOPI) for inclusion in their Print4Good Campaign. Each year, BOPI prints 2,000 full-color brochures for local non-profit organizations. The TCAA has benefited from this program in 2016 and 2017, and likely will do so again in 2018. ó On November 13th Bob Finnigan wrote, “Well, the sky was good so Scott and Emily (Wade) came out and we went through the opening of MaxIm and getting a guide star, calibrating it, and tracking it. We went on to focus but had some trouble. I think that the 12” Meade is not retaining its focus.” Scott replied, “Even though we had problems with the focus, it was worthwhile to go through the troubleshooting. Thanks for taking the time with us tonight Bob!” It’s good to know that more and more of our membership is learning how to operate the club’s telescopes and photographic systems. ó Carl Wenning has made plans to attend the 2019 Astronomical League convention. The convention will include some behind-the-scene tours of Kennedy Space Center and a southern skies cruise to the Bahamas. The event will run from July 25-29. It’s not too late to book your attendance. See the ALCon 2019 announcement in any of the last three issues of The OBSERVER. ó On December 16th Bob Finnigan wrote, “We got the new driver [for the filter wheels] from China today and I installed it on the 17” and the 12” telescopes. It works perfectly.” Thanks, Bob, for all your work in getting SGO set up as the ideal training facility for astrophotography. ó The CUAS has been working with the Champaign County Middle Fork Forest Preserve to get an IDA dark-sky park designation. Outdoor lighting had to be upgraded or eliminated. This has taken over 2 years to complete the requirements. Well done CUAS! Watch the Winter 2019 issue of NCRAL’s Northern Lights newsletter for details.

Vol. 43, No. 12 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers December 2018

HE LEIADES AND A INOR LANET T P M P by Jamey Jenkins/Images by Tim Stone

Several months ago, on a whim, I inquired of Tim Stone, TCAA’s property manager, if the club's telescopes could image stars as faint as the 19th magnitude. He assured me that was a possibility, most certainly if specific conditions were met, such as the object had attained reasonable altitude to eliminate excessive atmospheric extinction, and the light of the moon didn't overwhelm the sky. What I had in mind was capturing an image of asteroid 28603 Jenkins, a namesake given to me nearly three years prior by the discovering astronomer Richard (Rik) Hill of the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona. At the time Rik was working within the Catalina Sky Survey when on March 4, 2000 he first located the unknown minor planet. Rik

Vol. 43, No. 12 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers December 2018

was also serving as coordinator of the ALPO Solar Section in which I was an active member for a number of years, hence our connection. At the time of my inquiry of Tim, 28603 was hovering between 18-19th magnitude. Tim and I exchanged a few notes and I proposed three windows of time this fall when we could attempt to capture 28603. Our first chore was print a three-month ephemeris, so the asteroid's approximate position could be determined on any given night. The predictions are pretty accurate by the Minor Planet Center's Ephemeris Service, but there is always a bit of uncertainty with these little-known objects. Our first window of opportunity was lost due to poor weather conditions, so we set the project aside until the next window occurred on November 11-13, 2018. The 13th looked to be a good clear night, but a nearly quarter-phase moon hung low in the southern sky. Imaging the asteroid would require waiting out the moon sinking lower in the west, but that would allow time for the eastern region of interest to rise higher. On Tuesday evening the 13th, we assembled at the Waynesville observatory where Tim kindly gave me a tour of the facilities, then graciously welcomed me to the co-pilot's seat as he imaged a few personal deep sky projects. It turned out that 28603 Jenkins was sliding past the beautiful open star cluster, the Pleiades (M45) in the constellation Taurus. And by coincidence just near a starry triangle south of the Merope nebula, brightest portion of the nebulosity surrounding the Pleiades. Wow! Such an opportunity for a photogenic capture. Tim and I shared stories of our first sightings of the Pleiades, embarrassingly I admitted that when I stumbled upon the cluster, I mistakenly thought it was a comet rising in the east. A quick check with my pair of 7x30 binoculars soon set an anxious 12-year old novice straight. Eventually the Pleiades rose to better than 30 degrees above the eastern horizon and we thought it worth an attempt with the club’s 16-inch telescope to gather enough photons to "light-up" the pixels of the camera's CCD. The first live exposure of 600 seconds indeed captured the little 18th magnitude interloper. In fact, we could see a slight elongating to the image relative to the round star images indicating the body was moving. A second exposure confirmed the movement and that the asteroid was 28603 Jenkins, as the Minor Planet ephemeris had predicted. The achievement called for a "knuckle- bump." Technical data: the closeup image consists of two averaged 600-second-duration pictures, the first centered on 0220UT and the second picture on 0231UT. Within the red circle are the two captured trails of 28603 Jenkins moving from left to right. Telescope used was an AG Optical Systems 16-inch Harmer-Wynne at f/3.8.

TCAA SATURNALIA PARTY DECEMBER 7TH

Tim and Diann Stone have most graciously agreed to open up their wonderful home again this year for the club’s traditional Saturnalia/Christmas/Holiday party. Each year we gather without any form of agenda other than to merely socialize. The event this year is on Friday, December 7th, beginning at 6:30 PM. Please bring a dish and a soft drink to share. The Stones live at 920 Summit in Bloomington (on the east side of Miller Park). See this month’s President’s Message for additional information.

BASIC SMALL SCOPE LUNAR IMAGING ~ by Jamey L. Jenkins ~

Amateur astronomical photography, or imaging in today’s portable and equatorially mounted with a tracking vernacular, used to be a craft pursued by only a few mechanism. Alt-azimuth and Dobsonian mounted telescopes ambitious hobbyists. However, the digital camera revolution can be used, but the ability to follow the moon across the of the 1990’s changed that forever by opening the door for sky is definitely a plus. The theoretical resolution of a 5-inch the novice to capture impressive pictures of celestial bodies. telescope is one arc second, capable of providing a very While some types of astro-imaging are better suited to large detailed view of lunar features. Even the lowly 2.4-inch (60 light buckets and exotic cameras, interesting and mm) telescope possessing less resolving power can perform educational captures of our nearby moon can be made with well. In my arsenal are a 5-inch f/18 achromatic scope and 4- small backyard telescopes, and an inexpensive digital or inch f/7 ED refractor used for lunar and solar observing. video camera. That is what I will describe in this article: “Achromatic” means the objective lens has two elements, capturing basic moon photos with a small backyard scope. usually one of flint glass and the other of crown bringing different colors of light to nearly the same focus. “ED” is an How Large is Small? acronym for extra-low dispersion; the 4-inch also has two By definition a small telescope is one of 5-inch aperture or lens elements of a more exotic glass, bringing refracted less. Generally, these are refracting instruments, usually colors to an even closer focus than an achromatic lens. Some

Vol. 43, No. 12 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers December 2018

high-end refracting telescopes have 3 or 4 elements to the Working with a DSLR objective lens; these are called apochromatic (meaning colorless) and can easily bust your budget. While there are Modern DSLRs have many features that vary from make and reflecting and catadioptric (lens/mirror) telescopes in the model, so it’s not possible to give instruction on how to use small category the majority are a bit larger, still these your particular camera. You must therefore be familiar with suggestions will be applicable for those medium sized your camera’s operation before going out under the night telescopes. sky. I can, however, note what has worked with my equipment, and then you can take that experience applying Getting Started it to your circumstances. I use a low-cost Nikon D3000 purchased back in 2009 from a local Walmart. The primary Let’s say you’ve set up your small scope to view the evening advantage of this DSLR is the large sensor enabling me to quarter phase moon. During the session you decide it might take wider field shots than is possible with a webcam be a great idea to snap some pictures and share with fellow imager. club members via email, Facebook, or perhaps through a An adapter called a T-ring is necessary to attach the favorite egroup; after all this is why we do casual imaging, to DSLR minus its camera lens to a telescope. Another inspire fellow observers and to share! accessory with a nosepiece of the appropriate size (1-1/4” or You must have a camera to record the view through the 2”) screws into the T-ring to connect the camera to the telescope. Frankly, about any camera will do, I’ve seen focuser. These nosepieces are often threaded to accept increasingly acceptable moon shots taken with a cell phone standard eyepiece filters, an advantage that will be utilized held up to an eyepiece and randomly clicked. This is fine if as you gain experience. In order to prevent vibration from you are content with only the occasional “lucky” photo, but occurring with the telescope/camera combination, the if you want to show the world what can really be seen camera should allow a delayed shutter release or the use of through your telescope, more consideration is necessary. remote activation. The idea here is to trip the shutter These days at the top of my list are two possible solutions without your fingers being in contact with the camera. Some for capturing consistently clear and detailed lunar images, a cameras may still have a source of vibration from a digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera or a dedicated dysfunction called, mirror slap or bounce. Mirror bounce is “webcam” imager intended for solar, lunar, and planetary prevented by locking the mirror in an up position before the work. shutter is activated, some models allow this. Vibration from the shutter mechanism itself may be avoided by using a Prime Focus Imaging faster shutter speed. Begin by centering the moon in the camera’s viewfinder The most basic form of telescopic imaging with either a DSLR and focus very carefully. If you find it difficult to tell if an or solar system camera is the direct objective or prime focus accurate focus is obtained, then bracket-focus your shots. To technique. In prime focus imaging a camera minus its lens is do this, find a position clearly just inside proper focus and inserted in place of an eyepiece at the telescope. Light adjust incrementally to the outside, shooting pictures at gathered by the telescopic objective is focused directly onto each position as the focus is advanced. Invariably some the light sensitive chip of the camera, creating from your pictures will be in focus. Use a slow ISO setting of perhaps telescope essentially a large telephoto lens. The size of the 100, there is plenty of lunar light at prime focus, so no need moon at focus is determined by the focal length of the for ultra-sensitive CCD chips. The moon is a front lit object telescope, the longer the FL the larger the moon. You can therefore exposure is determined by the optical system’s calculate the approximate lunar diameter formed on the focal ratio. The faster the telescopic system, the less chip by using the formula: moon image diameter = .009 x exposure is needed. Be certain to set the camera to the focal length. Advantages with this type of imaging include manual mode starting with a medium range exposure (such superior definition and highest light transmission. In other as 1/100 second) adjusting accordingly, faster or slower until words, prime focus imaging is the fastest and sharpest the image appears properly exposed. Watch the saturation optical arrangement for capturing pictures. A disadvantage at the limb where it is brighter and may wash out detail. Use of prime focus, however, can be the limited size of the remote shutter activation or whatever technique is moon, in which case an amplifying positive or negative lens necessary to prevent vibrations from ruining the picture. system is inserted into the optical path to enlarge the moon. Take dozens, if not more pictures! The number one rule of Nevertheless, it is my practice to always recommend an successful lunar photography is to shoot as many pictures as observer start with prime focus imaging, and master that possible being prepared to throw away most of them skill before attempting any amplifying techniques. because of poor focus or atmospheric smear. That’s about all

Vol. 43, No. 12 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers December 2018

it takes to capture basic moon images at prime focus with a saturate. The histogram feature of FireCapture is great for DSLR. graphically depicting exposure characteristics; do not let the bar extend beyond 80-90% to the right of the histogram. Solar System Camera Again, the best practice is to always record as many individual videos as practical. This will increase chances of While impressive lunar images are possible with the typical capturing sharp images. DSLR, my experience is that consistent high-quality pictures result when using a dedicated video solar system camera, Post Processing Images commonly known as a webcam. Generally, the dedicated video camera will have finer pixels, more pixels (in the After the single snaps or videos are obtained it is necessary monochrome version), and the ability to create a video with to edit the images with appropriate software. The sharpest a high frame rate, a requirement for “beating the poor frames from a video are combined into a single frame in a seeing” of a turbulent atmosphere. Webcams are compact process known as stacking (single pictures from a DSLR can affairs, sometimes having no more weight than a modern also be stacked). There are several freeware options for eyepiece, therefore avoiding balance issues with the stacking: Registax, AviStack, and AutoStakkert. The latter telescope. being the current favorite among solar system imagers. These days many makes and models of solar system Software downloads and instructional videos of their use are camera are on the market, and again I cannot instruct you easily found online. on use of your particular camera. I use an Imaging Source Stacking of images is done to reduce noise, while DMK41 monochrome camera for my pics, but most increasing signal strength, thereby improving detail and recommendations are suitable for other webcams. resolution. The single or stacked image will be further Attachment to the telescope is accomplished with the adjusted in an image manipulating software. Quality digital correct size screw-in nosepiece. photos require calibrating in order to even out pixel A webcam requires a computer to run image capture sensitivity and remove artifacts created during the imaging software to obtain either a single snapshot or a multiple process. In my lunar photos I’ve found that the so-called frame video of the moon. Adjustments to the live camera dark and bias frames can be neglected, particularly because view are made via this software controlling the sensitivity, we are not creating “science” images, just casual snaps to contrast, exposure time, and frame rate (number of share with friends. However, flat frames which highlight frames/second) of the camera. Most cameras come with uneven chip sensitivity, dust particles on the chip, and their own proprietary capture software or custom software imperfections of the optical system are best utilized by the can be used for image capture. One very popular freeware is lunar photographer. Again, this is not the venue for detailed FireCapture as developed by Torsten Edelmann. A unique how to instructions, if you are not versed in obtaining flat feature of FireCapture is the log sheet created for each frames please consult one of the many tutorials available video. The log contains data such as observer, location, online. scope, camera, date, details of the exposure, and settings of Adobe Photoshop is the standard tool for editing image shutter, gamma, and gain. Generation of the log sheet frees characteristics such as cropping, histogram adjustment, and the observer from making copious notes during an imaging sharpening. Freeware alternatives to Photoshop include session. GIMP, the GNU Image Manipulation Program. Most images Typically, because the moon is a bright object, I keep the will be improved with a stretching of the dynamic range of gain setting to a minimum so as to minimize noise within the the photo and at least a mild sharpening. Make the image. Gamma is usually at a setting which maintains a adjustments to suit your preference, taking care to avoid normal balance in image contrast. Of course, these “over-sharpening” the image creating a deformity called adjustments can be tweaked to suit the observer. Focus is “ringing” whereas the edge of a feature (such as the lunar accomplished on the computer screen via the live camera limb) takes on an unnatural saturated appearance. Save the view. Set the frame rate as high as possible given the original file as a .tiff format, make copies for posting as .jpeg amount of light available from the moon. Successful images which is computer readable in practically all circumstances. I’ve found are best created from videos of several hundred to several thousand frames. Poor seeing necessitates Tips and Tricks capturing many frames, so the best frames total enough to justify processing. Good seeing encourages capturing many There are a few tricks the beginning lunar imager can frames because many quality frames are then available for implement to insure successful results. The elevation of the stacking, improving the detail seen in the image. Exposure is moon above the horizon is an important consideration. The adjusted so that the highlight regions of the image do not higher the elevation (optimal is the zenith) the better in

Vol. 43, No. 12 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers December 2018

order to reduce the amount of atmosphere lunar light viewing size appears to have better resolution. Therefore, passes through before reaching the telescope. Thicker when planning your pictures always consider having some atmosphere means more turbulence, dimming of the view, overlap between nearby regions to allow the creation of a and increased atmospheric dispersion (smearing into a mosaic. rainbow). To combat those issues, when possible image the moon high in the sky. Lunar images are more or less Give It a Try grayscale images with extremely weak colors. Introducing deep yellow, orange, or red filters into the optical train has a Imaging the lunar surface with a small telescope can be a fun tendency to improve seeing conditions and limit dispersion. and educational activity! Besides sharing the images with Early lunar phases are best imaged in the springtime with friends, I like to identify features in my pictures with digital the moon higher in the western sky. Another practical tip is lunar maps. As I learn the names of craters, mountains, to attempt imaging a bit before the Sun has set, continuing domes, and valleys, I note the tiniest craters visible in my throughout twilight; seeing often times is better during this images to discover just how fine the view was on the period, before the sky turns completely dark. evening I observed. Sometimes it’s amazing because many of Less than superb images can be salvaged by pasting these tiny areas just don’t catch the eye’s attention until the several together into a mosaic. While the field of view will be final image is studied intently on the computer screen. much wider, the overall image when reduced to a standard

Figure 1. June 8, 2016 moon with DMK41 camera and William Figure 2. Super moon from November 14, 2016. A single frame Optics 102mm f/7 refractor. This is a two-frame mosaic shot shot with the 102mm f/7 refractor and a Nikon D3000 DSLR. through a K2 yellow filter.

Vol. 43, No. 12 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers December 2018

Figure 3. Nikon D3000 DSLR with T-ting and 2” focuser adapter. Figure 4. Lightweight DMK41 video camera. Button device in foreground is for remote hands-off shutter activation.

Figure 5. Last quarter moon with the 102mm f/7 refractor and Figure 6. Same field as in figure 7 but different lighting DMK41 camera. October 23, 2016. conditions. This is from June 2, 2017 with a 125mm f/18 refractor, K2 yellow filter, and DMK41 video camera.

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Figure 7. Near Mare Nectaris we see the rugged crater trio of Theophilis, Cyrillus, and Catharina. Theophilus is 61 miles in diameter, its central four mountain peaks are approximately 1400 meters in height. The smallest craters visible on the floor of Nectaris are two miles in diameter. Imaged with a 125mm f/18 refractor and DMK41 camera on April 13, 2016.

DECEMBER 2018: MORNING PLANET DANCE ~ by Jeffrey L. Hunt ~

The month opens with brilliant Venus gleaming in the −4.9) is 24° up in the southeast, 6.2° to the lower left of pre-sunrise sky, still in its phase of greatest brightness, near Spica (α Vir, m = 1.0). The brilliant Morning Star is rising 3 Spica in the southeast. The waning gibbous moon is above hours, 25 minutes before sunrise. Through a telescope, the pair. Jupiter and Mercury are entering the morning sky. Venus is 40” across and 26% illuminated, a morning At the beginning of morning twilight, the celestial crescent. At 30 minutes before sunrise, Mercury (m = 2.0) background appears as though it were a May evening. is 3° up in the southeast. Now dim, Mercury rises nearly 10 Regulus is near the meridian. Winter’s magnificence is in the minutes earlier each day and brightens rapidly during the western sky, capped by an arc of bright stars -- Procyon, next several days, gaining about 0.4 magnitude each day Pollux, Castor, and Capella -- that stretch from southwest to during the first week of December. It is certainly an northwest. Arcturus is over 30° up in the east. The Big Dipper observing challenge with its proximity to the horizon and is near its highest about 20° north of the zenith. In the evening sky, Saturn is low in the western sky during twilight. its brightness, a binocular object if you can locate it. It sets about 2 hours after sunset. Mars appears as a bright Jupiter is slowly entering the morning sky, now rising ochre star in the southern sky as twilight ends. It continues about 20 minutes before sunrise. In the evening sky, one its eastward march through Aquarius. Mars passes Neptune hour after sunset, Saturn (m = 0.5) is 9° up in the early in the month. During December, Mars gains nearly 8° in southwest, 3° above Kaus Borealis (λ Sag, m = 2.8). Mars is declination, so it appears slightly higher in the sky each 90° east of the sun, its evening quadrature. At the end of night. At the end of evening twilight, the bright winter stars twilight, the Red Planet is 39° up in the south, 1.9° to the begin to creep across the eastern horizon. Perseus and lower left of Lambda Aquarii (m =3.7). Mars is 3.6° to the Cassiopeia bound the meridian high in the northern sky. The lower right of Neptune (m = 7.9), which is 2° to the left of Summer Triangle – Vega, Deneb, and Altair – stand high in Lambda Aquarii. Neptune’s angular diameter is 2.3” within the west. Pegasus is high in the south, just east of the the resolving power of a two-inch telescope. The planet is meridian. From the end of evening twilight to the beginning visible with a binocular, but about 100x is necessary to see of morning twilight, darkness, is nearly 11 hours, 20 minutes. a disk. I rely on exit pupils to predict what I can see This stays nearly constant throughout the month. through a telescope on typical observing nights. The exit

pupil is the diameter of the cone of light that you can see • December 1: One hour before sunrise the waning crescent when you hold a binocular at arm’s length and look at one moon (24.8 days old, 23% illuminated) is 11.5° to the of the eyepieces. You can see the same effect when you upper right of Gamma Virginis (γ Vir, m = 3.4). Venus (m =

Vol. 43, No. 12 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers December 2018

stand back and look at the eyepiece in the telescope. Al Handbook, Robert Burnham describes the nebula: “Often Nagler, founder of TeleVue Optics, schooled me on the regarded as the faintest of the Messier objects, M76 is concept of exit pupils in the early days of his company. For also one of the more irregular examples of a planetary low brightness nebulae, your eye can dilate 5-7 mm, in our nebula and appears as roughly rectangular or box-shaped younger years. The planets are brighter, so your eye reacts mass measuring 2’ x 1’” (p. 1435). The nebula also to their intensity through a telescope, around 1-2 mm. For resembles a barbell and it was initially identified as two planets, my low power observing is with 2 mm exit pupil. distinct objects. Sometimes it has two NGC designations. For high powers on planets, I use an eyepiece that The central star is dim, magnitude 16.5. A 35-inch produces a 1 mm exit pupil. The smallest aperture to give telescope is needed to collect enough light to see it! me 100x and a 1mm exit pupil, with visual• clarity, is 100mm (about 4 inches) in diameter. (Exit pupil equals aperture – in millimeters if using an eyepiece with similar measuring units – divided by magnification. For beginners, I use a 25 power per inch concept so that they will not be disappointed when looking through their telescopes. That corresponds to a maximum magnification of a 1 mm exit pupil. That 2-inch telescope can deliver 100x with fuzzy, dimmer views that has a 0.5mm exit pupil. That’s 500x on a 10-inch telescope. This leads to conversation with beginners about aperture: Aperture determines how bright you see an object; the details you see on it; and how much you can magnify it. • December 2: One hour before sunrise, the waning crescent moon (24.8d, 23%) is 13° above Spica. The Venus- Spica gap is 6.8°. Mercury, rising at nearly the time of Nautical Twilight, is 7° up in the southeast, 30 minutes before sunrise. In the evening sky, Mars• is 1.2° to the lower right of Lambda Aquarii. Mars continues toward

Neptune. Tonight, the gap is nearly 3° with Mars to the lower right of the more distant outer planet. As the moon December 3, 2018: The Venus, Spica, and the moon make a •photogen Decemberic grouping in the pre 3: One hour -sunrise southeastern sky. before sunrise, there is a approaches its New phase, look for the “Double Cluster” (NGC 869 and NGC 884) in Perseus, commonly named h spectacular grouping of the waning crescent moon (25.8d, and χ. This pair of galactic (open) star clusters is 75° up in 15%), Venus, and Spica. They make a triangle, with the the north and about 3° east of the meridian at 8 p.m. CST moon at the upper left corner. The moon is 5° above at mid-month. The clusters appear as brighter regions of Venus and 7° to the left of Spica. Venus is 7.4° to the lower the Milky Way, between the “W” of Cassiopeia and the left of the star. At the end of evening twilight, Mars is 0.8° outline of Perseus, in a dark sky with the unaided eye. Low to the lower left of Lambda Aquarii. Mars is near the powers are needed to take in their combined 1° extent. meridian at this time, 2.3° to the lower right of Neptune. • When the clusters’ stars are plotted on an H-R diagram, December 4: One hour before sunrise the waning crescent they have more O type and B type stars than other familiar moon (26.8d, 8%) is 9° to the lower left of Venus. The clusters, like the Pleiades and Hyades. This suggests that Venus-Spica gap is nearly 8°. The trio (Venus, Moon, and the clusters are younger, about 3 million years. The Spica) is nearly in a line. In the evening sky, Mars is 0.7° to Pleiades might be 50 times older. The stellar luminosities the lower left of Lambda Aquarii and 1.7° to the lower indicate that the clusters are around 7,500 light years right of Neptune. away and a few hundred light years apart. The clusters • December 5: One hour before sunrise, the Venus-Spica were an Astronomy Picture of the Day in 2005 gap is 8.5° with Venus to the lower left of the star. (https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap051011.html) For Through a telescope, Venus is 38” across and 30% observers wanting more of a challenge, look for the Little illuminated, a growing morning crescent. At 30 minutes Dumbbell Nebula (M76, NGC 650), a planetary nebula before sunrise, the waning crescent moon (27.8d, 3%) is about 1° below Psi Persei (ψ Per, m = 4.0). In his Celestial 4.9° to the upper right of Mercury (m = 0.6), 8° up in the

Vol. 43, No. 12 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers December 2018

southeast. In the evening sky, Saturn is about 7° up in the Venus is 10° to the upper right of Zubenelgenubi (α Lib, m southwest. At the end of twilight, Mars (m = 0.1) is 1° to = 2.8). As the sky darkens in the evening, locate the the left of Lambda Aquarii and 1° to the lower right of growing crescent moon (4.7d, 19%), over 20° up in the Neptune. south-southwest. Mars (m = 0.2), in the south as twilight • December 6: An hour before sunrise, Venus (m = −4.8) is ends, is 0.8° to the right of Phi Aquarii. 24° up in the southeast; the Venus-Spica gap is 9°. At 30 • December 12: One hour before sunrise, Mercury (m = minutes before sunrise, Mercury (m = 0.4), 25° below −0.4) continues to grow in brightness. In the southeast, it Venus, is 9° up in the east-southeast. Saturn sets at the is about 23° to the lower left of brilliant Venus, just above end of evening twilight. At that time, Mars is 1.5° to the the east-southeast horizon. After sunset, the crescent left of Lambda Aquarii and 0.3° to the lower right of moon (5.7d, 27%) is in the south. This evening, the moon Neptune. is the approximate phase (5.3d, 34%) when Apollo 8 • December 7: The moon reaches its New phase at 1:20 a.m. revolved around the moon on Christmas Eve, 1968. Later CST. An hour before sunrise, Venus, 25° up in the look for Mars 0.3° to the upper right of Phi Aquarii. southeast, is nearly 10° to the lower left of Spica. Thirty • December 13: As the sky brightens, the brilliant Morning minutes later, Mercury (m = 0.1), 9° up in the southeast is Star Venus shines in the southeast, 23° to the upper right 24° below Venus. After the end of evening twilight, Mars is of Mercury. The gap to Venus has been constant for the 2° to the upper left of Lambda Aquarii and 0.2° to the past few mornings as Mercury approaches its greatest upper left of Neptune. angular separation from the sun. This evening the moon • December 8: One hour before sunrise, Venus is 24° up in (6.7d, 36%) is 13° to the lower right of Mars. When the sky the southeast. It is 10° to the lower left of Spica. Mercury is dark enough locate Mars 0.6° to the upper left of Phi (m =0.0), 5° up in the east-southeast, is 24° to the lower Aquarii. left of Venus. Thirty minutes after sunset, the thin waxing • December 14: This morning the Venus-Mercury gap is crescent moon (1.6d, 2.5%) is 3.8° to the lower right of about the same as the preceding days this week, 23°. Saturn, 9° up in the southwest. As evening twilight ends, Mercury (m = −0.5) is low in the east-southeast. This Mars is near the meridian and 0.9° to the upper left of evening the nearly first quarter moon (7.7d, 45%) is 4.5° Neptune. Mars is approaching Phi Aquarii (φ Aqr, m = 4.2); below Mars, while the Red Planet is 1.2° to the upper left tonight, it is 2.7° to the lower right of the star. of Phi Aquarii. • December 9: This morning, one hour before sunrise, • December 15: Mercury reaches its morning greatest Venus is 24° to the upper right of Mercury (m = −0.2). elongation (21.3°) at 5:30 a.m. CST. The moon reaches its Mercury continues to brighten. Today and for the next 23 First Quarter phase at 5:49 a.m. CST. One hour before days, the sun rises and sets at the same azimuths, 121° sunrise, Mercury, low in the east-southeast, is nearly 24° and 239°, respectively. About 30 minutes after sunset, to the lower left of brilliant Venus. Through a telescope, locate the waxing crescent moon (2.6d, 6%) 8.2° to the the morning crescent Venus is 32” across and 37% upper left of Saturn. In the evening sky, Mars, 40° up in illuminated. At 30 minutes before sunrise, Jupiter (m = the south, is 1.5° to the upper left of Neptune and 2.1° to −1.7) is 5.5° to the lower left of Mercury. Speedy Mercury the lower right of Phi Aquarii. is 1.7° above Graffias (β Sco, m = 2.5). Thirty minutes after • December 10: One hour before sunrise, Mercury (m = sunset, Saturn is 6° up in the southwest. When the sky −0.3) is 23° to the lower left of Venus in the southeast. As darkens further, the moon (8.7d, 55%) is 11° to the left of Mercury reaches its greatest elongation, the gap to Venus Mars. stops degreasing. Through a telescope, Venus’ phase , a dance of bright planets is underway in the continues to grow (33%) and diminish in size (35”) as it At mid-month southeastern morning sky, led by brilliant Venus. The gap to pulls away from our planet. At 30 minutes after sunset, Spica is widening as it heads toward Mercury and Jupiter. the waxing crescent moon (3.6d, 12%) is 20° to the upper Mercury is at its greatest elongation during a very favorable left of Saturn, 9° up in the southwest. It is 3.5° above Kaus appearance. Later in the month, Venus passes between Borealis. After evening twilight ends, Mars is 2.2° to the Zubenelgenubi and Zubeneschamali. The moon, just past its upper left of Neptune and 1.5° to the lower right of Phi First Quarter phase, is east of Mars. The Red Planet is Aquarii. dimming as Earth pulls farther away; it is in the southern sky • December 11: One hour before sunrise, look in the marching eastward through the dim sidereal background of southeast for Mercury, 23° to the lower left of Venus. Aquarius. Saturn is slowly slipping into twilight as it heads for its solar conjunction early next year.

Vol. 43, No. 12 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers December 2018

• December 16: Forty-five minutes before sunrise, brilliant occults 63 Tauri (m= 5.6). In the Bloomington-Normal area, Venus, 28° up in the southeast, is above the stars of Libra. the star disappears at 7:39 p.m. CST and reappears at 8:20 Mercury is 23° to the lower left of Venus, 1.1° to the upper p.m CST. left of Graffias. Jupiter is 5.2° to the lower left of Mercury, • December 21: Looking southeast, 45 minutes before 4.5° above the southeastern horizon. Thirty minutes after sunrise, Mercury, Jupiter, and Antares are nearly in a line, sunset, Saturn is 5.5° up in the southwest. This week it spanning 6.1°; the Jupiter-to-Antares gap is 5.2°. Jupiter is disappears into brighter twilight. It sets at Nautical 0.9° to the lower right of Mercury, their closest separation, Twilight, nearly 70 minutes after sunset. At this time, Mars and 0.4° to the upper left of Omega Ophiuchi. The sun is 43° up in the south, 2.5° to the upper left of Phi Aquarii. reaches the solstice at 10:23 a.m. CST. While the sun has The moon (9.7d, 64%) is 22° to the left of Mars. been rising and setting at the same azimuths for several • December 17: In mid-twilight, brilliant Venus continues to days, the solstice occurs when the sun reaches the sparkle in the southeast. Mercury is 23° to the lower left coordinates Right Ascension, 18hours; Declination, −23.5°. of Venus and 4.4° to the upper right of Jupiter. Speedy Mars moves into Pisces. As evening twilight ends, look for Mercury is 1.4° below Graffias and 0.5° above Nu Scorpi (ν it 45° up in the south, about 7° south of a half dozen stars Sco, m = 4.0). A binocular may help with the location of that make the western fish of Pisces. After twilight ends, Mercury in the starfield. One hour after sunset, Mars is look into the eastern sky for the waxing gibbous moon 44° up in the south. The Red Planet continues to move (14.7d, 99%). It is 3.7° to the upper right of Zeta Tauri (ζ higher in the south has it marches eastward along the Tau, m = 3.0), the southern horn of Taurus. If you’re awake ecliptic. The waning gibbous moon (10.7d, 74%) is 40° up during the night, notice the moon’s eastward motion in the southeast. compared to the starry background as our planet rotates • December 18: Forty-five minutes before sunrise, brilliant with the star and the moon appearing farther to the west. Venus is 5° above Zubenelgenubi. Mercury is lower in the • December 22: As morning twilight begins the nearly Full southeast, 0.7° below Nu Scorpi and 3.5° above Jupiter. moon is about 25° up in the west, 1.1° to the left of Zeta One hour after sunset, Mars (m = 0.3) continues to dim, Tauri. Venus beams from the southeast at the same time. 44° up in the south. The waning gibbous moon (11.7d, At 45 minutes before sunrise in the southeast, Jupiter is 83%) is 36° up in the east-southeast, among the stars of 1.2° to the right of Mercury (m = −0.4) and 0.2° to the eastern Cetus. upper left of Omega Ophiuchi. The moon is at its Full • December 19: At 45 minutes before sunrise, brilliant phase at 11:49 a.m. CST. Mars, now marching eastward Venus (m = −4.7) is 28° up in the southeast, 4.3° above among Pisces’ dim stars, is 45° up in the south as twilight Zubenelgenubi. Bright Jupiter (m = −1.8) is 27° to the ends. It is nearly 5° to the lower right of Lambda Piscium (λ lower left of Venus. Jupiter is 0.8° to upper right of Omega Psc, m = 4.5). Farther east, the bright moon is 1.7° to the Ophiuchi (ω Oph, m = 4.4) and 5.3° to the upper left of lower right of Mu Geminorum (μ Gem, m = 2.8), at the Antares (α Sco, m = 1.0), although the star is only 3° in feet of the Twins. You’ll find it in the sky nearly all night. altitude. Use a binocular to find it. Mercury (m = −0.5) is • December 23: As morning twilight begins, the moon 2.5° to the upper right of Jupiter and 1° to the upper right (16.2d, 99%) is 21° up in the west, 5.8° to the upper left of of Psi Ophiuchi (ψ Oph, m = 4.5). One hour after sunset, Mu Geminorum. At the same time, brilliant Venus, 22° up the waxing gibbous moon (12.7d, 90%) is 36° up in the in the southeast, is 2.8° to the upper left of Zubenelgenubi. east, 18° to the upper left of Aldebaran (α Tau, m = 0.9). In the southeastern sky 45 minutes before sunrise, Jupiter • December 20: This morning, 45 minutes before sunrise, is 2° to the upper right of Mercury, which has an altitude Jupiter is 1.6° below Mercury and 0.6° to the upper right of 5°. The giant planet is 0.2° to the upper left of Omega of Omega Ophiuchi. Mercury is 0.6° to the lower left of Psi Ophiuchi. It passes 5.2° to the upper left of Antares and Ophiuchi. Venus continues to dominate the southeastern Mercury passes 6.1° to the upper left of the star. Venus is sky during pre-sunrise hours. Through a telescope, Venus’ nearly 25° to the upper right of Jupiter and 2.9° to the morning crescent phase continues to grow (40%) and upper left of Zubenelgenubi. At the end of evening twilight, diminish in size (30”). An hour after sunset, the waning Mars is 45° up in the south, just past the meridian. It is gibbous moon (13.7d, 96%) is 23° up in the east and 4.3° 4.5° to the lower right of Lambda Piscium. Locate them to the upper right of Aldebaran. During the night, the with a binocular. By 8 p.m. CST, the moon (16.8d, 97%) is moon moves through the Hyades, occulting several over 20° up in the east, 8° to the lower right of Pollux (β dimmer stars in the region. Early in the evening, the moon Gem, m = 1.2).

Vol. 43, No. 12 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers December 2018

• December 24: At the beginning of morning twilight, the 15° in the east, as midnight approaches, near the tail of moon (17.2d, 96%), 34° up in the west, is 8° to the lower Leo. left of Pollux. About 45 minutes before sunrise, brilliant • December 28: Look for the moon (21.2d, 60%) in the Venus is 3.1° to the upper left of Zubenelgenubi. During south, at the beginning of morning twilight, 9° below daylight hours, Venus passes between Zubenelgenubi and Denebola (β Leo, m = 2.1). At mid-twilight, the gaps: Zubeneschamali (β Lib, m = 2.6). Note how the planet’s Venus-Jupiter, 21°; Venus-Zubenelgenubi, 5.5°; Jupiter- location is different tomorrow morning. At this time, Mercury, 5.5°. At the end of evening twilight, Mars is 3.9° Jupiter, 8.5° up in the southeast, is nearly 24° to the lower to the lower left of Lambda Piscium. The moon (21.9d, left of Venus. It is 0.3° below Omega Ophuichi. Mercury, 51%) rises in the east before midnight. nearly 7° up, is 3° to the lower left of Jupiter. At the end of • December 29: The moon reaches its Last Quarter phase at evening twilight, Mars (m = 0.4), near the meridian, is 4.1° 3:34 a.m. CST. At 45 minutes before sunrise, the moon below Lambda Piscium. (Happy Christmas to all and to all (22.2d, 49%) is 2° above Gamma Virginis (γ Vir, m = 3.4). a clear night! with apologies to Clement Clarke Moore.) The gaps in the morning planet dance: Venus (m = −4.6)- • December 25: At the beginning of morning twilight, the Jupiter, 20°; Jupiter-Mercury, 10°. At the end of evening bright waning gibbous moon (18.2d, 90%) is in the west- twilight, Mars is 4.1° to the lower left of Lambda Piscium. southwest, about midway between Regulus (m = 1.3) and • December 30: During early morning twilight, the thick Pollux, 3.5° to the upper left of the Beehive cluster (M44, waning crescent moon (23.2d, 38%) is 6.8° to the upper NGC 2632, m = 4.5). At mid-twilight (about 45 minutes left of Spica. Brilliant Venus is 26° up in the southeast and before sunrise), bright Jupiter is 10° up in the southeast, nearly 20° to the upper right of Jupiter, which is over 10° 23° to the lower left of Venus and 4.2° to the upper right to the upper right of Mercury. In the evening sky, Mars is of Mercury. Brilliant Venus is 3.6° to the lower left of 4.5° to the lower left in Lambda Piscium. Zubenelgenubi. Through a telescope, Venus is a very thick • December 31: During morning twilight, the waning morning crescent, 44% illuminated and 28” across. In the crescent moon (24.3d, 28%) is 16° to the upper right of evening, Saturn sets at Civil Twilight, about 30 minutes Venus. Venus is 11° to the upper right of Graffias. The after sunset. At the end of evening twilight, Mars, 45° up Venus-Jupiter gap is 19° and closing. Mercury, 4° up in the in the south, is over 10° west of the meridian. Through a southeast, is nearly 12° to the lower left of Jupiter. In the telescope Mars is only 7.7’ across. The Red Planet is 4° evening sky, Mars (m = 0.5) is 4.8° to the lower left of below Lambda Piscium. Lambda Aquarii. The Red Planet, 45.5° up, is about 15° • December 26: At the beginning of morning twilight, the west of the meridian at the end of twilight. moon (19.2d, 81%) is 4° to the right of Regulus. At mid- twilight, the Venus-Jupiter gap is 22.5°. Venus is 4.2° to At the end of the month, a planet dance is occurring in the southeastern morning sky. Brilliant Venus is heading for a the lower left of Zubenelgenubi. Jupiter, over 10° up in the conjunction with Jupiter next month. Through a telescope, southeast, is 5.4° to the upper right of Mercury. At the end Venus is 48% illuminated and 26.5” across, less than half its of evening twilight, Mars is 3.8° to the lower left of apparent size than when it passed between the sun and out Lambda Piscium. planet at the end of October. Saturn is heading for its solar • December 27: At the beginning of morning twilight the conjunction and its reappearance in the morning sky in waning gibbous moon (20.2d, 71%) is 48° up in the February. Mercury is leaving the morning sky for its solar southwest; it is 11° to the upper left of Regulus. As the sky superior conjunction and return to the evening sky. Mars is brightness look of brilliant Venus, nearly 22° to the upper the lone bright planet in the evening sky. Dimming rapidly right of Jupiter. The Jupiter-Mercury gap has grown to 6.6°. and diminishing in size (7.4”), it ends in month about halfway At the end of evening twilight, Mars is 3.7° to the lower up in the sky during the early evening. left of Lambda Piscium. The moon (20.9d, 62%) is about

Vol. 43, No. 12 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers December 2018

Late December: Venus, Jupiter, and Mercury dance in the southeastern sky during twilight. The conjunctions: Jupiter-Mercury, December 21; Mercury-Antares, December 22; and Jupiter-Antares, December 23. MINUTES OF THE NOVEMBER 27, 2018 BOARD MEETING

President Tim Stone called the Board members and Member Coordinator Tom Willmitch suggested ideas for chairs to order at the Wenning residence in Normal at the January club social. The event will be held on Saturday, 6:35PM. Also in attendance were Carl Wenning, Lisa & Dick January 12th starting under the dome of the ISU Planetarium Wentzel, Bob Finnigan, Tom Willmitch, and Justin Meyer. at 6:00 PM. It was agreed that it will start with a planetarium The first order of business was reports of Officers and Chairs. program titled Phantom of the Universe: Dark Matter. This Tim Stone, property manager, gave an update about the day and time should allow families with school-aged children WO facilities. Four key points were mentioned: (1) rain to attend. A follow-up pizza party will be held as before and water seepage has been considerable recently in both should be less of a problem because ISU students still will be domes; additional barriers need to be put in place; (2) The away from campus. Details will be worked out and included new, wider-diameter pier under the 20” has been cut down in the January issue of the newsletter. by 6” to fit its new purpose; (3) the pier under the 24” Carl reported nothing of interest in relation to his duties mount has been disassembled and shorted by 6” to provide as secretary, newsletter editor, and historian. Treasurer additional clearance between the dome and telescope; and Dave Osenga was not able to attend the meeting due to his (4) the 24” is still crated awaiting the completion of its father’s continuing ill health but indicated via email that the mount. club’s checking balance is currently $993.42, the savings Bob gave an update about PSO. The filter wheel on the balance is $3,017.51, and the combined balance is 12” is now fully functional and both it and the 17” are $4,019.93. working without problem. There was a small snafu with SkyX Bob, as ALCor, noted the recent and unexpected passing Pro, but this will be corrected with a new configuration file. of Astronomical League (AL) President Bill Bogardus. Carl, as NCRAL Chair, has heard nothing from the AL leadership

Vol. 43, No. 12 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers December 2018

which he felt was rather surprising as he is a member of the • Carl reported on behalf of Dave and himself that the national Executive Council. He will pursue information in date for the next Annual Meeting has been set for relation to Bill’s replacement. Saturday, February 9th, starting at 6:30 PM with the Lisa had nothing to report in relation either to observing banquet. The event will be held at the Normal Township clubs or lighting education coordination. Rick Lasher was not Hall as has been the custom for several years now. Our present for the meeting and did not provide a written report guest speaker will be Tyler Linder, astronomer at Linder in relation to his position as publicist. Research and Development in Sullivan, Illinois. It was Technology Coordinator Justin Meyer reported that the agreed to provide a $100 honorarium, a 50-cents-per 24” mount is now wired and ready to go for installation of mile travel reimbursement, and up to two banquet the AG Optical telescope. He reported a problem with the meals. He has also been offered a free overnight server at WO, noting that the boot drive sector has crashed accommodation at the Wenning residence along with necessitating repair. Anonymous agreed to provide up to breakfast and a tour of WO on Sunday morning. $500 for repair work on the server including an expansion of • Bob and Lisa reported that we have six nominations for its memories for file storage. Carl noted that the WO the 5-member board. The nominees include the current weather station has been unavailable as a result as well. Board members plus Rick Lasher. Nominations will be Webmaster Lee Green was not at the meeting, so there accepted up to the time of the election. were no updates in relation to the club’s website. • Carl called for nominations for the various club awards.

OLD BUSINESS: The following points were made and Two names were suggested. Carl agreed to make a resolutions approved: formal nomination for the Board’s consideration at the January meeting. • Carl will check with Angela Funk at SGNC to see if she • Bob brought up a proposal to lengthen the PSO by four has taken advantage of the TCAA’s offer to provide her feet to the north to provide additional space within the with a number of framed pictures provided earlier this control room. Anonymous agreed to pay for the year by Jeff Hunt. expansion costs. The concept was approved by the • Bob shared a draft brochure for the “pay-per-view” Board pending approval by authorities at SGNC. Carl will observing activities, the text of which was written by speak with Angela Funk about this in an effort to gain Rick. Bob provided Carl a PDF version of the brochure their approval. which he will disseminate to the Board and Chairs for • It was agreed that the next TCAA Board of Directors review and recommendations. meeting would be held on Tuesday, January 22nd, at the • Carl reported that he turned over the club’s 2019 PVS Wenning residence in Normal. brochure to Bloomington Offset Press, Inc. for printing ANNOUNCEMENTS: 2,000 copies as part of their annual Print4Good campaign. • Lisa announced that both she and Carl will be attending • Carl noted that the Coronado 90mm Hα telescope has North East Astronomy Forum (NEAF) next spring which been properly mounted and is again working within PSO. is hosted by the Rockland Astronomical Society (RAS). She mentioned interest in learning more about RAS’s NEW BUSINESS: The following points were made and Children’s Space & Astronomy Fair, and how the TCAA resolutions approved: might also do something similar with an eye to • Tim noted that the club’s Christmas/Saturnalia party will increasing interest in amateur astronomy. The idea was be held on Friday, December 7th, beginning at 6:00 PM. warmly received. Tim and Diann will provide sandwiches as before. The meeting was adjourned at 7:28 PM. Members will be asked to bring a dish and a refreshment to share. (See the December President’s Respectfully submitted, Message in this newsletter for details.) Carl Wenning, Secretary

ISU PLANETARIUM RENOVATIONS NOTED

Tom Willmitch and the renovations at the ISU Planetarium were prominently featured in a Pantagraph article that appeared on Thursday, November 29th. Tom mentioned how working in the planetarium now feels like working on the bridge of starship Enterprise. If you have not seen the updated ISU Planetarium, you are missing a lot. Be certain to attend the TCAA Social on Saturday, January 9th, if you’d like to get an update. You can still read the article at the following URL: http://bit.ly/2Sm0aS6

Vol. 43, No. 12 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers December 2018

ISU PLANETARIUM HOLIDAY OFFERING

The Illinois State University Planetarium is pleased to offer its holiday show Season of Light, running weekends from November 30 through December 15. Show times are Fridays at 7:30 PM and Saturdays at 2 PM and 7:30 PM. Season of Light is beautifully narrated by National Public Radio’s Noah Adams. The show recounts the historical, religious, and cultural rituals surrounding the coming of winter and the shortest day of the year – the winter solstice. The full-dome program explores not only Christian and Jewish but also Egyptian, Roman, Pagan, Celtic, Nordic, and Hopi practices. Season of Light also looks at some of our more light-hearted seasonal traditions, from kissing under the mistletoe to songs about lords a-leaping and ladies dancing. After each program, a sky lecture is given that highlights the main features of the current evening sky, including bright stars, constellations, and planets visible from Central Illinois. Admission to the show is $4 for adults, $3 for children ages 5-12, seniors, and ISU ID holders; and $2 for children ages 3- 4. Tickets may be purchased in the gift shop adjacent to the planetarium’s entrance beginning 20 minutes before each showing. Cash and checks only are accepted. Seating is limited.

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

Each year at the club’s Annual Meeting, the membership elects a board of directors to serve for the next 12 months, and members are recognized for their service to the club. This is the final call for these nominations, as the Board will act on them at their January Board meeting. Nominations are needed for the G. Weldon Schuette Society of Outstanding Amateur Astronomers. This award recognizes a TCAA member who has demonstrated great skill in observing, dedication to the club’s education and public outreach efforts, and commitment to providing service to the membership. While holding the AL’s Messier Award is recommended, it is not required by the Standing Rule that established this award in 1987. Nominations are needed for the John & Bertha Kieviet Founders Award. This award is conferred upon a TCAA member to recognize demonstrated leadership to the club. Those so recognized need not have been a president of the club. If leadership is interpreted in terms of service to the membership, this is as close as the TCAA comes to having a distinguished service citation. Nominations are needed for the Eugene & Donna Miller Family Award. This award acknowledges the strong efforts by a family to participate in the club as a unit. One or more parents are recognized for their efforts to instill within their children interest in and dedication to amateur astronomy. Please e-mail your nomination(s) for these awards to either President Tim Stone at [email protected] or Secretary Carl Wenning at [email protected]. A short description explaining why you feel the nominee(s) deserve(s) the award(s) is required. The current Board of Directors will make decisions about the awards during their January meeting. Nominations are also needed for the Board of Directors. As the TCAA is a legally incorporated body, our Board of Directors formally runs its business under Illinois law. Its members select from among their group the Chair of the Board; this person becomes president of the club. The Board then appoints members to the positions of vice president, secretary, treasurer, historian, property manager, and so on. With the exception of the president and vice president, officers and chairs need not be members of the Board but are expected to attend Board meetings every other month. Nominations for Board positions will be accepted until immediately before the election at the annual business meeting.

DAVE OSENGA’S FATHER PASSES AWAY

It is with sincere regret that the editor of this publication informs the membership of the passing of Dave Osenga’s father. He passed away on the morning of November 29th. Because he lived in Kankakee, IL, none of the other TCAA members likely would have met Dave’s father. Flowers and a statement of condolences were sent on behalf of the club.

EDUCATION/PUBLIC OUTREACH FOR NOVEMBER 2018

With the approach of the late autumn and early winter holidays, the education/public outreach events of the club often disappear from the calendar. There were no events to report on for the month of November.

Vol. 43, No. 12 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers December 2018

PUBLIC VIEWING SESSION SCHEDULE FOR 2019

April 13: Distance – How do we know how far? (Sunil Chebolu) 8:00-10:00 PM There is a long history of science behind distance measurement in the universe. We will explore how we so confidently answer the common question: “How far away is that?”

May 11: Spectra – Stories the Stars Tell (Tim Stone) 8:30-10:30 PM The light from stars illuminates everything in the universe. How do we know what those stars are made of? We will look at the spectra of stars, to learn how we understand stellar composition, and how spectra have enabled us to discover hundreds of exoplanets.

June 8: Telescopes – Why do Astronomers Need Them? (Carl Wenning) 8:45-10:45 PM It seems like astronomers are forever building bigger and bigger telescopes. Even amateur astronomers like us want ever bigger telescopes. We will answer the questions of what telescopes do for astronomers, and how do they work.

July 13: A History of Women in Astronomy (Lisa Wentzel) 9:00-11:00 PM Women have a centuries-long history of direct involvement in astronomy. For much of that, they were given little, if any, credit for their marvelous discoveries. We will explore some of important women in the history of astronomy and learn how historical attitudes are changing in the current world.

August 10: Meteor Showers – There’s More Than One (Mark Cabaj) 8:30-10:30 PM The famous Perseid Meteor Shower peaks in a few days, but the moon will be nearly full. Will you have to wait until next August to see a meteor shower? Learn about other great meteor showers, when they are visible, and what you can expect to see.

September 07: Your First Telescope – Binoculars? (Mark Cabaj) 8:00-10:00 PM Virtually every serious amateur astronomer owns a pair of binoculars. If you’re thinking about getting a telescope for yourself, or for a Christmas gift, we will tell you what to look for, how to use them for rewarding astronomy, and why you’ll use them longer than any other telescope you’ll ever own.

October 05: Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto – Two Planets, or Three? (Mark & Nataya Boulware) 7:00-9:00 PM We spend a lot of time looking at the inner planets, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Few have ever seen Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. October presents a great opportunity to see all three in one night. We will learn about them, and hopefully have a look at them!

TCAA CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR 2018-2019

The events for 2018 are now drawing to a close, but we are planning a full schedule of events for next year.

Date Event Coordinator(s) Location Times December 7 Saturnalia Party Tim & Diann Stone Stone Residence 6:30-? PM

------2019 ------January 12 TCAA Membership Social T. Willmitch & C. Wenning ISU Planetarium 6:00 PM February 9 Annual Meeting & Banquet Dave Osenga Normal Township Hall 6:30-9:00 PM April 6-7 Northeast Astronomy Forum L. Wentzel / C. Wenning Suffern, NY All day April 13 Public Viewing Session Sunil Chebolu SGNC 8:00-10:00 PM Apr ?? TCAA Membership Social Carl Wenning TBD TBD May 3-5 NCRAL 2019 Popular Astronomy Club Moline, IL Friday PM - Sunday AM May 11 Public Viewing Session Tim Stone SGNC 8:45-10:45PM June 8 Public Viewing Session Carl Wenning SGNC 9:00-11:00 PM July 9 Public Viewing Session Lisa Wentzel SGNC 9:00-11:00 PM July 13 TCAA Membership Social Carl Wenning TBD TBD Jul 25-29 ALCon 2019 (tour & cruise) Astronomical League Kennedy Space Center All day August 10 Public Viewing Session Mark Cabaj SGNC 8:30-10:30 PM

Vol. 43, No. 12 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers December 2018

September 7 Public Viewing Session Mark Cabaj SGNC 8:00-10:00 PM

October 5 Public Viewing Session Mark & Nataya Boulware SGNC 7:00-9:00 PM

HOWTIMEFLIES

The Twin City Amateur Astronomers was founded in 1960 through the efforts of John & Bertha Kieviet. Over the years, newsletter editors David B. Williams, G. Weldon Schuette, Gary Skinner, Jim Moncher, Mike Rogers & Jean Memken, Rebecca Wenning, and Erin Estabrook (as well as other contributors) documented the efforts of the club. Now, TCAA Editor and Historian Carl Wenning continues that effort and provides monthly updates about the history of the club going back in intervals of 40, 25, and 10 years. Details about all mentioned events will be found in either the publication Twin City Amateur Astronomers: 1960-2010 or in The OBSERVER archive found on the TCAA website.

40 Years Ago: December 1978 – The TCAA membership had a chance to view six samples of moon rock during the December meeting. Carl Wenning, ISU Planetarium director, obtained the samples from NASA through a loan program. A stereo viewing microscope was available to the membership for use. Carl also gave a short slide show about the samples.

25 Years Ago: December 1993 – Mike Rogers and Lew Detweiler from IWU inspected five farms for the possibility of setting up a joint IWU-TCAA observatory. All but one farm was ruled out due to light pollution. The fifth was considered to be too far from the Twin Cities. Rebecca Wenning attended Space Camp with her mother Carolyn in Huntsville, AL, from December 17-19th.

10 Years Ago: December 2008 – Despite a terrific ice and snow storm the night before, six “hardy members” of the TCAA made it out to SGNC to hold the annual Saturnalia/Christmas party. It was a rather low-key event, but members in attendance had a good time.

TCAA ON FACEBOOK

Did you know that the TCAA is on Facebook? We encourage users of social networks to follow the TCAA to see what the club is doing and to learn about nightly events that on most evenings only require the observer to step outdoors and view with the unaided eye. You can find us on Facebook by searching either TCAA or Twin City Amateur Astronomers. We no longer are working with Twitter as we have not received the same “traction” as we have with Facebook.

RENEWING YOUR TCAA MEMBERSHIP

The TCAA works to promote in every way among its members and the public an interest in and knowledge of astronomy and its allied sciences, to advance amateur astronomy and observational techniques, to render assistance to other individuals or organizations working in the same or related fields, and to do everything necessary and proper to further such on a formal or informal basis. The TCAA is a Federally recognized non-profit entity organized exclusively for education and scientific purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service code. The TCAA currently supports family friendly public observing sessions at SGNC, public outreach events such as the recent May 9, 2016 transit of Mercury and the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse field trip, hosting of NCRAL meetings (2010 and 2016), September mini conferences, and education courses for our membership and the public. The TCAA maintains three observatories including payment of insurance and publishes an award-winning club newsletter. We support Sugar Grove Nature Center through their membership program, maintain a loaner telescope program, and provide many other benefits as outlined in TCAA Guide #2 – Membership and Benefits. Your TCAA membership supports education and public outreach in Central Illinois and regions beyond. Membership dues and the generosity of its members are the club’s primary means of financial support. We receive no grants or public funds. We have unmet needs. By renewing your membership when it comes due, you can help to ensure our continuing efforts.

Vol. 43, No. 12 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers December 2018

TCAA TREASURER’S REPORT AS OF NOVEMBER 30, 2018

Editor’s note: With the passing of Dave Osenga’s father on November 29th, he is on bereavement leave temporarily. He indicated earlier that with the exception of one dues payment and a slight amount of interest, there was not much activity to report. A full accounting for both November and December will be provided in the next issue of The OBSERVER.