The Observer of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers

THE OBSERVER OF THE TWIN CITY AMATEUR ASTRONOMERS

Volume 43, Number 1 January 2018

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

1«Editor’s Choice: Image of the Month – NGC 7380 2«President’s Note 3«Calendar of Celestial Events – January 2018 3«New & Renewing Members/Dues Blues/E-Mail List 4«This Month’s Phases of the Moon 4«Local Sunrise and Sunset Times for January 2018 4«Total Lunar Eclipse January 31st 5«“Last” Planetarium Show 5«Astronomy Party a Great Success 6«AstroBits – News from Around the TCAA 7«Nominations for TCAA Awards Sought 7«Observing Report from Tim Stone 8«TCAA Photo Gallery 12«NCRAL 2018 Registration Opens « 13 NCRAL 2018 Registration Form 14«Ocular Astronomy: What to Watch For… 15«Venus in the Western Evening Twilight During 2018 EDITOR’S CHOICE: IMAGE OF THE MONTH – NGC 7380

16«Nomination for TCAA Board of Directors, etc. This month’s image, NGC 7380, the Wizard Nebula, was taken 16«Duties of TCAA Board Members, Officers, Chairs by Jim Gibbs. Jim remarked, “This is a bright and irregular open 18«TCAA on Facebook and Twitter cluster with an emission and some reflection nebulae (dust) 19«Public Viewing Sessions for 2018 surrounding it; the interplay of stars, gas, and dust has created a 19«Sidewalk Astronomy for 2018 shape that appears to some like a fictional medieval sorcerer, hence 20«Make Plans Now to Attend TCAA Annual Meeting the name. 20«Education & Public Outreach for December 2017 “It is located in the constellation of Cepheus (The King). The star 20«HowTimeFlies cluster is 7,200 light years distant from Earth with a magnitude of 21«TCAA Treasurer’s Report as of December 30, 2017 7.2. The cluster contains 45 fainter stars with some obscured by the 21«Renewing Your TCAA Membership nebula. The nebular portions of this object are 1,800 light years away – much closer than the open cluster. The active star forming region spans about 100 light years, making it appear larger than the angular extent of the Moon. “It is extremely difficult to observe visually, requiring very dark skies and an O-III filter. It was discovered by Caroline Herschel in 1787. William Herschel included his sister's discovery in his catalog, and labelled it H VIII.77. It is also known as 142 in the 1959 Sharpless catalog (Sh2-142). Although the nebula may last only a few million years, some of the stars might outlive our Sun. “This object was acquired in St. Joseph, IL on 9/15/2017. It is a narrowband composite of Ha and OIII of 10 frames of 300 seconds

each. The hardware used was an Astro-Tech RC 8” on an Atlas The TCAA is an affiliate of the Astronomical League. For Mount using a QHY9 CCD. Software used was CCDStack and more information about the TCAA, be certain to visit our ImagePlus for pre-processing and Photoshop for post-processing.” club website.

Vol. 43, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2018

PRESIDENT’S NOTE The OBSERVER It’s hard to believe is the monthly electronic newsletter of Twin 2017 is in the past, and City Amateur Astronomers, Inc., a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit educational we’re looking at a organization of amateur astronomers brand-new year: 2018! interested in studying astronomy and We’ve accomplished sharing their hobby with the public. much in the past year. Many of us were able to TCAA OFFICERS & CHAIRPERSONS observe the total solar President & Director/Property Manager eclipse, for some of us Tim Stone 309-531-2401 the first time. We [email protected] constructed a new Vice President & Director/Publicist observatory, completed Darren Erickson 309-336-0103 [email protected] observing programs, finished another season Treasurer & Director/Registered Agent of Public Viewing Dave Osenga 309-287-0789 [email protected] Sessions, and witnessed some firsts in our Secretary & Director/Historian/Editor Carl J. Wenning 309-830-4085 science. [email protected] We read the headlines as the announcement of the first simultaneous multi- Director & Observing Programs Coordinator spectral observations of a gravity wave event. It’s not an overstatement to say the Jim Gibbs 847-809-2232 profound historical nature of these observations are similar to the announcement [email protected] Hubble made in 1924 that the Andromeda Galaxy is too far away to be part of our Astronomical League Correspondent own. We truly live in historic times, and we have been privileged to be alive in Robert Finnigan 309-846-9533 2017. [email protected]

Webmaster Diann and I very much enjoyed hosting the TCAA for a Christmas party this Lee Green 309-454-7349 year. We had 25 members in attendance, and everyone brought some great food. If [email protected] a party is to be judged by how long people linger, then this one was quite

Lighting Education Coordinator successful. The party started at 6:30pm and the last guest left around 10:00PM! Lisa Wentzel unlisted Diann and I both remarked to each other how much we enjoyed the party, so thank number you to all who came. Let’s do it again next year. [email protected]

Membership Coordinator In 2018, we will finish outfitting our new observatory, install a new 24” f/11 Tom Willmitch 309-846-2423 photographic instrument there, and conduct our regular staple of Public Viewing [email protected] Sessions. The schedule is in this newsletter and on tcaa.us. The first one is just

Technology Coordinator around the corner, less than three months away! I hope you can make it to all of Justin Meyer 630-649-0611 them this year. They really are great, and a wonderful opportunity to spend time [email protected] with club members and the public alike.

rd The OBSERVER Our annual banquet and meeting is coming up February 3 . Like last year, the Carl J. Wenning, Editor in Chief food will be great (we’re using the same caterer again this year), we’ll elect the

Submission deadline end of each month. incoming Board, have our annual business meeting, have a drawing for a few very nice door prizes, and hear from at least one speaker. I really hope everyone in the MEMBERSHIP DUES club can come.

Individual Adult/Family $40 With the bitter cold weather closing in, it’s time to take our breather as we get Full-time Student/Senior $25 ready for the astronomically busy warmer months. So, stay safe and warm, and I (Senior status equals ages 60+) hope to see you at the banquet in February.

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

Vol. 43, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2018

ALENDAR OF ELESTIAL VENTS ANUARY EW ENEWING EMBERS C C E – J 2018 N & R M

The following individuals have paid dues for new or MORNING PLANETS (1/15): Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, & Saturn renewed memberships as of December 31, 2017. (Others EVENING PLANETS (1/15): Venus, Uranus, & Neptune who paid after that date will appear in the February 2018 issue of The OBSERVER.) 01 Full Moon – The Moon will rise at sunset and set at

sunrise. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the as the Full Wolf Moon because Dave Peters this was the time of year when hungry wolf packs howled outside their camps. This moon has also been known as the Old Moon and the Moon After Yule. This is also the first of two supermoons for 2018. The Moon will be at its DUES BLUES closest approach to the Earth and may look slightly larger and brighter than usual. If you have received a “your dues are due” statement along with the email that brought you this issue of The 02 Perihelion – Earth is closest to the Sun at 11:34PM CST OBSERVER, please remit your dues to Mr. Dave Osenga, with a distance of 91,401,983 miles. We will be farthest TCAA Treasurer, 1109 N. Linden St., Normal, IL 61761- from the sun in 2018 on July 6 at 94,507,803 miles. 1471. Dues are currently $25 for seniors (60 years of age

03-04 Quadrantids Meteor Shower – The Quadrantids is an and over) and $40 regular. above average shower, with up to 40 meteors per hour at its peak. It is thought to be produced by dust grains SUBSCRIBING TO OUR E-MAIL LIST left behind by an extinct comet known as 2003 EH1, By subscribing to a group’s mailing list, you will receive which was discovered in 2003. The shower runs annually rd email messages from the group so you won’t have access from January 1-5. It peaks this year on the night of the 3 th to the group’s web features (like photos, files, links, polls, and morning of the 4 . Unfortunately, the nearly full calendar, etc.) unless members activate it later. The club moon will block out all but the brightest meteors. has an open email listserv. It is known as the TCAA 08 Last Quarter Moon – The waning, half-lit moon rises Yahoogroups listserv. It will be used to share around midnight and sets around midday. announcements and reminders about astronomical and club events. To join this main listserv, you must do the 16 New Moon – Sets at sunset and rises at sunrise. following: 24 First Quarter Moon – The waxing, half-lit moon rises around midday and sets around midnight. 1. Subscribe: Send a blank email to TCAA- [email protected] Note: You’ll be sent a 31 Blue Moon & Total Lunar Eclipse – The Moon is full for confirmation email from the group. Reply to the the second time this month as seen from the Central confirmation email to activate your subscription. Time Zone. This is a rare phenomenon occurring only 2. Unsubscribe: [email protected] once about every 2.7 years. It gives rise to the saying, 3. To post a message: [email protected] “Once in a blue moon.” This is also the second of two

supermoons for 2018. A total lunar eclipse will also occur, and will be visible locally around the time of moonset. See the article further on in this issue of The OBSERVER.

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. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2018

HIS ONTH S HASES OF THE OON T M ’ P M

Full Moon Last Quarter New Moon First Quarter Monday, January 1 & Monday, January 8 Tuesday, January 16 Wednesday, January 24 Wednesday, January 31

All moon phase dates are Central Time. Additional moon phases for the 2018 calendar year (Central Time) can be found by clicking here. Note that the second full moon of January constitutes a “Blue Moon.” Images provided by J. K. Howell of the Champaign-Urbana Astronomical Society & used with permission.

LOCAL SUNRISE AND SUNSET TIMES FOR JANUARY 2018

Starting with this issue of The OBSERVER, your editor is providing you with more detailed information about the times of sunrise and sunset, and the associated phenomena. In addition to sunrise, sunset, and twilight times, we now have information about day length, change in length of day from the day previous, the time of solar noon, distance from the sun, rising and setting azimuths of the sun, and elevation of the midday sun. Information comes from the link below the table.

2018 Sunrise/Sunset Day Length Astronomical Twilight Nautical Twilight Solar Noon

Jan Sunrise Sunset Length Difference Start End Start End Time Mil. mi

1 7:19 am (120°) 4:40 pm (240°) 9:20:49 +0:41 5:41 am 6:18 pm 6:14 am 5:44 pm 11:59 am (26.6°) 91.403

11 7:18 am (118°) 4:49 pm (242°) 9:31:07 +1:17 5:41 am 6:26 pm 6:14 am 5:53 pm 12:03 pm (27.8°) 91.422

21 7:14 am (116°) 5:00 pm (244°) 9:46:48 +1:46 5:38 am 6:36 pm 6:11 am 6:03 pm 12:07 pm (29.8°) 91.484

HTTPS://WWW.TIMEANDDATE.COM/SUN/USA/BLOOMINGTON?MONTH=1&YEAR=2018

ST TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE JANUARY 31

A total lunar eclipse will be visible during the pre-dawn hours of Wednesday, January 31st. Because the phenomenon occurs when the moon is close to setting, only the first half of the eclipse will be visible locally. The moon will set during totality. The dark umbral phase of the eclipse will begin at about 5:48AM with the moon located some 13o above the western horizon. As the moon sinks lower in the sky and continues moving eastward among the background stars of Cancer, Earth’s umbra will appear to move westward (down and to the right) across the face of the moon. Totality will begin at about 6:52AM, but this is during bright twilight when it is unlikely that the eclipsed moon will be visible at all. The accompanying drawing shows the outlines of Earth’s darker umbral (inner) and lighter penumbral (outer) shadows. The yellow line is the ecliptic. The penumbral phase of the eclipse is barely perceptible to most observers. This month’s moon is also the second full moon of January making it a “blue moon” and close to perigee making it a “supermoon” as well.

Vol. 43, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2018

“LAST” PLANETARIUM SHOW

ISU Planetarium Director Tom Willmitch hosted the “last” planetarium show for the TCAA on December 16th. As Tom noted, “The Twin City Amateur Astronomers were the Illinois State University Planetarium’s first guests in October 1964. Now, fifty-three years later, the ISU Planetarium will close its doors for several months to undergoes a major remodeling costing some $265,000. Only the Spitz star-projector and Freefall Technologies full-dome video system will remain. Otherwise, the Planetarium will be stripped to the walls. Coming full circle, the ISU Planetarium offered a special members-only program for the TCAA – one of the last presentations under the dome before renovations begin. This event also marked the premiere of Phantom of the Universe, with the hour-long showing. Narrated by Academy Award-winning actor Tilda Swinton, Phantom of the Universe probes the mystery of dark matter. From the journey of protons racing through the world’s largest particle collider in Europe to up-close views of the Big Bang and emergent universe, and the nearly mile-deep descent to an underground experiment in South Dakota, Phantom of the Universe immersed its audience in the search for dark matter. One of the TCAAer attending this event was Dave Peters. Dave remarked, “Saturday’s planetarium show was enjoyed by all who Image Credit: The Pantagraph attended. I would estimate that about 15-20 were in attendance. The main presentation was about dark matter, an invisible element in the Universe. It answered the question why after galaxies formed they remained together after the Big Bang, rather than the stars, gas and planets just drifting away. The famous Large Hadron Collider at CERN located in Switzerland was highlighted. Tom also did a final show of that evening’s constellations. There was also to be a final show that evening before closing for the renovation. If interested in more on dark matter, I recommend a book I have read by Lisa Randall called Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs.)”

ASTRONOMY PARTY A GREAT SUCCESS

Twenty-five members and guests attended the TCAA annual holiday party at the beautifully decorated residence of Tim and Diann Stone on Tuesday, December 19th. Members quickly filled that house for the 6:30PM potluck buffet. A huge variety of fare was provided. Many lively conversations were held over the course of the next two hours. In attendance were the following: David Hughes; Bob & Cheryl Finnigan; Carl Wenning; Ika Mustika Sari (visiting from Indonesia); Lisa, Sally, and Dick Wentzel; Diann & Tim Stone; Dave Peters; Sharon MacDonald; Tom & Carolyn Weiland; Tony Cellini; Justin Meyer; David Meyer; Dave & Donna Osenga; Jim & Barbara Gibbs; Tom & Pam Willmitch, and Rick & Carolyn Lasher. A couple of pictures from that event are shown below. Thanks to Tim & Diann for hosting this wonderful event.

Vol. 43, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2018

ASTROBITS – NEWS FROM AROUND THE TCAA

ó Bob Finnigan spoke with Dave Tandy in Florida on December 5th and was told that the TCAA’s new 24” blank “is coming out of the oven today and will be back to grinding this week.” Such large mirrors ground to our specification (f/11) are not common “off the shelf” items and must be made from scratch following initial payment. ó The ad hoc committee addressing the question about how to proceed with reconfiguration of the TCAA observatories at SGNC met over breakfast on Saturday, December 9th. In attendance were Tim Stone, Bob Finnigan, Tom Willmitch, and Carl Wenning. After considerable discussion, a decision was made to recommend the following to the Board at its next meeting: Keep the 17” in its current position on the south pier of PSO. Move the 12” and its AstroPhysics mount out of SGO and to the north mount of PSO. If necessary in the future, the 17” and 12” might be switched in position. Carl has agreed to donate his CPC 11” to the TCAA for use under the SGO dome. Carl further agreed to pay for the necessary costs of these switches. ó TCAA’s newsletter Editor, Carl Wenning, was mentioned in the December 2017 issue of the Astronomical League’s newsletter Reflector. Carl was recognized as the first-place winner of the 2017 Mabel Sterns Newsletter Award in an article on page 24. His image appeared on page 25. Carl will receive an honorific plaque from the Astronomical League at the TCAA’s 2018 Annual Meeting in February. ó Lisa Wentzel has recently completed and additional four Astronomical League observing programs. She will be showered with AL certificates and pins at the club’s 2018 Annual Meeting as well. You’ll not want to miss this event. Make plans now to attend. ó In a recent note from Jill at SGNC, “The three stars across the belt of Orion are a waist of space!” Jill further admitted, “I stole it from the interwebs.” Thanks, Jill, for this interesting and memorable saying. J ó On December 14th, the TCAA received 2,000 full-color complimentary 2018 Family Friendly Public Viewing Sessions brochures compliments of Bloomington Offset Press, Inc.’s Print4Good campaign. Earlier this year, bopi President and CEO Tom Mercier noted, “The campaign has grown over the last two years and now, more than ever, we want to help multiple agencies by printing their marketing piece for free.” Achieving speeds up to 18,000 sheets per hour and with the ability to simultaneously run several projects together, bopi finished over 80 submissions this year. During the previous two years, bopi printed marketing pieces for over 80 non-profits, saving them a total of over $50,000. Volunteers will soon be needed to distribute the 2018 PVS brochures. If you can assist with this effort on a future trip around town, please pick up a bundle from Carl Wenning starting Febraury 1st. By the way, Carl did write a nice thank you note on behalf of the TCAA membership on December 18th. ó The 2018 RASC Observer’s Handbook has arrived. If you have not already picked up your copy from Carl Wenning, please do so as soon as possible. Please note that Jim Gibbs obtained these at a group discount on behalf of those who ordered them. Carl has agreed to distribute them to the members who have ordered them. Those who did so are reminded that the cost is $20 per copy. Please arrange your pick up and payment with Carl by emailing him at [email protected] as soon as reasonably possible. Please make any check payable to Jim Gibbs. Cash is also acceptable. ó The Winter 2018 issue of Northern Lights – the NCRAL newsletter edited by Jim Gibbs and written mostly by Carl Wenning – is now available. You should be able to download it from the NCRAL website shortly: https://ncral.wordpress.com/newsletter-archive/ ó On December 27th, Dave Tandy wrote, “The anneal on the 24” blank turned out perfectly. The mirror is currently being ground and Terry will start on it as soon as he completes a 20” set.”

Vol. 43, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2018

NOMINATIONS FOR TCAA AWARDS SOUGHT

CLUB AWARDS: Each year at the club’s Annual Meeting and Banquet, Board members are elected, bylaws amendments voted upon, annual reports are given, and members are recognized for their service to the club and field of amateur astronomy. This year will be no different. The Board of Directors is calling for award nominations in three categories.

Nominations are now being accepted for the John and 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 now being accepted for the Eugene and 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. Nominations are now being accepted for Lifelong Honorary Membership. This designation is reserved for those TCAA members show have provided exceptional meritorious services to the club in terms of contributions of time and resources. This signal honor has been conferred only five times in the 58-year history of the TCAA.

During the past several years, the following individuals have been recognized. (Please note that no awards were conferred in 2013 and 2014.)

Award 2011 2012 2015 2016 2017 Kieviet Founders William Carney Lee Green Tom Weiland Tim Stone Not awarded Miller Family Not awarded Not awarded M. & W. Heiniger M. & D. Boulware P. & S. Kates Lifelong Honorary Robert Finnigan Not awarded Not awarded Not awarded Not awarded

Nominations are now being accepted for G. Weldon Schuette Society of Outstanding Amateur Astronomers. Returning in 2017 one the 100th anniversary of the birth of Weldon Schuette, 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. This award was named for an extremely active member of the club who served in every elected office from 1962 until he passed away quite unexpectedly in 1986. Members of this society include the following:

« Bertha Kieviet (1987) « Donald Johnson (1990) « Lenore Trainor (1997) « Michael Rogers (2009) « Carl J. Wenning (1988) « James Moncher (1991) « William Carney (2005) « Lee Green (2010) « Sharon MacDonald (1989) « Sandy McNamara (1994) « Daniel Miller (2008) « Tony Cellini (2011) « Tim Stone (2017) Please e-mail your award nomination(s) to Secretary Carl Wenning at [email protected]. When recommending (a) candidate(s), 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 9th Board meeting, so be certain to get your nominations in at least a day before.

OBSERVING REPORT FROM TIM STONE

“Tonight [Wednesday, December 20], after the clouds finally cleared out, I was treated to a remarkably transparent sky at Waynesville Observatory. Using my NGT 12.5” [telescope] operating at 26x, I was able to observe the bright nebulosity around S Monocerotis, which is part of the Cone Nebula complex. I also observed Hubble’s Variable Nebula and open cluster Trumpler 5, along with the regular lovely sights of Orion. “With my naked eye, I could easily see the stars of Puppis and Columba, and with my binoculars, I spotted Regor (Gamma Velorum) shining at magnitude +1.75 just one degree above the horizon. With temperatures at freezing, and winds between 14 and 20 miles per hour, it was definitely cold (wind chill of 15 degrees), but it was well worth it to see these sights! “About 2:00 am last night, we had tracking error on the 10” of .2-.3”. Tracking error correlates to seeing, so I’d estimate we had sub-arc-second seeing at that time.” (See image next page.)

Vol. 43, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2018

TCAA PHOTO GALLERY

The Moon, by Jamey Jenkins. Jamey writes, “Thought I’d share M51 with Background Quasar, by Tim Stone. Tim writes in a one of several pics I captured from last evening of the full moon recent post on Facebook, “Thanks to Giuseppe Jossie (December 2nd). The specs for any astronomy buff are as Donatiello for pointing out this quasar in the background of follows: William Optics 102mm, f/7 refractor — DMK41 video M51. This is my image which shows this object clearly. It is camera, a four-image (40% of 500 frames) composite through a 11.7 billion light years away. That’s right, Billion with a B. Our Wratten 11 (yellow-green) filter. This image’s details are limited sun, with all its planets, is 1/3 that age. Hash marks near the by the low-resolution nature of the PDF creation process. High- top of this crop mark the location of this quasar. It is receding resolution views of this and other images can be viewed on from us at a rate of over 586 million miles per hour, some 87% Jamey’s website at the following URL: of the speed of light. https://www.flickr.com/photos/jameyjenkins/

Vol. 43, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2018

th LUNAR X AND LUNAR V, BY JAMEY JENKINS. On November 26 , Jamey captured the famous Lunar letters, X and V. Look below each letter in the image above to see these structures in the lunar landscape. Details on https://www.flickr.com/photos/jameyjenkins/

SURVEY IMAGES OF M44 AND M67, BY TIM STONE. Tim writes, “These are a couple of what I call ‘survey’ images, a single set of 10- minute RGB frames just to see if there’s anything there that would make me want to spend more time on the object. M44 is gorgeous, and has a couple of very nice background galaxies, as does M67.”

Vol. 43, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2018

THE CHRISTMAS TREE, BY TIM STONE. Tim remarks, “I’ve often thought that astronomers must have vivid imaginations, and too much time to exercise them, because of the names they eventually give to some of the things they see in the sky. This is one of those objects. Named “The Christmas Tree,” it only vaguely resembles such a thing, unless you strongly associate conic structures with Christmas. But hey, it’s Christmas and I want to send everyone my astronomical Christmas card, so here it is, along with some distinctly non-holiday discussion of what you’re seeing. “Astronomical imaging, at least at the amateur level, is typically done using one of two sets of filters: Red/Green/Blue (RGB), or Hydrogen/Oxygen/Sulfur (HOS). RGB filter sets produce an image that shows things pretty much in their natural colors, which in the case of nebulae, is mostly red. “HOS, on the other hand, filters to the specific wavelength of the light most typically emitted by those particular elements. HOS, also called “narrowband,” imaging shows the relative abundances of these elements in the nebulosity. The choice of these three elements introduces an imaging problem: both hydrogen and sulfur emit red light. To make a color image, though, you have to have red, green, and blue channels. Hydrogen can get red, oxygen blue, but that leaves green for sulfur, which is decidedly not green. We astrophotographers have to settle for a not-true-color palette for our HOS images. My personal preference is to map hydrogen to yellow, oxygen to cyan, and sulfur to red. “So, what’s the difference? Why would anyone do HOS imaging? The advantage is apparent in these two images of The Christmas Tree nebula. One is RGB and the other is HOS. I love them both, and together they tell a complete story. “HOS imaging de-emphasizes stars, so you get a much better look at the complex textures and structure of the nebulosity. But because we’re not dealing with true colors, the stars come out with very odd hues, which can be terribly distracting. I use software to basically turn the stars white, so as to resemble stars you might expect to see. “On the other hand, RGB images are cluttered with stars, a feature I find attractive, but which trades the view of the nebula for the view of the stars. In the RGB image, we can see stars much closer to their natural colors, and we can see there are two clusters in the image, which are basically missing from the HOS version. “So, for Christmas, you get two cards from me this year, one of a red Christmas Tree, and another with a yellow one. Neither of them are green, because there’s just not much chlorophyll out there in the universe, and chlorophyll is just about the only thing in the universe that’s green. Sooo..., if you’ve read all the way through this tome, you’ll know that I wish you and yours a fabulous Christmas and an even better 2018!”

Vol. 43, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2018

A TALE OF FIVE GALACTIC CLUSTERS, BY TIM STONE. Two of these clusters, M46 and M47, are among the best of winter’s jewels. M46, to the left, is an old, distant, and massive cluster which has managed to hold itself together long enough to develop a planetary nebula, NGC 2538. This type of nebula is the final phase before a star burns out and becomes a white dwarf. It takes a long time for this to happen, and it’s remarkable that the cluster is still recognizable. M47, to the right, is much younger as evidenced by its brilliant blue giant stars. These stars have very short lives, ending not with a planetary nebula puff, but rather with a stupendous supernova explosion. In a few million years, this scene will change drastically, as these stars go off like a string of firecrackers. Finally, three highly-evolved clusters grace the scene: NGC 2423, and 2425, and Ruprecht 26. These clusters barely stand out from the star field. They are nearing the point where they have ben assimilated into the general galactic stellar population. In particular, Rup26 was identified as a cluster, not because it stands out from the star field, but because the stars in that vicinity show similarities in age and color that are not shared by the nearby star field. Our sky is doubtless crowded with clusters that can only be identified by statistical analysis, rather than looking for obvious concentrations of stars.

ORION FIELD, BY TIM STONE. This [image] was taken with a 10mm lens on my T6i, stationary mounted with a 30-second exposure. The image stretches from Canis Major, about 20 degrees above the horizon, to Auriga, about 10 degrees from the zenith. As you can see, the sky is quite dark. Even the winter Milky Way is clearly visible. Granted, the night was remarkably transparent, but even so, at our SGNC site this image would have been badly affected by the light pollution from Bloomington. I hope to do some tracked imaging this winter if we get similarly dark and clear nights, to see what we can do with nightscape photography.

Editor’s Note: This image was cropped from the original for spacing consideration. In addition, contrast is lost at this small scale. The Milky Way is visible in a full-screen view of the original file, but the compression of the PDF used to distribute the newsletter makes it all but invisible. If you would like to see the original, please contact Tim Stone.

Vol. 43, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2018

NCRAL 2018 REGISTRATION OPENS

Registration of NCRAL 2018 is open! Make plans now to attend this annual NCRAL event when it is held May 4th and 5th in Sturgeon Bay, WI. Our hosts this year will be the Door Peninsula Astronomical Society (DPAS). The theme of the convention will be Dark Skies for Bright Stars. Following this theme, speakers have been scheduled, the venue set, and a very interesting NCRAL 2018 is expected. Registration opened January 1, 2018. Located in Door County Wisconsin, which offers dark sky and beautiful natural surroundings, DPAS will host the meeting at the Lodge at Leathem Smith in Sturgeon Bay, WI. DPAS will be celebrating the recent designation of nearby Newport State Park as an International Dark Sky Site, the first in Wisconsin and only the 13th in the entire United States. Anyone wishing to visit the site can bring viewing equipment or visit this beautiful park the day before or after the meeting. On Friday evening members of DPAS will open their observatory and Astronomy Center for viewing and tours of the facilities. During the day on Saturday they will have an astronomy photo contest and astronomy-related poetry contest. Bring any number of your own photos printed any size and original poems for voting by all participants. A block of rooms with special rates has been set aside. Contact information is on the registration form (included later in this newsletter). Payment for the meeting registration can be made now by check to DPAS or through PayPal on the DPAS website at https://www.doorastronomy.org/ncral-2018. Questions can be directed to [email protected]. The list of invited speakers follows:

Kevin Poe is the Green Energy Project Manager at the National Park Service at Bryce Canyon, Utah. He is a second-generation Park Ranger and owner of Dark Ranger Telescope Tours. Kevin calls himself the Dark Ranger to make environmental advocacy cool and heroic, and describes himself as a Planet Hugger. Teaching awareness of light pollution and understanding of the universe to people of all ages through lectures and stories is his goal.

Kate Meredith is the Education Director at the University of Chicago Yerkes Observatory in Williams Bay, WI. She is currently working on a program for students with low vision and blindness to develop image processing software. The three-year project, Innovators Developing Accessible Tools for Astronomy is funded by the National Science Foundation. She will explore what else we can do with invisible data that will allow everyone access to the same quality and quantity of information.

Audrey Fischer works through her organization, One Star at a Time, to create star parks in Chicago and around the world. Star parks are designated areas there the lights are off or directed downward. As a Chicago native, she knows that it isn’t a perfect place for stargazing, but she is working to return stars back into all cities. Audrey stated during an interview for the Chicago Tribune “Starlight belongs to each and every person in the world. A starry night gives people a reason to look up and to realize that others from around the globe share the same sky. Starlight is the path to closer understanding of our universe, each other and ourselves – and maybe it’s even a path toward peace”.

Beth Bartoli is the Naturalist at Newport State Park in Door County, our recently designated Dark Sky Site. The designation was awarded after years of work by her, the staff of the park and our Door Peninsula Astronomical Society. She helps conduct astronomy programs at the park and states “We never tire of seeing that ‘aha’ moment on the upturned faces of our visitors as they gaze toward the heavens”. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Newport State Park are committed to protect our dark sky through lighting projects, community education and outreach.

Tyler Linder is a professional astronomer supported by NASA’s Near-Earth Object Observations (NEOO) research grants to track and study the Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) population. His presentation will focus on the information that can be obtained by asteroid characterization, both through light curve analysis as well as visible and near-infrared spectroscopy. The collaboration between amateur and professional astronomers uses middle and high school students as well as undergraduate students.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Members of DPAS have cordially invited us to join them for an informative and relaxing weekend with fellow amateur astronomers. If you plan to attend this event, it would not be too early to register now. Please note that the registration cost rises from $165 to $185 per person on March 31st. While this might seem a bit high for an NCRAL registration fee, please note that it includes admittance to all talks and activities, Friday evening “heavy” hors d’oeuvres, and Saturday lunch and banquet dinner. The great thing about this meeting is that all events and housing are at the same location; ergo, no driving will be required after you arrive on site but for fieldtrips to nighttime observing locations. To save money on travel (and increase the fun), consider carpooling with some of the other TCAA members. Several TCAA members will be going, and NCRAL Chair Carl Wenning has agreed to coordinate attendance of our membership. If you want to join Carl and others, email him at [email protected].

Vol. 43, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2018

NORTH CENTRAL REGION OF THE ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE

ANNUAL CONVENTION Hosted by Door Peninsula Astronomical Society MAY 4-5, 2018 at The Lodge at Leathem-Smith REGISTRATION FORM https://www.doorastronomy.org/

Please complete and return the following form for each convention attendee

Last Name ______First ______

Club/Society Affiliation ______

Street Address ______

City ______State ______Zip ______

Phone ______E-Mail ______

Included in Registration: Admittance to all talks and activities Friday evening heavy Hors d’Oeuvres Saturday lunch and banquet dinner

Registered by March 31, 2018 ………………………………………………………………………………… $165 Registered after March 31, 2018 ……………………………………………………….……………………. $185 $______

Friday night Heavy Hors d’Oeuvres, Saturday Lunch and the Banquet included for attendees. Additional meals for non-attendees: Quantity Friday night Heavy Hors d’Oeuvres ______@ $20 $______Saturday Lunch ______@ $20 $______Saturday Night Banquet ______@ $30 $______Note: There is a complimentary breakfast for those staying at The Lodge at Leathem-Smith. For others the cost of breakfast is $10 plus tax and gratuity payable to The Lodge at Leathem-Smith.

Event shirt -- (short sleeve, long sleeve) (S, M, L, XL, XXL) Circle choices ______@ $20 $______Event photo – cost includes shipping ______@ $20 $______

Total Due $______

Payment can be check payable to: A block of 30 rooms at special rates will be held until March 15, Door Peninsula Astronomical Society 2018 at the Lodge at Leathem-Smith. After that date rates will ATTN: NCRAL Convention Registration revert to the standard seasonal rates. You MUST make your PO Box 331 reservations by phone and mention NCRAL to get the special rate. Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235 (920)743-5555

Standard Rooms (1 King/2 Queens) - $89/night + tax or pay by PayPal at Captain Suites (1 Queen & sofa sleeper) - $129/night + tax https://www.doorastronomy.org/ncral-2018 Complimentary breakfast is included.

Directions to The Lodge at Leathem-Smith, 1640 Memorial Drive, Sturgeon Bay, WI, Phone: (920)743-5555 From Highway 42/57: North bound – Left on Utah St (First exit after the bridge) then left on S 18th Ave. South bound – Right on Utah St (First turn after the Michigan St. Round-About), then left on S 18th Ave. Destination will be on the right.

Cancellations/Refund Requests for cancellations must be received in writing or by email ([email protected]) by April 15, 2018, for a full refund less a $10.00 processing charge. Persons who do not appear at the event cancel by default and are not eligible for any refunds. Refunds will take approximately two to three weeks.

Vol. 43, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2018

CULAR STRONOMY O A : WHAT TO WATCH FOR WITH THE UNAIDED EYE IN THE MONTH AHEAD ~ by Carl Wenning ~

During mid-January, the pre-sunrise sky will be dominated by two beautiful pairs. Jupiter & Mars will be visible in the southern sky and Saturn & Mercury will be visible just left of SE at the start of nautical twilight or about 6:15 AM. Binoculars might be required in order to see the pair nearer the sun. The crescent moon can be used as a guide to Saturn & Mercury on January 15th.

The above image shows Venus shining at magnitude -3.9 at the time of sunset on January 31st. It is extremely low down and will likely be lost in the glare of the sun. Having passed through superior conjunction with the sun on January 8th, it officially passed into the evening sky. Over the coming months it will move away from the Sun toward greatest eastern elongation on August 17th when it will be about 46 degrees away from the sun. It will then set a mere 2 hours, 40 minutes after the sun due to the shallow inclination of the ecliptic relative to the horizon. (Nomograms created using SkySafari 5 Plus.)

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ENUS IN THE ESTERN VENING WILIGHT DURING V W E T 2018 ~ by Carl Wenning ~

Venus passes through superior conjunction with the Sun on January 8th. At that time is passes roughly behind the sun as seen from Earth and moves from the eastern morning sky (western elongation) into the western evening sky (eastern elongation). Due to both its and Earth’s orbital motions, Venus reaches greatest eastern elongation (45o 56’ east of the Sun) on August 17th. Inferior conjunction occurs on October 26th when it passes some 6o south of the direct Earth-Sun line. Note that the Sun is located to the lower right of Venus and 6o below the horizon in the above nomogram at chart time. This corresponds to some 23 to 28 minutes after sunset throughout the interval. Throughout much of this time, the phases of Venus can be observed with binoculars or a telescope. Around March 1st, with Venus still on the far side of the solar system, the brilliant planet will appear pretty much like a circular object with only a slight defect of illumination. At the time of greatest eastern elongation, the planet will appear its greatest distance from the Sun to be half lit. As the planet approaches inferior conjunction, it becomes a thinner and thinner crescent. The angular size of Venus will increase steadily throughout its apparition as it moves closer and closer to Earth. As the nomogram above suggests, the time between setting of the Sun and Venus changes considerably over the period, but not as dramatically as usual due to the fact that the plane of the ecliptic makes a shallow angle with the wester horizon during the summer and autumn months. While Venus can set as much as four hours after the sun, it will never be more than about 2 hours, 40 minutes during this apparition. The brightness of Venus will increase throughout much of its period, but not all. The brilliance of Venus as seen from Earth depends primarily upon its distance from both Earth and phase. These three factors combine to make Venus its brightest. According to Chicago-area amateur astronomer Jeff Hunt, “About September 16th and for the next two weeks, Venus enters its phase of greatest brightness. The midpoint is September 21st…. It passes Mercury, Aldebaran, Pollux, Regulus, and Spica. While its latest setting time is 160 minutes after sunset, its sets mostly during evening twilight during this appearance. Late in the apparition, what looks like, an impending Jupiter conjunction never occurs. There are several opportunities to view Venus and the moon… Venus also passes the star clusters Pleiades, Hyades, and Beehive. Binoculars help spot the clusters with brilliant Venus nearby. Happy observing!” To learn more about observing Venus this year, be certain to bookmark and then frequently visit Jeff’s website at https://jeffreylhunt.wordpress.com/2017/11/15/2018-venus-the-evening-star/

Vol. 43, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2018

NOMINATIONS FOR BOARD OF DIRECTORS REQUESTED

Nominations are still being sought for the 2018 Board of Directors. According to TCAA Bylaws, the club’s business is run by five directors, two members of which will be elected by the Board to serve as president and vice president. The remaining officers and chairpersons are appointed by the Board. If you are willing to run for a Board position, please contact either Lisa Wentzel ([email protected]) or Bob Finnigan ([email protected]) who are heading up the nominations committee. Similarly, if you are interested in serving as a chairperson of a committee, again please contact Lisa or Bob. The names of the various committees can be found along with current office holder in the column to the left. Please note that the club leadership must be replenished continually with new members. The danger exists that as the club membership ages (e.g., Bob is 76 and Carl is 65) the current leaders will eventually step down from their positions due to reasons of age and/or health. New members need to be willing and prepared to take the lead. If you are the least bit interested in any of the above positions, please let us know. Keep in mind that none of the current Board members and officers were elected to their current positions without going through the preparatory process of serving in one of the other leadership positions. Be not afraid! You will be assisted and guided through the transitional period by others more experienced than you, and you can learn from their experience. All of the above individuals are expected to attend Board meetings. Job descriptions can be found in the following article.

DUTIES OF TCAA BOARD MEMBERS, OFFICERS, AND CHAIRPERSONS

Approved by the Board of Directors March 28, 2017

Editor’s Note: These descriptions are based on the Bylaws, minutes of the Board of Directors, commentary shared with the Board of Directors in March 2015, and feedback provided by officers and chairpersons.

All officers and chairpersons can reasonably be expected to attend Board meetings to make bi-monthly reports. In lieu of such, a written report is requested.

These are presented here for review so that the membership can be reminded of the work of these important positions within the club. Members are hereby reminded that the 2018-2019 Board of Directors will appoint/reappoint all officer positions and chair positions after their installation following the February annual business meeting.

BOARD MEMBERS

The Board of Directors manages the affairs and business of the TCAA. The Board has the power and authority to perform all acts and functions related to the transaction of TCAA business in accordance with these Bylaws and the laws of the State of Illinois. The Board, as it deems necessary, prepares recommendations for presentation to the membership. (Bylaws, Article V)

The First Director serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors and President of the club. (Bylaws, Article VI)

The Second Director serves as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and the Vice President of the club. (Bylaws, Article VI)

The Third, Fourth, and Fifth Directors have no defined duties per se other than as members of the Board of Directors. All directors are legal fiduciaries of the club. (Bylaws, Article VI)

OFFICERS

The President presides at all meetings of the TCAA and of the Board, and has the duties and powers normally appurtenant to the office of President in addition to those particularly specified in these Bylaws. The President chairs the Board of Directors and presents at each Annual Meeting of the TCAA an annual report of the work of the TCAA. The President ensures that all reports and forms that are required by Law are properly kept and filed with the appropriate authorities. The President also declares the name and address of the legal Registered Agent of the TCAA at the Annual Meeting. The President manages the day-to-day operations of the TCAA, including supervision of all education and public outreach events. The president

Vol. 43, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2018

maintains regular communication with the membership through The OBSERVER newsletter and the association’s listserv. (Bylaws, Article VI)

The Vice President assists the President in the discharge of the duties of office, assuming those duties in the absence of the President or in the event of an inability to act. The Vice President oversees the program committee appointed by the President, if any. (Bylaws, Article VI)

The Secretary keeps minutes and attendance records of meetings of the TCAA. The Secretary secures and holds official papers of the TCAA, and maintains records of official acts and standing rules. The Secretary presents at Board meetings correspondence received and conducts such correspondence as directed by the President or the Board. The Secretary keeps records, including, but not limited to: Bylaws, incorporation articles, contracts, and documents of ownership, in a safe and secure location. (Bylaws, Article VI)

The Treasurer receives all monies keeping a record of the same. The Treasurer cooperates with the Webmaster in maintaining accurate and up-to-date membership lists. The Treasurer reports the transactions of the office in the form of Treasurer’s Reports prepared for monthly publication in the club’s newsletter. Disbursements, other than routine, are subject to the approval of the Board of Directors. The Treasurer signs checks or drafts of the TCAA. The Treasurer cooperating with an audit at the end of each fiscal year conducted by a member selected by the President or by the Board of Trustees if active. (Bylaws, Article VI)

CHAIRPERSONS

Chairpersons are appointed by the President and serve at the pleasure of the Board. The primary duties of the various chairpersons are described below. Chairpersons may be charged with additional duties as directed by the President or the Board.

The Property Manager is responsible for TCAA structures and equipment. The Property Manager’s duties include security and maintenance of structures and equipment, disposition of equipment, and inventory. Security of structures includes activities such as assurance that all locks and lighting (inside and outside) of the observatory structures are maintained and replaced as needed. Maintenance of property includes activities such as inspecting and clearing areas in and around the properties to maintain a safe environment and assuring that the observatory structures are clean, organized and structurally sound. Maintaining equipment includes activities such as organizing equipment to be readily accessible for use by TCAA members, maintaining procedures approved by the Board for training and use of equipment as well as check-out and return of equipment, and making recommendation to the president for new technologies and devices that would enhance performance and security of the TCAA assets and make operation easier and more accessible. Any member intending to use equipment which has been determined to require training for use (either by the Board or the owner of the equipment) must fulfill those requirements to the satisfaction of the Property Manager or a designee. The Property Manager may dispose of old, broken or unused equipment as approved by the Board. An updated inventory of all purchased, donated, checked out or disposed of equipment will be maintained and forwarded annually (January) to the Board prior to the TCAA annual meeting. The Property Manager maintains an inventory of key holders to TCAA properties.

The Property Manager may request assistance in the conduct of the position’s responsibilities and assign duties to volunteer members as required. The Property Manager may appoint a Technology Coordinator to maintain the operation and performance of the observatory computer, storage, and network systems. The Technology Coordinator works under the direction of the Property Manager.

The Newsletter Editor is editor-in-chief of The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers. The Editor produces a color digital newsletter monthly, and does so in a timely and responsible fashion. The Editor both receive reports from members and actively pursues information suitable for publication. The Editor will work with the webmaster to disseminate the newsletter.

The Editor may appoint an Assistant Editor to serve as reviewer, critic, and proofreader. The Assistant Editor works at the direction of the Newsletter Editor.

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The Historian gathers items of historical interest to the TCAA. These include, but are not limited to documents, pictures, and other descriptions of TCAA activities – including the club’s newsletter. The Historian is a regular contributor to the newsletter, documenting important events and activities. The Historian prepares and keep a journal of all such memorabilia, to be made available to members upon request. The Historian keeps and holds secure all materials of historical interest and turns over said holdings at the end of his or her term to the successor in office.

The Lighting Education Coordinator (LEC) encourages protection of the night sky by promoting awareness of the need to reduce light pollution and by providing information about good lighting practices. The LEC may provide information at TCAA meetings and public outreach sessions, and may participate in other lighting education activities as directed by the Board.

The Webmaster maintains the club’s web presence, maintains official documents on a server, and is responsible for disseminating the newsletter using a listserv. The Webmaster works closely with the Newsletter Editor, Treasurer, Publicist and other officers and chairpersons in the posting of announcements to the extent that they apply. The Webmaster keeps up with the necessary technologies to keep the TCAA presence on the Internet; recommends and advises the Board on the direction and new technologies to use to maintain the TCAA presence in the community and our region; coordinates with equivalent from other clubs and organizations when doing join ventures that require the sites to be linked or updated as instructed by the president; cooperates with the Treasurer in maintaining accurate and up-to-date membership records and email addresses, including renewal dates; and sends each member a statement of dues near the end of a membership term.

The Membership Coordinator works to recruit and retain new members; organizes a variety social events for the club membership on a roughly quarterly basis (planetarium programs, reading groups, camping trips, training sessions, dinners at area restaurants, in-town observing sessions, etc.); serves as a new member advocate making certain that the TCAA leadership does not fail to address the needs of budding amateur astronomers; and coordinates all efforts with the Board of Directors. Duties do not include the Annual Meeting, Summer Picnic, or the Mini Conference (Comments of March 2015 document to the Board; Action of the Board January 2016).

The Astronomical League Correspondent (ALCor) maintain regular communications between the club and the Astronomical League. (Bylaws, Article VII) The ALCor, working with the Treasurer and/or Webmaster, provides accurate and up-to-date membership lists to the Astronomical League on a quarterly basis (every January, April, July, and October), and confirms observational records and forwards recommendations for awards to the AL for completed observing programs. A detailed list of duties defined by the AL is available: https://www.astroleague.org/al/general/alcors/alcors.html

The Registered Agent serves as the legal representative of the corporation to the State of Illinois, and maintains an open line of communication with the State of Illinois as required under corporate law. (Article VII)

The Publicist promotes the TCAA and amateur astronomy to the public. This includes, but is not limited to, working with the Webmaster, club members, and social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) as designated by the Board, producing articles on astronomical topics for release to local media, and promoting the TCAA’s special events. The Publicist ensures that announcements are properly disseminated to the media and technologies used by the TCAA. (Comments of March 2015 document to the Board)

The Observing Programs Coordinator arranges monthly members-only observing sessions during the warmer months, promotes participation in Astronomical League observing programs, and encourages visual observing on a monthly basis. The coordinator is encouraged to prepare short articles to be published in the newsletter as observing activities become available. (Comments of March 2015 document to the Board)

TCAA ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER

Did you know that the TCAA is on both Facebook and Twitter? We encourage users of both social networks to follow the TCAA to see what the club is doing. If you have not yet joined us on Facebook, you are missing important reminders about astronomical events posted several times weekly. You can find us on Facebook by searching either TCAA or Twin City Amateur Astronomers. We can be found on Twitter at @TC_Astro.

Vol. 43, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2018

PUBLIC VIEWING SESSION FOR 2018

SGNC director Angela Funk approved the TCAA’s proposed schedule for 2018 public viewing sessions on October 13th. The draft schedule is below. That dates and times are fixed as are the topics. Titles and descriptions, however, are subject to change depending upon the desires of the speakers. Speakers are still needed for a number of topics as indicated below. If you wish to present one of these topics, please contact one of the officers.

Mar 17 Orion the Hunter (Vivian Hoette) 7:30-9:30 PM This constellation is so large and complex, that it is can serve as the basis for learning everything one needs to know about the field of Astronomy. Learn about this celestial marvel.

Apr 14 Galaxies – Deep-space Wonders (Tim Stone) 8:00-10:00 PM No time of year is better for observing the galaxies of deep space than spring. At this time of year, the Milky Way rings the horizon and our overhead view exposes the depths of space.

May 19 Our Magnificent Moon (Carl Wenning) 8:45-10:45 PM The moon has many regular features and changing appearances. Learn about our nearest neighbor in space, and observe the 5-day-old moon through a telescope.

Jun 16 Jupiter – The King of the Planets (Mark Cabaj) 9:00-11:00 PM The solar system’s largest planet, learn about this gas giant and its many amazing moons. Jupiter

is so large it can hold as many as 1,300 planet Earths. Jul 14 Saturn – The Ringed Wonder (Lee Green) 9:00-11:00 PM Our beautiful ringed planet is showing its glories this month. Join us in exploring the planet, its moons, and results from NASA’s decades-long Cassini mission.

Aug 11 Perseid Meteor Shower (Carl Wenning) 8:30-10:30 PM Earth year during the mid-August, Earth passes through the tail of Comet Swift–Tuttle and this results in a meteor show. This year’s prospects for observing are good.

Sep 08 Mars – The Red Planet (Jay Ansher) 8:00-10:00 PM Every 25 months the Red Planet graces our evening sky. This year Mars will make its closest approach in many years, and will appear it largest in decades.

Oct 13 Globular Clusters (Mark & Nataya Boulware) 7:00-9:00 PM These star clusters are among the very oldest star systems within the Milky Way galaxy. Today a

swarm of perhaps 150 tightly-packed clusters orbit the core of our home galaxy.

SIDEWALK ASTRONOMY FOR 2018

The TCAA Board of Directors at its September meeting approved hosting additional Sidewalk Astronomy viewing sessions in Bloomington-Normal during 2018, ostensibly during the months of June, July, and August, though the months of May and September also might be included if the membership shows an interest in hosting these additional events. Tentative dates have been set one week after the scheduled PVS events when the moon phase ranged from waxing gibbous to just before first quarter phase. We need to get volunteers to host these no-talk viewing sessions on the following Saturdays (with time of dusk, moon age, and readily visible planets noted):

May 26 (9:00PM, 12.4-day-old moon, Venus, and Jupiter) June 23 (9:15PM, 11.0-day-old moon, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn) July 21 (9:00PM, 9.6-day-old moon, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn) August 18 (8:30PM, 8.1-day-old moon, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars) September 15 (7:45PM, 6.5-day-old moon, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars)

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The sessions will begin during mid twilight (sun’s center 6o to 10o below horizon), and will last approximately one hour. The moon will be rather bright and will make for viewing sessions limited primarily to the planets. All events will be held a t Tipton Park (north unit) in Bloomington unless other parks are requested. If you are interested in hosting one of these events, please email [email protected] with your preferred date(s). Only one host is needed per event. The host will be responsible to assembling a group of 2-3 telescopists at each observing sessions, cancelling the session if the sky is “more than 50% overcast,” and so forth. Alternative locations are also possible (shopping malls, schools, parks, etc.) depending upon the choice of the host.

MAKE PLANS NOW TO ATTEND TCAA ANNUAL MEETING

The TCAA will hold its 58th Annual Meeting on Saturday, February 3rd, at the Normal Township Hall located at 304 E. Mulberry St. in Normal. The gathering will begin at 6:00PM, and the banquet will follow at 6:30PM. Last year several people had difficulty finding Normal Township Hall which is located just across the road and northeast of Ace Hardware in Normal. (You need to be traveling west on Mulberry to gain access to the facility from the south.) A Google map is available for printing at the following case-sensitive URL: https://goo.gl/qAWhUy See the next issue of The OBSERVER for more information about this event.

EDUCATION & PUBLIC OUTREACH FOR DECEMBER 2017

Due to the spate of competing holiday activities and school closings during December, the TCAA provided no E/PO events during December 2017. Nonetheless, ISU Planetarium Director Tom Willmitch did host “the last show” for the TCAA on December 16th providing 16 members with a dandy educational experience about dark matter and dark energy.

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, Garry 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 1977 – The club is holding “Messier and Planetary” observing sessions at the home of Bob Finnigan in Downs, IL. Satellite watcher extraordinaire Weldon Schuette has noted anomalies in the motion of SkyLab. He noted recently that the satellite is speeding up in its orbit, arriving nearly 3 minutes earlier than expected. It appears to be falling to Earth at an accelerating rate.

25 Years Ago: December 1992 – Sharon MacDonald and Carl Wenning are calling for members to join their expedition to view the total eclipse of the sun from Potosí, Bolivia, on November 3, 1994. Some 5-7 members are currently thinking of going along. The ISU Planetarium establishes SkyLine for providing information about the heavens. Tom Willmitch continues this tradition started 25 years ago. Give Skyline a call at (309) 438-5007.

10 Years Ago: December 2007 – The TCAA is featured in the Go section of the Pantagraph in relation to its Mars observing program. The club takes its last field trip to the old Lakeview Planetarium at Peoria. The club is looking to revamp its now old second logo. The TCAA begins is third adult education program, this time offering it through Heartland College.

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REASURER S EPORT AS OF ECEMBER TCAA T ’ R D 30, 2017

Checking Account Information

BALANCE 12/30/2017 2,353.80 Paid in full Credit Card (86.02) Anonymous Donation 5,000.00 Darren Erickson Dues Received 25.13 Clamshell Dome Waynesville Observatory (5,000.00) Paid in full Credit Card (390.93) David Peters Dues Received 25.13 Electrical Service Waynesville Observatory (145.91) BALANCE 12/30/2017 1,781.20

Checking Account Balance – December 30, 2017 $1,781.20 Savings Account Balance – December 30, 2017 $3,517.02 - Includes $0.06 cents interest

Total TCAA Funds – December 30, 2017 $5,298.22

All transactions are reconciled with the bank statements as of this date.

Respectfully submitted, Dave Osenga

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.