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July 2021 the Warren Astronomical Society Publication Celebrating Sixty Years of the Warren Astronomical Society The W.A.S.P. Vol. 53, no. 7 Winner of the Astronomical League’s 2021 Mabel Sterns Award July 2021 The Warren Astronomical Society Publication 50 years Apollo 15 Mission Launched July 26, 1971- Returned August 7 The WASP Snack Volunteer Schedule Published by Warren Astronomical Society, Inc. The Snack Volunteer program is suspend- P.O. Box 1505 ed for the duration. When it resumes, vol- Warren, Michigan 48090-1505 unteers already on the list will be notified Dale Thieme, Editor by email. 2021 Officers President Diane Hall [email protected] 1st VP Dale Partin [email protected] 2ndVP Riyad Matti [email protected] Secretary Mark Kedzior [email protected] Treasurer Adrian Bradley [email protected] Outreach Bob Trembley [email protected] Publications Dale Thieme [email protected] Entire Board [email protected] The Warren Astronomical Society, Inc., is a local, non-profit organization of Discussion Group Meeting amateur astronomers. The Society holds meetings on the first Monday and third Thursday of each month, starting at 7:30 p.m. Come on over, and talk astronomy, space news, and whatnot! First Monday meeting: Third Thursday meeting: Cranbrook: Institute of Science Macomb Community College 1221 North Woodward Ave South campus, Bldg. J, Room J221 Bloomfield Hills, Michigan 14600 Twelve Mile Rd. Warren, Michigan Membership and Annual Dues Student Individual Senior Citizen for families In This Issue: $17.00 $30.00 $22.00 add $7.00 President’s Field of View ............................... 3 Astronomical League (optional) $7.50 Send membership applications and dues to the treasurer: Letters .......................................................... 4 c/o Warren Astronomical Society, Inc. Observing Reports ......................................... 5 P.O. Box 1505 Nightscapes ................................................... 9 Warren, Michigan 48090-1505 C.W. Observatory ......................................... 10 Pay at the meetings Northern Cross Observatory ......................... 12 Presentations .............................................. 13 Also via PayPal (send funds to [email protected]) The New General Catalogue Quest ............... 15 Among the many benefits of membership are Skyward ....................................................... 18 Loaner telescopes (with deposit). See 2nd VP. Movie Review ............................................... 19 Free copy of each WASP newsletter. Over the Moon ............................................ 20 Free use of Stargate Observatory. History S.I.G. ............................................... 21 Special interest subgroups. See chairpersons. The Warren Astronomical Society Publication (WASP) is the official Looking Back ............................................... 22 monthly publication of the Society. Cranbrook Monthly Sky Chart ..................... 24 Articles for inclusion in the WASP are strongly encouraged and should Calendar ...................................................... 25 be submitted to the editor on or before the end of each month. Any Stargate ...................................................... 27 format of submission is accepted. Materials can either be transmitted in person, via US Mail, or by email ([email protected]) Stargate Officer’s Report ............................. 28 Treasurer’s Report ...................................... 28 Disclaimer: The articles presented herein represent the opinion of their au- Astronomical events ................................... 28 thors and are not necessarily the opinion of the Warren Astronomical Outreach Report ......................................... 29 Society or this editor. The WASP reserves the right to edit or deny publi- Meeting Minutes ......................................... 33 cation of any submission. About the Cover ........................................... 36 Stargate Observatory is owned and operated by the Society. Located on the For Sale ....................................................... 37 grounds of Camp Rotary on 29 Mile Road, 1.8 miles east of Romeo GLAAC ........................................................ 38 Plank Road, Stargate features an 8-inch refractor telescope under a NASA Night Sky Notes .................................. 39 steel dome. The observatory is open according to the open house schedule published by the 2nd VP. Page 2 The Warren Astronomical Society—60 Years July 2021 President’s Field of View The June solstice marks a turning point for the marble and embraces earth science and climate sci- Michigan astronomer; the northern night at mid- ence as part of NASA’s mission. summer is a sliver of true darkness set in an ex- panse of lingering blue twilight. Now the nights This is the planet we’re on, the only one we’ve got. lengthen again, bringing the close of twilight to an Elon Musk can die on Mars if he likes. I want my hour where one can put in a solid evening at the little patch of milkweed and cattails to survive. observatory or an urban sidewalk session and still Diane Hall, catch a reasonable night’s sleep. Of course, our President summer solstice this year has been followed by clouds, rain, more rain, and yet more clouds— a bad break for astronomers, but a good thing for a Michigan landscape parched by semi-drought con- ditions. Earth science is planetary science, and conditions this year have been particularly grim: a deepening drought in the southwest, historic triple-digit tem- peratures in the Pacific Northwest, and our own par- adoxical dryness in the midst of fresh water, a dry- Club Member ness that’s frazzled native wildflowers in their Name Tags meadows and turned marshes to mud holes. As ex- cited as I am about NASA’s upcoming space pro- jects, including the two newly-authorized missions to Venus, I am glad to have an new administrator at Email [email protected] for the helm who understands the fragility of our blue your personalized name tag Save the Date Warren Astronomical Society Annual Picnic August 28, 2021 Pavilion, Rotary Park and Stargate Observatory Swap meet this year at the picnic. Bring along As- tronomical gear you wish to sell/swap. Going up for sale from a donation to the club is this Galileo brand telescope shown at right. We are going ahead with picnic plans, but, the board may elect to cancel the event based on COVID-19 State and Federal health mandates and recommendations. This will be determined as we get closer to the date of the picnic. Even though the event is outdoors, we still recom- mend social distancing, wearing of face masks when not eating, and not sharing eyepieces for safety. This is a members and im- mediate family only event. No pets, please. July 2021 The Warren Astronomical Society—60 Years Page 3 To the Editor Letters A big congratulations to our esteemed news letter editor, Dale Thieme, for winning the Astronomical League's Mabel Sterns Newsletter Award for 2021! Well done and well deserved! "New NASA Missions Will Study Venus . Bill Beers .." 2 June, NEW YORK TIMES Just saw the email on you receiving the AL Mabel Stearns Award for your WASP wizardry! All though Bertin will bang this drum, let us rejoice! You ‘da man!!!! Per my history making short [lecture] recently: "The Mark K Case Against Mars", it is about the bloody time, Secretary even recognising other countries are still beavering WAS away since our Magellan flew in 1990. Indeed! Canada for Expo67 was "friendly, foreign, and Well-deserved, long overdue, and a very nice thing near", but Venus lacks one of those elements. None to wake up to this morning! the less "Earth's twin" (of sorts) has been neglected Congratulations Dale! because of Mars and the "L" word. No lander, pity, Diane Hall but we leave such boldness to the Russians. Congratulations Dale. Best WASP editions we have Truly sorry a proposed mission to Triton has been ever had. put on back burner, because that capture moon has Riyad Matti been fascinating to me since 1989 -- to say nothing about a possible water world in Neptune. Imagine Excellent!!! :D observing cryo-vulcanism! But again: All Mars, all Doug Bock the time . .. Congratulations Dale! A very significant achieve- G. M. ROSS, ment! who remembers as if it were yester-day, Adrian Bradley the launch of the first Moon rocket. Ray Bosshard's "atmospheric" picture Don't that beat all! I have never seen the like. "Right place at right time", but all so a skilled eye. G. M. ROSS Mabel Sterns Newsletter Award I am extremely happy to inform you that you have won the Astronomical League's Mabel Sterns News- letter Award for 2021. This award comes with a beautiful plaque and an invitation to receive the award during our ALCon '21 Virtual convention on August 19-21, 2021. The award plaque will be sent to you in advance of the convention. We will also be recognizing your award in the Sep- tember issue of Reflector. Newsletters are the lifeblood of most of our League member societies and your newsletter, The W.A.S.P., impressed all of our newsletter judges who included Space Pirate Radio past Mabel Sterns winners. Congratulations, again, on creating and maintaining Tune in to Captains Marty Kunz such a content-rich, visually attractive, and easily navigated newsletter. You have excellent talent, and and Diane Hall for live radio I hope that I will have a chance to meet you in per- son at a future League convention or perhaps even Wednesday nights at 9:00 pm ET sooner. on -- Chuck
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