Rochester Skies Space Place V Holiday Party V Mars Info V Astro-Fun Rochester Astronomy Club Newsletter Issue #7 Q4 ‘07

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A S T R O N O M Y Rochester Skies Space Place V Holiday Party V Mars Info V Astro-Fun Rochester Astronomy Club Newsletter Issue #7 Q4 ‘07

2007 Come Experience YEARi n REVIEW RAC the Universe Rochester Astronomy Club By Randy Hemann

As we enter into the Holiday Season, it’s time again is important. Not that other hobbies and interest are less to look back at the year that just flew by. We had another fulfilling to one’s well being. But astronomy has proven good year of outreach events, club star parties, and many itself to be the quintessential discipline – it can enrich our great presentations at our meetings. At times, cloudy personal lives, be enjoyed at any age, and has a history of, nights took their usual shot at foiling our plans, but that well, making history. only meant we’d be back to try it again another night. Let me continue by reviewing that last point. It has Why? Good question. So I ask: why should we keep this been noted that the main agenda of earliest astronomers club active, moving forward? Why do we run out to the was to try to understand what was going on in the skies in schools to have young children scurry about our expensive order to predict the future. The ancient priests would look equipment? Why do we go through all this trouble plan- heavenward and observe the movements of the sun and ning, packing, unpacking, stumbling in the dark, craning the moon and the planets to try to predict the moods of our necks, packing again, driving in the dark, and losing their gods, or who would prevail in war, or when to plant sleep on days we’re already too busy with other things? the crops. Astronomy was important. Why do we enjoy astronomy? Ushered in by astronomer Copernicus and later bol- Some would answer that we are still little boys and stered by Brahe, Kepler and Galileo, the 16th and 17th girls who like to play with gadgets and machines. Oth- century’s Scientific Revolution changed forever the way ers might point out that we are really a special subset of human beings think! The power of observation, precise nerdy computer geeks. Still others would say we must be measurement, and the scientific method revolutionized untreated insomniacs or just plain night owls. Although I logic and released the human mind to think in terms couldn’t disagree with a bit of truth in any of those re- unthinkable. It took Homo sapiens 50,000 years to look marks, I would suggest that the real reason we enjoy this at the skies and conclude we live at the center of the endeavor is that deep down we feel…we know astronomy universe. It took the next 2000 years to determine that we’re not. Once astronomers figured that out, it only took Contents 300 years to transform the world of physics into relativ- 2007 Year in Review 1 ity and quantum theories. Now merely 100 years later, we have global positioning units in our shirt pockets and Trapped Under Lights 2 gamma ray knives cutting The Awe 4 out brain tumors. Our Mars! 5 food, our medicine, our Observers Handbook Review 6 transportation, our enter- tainment, and our com- NASA Space Place 7 munications came to be A Glorious Year for Astronomy 8 because these “rebel” as- Holiday Party ‘07 10 tronomers looked upward Astro-Fun 11 and thought, “I observe a pattern here…” Astrono- Up-Coming Events 12 my is important. Rochester Skies At star parties we often hear the comment “looking As an amateur astronomy club, we still have a lot of out there really makes me feel insignificant.” I pro- work to do. When an adult looks through the eyepiece and pose the opposite is true. At twilight we stand aside then down the front of your scope to find the “hidden pro- our telescopes, commanding them to receive light jector”, when a teenager notes the Andromeda Galaxy and a from any of the countless distant worlds above us. star in the same field of view and asks which one is closer, The optics bend and twist incoming photons through when a rambunctious child takes his first look at Saturn, our pupils, delivering them to our retinas. The chemi- then freezes motionless while murmuring a 10 second long cal signals produced there are sent to our brain’s “whoooaaa”, we know we have a lot of work to do. Astron- occipital cortex. Then, somehow, the adjacent bowl omy is important! of tapioca in our skull contemplates. It contemplates Thanks to everyone who has contributed to workings of what’s out there. Come on. How big is that? Astrono- the RAC this year and let’s go have a great 2008! RA C my is important. Trapped under lights

—Scott Regener

Perhaps nothing stands in the more. Thankfully, I discovered hard, if not impossible, and success way of enjoying astronomy more that there is more - much more - to would come if I kept at it. On my than light pollution, the bane of be seen than the nay-sayers would third night’s attempt, I discovered urban existence. Four out of five have you believe. The Astronomical the wonders of the great Hercules Americans live in urbanized areas, League’s Urban Club, a collection globular for myself. I was hooked! and an unnatural glow bathes nearly of 100 objects visible in the worst In less than a year, I logged over all those areas from dusk to dawn. conditions with a modest 6-inch half the objects using that modest It would be easy enough to throw telescope, proved a capable tool. 114mm of aperture. With the con- hands to the heavens and limit view- In the spring of 2005, I began my fidence of my success, I purchased ing to those objects least impacted quest to complete the Urban list. A an Orion 10” XTi and completed the by light pollution: double stars, the list on September 9, 2007. Through- planets and the Moon. Yet another ...anyone can out the process, I learned a great option remains: chasing down those complete this list if many things about finding dim ob- few deep-space objects that have jects in an urban sky. It is my belief enough concentrated brightness to they are willing to that anyone can complete this list if battle through the lights and spray try. they are willing to try. their photons on some glass in the Perhaps the first lesson I learned hands of a capable astronomer. I am handful of double stars round out a is that good charts are a require- a stubborn man, stubborn by birth, list of open clusters, nebulae, globu- ment for finding many of these heritage, and sometimes, by choice. lar clusters, and even galaxies. My objects. Being close often isn’t Tell me what I can’t do, and I’ll set first deep space target was M13. good enough. The problem is that out to prove you wrong. So when I Without a computer to guide the for many objects, they are so dim or bought a small telescope, an Orion way, I sought my prey with tenac- indistinct that getting the object into XT 4.5, with the intent to merely ity and purpose, telling myself each the eyepiece isn’t enough to make observe the planets and Moon, it and every time I failed that what it pop out. Often, knowing exactly wasn’t long until I wanted to see I was doing was supposed to be where to look makes the difference. Page 2 Q4 ’07 I found that printing out charts from for the Dobsonian user is “Dobson’s is the perfect way to gain that expe- computer software that went to hole.” This area, roughly within rience. magnitude 9-11, as well as impos- 10 degrees of the zenith, makes for In conclusion, I heartily rec- ing eyepiece field-of-view circles on tough sledding as turning the tele- ommend the urban list to anyone those charts to know exactly what scope requires maximum effort. The willing to try. These objects are would fit within the eyepiece view, leverage afforded by the telescope showpieces of the sky and worth allowed me to find many objects tube disappears. Some have added a revisiting under dark skies, when that eluded me with paper charts that handle to their mount that sticks out time and opportunity allow. Using a only went down to magnitude 7.5. so this area is easier to negotiate. telescope often, even under bad con- These detailed, specialized charts In my small telescope, the objects ditions, ranks far higher in my book truly made a huge difference. Even that proved most difficult were plan- than waiting only for perfect nights better for a beginner working with etary nebulae. Most of these appear under perfect skies. There’s plenty an altitude-azimuth mount, those star-like at low power, and hunting to see, and with a little patience and charts could translate the skies’ at high powers can be a chore. With persistence, you could join the ranks motion into up-down and left-right the addition of the 10”, these objects of the urban astronomers who know movements, which removed one as- became trivially easy to find as the there’s plenty worth seeing while pect of mental gymnastics from the increased light grasp proved potent trapped under the lights. already difficult task. enough to add color to these objects. Another lesson I learned is that With a narrowband filter, bright RA C some nights are much better than planetaries appear green while back- others. Checking the transpar- ground stars remain white. With the ency forecast online can help, but proper object identified, increasing it doesn’t take into account certain magnification posed no trouble. I factors like low-hanging dust that am convinced that the 19 objects I plague urban areas. I have light logged using my 10” (I logged one domes all around me, and seeing with my binoculars, as no telescope how far above the horizon they were could contain the nearly 5 degree visible provided an immediate mea- object) were within reach of my 4.5” Laser Glow donated two surement of how good a night was had I attempted them. Perhaps the for chasing down the faintest fuzz- hardest objects would have been green laser pointers to the ies. If I could only detect the glow M84 and M86 in Virgo. With ten Rochester Astronomy Club on the horizon, conditions would inches of aperture, they took direct holiday party and would permit hunting difficult prey. On vision well. like to extend a discount to the worst nights, the skyglow would If the urban list appears daunting cloud even the zenith, and I could because there are “only” 100 objects all our members of 10%. restrict my search to much easier to capture, rest assured that many targets, saving the difficult ones for more objects can be found. The list If you are considering a better night. Under dark skies, a merely gives a good starting point purchasing a green laser night with poor transparency can for objects that are bright enough be salvaged. Under city lights, that and concentrated enough for view- pointer, consider Laser- poor transparency reflects all those ing under horrible conditions. Many Glow. lights back down at the earth, mak- objects that have high magnitudes ing observing much poorer. are rather difficult in urban areas Speaking of the zenith, objects because of their extended nature. www.laserglow.com will look their best at the zenith, as While M33 is listed as a very bright light pollution is lowest at this point. galaxy, it is elusive because that Use discount code #: Timing the observation of objects brightness is spread over a large for their highest point often makes area. Choosing the right objects to the difference between a ho-hum chase becomes easier with experi- 267101202 view and a spectacular one. Of note ence, and completing the urban list Page 3 Rochester Skies

TheAWE by Duane Deal

After a long day, when my body incomprehensible, all these confla- is so inspiring, it makes you want is urging me to relax, I find myself grations reaching across the galaxy to stare until your eyes dry up. That packing equipment into my car and diminish into tiny points of spar- is exactly how you catch one of my preparing for a 40 mile drive to get kling light. How obvious it becomes favorite spectacles. A fragment from away from city lights. that we are wee little beings look- space taking an unlikely plunge into It’s late and it’s cold. Layers of ing up from a fleck, watching these the Earth’s atmosphere, burning clothing are making me look like the curiosities shimmer like crystals in a intensely, laying down a plasma trail Michelin Man, but they’ll help keep colossal cave with no walls. and quickly dissolving to nothing. my bones warm and I’ll be very Luminous dust gathers separating Even before the mind can process happy I dressed accordingly. Time the dark cave in two. This devisor, the splendor, it’s a memory. Words to double check that I’ve got what’s sprayed with distant stars, creates are so inefficient that only the sound needed for the long night. My equip- a patchy lattice adorned with more of awe is heard from those who saw ment will undoubtedly confront dew brilliant foreground stars. Many of it. When you hear that awe, you’ll and frost so I add a blow dryer to my these are a white-blue but some are know you missed it. pile. orange-red and at times they twinkle Pages and pages could be filled What is it that drives me to deal with a rainbow of flickering colors. trying to explain the unreachable, with uncomfortable conditions in Amongst them are intricately woven and I haven’t even begun to explain the middle of the night? Language clouds softly aglow and overlaid traveling through space and time isn’t adequate, but since there is no with silhouettes of shadowy dust, with mirrors and lenses. In the end, other way to convey the wondrous billowing and mixing through the there is no description that can cap- answer... expanse like Van Gogh’s Starry ture exploring the firmament. Don’t Imagine if you can, heaven at Night. In the minute span of time we listen to reason, don’t hide from the night. Billions of atomic infernos call life, all these motions appear as sky in your comfy abode. Join me maintaining intensities and luminos- frozen as Vincent’s cracked paint. and experience the universe—it’s ities we can’t grasp here on Earth. Being a part of the night while the out of this world. RA C Removed by distances so equally Milky Way slowly creeps overhead Page 4 Q4 ’07

Thanks Mars Shooting Mars By D. Deal By Randy Hemann As our planet passes by Mars Mars has proven to be an Nov 13th 2007 again it’s time to look up and thank elusive target during this op- our neighbor for its contributions position. When it’s not hiding to our meteorite population. It’s behind clouds, it’s obstructed estimated that on average a rock by bubbling and vigorous jet from Mars lands on the Earth every stream currents. month. These rocks originate from Over the last few years, I’ve debris produced from impacting found that the trick to getting asteroids on the red planet long ago. a good image of Mars has less Scientists predict that such an as- to do with equipment and skill teroid would need to be at least the than it does steady skies. If it’s size of 1 ½ football fields to pro- clear, I have to get out and try. Nov 23rd 2007 duce enough wallop to cast stones Most attempts are foiled by into space. Some of these ejecta skies that blur and garble all drift their way towards the Earth’s the photons reflected by Mars orbit and are swept up by our into my scope, but the hope is gravitational field. Of course not all for that extremely clear shot. of these are found, but so far there None of my nights this year have been 26 meteorites identified have been as good as I would as having Martian origin. How do like. Several of the nights I we know they’re from Mars? The imaged produced shots I later strongest evidence is that they con- deleted. A few of the ones I tain traces of gases that are identical kept are shown here. to those found in Mar’s atmosphere, Up until the skies totally Dec 5th 2007 which is much different than that of clouded over, Mars was getting Earth. clearer and easier to image as Now coming this January 30th, it crept closer and closer. The an asteroid is predicted to have a 1 images shown were made with in 75 chance of striking Mars. This a DFK 21AF04.AS firewire asteroid, known as 2007 WD5, was camera through an 11” Cele- discovered in late November and stron C11 Schmidt Cassagrain is similar in size to an object that telescope. hit remote central Siberia in 1908, I will be watching intently unleashing energy equivalent to a over the next month for more 15-megaton nuclear bomb, with clear nights and pray I get bet- Dec 14th 2007 more than enough power to send ter opportunities to capture our Mars parts our way. Astronomers planetary neighbor. have never witnessed an asteroid If you are interested, color of this size impact a solid planet versions of these images are surface so observatories will be posted on the Rochester Skies stationed on high alert to record the Forum. Feel free to direct any event. If it does occur, we may be questions you may have to due to have more pieces of Mars the forum and I’d be happy to heading our way. So thank you answer them. Mars, for your past and future gen- erous donations. RA C RAC

Page 5 Rochester Skies The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada Observer’s Handbook 2008 A treat for observers By Duane Deal

chapter on Optics and then Observ- both numerical order and by season, ing. From year to year the content finest NGC objects by season, David up to this point remains, for the most Levy’s deep sky gems by season, part, unchanged. What follows are deep sky challenge objects, south- Find yourself looking for answers the chapters that keep astronomers ern-hemisphere splendors (wish I to questions like: What am I going coming back year after year. could put that to use), dark nebulae, to observe tonight? What globs are the 40 optically brightest Shapley- available in the winter? When is The handbook winds Ames galaxies, the nearest galaxies, the next double shadow transit on down with a wealth galaxies with proper names, and Jupiter? Look no further then the radio sources. There is something The Royal Astronomical Society of information in for everybody! of Canada’s Observer’s Handbook table format Before getting to the index, they 2008. included a bi-monthly set of all sky I don’t know how they packed so From January to December, each maps which are too small for any- much information in a space that’s month has lists of data and events thing except to see what constella- 8.5 x 5.5 and only half an inch thick, such as planetary positions, mag- tions are available during a particu- but it does fit easily into an acces- nitudes, double shadow transits of lar time of year. sory case. It’s not really durable Jupiter, lunar information including For observers who are wondering enough to be a field guide, and the libration, meteor showers, Galilean what to look for and/or need remind- text is too small for easy reading in satellite positions, and so on. The ers about monthly astronomical the dark, but this little book is very following chapters are Eclipses, events, I don’t believe there’s a bet- helpful as a planning guide. The Moon containing occultations, ter resource than this compact little Data is thick from cover to cover. The Sun, Planets including Saturn’s handbook. Not a book you’d pick it up and moon positions and ring inclination, RA C read from beginning to end but it Asteroids and a chapter called Mete- does have enough topical writing to ors, Comets and Dust. You can find out more about The handbook winds down with keep the average astronomer pag- the RASC Observer’s Handbook ing through for hours. Topics can a wealth of information in table by pointing your web browser be fairly in-depth despite their short format. A chapter called Stars has to: length. The book utilizes symbols constellation information with name, to help portray information without pronunciation, genitive name and http://www.rasc.ca/publica- wasting space while keeping every- pronunciation, abbreviation and tions/ thing organized. meaning. This chapter also contains The handbook starts out with a information and tables of the bright- A single copy with shipping and tutorial on how to use the book, a est stars, the nearest stars, double/ handling to the US is $31.95 list of observatories and a list of multiple stars, variable stars, open and quantity discounts are available. Internet resources. The first chapter clusters and globular clusters. Basic Data A final chapter titledNebulae is titled , which cov- If you join the RASC for $59 ers facts about such things as solar and Galaxies covers that and more. you’ll receive the 2008 and system objects and the electromag- The tables here should be of much 2009 handbook along with netic spectrum. There is a chapter interest to observers as they contain other benefits. devoted to time scales followed by a lists of nebulae, messier objects in Page 6 Q4 ’07

Ultraviolet Surprise by Patrick L. Barry and Tony Phillips

How would you like to visit a look at them in a different way and view. Each image covers 1.2 degrees universe full of exotic stars and at different frequencies,” Seibert of sky—lots of territory for the un- weird galaxies the likes of which says. expected. astronomers on Earth have never Another example: In April, sci- If someone combing the archives seen before? entists announced that galaxies such does find something of interest, Now you can. Just point your as NGC 1512 have giant ultraviolet Seibert advises that she or he should web browser to galex.stsci.edu and spiral arms extending three times first search astronomy journals to see start exploring. farther out into space than the arms whether the phenomenon has been That’s the address of the Galaxy that can be seen by visible-light tele- observed before. If it hasn’t, email Evolution Explorer image archive, a scopes. It would be like looking at a member of the Galaxy Evolution survey of the whole sky at ultravio- your pet dog through an ultraviolet Explorer science team and let them let wavelengths that can’t be seen telescope and discovering his ears know, Seibert says. from the ground. Earth’s atmosphere are really three times longer than So what are you waiting for? Fire blocks far-ultraviolet light, so the you thought! up your web browser and let the only way to see the ultraviolet sky The images from the ultraviolet discoveries begin! is by using a space telescope such as space telescope are ideal for hunting NASA’s Galaxy Evolution Explorer. new phenomena. The telescope’s This article was provided by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California About 65% of the images from small, 20-inch primary mirror (not Institute of Technology, under a contract the all-sky survey haven’t been much bigger than a typical backyard with the National Aeronautics and Space closely examined by astronomers telescope) offers a wide field of Administration. yet, so there are plenty of surprises waiting to be uncovered. “The Galaxy Evolution Explorer produces so much data that, beyond basic quality control, we just don’t have time to look at it all,” says Mark Seibert, an astronomy postdoc at the Observatories of the Carnegie Institution of Washington in Pasa- dena, California. This fresh view of the sky has already revealed striking and unex- pected features of familiar celestial objects. Mira is a good example. Occasionally visible to the naked eye, Mira is a pulsating star moni- tored carefully by astronomers for more than 400 years. Yet until Galaxy Evolution Explorer recently examined Mira, no one would have guessed its secret: Mira possesses a Astronomers looking at new ultraviolet images from the Galaxy Evolution comet-like tail 13 light-years long. Explorer spacecraft were surprised to discover a 13-light-year long tail on “Mira shows us that even well- Mira, a star that has been extensively studied for 400 years. observed stars can surprise us if we Page 7 Rochester Skies A Glorious Year For Astronomy I love my telescope time. Most first of the year’s 13 trips to Eagle Eclipse of March 3rd as a totally years I get in about 150 to 160 Bluff where Duane, Brandon and I eclipsed Moon rose in brilliantly hours, but in August of 2006 I suf- fought the clouds and were rewarded cold clear sky. I felt like I was back fered a serious groin injury working with but 1 hour of observing. The on track and got through the month in the woods and was laid up for five next night Duane, Kirk and I had an in fine fashion logging eight observ- and a half weeks and my total for awesome night with a beautiful sky ing sessions and got started on my my observing year came in at 147. and came away with nine and a half Lunar 100 and Binocular Messier I was a little miffed at this and hour session. observing programs. By the last time vowed to do better by crossing the Two more local outings in Spring out in March, which was the RAC’s 200-hour barrier for the first time. Grove gave me a very good total of Messier Marathon at Eagle Bluff, I knew if I could get in 20 hours a 22 hours for November. my year’s total stood at 66 hours. month, I’d make my goal and make December turned colder, but I April was good to me. I got out good progress on the observing still got out four times. I started my five times with the last session being certificates I like to go after from the quest for the Herschel 400, having an outreach event for my son Mat- Astronomical League. What I didn’t received the manual and target list at thew’s 8th grade class. Another local know was how spectacular my the RAC Christmas party. Weather astronomer, Scott Bingham and I observing year of 2006/2007 was and family commitments limited my teamed up for two hours of excited going to start and end. observing and I finished the month young people looking at Venus, My observing year starts on Oc- with eleven hours. Saturn, and lots of what I like to call tober 28th, the calendar date when I January was colder yet and I got “the obvious stuff” that we amateurs bought my Celestron G8 telescope. out only once for 3 and a half hours. look at all the time, but people who It has since been my primary observ- are novices to astronomy rarely ing instrument. recognize. April got me to 87 hours The first event of 2006/2007 was On November 18th year-to-date. a rare transit of Mercury crossing the I made the first of May saw me out under the stars Sun on November 8th of 2006. In a the years 13 trips to five times. I teamed up with Phil lot of places clouds interfered with Yehle from the LaCrosse Area the event, but in Spring Grove it was Eagle Bluff... Astronomical Society at a dark sky warm, breezy, and for the majority and I got to look through his fine of the afternoon, sunny. I made the The big event was Comet McNaught 12.5-inch scope. A valuable lesson transit an outreach event by showing but the best look I got at that bril- of amateur astronomy is that you it to the 4th, 5th and 6th graders at liant comet was Scott Regener’s ex- should never pass up the chance Spring Grove Public School. It was cellent picture at the monthly RAC of looking through other people’s great fun to show the kids the move- meeting. equipment. It keeps you wanting to ment of the solar system’s innermost February was bitterly cold. I will spend more money getting new gear! planet across the face of the Sun. go out in single digit temps but most May also marked one of the most That night, I got out and observed of February was below zero and anticipated events of the year, the comet Swan, double stars Beta Pi- even I’m not that crazy. I got not a annual North Central Regional As- sces Austrinus, Iota Cassiopeia, the single hour. tronomical League convention, this planet Uranus and finished with the I knew that my monthly goal year held in Fargo, North Dakota. Moon. That day and night gave me of 20 hours per month was badly Duane and I got out for a spectacular five hours. It was a great start. behind schedule, but then came night at Eagle Bluff before we went On November 18th I made the March with the gorgeous Lunar and it’s a good thing we did, because Page 8 Q4 ’07 A Glorious Year For Astronomy even though we hauled all our gear cotti under a brightly lit Moon. We crossed the 200-hour barrier at Lake to “Nort Dakota” our best observ- showed several Earth Science teach- Koronis campground on Septem- ing happened the night before we ers what we could and it got me out ber 12th. I was indeed “one happy went. Which leads to another valu- on a night when I normally would camper”! able lesson of amateur astronomy, have not observed. July finished But the best was yet to come, in don’t pass up a good night! With the with my total at 164.5-hours. Three spectacular fashion. By late Octo- weather we enjoy here in good old months to go. 200 plus seemed do- ber, I had 226 hours in and started Minnysoda, you never know when able. hearing the buzz about Comet you’re going to get the chance at a Then the drought ended and Holmes. On my last possible night primo sky. the rain poured in. I went from 11 to observe, October 28th, I pointed May’s five outings pushed my observing sessions in July to a mere my telescope at the constellation of total to 105 hours. I was halfway 4 in August. But late in the month, Perseus and saw the biggest, most to my goal, but had used up seven another memorable astronomical unusual looking comet I had ever months and only had five to go. event occurred as I got up at 2 a.m. seen. It was incredible! I got in a June saw me out under the stars and took in the year’s second Lunar good two-hour look before the three six times. I finished my Binocular Eclipse. I witnessed the Full Moon days past Full Moon came up and Messier search, pulled an all nighter drop towards the western horizon ended my observing year. on June 9/10, saw the ISS twice with and thin to a dark orange blob of The final tally: one transit, two Space Shuttle Atlantis separated dim light through a partly cloudy eclipses, three comets and three out- from it but close by on the night sky of high hazy clouds. It was the reach events, sixty-four observing of June 19, and had my battery go exact opposite of the March eclipse sessions (13 at Eagle Bluff, 30 to the dead in my van when I was out on in every way, especially weather- Flatin Farm hayfield south of Spring the night of my birthday June 29th. wise. At the end of August, I had Grove, the rest elsewhere), 84 Her- I had to walk the five miles back to 180 hours in. schel objects, 52 Binocular Messier town under a star filled sky. I did objects, 38 Lunar 100s, 29 Binocular that in an hour and fifteen minutes. I ...you should never Deep Sky objects, 1 dead battery closed the month at 133 hours. and 228 hours of observing for an July was a big month. The pass up the chance average of three and a half hours per drought that had been going on of looking through outing. All recorded in 250 pages of deepened and brought us night after other people’s journaling. I must also mention I got night of clear seeing. I also went to help build Duane’s observatory in on the road with the Oakes forestry equipment. his back yard. guys I work with up in west central I am blessed to belong to a won- Minnesota and we stayed at camp- In September, we went back on derful astronomy club full of intelli- grounds where there was nothing to the road to finish the “90 acre buck- gent, interesting friends who con- do at night but go stargazing and lis- thorn job from Hell” up in west cen- tribute to my passion for astronomy. ten to Twins games. This was when tral Minnesota. I helped the crew cut They know what it’s like to stand Comet Linear was cruising between its way through 1000 stems of buck- under the starry cathedral of heaven Ursa Major and Bootes. I also was thorn per acre by day and worked on and take in the peaceful, incredible getting great tracking observations my Herschel 400 objects, the Lunar beauty of the universe. on Asteroid 4 Vesta. 100 and started on my Binocular It was a glorious year for astron- I also did another outreach event Deep Sky quest. I matched July’s omy! at Eagle Bluff with Larry Mas- record of 11 observing sessions and RA C Page 9 Rochester Skies 5V

RACd Holidayf d Partyd ‘07e

The RAC holiday party is my favorite meeting. Our were donated by several supporting companies and I’d gracious host, Rebecca Bomgaars provided a wonderful like give them a special thanks for their contributions. location topped with midwest hospitality. Along with the Winners, Prizes and Contributors: food and beverages provided by her and all the attend- ees, there was want of nothing. Seeing in the Dark Dean Johnson Observations and club discussion followed by elec- Book by Timothy Ferris tions, rounded out the business part of the meeting. Donated by RAC Seeing in the Dark Jonathan Thoreson Elected Officials Book by Timothy Ferris Donated by RAC President Randy Hemann Anti-Vibration Pads Rick Murray Donated by Orion Telescopes Vice-President Kirk Severson Astronomy Magazine Nicole Edgar Secretary Nicole Edgar One year subscription Donated by Kalmbach Publishing Treasurer Rebecca Bomgaars Astronomy Magazine Bill Davidson One year subscription Webmaster Don Schlosnagle Donated by Kalmbach Publishing Orion Accessory Case Bruce Gehring Newsletter Editor Duane Deal Donated by Orion Telescopes Astro League Rep Mark Callahan Laser Glow Green Laser Jeff Newland 5mW Laser Pointer Star Party Coordinator Dean Johnson Donated by Laser Glow Laser Glow Green Laser David Hebrink Special attention was given regarding the club’s 5mW Laser Pointer Donated by Laser Glow origin and Jack Wiltsie who was integral in founding Wicked Laser Green Laser Don Schlosnagle of the club a decade ago. Without his work, this event 35mW Laser Pointer wouldn’t be happening and you’d be reading something Donated by Wicked Lasers else. Celestron Telescope Dan Strain Additional credit was due to Mark Callahan and Don PowerSeeker 80EQ Schlosnagle for their great efforts into public outreach. Donated by Celestron They perform community education classes in as- Celestron Caps Everybody tronomy using the planetarium at Mayo High School. Donated by Celestron They are astronomy heros and shall not go unsung. In addition, thank you Larry Mascotti, for allowing it all to Thanks to everybody who made this night happen happen. and happen well. Now we look forward to our leader- Before partaking in a meal fit for an astronomer ship bringing us into a successful 2008 for the RAC. I royal, we proceeded to give away goodies. Door prizes know all our readers out there will help them do it! Page 10 Astro-Fun Q4 ’07 What in the Universe Is THAT? Align and Find For those of you with equatorial Can you figure out what is happening in this image? mounts, after you polar align your telescope, find Gamma Andromeda, a fine famous double star with a nice color contrast. After you get a nice long look at this excellent binary, turn your declination knob so that your scope travels to the open star cluster of M34 in Perseus. If your scope is aligned properly, it should travel right to it. Now travel back to Gamma Andromeda and look carefully at about the halfway point. If you didn’t spot it on your first trip, you will come across the edge on spiral galaxy of NGC 891, also known as Caroline Herschel’s galaxy. It is a fairly large, noticeable object in a fine star field, one of her many discoveries as she assisted her more famous brother William Herschel, Post your answer at http://rochesterskies.org/forums/ the discoverer of the planet Uranus in 1781. under the topic Newsletter / Fun

It’s a Little Known Water on the surface of Mars freezes and boils at the same Fact temperature! Johannes Kepler made the discovery that planets orbit in ellipses, not perfect circles, which became one of his three laws of planetary motion. Here’s the interesting part. Kepler suffered impared vision because of a boyhood bout of smallpox. It is very unlikely he would have discovered the laws of planetary motion without using the exceptional observations made by Tyco Brahe. Kepler became an assistant to Tyco Brahe late in Tyco’s career. Tyco, who because of a bad experience with another astronomer who stole information from him, bordered on paranoid regarding his data. Kepler, who had a brief association with the plagiarist, wasn’t fully trusted by Tyco. Due to this distrust, Tyco would only let Johannes use his Mars data. This turned out to be fortuitous as had Kepler studied other planets orbits instead of closely scrutinizing Mars’, he may never have discerned the amalgam of planetary orbits. This is because the orbit of Mars is much more elliptical than all the other “real” planets except Mercury which is extremely difficult to observe and study. Kepler called this period of his work his “Battle with Mars”.

Because of Mars’ elliptical orbit, Mars’ closest point to Earth was actually on December 18th during this year’s apparition, even though it didn’t reach opposition until six days later on December 24th.

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Rochester, MN 55903-0513

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*Events subject to change due to weather. Please check up-to-date resources for details. for resources up-to-date check Please weather. to due change to subject *Events

5-11 May Don’t forget Astronomy Week! Week! Astronomy forget Don’t

11 Mar Meeting Club

* 7 Messier Marathon! Messier Mar Bluff Eagle at Party Star

12 Seven Sisters—Nicole Edgar Sisters—Nicole Seven Feb Meeting Club

* 8 8 Feb Bluff Eagle at Party Star

8 Tunguska Event—Sergei Venyaminov Event—Sergei Tunguska Club Meeting Meeting Club Jan

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Star Party at Eagle Bluff Eagle at Party Star Jan Upcoming Events Upcoming

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Astronomy Club Astronomy Newsletter of the Rochester Rochester the of Newsletter Rochester