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The Reflector Peterborough AstronomicAl AssociAtion The Reflector Volume 10, Issue 2 ISSN 1712-4425 February 2011 Planets in Strange Places by Trudy E. Bell Artist’s rendering compares size of a hypothetical hypergiant star and its surrounding dusty disk to that of our solar system. ed star, blue star, big Spitzer Space Telescope, which is Way. The stars, called R 66 and R R star, small star—planets exploring the universe from or- 126, are respectively 30 and 70 may form around virtually bit at infrared (heat) wavelengths times the mass of the Sun, “about any type or size of star throughout blocked by the Earth’s atmosphere. as massive as stars can get,” said the universe, not just around mid- At one extreme are two blazing, Joel Kastner, professor of imaging sized middle-aged yellow stars blue “hypergiant” stars 180,000 science at the Rochester Institute of like the Sun. That’s the surprising light-years away in the Large Technology in New York. R 126 is so implication of two discoveries in Magellanic Cloud, one of the two luminous that if it were placedsee page 10 16 2006 from the 0.85-meter-diameter companion galaxies to our Milky 2 | peterboroughastronomy.com President’s Message Thinking Ahead he New Year is well under way and so are we at the p.a.a. It is membership renewal time for the “old timers”, so “Welcome back!” but I would like to also welcome those Tthat have newly joined our ranks. Come out to meetings, come out to events, ask ques- tions, get involved and take advantage of the privileges of your membership. I trust you have all checked out our website to see the exciting line-up of events and presen- tations and speakers we have until next fall. This is a very good time to be into astronomy and a member of the p.a.a. I hope some of you will be able to take advantage of the clear skies of winter to search for and find some of the “faint and fuzzy” objects that make up our galaxy and universe. You might find some words of encouragement and direction in this issue of The Reflector? Never stop learning and keep bundled up and looking up! Rick Stankiewicz President Volume Ten phillip chee, editor We should forgive Parke Kunkle, a Min- stronomy is a vibrant subject. If nesota astronomer, for stirring the tempest in there’s any doubt you just have to the teapot (in Sagittarius, of course!) He has Aread the news, in print or online. re-ignited an ages old debate between as- This notion may owe much to human’s tronomers and astrologers about the bound- space exploration efforts, the Internet, and aries of the zodiac constellations and how the precession (wobble) of the Earth’s axis Letter from the Editor science fiction. Already this year we’ve had some interesting news. We should be doubly has altered boundary dates of our horoscope proud of Kathryn Gray, the 10-year-old who symbols. http://voices.washingtonpost. has been credited as the youngest person to com/blog-post/2011/01/new_zodiac_sign_ discovery a supernova (see page 15). Oh, and dates_dont_swi.html It shouldn’t be news as she’s Canadian! this argument resurfaces every couple years in From the pages of science fiction, NASA’s the media, but at least it keeps astronomy in NanoSail-D finally unfolded. This solar sail the public’s eye. powered satellite was launched in November So, I do hope you enjoy this month’s The 2010 and became the first solar sail vehicle to Reflector and we shall see you next month. orbit the Earth (just 650 km above). But, this being the nature of space exploration, the sail Peterborough got stuck during its deploymet. That is until Astronomical January 20, 2011, when the sail unfurled all on its own, after scientists and technicians were Association mourning the failure of another mission. The Reflector is a publication of the Peterborough Astronomical Which means you still have time to try and Association (P.A.A.) Founded in 1970, the P.A.A. is your local group for astronomy in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. photograph the NanoSail-D before it plunges www.peterboroughastronomy.com • [email protected] into atmosphere and flames out in April or Phone: 705.295.6158 May. Then submit your entry to the NanoSail- Club Mailing Address Rick Stankiewicz, President D photo contest: http://nanosail.org/ First Peterborough Astronomical Association prize is $500. 10 Hazel Crescent, RR #8 Peterborough, ON K9J 6X9 The Reflector Vol 10 | Issue no. 2 | February 2011 | 3 Glass Tiger Bassist Goes from Rock Star to Stargazer john crossen cientists estimate that the storage, computer setups, coffee ma- Sun puts out more energy every chines, a small refrigerator…whatever second than North America uses you want to put inside. Sin a year. But that energy output is puny The primary target groups for these when compared to the “go-power” of larger units will be universities, com- Wayne Parker, bass player for the 1980s munity colleges and astronomy clubs rock band Glass Tiger. Wayne has been looking for a permanent facility they can an amateur astronomer for years and it use for instruction and public outreach. led to a new career as an astro-entrepre- The units will also appeal to well-heeled neur. astro-imagers who require a larger space As gigs with the band wound down, for bigger telescopes, electronic imaging Wayne started a company called SkyShed equipment and computers. and introduced a series of prefabricated Like the original POD, they will be wooden backyard observatories with very affordable when compared to any roll-off roofs. He then expanded his competing units. And because they are product line to include a POD or Person- made with the same materials and tech- al Observing Dome and turned the world niques, they will be rugged and durable. of backyard astronomy upside down. But don’t expect to set up your “PODzil- Manufactured in Shallow Lake, Ontar- la” with a few friends and a case of beer io, Wayne’s original 7-foot diameter POD on the weekend. You’ll need professional consisted of pre-formed polyethylene help, permits, approvals electricians and sections that could be nested for eco- a solid foundation. nomical shipping. After they arrived they The first POD MAX units are expected could be bolted together by two people to be rolling off to eager customers in with a wrench in an afternoon. When 2012. And just like the original POD, the finished they provided the owner with new POD Max will revolutionize astron- a weather-tight, secure shelter for their omy. So start packing the pennies in the telescope, computers and astronomical pig. imaging devices. Just turn the key and all your gear was set up and ready to go. Plus they looked like observatories with a rotating dome. All I could say was cool! So I bought one. Today his factory pumps out about 50 units per week. In a hobby with a small core of ardent enthusiasts, that has made his company (now called SkyShed POD) the number one home observatory producer in the world. Now he’s ready to grow again. Called the POD MAX his new units are 12.5-feet in diameter and capable of com- fortably holding up to eight people. The pod max blueprint. In addition to being made in Ontario there is walls are 6 feet high, the dome rotates an even more local connection to POD MAX. Two members of the Peterborough Astronomical Association have also been working with electronically and there are optional Wayne’s design team. Yours truly is also helping design and test some bays that can be adapted for equipment new POD equipment for Kendrick Astro Instruments. 4 | peterboroughastronomy.com What’s Up for February Stargazers Saturn has been visible in the pre-dawn sky won’t set until the Sun rises the following for a couple of months. john crossen day. For those who like to connect the dots of the constellations, Orion and Leo will ut for February the ringed rule the February sky. Both are large con- thing puts on its first night show- stellations which are easy to define visu- B ing at a reasonable hour. Rising at ally. Orion will be at his highest point to about 10 p.m. in February, Saturn will be the south about 8:30 in the evening while brighter than last year. That’s because the Leo will be just leaping clear of the east- planet’s rings will be tilted towards us a ern horizon. bit more. Moving more overhead will be the Over the past couple of years the rings charioteer, Auriga and the twins known have been nearly edge-on from our point as Gemini. The autumn favourites of of view. Through a telescope the planet Perseus, Cassiopeia, and Andromeda will appeared more like an olive with at tooth- be sledding downhill in the western sky, pick through it than the pretty pictures soon to bid us farewell for the season. in books. The lack of tilt meant that the February 5 at about 7:00 p.m. bright rings reflected very little sunlight in our Jupiter will make a pretty conjunction in direction. Happily that changes this year. the western sky with the thin crescent Saturn will accompany the constel- Moon. At the same time Pegasus, the lation Virgo across the sky during the flying horse, will just be poking his nose, spring and early summer months.
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