Highlights of the January Sky
- - - 2nd - - - First Quarter Moon 11:45 pm EST A Publication of the Kalamazoo Astronomical Society - - - 4th - - - AM: The Quadran d meteor shower peaks at ~3am.
- - - 5th - - - Earth is at perihelion, its closest point to the Sun for the year (just 3% closer than KAS at aphelion in July).
- - - 7th - - - DUSK: A waxing gibbous General Meeting: Friday, January 10 @ 7:00 pm Moon is between the horns Kalamazoo Area Math & Science Center - See Page 10 for Details of Taurus, the Bull, only 3° le of Aldebaran.
- - - 8th - - - Board Meeting: Sunday, January 12 @ 5:00 pm PM: The Moon is less than Sunnyside Church - 2800 Gull Road - All Members Welcome 1° from Zeta (ξ) Tauri.
- - - 10th - - - Remote Session: Saturday, January 18 @ 9:00 pm Full Moon 2:21 pm EST WMU Rood Hall (Room 1110) - See Page 9 for Details
- - - 17th - - - Last Quarter Moon 7:58 am EST
- - - 20th - - - DAWN: A waning crescent Inside the Newsletter. . . Moon, Mars, and Antares form a triangle along the December Mee ng Minutes...... p. 2 border of Ophiuchus and Scorpius before sunrise. Board Mee ng Minutes...... p. 3
- - - 22th - - - DAWN: A very thin waning Observa ons of 2019...... p. 4 crescent Moon rises in the southeast with Jupiter Transit of Mercury Report...... p. 5 trailing it by around 6°. Remembering the 2017 Eclipse...... p. 5 - - - 24th - - - New Moon NASA Night Sky Notes...... p. 7 4:42 pm EST January Night Sky...... p. 8 - - - 27th - - - PM: About 6° separate KAS Board & Announcements...... p. 9 Venus and a thin waxing crescent Moon in Aquarius. General Mee ng Preview...... p. 10 Neptune is less than ¼° from Venus, but a telescope is required to spot it. December Meeting Minutes
The KAS annual meeting, featuring our 21st Holiday Party, that all officers be voted by acclamation, since they all ran began at 6:30 pm EST on Friday, December 6, 2019. unopposed. This was seconded by Mike Sinclair and all Approximately 43 members and guests were in attendance at members in attendance voted affirmatively. Five members the Kalamazoo Area Math & Science Center (KAMSC). were running for the four Member-at-Large positions, so Special thanks to Richard Bell, Joe Comiskey, Jack Price, election ballots were distributed. Please see page 9 for the Don Stilwell, and Roger Williams for assisting Jean De Mott list of 2020 KAS board members. with setup. Richard started off a lengthy President’s Report by thanking Dinner was served at 6:45 pm. Our potluck hors d'oeuvre Jean for organization the Holiday Party for the past 21 years. and dessert extravaganza was as good as always. These This earned a well-deserved round of applause. The next include chicken fajitas, multiple pizzas, tasty meatballs Remote Telescope Training Session is scheduled for 8pm on deviled eggs, and more desserts than one could (or should) December 7th at KAMSC. Several members still need to enjoy in a single evening. Our “hostess-with-the-mostess,” renew their membership and were asked to contribute to the Jean De Mott, supplied the soft drinks and hot wassail again Owl Observatory Upgrade Project. Richard said 2019 was an and did another wonderful job with table decorations. especially busy year for him and listed all that he had accomplished for the KAS (see page 4 for more). Once dinner was complete and everyone had a chance to relax and converse, we played four highly competitive Richard also took a moment to thank the 2019 KAS Board, rounds of BINGO. Here are the lucky winners: listing the first year they served and the various positions
• they’ve held. Special thanks was given to Rich Mather. Rich Scotty Macfarlane (tie) – Moon Lamp served as treasurer continuously since 2001 and did not seek − Donated by Jean De Mott reelection for 2020. Rich was instrumental in getting our finances in order before applying for non-profit status. • Greg Sirna (tie) – Orion Waist Accessory Holder Thanks was also given to all those members that serve in − Donated by Becky & Kalman Csia various volunteer staff positions. Richard then stated “you’ve • Rich Mather – Universe: The Illustrated Guide joined, now be a part of the KAS” and listed several ways (both big and small) members can participate. Lastly, − Donated by Anonymous KAS Member Richard said this was a special meeting for him. He joined • Kevin Jung – Celestial Fabric Material the KAS on December 2, 1994 ‒ 25 years ago. − Donated by Phyllis Lubbert In observing reports, both Kevin Jung and Mike Sinclair • Ellen Comiskey – Mini Photo Tripod reported spotting Venus while en route to the meeting. Joe − Donated by Anonymous KAS Member Comiskey mentioned the gathering of Venus and Jupiter in the evening sky. Dave Woolf invited KAS members to visit Remaining members and guests reconvened in KAMSC’s his upgraded observatory. New equipment includes an Astro- presentation center at 8:16 pm for the annual meeting. Physics 1100GTO German equatorial mount and a Celestron Everyone enjoyed the 2019 Year-in-Review Slide Show 9.25-inch EdgeHD Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. Dave was painstakingly assembled by Richard Bell. Final nominations encouraged to write-up a formal invitation in Prime Focus. and elections for 2020 KAS board members were then held. No additional nominations were made. Kevin Jung moved Under astronomical news, Arya Jayatilaka mentioned that NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has discovered the crash site of India’s ill-fated lunar lander, Vikram, which slammed into the Moon’s surface during a landing attempt in September. SpaceX launched another 60 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit on November 11th. This received many moans and boos from those in attendance. Another 60 are planed for launch on January 4th. Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is scheduled to launch aboard an Atlas V rocket on December 20th.
Door prize drawings were held after discussing upcoming KAS activities. Thanks to all the members that contributed BINGO/Door Prizes this year. Here are ALL the lucky winners (in order):
Phyllis Lubbert (Celestial Fabric Material), Tony Gurczynski (LED light), Luke Bessler (Orion Waist Accessory Holder), Molly Williams (LED Emergency Scotty Macfarlane and Greg Sirna both won the first Flashlight), Sophie Loveless (Night Sky Field Guide), Dave round of BINGO during the 21st KAS Holiday Party. Woolf (2020 Moon Phase Calendar), Gus Roman (Mars
Prime Focus Page 2 January 2020 Mud), Maeve Macfarlane (Arboretum from Kalamazoo December 14th at room 1110 Rood Hall, with doors open at Candle Company), Shannon Loveless (LED Last Stylus Ink 7pm and program from 8 - 10 pm. The next general meeting Pen), Susan Severance (Space Atlas), Scotty Macfarlane (KAMSC, January 10th, 7pm) would feature short (The Stars: The Definitive Visual Guide to the Cosmos), presentations from KAS members. Jack Price (Glow-in-the-Dark Moon & Stars), Katie Weller (2020 Moon Phase Calendar), Florence Roe (Astronomy: In a discussion of Follow-Up items, Richard reported that he Fact & Feats by Patrick Moore), Joe Comiskey (Orion and Jack had removed the Astro-Physics gear boxes for the LaserMate), Melody Woolf (Miller Planisphere), Ellen Owl Observatory 1600GTO mount and sent them back for Comiskey (LED light), Arya Jayatilaka (Carson Smart servicing. They were quickly adjusted and are now back in Phone Telescope Adapter), McKenzie Roman (Laser with hand, ready for reinstallation. The numerical lock box LED light), Don Stilwell (45° Erect Image Diagonal), Karen desired for the Kalamazoo Nature Center front gate had been Woodworth (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter poster), Gary OK’d by KNC, and in fact they might have a lock box we Lubbert (Lux Pro Flashlight), Janet Dykens (USPS First could use. A survey of three trees that block the skyline at Moon Landing Stamps), Jean DeMott (Astronomy For Owl Observatory suggested that one could be removed but Kids), Duane Weller (Orion SkyGlow SCT Filter), Sue that another had a memorial tag and was therefore off limits. Sirna (How to Make a Telescope by Jean Texereau), Mike The donated Meade 10-inch f/6.3 Classic LX200 telescope Sinclair (Color Filter Set), Kevin Jung (Winter Star Party has not sold yet, and it was recommended that a replacement Bag), Scott Macfarlane (Backyard Star Guide), Aaron power supply should be obtained to make it more saleable Roman (Polarizing Filter), Arthur Woodworth (Edmund (and make sure it’s operational). Richard had located a Scientific Planisphere), and Drew Loveless (Lunar power supply from Scope Stuff for $49, and Scott agreed to Reconnaissance Orbiter poster). order it. Finally, after a motion by Rich and second by Don, the Board voted unanimously to authorize Richard to write a Kevin Jung donated a special Grand Door Prize this year, grant application for the remainder of the Owl Observatory which, after unwrapping, turned out to be a 2019 Apollo 11 upgrade [Note added in proof: Richard has decided not to 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coin from the United seek another grant at this time]. State Mint. The lucky winner was Scott Macfarlane! In other Follow-Up items, Richard reported that the 2020 The meeting concluded at about 9:47 pm. Thanks to all the general meeting program lineup was proceeding pretty well, volunteers that helped with clean-up and putting all the except for March. Ideas for March are still sought. In a tables and chairs away. review of 2019/2020 Community Outreach activities, Jack was planning to attend STEM night at Portage Lake Center Elementary School, where he is representing both radio and astronomy topics. Joe Comiskey had agreed to help with this, and Rich also volunteered. Other planned events were Astronomy Night at North Shore Elementary in South Haven (March 5th, 6 - 8 pm), Science Night at Vicksburg Middle School (March 11th, 6 - 8 pm), and Barry County Science Festival (Pierce Cedar Creek, March 21st, 10am – 3pm).
In New Business, Richard noted the need for new Public The KAS Board met on December 8, 2019 at Sunnyside Observing Session brochures. The electronic files were Church. The meeting was called to order by President ready, and Richard recommended that we acquire 1,000 Richard Bell at 5:10 pm. Others present were Jean DeMott, brochures from Allegra. After a motion by Jean and second Scott Macfarlane, Rich Mather, Jack Price, Don Stilwell, and by Scott, all voted in favor. A second topic arose from our Roger Williams. experience with the first Remote Viewing Session presented for the public. Jean felt that we had encountered enough Don presented the Treasurer’s Report, covering current problems that we should pull back the publicity for these account balances and cash flow since January 1, 2019. events and should not bill them as public events for the rest While the accounts all balanced, the summary reports did not of the 2019 - 2020 year. Others did not feel as negative display all of the desired information. The suggestion was about our first attempt and felt that we should continue with made that Don should generate a Category Report that would the original plan. After some animated and at times heated show these details. Don also mentioned receiving discussion, Jack moved to continue the sessions as planned. notification from Amazon that some people are naming KAS The vote was 6 - 1 in favor. Jean also observed that the main as the recipient of payments generated automatically when course offerings at the Holiday Party were shrinking, and she the customer makes a purchase. In order for this to work, suggested considering a potluck format in which KAS would Amazon wanted our account number and our permission to supply the meat dishes and members would bring a dish to make direct deposits to the account. Don suggested that it share. The Board agreed to further discuss options along this would be discreet to open a separate account for this line during the coming year. purpose, in order to minimize exposure to the primary account. The Board agreed, and Don and Jack will check on With the conclusion of business, the meeting was adjourned how this could be done. at 6:26 pm. The next meeting was set for 5pm on January 12th at Sunnyside. In a summary of December/January events, Richard mentioned the Remote Viewing Session scheduled for Respectfully submitted by Roger Williams
Prime Focus Page 3 January 2020 Another year and decade have come to pass. Both have been convinced it was ready for member use. I wrote the Remote very productive ones for the Kalamazoo Astronomical Telescope User’s Guide and we held the first-ever training Society. In the remote chance you’re interested in a summary session on April 26th. Several attended and paid the user fee, of the past decade, I encourage you to review the annual year but not too many have used the telescope thus far. Hopefully -in-review reports I’ve written in Prime Focus starting with that’ll change as we work out the remaining bugs. I was the January 2011 issue. Please continue reading on as I more than confident the telescope was ready for the long- summarize 2019, which was overall another historic year, planned Remote Viewing Sessions. The inaugural season but certainly had its ups and downs. began on November 16th, along with a ceremony. Things didn’t quite go as planned for the first session, which caused This was the year I completed several major projects for the some hurt feelings after a brutal assessment from one KAS. On January 14th, I launched our redesigned website, prominent member. Fortunately, the second session on KAS Online. Work on the new website began in the summer December 21st went considerably better. of 2018 and continued on and off for months. Good things about the new website include a version for mobile phones Members have come to expect great presentations at our and that it requires much less maintenance than previous general meetings and 2019 was no exception. Astronomy versions. Over this past summer, I also redesigned the Open House was held for the second year-in-a-row in Gallery section of the website after years of neglect. This January and Joe Comiskey, Mark Miller, and I each gave 10 should have been pretty straight forward, but I also decided to 20-minute presentations. My original plan for February to reprocess nearly every image with new software. Several was to have someone from New Horizons give a Skype talk new gallery pages have also been added and I hope to keep it about the encounter with Kuiper Belt Object 2014 MU69 up-to-date this time. If you haven’t visited the Gallery yet, (now known officially as Arrokoth), but failed to find please take a look. someone in time. Therefore, I gave an updated version of my extrasolar planet talk Infinite Worlds. Mike Sinclair gave Another highlight of the year also occurred in January. another excellent presentation in March. This time about the Thanks to frigid temperatures, we had to cancel the Lunar Great Debate between Harlow Shapely and Heber Curtis. Eclipse Watch on January 20th. This time I think it turned out Special thanks to all our guest speakers: Dr. Lauren Woolsey for the best! While live tweeting the eclipse from home, Elon (GRCC), Dave DeBruyn (GRAAA), Prof. Thomas Brooks Musk shared one of my images on Twitter and it went viral. (Lafayette College), John French (Abrams Planetarium), Over 130,000 people liked his tweet and this led to a surge of Prof. Xianzhe Jia (U-M), and Prof Artemis Spyrou (MSU). people following my progress. It was great fun! Other than that, 2019 was a terrible year for planned observing events. We said goodbye to the 12-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain in Owl We canceled the Freeze-Out, Messier Marathon, and the Observatory on June 5th. My ideal scenario was to sell Mercury Transit Watch. Only four out of fourteen Public everything to one buyer, but instead pieces of the telescope Observing Sessions were successful. That’s just brutal. are now scattered all over the country. Thanks to 2017 Eclipse Shade sales and generous donations from a handful Great strides were made with the KAS Remote Telescope. I of KAS members, we were able to install the soon-to-be thoroughly tested it during the first half of the year and was christened Leonard James Ashby Telescope during an “Installation Party” on September 8th. Special thanks to Josh Taylor-Lehman for building and installing the new pier. Unfortunately, contributions from the majority of the membership have been non-existent. Perhaps the main reason is donor fatigue. After all, I know I started the Owl Observatory Upgrade Project too close to the conclusion of the Remote Telescope Project. The Board recently gave me its blessing to write a grant for the rest of the project, but I’ve decided against it. Fortunately, we just received another very generous donation that will help us complete most of the project! We hope to dedicate the new telescope in May. It’s still not too late to make a contribution!
One area of concern is the membership total. In my 25 years with the KAS, membership has never declined two years-in- a-row...until now. We finished 2019 with 156 memberships. We did see an unusually large increase in 2017 (no doubt Richard readies for a long night of astrophotography at due to the eclipse), so perhaps its been tumbling back down Richland Township Park on August 3, 2019. to normal levels. The record high before 2017 was 151. I guess we’ll know for sure after 2020.
Prime Focus Page 4 January 2020 Third Contact
Like all solar eclipse type events, the weather is the main interference. On the morning of November 11, 2019 there was a wide band of clouds from southern New Mexico diagonally northeast across the country into the Great Lakes region. Clear sky spots appeared on satellite in Kentucky and in the far southeast. This time I was NOT traveling to observe as my main telescope is pier mounted in an observatory (N32.49°, W107.98°). So, glimpses, officially = minimum “success”! The plan was to observe from 9am to the event end at 11:04 am MST. The last 2 hours (1600 – 1804 UT) I saw that the There was a narrow blue-sky streak in the southwest, and Michigan clouds were delivering snow, but in the Land of portending to be an approaching “sucker hole.” The altitude Enchantment (New Mexico) the clouds were moving and of the Sun was also improving and made the cloud gaps “lumpy.” I am not a trained meteorologist so I am free to larger. About 10:45 am the blue-sky streak was here. So, I make up weather names as I see them. switched from the 3.8 filter to the Baader 5.0 filter on the bright Sun for excellent views – Mercury had now moved very near the solar edge. I added a Tele Vue 2.5× Barlow for 157×. This was at the limits of “seeing” as Mercury started to appear as a black ball of Jell-O.
With my 6-digit atomic clock and Jan as my “computer” we timed Contact III at 11:02:54 MST and Contact IV at 11:04:32 MST. The clear sky conditions yielded far more rewarding seeing than the previous glimpses. Maximum Success!
The morning sky was overcast, but I opened the dome at 9am and aimed the telescope at the brightest cloud spot. I am using the Baader 3.8 optical density solar photo filter on the Astro-Physics 130mm refractor with a 16mm Brandon Orthoscopic eyepiece plus Baader Contrast and light green My first total solar eclipse was August 21, 2017 at Stuhr filter. I normally observe the sunspots at 63× because the Museum of the Prairie Pioneer in Grand Island, Nebraska. Sun completely fits in the field-of-view. My wife Jenna and I left the previous day and after reaching Iowa I realized I left my solar glasses at home. Great!!! Signs Patiently looking between the cloud lumps, I was able to along the highways and roads were stating everyone was fleetingly glimpse the Sun with the tiny dot of Mercury near sold out of Eclipse Shades. After spending so much time and the disk center. My neighbor, Robert, stopped by and effort ensuring others had their shades, I forgot mine. watched for 4 glimpses over a 20-minute period. My lady REALLY!!! Just have to take a chance the museum will still friend Jan also saw several apparitions. have some left when I get there.
Prime Focus Page 5 January 2020 Once we got to Nebraska, we stopped at the local Subway to telescope manuals and various books staring at me. I grabbed get some food. The locals there really made us laugh hard the wrong tote (identical looking), which is conveniently left because when Jenna got out of the car, their mouths dropped at home in Michigan! Things are getting better and better! wide open, shocked at her hair color - bright purple. They couldn’t stop staring, almost like we were from another I tried many different methods of trying to find the best way planet! We finally arrive at the hotel after 11 hours of travel. to take the photos I wanted and figured moving my ‘scope manually with the camera attached would give the best I tried to convince my wife how badly she needed to see the results. Good thing I’m here early! Now for the last and most eclipse and how incredibly cool and beautiful it would be, stressful part of it all, clouds needed to disappear, and they but she absolutely didn’t want to see it. She wanted to stay started clearing somewhat an hour and a half before totality. at the hotel and spend time with me before and after. Okay, Awesome! good enough. Totality for me was breathtaking! Even though I knew what The day finally came, and after a weather report calling for was coming down to the second, I wasn’t prepared for how clear skies all week, I woke up to - you guessed it - clouds! totality would look. The shadow came upon us slower than I After preparing for this moment for so long, working to sell anticipated. It was really cool watching it slowly envelop us, solar glasses and convincing people they just HAD to see it, slowly getting darker until the birds starting singing then the clouds were incredibly crushing. I didn’t have time to flying to their roosting spots. The sky was really cool. The relocate, so I decided that since I’m already here, I might as upper half had stars and planets visible as if it were night and well go. Maybe I’ll get lucky and skies will clear. I left early the lower half of the sky looked like a sunset. morning attempting to beat the crowd and wound up being one of the first 30 cars in line. Cool, now I wait. I had been taking several exposures of the partial eclipse in different stages and now totality was upon us! I couldn’t After quite a wait I finally get inside the grounds of the believe how beautiful it was. It looked like a black donut museum and parked in the telescope parking section, one car with long coronal strands streaming from it which we’re of 15 and headed straight to the museum to buy some Eclipse never able to see except during totality, the diamond ring Shades. YES! They have plenty, I’m good to go! I just know effect was breathtaking, prominences visible to the naked I’m all set now. eye. People’s reactions to it were anywhere from laughing, crying, cheering, saying many different things. I even put my I figured I’d take some time to capture video and hand to my mouth and uttered “Oh my _ _ _! It will probably photographs of the grounds, showing a bit of what it looked go down as the most beautiful astronomy thing I’ll see in my like. Now time to set up the ‘scope long ahead of time so I lifetime. can kick back and enjoy when totality happens. Now for the last pieces of the ‘scope - the cables, controller and GPS. Just like that it was over. For a brief couple minutes though it Haul out the tote, open it up and see all my wonderful felt to me like time stood still. I highly recommend everyone
Prime Focus Page 6 January 2020 stars of the Orion Nebula. These bright young stars are still relatively close together, but have dispersed their birth cocoon of stellar gas, like teenagers venturing around the neighborhood with friends and wearing their own clothes, but still remaining close to home - for now. Astronomers have studied this trio in great detail in order to learn more about stellar evolution.
Figuring the exact distance of the Pleiades from Earth is an interesting problem in astrometry, the study of the exact positions of stars in space. Knowing their exact distance away is a necessary step in determining many other facts about the Pleiades. The European Space Agency’s Hipparcos satellite determined their distance to about 392 light-years away, around 43 light-years closer than previous estimates. However, subsequent measurements by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope indicated a distance of 440 light years, much closer to pre-Hipparcos estimates. Then, using a powerful technique called Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI), which combines the power of radio telescopes from around the world, the distance of the Mike captured this image of the Great American Pleiades was calculated to 443 light-years. The ESA’s Gaia Eclipse from the Stuhr Museum in Grand Island, satellite, a successor to Hipparcos, recently released its first Nebraska. He used a Canon T5i DSLR camera and 8 two sets of data, which among other findings show the -inch Newtonian reflector on a Celestron CGEM distance close to the values found by Hubble and VLBI, mount. It is a 1/750-sec. exposure at ISO 200. possibly settling the long-running “Pleiades Controversy” and helping firm up the foundation for follow-up studies about the nature of the stars of the Pleiades. see at least one total solar eclipse in their lifetime! Take vacation from work, travel wherever you have to, do You can learn more about the Pleiades in the Universe whatever you can to see at least one. Now I know how Discovery Guide, and find out about missions helping to people like Bill Nigg (who also helped mentor me for this – measure our universe at nasa.gov. thanks, Bill!) become Eclipse Chasers. Once you see one, you want to see them all! This article is distributed by NASA Night Sky Network. The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit NASA Night Sky Notes... nightsky.jpl.nasa.org to find local clubs, events, and more! Spot the Young Stars of the Hyades and Pleiades by David Prosper
Orion is the last of a trio of striking star patterns to rise during the late fall and early winter months, preceded by the diminutive Pleiades and larger Hyades in Taurus. All three are easily spotted rising in the east in early January evenings, and are textbook examples of stars in different stages of development.
As discussed in last month’s Notes, the famous Orion Nebula (M42), found in Orion’s “Sword,” is a celestial nursery full of newly-born “baby stars” and still-incubating “protostars,” surrounded by the gas from which they were born. Next to Orion we find the Hyades, in Taurus, with their distinctive “V” shape. The Hyades are young but mature stars, hundreds of millions of years old and widely dispersed. Imagine them as “young adult” stars venturing out from their hometown into their new galactic apartments. Bright orange Aldebaran Close-up of the Pleiades, with the field-of-view of stands out in this group, but is not actually a member; it just Hubble’s Fine Guidance Sensors overlaid in the top left, happens to be in between us and the Hyades. Traveling from which helped refine the distance to the cluster. The Orion to the Hyades we then find the small, almost dipper- circumference of the field of view of these sensors is shaped Pleiades star cluster (M45). These are “teenage roughly the size of the full Moon. (Credit: NASA, ESA and stars,” younger than the Hyades, but older than the newborn AURA/Caltech)
Prime Focus Page 7 January 2020 — January Night Sky —
This star map is property of the This map represents the sky at the Kalamazoo Astronomical Society. NORTH following local standard mes: However, you may make as many • Late December 10 pm copies as you wish free-of- • Early January 9 pm charge, so long as it is for non- profit educa onal purposes and • Late January 8 pm full credit is given to the KAS. • Early February 7 pm www.kasonline.org EAST WEST
SOUTH
he Quadrantid meteor shower peaks defunct constellation Quadrans Muralis. Antares form an obtuse triangle before T around 3am EST on January 4th. The Today, the shower’s radiant lies in the sunrise on January 20th. Antares (which Moon sets at 1:47 am, so best to start northern part of Boötes (not terribly far means “rival of Mars”) currently exceeds your observing campaign at ~2am. Peak from the Big Dipper’s handle). Skies the red planet in brightness by less than ½ intensity of the Quadrantids only lasts above West Michigan are rarely clear in -magnitude. Compare their colors. about 6 hours, but can reach a zenithal early January, but if they are don’t miss hourly rate of 120 - rivaling the more one of the best meteor showers of 2020. Venus and a thin waxing crescent Moon viewed Perseid and Geminid showers. will be nearly 7° apart on the evening of The Quadrantids get their name from the A waning crescent Moon, Mars, and January 27th. Always a lovely sight! January 2020 Page 9 PRESIDENT Richard S. Bell VICE PRESIDENT Moving? New E-mail? Jack Price Have you recently moved and/or TREASURER changed your e-mail address? If so Don S lwell please let us know ASAP.
SECRETARY/ALCOR If you are moving out of town before Roger Williams your membership expires please contact us anyway. You paid for a PUBLICITY MANAGER years worth (or more) of newsle ers Joe Comiskey and that’s what you’ll get!
MEMBERS-AT-LARGE
Jean De Mo Dave Garten KAS GALLERY UPDATED
Sco Macfarlane Please visit these new gallery pages recently added to highlight 2019 ac vi es. Enjoy!
Aaron Roman
E-MAIL a BOARD MEMBER
Meetings Observing Outreach REMOTE VIEWING SESSION
Enjoy the wonders of the universe as seen through the “eyes” of the KAS Remote Telescope, located under the dark skies of southeastern Arizona. Par cipants will enjoy views of constella ons and deep-sky objects captured with the system’s CCD cameras in Arizona, transmi ed to Kalamazoo via the internet and projected on the lecture hall screen. Live streaming video will also show the telescope in opera on.
Saturday, January 18th (25th) @ 9 - 11 pm WMU Rood Hall • 2101 Wilbur Ave. • Free Parking in Lot 61 General Meeting Preview
Astronomy is a subject rich beyond measure. Topics in the science of astronomy can range from microscopic specks of interstellar dust to walls and filaments of superclusters of galaxies. Then there’s the hobby of astronomy. Topics there include basic night sky observa on to advanced astrophotography and image processing techniques. And don’t forget the rich and fascina ng history of astronomy or space explora on. This month, three KAS members will give 10 to 20 minute astronomically- themed presenta ons on topics of their choosing. What will they be? Please join us and find out. Friday, January 10 @ 7:00 pm Kalamazoo Area Math & Science Center
600 West Vine, Suite 400 • Use Dutton St. Entrance ─ Dutton Entrance Locked by 7:10 pm ─
Kalamazoo Astronomical Society c/o KAMSC STAMP 600 West Vine, Suite 400 Kalamazoo, MI 49008
© January 2020, Stargazer Productions