The Observer of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers

THE OBSERVER OF THE TWIN CITY AMATEUR ASTRONOMERS

Volume 45, Number 6 June 2020

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

1«Editor’s Choice: Image of the Month – Evening Trio 2«President’s Note 2«Waynesville Observatory Use Policy Statement 3«Calendar of Astronomical Events – June 2020 3«New & Renewing Members/Dues Blues/E-Mail List 4«This Month’s Phases of the Moon 4«This Month’s Solar Phenomena 4«Minutes of the May 5, 2020 Board Meeting 5«Minutes of the May 5 NCRAL 2023 Planning Meeting 6«AstroBits – News from Around the TCAA 8«Work Continues Apace at Waynesville Observatory 8«June 2020 with Jeffrey L. Hunt 16«Renewing Your TCAA Membership 16«TCAA Active on Facebook 16«Did You Know? 17«TCAA Image Gallery 18«Online Public Talks for 2020 18«TCAA Treasurer’s Report as of May 28, 2020

The TCAA is an affiliate of the Astronomical League as well as its North Central Region. For more information about the TCAA, be certain to visit the TCAA website at http://www.tcaa.us/

Visit http://www.astroleague.org for additional information about the League and its numerous member-

ship benefits, including observing programs. EDITOR’S CHOICE: IMAGE OF THE MONTH – EVENING TRIO

Also, visit the NCRAL website at Marc Tiritilli captured this image of Venus, Mercury, and the 1.2- http://ncral.wordpress.com for in- day-old crescent moon on the evening of May 23rd. It was taken formation about our North Central north of Normal with a tripod-mounted Nikon D80 camera and a Region. Find out about the many Nikkor 70-300mm ED lens set to 155mm. This was a 1.3-second benefits of your membership from exposure at ISO 400, f/5.6. See Marc’s closeup of the moon in the this site. TCAA Photo Gallery. Neither image received any processing.

Vol. 45, No. 6 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers June 2020

PRESIDENT’S NOTE The OBSERVER I was talking with a friend the other is the monthly electronic newsletter of Twin day about what I hope to achieve with City Amateur Astronomers, Inc., a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit educational my astronomy. “What will you discover? organization of amateur astronomers inter- What are you doing that hasn’t already ested in studying astronomy and sharing been done?” To that I answered, I’ll their hobby with the public. probably make no new discoveries, and

I’ll probably only ever be able to redo TCAA OFFICERS & CHAIRPERSONS what others have done, some of them a

President, Director, & Property Manager hundred or more years ago. The Tim Stone 309-531-2401 question was then asked: “Why would [email protected] you want to do something that was done

Vice President & Director/Membership Coord. one hundred years ago?” “To learn, and Tom Willmitch 309-846-2423 to appreciate the shoulders of the giants President Tim Stone [email protected] we stand on,” I answered.

Treasurer & Director/Registered Agent These times have me in that kind of mindset. We stand on the shoulders of Dave Osenga 309-287-0789 giants, not only scientifically, but as a people and nation. Recently, I have taken some [email protected] time to reflect on who we are and where we are going, and I hope you are doing the Assistant Property Manager/ALCor same. Difficult times do not come to make things difficult. They come to make us Scott Wade 309-310-2464 better. Whether or not that outcome is realized is up to us. The same holds true of [email protected] our astronomy. I hope each of us is looking for ways to get better at this incredible 5th Director avocation in these unprecedented times. I know I am. Better days are coming. Sunil Chebolu 678-896-5967 Tim Stone [email protected]

Secretary/Historian/Editor Carl J. Wenning 309-830-4085 WO USE POLICY STATEMENT (APPROVED MAY 22, 2020)

[email protected] The TCAA Board of Directors wishes to encourage the membership to utilize the Technology Coordinator/Assistant Editor Waynesville Observatory site. It has very open skies and is much darker than at Sugar Sandullah Epsicokhan 309-828-0227 Grove Nature Center. With outdoor electricity available, it's great for setting up a [email protected] powered telescope and working on those Astronomical League observing programs Webmaster we all said we were going to finish this year. Lee Green 309-454-7349 [email protected] Waynesville Observatory is on a parcel of land leased from the landowner who maintains a residence and farming operations at the site. In deference to the AL Observing Club Coordinator landowner, the TCAA Board of Directors feels it is prudent that the TCAA Property Lisa Wentzel unlisted number [email protected] Manager be aware of when members are planning to use the site. To that end:

The OBSERVER It is the policy of the TCAA Board of Directors that notification of planned use Carl J. Wenning, Editor of the Waynesville Observatory site be communicated to the Property Manager no more than 24 hours before and no later than sunset on the evening of the planned Submission deadline two days before the end of each month. usage. If this notification has not been given, then the member is asked to refrain from using the site that evening. MEMBERSHIP DUES Notification also may be made by email, either to the TCAA groups.io mailing

Individual Adult/Family $40 list, or to the Property Manager at [email protected]. This notification Full-time Student/Senior $25 may also be made using text messaging to the Property Manager's phone at (309) (Senior status equals ages 60+) 531-2401. If texting, please include your name in the text to let the Property Manager know the identity of the sender. Members should not make voice calls to To join, send your name, contact info, and the Property Manager’s number. dues payment to Dave Osenga, TCAA This policy may be amended from time to time. Implementation of this policy Treasurer, 1109 N. Linden St., Normal, IL and any changes to it is subject to vote by the Board of Directors. 61761-1471.

Vol. 45, No. 6 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers June 2020

ALENDAR OF STRONOMICAL VENTS UNE EW ENEWING EMBERS C A E – J 2020 N & R M

MORNING PLANETS (6/15): Venus (♀ Mars (♂), Jupiter ( ), The following individuals have paid dues for new or ♃ renewed memberships as of May 28, 2020. (Others who Saturn ( ), Uranus ), and Neptune ( ) ♄ (⛢ ♆), paid after that date will appear in the July 2020 issue of EVENING PLANETS (6/15): Mercury ( ) ☿ The OBSERVER.)

The following table gives the date and time (24-hour clock) of Welcome! Welcome! Welcome! Welcome! Welcome! important astronomical events for this month. All events are given in Central Daylight Time. New: None

Renewing: Tom Willmitch

Day Time Event Welcome! Welcome! Welcome! Welcome! Welcome!

02 22:36 Moon at Perigee: 364366 km 03 13 Venus at Inferior Conjunction DUES BLUES

04 08 Mercury Greatest Elong: 23.6°E If you have received a dues statement email along 05 14:12 FULL MOON with this issue of The OBSERVER, please send your dues 05 14:25 Pen. Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.568 to Mr. Dave Osenga, TCAA Treasurer, 1109 N. Linden St., 06 13:10 Moon at Descending Node Normal, IL 61761-1471. Dues are currently $25 for seniors (60 years of age and over) and $40 regular. 08 12:19 Jupiter 2.2°N of Moon

08 21:19 Saturn 2.7°N of Moon SUBSCRIBING TO THE TCAA EMAIL LIST 12 18:53 Mars 2.7°N of Moon 13 01:24 LAST QUARTER MOON Welcome to the [email protected] group at Groups.io. 14 19:56 Moon at Apogee: 404597 km This is a free, easy-to-use group email service set up for the TCAA’s communication purposes. You can subscribe, 19 03:52 Venus 0.7°S of Moon: Occn. visit your group, read and post messages here: 20 16:43 Summer Solstice https://groups.io/g/tcaa 20 23:24 Moon at Ascending Node The email address for this group is [email protected]. 21 01:40 Annular Sol. Eclipse; mag=0.994 After you successfully subscribe, please add this email 21 01:41 NEW MOON address to your safe sender list in your email client's 22 20:53 Pollux 4.5°N of Moon contacts, so emails from this list are not classified as junk mail. 23 19:33 Beehive 1.7°S of Moon Once subscribed, you can set your subscription 25 09:09 Regulus 4.3°S of Moon settings here: https://groups.io/g/tcaa/editsub. You can 28 03:16 FIRST QUARTER MOON opt to receive all messages in individual emails, collections 29 21:09 Moon at Perigee: 368958 km of messages in a digest, a daily summary, or only special 30 22 Mercury at Inferior Conjunction notices. If you do not wish to belong to this group, you may unsubscribe by sending an email to This Calendar of Astronomical Events courtesy of Fred Espenak. [email protected] http://www.astropixels.com/ephemeris/astrocal/astrocal2020cst.html If you have general questions about the group, email [email protected]. For questions not answered there,

contact the moderators of this group (Deva C., Tim S., and EVENING SKY MAP Carl W.) by emailing [email protected]. Get the current evening sky map along with a more detailed celestial events calendar at the following URL: http://www.skymaps.com/

Vol. 45, No. 6 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers June 2020

THIS MONTH’S PHASES OF THE MOON

Full Moon Last Quarter New Moon First Quarter Friday, June 5 Saturday, June 13 Sunday, June 21 Sunday, June 28

All moon phase dates are Central Standard Time. Moon phases for the 2020 calendar year can be found by clicking here. Images provided by J. K. Howell of the Champaign-Urbana Astronomical Society & used with permission.

THIS MONTH’S SOLAR PHENOMENA

In the table below, you will find times of sunrise and sunset along with rising and setting azimuths (Az), length of the day including the change from the previous day, start and end times of astronomical twilight, and the time of solar noon along with the elevation (El) of the midday sun. These data come from https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/usa/bloomington

2020 Sunrise/Sunset Day Length Astronomical Twilight Solar Noon Solar Dist.

June Sunrise (Az) Sunset (Az) Length Diff. Start End Time (El) MIL. MILES 1 5:27 AM (59°) 8:20 PM (301°) 14:53:05 +1:08 3:26 AM 10:21 PM 12:53 PM (71.7°) 94.272 11 5:25 AM (58°) 8:26 PM (302°) 15:01:31 +0:35 3:20 AM 10:31 PM 12:55 PM (72.7°) 94.393 21 5:25 AM (58°) 8:29 PM (302°) 15:04:04 –0:01 3:20 AM 10:35 PM 12:57 PM (73.0°) 94.476

MINUTES OF THE MAY 5, 2020, BOD MEETING

President Tim Stone called the meeting to order via positions. (Later in the meeting, Scott received an email from ZOOM at 6:30 PM. Participating were Scott Wade, Sunil Mitch Glaze from the AL national office that our club's contact Chebolu, Dave Osenga, Sandullah Epsicokhan, Carl Wenning, information for ALCor had been updated.) and guest Devanand Chatrathi. Lisa Wentzel joined the Concerning matters of OLD BUSINESS: discussion about 10 minutes after the start of the meeting. Absent were Tom Willmitch and Lee Green. A quorum was • Tim noted that Lee Green had received the prestigious present. Attention was first turned to officer and chair NCRAL Region Award and congratulated him. reports. • Deva reported that the new TCAA website is now “60 to President and property manager Tim noted that he, 70% complete” and that he hopes to have a draft to show Scott, and Bob Finnigan had worked on the 24" at WO that before long. He will continue to work with Lee to obtain day and that they installed a guide scope and counterweights. information and is following Lee’s list of suggestions for Following up with a note about PSO, Scott noted recent guidance. successes with the new QHY monochrome camera on the 17". • Carl noted that the April 25th PVS online talk was made He reported having worked with Terry Hancock of PixInsight available over Facebook and that there were 35 views of providing user-side information about image processing. the 20-minute presentation. It was agreed that the TCAA Treasurer Dave noted club balances as follows: checking - needs its own YouTube account for posting these videos, $1,903.96, savings - $1,968.00, and total $3,871.96. He and that Carl will check with Lee about this. Several thought further pointed out that all required accounting associated that Lee said recently we had such an account, but a search with our 501(c)(3) tax status has been completed. There were showed nothing – perhaps because the page is empty. Lisa no other significant items to report with the remaining chair

Vol. 45, No. 6 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers June 2020

then provided a link to information about how to set up • The next BoD meeting was set for Tuesday, July 14, 2020, at such accounts. 6:30 PM.

Concerning matters of NEW BUSINESS: By way of announcements and reminders, Carl reported that TCAA member Troy Berg had acquired the Meade 12" • It was not possible to discuss the implementation of the ACF optical tube assembly with Dovetail assembly from the recently awarded NCRAL Affiliate Recruitment Mini-Grant club for a donation of $500. The telescope was deemed as Planetarium Director Tom was not present. The "unwanted property" at the March BoD meeting. Also, Carl discussion was tabled until it is clear when ISU students will reminded everyone (as was agreed at the March meeting) be returning to campus. that he would be stepping down from his appointed positions • Carl proposed "An Evening of Private Observing" using a at the end of his term. Lisa agreed to take over as Secretary if random drawing of those who register in some fashion that is the wish is the newly elected Board at the 2021 annual through the club's Facebook page (possibly a survey). Those business meeting. Carl indicated that he is willing to work now assembled thought it a good idea, but that we must delay it with anyone agreeable to the Board who is willing to serve as until the situation with the pandemic is resolved. the next newsletter editor (and de facto historian). The only • Carl led an initial formal discussion about NCRAL 2023 that thing needed is MS Word. the TCAA will be hosting. A record of that discussion will be presented separately from these minutes. The meeting was adjourned at 8:03 PM. • It was agreed that the TCAA would renew its annual Respectfully submitted, membership in the International Dark-Sky Association and Carl Wenning, Secretary that Treasurer Dave was directed to send the $50 fee.

MINUTES OF THE MAY 5, 2020 NCRAL 2023 PLANNING MEETING

A discussion was held during the May 5th TCAA BoD Saturday schedule that would not include any sort of bus meeting for the purpose of beginning “remote planning” for trip to SGNC as before. Desires for post-banquet tours of the NCRAL 2023 convention that the TCAA will host. It was and observing at SGNC will be accommodated. agreed that: • the registration fee should increase considerably from NCRAL 2016 ($60) to provide for more amenities (think • we want to take advantage of local strengths as well as coffee cups with logos, folders with logos, etc.). It was invite a very appealing keynote speaker. Two prominent noted that PAC during NCRAL 2019 did an exemplary job speakers’ names were discussed as possible keynotes. with its higher fees, and that such fees did not appear to • it is reasonable to have a combination of 30-minute and 60- impact attendance in a negative way. There would, as minute (keynote) talks. Many topics were discussed from a before, be a discount for early bird registration. list provided by Carl. Added to this list were a possible • the following individuals will take lead with the following discussion with orbiting ISS astronauts and a speaker about aspects of the convention: the James Webb Space Telescope. • it would be best to hold the convention in a local hotel, o Dave O. will check with Emily Henard about possibly avoiding the use of any rural, outdoor setting, as well as updating our NCRAL 2016 logo. university/community college setting. A convention hotel o Carl W. will serve as program/project manager. provides many more amenities for the attendees. Eastland o Tim S. will serve as master of ceremonies. Suites might be an ideal location. o Sunil C. and Sandullah E. will serve as technology • perhaps we can set May 15/16, 2023 for the event because coordinators we need to avoid ISU graduation which tends to see local o Scott W. will serve as banquet/refreshment manager hotels filled. This is also the weekend of a thin, waxing o Deva C. will manage online registration crescent moon should that be desirable. o Lisa W. will arrange for door prizes and their distribution • we will keep this event more low-key, avoiding Friday Other leadership positions remain unfilled at this point in afternoon events as with 2016. Other than onsite time. We will be looking to fill these positions in the not-too- registration, we might want to include an early-evening distant future. planetarium presentation at ISU, and then follow up with a hotel-based social with refreshments. There would be a full [cjw]

Vol. 45, No. 6 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers June 2020

ASTROBITS – NEWS FROM AROUND THE TCAA

ó TCAA member Troy Berg acquired the club’s Meade 12” Spherical Astronomy. ACF telescope on May 2nd. After it was declared The publication, 38 “unwanted property” by the Board of Directors at their pages in length, is March 2020 meeting, the telescope was made available to intended to help club members and others for purchase. Troy acquired it amateur astronomers for a $500 donation to the TCAA. Days earlier he acquired learn such things as a CGEM mount from a member of the Sangamon how astronomical Astronomical Society in Springfield. The telescope was diagrams are prepar- donated to the TCAA several years ago by (the now late) ed and how “goto” Bill Mammon. It had served time in both SGO and PSO but telescopes work. It is had limited suitability as a photographic instrument. illustrated with more Nonetheless, it’s of excellent optical quality. Troy is now than two dozen line drawings, an example of which can be ready for a lifetime of celestial observing with both a great found here. Shown is a typical spherical triangle which telescope and mount. Congratulations Troy! figures prominently in making such calculations. TCAA Guide #10 is full of equations, but all that is needed to grasp the content is an understanding of algebra and plane trigonometry. If the reader doesn’t have knowledge of vector algebra, those sections where it is used to derive fundamental formulas can be skipped with little consequence. All ten guides can be downloaded from the TCAA website at the following URL: http://tcaa.us/TCAAGuides.aspx ó Sandullah Epsicokhan has been brought aboard by your editor to serve as assistant editor of The OBSERVER. Sandullah has plenty of experience preparing newsletters. He noted recently, “I have done newsletters in the past for the State Farm computer club and our homeowners association…. I have all of the Microsoft tools including Publisher. As a member of the local photo club, I will always be looking for graphics and photos as well as articles.” Following a transition period, it is anticipated that the TCAA Board of Directors will appoint Sandullah editor after Carl Wenning’s term of office expires next Try Berg with Carl Wenning during the May 2nd transfer February. Welcome aboard Sandullah! ó Troy Berg reports that all is well with the Meade 12” ó Carl Wenning recently updated two of the club’s nine. telescope acquisition from the TCAA. It is shown on the TCAA Guides to amateur astronomy and has written one next page on its new CGEM mount. Troy reports, “I was more! The updated Guides are as follows: able to get my scope up and running last night (May 12th) and saw first light through it (for me). I observed the TCAA Membership and Its Benefits o #2 – waning crescent of Venus last night. I started early as #3 – Astronomy as a Hobby o sunset was at 8:04 PM and I wanted to get used to setting Minor corrections were introduced to Guide #2. Four everything up. The scope was well collimated as is and pages of new content dealing with the many joys of Venus looked beautiful through a 24mm Plössl and my amateur astronomy were added to Guide #3. Carl has 56mm super Plössl eyepieces. Venus is moving fast been working diligently on a number of his bucket list between the Earth and the sun now and, by my estimate, items during May as a way of dealing with the COVID-19 is only illuminated by about 10-15%. Overall, a very pandemic’s “shelter in place.” He has recently completed successful and fun evening outside!” Congratulations to a chapter that he had first written for a book back in 1991- Troy on his new telescope. 1992 that was never published. Now, after 28 years, he is releasing the chapter as TCAA Guide #10 – Introduction to

Vol. 45, No. 6 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers June 2020

ó Deva Chatrathi continues to make progress redesigning the TCAA website. He’s working with two other programmers to give the site a fresh look and increased functionality. It won’t be before long that the TCAA Board of Director will have an opportunity to view the first draft. The website will be released to the membership for additional comments shortly thereafter. Stay tuned. ó Shloka Chebolu and her dad Sunil made an equatorial sundial with toys at home using her swimming pool rings. Sunil explained a little bit to Shloka about how it works.

A very happy Troy Berg with his new Meade 12" telescope. Equatorial Sundial by Shloka Chebolu

ó More than a few members observed the conjunction of ó On May 24th, Marc Tiritilli was out early looking Venus and Mercury on the evening of May 21st. The two unsuccessfully for Comet SWAN. While that search turned inferior planets approached within about 1° of one up empty, he and his daughters saw a beautiful Earth- another and made for a pretty sight. Our TCAA groups.io grazing fireball from the Opiuchids streak across the sky listserv as alive with comments. If you are not getting your from south to north. Marc reported a “decent ion trail; no “forecasts,” be certain to follow the TCAA’s Facebook page boom.” and subscribe to our listserv. ó The $250 allocation associated with the NCRAL Affiliate ó Ray Watt, President of the Sangamon Astronomical Recruitment Mini Grant arrived on May 28th. These funds Society (SAS), has written to inform our membership that, will support the TCAA as it works with the ISU Astronomy “As of May 23rd, we are still on for the 2020 Illinois Dark Club this coming year. The goal is to help the members Skies Star Party, but we are purposely delaying opening up become active amateur astronomers with the goals of for registration until August 1, 2020. The idea is to wait giving sky lectures in the ISU Planetarium and doing until a date when we are almost certain to know what, if sidewalk astronomy activities on the ISU campus. The goal any, social restrictions or prohibitions might still be in is to support the ISUAC as it moves toward membership in place according to any Illinois Governor’s emergency the Astronomical League and by default NCRAL. The TCAA order/s in effect at that time.” SAS is looking forward to its applied for this grant last March. 19th year of hosting the Illinois Dark Skies Star Party. It is ó Sharon MacDonald and Tim Stone remarked via groups.io slated for September 17-19 and will be held at the Jim on the evening of May 29th that they had observed Edgar Panther Creek State Fish & Wildlife Area northwest Mercury shining brightly in the evening twilight. Carl & of Springfield. Visit www.sas-sky.org for details. Carolyn Wenning later noted that Venus is no longer visible in the western evening sky.

Vol. 45, No. 6 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers June 2020

WORK CONTINUES APACE AT WAYNESVILLE OBSERVATORY

On May 7th, TCAAers Dave Osenga, Tim Stone, and Scott Wade ventured out Waynesville Observatory and tried to get the latitude angle on the 24” mount set. Unfortunately, they could not get north shutter on the dome down to get the position of Polaris. Assistance will be needed from our contractor to make the necessary adjustments to the dome shutter system. Two days earlier, Bob Finnigan, Scott, and Tim mounted a 5” aperture guide scope and a specially engineered counterweight as shown in the accompanying images. The camera assembly was installed earlier by Tim. With any luck and clear skies, the 24” f/11 tele scope will be fully operational this summer.

JUNE 2020: SUMMER SOLSTICE AND BRIGHT MORNING PLANETS ~ by Jeffrey L. Hunt ~

At the beginning of twilight at the Cassiopeia. Below the Summer Triangle, Pegasus and start of the month (3:10 a.m. CDT), the Andromeda come into view. Scorpius and Sagittarius section of the If you’re impatient to see the Great Andromeda Spiral, sky is at its full glory at the sky’s then you can find it about 20° up in the northeast. You’ll need meridian. From the Scorpion’s classic to fight the light of the bright moon. On June 1st, the sun’s arc pincers (Libra) in the southwest, and carries it across the sky in a few minutes longer than 15 hours. back to the heart (Antares) that leads us Twilight totals about 4.25 hours that is divided between to the stinger that is at the imaginary morning and evening. Darkness, the interval of time when the celestial divider that separates the rising stars from the sky is completely dark, lasts only 4.75 hours. setting stars. At the end of twilight (10:30 p.m. CDT), golden-orange Sagittarius is just east of the meridian. Its famous Teapot Arcturus is over two-thirds of the way up in the sky at the shape is in full view with the nebulae of the Milky Way above meridian. On June 1st, the moon is above Spica, about 10° its spout. At this hour, bright Jupiter and Saturn are in the west of the meridian. Back in the eastern sky, Antares is low southeast to the east of the Teapot. The splendor of the Milky in the southeast. The Summer Triangle is above the horizon in Way is muted by the gibbous moon’s light that is low in the the east, signaling that summer’s start is near. west in Virgo. Along the horizon toward the north, Cassiopeia is low in Spica is in the west-southwest with Arcturus high in the the sky, east of the meridian. The three remaining stars of west. The Big Dipper is low in the northwest with its Pointers winter are in the northwest – Capella, Castor and Pollux. They reliably aiming northward. Leo leans toward the western disappear from the evening sky this month, but Capella is back horizon. Its Sickle is punctuated by regal Regulus. Facing east, in the sky before sunrise. we see that the Summer Triangle – Vega, Deneb, and Altair – Three bright planets – Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn – are is high in the sky. If it were not for the moon’s interfering light, scattered across the sky from southeast to south before we could trace the Milky Way from the south past Cygnus and sunrise. Jupiter and Saturn continue to retrograde as Jupiter Deneb to the north-northeast horizon with Perseus and slowly backs away from Saturn. Brilliant Venus begins its

Vol. 45, No. 6 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers June 2020

morning show before mid-month. Don’t miss the close time interval. Venus is at inferior conjunction at 12:44 p.m. grouping of Venus and the crescent moon on June 19. After CDT. Forty-five minutes after sunset, Mercury (m = 0.5) is sunset, Mercury is completing its evening apparition, where it less than 11° up in the west-northwest. Use a binocular to appeared with Venus, the moon, and Elnath during May. track Mercury during this apparition as it is dimmer each evening. As the sky darkens further, the nearly Full Moon • : Jupiter (m = −2.6) and Saturn (m = 0.4) rise before June 1 (12.4d, 96%) is 6.2° below Zubeneschamali (β Lib, m = 2.6). midnight and they are very low in the east-southeast as the You may have to block the moon’s light or use a binocular new day begins. Both planets are retrograding. Mars (m = to see the starfield. 0.0) rises at 1:40 a.m. CDT. Jupiter is in eastern Sagittarius, • June 4: One hour before sunrise, Jupiter is 27.0° up in the and Saturn appears in front of the stars of western south, west of the meridian. It is 4.9° to the lower right of Capricornus. One hour before sunrise, the Bright Outer Saturn, now west of the meridian at this time interval Planets – Mars, Saturn, and Jupiter – span nearly 47°. before sunrise. Jupiter is 2.1° to the lower left of 56 Sgr. Jupiter, over 27° up in the south, is 4.8° to the lower right Farther east, Mars is over 26° up in the southeast, 2.8° to of Saturn. Jupiter appears west of the meridian at this time the lower right of φ Aqr. Mercury is at its greatest eastern interval. Saturn appears west of that line in a few mornings. elongation (23.6°) at 8:07 a.m. CDT. Forty-five minutes after Among the stars, Jupiter is 2.2° to the lower left of 56 sunset, find Mercury (m = 0.6) over 10° up in the west- Sagittarii (56 Sgr, m = 4.8). Saturn is 1.4° to the lower right northwest. Use a binocular. As the sky darkens further, the of Sigma Capricorni (σ Cap, m = 5.2). Farther east, Mars is moon (13.4d, 99%), over 16° up in the southeast, is 7.1° over 25° in altitude in the southeast. Among the stars, Mars above Antares (α Sco, m = 1.0). is 2.2° to the lower left of Lambda Aquarii (λ Aqr, m = 4.8). • June 5: One hour before sunrise, the moon (13.6d, 100%) – Watch the movement of Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars in their 8.0° up in the southwest – is to the upper right of Antares. starry backgrounds with a binocular. The sun is in the sky The star is near the horizon, less than 4° in altitude. Locate for a few minutes longer than 15 hours. Darkness – the time a clear horizon to see it. Farther east in the southern sky, between the end of evening twilight and the start of bright Jupiter is 4.9° to the lower right of Saturn. In the morning twilight – is 30 minutes longer than the sum of the starfield, Jupiter is 2.0° to the lower left of 56 Sgr, while length of morning twilight and evening twilight. Forty-five Saturn is 1.6° to the lower right of σ Cap. In the southeast, minutes after sunset, Mercury (m = 0.3) is nearly 11° in Mars is nearly 27° up in the sky. It has a higher altitude than altitude in the west-northwest. Mercury dims as its Jupiter, but lower than Saturn, at this time interval. In the appearance continues. Use a binocular to find and follow starfield, the Red Planet is 2.3° to the lower right of φ Aqr. the speedy planet during the next several evenings. As the Fomalhaut (α PsA, m = 1.2) – 10° up in the south-southeast sky darkens further, the moon (10.4 days past the New – is becoming easier to see at this time interval. The star is phase and 82% illuminated), nearly halfway up in the sky in nearly 22° to the lower right of Mars. The moon reaches its the south, is 6.6° above Spica (α Vir, m = 2.0). Full phase at 2:12 p.m. CDT. A penumbral lunar eclipse is • June 2: One hour before sunrise, Jupiter is over 27° up in visible in parts of Australia, southern Asia, eastern Europe, the south and west of the meridian. Saturn is 4.8° to the and eastern Africa. Clearly nothing for us to observe at our upper left of Jupiter. Both planets are retrograding. In longitude. Forty-five minutes after sunset, Mercury (m = particular, note Jupiter’s movement relative to 56 Sgr. 0.7) is over 10° up in the west-northwest. Two hours after Jupiter is 2.2° to the lower left of that star. Farther east, sunset (approximately 10:30 p.m. CDT), the moon (14.4d, Mars is nearly 26° up in the southeast, 2.6° to the lower left 100%) is over 14° up in the southeast. of λ Aqr and 4.0° to the lower right of Phi Aquarii (φ Aqr, m • June 6: One hour before sunrise, the bright moon (14.6d, =4.2). Use a binocular to see the planets among the stars. 100%) is over 13° up in the southwest. Farther east, Jupiter Forty-five minutes after sunset, Mercury (m = 0.4) is nearly is less than 27° up in the south. It is 4.9° to the lower right 11° in altitude in the west-northwest. Fifteen minutes later, of Saturn and 2.0° to the lower left of 56 Sgr. Use a the bright moon (11.4d, 90%) is 9.2° to the upper right of binocular to see the starfield. Farther east, Mars – over 27° Zubenelgenubi (α Lib, m = 2.8). The moon is at perigee at up in the southeast – is 1.8° to the lower right of φ Aqr and 10:38 p.m. CDT. It is 226,406 miles away. 1.1° to the upper right of Chi Aquarii (χ Aqr, m = 4.9). • June 3: Mars (m = −0.1) is 26° up in the southeast, one hour Binoculars help see the dimmer stars with Mars, especially before sunrise. In the starfield, it is 3.1° to the lower left of with the bright moon in the sky. In the evening, one hour λ Aqr and 3.4° to the lower right of φ Aqr. Farther west, after sunset, Mercury (m = 0.8) is less than 10° up in the bright Jupiter is over 27° up in the south, west of the west-northwest. Three hours after sunset (about 11:30 p.m. meridian. Saturn is 4.9° to the upper left of Jupiter. CDT), the moon (15.4d, 97%) is nearly 13° up in the Tomorrow morning, Saturn is west of the meridian at this southeast, 1.4° to the upper right of Kaus Borealis (λ Sgr, m

Vol. 45, No. 6 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers June 2020

= 2.8), the star at the top of the lid of the Teapot of same line of sight. While the Big Dipper never sets at our Sagittarius. Block the moon’s glare or use a binocular to see latitude, the group is high in the sky at this season; so, I list the star. it with my warmer weather double stars to observe. For • June 7: One hour before sunrise, the moon (15.6d, 97%) – some civilizations (cited in Burnham’s Celestial Handbook), over 18° up in the south-southwest – is 0.9° to the upper the pair was used as a test of eyesight. Those persons with left of Kaus Borealis. In the south, Jupiter is over 26° in sharp eyes could easily see both stars. They are separated altitude. Saturn is 5.0° to the upper left of Jupiter, as both by nearly 0.2°. That is twice the separation of the upcoming planets continue to retrograde. Farther eastward along the Jupiter – Saturn Great Conjunction in December. Alone, ecliptic, Mars is nearly 28° up in the southeast, nearly Mizar is a double star. The 4th magnitude component is only midway from φ Aqr to χ Aqr. It is about 1.5° from each star. 14” away from the brighter star. Burnham reports that After sunset, Mercury (m = 0.9) is nearly 10° up in the west- Mizar was the first double star observed. Star color of northwest. Use a binocular to see it. doubles provides an opportunity to test our visual acuity. Burnham writes that the dimmer companion is sometimes reported as “pale emerald” (p. 1953) in color. What do you see? Alcor by itself is a double, but the second star is not easily observed. The 8th magnitude red dwarf is only 1” away from the brighter star. The second star on my list is Gamma Virginis (γ Vir, m = 3.4). The star is over 14° west of Spica. Only about 3° north of the ecliptic, the moon frequently appears near the star. The companion is nearly the same brightness and about 4” from the main star, and the pair has nearly the same color. The companion revolves around the main star in about 170 years. The third star is Beta Scorpius (β Sco, m = 2.5). The companion is 5th magnitude and is nearly 14” away. Like Mizar’s companion, β Sco’s companion has been reported to be green. My experience is that most observers do not see the color. It’s a good conversation starter at a telescope session. The fourth star is Epsilon Lyrae (ε Lyr, m = 4.6). This famous double makes a triangle with Vega and Zeta Lyrae (ζ Lyr, m = 4.3). The “Double-double” is unimpressive to many beginners. Through a binocular or a finder, the first double

June 8, 2020: The moon is 5.8° to the lower right of Jupiter. appears. These stars are 3.5’ apart. Each of these stars The Jupiter – Saturn gap is 5.0°. resolves into double stars. Depending on the sky’s clarity and the collimation of my telescope, I may be able to • June 8: One hour before sunrise, the moon (16.6d, 92%) – resolve each brighter star. The final star on the list is Alberio about 22° up in the south-southwest – is 5.8° to the lower (β Cyg, m = 3.0). It marks the nose of Cygnus. It is nearly right of bright Jupiter. The Jupiter – Saturn gap is 5.0°. In the midway from Vega to Altair. On my list this is the finest starfield, Jupiter is 1.9° to the lower left of 56 Sgr. Farther double in the sky. The pair has a breath-taking color east, Mars – over 28° up in the southeast – is 1.5° below φ difference, described as topaz and sapphire. The separation Aqr and 0.3° to the upper left of χ Aqr. Forty-five minutes is over 30”. This is an exemplary double star to show to a after sunset, dimming Mercury (m = 1.0) is over 9° up in the beginning observer or just to revisit! west-northwest. Procyon (α CMi, m = 0.4) is over 5° up in • June 9: One hour before sunrise, Mars – over 28° up in the the west. It is making its last appearance at this time southeast – has a higher altitude than Saturn at this time interval. Can you find it without optical assistance? This interval. Saturn is in the south about 5° west of the meridian month let’s look for my favorite five double stars rather and 5.0° to the upper left of bright Jupiter. The moon (17.6d, than deep sky objects. All the stars on the list are brighter 85%) is 4.8° to the lower left of Saturn. In the starfield, Mars stars and can be used to introduce new observers to the is 1.7° to the lower left of φ Aqr and 0.9° to the left of χ Aqr. sky’s wonders. First, Mizar (ζ Uma, m = 2.2) and Alcor (80 Jupiter is 1.9° to the lower left of 56 Sgr. Forty-five minutes Uma, m = 4.0) are located at the bend of the Big Dipper. The after sunset, Mercury (m = 1.1) is over 8° up in the west- group is high in the northwest at the end of evening twilight. northwest. The two stars are not connected, but they appear along the

Vol. 45, No. 6 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers June 2020

for the Pleiades, about 5° up in the east-northeast. Use a binocular to initially locate them. Can you see them without optical help? Continue to look during the next several clear mornings. What is the first date that you see the star cluster. Forty-five minutes after sunset, dim Mercury (m = 1.5) is nearly 7° up in the west-northwest. Jupiter rises at 10:30 p.m. CDT, about 130 minutes after sunset.

June 9, 2020: One hour before sunrise the gibbous moon is 4.8° to the lower left of Saturn.

• June 10: Mars rises at 1:20 a.m. CDT. One hour before sunrise, the moon (18.6d, 77%) is over 27° up in the south- southeast. Bright Jupiter is at about the same altitude in the south-southwest, 5.1° to the lower right of Saturn (m = 0.3). In the starfield, Jupiter is 1.8° to the lower left of 56 Sgr, and Saturn is 1.7° to the lower right of σ Cap. Farther east, Mars June 13, 2020: The Last Quarter moon is 4.9° to the lower left is nearly 29° up in the southeast. Among the stars, the Red of Mars. Planet is 2.1° to the lower left of φ Aqr and 1.5° to the left • of χ Aqr. Binoculars help locate the three planets in their June 13: The moon reaches its Last Quarter phase at 1:24 star fields. Mars is heading into a much dimmer starfield a.m. CDT. One hour before sunrise, the moon (21.6d, 49%) with 6th and 7th magnitude stars that has Neptune (m = 7.9). is 4.9° to the lower left of Mars. This morning Mars is 1.6° Venus rises at Civil Twilight, 32 minutes before sunrise. below Neptune. Farther west, bright Jupiter – nearly 26° in Forty-five minutes after sunset, Mercury (m = 1.2) is over 8° altitude in the south-southwest – is 5.2° to the lower right in altitude in the west-northwest. Jupiter rises at 10:40 p.m. of Saturn. Both planets continue to retrograde as the gap CDT; Saturn follows about 20 minutes later. between the two bright giants opens slowly. In the starfield, Jupiter is 1.7° to the lower left of 56 Sgr. Forty-five minutes • June 11: In ecliptic longitude, the Jupiter – Mars gap is after sunset, fading Mercury (m = 1.6) is over 6° up in the about 54°. One hour before sunrise, the gibbous moon west-northwest. (19.6d, 68%), in western Aquarius, is nearly 28° up in the • south-southeast. Mars – about 20° to the left of the moon June 14: One hour before sunrise, Jupiter is over 25° up in – is over 29° up in the southeast, 2.1° to the lower right of the south-southwest, 5.2° to the lower right of Saturn and Neptune. Farther west along the ecliptic, bright Jupiter is 1.7° to the lower left of 56 Sgr. Farther east, Mars is over 26.0° up in the south-southwest, 5.1° to the lower right of 30° in altitude in the southeast, 1.7° to the lower left of Saturn. In the starfield, Jupiter is 1.8° to the lower left of 56 Neptune. The moon (22.6d, 39%), in Cetus, is over 20° up in Sgr. Forty-five minutes after sunset, use a binocular to the east-southeast. The moon is at apogee at 7:57 p.m. CDT. locate Mercury (m = 1.3), over 7° up in the west-northwest. It is 251,261 miles away. Forty-five minutes after sunset, Mercury (m = 1.7), far below Castor and Pollux, is 5.5° up in • June 12: One hour before sunrise, the moon (20.6d, 58%) – the west-northwest. about 27° in altitude in the southeast – is 8.5° to the lower • right of Mars. The Red Planet is 1.7° to the lower right of June 15: Mars rises a few minutes after 1 a.m. CDT. The Neptune. Farther west, Jupiter is nearly 26° up in the south- moon (23.6d, 30%) is over 20° up in the east-southeast. It is southwest, 5.1° to the lower right of Saturn. Begin looking in Cetus for a second morning. Mars – nearly 31° up in the

Vol. 45, No. 6 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers June 2020

southeast – is to the upper right of the thick lunar crescent. good view toward the northwest, you may still catch Capella, The Red Planet is 2.0° to the lower left of Neptune. Farther Castor, and Pollux, although they are quite low. west along the ecliptic, Saturn is over 27° in altitude in the As for the planets, four naked eye planets are now in the south-southwest. It is 5.3° to the upper left of bright Jupiter. morning sky. The Bright Outer Planets – Jupiter, Mars, and Among the stars, Jupiter is 1.7° to the lower left of 56 Sgr, Saturn – are scattered across the southern sky. Mars and and Saturn is 2.0° to the lower right of σ Cap. Thirty minutes Jupiter are separated by nearly 57° of ecliptic longitude. later, Venus (m = −4.3) is over 3° up in the east-northeast. Brilliant Venus pops into the morning sky during the second Through a telescope, Venus is 5% illuminated – a morning half of the month. The moon joins Venus on June 19 for a crescent – that is 54” across. Forty-five minutes after sunset, close grouping. Mercury joins them next month. Mercury (m = 1.9) is less than 5° in altitude in the west- • June 16: One hour before sunrise, the crescent moon northwest. Good-bye, Mercury! It moves toward its inferior (25.0d, 22%), 16.0° up in the east, is 3.8° above Alpha conjunction and morning appearance next month with the Piscium (α Psc, m = 3.8). Mars (m = −0.3) is over 31° up in moon and four other naked eye planets. Saturn rises at the southeast, among faint stars in eastern Aquarius. nearly 10:40 p.m. CDT. As midnight approaches it is about Farther west along the ecliptic, Jupiter is nearly 25° up in 10° up in the southeast, to the lower left of Jupiter. the south-southwest, 5.3° to the lower right of Saturn. In At the beginning of morning twilight at midmonth, bright the starfield, Jupiter is 1.7° to the lower left of 56 Sgr. Thirty Jupiter and Saturn are at the meridian. The Teapot of minutes before sunrise, Venus is over 4° up in the east- Sagittarius is to the lower right of the planets. Antares is near northeast. the horizon in the southwest. Looking along the western • June 17: One hour before sunrise, Jupiter is nearly 25° up in horizon, Arcturus is low in the west, and the Big Dipper is low the south-southwest. It is 5.3° to the lower right of Saturn. in the northwest. Back at the meridian, the Summer Triangle In the starfield, Jupiter is 1.6° to the lower left of 56 Sgr. is high in the south. Mars is 31° up in the southeast. Farther to the north along Vega and Altair are west of the meridian, while that the horizon, the moon (25.8d, 14%), about 11° up in the imaginary line cuts through Cygnus. Deneb is east, while east, is in southern Aries. The lunar crescent is over 15° Alberio is west of the meridian. The body of the Swan – from below Hamal (α Ari, m = 2.0). Note that the Pleiades are at Deneb to Alberio – points toward the southwest. Farther east, about the same altitude as the moon, nearly 20° to the left Fomalhaut is low in the southeast, while brightening Mars is of the moon’s crescent. Thirty minutes before sunrise, higher in the east-southeast. Venus (m = −4.4) is nearly 5° in altitude in the east- On June 15th, the crescent moon is low in the east. northeast, 24° to the lower left of the lunar crescent. Saturn Farther northward along the horizon, Capella peaks above the rises at 10:30 p.m. CDT, about 120 minutes after sunset. north-northeast horizon, with Perseus and Cassiopeia • June 18: One hour before sunrise, bright Jupiter is over 24° standing above it. With the solstice nearing, daylight has in altitude in the southwest, and 5.4° to the lower right of increased about 10 minutes since June 1. Together daylight Saturn. Use a binocular to observe that Jupiter is 1.6° to the and twilight span over 19.5 hours. lower left of 56 Sgr. Farther east, Mars is nearly 32° up in In the evening after twilight ends, Arcturus and Spica, the southeast. Notice that Mars is about 20° to the upper west of the meridian, gleam from the south-southwest. right of Beta Ceti (β Cet, m = 2.0). Notice that Mars, β Cet, Golden-orange Arcturus is high in the sky. The trapezium and Fomalhaut – over 26° to β Cet’s right – make a large shape of Corvus is tilted toward the southwest horizon, to the triangle in the southeast. Not many bright stars are found lower right of Spica. Leo, with Regulus, is tilted toward the in this region, making the figure easy to locate. The crescent western horizon. The Big Dipper is high in the northwest moon (26.8d, 8%), over 6° up in the east-northeast, is over above the Lion. 9° to the lower right of the Pleiades (M45). Thirty minutes East of the meridian, Antares is about an hour away from before sunrise, Venus is nearly 6° in altitude in the east- its high point. The classic pincers of the arachnid – northeast. Venus is nearly 12° to the lower left of the moon. Zubenelgenubi and Zubeneschamali – are west of the You may need a binocular to see the moon in the growing meridian. The Summer Triangle reigns in the east. Try to twilight as sunrise approaches. locate it as the sky darkens – before the end of evening twilight – on solstice evening. It’s lower in the sky, but the large reach of the three stars, with their individual constellations, dominates the eastern sky. Farther northward along the horizon, Cassiopeia is east of the north cardinal point and low in the sky. If you have a

Vol. 45, No. 6 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers June 2020

June 19, 2020: Before sunrise the old moon is 1.0° to the lower left of brilliant Venus.

• June 19: One hour before sunrise, Jupiter is nearly 24° up in the south-southwest. It is 5.4° to the lower right of Saturn. June 20 – July 15, 2020: Venus is in Taurus and begins to The planets continue to retrograde. Note their slow move toward Aldebaran and the Hyades. Use optical assistance to locate the star during growing twilight. movement relative to the starry background. Saturn is 2.2° to the lower right of σ Cap while Jupiter inches past 56 Sgr. • June 21: The moon reaches its New phase at 1:41 a.m. CDT. This morning the gap is 1.6°. Jupiter is to the lower left of An annular solar eclipse tracks across Africa, the Arabian the dimmer star. Farther east along the ecliptic, Mars is Peninsula, South Asia, and the western Pacific Ocean. over 32° up in the southeast. Forty-five minutes before Venus rises at Nautical Twilight, when the sun is 12° below sunrise, the old moon (27.8d, 4%), about 4° up in the east- the horizon. One hour before sunrise, bright Jupiter is over northeast, is 1.0° to the lower left of Venus (m = −4.4). Find 23° up in the south-southwest, 5.5° to the lower right of a clear horizon to view the pair. This is the closest grouping Saturn. In the starfield Jupiter is 1.6° to the lower left of 56 of the moon and Venus during this Venusian apparition! Sgr, while Saturn is 2.3° to the lower right of σ Cap. Forty- Through a telescope, Venus is only 8% illuminated but a five minutes before sunrise, Venus is about 4° up in the large 51” across. Betelgeuse (α Ori, m = 0.4) is at its solar east-northeast. conjunction. While it is about 15° south of the ecliptic, it • June 22: One hour before sunrise, Jupiter is about 23° up in crosses the meridian with the sun. the south-southwest. Saturn is 5.6° to the upper left of • June 20: One hour before sunrise, look for Jupiter, 23° up in Jupiter. In the starfield, Jupiter is 1.6° to the lower left of 56 the south-southwest. It passes 1.6° to the lower left of 56 Sgr. Farther east along the ecliptic, Mars – in the sparsely Sagittarii. Saturn is 5.5° to the upper left of Jupiter. Farther populated area of eastern Aquarius – is nearly 34° up in the east, Mars is nearly 33° up in the southeast. As measured southeast. Forty-five minutes before sunrise, brilliant along the ecliptic, the Jupiter – Mars gap is over 60°. Begin Venus is nearly 6° up in the east-northeast. Have you looking for Venus (m = −4.5), low in the east-northeast at observed it yet? In the evening – one hour after sunset – this time interval. By 45 minutes before sunrise, the brilliant the moon (1.8d, 4%) is nearly 5° up in the west-northwest planet is nearly 5° in altitude. During the next few mornings and 5.2° to the lower left of Pollux (β Gem, m = 1.2). begin looking for Aldebaran (α Tau, m = 0.8) with binoculars. The summer solstice occurs at 4:44 p.m. CDT. Daylight has stretched 11 minutes since June 1st.

Vol. 45, No. 6 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers June 2020

June 27, 2020: Four bright morning planets span 131° of ecliptic longitude, from Venus in the east-northeast to Jupiter in the southwest.

• June 23: One hour before sunrise, Jupiter is 23.0° up in the nearly 8° up in the east-northeast. Through a telescope, the south-southwest. It is 5.6° to the lower right of Saturn and brilliant planet is in its morning crescent phase, 13.5% 1.7° to the lower left of 56 Sgr. Farther east on the ecliptic, illuminated and 47” across. One hour after sunset, the Mars is 34.0° up in the southeast. During the next few moon (4.8d, 25%) is 6.1° to the upper left of Regulus in the mornings watch it pass dimmer stars in Pisces as it moves western sky. into that constellation. This morning Mars is 1.4° to the • June 26: One hour before sunrise, Mars – nearly 36° in upper right of 27 Piscium (27 Psc, m = 4.9). Use a binocular altitude in the southeast – is between 27 Psc and 29 Piscium to see the starfield. Capella (α Aur, m = 0.1) is less than 15° (29 Psc, m = 5.1). While not midway between them, Mars is up in the northeast. Forty-five minutes before sunrise, above a line that connects the stars. It is 0.4° to the upper Venus (m = −4.6) is nearly 7° up in the east-northeast. One left of 27 Psc and 0.5° to the right of 29 Psc. Use a binocular hour after sunset, the crescent moon (2.8d, 9%) – over 12° to see Mars with the starfield. Farther west along the in altitude in the west-northwest – is over 14° to the upper ecliptic, bright Jupiter – about 21° up in the south- left of Pollux. With a binocular note that the lunar crescent southwest – is 5.8° to the lower right of Saturn and 1.8° is 1.4° to the upper right of the Beehive Cluster (M44, NGC below 56 Sgr. Forty-five minutes before sunrise, Venus is 2632). At this time of the year, the twilight is quite bright at about 8° up in the east-northeast. This brilliant planet is 9.2° this time interval after sunset. Nautical Twilight does not below Alcyone (η Tau, m = 2.8), the brightest star in the occur until 78 minutes after sunset. Follow the moon as the Pleiades star cluster. A binocular helps you see the star early evening progresses. Can you find the Beehive? The cluster. One hour after sunset, the moon (5.8d, 36%), over bright stars in the northwest – Pollux, Castor (α Gem, 30° up in the west-southwest, is 8.2° below Denebola (β Leo, m = 1.6), and Capella are making their last stands in the m = 2.1). evening sky. • June 27: One hour before sunrise, brilliant Venus, nearly 7° • June 24: One hour before sunrise, Jupiter – 22.0° up in the up in the east-northeast, is 9.3° below M45. The planet is south-southwest – is 5.7° to the lower right of Saturn as 4.9° to the upper right of Aldebaran. At this time interval, both planets retrograde. Jupiter appears to move westward the star is very low in the sky. What is the first date you see faster than Saturn. In the starfield, Jupiter is 1.7° below 56 Aldebaran without optical aid? Look for it with a binocular Sgr. Farther east, Mars is nearly 35° up in the southeast. It as it rises higher in the sky as twilight brightens. Farther is 0.7° to the right of 27 Psc. Forty-five minutes before westward along the ecliptic, Mars is nearly 36° up in the sunrise, Venus is over 7° up in the east-northeast. One hour southeast. It is 0.1° to the lower left of 29 Psc. Jupiter is after sunset, the moon (3.8d, 16%) – over 20° up in the west nearly 21° up in the south-southwest, 5.8° to the lower right – is 9.2° to the lower right of Regulus (α Leo, m = 1.3). of Saturn. In the starfield, Jupiter is 1.8° below 56 Sgr. In the • June 25: One hour before sunrise, Jupiter, over 21° up in evening, one hour after sunset, the moon (6.8d, 47%), over the south-southwest, is 5.7° to the lower right of Saturn (m 36° in altitude in the southwest, is 3.5° to the upper right of = 0.2). In the starfield, Jupiter is 1.7° below 56 Sgr, while Eta Virginis (η Vir, m = 3.9) Jupiter rises at 9:30 p.m. CDT, Saturn is 2.6° to the lower right of σ Cap. Farther east, Mars about one hour after sunset. An hour later, Jupiter is nearly has moved into Pisces, 0.2° to the upper right of 27 Psc. 9° up in the southeast with Saturn to its lower left. Jupiter and Mars are separated by nearly 64° of ecliptic • June 28: The moon reaches its First Quarter phase at 3:16 longitude. Forty-five minutes before sunrise, Venus is a.m. CDT. Sixty minutes before sunrise, Venus is over 7° up

Vol. 45, No. 6 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers June 2020

in the east-northeast. It is 4.8° to the upper right of 4.4° to the upper right of the star. Look with a binocular as Aldebaran. Use a binocular to see the star as it rises higher twilight progresses and the star is higher in the sky. Through in the sky later during twilight. Mars (m = −0.5) is over 36° a telescope, Venus is 18% illuminated – a morning crescent up in the southeast, 0.7° to the lower left of 29 Psc. Jupiter – that is 43” across. Farther west along the ecliptic, Mars is is about 20° up in the south-southwest. Saturn is 5.9° to its over 38° in altitude in the southeast. It is 1.8° to the lower upper left. In the starfield, Jupiter is 1.9° below 56 Sgr. One left of 29 Psc. Use a binocular to see the planet in the hour after sunset, the moon (7.8d, 59%), over 38° up in the starfield. Jupiter is over 19° in altitude in the southwest, southwest, is 8.8° to the upper right of Spica. 6.0° to the lower right of Saturn. In the starfield, Jupiter is • June 29: One hour before sunrise, Jupiter is over 20° up in 2.0° below 56 Sgr while Saturn is 2.9° to the lower right of the south-southwest and 5.9° to the lower right of Saturn σ Cap. As measured along the ecliptic, Venus is nearly 132° and 1.9° below 56 Sgr. Farther east, Mars is nearly 37° up in away from Jupiter and 64.0° from Mars in ecliptic longitude. the southeast, 1.3° to the lower left of 29 Psc. Brilliant One hour after sunset, the moon (9.8d, 80%), 34° up in the Venus (m = −4.7) is nearly 8° up in the east-northeast, 4.6° south is between the Scorpions classic pincers to the upper right of Aldebaran. During the next 18 Zubenelgenubi (α Lib, m = 2.8) and Zubeneschamali (β Lib, mornings, Venus displays its greatest visual brightness. m =2.6). The gibbous shape is 2.7° to the upper left of the While the photometric brightness increases, your eye likely southern pincer and 6.4° to the lower right of the northern does not see any difference in the visual intensity of the pincer. The moon is at perigee at 9:13 p.m. CDT, 229,260 planet. The moon is at perigee at 9:13 p.m. CDT, 229,260 miles away. Mercury is at inferior conjunction at 9:53 p.m. miles away. One hour after sunset, the moon (8.8d, 70%) is CDT and moves toward the morning sky. over 37° in altitude in the south-southwest, 9.9° to the At the end of the month when morning twilight begins, upper left of Spica. As midnight approaches, Jupiter is over the bright outer planet duo – Jupiter and Saturn – is west of 19° up in the south-southeast. Jupiter passes 0.6° to the the meridian. Brightening Mars, the third planet visible at this upper left of Pluto (m = 14.3). At this hour, Jupiter is 5.9° to hour, is in the east-southeast. Higher in the south, the the upper right of Saturn as the planetary trio (Jupiter, Summer Triangle is west of the meridian. At this hour, Saturn, and Pluto) retrogrades. Arcturus is low in the west-northwest. Find a spot with a clear horizon to see it. The Big Dipper is low in the north-northwest. Moving eastward along the horizon is Capella, low in the north- northeast. The Pleiades, low in the east-northeast, appears at about the same altitude as Capella. Daylight has lost only two minutes in the 10 days since the solstice. At the end of evening twilight, red-orange Antares is slightly east of the meridian, less than one-third of the way up in the sky. The bright gibbous moon seems to be captured in the classic pincers of Scorpius. It is a few degrees above Zubenelgenubi. You may need a binocular or shield your eyes from the moon’s brightness to see the dimmer pincer stars. Farther east, Jupiter and Saturn are low in the southeastern sky. Golden-orange Arcturus appears high in the southwest while sapphire-white Vega is high in the east. Draw a line from Arcturus to Vega. About two-thirds of the way from the former to the latter is the Keystone of Hercules. The globular cluster M13 is found on the west side of this shape. Arcturus is high above Spica. Farther west, Leo is near the horizon. The June 30, 2020: Moon in the classic Scorpion’s pincers. Use a Big Dipper is higher in the northwest, above the Lion. Back in binocular or block the moon to see the dimmer stars. the eastern sky, the Summer Triangle is about halfway up in • June 30: Mars rises a few minutes before 12:30 a.m. CDT. the sky. Summer is here!

One hour before sunrise, brilliant Venus is over 8° up in the About the Author: Jeffrey Hunt has had a life-long interest in east-northeast. It is 9.8° below the Pleiades. While astronomy and astronomy education. He has taught Aldebaran is lower in the sky at this time interval, Venus is astronomy at all levels, from preschool students to university

Vol. 45, No. 6 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers June 2020

courses. Jeff is a former director of the Waubonsie Valley High astronomy blog (http://jeffreylhunt.wordpress.com) showing School Planetarium in Aurora, Illinois. Dr. Hunt holds several easily seen sky events. Currently, he is retired with his wife and degrees, including a master’s degree in planetarium cat in Northern Illinois. education from Michigan State University. He writes an

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 educational 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), 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 its membership program, maintain a loaner telescope program, and provide many other benefits as outlined in our newly revised TCAA Guide #2 – TCAA 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.

TCAA ACTIVE ON FACEBOOK

Did you know that the TCAA is very active on Facebook? We currently have nearly 900 followers, and very few of them are TCAA members! We encourage all users of social media to follow the TCAA to see what the club is doing and to learn about nightly events that only require the observer to step outdoors and view with the unaided eye. You can find us on Facebook by searching either TCAA or Twin City Amateur Astronomers. If you haven’t followed TCAA’s Face- book page recently, you have missed out on a lot of opportunities to view the sky with the unaided eye from town and country.

DID YOU KNOW?

Are you looking for back issues of The Are you looking for information about Are you looking for the TCAA Guides to OBSERVER? Look no further than here: the history of the TCAA? Find out more amateur astronomy? Visit this page: http://tcaa.us/Observer.aspx here: http://tcaa.us/History.aspx http://tcaa.us/TCAAGuides.aspx

Vol. 45, No. 6 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers June 2020

TCAA IMAGE GALLERY

CRESCENT VENUS BY SUNIL CHEBOLU Sunil remarked, “Last CRESCENT MOON BY MARC TIRITILLI This image of a 1.2-day- night (May 24th, around 8:45 PM), I was electrified to be in old waxing crescent moon was taken on May 24th with a the shoes of Galileo and observe a phase of the planet Venus tripod-mounted Nikon D80 camera and a Nikkor 70-300mm for the first time!! Back in 1610 Galileo famously observed ED lens set to 300mm, 1-second, ISO 400 at f/5.6. The the phases of Venus which stood in a testimony of the preceding New Moon marked the start of Eid al-Fitr, the days Heliocentric model. (Yes, the full set of phases of Venus of celebration marking the end of Ramadan. Such a crescent couldn't be explained in the geocentric model).” moon adorns many Muslim symbols.

MERCURY BY TIM STONE. On the evening of May 29th Tim wrote, “Here in Wichita (Kansas), we are 17 degrees longitude farther west but still on Central Time. It’s 10:00 PM and Mercury is still easily visible above the horizon. Mercury is to the right of the power pole (circled). The lights are McConnell AFB.

Vol. 45, No. 6 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers June 2020

ONLINE PUBLIC TALKS FOR 2020

While our public viewing sessions for 2020 have been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, the talks have not been cancelled. Talks are being made available over Facebook and YouTube.

June 20: Navigating with Stars (Sunil Chebolu)

For centuries, navigators have relied on stars to identify directions, compute latitude, and even read local time. We will explore these ideas and also examine the problem of measuring one’s longitude at sea – a fascinating problem that defeated some of the best minds in the world for many years.

July 18: Jupiter & Saturn (Mark Boulware)

Jupiter and Saturn offer stark contrasts when compared to the inner planets. We will review how and why they formed in their current locations and their impact on the formation of the rest of the solar system. We will learn how the two greatest planets are similar yet different.

August 22: Touring the Milky Way (Mark Cabaj)

The Milky Way is one of the countless stellar islands floating in a cosmic foam of dark matter, dark energy, and matter. Humanity is trying to find out what our galaxy looks like inside and out using ingenious observing methods and increasingly more sensitive equipment. Take a tour of our “cosmic home” to see what we know so far.

September 19: The ISS: Past, Present, and Future (Sandullah Epsicokhan)

The International Space Station (ISS) is humankind’s largest artificial satellite. Given the right time and conditions, it can be easily seen orbiting overhead. We will look at how it was constructed, how it is used, what it is like living in space, and where it is headed in the future.

October 17: Missions to Mars (Lee Green)

As we reach our closest approach to Mars for the year, the Red Planet shines brightly throughout the evening. Let’s review the many spacecraft missions we’ve sent there, what they are revealing, and how they are paving the way for a future manned mission to Mars.

TCAA TREASURER’S REPORT AS OF MAY 28, 2020

Checking Account Information

Memo Category Amount BALANCE 04/28/2020 1,903.96 International Dark Sky Association Dues (50.00) Donation in exchange for 12" Meade OTA Unwanted Equipment 500.00 Void Check #1055 - Duplicate Filing Annual Report 10.00 Electrical Service Waynesville Observatory (44.58) Tom Willmitch Dues Received 25.13 NCRAL Mini Grant Affiliate Recruitment 250.00 BALANCE 05/28/2020 2,594.51

Checking Account Balance – May 28, 2020 $2,594.51 Savings Account Balance – May 28, 2020 $1,968.01 - Includes $0.01 cents interest as of this date

Total TCAA Funds – May 28, 2020 $4,562.52

All transactions are reconciled with the bank statements as of this date. Respectfully submitted, Dave Osenga, Treasurer