The High Desert Observer February 2018
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The High Desert Observer February 2018 The Astronomical Society of Las Cruces (ASLC) is dedicated to expanding public awareness and understanding of the wonders of the universe. ASLC holds frequent observing sessions and star parties and provides opportunities to work on Society and public educational projects. Members receive the High Desert Observer, our monthly newsletter, plus membership to the Astronomical League, including their quarterly publication, Reflector, in digital or paper format. Individual Dues are $30.00 per year Family Dues are $36.00 per year Student (full-time) Dues are $24.00 Table of Contents Annual dues are payable in January. Prorated dues are 2 What’s Up ASLC, by Howard Brewington available for new members. Dues are payable to ASLC with an application form or note to: Treasurer ASLC, PO Box 921, 3 Outreach Events, by Jerry McMahan Las Cruces, NM 88004. Contact our Treasurer, Patricia Conley 4 Calendar of Events, Announcements, by Charles Turner ([email protected]) for further information. 5 January Meeting Minutes, by John McCullough ASLC members receive electronic delivery of the 7 Back at the Telescope, by Berton Stevens HDO and are entitled to a $5.00 (per year) Sky and 11 Poem by J Kutney Telescope magazine discount. 12 Photos of the Month: J Kutney, R Richins,C. Brownewell and J Johnson, ASLC Board of Directors, 2018 February Meeting -- [email protected] Our next meeting will be on Friday, February 23, at the President: Howard Brewington; [email protected] Good Samaritan Society, Creative Arts Room at 7:00 p.m. Vice President: Rich Richins; [email protected] The speaker will be Steve Barkes and the topic will Treasurer: Patricia Conley; [email protected] be Using Arduinos in Astronomy, Part 2. Secretary: John McCullough; [email protected] Director-at-Large: Steve Barkes; [email protected] Director-at-Large: Ed Montes [email protected] Member Info Changes Past President: Chuck Sterling; [email protected] All members need to keep the Society informed of changes Committee Chairs to their basic information, such as name, address, phone number, or emai address. Please contact Treasurer@aslc- ALCor: Patricia Conley; [email protected] nm.org with any updates. Apparel: Howard Brewington; [email protected] Calendar: Chuck Sterling; [email protected] Education: Rich Richins; [email protected] Grants: Sidney Webb; [email protected] Events Loaner Telescope:Sidney Webb; [email protected] Membership: Open ASLC hosts deep-sky viewing and imaging at our dark sky location Observatories: in Upham. We also have public in-town observing sessions Leasburg Dam: David Doctor; [email protected] at both the International Delights Cafe (1245 El Paseo) and at Tombaugh: Steve Shaffer, [email protected] Tombaugh Observatory (on the NMSU Campus). All sessions Outreach: Chuck Sterling; [email protected] begin at dusk. Web-Site: Steve Barkes; [email protected] At our Leasburg Dam State Park Observatory, we hold monthly HDO Editor: Charles Turner; [email protected] star parties. Located just 20 miles north of Las Cruces, our 16” Meade telescope is used to observe under rather dark skies. Masthead Image: February 10, 2017 From Las Cruces, Please see Calendar of Events for specific dates and times. Moon rising over the Organ Mts in Penumbral Eclipse. ASLC - High Desert Observer, February 2018 What’s Up ASLC? February 2018 Although I grew up in South Carolina, I moved to New Mexico in the fall of 1990 because the southwest offered many more clear nights to enjoy amateur astronomy. After arriving, my previous wife and I rented a house in Cloudcroft for a few months but soon bought a small home on a 7300- foot ridge just west of Mayhill. At that time, we owned the only house in that part of the Mount Joy Subdivision. In our front yard, I built a two- story observatory, which was used for my passion of comet hunting each clear and moonless night. Then in 1997, I was hired as the director of the Tombaugh Planetarium & IMAX Theater in Alamogordo. So, we rented our Mayhill home and bought another house closer to town. By that time, though, other amateur astronomers had begun buying property near our old home in Mount Joy. Leon Rice, for example, purchased more than twenty acres just across the dirt road from my observatory. His intention was to operate an astronomy-type bed and breakfast, but his property soon became known as New Mexico Skies. Leon then rented observatory space to amateurs worldwide, and they operated their telescopes and cameras remotely over the Internet. Such progress far exceeded my meager efforts of manually sweeping the night sky with homemade telescopes. Nevertheless, my comet hunting years in New Mexico will always be a treasured part of my life. Another pleasure of living in southern New Mexico is the proximity to Fort Davis and the Texas Star Party. When I lived in South Carolina, I often made the 1000-mile trek to the Stellafane Astronomy Convention in Springfield, Vermont. That star party was only a weekend event, but the drive time added four days to the adventure. TSP, however, is a week-long event with a drive time of only four hours from Cruces. So, I look forward to it each year. In fact, I just paid my registration fee for 2018, and I have an RV site reserved for my motorhome. Unfortunately, I may be the only ASLC member present at TSP this year since the Cosmic Campground and Rusty’s RV Park have become more attractive locations to the astro-imagers in our club. Yet, I’ve been going to TSP since 1991; and for me, it’s a tradition. If you’re interested in the upcoming star party, visit their web site at https://texasstarparty.org/ to make arrangements. The deadline for preregistration is 10 April. I hope to see you there! Howard Brewington ASLC President February 2018 * * * 2 ASLC - High Desert Observer, February 2018 Outreach Outreach is a very important part of ASLC. We are always looking for more volunteers to help us educate the public. Even if you do not have a portable telescope to bring to the events, please consider attending our public outreach programs to help answer questions, share knowledge and point out objects in the sky. Outreach Events 2018 January Report by Jerry McMahan Leasburg, Saturday, January 6, 2018 We had a bad start to 2018. We were clouded out again. Chuck Sterling, Bob Armstrong, Sid Webb and Rich Richins made the attempt. I even had the ETX go to the first alignment star, Capella. I nearly had it when it disappeared behind a cloud, never to reappear. Chuck set up the refractor and Rich assembled his 16 inch Dobsonian. The others were in the observatory. Total observations, zero. Tombaugh Elementary School, Thursday, January 18 It was an evening of club member returns. Tracy Stuart was back for outreach after a brief time out. Ed Montes was out of Africa and brought an out of town visitor. Nils Allen made an appearance with his home made 15 inch Dobsonian after dropping out of the club for a while. I heard, but didn’t see, Sid Webb. It was dark out there! Chuck Sterling and myself, along with members of the University Astronomy also attended, as did Howard Brewington. I may have missed someone if they came after dark. If so, I apologize. Howard applied a mild form of extortion to Nils to re-join the club. It scared me into getting out my check book and paying my dues for this year. As usual, we had a very large turn out at this school. It was a cold, but very successful event. Columbia Elementary School, Thursday, January 25 The event started at 5:30 so it was still daylight. This meant that all 6 telescopes were pointed at the Moon until it got dark enough to see anything else. Chuck was finally able to get the Pleiades’s. Rich Richins had his 16 inch on the Orion Nebula. Tracy Stuart targeted Betelgeuse. I stayed on the Moon. Sid Webb was also aimed at something. Sorry, I forgot what he was on. Howard Brewington manned his 8 inch Dobsonian. It was was a very busy evening. This was the largest crowd we have had at this school. This made it a very good night even with the late start. I also avoided the car eating sand box, so it was a good night for me as well. Tombaugh Observatory, Friday, January 26 The open house happened, but we did not participate. Steve Shaffer was not feeling well so it was a rare time that he missed the event. I opted out since I was not sure I could handle it alone. It turned out that Chuck Sterling was going to help, but we wound up going to the club meeting which was on the same night. Moongaze, Saturday, January 27 We had a very good turn out of club members. Present were Chuck Sterling, Howard Brewington, Ed Montes, Steve Wood, Jerry McMahan and Mike Kop attended. Steve had higher magnification view of the Moon than the scopes. He also let observers use the arrow buttons to move around to different parts of the Moon. ASLC - High Desert Observer, February 2018 3 * * * Calendar of Events (Mountain Time - 24 hr. clock) Feb 01 17:41 Sun Sets 07 08:54 Last Quarter Moon 10 17:45 OUTREACH; Dark Sky Observing at Leesburg Dam State Park 15 14:06 New Moon 15 17:30 Desert Hills Elementary School Star Party 23 01:09 First Quarter Moon 23 19:00 ASLC Monthly Meeting; Good Samaritan Society, Activities Meeting Room 23 20:00 OUTREACH; Tombaugh Observatory open at NMSU 24 18:00 OUTREACH; MoonGaze, International Delights Café Mar 01 18:05 Sun Sets 01 17:52 Full Moon 01 18:00 OUTREACH; Sunrise Elementary School Star Party, 6:00 - 7:30 pm 09 04;20 Last Quarter Moon 10 18:00 OUTREACH; Dark Sky Observing at Leesburg Dam State Park 1 1 02:00 Daylight Saving Time begins 16 21:00 OUTREACH; Tombaugh Observatory open at NMSU; 9 -10 pm 17 07:12 New Moon 20 09:15 Spring Begins: Spring Equinox 23 19:00 ASLC Monthly Meeting; Good Samaritan Society, Activities Meeting Room 24 09:35 First Quarter Moon 24 18:30 OUTREACH; MoonGaze, International Delights Café 31 06:36 Full Moon, the second one this month! Be sure to visit our web site for ASLC information: www.aslc-nm.org * * * Announcements 1.