Prime Focus Mercury to the Upper Left of Venus

Highlights of the June Sky. . .

- - - 1st → 13th - - - DUSK: Look in the WNW 45 minutes after sunset for Prime Focus Mercury to the upper left of Venus. A Publication of the Kalamazoo Astronomical Society

- - - 8th - - - June 2013 New Moon 11:56 am EDT

- - - 9thth - - - DUSK: A very thin crescent ThisThis MonthsMonths KAS EventsEvents Moon is 7° below Venus.

- - - 10thth - - - Observing Session: Saturday, June 1 @ 9:00 pm DUSK: A Waxing Crescent Moon is 8° to the left of Saturn & Globular Clusters - Kalamazoo Nature Center Venus.

thth General Meeting: Friday, June 7 @ 7:00 pm - - - 12 - - - DUSK: Mercury at greatest Kalamazoo Nature Center - See Page 10 for Details eastern elongation (24°), highest in the sky for 2013. Field Trip: Friday, June 14 @ 6:00 pm

thth Abrams Planetarium & MSU Observatory - See Page 4 for Details - - - 16 - - - First Quarter Moon 1:24 pm EDT Observing Session: Saturday, June 15 @ 9:00 pm

The Moon & Saturn - Kalamazoo Nature Center - - - 18th - - - DUSK: Mercury is about 2° to the left of Venus. Kiwanis Star Party: Saturday, June 29 @ 9:00 pm

PM: The Moon is left of Kiwanis Youth Conservation Area - See Page 9 for Details Spica and well to Saturn’s lower right.

- - - 19th - - - Inside the Newsletter. . . DUSK: Mercury is 1.9° to Inside the Newsletter. . . the lower left of Venus. May Meeting Minutes...... p. 2

PM: The Moon is off to Board Meeting Minutes...... p. 3 Saturn’s lower left and near Alpha Librae Observations...... p. 3 (Zubenelgenubi). Field Trip Itinerary...... p. 4 - - - 21st - - - Summer solstice is at 1:04 Get Out & Observe the Sky...... p. 4 am EDT. My Winter Vacation...... p. 5

- - - 23rd - - - The Transit of Venus...... p. 6 Full Moon Largest of 2013 (34′′) June Night Sky...... p. 8 7:32 am EDT KAS Board & Announcements...... p. 9

- - - 30thth - - - General Meeting Preview...... p. 10 Last Quarter Moon 12:54 am EDT 12:54 am EDT www.kasonline.org MayMay MeetingMeeting MinutesMinutes

The general meeting of the Kalamazoo Astronomical Society iron core. They have a rich hydrogen spectra resulting from was brought to order by President Richard Bell on Friday, the ensuing supernova explosion. There are two basic types May 3, 2013 at 7:11 pm. Approximately 50 members and of type I supernovae, which have no hydrogen spectra. The guests were in attendance at the Kalamazoo Area Math & most famous is a type Ia, which is thought by most Science Center (KAMSC). astronomers to occur when a white dwarf exceeds its mass limit (called the Chandrasekhar limit, 1.4 solar masses) by Our special guest speaker for the evening was Dr. John accreting matter from a nearby companion star. Type Ia Marriner, a division scientist at the Fermi National supernovae are 6 times more luminous than a type II Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) near Batavia, Illinois. Dr. supernova. All type Ia supernovae should reach the same Marriner’s presentation was entitled Measuring the maximum brightness, making them excellent “standard Expansion of the Universe with Type Ia Supernovae. The candles” to measure great distances across space. source of a star’s power was a great mystery until we developed an understanding of nuclear physics. This helped Dr. Marriner mentioned that supernova discoveries is one us understand the two fundamental forces in every star; the area that amateur astronomers can contribute to scientific crushing force of gravity is exactly counteracted by the research. Two amateur astronomers of note are Tim Puckett outward flow of energy. This is referred to at hydrostatic and Tom Boles. Tim Puckett uses two telescopes that he equilibrium. Dr. Marriner then reviewed the spectral constructed himself (a 60cm and 35cm) and has made classification of stars: O B A F G K M (which can be numerous supernovae discoveries from his observatory in remembered by the classic pneumonic: Oh Be A Fine Girl Georgia. Tom Boles also searches for supernovae from his Kiss Me). This also sorts stars by their temperatures. observatory in Suffolk, England.

Dr. Marriner then discussed how a star’s lifetime is The Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), located in New determined solely by its mass. The smallest stars burn their Mexico, has been used by professional astronomers to hydrogen fuel very slowly, because gravity isn’t trying to discover supernovae. Dr. Marriner currently participates in crush the star as severely as more massive stars. The cores of the SDSS Dark Energy Survey, so he described how data is medium-mass stars, like the Sun, collapse into white dwarfs. gathered, processed, and analyzed. Dr. Marriner went into The most massive stars in the universe end their existence as the specifics of analyzing the spectra of supernovae, which supernovae, with the cores of these stars collapsing into can be a very long and complex process. either neutron stars or black holes. The final part of Dr. Marriner’s presentation was on how The composition of white dwarfs was then covered and then astronomers use supernovae to answer questions in Dr. Marriner described the different types of supernova. cosmology. He began with the historical background on our Type II supernovae are from the collapse of a massive star’s discovery of an expanding universe. Astronomers expected the expansion of the universe would slowdown over time due to the influence of galaxies exerting a gravitational influence on one another. However, using type Ia supernovae to measure the recession velocity of distant galaxies, astronomers discovered that the expansion of the universe is actually accelerating. The force responsible for the accelerating universe is thought to be dark energy, which acts as a sort-of antigravity. The exact nature of dark energy is one of the biggest mysteries in all of science.

Richard gave his President’s Report after the snack break. He described his satisfaction with this year’s Astronomy Day (full report coming next month). Richard then finally presented Bill Nigg with a Lifetime Membership Card (sorry it took so long). Jack Price reported on a successful outing at the Portage Green-A-Thon on April 27th. Jack thanked Rich Jean De Mott presented KAS President Richard Bell with Mather and Bill Van Dien for volunteering as well. Some of a check for $1,000 at the June meeting. The money was the current events discussed included two videos. One was raised through Jean’s Perpetual Plant Sale in 2012. All on what happens if you wring out a wet washcloth on the proceeds go toward the Robotic Telescope Project. space station and the other was called A Boy and His Atom. The meeting concluded at 9:33 pm.

Prime Focus Page 2 June 2013

also reminded us of the Parchment Kindleberger Park Festival on July 13th. This conflicts with a planned Portage BOARDBOARD Library talk by Mike Cook, so we may need to divide forces on that date. Don reported that the PST solar telescope has MEETING MINUTES received some hard use, and he felt that it did not focus as well as in the past. Richard took it home to compare with his own solar scope. The monthly meeting of the Kalamazoo Astronomical Society Board was held on May 19, 2013 at Sunnyside Richard suggested holding no board meeting for the months Church. President Richard Bell called the meeting to order June, July, and August. The Board agreed to take a break at 5:05 pm. Present were board members Joe Borrello, Rich unless something anticipated makes a meeting necessary Mather, Jack Price, Don Stilwell, and Roger Williams. during this period. Board members also noted that the scheduled September General Meeting conflicts with the Rich gave the Treasurer’s report showing continued growth Great Lakes Star Gaze. Richard agreed to look at the of the Robotic Telescope Fund. A small discrepancy between possibility of moving the general meeting. There being no the official amount and the sum in Richard’s records is further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:15 pm. apparently related to categories used in the report generation, and it remains to be explained. Richard gave a summary of Respectfully submitted by Roger Williams June events, noting that his presentation for the general meeting program was about finished. Richard reminded us that the June meeting will be at the Kalamazoo Nature  Center. Public viewing sessions are scheduled for June 1st and June 15th. Don mentioned that he cannot be present for the Kiwanis Star Party on June 29th. Dick Gillespie needs help managing the crowds outdoors, and Rich said that he ObservationsObservations could help. Mike Cook has also volunteered to help if his job by allows it. Richard S. Bell

On the subject of follow-up items from the previous meeting, There’s no Transit of Venus again this month, but it should Richard reported no recent developments beyond fundraising be another fun month of activities for the Kalamazoo in the Robotic Telescope Project. Richard plans to make one Astronomical Society. Of course, the success of this month’s more solicitation to the membership for donations and then events largely depends on the weather. to get seriously to work on a grant application. Richard also reported that he regarded Astronomy Day 2013 as the best First, we have several opportunities for stargazing. Public yet, with record attendance starting very early in the day and Observing Sessions will be held at the Kalamazoo Nature overflow audiences for the talks on Mars. With a couple of Center on June 1st and June 15th. We’ll enjoy Moon-free exceptions (like the requirement for volunteer background conditions on the 1st, so we’ll observe some of the deep sky checks), the museum worked with KAS pretty smoothly. delights of late spring and early summer. The nearly First Quarter Moon interferes a bit on June 15th, but the Moon Regarding new business, Richard reminded all of the Perseid itself is a rich target with lots of marvelous features within Potluck Picnic on August 10th. He also reported that Horace reach of even small telescopes. Saturn will be in prime Smith is retiring at MSU, and there appears to be no one to position throughout the month as well. The KAS will also co take his place as host of the MSU Observatory Open House -sponsor another Kiwanis Star Party on June 29th. Not too gatherings. June 14th-15th is scheduled to be the last such many members have ventured out to the Kiwanis Youth event, and Richard suggested making it an official field trip Conservation Area (near Bellevue) for one of these star for KAS. After a motion by Joe, the Board voted to do so. parties, so please make a point this month if skies are clear. Another item brought to the board’s attention by Richard is The Kiwanis Area offers darker skies than the Nature Center the USTREAM website, which would apparently allow live and the southern sky isn’t nearly as light polluted. streaming of general meetings. Richard invited everyone to check it out. Another new item concerned KAS clothing, of As described in the Board Minutes to your left, we are which our current stocks are depleted. Richard suggested T- planning a field trip to Abrams Planetarium and MSU shirts (long- and short-sleeve), sweatshirts (with and without Observatory on June 14th. Please review the itinerary on page hoods), and hats. He expressed a preference for embroidered 4 and consider coming along. and not iron-on or printed logos. Initial orders could be custom colors, but stocks for future sale would be black or Finally, our June General Meeting is on the 7th this month. navy. More information on prices will be obtained. Make special note that the meeting will be held at the Nature Center. Our featured speaker is me! Details appear on page In other business, Jack reported that he had received a thank- 10. As many of you know I always go the extra mile when you letter from the Portage Green-A-Thon organizers. He giving presentation for the KAS, so I hope you attend!

Prime Focus Page 3 June 2013

FieldField TripTrip Get Out & Observe the Sky

ToTo EastEast LansingLansing by Joe Comiskey

The KAS returns to East Lansing for the first time in 5 years Warmer weather and clearer skies are finally here, and semi- on Friday, June 14th. We’ll enjoy a show in Abrams monthly public observing sessions are now on the calendar. Planetarium and attend the Open House at the MSU I’ve really enjoyed these and encourage each of you to attend Observatory. Due to the retirement of Professor Horace one or (hopefully) more of these sessions this year. I would Smith this may be the next-to-last Open House EVER, so also like to call on everyone to get out regularly and observe this may be your last chance to check out this venerable the skies at home. For many of us, the skies at home are not facility. Our itinerary will include: as rich as those of a remote site. However, don’t be discouraged. There is still a plethora of celestial sites to 1. Meet in State Systems Radio parking lot for behold even through local sky glow. carpooling between 5:45 - 5:55 pm. (State Systems Radio is located at 5090 Sprinkle OK, so what is there to do or to look at? Here are some of Road, located just south of Kilgore Road on the west my favorites: side of Sprinkle.) 1. Do some twilight astronomy. Scan above the western 2. Depart for East Lansing at 6:00 pm. horizon with binoculars 30 - 60 minutes after sunset. Look particularly for Mercury and Venus during the 3. Stop at McDonald’s drive-thru on Sprinkle for dinner month of June. Also, look for the thin crescent Moon and eat on the road? (June 9th through 11th). 4. Arrive at Abrams Planetarium at ~7:30 pm. 2. Sit back in a lawn chair and just marvel at the night 5. Abrams Planetarium show at 8:00 pm. Admission paid sky. Don’t be surprised to see a meteor. by the KAS (members only). 3. Grab a star chart, such as the one found in this newsletter and learn some constellations. There’s Preview: Gateway to Infinity... nothing like knowing your way around the night sky. Join us as we take a tour of the universe, beginning 4. Observe the Moon through binoculars or a telescope. on the Earth, heading out into the solar system, and The ever changing day-to-day views are fascinating. then into the Milky Way galaxy and beyond. Along With even a modest telescope, it is amazing how many the way we visit an assortment of astronomical details in craters, maria, mountains and rilles can be objects: a nebula, a globular cluster, and a seen. supernova, among others. James Earl Jones provides the narration for this celestial voyage. 5. Saturn is a real showpiece, and this is a good time to view the planet and its riveting ring system. Note the 5. Attend MSU Observatory Open House from 9:00 pm – color of the planet vs. the rings. Can you see the 11:00 pm (weather permitting). Viewing through the Cassini division, or any of the moons? 24” Boller and Chivens Ritchey-Chrétien Telescope. 6. Gaze out at the stars at random with a pair of 6. Depart for Kalamazoo at ~11:00 pm. binoculars. Notice the different star colors. Also, notice the many double stars and star clusters. Oftentimes, a 7. Arrive in Kalamazoo at ~12:30 am. satellite can be seen crossing the view. 7. Try your hand at finding some deep sky objects such as For last minute details please attend the general meeting on globular clusters and planetary nebulae. Dozens of June 7th. If you are unable to attend the meeting but would Messier objects can be seen even in town. The like to go on the field trip then please contact us ASAP. If Sagittarius region boasts of many bright nebulae later the weather is really bad (heavy rain, severe thunderstorms, in the summer. In the meantime, why not head for the etc.) we will notify everyone that has signed up of a ring nebula, various globular clusters, the dumbbell cancellation. nebula, and even some galaxies in the Virgo Cluster?

Do you need more ideas and/or inspiration? Thumb through the latest issues of Sky & Telescope or Astronomy. You’ll find many ideas on what to observe, whether by unaided eye, binoculars, or telescope.

In closing, I’ve found that the more I observe the night sky, the more awestruck I become. I encourage all of you to step out and enjoy the wonders of the universe.

Prime Focus Page 4 June 2013 What I Do on My Winter Vacation – Astronomy Wise.

by Bill Nigg

I live in a motor home in Florida State Parks with dark skies and do Astronomy for Campers as a volunteer. I am officially listed in the Park’s nature activities program and qualify to stay free in a RV campsite.

Each clear day I observe the sunspots from 11am to 1pm and each clear evening for 3 - 4 hours starting soon after sunset. During the last 3 years I got 25 or so clear days and nights each month and this add an extra dimension to my observing experience – namely, many nights in a row. I also enjoy viewing the winter constellations at a wind chill of 60º F. Plus, 60º F land, 60º F air, and 60º F water (with no jet stream) gives good seeing.

It is great to observe the same sunspot during the whole solar rotation and the moons of Jupiter eclipses and shadows 75º F high? No freezing nights? This will refine your several times each week. The seeing usually allows 200× Goldilocks zone. Avoid industrial complexes and noisy with 300× on occasion. I get to see the Great Red Spot and highways as well. Established national and state parks have “swirlies” in the atmosphere bands, while the moons look ranger programs that you may join or resource. Call them up like tinted BBs. The latitude of 27º - 30º north means and ask. Often they have the local astronomy club out once a everything appears 12+ degrees higher above the south month but that may get canceled by weather. I am available horizon. Florida does have more horizon moisture than every clear night. My road map is marked up with Indian Michigan but I still get a whole row of new southern reservations, abandoned military land, state forests, wildlife constellations down to Canopus to shop around in. The Big refuges, and even large agriculture areas (cows don’t need Dipper doesn’t come up till February and you can easily see lights). the winter Milky Way every moonless night. The campers usually walk the dog or ride bikes several times How can you find great observing places like this? Begin a day. They wondered what that big thing was. (pier and with the local astronomy clubs website and see where they mount under a weather bag) They see the telescope in go. Star Parties are held at excellent campsites with operation often and most will stop by. “You can look right at experienced management. Look at the light pollution map the Sun – my Mom said it was OK”. “Come back tonight and and see if any campgrounds are in dark areas. Check the we’ll see Jupiter and the Orion Nebula.” I hand out star maps weather websites for Historical Averages: less than 3-inches and point out constellations each night. All the kids want to of rain per month?, average temperature near 55º F low and see twice. They say they studied the solar system in school. Now they are seeing the real thing.

The campers leave with real telescope viewing experience, a star map and website list, and several identified constellations that they always wondered about. This season I had more than 1500 telescope viewers over a 4 month period. My 18 year old telescope is actually showing some wear and the bugs try to live in it as it sits out for 2 months. Outreach for a thousand – well, not all at once.

Next year I am scheduled for December and January at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park (N27.6º W81.1º) with a campsite that faces Comet ISON at sunrise, February at St. George Island State Park (N29.7º W84.8º), and March at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park (N30.4º W86.3º) near Mars opposition time. I have distant memories of not being able to use my telescope in Michigan during the winter and rarely Bill shares a view of the Sun with this young girl. two nights in a row (lots of clouds too).

Prime Focus Page 5 June 2013 The Transit of Venus was reviewed to be amazing by all the lower lodge farm, in Toxteth Park, a former royal deer park great astronomers that observed the event. The Transit of near Liverpool. His father, James, was a watchmaker who Venus is when Venus crosses the surface of the Sun while it had moved to Toxteth Park, to be apprenticed by Thomas is visible to Earth. The transit has a strange pattern, it occurs Aspinwall and subsequently married his master’s daughter, every 121½ and then 8 years then 105½ then 8 years. The Mary. Both families were Puritans. Puritans were an English Transit of Venus was predicted by Jeremiah Horrocks. religious group. When Jeremiah was young he and his family Jeremiah Horrocks and William Crabtree witnessed the became successful watchmakers. One of Jeremiah’s chores Transit of Venus in 1639. It has been observed every other was to calculate the local time by the guidance of the stars to time since then, up to the transit which occurred most set the watches accurately. This gave him an early start in recently on June 5, 2012. astronomy, but unfortunately this also made the locals suspicious of him engaging in witchcraft and magic. The Transit of Venus is a once or maybe twice in a lifetime opportunity to observe. Its discoverer, Jeremiah Horrocks, Jeremiah was a successful student and attended Cambridge, a was considered a true genius for his astronomical prestigious college. After Cambridge, he went to Emanuel achievement. There are many mysteries in the Transit of College. Jeremiah was 100% committed to astronomy. Venus, and in all transits. In fact the science of astronomy Jeremiah started to build up a large collection of itself can be a true mystery sometimes. Have you ever put astronomical instruments. He had bought the best possible two of your fingers together extremely close without them telescope. But he needed more, but the market didn’t have making contact with each other? Well, if you haven’t, try it all he needed so he had to build his own instruments. He now and you’ll notice it appears that they are making contact successfully built his own equipment. even though they truly have not quite. This is known as the “Black Drop Effect”. You might be wondering why I am After a long time of studying and observing, Jeremiah pointing this out when our topic is the Transit of Venus. predicted the Transit of Venus. Finally after a huge amount Well, it is because the same effect occurs with the transit. of anticipation built up, it was time for the transit. Jeremiah Before Venus truly continues its revolution over the surface was ready to observe and record. He ended up observing of the Sun, the same effect occurs. It is a very mysterious with his friend William Crabtree. Since then, this historic scientific feature during the Transit of Venus. event was observed every other time it occurred, and people reacted the same way: with curiosity and astonishment. Jeremiah Horrocks was born in England in 1618. He was the person that predicted the transit in 1639. He was born in a You might wonder why the pattern of the transit (121½ years, then 8 years, then 105½ then 8, then 121½ years) is so bewildering. It is because of the way we take our revolution around the Sun. The eight official planets don’t exist at the same plane. If Earth and Venus traveled at the same plane, there would be a transit about every 1.6 years. But because of the elevation difference in the planes Earth, Venus revolve, the transit has this very odd pattern.

Venus is an odd planet. You might not know why, so I will tell you. Venus is completely surrounded by huge poisonous gas clouds. But, from the right view those clouds can look incredibly beautiful in shade of color and how you can see the clouds in different storms, just as the GRS and GDS (Great Red Spot and Great Dark Spot). It’s just that Venus’s “storm swirls fade away and come back.” So far you know Venus is beautiful, yet deadly. But it gets even more deadly because the pressure is incredibly high on Venus. So even if My dad (Arya) took this picture of the June 6, 2012 humans made poison-resistant suits we would still be almost Transit of Venus using his camera and a solar filter immediately crushed because of the pressure. To be exact attached to it. Note the presence of sunspots. about the gases, about 96% is carbon dioxide and 3.5% is

Prime Focus Page 6 June 2013

nitrogen. Notice there is an extra 0.5% left. That 0.5% is made up of hydrochloric acid, sometimes written as HCI, water vapor, hydrofluoric acid, sometimes written as HF, and sulfuric acid, which is sometimes written as H2SO4. Although right now Venus seems incredibly deadly and would never be able to produce life, there are signs that Venus once had large amounts of water. This is nearly unimaginable but some of the finest astronomers say is very likely.

Most of the planets in the solar system rotate counterclockwise, with the exception of two planets, Uranus and Venus. We know this because in 1962 a large group of radio astronomers transmitted a radio wave with exact wavelength towards Venus. It echoed back a few minutes later. By carefully examining this echoed radio wave they found out that Venus was rotating once every 243.01 days. From this information they also found out that solar tides can Akila, Thenuka (the author of this article), Samadhi and gradually affect a planet’s rotation. Avika Jayatilaka pose for a picture during our Transit of Venus event at Warren Dunes State Park on June 5, 2012. You already know Venus’s atmosphere is deadly but there is more to it. In Venus’s atmosphere, it is very easy for storms powerful light source from the rest of the sun surrounding to evolve. This is because of the temperature difference them, it’s like a world where everyone is wearing an orange between the upper atmosphere (very cold) and the lower shirt except for a fraction of people that are wearing black atmosphere (incredibly hot). This interaction causes storms shirts. the same way tornados are formed here on Earth. Storms on Venus can also be formed because of those little lines on the The Sun is like a huge power source, light source, and source planets with huge masses of clouds. When there is either a for curiosity, the ultimate mixture of sources for someone line or a space that got “lost” and it interacts with the other with a good mixture of qualities. So now you think, “Wow! one then a storm is formed. Sometimes they get really The Sun is amazing!” and stuff like that but consider all the serious and last as long as either the GRS or the GDS. So other stars in the universe, our Sun is only middle sized star, there you have it, Venus the odd one out. but think about the red giants or at least the big stars that are not red giants yet, or a binary or neutron star, what if our sun Do you think you know a bit about the Sun? Well if you’re was a binary star and one became a black hole and the other thinking, “I don’t have the foggiest idea about the Sun”, star got sucked into the star it has been rotated around by and listen up. First, something about the different suns around the rotated around, that would just be absolutely scary, and Universe that makes you very curious about the Universe is freaky, but also amazing it would be absolutely phenomenal, that suns are the original producers of all natural elements. It the worst yet most interesting time of your life! is obviously a completely different story with man-made elements. This is because all the natural elements lighter than All this information and more are involved in the Transit of iron are produced by fusion. The elements heavier than iron Venus. With odd patterns, weird science and fascinating in theory are formed from different chemical mixtures during history the Transit of Venus is an amazing. Just think, this is a supernovae, to go down to all the details would take much just a fraction of the infinite knowledge you can gain from to long so that topic will end with that. the Transit of Venus and this is just a fraction of all astronomy, which is just a fraction of all sciences. In Our Sun is a little over middle aged. It will either burn out or summary the Transit of Venus is a tiny, tiny fraction of will have a supernova a long time from now. [Editor’s Note: everything, of the Universe and infinite beyond it. The Fear not, Thenuka, the Sun will NOT go supernova! It’s too Transit of Venus can give birth to great curiosity for small.] The Sun’s core is full of hydrogen. But as it goes astronomy and all sciences in the world and the humungous farther out throughout itself hydrogen combines and converts Universe surrounding it, so it can give birth to a huge into helium. During this process, energy is released out into curiosity in anybody, like it did to me. the space around it. The Sun is about 8.3 light seconds or one AU (one Astronomical Unit) away from the Earth. Thenuka is a 4th grader at Amberly Elementary School in Portage. He is a Sunspots are something mysterious about our Sun and all the member of Kalamazoo Astronomical Society other stars in the Universe. Sunspots are dark spots on the and attends KAS programs regularly. He photosphere that interact with powerful magnetic pulses. witnessed the Transit of Venus with his This little “mixture” creates sunspots it is kind of weird a friends of the KAS on June 5, 2012 at bunch of really dark spots on the Sun with the extremely Warren Dunes State Park in Michigan.

Prime Focus Page 7 June 2013 JuneJune NightNight Sky...... Sky......

This star map is property of the This map represents the sky at the Kalamazoo Astronomical Society. NORTH following local times: However you may make as many  Late May 12 am copies as you wish free-of-charge, so long as it is for non-profit  Early June 11 pm educational purposes and full  Late June Dusk credit is given to the KAS.

www.kasonline.org EAST WEST

SOUTH

lusive Mercury will be well placed above the horizon - on June 12th. Mercury crescent Moon will be easier to spot EE in the evening sky during the first will be within 2° of Venus on June 18th about 9° to the left of Venus on June 10th. half of June. Look in the west-northwest and 19th. about 45 minutes after sunset. Mercury The largest Full Moon of 2013 takes will be to the upper left of brilliant Venus A very thin Waxing Crescent Moon (one place on the night of June 22nd - 23rd. Our until June 13th. It will be at greatest day past new) will be 7° below Venus on nearest celestial neighbor will have an elongation from the Sun (24°) - and June 9th. Use binoculars to scan the west- angular diameter of 34 arcminutes (about therefore reaching its greatest altitude northwest horizon just after sunset. The 4 arcminutes bigger than usual). KAS BOARD June 2013 Page 9 PRESIDENT

Richard S. Bell 373-8942

VICE PRESIDENT

Jack Price 343-3193 The KAS & Battle Creek Kiwanis Club will co- th host a public star party on June 29 . Gates TREASURER open at 8:00 pm. It’ll be held at the Kiwanis

Rich Mather Youth Conservation Area on 15th Avenue, 3.6 629-5312 miles north of Turkeyville in Calhoun County.

SECRETARY/ALCOR Admission is FREE.

Roger Williams For cancellation information, please call the 375-4867 Star Party hot line at (269) 223-9118 after 3:00

pm on June 29th for the latest information. MEMBERS-AT-LARGE

Joe Borrello 321-0410

Mike Cook 762-2241

Scott Macfarlane 679-2865 Jean De Mo’s Perpetual Plant Sale Don Stilwell returns for its final season on June 963-5856 th 15 from 9am ― 6pm. Indoor and E-MAIL a BOARD MEMBER outdoor plants are available for purchase. All proceeds go toward the Roboc Telescope Project.

Saturday, June 15th | 505 Stuart Avenue PublicPublic ObservingObserving SessionsSessions

Saturday, June 1st Features: Saturn & Globular Clusters

Saturday, June 15th Features: The Moon & Saturn

Gates Open: 9:00pm  Observing Begins: 10:00 pm

Kalamazoo Nature Center ◆ 7000 N. Westnedge Ave. General Meeting Preview Star-Hopping

the Summer Milky Way

presented by Richard Bell

Summer nights are short, but it’s the time of year when most stargazers venture out under the stars. Temperatures become tolerable and the majestic Milky Way dominates the sky! Few sights in nature can compare with the splendor of a dazzling star‐filled sky as seen from outside light polluted cities on a cool, clear summer night. Please join us as KAS President Richard Bell takes us on a colorfully illustrated celestial tour of the stars, constellations, and deep sky objects scattered along the disk of our home galaxy, the Milky Way. Learning to navigate the summer skies will be covered as well as the best targets for binoculars and telescopes. Maps will be provided.

Friday, June 7 @ 7:00 pm Kalamazoo Nature Center 7000 North Westnedge Ave. - Kalamazoo, MI 49009

Kalamazoo Astronomical Society c/o KAMSC STAMP 600 West Vine, Suite 400 Kalamazoo, MI 49008

© June 2013, Stargazer Productions