Published by the Astronomical League Vol. 69, No. 3 June 2017

Amateur Astronomy Online The Radio Sky Setting Astronomical Goals for 2017 Astronomy in Chile Educator Ambassador Program

T HE A STRONOMICAL L EAGUE 1 TORY, GERMANY)TORY,

VA

4 Field of View 5 Reflector Mail 6 International Dark-Sky Association/Dark Sky Studies 7 Reflections 8 All Things Astronomical

TINO ROMANIELLO (EUROPEAN SOUTHERN OBSER 9 Deep-Sky Objects/Böotes’ Best Star Cluster 10 Wanderers in the Neighborhood/The Oceans Around Jupiter Astronomy in Chile Educator Ambassador Program

: NASA, ESA, AND MAR 12 14 Setting Your Astronomical Goals for 2017 15 10, 25, and 50 Years of the Astronomical League’s Magazine 16 Amateur Astronomy Online 19 Help IOTA Measure Asteroids, Double Stars, the Sun, and More 20 The Radio Sky/Radio Astronomy Observing Program 23 From Around the League

TITLE PHOTOGRAPH: NGC 1850, THE DOUBLE CLUSTER; CREDIT 26 Gallery 28 Observing Awards 30 Coming Events

The front cover is an image of M1 (the Crab Nebula), taken by Brian McGaffney at his Nutwood Observatory in L’Amable, Ontario, Canada. It was acquired with a 17-inch RCOS and an Apogee Alta U16M using 5 µm filters, and updated by adding H-alpha and O-III data. Image acquisition time was about 7 hours. To our contributors: The copy and photo deadline for the September 2017 issue is July 1. Please send your stories and photos to our managing editor, Ron Kramer ([email protected]), by then. The Astronomical League invites your comments regarding this magazine. How can we improve it and make it a more valuable resource for you, our members? Please respond to the editor’s email address above.

The Astronomical League Magazine Vol. 69, No. 3 • ISSN: 0034-2963 • June 2017 A FEDERATION OF ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETIES A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION To promote the science of astronomy • By fostering astronomical education, • By providing incentives for astronomical observation and research, and • By assisting communication among amateur astronomical societies. Astronomical League National Office: 9201 Ward Parkway, Suite 100, Kansas City, MO 64114

2 R EFLECTOR ✶ J UNE 2017 T HE A STRONOMICAL L EAGUE 3 Your Spot under the Sun substantial sum of travel To the Editor: The author responds: These June evenings money. I am a member-at-large in the Astro- I contacted Julius Benton, Saturn nomical League and have just com- Section coordinator of the Associa-

present the last opportu- August’s eclipse will be ARIO, CANADA QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF THE pleted the Sketching Observing Award. tion of Lunar and Planetary Observers

nity—at least until early accessible to many ACE FLIGHT CENTER ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE This is one program that, if you had (www.alpo-astronomy.org). Dr. Benton Issued by the Astronomical League in March, June, September, morning hours in late thousands of amateur asked me years ago if I would ever do indicated that you are correct and the and December, the Reflector (ISSN: 0034-2963) is sent directly, September—to catch a good observers across the it, I would have said no way! But I de- spokes have been observed by either by postal mail or via a digital link, to each individual glimpse of a large, rela- United States. It will also cided to give it a shot. I am no artist by amateur and professional astrono- member of its affiliate societies and to members-at-large as a GRAFTON, ONT TORY; any means of the definition, but the de- mers many times from Earth. Before benefit of League membership. Individual copies of the tively bright galaxy that be viewed by millions of VA Reflector are available at the following subscription rates, scription on the AL website sort of put Voyager 1 sent back the first images payable to the League’s national office. Messier missed. NGC 2903 people who wouldn’t me at ease with my lack of talent and I of the spokes, observers would see Paper subscriptions: lurks just outside the Sickle Field of View normally give the Moon’s decided... what do I have to lose? the spokes, but seldom reported them USA & possessions: $3.00 each or $10.00 per year (4 issues) of Leo, now lying low in the From the office of your president position in the daytime sky I looked at many of the sketching lesson websites you since they did not appear in photographs. Even now, Canada: $5.00 each or $16.00 per year SEYFERT’S SEXTET; NASA GODDARD SP west-northwest after 10 p.m. Each night it a second thought. The nation will be suggested and it helped a lot! At least I now had an idea some feel that they are optical illusions. Mexico: $6.00 each or $22.00 per year where to begin. And begin I did by going to the craft store After Voyager 1, it was clear that spokes actually existed. Other countries: $7.00 each or $25.00 per year drops a little bit lower, its light passing inundated by media coverage—some of it Digital subscriptions: and buying an artist’s pack of tools (blending stump, graph- Amateurs were more comfortable reporting them and they All countries, possessions, and territories: $10.00 per year through a thicker slice of our atmosphere, useful, some of it misleading. ite pencils, gummy eraser, etc.). I felt like I had a chance to showed up more frequently in sketches in the ALPO and Brit- Reflector and Club Roster Deadlines making it more difficult to study. This creates a dilemma. On one hand, it YNN HILBORN; WHISTLE STOP OBSER complete the program at that point. I used paper, graphite ish Astronomical Association archives. The spokes are most

TITLE PHOTOGRAPH: March issue January 1 You anxiously await darkness, worried presents an excellent chance to interact pencil, sharpener, blending stump, some colored visible when the rings’ tilt toward Earth is between 8 and 12 June issue April 1 pencils, and of course, an eraser! This pro- degrees, but have been seen at other tilts as well. September issue July 1 that an approaching storm system will with an already interested public and to gram helped me build confidence over Curiously, observers have also reported and sketched December issue October 1 interfere with your observing plans. You advance the perception of science and Written and graphic material from this publication may be re- time. By the end, I was feeling pretty good spokes in the A Ring, as well as in the B Ring where the printed only for non-profit benefit of interested parties, provided really want to see this particular galaxy, as amateur astronomy. The public—and local about what I had accomplished—though Voyagers saw them. Sketches exist showing these A Ring specific credit is given to the writer(s), the Reflector, and the it is one of a handful of items remaining on media—will be looking to amateurs to my sketches are at least hopefully “aver- spokes all the way back into the 1890s. Even further back, Astronomical League. Any other use of material, including graph- age” in appearance, I was proud of them. in 1780, William Herschel reported a “black list,” linear ics and photographs, is subject to express permission from the your Herschel 400 Observing Program list. educate everyone on how to safely view the Editor and the Astronomical League. If the storms stay away long enough, fine, eclipse, and to explain what to expect. This The sketching observing program really did markings on the inner edge of the B Ring. Pierre-Simon make me slow down and take a close look at the object in Laplace suggested that Saturn has a large number of solid National Officers you will have will be a President the eyepiece. Thank you for that. rings and computed their rotational period in 1787. This John Goss added to your wonderful TITLE PHOTOGRAPH: BIG LICK GALAXY GROUP; L Nora Jean Chetnik, Martinsville, Virginia prompted William Herschel to work to determine the rota- Astronomical League National Headquarters repertoire of opportunity tion period of Saturn’s ring as 10 hours 32 minutes in 1789. 9201 Ward Parkway, Suite 100 • Kansas City, MO 64114 To the Editor: Could Herschel have been timing spokes on the rings? 816-333-7759 • [email protected] celestial to directly Just received our March Reflector. On page 11 is an article So the spokes are visible from Earth and have been since Vice President objects, you affect Bill Bogardus by Bert Stevens on Saturn. Just above the pictures of the the telescope became good enough to bring them into fo- 190 Pheasant Place, Greenport, NY 11944 will have amateur spokes in Saturn’s rings is the statement, “The mysterious cus. This is another example of how the observing power 631-477-2246 • [email protected] increased your astronomy in spokes of Saturn’s rings were first discovered by Voyager 1 of the human eye has been much underrated. Neverthe- Secretary observing your area. in 1980. Since then, less, some skeptics will never be convinced that the spokes Bryan Tobias A B Astronomical League National Headquarters skills, and you (When they had only been of Saturn are visible from Earth. I suggest that anyone with 9201 Ward Parkway, Suite 100 • Kansas City, MO 64114 will have Halley’s seen in Hubble im- a telescope should take a careful look at Saturn’s B Ring as [email protected] or [email protected] ages until the the rings begin to close again and see if they can spot the Treasurer explored more Comet Cassini spacecraft spokes themselves. Tom Lynch of what the passed in 43 Elm Street • Lynbrook, NY 11563 arrived at Saturn in 516-593-8580 • [email protected] heavens have 1986 with a 2004.” Those are in- Executive Secretary to offer. The Astronomical League brings you solar eclipse glasses, lot of hoopla correct statements. Attached is a sketch (A) To the Editor: Ron Kramer C This email is intended to satisfy a small request from my While you mementos, the Solar Eclipse Observing Program, AstroCon and with no of the spokes by Stephen O’Meara in 1976. 9520 Dragonfly Avenue • Las Cruces, NM 88012 apparel, and, of course, AstroCon 2017! He clearly saw the rings and sketched them. late Aunt, Maria Carvajal, a prestigious recipient (I should 520-500-7295 • [email protected] may be grand say) of an award (No. 152) from the Astronomical League, National Office I recently observed the rings myself in my 15- Mike Stoakes, Office Coordinator disappointed if the seeing conditions do indeed sweeping tail, it resulted in a significant inch telescope and did a short presentation back in 2001. She passed away just under a year ago in her Astronomical League National Headquarters deteriorate, you know that there will be many increase in attendance at many club to our astronomy club. I used O’Meara’s home town of Panama. 9201 Ward Parkway, Suite 100 • Kansas City, MO 64114 more opportunities to catch NGC 2903 meetings.) On the other hand, total sketch, the Voyager pictures (B), and my I just wanted to let you know because she was very proud 816-DEEP-SKY of her work and the association she belonged to, the Astro- National office: [email protected] starting in just a few months. In fact, you will eclipses in the U.S. are rather rare, and sketch (C) in my presentation. Society rosters: [email protected] I do hope you will correct this error and give credit where nomical League. She is the one that implanted the as- League sales: [email protected] be able to see it off and on for years to come. amateurs will understandably want to view credit is due. tronomy love bug in me, and I thank her so much for intro- National Observing Program Coordinators That is why certain celestial occurrences it themselves, not wanting to allocate any Regards, Amelia Goldberg ducing me to a world I ignored for so many years, right above Cliff Mygatt Aaron B. Clevenson have a special significance, whether it is the portion of their scant 150 seconds showing my head. Today, after having owned several telescopes, my [email protected] [email protected] last toy is a Takahashi FS-152. sudden daytime appearance of a supernova, others what can be seen through their To the Editor: Astronomical League Historian Now, so much into astronomy, I am dazed that she named Mike Stewart which hasn’t happened in over four hundred binoculars and telescopes. While reading the March 2017 issue of the Reflector, I noticed [email protected] me as the inheritor of a true beauty of a telescope (no longer 913-240-1238 • years; an unexpected comet with its The solution? Take the time over the next an urban myth that has been perpetuated many times. In his Reflector Staff column about the rings of Saturn, Berton Stevens wrote that on the assembly line), an Astro-Physics StarFire 180 mm f/9 refractor. What happened to the refractor nowadays is Managing Editor Editor gossamer tail sweeping grandly across the few weeks to educate the public about the the ring spokes can be seen only by spacecraft. Ron Kramer OPEN heavens, which we all can’t wait to happen truth of solar eclipses and eclipse viewing. Wrong! My details might be a bit fuzzy, but sometime in the in chapter two. Mobile: 520-500-7295 [email protected] Anyway, I just want to thank you for recognizing her ef- [email protected] again; or the historically significant transit Tell them what it means. Tell them what first half of 1984 I had my 6-inch Newtonian at the Texas Astro- Design/Production forts and love for astronomy (though many years ago) as it nomical Society’s observing site near Kaufman, Texas. After work- Photo Editor Chuck Beucher of Venus, which won’t happen again until they will see. Tell them how to do so safely. was her wish to let the association know of her passing. [email protected] ing on the League’s Herschel list for a while, I took a break and OPEN 2117. If you don’t act when the situation When the eclipse hour finally arrives, She never gave me names of people I could contact, but [email protected] Advertising pointed my scope at Saturn. I was shocked when Saturn showed what better way to do it but with you. Representative arises, you miss out. find your spot under the sun, and enjoy the something special: the ring spokes were not just visible, they Assistant Editor Carla Johns That is why the coming total solar eclipse sight of this deeply personal experience. were downright obvious! Almost disbelieving my eyes, I asked Ricky P. Carvajal, Sugar Land, Texas Kristine Larsen 1-970-567-8878 [email protected] [email protected] is special to all observers, novice and Feel the shadow! John Wagoner, who had his much larger reflector set up a few Assistant Editor Coming Events Editor seasoned alike. If you miss totality, even by pads away, to look at Saturn. Yep, confirmed. Corrections and Clarifications Kevin Jones John Wagoner ten seconds, you miss out completely. Yes, So, please put this myth to rest. Under the most favor- In the March 2017 issue, award recipient No. 566 of the [email protected] [email protected] able conditions, Saturn’s ring spokes can be seen very eas- Herschel 400 Observing Program should have been Letters to the Editor you have another chance to witness one in ily with quite modest optical aid. The most favorable con- spelled “Kevin Nasal.” Send to: [email protected] the next couple of years, but not without ditions just happen to be extremely rare. On page 25 of the December 2016 issue, the images of Subject line: “Letter to Editor” spending a lot of vacation time along with a John Goss, League President Jeff Carpenter, Rockford Amateur Astronomers Carl Wenning and Eric Fischer were switched.

4 R EFLECTOR ✶ J UNE 2017 T HE A STRONOMICAL L EAGUE 5 World’s First Academic in it going forward. It Are you ready for the Images Center Dedicated to has been one of my eclipse? It seems that Must be sent as Dark Sky Studies biggest frustrations over , GERMANY) many millions of people separate JPEG or PDF An IDA news feature many years that the across the United States files and not embedded

dated February 14 issues of light pollution AGE TEAM (AURA/STSCI) and Canada will see at in the Word document. (Valentine’s Day!), 2017, and light trespass have least a partial, and a Minimum acceptable announced the world’s been largely overlooked rather large number file size for images is first academic center by the environmental (millions?) will be right in 400 kilobytes. If you are dedicated to dark sky movement and by the path of totality. submitting a potential studies. The University of architects. Professional Whether this is your front or back cover Utah introduced its new lighting engineers have first total eclipse, or image, it must be 5

Consortium for Dark Sky been very strong allies : NASA, ESA, AND THE HUBBLE HERIT your fourteenth, megabytes or larger. Studies (CDSS) which of ours, but most congratulations. You are Photo credit for all will be “dedicated to discovering, develop- environmental groups do not seem to focus about to see one of nature’s wonderful images must be provided. If the author or ing, communicating, and applying knowl- on what happens after sunset. Architects, . ANDERS (GÖTTINGEN UNIVERSITY GALAXY EVOLUTION GROUP displays of beauty. Just be certain to use submitter took the image, this should be edge pertaining to the quality of the night builders, and other designers often consider your eclipse glasses, or a solar filter, both indicated. skies.” The consortium is based within the nighttime lighting to be an added accessory ,” AM 0644-741; CREDIT before and after totality. Take lots of Do not assume that because an image is College of Architecture and Planning and is of no consequence, the only consideration pictures, duplicate Eddington’s experi- on the Internet that it is in the public comprised of an interdisciplinary, multi- being how it looks during the day, not how it ment, look for shadow bands and the domain. Many Internet images are copy- institutional research group. There will be functions at night. closing of flowers, and listen to the righted and use without permission can lead more than 25 partners from academia, I have to honestly attribute much of this stillness of the animals. Watch the to difficulties. industry, communities, and government who “lack of respect” for the dark sky movement corona, look for Baily’s beads and the Captions for each image should be part of

will research light pollution. This research to our own shortcomings in not getting our ARF GALAXY NGC 1569; ESA, NASA, AND P diamond ring, see the stars and planets the Word document, and given at the end of

TITLE PHOTOGRAPH: “RING GALAXY includes environmental, public health, and message out more effectively. The idea for during broad daylight, and just enjoy. It the article (example: Image 1 of 4, NGC cultural impacts of losing dark skies. quality lighting and for protection of the will be a wonderful experience. 2145, credit: Hubble Space Telescope). If John Barentine, IDA’s program manager, is night environment from harmful lighting If you are joining us at AstroCon in you want an image placed in a specific a part of the consortium steering group. practices is beginning to percolate into the Casper, Wyoming, I hope to see you there. location within the article, please indicate John’s has a background in professional consciousness of mainstream academic TITLE PHOTOGRAPH: DW And don’t forget, we still have a bunch of that with the caption. astronomy. He earned a master’s degree in groups beyond astronomers and profes- eclipse glasses and other materials Due dates for all articles, mail, and physics at Colorado State University and a sional lighting engineers. This can only be available through our League store. images are as follows: January 1 for the master’s and PhD in astronomy from the good for all concerned. Be sure to read And don’t even think about cloudy March issue, April 1 for the June issue, July University of Texas. From 2001–2006 he about the consortium on the University of weather! 1 for the September issue, and October 1 was on the staff of Apache Point Observa- Utah website at unews.utah.edu Changing subjects, I have been frequently for the December issue. tory in New Mexico. Very importantly from /consortium-for-dark-sky-studies. asked, what are the requirements for an Material received after the due date will my point of view, John oversees the IDA’s Tim Hunter, Co-founder, IDA article or image to appear in an issue of the only be considered for future issues. International Dark Sky Places, which I Phone: 520-293-3198; Fax: 520-293-3192 Reflector? While there are no “cast in stone” Finally, we received more than 1,450 consider to be one of IDA’s top success Email: [email protected]; criteria, there are general guidelines for all emails and letters pertaining to this (June) stories. Even better from our point of view, www.darksky.org article and image submissions. issue. It is impractical to acknowledge John is an amateur astronomer who Articles receipt of every one. We will contact those appreciates the beauty of the night sky even The Eclipse Megamovie Project Should be preferably written as a Microsoft authors and imagers whose articles and as he has formally studied it as a profes- We’re excited to announce an opportunity to contribute Word document in .doc or .docx format. images will appear in each issue. to a first-of-its-kind citizen science project: the Eclipse sional astronomer. Don’t be apprehensive about submitting Megamovie! We’re looking to get photographs of the Length can be anywhere from 400 to Attention Master Observers an article or image. We look at everything The consortium has already formed a upcoming August 21st total solar eclipse to build a 4,000 words. We will perform the necessary The officers of the League would like to partnership with ALAN (Artificial Light at movie of images from coast-to-coast. We need skilled editing for grammar, spelling, punctuation, received and offer a variety of images and give special recognition to Master Ob- Night). The ALAN conference in November photographers to help create the movie as well as formatting, etc. If there is a technical articles. Amateur or professional, novice or servers who attend ALCon 2017 in 2018 will be held at Utah’s Snowbird Ski support solar science. For more on the goals of the question, we will ask the author for “old-timer,” we love getting new material project, see UC Berkeley’s official press release. Casper, Wyoming. At the awards ban- and Summer Resort. For information on clarification, or a rewrite, as necessary. and selecting what goes into each issue. Our aim is to recruit over 1,000 amateur photogra- ALAN 2018 see the conference website at There should be a clear title for the Ron Kramer, Editor quet on Saturday evening, a special wall phers and astronomers who will be on the path of plaque will be presented in commemo- artificiallightatnight.org. totality on August 21, 2017. Team members receive piece, and the name and affiliation (club, John Barentine states “[the] establish- training and submit a practice image before the eclipse. member-at-large, etc.) of the author. If you ration of your accomplishment. It does ment of CDSS is a strong sign that the Once you qualify, you will receive a pin to designate would like, a very short biography can be not matter what year you became a Mas- academic study of dark skies has matured your status as an official photographer for the project. provided, and should be placed at the end ter Observer. Your name will also be included in the credits of the and will benefit in the future from organiza- of the article, along with any contact Over the last two years, we have pre- final Eclipse Megamovie. If you want to participate, tional focus. I’m proud that IDA has had a visit our eclipsemega.movie and sign in to apply! information. sented approximately two dozen Master seat at the table from the very beginning of Basic equipment necessary for participating in Headings or sub-headings should be Observers with special plaques, and, with this idea, and that together we can help the Eclipse Megamovie Project: either bold or italic. great pleasure, we wish to repeat the honor shape the future of this important area of • Camera: Digital SLR or equivalent Mail this year as well as at future ALCons. If you scientific research.” •Telephoto or zoom lens: minimum focal length of Should be kept to under 400 words. Longer 300 mm will be attending, please contact vice presi- Like John, I am also very proud that IDA •A stable and level tripod submissions will likely be edited for dent William Bogardus at wfbogardus@ had a key role in the establishment of the • Ability to identify the GPS coordinates and time to available space. Images can be sent, using yahoo.com before July 1, 2017. consortium and will be an active participant the nearest second the guidelines described below.

6 R EFLECTOR ✶ J UNE 2017 T HET HE A ASTRONOMICALSTRONOMICAL L EAGUEL EAGUE 77 Paris, April 13, 2017 ent, rather than the same, loca- oötes (pronounced boe-OH- Herschel discovered NGC 5466 Fizzing Seas on Titan tions. teez) is one of the largest on May 17, 1784. The Cassini-Huygens mission re- The ground-breaking research TINEZ, ASKC constellations in the NGC 5466 shines at magni- vealed that there are seas probably could have significant implications for composed of methane, ethane, and quantum physics, the theoretical ba- Northern Hemisphere. It is tude 9 and may be captured in Bthe 13th-largest of the 88 binoculars under ideal sky nitrogen on Titan, Saturn’s largest sis of modern physics. Until now, the moon. A previously unexplained phe- general assumption was that such constellations, occupying 907 DEEP-SKY OBJECTS conditions. The cluster can be nomenon was detected in 2013 in photon pairs necessarily originate square degrees of the celestial BOÖTES’ BEST STAR CLUSTER resolved into scores of 12th- radar images sent back by the from single points in space. sphere. Six of Boötes’ brightest and 13th-magnitude stars with September 30, 2017 Cassini orbiter: bright regions in Quantum entanglement—when By Dr. James R. Dire, Kauai Educational Association for Science & Astronomy Ligeia Mare (a sea on Titan) that particles are linked so closely that stars—Alpha (Arcturus), 8- to 10-inch telescopes. At first

M31;COMPLIMENTS OF TOM S. MAR • Download a FREE Astronomy appeared and then disappeared. what affects one directly affects the Epsilon (Izar), Delta, Beta which only one is brighter than globular cluster M3, located in glance, these stars give the This mystery, dubbed the “magic is- other—is widely used in labs in (Nekkar), Gamma (Seginus), and magnitude 11 (NGC 5248). the neighboring constellation appearance of an open star Day Handbook with all kinds of lands,” has now been explained. An numerous processes from quantum Rho—trace out the “ice cream Three NGC objects are stars or Canes Venatici. cluster. This is due to the ideas and suggestions international team led by a researcher at the Molecular and cryptography to quantum teleportation. cone” asterism. While many of double stars. And then there is NGC 5466 is a very small cluster’s great distance from Atmospheric Spectrometry Group (CNRS and University of The UEA team was studying a process called spontane- TITLE PHOTOGRAPH: us see Boötes as an ice cream one sole globular cluster, NGC globular star cluster. Globular Earth, 52,000 light-years. At • Check out the lastest tips for Reims, France) has shown that a nitrogen/methane/ethane ous parametric down-conversion (SPDC), in which photon mixture is unstable at the pressures and temperatures ex- beams are passed through a crystal to generate entangled cone, some observers see this 5466. Thus, I feel safe proclaim- clusters are more compact this distance, many of the stars Astronomy Day pected in the depths of Ligeia Mare. Due to hydrodynamic pairs of photons. asterism as a kite, 21 degrees ing NGC 5466 is Boötes’ best than galactic (open) star are too faint to be spied in the circulation in the sea, mixing occurs between liquids at the Prof. David Andrews in UEA’s School of Chemistry said: • List your event for both the public tall and 10 degrees at its star cluster! clusters and usually contain eyepiece. Comparing NGC 5466 surface and at depth. Part of the nitrogen-rich surface mix- “When the emergent pairs equally share the energy of widest. At the to nearby M3 and media to see ture flows down to the depths, which contain more ethane. the input, this is known as degenerate down-conversion, The liquids then separate under the effect of pressure, and or DDC. southern tip of the really demon- • Check out past Astronomy Day the gaseous nitrogen bubbles back up to the surface. The “Until now, it has been assumed that such paired pho- ice cream cone lies strates the effect nitrogen bubbles are formed at a depth of 100–200 m, and tons come from the same location. Now, the identification the star Arcturus, of distance. M3 is Award winners can reach a diameter of four centimeters. Depending on of a new delocalized mechanism shows that each photon the fourth- 34,000 light-years • All this and more at your “one Titan’s marine weather, this phenomenon can spread over pair can be emitted from spatially separated points, intro- brightest star in away. Were NGC regions of sea several hundred square kilometers in area. ducing a new positional uncertainty of a fundamental quan- the night sky. 5466 at the same stop Astronomy Day shopping” site According to the paper published in Nature Astronomy, this tum origin.” bubbling is a transient phenomenon, which explains why it The entanglement of the quantum states in each pair Alpha Centauri is distance as M3, it is not systematically detected by Cassini’s radar. has important applications in quantum computing—theo- slightly brighter would be one Gary Tomlinson Bibliography: Bubble streams in Titan’s seas as product retical computation systems that could potentially process than Arcturus. magnitude of liquid N + CH + C H cryogenic mixture, Daniel Cordier, big data problems at incredible speeds—as well as other 2 4 2 6 However, Alpha brighter than it Astronomy Day Coordinator Fernando García-Sánchez, Daimler N. Justo-García, Gérard areas of quantum physics. Centauri is a appears today. [email protected] Liger-Belair, Nature Astronomy 1, 18 April 2017, The findings are also significant because they place lim- doi:10.1038/s41550-017-0102. its on spatial resolution. Prof. Andrews said: “Everything binary star, Sixth-magnitude has a certain quantum ‘fuzziness’ to it, and photons are not whereas Arcturus M3 would still be Florida, February 22, 2017 the hard little bullets of light that are popularly imagined.” is not. Arcturus is two magnitudes New Minor Planet Named The study, “Nonlocalized generation of correlated pho- actually brighter brighter than the In a recent meeting, the Minor Planets and Comets Divi- ton pairs in degenerate down-conversion,” by Kayn A. sion (Division F Working Group Small Bodies Nomenclature) Forbes, Jack S. Ford, and David L. Andrews, is published in than either of the relocated NGC of the International Astronomical Union voted to give the the journal Physical Review Letters. Alpha Centauri 5466. The extra

minor planet (6117) 1985 CZ1 the name Brevardastro to honor A copy of the full paper is available to download here: system compo- brightness of M3

the Brevard Astronomical Society. 1985 CZ1 was discovered www.dropbox.com/s/ltpxuq5bz9o24vx/proof_cover. nents (Proxima is because M3 on February 12, 1985, by H. Debehogne at the European Centauri is far contains many Southern Observatory. Paris, February 22, 2017 The IAU is the international astronomical organization An Exceptional System of Exoplanets enough away from more stars than that brings together more than 10,000 professional astrono- Seven Earth-sized planets revolve around the star the Alpha Centauri NGC 5466. mers from almost 100 countries. Its mission is to promote TRAPPIST-1. In addition, at least three of them harbor binary and so Visually, the and safeguard the science of astronomy in all its aspects conditions compatible with the presence of liquid water much dimmer that denser core of M3 through international cooperation. The IAU also serves as on their surfaces. The discovery was made by an inter- it is negligible here). NGC 5466 lies on the western many more and much older attests to that! the internationally recognized authority for assigning des- national team led by a Belgian scientist and including stars. Their ages indicate that ignations to celestial bodies and the surface features on researchers from the CNRS, the French Alternative En- Boötes is depicted in the sky edge of Boötes. The cluster is 9 My image of NGC 5466 was them. Founded in 1919, the IAU is the world’s largest pro- ergies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) and the as a herdsman with two hunting degrees west and slightly north they formed billions of years taken with a William Optics fessional body for astronomers. Université Pierre-et-Marie-Curie (UPMC), the Laboratoire dogs on leashes—Asterion and of the star Izar and 9 degrees ago. Unlike open clusters, GTF102 102 mm f/6.9 apochro- The Brevard Astronomical Society is a group of amateur d’Astrophysique de Bordeaux (CNRS/Université de Bor- Chara (Canes Venatici). The north and slightly west of globular clusters have enough matic refractor with an SBIG astronomers dedicated to outreach. Main activities are hold- deaux), Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique (CNRS/ dogs are chasing the Great Arcturus. The globular cluster mass to gravitationally hold ST-2000XCM CCD camera. The ing public star parties for schools, libraries, scouts, and UPMC/UPMC/École polytechnique/ENS Paris) and and these two stars form an onto all of their stars. The parks. The club maintains a special relationship with its Laboratoire Astrophysique, Instrumentation et Bear, Ursa Major, but never exposure was 20 minutes. The neighbor, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, where club mem- Modélisation (CNRS/CEA/Université Paris Diderot). The quite gain on it as all three equilateral triangle, making it Milky Way has 150 to 200 image was processed to bers provide sky viewing at public events. planetary system around the star TRAPPIST-1 is one of constellations endlessly circle easy to point to NGC 5466 with globular star clusters, which replicate the view through my If you would like more information about this topic, the most astonishing and promising yet discovered, es- the north celestial pole. The a red dot finder. NGC 5466 is 5 form a spherical halo around 14-inch Newtonian telescope. please contact David Guibert at plutovip1@cfl.rr.com. pecially with regard to its scientific potential: as well as name of Arcturus comes from degrees due east of the brighter the disk of the galaxy. William The bright yellow star on the determining the orbits and masses of the planets, it will the ancient Greek and means left (east) side of the cluster is United Kingdom, March 30, 2017 be possible in the near future to detect the potential pres- Don’t forget... the League now offers high-quality solar eclipse “guardian of the bear.” SAO 83172, magnitude 6.9. New Research into Light Particles Challenges ence of atmospheres. The findings were published in the glasses for a very affordable price. These can be purchased by Understanding of Quantum Theory journal Nature on February 23, 2017. Despite the size of Boötes, So, the next time you visit the clubs (or individuals) for their own use, or for resale. Prices, Scientists have discovered a new mechanism involved in In early 2016, high-precision brightness (“photometric”) the constellation contains no bright globular cluster M3, take excluding shipping, are 1–9 for $1.00 each, 10 for $9.00, 25 for the creation of paired light particles, which could have monitoring carried out by ESO’s TRAPPIST telescope and Messier objects and no NGC time to hop a few degrees to significant impact on the study of quantum physics. Re- NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope discovered three Earth- $20.00, 50 for $37.50, 100 for $60.00. Higher quantities are even open star clusters. The constel- the east and check out Boötes’ searchers at the University of East Anglia (UEA) have sized planets (TRAPPIST-1 b, c, and d) orbiting around the less expensive per unit. Check out store.astroleague.org for lation hosts 263 NGC objects. Of one and only star cluster, shown that when photons—the fundamental particles of star TRAPPIST-1. Due to the orientation of the planetary further information. light—are created in pairs, they can emerge from differ- Continued on page 27 those, 259 are galaxies, of NGC 5466. 8

8 R EFLECTOR ✶ J UNE 2017 T HE A STRONOMICAL L EAGUE 9 By Berton Stevens Early spacecraft Sun, tidal heating keeps most of the subsurface Ganymede In 1968, human beings saw observations showed a water liquid with some ice mixed in. has a more complex their beautiful blue world very young surface, devoid Europa also has eruptions, but they are not as subsurface rise above the stark, gray of the impact craters predominant as Io’s volcanoes. The Hubble ocean lunar surface from the visible on many other Solar Space Telescope has detected water vapor structure than Apollo 8 spacecraft. The System objects. Another plumes coming from Europa, which can cover the Europa. resulting picture became an major discovery was a surface with water-ice. The subsurface ocean Instead of a single ocean, icon of the Space Age. The surface littered with not only interacts with the surface, but also the Ganymede

water oceans that form over volcanoes ejecting sulfur ocean floor, allowing the water to interact with has multiple NASA/JPL two-thirds of the Earth’s Wanderers in compounds into space. rocky material, an important ingredient to the ocean layers at increasing depths separated by layers surface give it that These compounds create formation of life. If it is not cancelled, the Europa of ice. The deeper layers have increasing salinity and predominantly blue color. the Neighborhood the thin Ionian atmosphere Lander may allow us to make direct observations the ice layers differ in phase as pressures increase. The very bottom layer of salty ocean is up against a However, while our planet and fill Io’s orbit around about this potential home to extraterrestrial life. The Oceans Around rocky surface, allowing interaction between the has one of the largest Jupiter with sulfur ions. Ganymede is even farther from Jupiter, and rocky minerals and the ocean water. This is percentages of ocean Jupiter The heat source for Io’s also has a surface that is covered with water-ice. important to the development of life. visible from space, it is not the only body in the geological activity comes not just from radioactive Like Europa, Ganymede has a subsurface Like Europa and Solar System with an ocean. decay, but also from the tidal forces stretching saltwater ocean trapped between a surface layer Ganymede, Callisto Jupiter has sixty-seven known moons in and compressing the moon. When astronomers of ice and a deep layer of ice covering the rocky also appears to have a relatively stable orbits around this largest planet modeled the effects of the tidal forces on Io, they mantle. There may be interleaved layers of ice subsurface ocean. in the Solar System. Most of them are tiny discovered that the model’s volcanoes shifted and water, creating multiple oceans separated by Varying magnetic objects, minor planets that came too close to westward by thirty to sixty degrees of longitude. the ice layers in different phases. fields near Callisto’s surface imply that Jupiter and were captured to become moons. This implied that something was transporting the Ice can form at many different temperatures there may be a salty

The four moons that were discovered by Galileo heat under the surface from where it was and pressures. There are seventeen different ocean under the NASA/JPL Galilei in 1610 when he started observing the generated to where the volcanoes are actually crystalline phases of water-ice that can form, surface can carry an electrical current sufficient heavens are worlds in their own right. They are located. Most likely, it is an ocean of magma, a depending on the environment. The hexagonal to induce the magnetic field. The magnetic field roughly the size of our Moon or a little larger. mix of molten and solid rock, flowing under the form of crystalline ice that is common here on was measured by the Galileo spacecraft’s magnetometer as it made close flybys of the The Galilean moons—Io, Europa, Ganymede, surface. The friction of the moving magma would Earth is very rare in space. Water is unusual in most distant of Jupiter’s large moons. The and Callisto—are all quite different from each generate extra heat as well. that at higher pressures, liquid water will not measurements showed that the electrical other. Some of the differences stem from their While Io has an ocean of magma, Europa has change into ice unless the temperature is currents reversed as Jupiter rotated, a key differing distances from Jupiter, and others arise a subsurface ocean of actual water. Europa is actually below freezing (0° Celsius) due to the signature of electric currents in a salty subsurface from the compositions of the moons. Io is the further from Jupiter, but it also is heated by tidal strong hydrogen bonds in H O. Other liquids ocean. Unfortunately, Callisto is only heated by 2 radioactive decay and not tidal heating. This closest to Jupiter. It is most affected by Jupiter’s flexing as well as radioactive decay. It has the change to the solid state at higher tempera- makes it too cold for life to form in the ocean. tremendous gravity field, always keeping the smoothest surface in our Solar System, covered tures than their freezing point as the pressure same face toward Jupiter, just as our Moon with linear cracks but almost no craters. While increases. In Ganymede’s ocean, the increasing when the Moon is in line with the Sun at full and keeps the same face toward the Earth. water would normally be frozen this far from the pressure causes different forms of ice to occur new moon. This tidal stretching increases the depending on the temperature at that depth. heating to help keep these three moons warm. Sometimes compared Cryovolcanoes spew to a pizza in chloride salts 125 The final phase near the rocky mantle is Callisto does not participate in this tidal appearance, Io’s miles above Europa’s presumed to be a tetragonal ice layer. resonance and so it is internally cooler than its surface is a very surface. Before Ganymede is the largest of the Galilean neighbors are. It appears to have an ice layer dynamic place, with returning to the moons and the only moon in our Solar System forming the surface of the moon, covering a many volcanoes surface, the plumes that has a sizable magnetic field. The possible salty water ocean mixed with ammonia spewing sulfur absorb some of the plumes into space sulfur being expelled existence of the magnetic field indicates a or some other substance that acts like anti- that fall back to the by Jupiter’s innermost liquid iron-nickel core that is generating the freeze, lowering the freezing point of the water.

NASA/JPL

surface. The subsurface magma ocean provides large moon, Io. NASA/JPL-CALTECH field. The magnetic field captures solar wind If there is no ocean, there may be a thick layer of enough material to bury the entire surface every Europa’s gravity pulls the mix back down, particles and focuses them downward toward ice instead. Either would form a highly conduc- few thousand years. The red and black material creating a layer of frost that regularly renews the the poles, causing aurorae observed by the tive layer that keeps Jupiter’s magnetic field mark areas that are only a few years old. This surface of the moon. The subsurface ocean that Galileo spacecraft image depicts the side of Io encircles the moon is thought to be capable of Hubble Space Telescope. These observations from penetrating it. The interior of Callisto is a that is always pointed away from Jupiter. supporting some form of life. revealed distortions in Ganymede’s magnetic mix of rock and ice, not differentiated into layers, The Galileo spacecraft Europa has one of the field that imply a subsurface saltwater ocean. but with more rocky material than ice nearer the orbited Jupiter for smoothest surfaces in Ganymede may also be home to subsurface core. This moon’s surface is very old with many over seven years and our Solar System. extraterrestrial life, possibly trapped in the overlapping craters. The subsurface ocean never on February 22, 2000, Nonetheless, its lowest layers of its oceans. escapes to renew the surface and erase the it captured this false- surface is very diverse Io, Europa, and Ganymede are locked in older craters. color close-up of Io’s and includes long, resonant orbits. Io makes two orbits around Galileo not only discovered four moons

surface. The left side linear cracks and NASA/JPL-CALTECH of the image shows ridges crisscrossing the surface. Blue or white Jupiter for each of Europa’s orbits. Four Io orbiting Jupiter when he turned his telescope on an active volcanic areas contain rather pure water-ice, while revolutions occur for each one that Ganymede the giant planet, but he unknowingly discovered eruption with lava NASA/JPL reddish and brownish areas contain other makes around Jupiter, which means Europa the homes of four oceans as well. Just as flowing almost forty miles. The exposed surface elements in higher concentrations. In this mosaic makes two orbits around Jupiter for each of portrayed in 1984’s 2010: The Year We Make of the lava cools down into a black area that from the Galileo spacecraft, the two polar areas splits into a “Y” shape. At the end of the Y’s at the left and right of the image are noticeably Ganymede’s orbits. Every time the moons get Contact, we may find the first extraterrestrial life arms, the molten lava is again exposed as two bluer, probably due to a different ice-grain size in close to each other, the tidal bulges become not on Mars, but on Europa or one of the other bright spots at the toes of the flow. these areas. substantially larger, just as we have higher tides large moons of Jupiter. 8

10 R EFLECTOR ✶ J UNE 2017 T HE A STRONOMICAL L EAGUE 11 By William Bogardus center for many Andino. The sky The 2016 class of ambassadors Observatorio del Pangue. used one of the smaller scopes he Astronomy in Chile agencies from was cloudy, but included Michelle Ferrara Peterson, Later that day, we packed there for my research paper. Educator Ambassador around the just the same, program director as AstroCamp in into our van and headed up It was good that we spent Program (ACEAP) 2016 world that have we were glad to Idyllwild, California; M. Josh Roberts, the valley to Cerro two days there because large astro- get to see one senior planetarium presenter, Pachón, the site of the made its journey to the California Academy of Sciences in we needed to accli- Southern Hemisphere and back, nomical of the many San Francisco; Sian Proctor, geology Gemini Observatory, mate. At 2200 and I was fortunate enough to be observatories private professor at South Mountain SOAR (Southern meters elevation, a part of it this year. The team of in Chile. That is observatories Community College in Phoenix, Astrophysical breathing was ten members was recruited, also where I for astro- Arizona; William Bogardus, career Research Telescope), difficult for those us met Sergio tourism. It was educator and school administrator and and the not yet assembled, and conducted by adjunct professor at the State who normally live near Tim Spuck, AUI STEM Education Cabezon, AUI/NRAO a first-class University of New York College at completed LSST (Large sea level. Even Development Officer at Associ- outreach officer in operation with clean, Oneonta; Derrick Pitts, chief Synoptic Survey walking up the hill ated Universities Incorporated Chile—a fantastic guy. modern facilities and astronomer and director of the Fels Telescope). We were to the dining hall (AUI), in cooperation with the He traveled with us for the top-notch observing equipment Planetarium at the Franklin Institue in privy to an extensive was an effort, but I duration of the tour. that rivaled and surpassed my Philadelphia; John Blackwell, tour of Gemini and National Science Foundation observatory director and educator in needed to toughen (NSF) and the National Radio The following night, the group own. Especially impressive were science at Phillips Exeter Academy, SOAR. From there, up for the ultimate Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), traveled into the nearby Andes the three 14-inch SCTs on New Hampshire; Geneviève de we could see nearby part of our trip to with essentially two goals: 1) to Mountains to visit the computerized mounts with Messières, manager, astronomy Cerro Tololo, where follow. If you are highlight our country’s invest- Observatorio Astronomico digital-imaging cameras and education program at the Smithsonian we would spend the going to spend time National Air and Space Museum, next two nights. I ment in astronomical observato- Washington. D.C.; David Lockett, at altitude, be sure ries in Chile, and, more impor- elementary school teacher at Mitchell had been to Cerro to check with your tantly to me as an amateur Neilson Elementary in Murfreesboro, Tololo before on a The author, with oxygen doctor and talk astronomer, 2) to report on Tennessee; and Carmen A. Pantoja, previous vacation about medication that can help. astro-tourism and why you professor of physics at the University but not for an overnight. They There is a prescription drug of Puerto Rico in San Juan. should visit and take advantage are open to the public for day that stimulates red blood cell of what Chile has to offer. dedicated computers. It was an visits with prior booking. It is production to help carry oxygen Ten ambassadors were astrophotographer’s delight. We best to go on a Saturday, as that to your cells. I learned my selected from around the United were privileged to see this place. is when they take general lesson at Lake Titicaca, Bolivia, States from various occupations There are many others around reservations. Be sure to bring a few years ago, and three days and organizations. I was pleased the country, because Chile your passport. I was excited for of altitude sickness was not fun. to be able to go on behalf of the recognizes that it is one of the the chance to stay, but why on I say all of this because the League. The ambassadors best places in the world from earth did we have to be here remainder of the tour was quickly bonded and struck out Milky Way core taken from CTIO which to observe the southern during a gibbous moon? Groan. further north in San Pedro de on a packed schedule to skies. Location, location, Atacama at experience as much as possible location. The only thing working 2400 meters in ten days. We met in Santiago against us was the light pollution and higher. To at the Hotel Director Vitacura and temperate weather of the get there, we as our flights arrived from capital region. It was better to go flew into different cities. I was quickly north to the drier latitudes, and Calama and impressed by the talent, later, we did. drove into the intelligence, and vivaciousness The following day, we boarded desert. Over the of the other nine, and it a flight to the La Serena airport next two days reminded me of my arriving for so that we could visit the we visited the first time at college out of observatories in the Elqui Valley primary and high school. I was one of a few region. The city, a beach resort high schools in members of the group that had for many Chileans, is also home Cerro Tololo from Gemini the region and visited Chile before. Even to the support personnel for Fortunately, we did have a few ultimately ALMA. San Pedro is though I consider my Spanish to Gemini and Cerro Tololo hours of glorious moonless becoming a very popular place to be only at a “baby-talk” level, I The group at the Gemini telescope observatories. We were treated observing in the wee hours of visit, with many hotels, restau- have not found that to be a huge to tours of the science and the morning. rants, curio shops, and several impediment and I was quite engineering projects and The next day, we were given a establishments dedicated to comfortable being there. presentations by the Gemini tour of the complex, which astro-tourism. The desert region On the first evening, we were science staff. We met with consists of many telescopes of there has little light pollution, invited to a reception at the representatives from several modestly large apertures, a few and several hotels and tour home of ALMA’s (Atacama Large tourist observatories over lunch. of medium apertures, and the companies offer observing. Millimeter/Submillimeter Array) As it turns out, the Elqui Valley is Blanco 4-meter telescope. The It was a personal accomplish- director of education and public a premier location for this. On Cerro Tololo Inter-American ment to pass the medical outreach, Valeria Foncea, whom my two previous astronomical Observatory (CITO) is dear to examination at the ALMA visitor we interacted with several trips to Chile, this is where I my heart as I once took an center in order to travel up the times during our tour. Santiago observed, the first year at Elqui observational astronomy class mountain ridge and visit the serves as the administrative The Blanco telescope Domos and the second at the at Stony Brook University and Continued on page 27

12 REFLECTOR ✶ J UNE 2017 T HE A STRONOMICAL L EAGUE 13 T HE A STRONOMICAL L EAGUE 13 I consider a goal as a to Great Basin alpine lakes, season is not for everyone, but the sky. As evening ap- stunning images, and a sense of journey rather than a National Park 4,000+ year if you want to experience proached, however, the fulfillment, in having both 10, 25, and 50 Years of the destination. And each year and Lehman old bristlecone solitude, no lines, no traffic, a temperature dropped to 12 experienced the wonder and I set a new goal. Caves is five pines, a quiet so intense you could degrees (Fahrenheit) and the awe visible in a truly dark sky Astronomical League’s Magazine —Curtis Carlson miles west of miniature hear the sound that a bird’s clouds dissipated, revealing a and checking off one of your 2017 goals. Compiled by Mike Stewart, Astronomical League Historian The Goal Baker on glacier, and wings make while in flight, and crystal-clear sky and a May 1967 Embracing Carlson’s philosophy, Highway 488. limestone majestic views all to yourself, multitude of stars. The Logistics Messier Club Success! I had set several goals for the The Park caverns are off-season is a wonderful time As a dedicated Dark Sky Park, Planning to get there is half On January 13, 1967, the first certificate for membership in the Astronomical past year—some professional Great Basin some of the to visit and explore Great the conditions did not disap- the fun; however, actually League’s Messier Club was given to Miss Catherine Delaney of the Amateur and some personal. One goal National Park attractions of this Basin National Park. point. After standing in awe, being there and experiencing Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh for having seen 71 objects from the Messier Catalogue and recording dates of observing them with her 6-inch Newtonian was directly related to my love was dedicated on national park. The Night Sky gazing at the winter sky ablaze firsthand the majesty, splen- reflector with a 46-inch focal length, using a one-inch Kellner eyepiece. of rustic, out-of-the-way places, October 27, During a four- Two-thirds of Americans cannot with stars, we took our photos. dor, and jaw-dropping beauty Miss Delaney, a Northerner, was the first recipient but photography, and astronomy. 1986, making it day visit to the see the Milky Way from their The Images any one of these parks has to the next six are from sunnier climes. Certificates for 70 Objects issued to: Over the course of several one of the newer park in late backyards, and nearly all of us The images accompanying this offer is breathtaking. Heading Steve Hall—Dallas, Texas years, I had frequently driven national parks. November and live in places with measurable article were photographed out at night and gazing into the Kurt Allback—Dallas, Texas past the small brown sign along Given its location early December light pollution. using a Nikon D300, with a depths of our universe ablaze Certificates for all 110 Objects to: Karl Simmons—Jacksonville, Fla. Highway 15 north of Las Vegas, in eastern Nevada Plan a Road Trip to 2016, we In spring 2016, Great Basin Tokina 11–16 f/2.8 mm lens with countless stars is an John H. Wulf—Dallas, Texas which simply read “Great Basin near the Utah a Dark Sky encountered one National Park was designated set at 11 mm. Individual experience that can only truly David Gordon—Dallas, Texas NP” in reflective white lettering. border, GBNP hiker and three an International Dark Sky Park. images were taken at ISO 320 be appreciated in person. Ronnie Price—Dallas, Texas National Park The Messier Program remains the Astronomical League’s Nothing else, not even a mileage usually ranks park rangers. The International Dark-Sky with an exposure of 150 If heading out in 12-degree premier Observing Program. Observers can earn the Messier Program Certificate for Al Marcella observing and recording 70 objects, or they can earn the Honorary Certificate for to indicate exactly how far up among the Astronomical Society of That’s it; we did Association has recognized that seconds. The D300 camera weather is not your idea of a observing the full catalog, which numbers 110 objects today. the road one would find this least-visited Eastern Missouri not see another Great Basin provides distin- was mounted on an iOptron lovely evening under the stars, [email protected] park. national parks soul in a park guished and significant opportu- SkyTracker camera mount. but you still want to experience May 1992 I decided that a goal for 2016 in the lower 48 states. that encompasses 77,100 acres! nities to experience dark nights. Both photographs are the the wonder and awe of a sky CCD‘s: A Bright Future for Dim Objects would be to explore this elusive The park is in the Great Basin Talk about having it all to According to the Great Basin composite result of five overflowing with stars and Charge-coupled devices, or CCD’s, have liberated amateur park. Desert and contains most of the yourself. What a feeling it was to Dark Sky Park’s light manage- individual images, stacked using other celestial objects (think astrophotographers from the drudgeries of the dark room and placed in their hands an extraordinary tool. The Destination South Snake Range. The park have an entire national park to ment plan, the park’s location DeepSkyStacker software. planets, nebulae, star clusters, The CCD chips at the heart of most electronic imaging Little did I know when I began encompasses an area of sublime, ourselves, open 24/7, and no in one of the least-populated The top photo clearly shows meteors, satellites, and so on), devices are used in two very different ways. In video my investigation that I would high mountain terrain. Cold, entrance fee to boot! regions of the lower 48 states the advantages for outstanding you might want to check out cameras, the image is scanned at a rate of thirty times a second, and is usually output as an analog signal. On the uncover an inspiring destina- tumbling mountain streams, Granted, traveling off- “enables it to have some of the astronomical observation and the annual Great Basin other hand, slow-scan CCD cameras produce digital tion and accomplish triple darkest night skies in the astrophotography at a remote, Astronomy Festival, held over outputs that can be used by a computer system to produce goals of finding an out-of-the- continental United States. Due dark location under optimal several days and nights in a picture based on the intensity of the picture elements, or pixels. way, rustic location with to its distance from major winter weather conditions. September. The festival Slow-scan CCD’s are a remarkable technology, but at a price. A good package will majestic scenery and a night urban centers, and unique The bottom photo is the includes stargazing presenta- cost roughly $5000, including the CCD camera, a computer system with appropriate sky filled with billions of stars geographical placement” in the annotated image with Messier tions, night sky photography software, and interfaces. While a portable system is possible, a permanent observatory is the only way to go. with a clarity I had seen typical basin-and-range objects and constellations workshops, and telescope In this 1992 article, Gary Hug from Topeka, Kansas, explained the “new” previously only when photo- topography of the Great Basin, labeled with the much appreci- observing each night. technology that astrophotographers were just then starting to use to capture graphing above the Arctic “it also maintains some of the ated help of fellow Astronomi- So go, and make 2017 a mem- images. The computer system he described had a mighty 40-megabyte hard drive and 2 megabytes of RAM. Circle. clearest and steadiest cal Society of Eastern Missouri orable year in many ways! 8 Great Basin National Park atmospher[ic] conditions. (ASEM) member Frederick June 2007 (GBNP) is a destination park, These conditions create (Rick) Steiling. How to Get There Sasquatch has amazing powers! • From Las Vegas (about 300 meaning you simply just don’t superb transparency and The End Sasquatch, one of the names for the Bigfoot creature said to have astounding miles away), take I-15 north to powers, is also the name of the Smoky Mountain Astronomical Society’s 20-inch stumble upon it or happen to stability in its skies. This Now is the time to set your US 93 north, then US 50 east to reflector telescope, which also has astounding powers. drive by and decide to make a combination produces the sights and a 2017 goal to visit Nevada 487. At Baker, take I’ve looked at various objects through Sas—as we U-turn and drop in; you should Great Basin National Park winter sky world-class night skies that an International Dark Sky Park Nevada 488 to the park affectionately call the scope—on two different nights now, entrance. and I can tell you two amazing things about the scope that make plans to actually get make Great Basin an interna- (there are currently 13 in the • From Salt Lake City, Utah (about you might miss if you haven’t had it near you at a star party: there. GBNP is in east-central tional destination for park United States—darksky.org/ 250 miles away), take I-15 south • Having your smaller scope sitting near Nevada, five miles west of the visitors seeking a pure, idsp). Go now and gaze upon a to US 50 west, then Nevada 487 • Sas improves your smaller scope’s light-gathering and resolving capabilities. town of Baker. primeval night sky experi- to Baker and Nevada 488 to the sky saturated with stars, one park entrance. • Sas is a go-to scope that doesn’t require batteries. Baker is located approxi- ence.” This also makes GBNP a reminiscent of a night sky that • Airport: Ely (about 67 miles Of course, this is where several people may exclaim I’m mately 300 miles north of Las prime destination for those amazed and inspired our away) full of it, but let me explain why I think of Sas as the most unbelievable 20-inch go-to finderscope I’ve ever seen for Vegas and 250 miles west of interested in outstanding and ancestors. Whether you go Contact the Park: Great Basin National Park my little 6-inch Dobsonian. Salt Lake City. The nearest unparalleled conditions for simply to spread a blanket and 100 Great Basin National Park My small Dob is what I’ve used while Sas was set up nearby at two star airports are in Ely, Nevada, 70 astronomical observation and look up at the heavens alight Baker, NV 89311 parties. I can tell you from experience that the way to use Sas is as a go-to scope. First, attempt to find your object in your small scope. If you can’t seem to miles away, and Cedar City, astrophotography. with countless celestial bodies (775) 234-7331, Park Headquar- ters Superintendent get a lock on it, look back towards Sas and say, “Has anyone pointed Sas at Utah, 142 miles away. The We planned our trip to or point your telescope at a [insert deep sky object here]?” It’s that easy. Amazingly enough, in quick order Accommodations in Baker: the big scope finds the specified object by using multiple and very friendly nearest major airports are in coincide with the new moon distant planet or to engage in Gateway Accommodations tracking computers—other club members. Salt Lake City (234 miles) and and we were anxious through- some astrophotography 155 S. Nettie Ave Amongst the more serious articles in the June 2007 issue was Mike Marcum’s enter- Las Vegas (286 miles). out the day of our planned opportunities, you will not be Baker, NV 89311 taining piece with a thoughtful message. Mike, like many of us have on the observing [email protected] field, discovered that amateur astronomers are some of the most helpful, sharing people The new Great Basin Visitor Constellations and celestial objects visible on the evening of December 3, astrophotography shoot as low- disappointed. You will return GatewayAccommodations.com you’ll ever meet, and one can locate amazing objects with a modest telescope. Center is in Baker. The entrance 2016, from Great Basin National Park hanging, wintry clouds filled with lifelong memories,

14 REFLECTOR ✶ J UNE 2017 T HE A STRONOMICAL L EAGUE 15 Background first robotic telescopes were PROMPT telescopes. If you were sixteen years old in 1984 manufactured by RC Optical The duration of a GRB observed and a fan of science fiction, you have Systems. The UNC astronomy faculty by the satellites is typically a few seen Arnold Schwarzenegger in the and grad students began building seconds. But the remnant effects Terminator franchise, probably more the PROMPT network—meaning can range in duration from a few than once. We are, of course, the “Panchromatic Robotic Optical milliseconds to several hours, and Star Wars generation. The first Monitoring and Polarimetry sometimes even several days. The Terminator sequel, Judgment Day, Telescopes”—in 2004. The figures initial burst is often followed by a was released seven years later, grow daily, but a recent estimate longer-lived event in optical and which is a lifetime for a sequel. Rise shows that Skynet has taken over 16 infrared wavelengths. We call this of the Machines was released million images for tens of thousands “afterglow.” another twelve years afterwards—a of users worldwide. Burst afterglows are short-lived, testament to the enduring nature of Successful History too. With no other use, the PROMPT that franchise. of Fundraising telescopes would be idle most of the I have no doubt that the faculty in Most of the funding for Skynet has time. And so the concept proposed the Department of Physics and been awarded through the Major to the NSF has always been to allow Astronomy at the opportunities for observing with University of robotically controlled professional North Carolina equipment, made available primarily were inspired as a teaching tool over the Internet. techies and Nomenclature Skynet is actually the name for PROMPT’s control software, a web- based, dynamic, queue-scheduling application. This custom application is developed at UNC as are By Tom Finkenbinder resources for the databases and storage space to accommodate moviegoers; they conceived a images. project called “Skynet”—a Afterglow is an astrometry and nod to the reality of a world photometry software program that increasingly served by computers Research Instrumentation (MRI) UNC created for use with FITS files and the Internet. Not quite machines Program at the NSF. NASA and other to meet curriculum opportunities. that are self-aware, Skynet is a collaborators have also contributed FITS (Flexible Image Transport collection of telescopes, filters, to the network. The first Skynet System) is the data format used for cameras, and retractable-roof proposal, submitted in 2003, was Top row, left to right: Morehead Observatory (credit Department of Physics and analyzing scientific images. Pixel- observatories installed in remote turned down, although some of the Astronomy, UNC–Chapel Hill); Dan Reichart at CTIO (credit Department of Physics count across the field of view of a mountainous locations that employ scopes were already being and Astronomy, UNC–Chapel Hill); NRAO, Green Bank, West Virginia (credit CCD camera can be translated to the Department of Physics and Astronomy, UNC–Chapel Hill). robotics to study the sky at night. assembled. The grant was slated to Second row, left to right: SSO cluster (credit Department of Physics and Astronomy, angular diameter of an asteroid, for Skynet headquarters is in the build telescopes and their clamshell UNC–Chapel Hill); GRB illustration (credit NASA); Author and his dad, Ron, at example. Morehead Observatory building on domes at the Cerro Tololo Inter- Gornergrat Observatory, Switzerland (credit author). Stellarium is a freeware applica- campus at UNC in Chapel Hill, North American Observatory above La Third row, left to right: Moons of Uranus (credit Skynet/author); Ceres angular tion you can download to your PC or Carolina. Skynet is funded by the Serena, Chile, 30 degrees south measurement (credit Skynet/author); Arp 153 (credit Skynet/Steve Tzikas). smartphone to use with visible- National Science Foundation (NSF), latitude and 2200 meters (7000 feet) Wales, Australia. Some of the ARRA completed at the Chilean site. It was What Are Gamma-Ray Bursts is an oversimplification, but Thanks to NASA and the European spectrum astronomy. When planning NASA, and private donors. Skynet above sea level. A second proposal award was used in collaboration for funded entirely by Swiss manufac- and What Do They Have to Do nonetheless, GRBs are acknowl- Space Agency (ESA), a handful of an observing run, data input to the locations—with no on-site human asked NSF to fund the construction the refurbishment of the 20-meter turer Astro Optik GmbH—for one of with Skynet? edged as the most energetic and satellites were launched to study Skynet portal will need to accurately operators—span four continents. of six Ritchey–Chrétien telescopes, National Radio Astronomy Observa- their own design, of course. Simply put, we wouldn’t have Skynet cataclysmic events we know of in these and other high-energy particle show what you are looking for, when New sites in North America are up for figured with hyperbolic mirrors, tory telescope in Green Bank, West Altogether, eight PROMPT without gamma-ray bursts. GRBs cosmology. phenomena. Onboard instruments can and where to point the telescopes to consideration every year, as the suitable for professional astronomy, Virginia. telescopes are now operating in exist in an epoch of the history of The professional astronomy detect and locate GRB sources almost find it. It is also required for the outreach curriculum written by UNC at $100,000 per telescope. The first Typical of NSF grants, future Chile, and half a dozen at three our universe when stars formed community has been studying GRBs immediately. The positions are then Skynet University labs. professors gathers interest from other NSF award was made in 2004. Dr. funding will rely on the ability to sites in Australia and Canada. A quickly, built heavier elements for years. On average, a burst is radioed to the ground. Skynet University is the online colleges and universities, foreign Dan Reichart leads the program at self-fund Skynet’s operating budget few existing telescopes at through fusion, spent their fuel, and detected by satellites every few Downlink telemetry moves through curriculum for teaching basic and government science programs, K–12, UNC–Chapel Hill. in a pay-for-use model. For example, universities are online. These collapsed under their own weight to days. Gamma photons are emitted a network gateway at NASA’s Goddard advanced courses in astronomy at UNC. youth groups, and adult amateur Two million dollars was raised via PROMPT 8 is a 24-inch RC telescope include the recommissioned form black holes. This is the most when shells of ejected stellar Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Outreach is a key component used astronomer communities—like us. the American Recovery and Rein- added in 2013 in partnership with telescope at the Morehead site on common model. While in the last material crash into each other. These Maryland, and the GRB positions are by the NSF to evaluate requests for Skynet is truly a global scientific vestment Act (ARRA), awarded the Government of Thailand, which the UNC campus, two telescopes at stages of their lives, these rapidly extra-galactic photons travel to us relayed over the Internet to astrono- funding. Skynet University was a na- resource available to the public and through NSF and allocated to several pays for most of its use. This and the Dark Sky Observatory near spinning stars eject material at through space and time—in some mers all over the world. Skynet tural path to create education channels academia through a web portal for projects between 2010 and 2012. paid time on the other Skynet Appalachian State University, and nearly the speed of light. If located instances, from near in time to the operations is one of the endpoint to reach other schools and the public. PCs, laptops, tablets, and cell This included the addition of four telescopes now support most of the the University of Chicago’s 41- and inside a host galaxy, the explosive Big Bang. But the photons are recipients of the burst coordinates, and Skynet University phones; a variety of related new 17-inch RC scopes at the Siding operating expenses for PROMPT. A 24-inch telescopes at Yerkes energy heats and ionizes dust and blocked by Earth’s atmosphere and they use this information to initiate Use of the network assumes that websites; and a Facebook page. The Springs Observatory in New South 32-inch telescope has also been Observatory in Wisconsin. gas in the vicinity of the burst. This cannot be observed from the ground. automated observing runs with the Continued on next page

16 REFLECTOR ✶ J UNE 2017 T HE A STRONOMICAL L EAGUE 17 subscribers are willing to learn how Dan’s one-hour lectures on Skynet that a new three-year, $2.5 million first run—provided they worked Why does it appear bright and high and make visual estimates of the this area of astronomical observing. open. Setup and slew time do not to operate Skynet via “how-to” University’s YouTube channel, NSF project has been approved to through the tutorials. We all in the sky some seasons, fading and angular tilt as it varies with the How to Get Started count against your budget. tutorials, and then will set out on www.youtube.com/introastro. engage high school students with communicate by email. Your club disappearing into the sun in others? seasons due to tilt of the ecliptic. I The Skynet team welcomes and will For your club, find one or two their own to create and fetch image Astronomy 101/102 courses do not hearing and vision disabilities in might want to reserve a room at a Galileo’s observing records with make sketches about once a month, respond to requests to join the champions to try the demo labs, then files. UNC faculty are busy teaching require use of the network tele- astronomy-learning activities. Yerkes library in the evening to collectively the telescope that he built were more frequently when the phase is community at [email protected]. organize some group activities. UNC at a large university. UNC faculty scopes. But if you’ve made it this far is the education and research center become acquainted with the made about 1610, then published in changing quickly from week to week First, take a look directly at the user faculty recorded tutorial videos for lab decided to make the telescopes and into Skynet, you will probably want to for the recently established IDATA— features. Even newly experienced 1613. Lab 3 requires use of as it was in late March. portal, skynet.unc.edu. Spend some instructors and group leaders, one for curriculum available through online have your own user account and Innovators Developing Accessible users can run a demo. A Skype call prepackaged, canned data for Venus • Radio Astronomy time with the Skynet University each lab in the “Our Place in Space” courses. Hiring people for a help desk telescope time for observing projects. Tools for Astronomy. Teams of would work, too. observing since the planet appears It was mentioned earlier that the 20- website and look at the FAQs there. course. and manually grading work would Successful History and Ongoing students work with national leaders • Pursuing Astronomical too close to the sun as viewed from meter dish at Green Bank, West On your own, it would be best to go We treat this all pretty casually quickly burn through the grant money. Commitment to Outreach to design online imaging software League Certificates Earth much of the time. Skynet’s Virginia, was refurbished. Skynet to Skynet University and sign up for inside of NOVAC. I occasionally make New users can find tutorials for The NSF requires a broader-impact that can be used by anyone— Steve Tzikas, one of our NOVAC control software will not allow the added it to the network and enabled “Our Place in Space,” since it presentations for the club. We have working with Afterglow through the component with all funding including, in particular, the visually members, is working the Astronomical PROMPT telescopes to be pointed it through the user portal in 2016, includes 30 minutes of observing not felt the need to have user group Skynet University website as well. requests. UNC fulfills this by making impaired. League’s Arp Peculiar Galaxy too close to the sun, even in twilight, bringing radio astronomy into the time. That might not seem like a lot, meetings. We are pretty spread out There are sample Skynet labs that are the network available to the public. What Our NOVAC User Observing Program. Most objects on to avoid damaging the CCD cameras. network and educational curriculum. but good exposures require only a geographically as a club. The bulk of free to access before signing up for UNC started with high schools and Community Does with Skynet the list are between 12th and 18th So, I got an idea reading Lab 3, UNC and the team at the National few seconds. Your quota is spent our members live within a 50-mile the formal curriculum. Perusing the colleges in North Carolina. Skynet’s • Basic Imaging magnitude. Over 100 are fainter than and decided to satisfy my curiosity Radio Astronomy Observatory in only for the time that the shutter is radius of Washington, D.C. 8 labs, looking over the Skynet portal, user community now includes Our local AL member community is 13.5 magnitude. The AL points out that by wandering off on my own Venus Green Bank will be publishing Tom has been a NOVAC member since 2002. His academic and professional and talking with current users are enrolled UNC students, and more the Northern Virginia Astronomy the Arp program is suitable for project in June 2015. I have mostly images and observing ideas this background in electrical engineering provided him with a strong foundation in used a U.S. Naval Observatory year. Some of our members have probably the best routes to take than a dozen colleges in North Club (NOVAC). We have a Skynet “advanced amateurs” and suggests communication systems during the explosive growth of the Internet. That work before creating an account on the Carolina and surrounding states. user group and we use Skynet to using a scope with more than a 12.5- website, “Apparent Disk of a Solar tried a few runs gathering plots of experience and a rekindled interest in astronomy from childhood created curiosity network. Some of these schools apply to have image Solar System, Messier, and inch aperture. The 16-inch telescopes System Object,” aa.usno.navy.mil/ flux energy in certain frequencies of about automated observatories, whose use and availability grew with the spread of It is a bonus, when forming an their telescopes connected to the Herschel objects. We can image meet those qualifications. We hope data/docs/diskmap.php, that shows a the radio spectrum. Favorite targets high-speed Internet access around the world. Tom completed his Messier Certificate in interest group inside your club, if network. outer planets and their moons with that employing remote, robotically computer-generated image of Venus at are the Sun, Virgo A, Cassiopeia A, 2007, mostly at Camp Highroad, Virginia, with a 5-inch APO and O’Meara’s well-known some of your club members have Skynet Junior Scholars was enough resolution for astrometry controlled telescopes in Chile and any point in time, correct in angular Taurus A, and Sagittarius A, and I book, Deep Sky Companions: The Messier Objects. He has presented at NOVAC’s independently started to use Skynet. established in partnership with work. Some of the Skynet labs Australia, through a web portal on a diameter and current phase. am sure new users could find more annual star party in West Virginia, and arranged for Skynet professors to speak at monthly NOVAC meetings. He also presents to K–12 and adult education groups, and The printed tutorials and require the imaging of laptop at the kitchen table, qualifies as I sketch the images from the ideas on the Internet. We are by invitation at George Mason University, NOVAC’s academic sponsor. YouTube clips show how to find asteroids and minor planets, advanced amateur use! computer screen in my field book looking forward to learning more in an observable object, choose measuring shape and size, The AL provides a list of 338 telescopes, select exposure and observing orbital Northern Hemisphere observable length, and use filters. Lab 1 in position against a backdrop objects. The AL added a Southern Help IOTA Measure Asteroids, Double Stars, the Sun, and More By David W. Dunham particular is a must-see. A star field over a few nights. Hemisphere Arp list in 2010 with Technology now allows observers to record transient astronomical phenomena lunar occultations with the main purpose to discover and measure close double good start is to observe planets The great thing about about 500 objects. Just over one more precisely and to fainter magnitudes than ever before. A new small, stars. If a lunar occultation is observed from a zone only a few hundred yards and their moons, deep-sky Skynet is that users can stay hundred objects from the southern inexpensive, yet very sensitive camera (RunCam Night Eagle Astro) will allow you wide at the northern or southern limit of the region of visibility, the star moves objects, asteroids, and minor as basic or go as deep as list are above 30 degrees south to participate in the International Occultation Timing Association’s (IOTA’s) along a tangent line relative to the Moon’s disk, disappearing and reappearing planets—all in Lab 1. they want into learning declination. An observer can reach programs to accurately record occultations and eclipses, to measure the sizes and repeatedly among mountains and craters in the polar regions. Watch this striking “Astronomy With Skynet: astronomy with professional this part of the sky from the mid- shapes of hundreds of asteroids, discover duplicity of both close double stars and example, a synchronized collage of five videos obtained during the Aldebaran asteroids with satellites, and measure the angular diameters of many stars, grazing occultation last March, at vimeo.com/209854850. Our Place in Space!” is the tools and curriculum. The northern latitudes, but only at low including the Sun (at the total solar eclipse in August). During the next 3 months, the brightest star occulted by an asteroid will be suggested starting point. It is a Skynet user portal is elevation. From telescope sites 30 The figure shows the results of an occultation of the 6th-magnitude red giant 5.9-magnitude SAO 59794 (HIP 34358) by 930 Westphalia at 9:25 UT on August full-length course for amateurs, intuitive. Skynet is linked to degrees south in Chile and Australia, star LQ Aquarii by both components of the binary asteroid 90 Antiope recorded 14 in a path from Albuquerque to Minneapolis. Several other events are listed on astronomy clubs, K–12 public SIMBAD, a database of more the entire southern list can be from 50 sites by IOTA observers in northern California and southern Oregon on page 250 of the 2017 Royal Astronomical Society of Canada’s Observer’s and private schools, and youth than 2.5 million objects, so observed. The southernmost objects July 19th, 2011. Each line traces the path of the star Handbook, which also has lunar occultation data programs. The course follows a that the guesswork (and the are 85 degrees south declination, across the plane of the sky at the distance of Antiope, (with graze maps) on pages 162–178. A free structured curriculum. Students chance of accidentally near the south celestial pole. interrupted when the star was behind one of the Windows tool called Occult Watcher will alert you to use tutorials with the missing the target) is taken • The Venus Project—a.k.a. Antiope components. A large crater on the side of the the many more asteroidal events potentially visible Afterglow astrometry out of locating precise Tom’s Tangent southern component suspected from analysis of from your observatory or area, while “Occult 4,” application to evaluate data. celestial coordinates. The In Skynet University Lab 3, “The rotational light-curve and adaptive optics observa- another free program, can be used offline to make Some simple algebra and geometry A page from Tom’s field book portal screens guide users through Galilean Revolution: Our Place in tions, was confirmed by the Pac-Man-like outline your own lunar (and other) occultation predictions. revealed by the occultation timings. In addition to the See IOTA’s web site at www.occultations.org for skills are needed. Enrolled students several large 4-H clubs who easily understood fields to set Space,” there is a discussion about information about the Antiope components, the information on obtaining these programs—under are given 30 minutes of observing conceived an astronomy program for exposure length and filter choices. Galileo’s discoveries that we all angular diameter of the star was measured from the “Observing,” then “Occultation Predictions.” Check time on PROMPT. youth in 2003 promoting STEM An hour or two spent with the online know cemented our modern gradual disappearances and reappearances of the star out the other tabs for observing methods, recom- Astronomy 101/102 are the education. In three years, Skynet- tutorials and you should be able to understanding of the heliocentric that lasted around half a second at most sites. There mended equipment (such as the new RunCam Night undergraduate courses taught at UNC trained educators provided profes- program your first job. Solar System first introduced by were fewer than 50 observers since some of them set Eagle Astro camera), observing the August total solar for college credit. UNC decided to sional development for 135 youth We have about 25 NOVAC Copernicus. Galileo regularly studied up several remote video systems that automatically eclipse, and joining IOTA, which we encourage. Most offer the lectures and curriculum free leaders from 25 states. More than members in our group using the the four Jovian moons. Why would recorded the bright star. of our software and services are available free to to the public, but not for credit or a 1400 youth are members of SJS, and same Skynet account to program and they seem to stay in the same basic Besides main-belt and Trojan asteroids, some IOTA non-members, to encourage observations, including certificate. Dan Reichart, an their numbers are expected to grow retrieve jobs. I cannot recall, in over positions, moving around the orb, observers are using integrating cameras with larger participation in the lively IOTA occultations Yahoo! astronomy professor at UNC, threefold over the next few years. two years of managing the Skynet even as Jupiter moved from one telescopes, some special ones designed to be packed Group! where current and future occultations are suggests buying the course’s The director of Yerkes Observa- relationship for our club, any zodiacal constellation to the next in a standard suitcase, to observe the rarer and discussed, as well as observing methods and generally fainter occultations by trans-Neptunian equipment; see groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/ textbooks, but this is not a require- tory, Dr. Al Harper (University of member needing to reach out for a from year to year? And why did objects. We also still record the much more common IOTAoccultations/info. 8 ment. Students follow along with Chicago), announced in December significant amount of help with their Venus have phases like the moon?

18 REFLECTOR ✶ J UNE 2017 T HE A STRONOMICAL L EAGUE 19 Story and photos newly designed receiver that Radio Meteor Scatter Figure 5 used to explore the moon Io happens to be in transit by Dr. Alex Vrenios is pre-built and tested (Figure I got involved with this nature of static caused from Earth’s perspective, the I’ve completed over a dozen 3). I built a big loop antenna activity decades ago, so by near and distant probability of reception is even Observing Programs to date. (Figure 4) and hooked it up I knew what it was thunderstorms. greater. Radio-Jupiter Pro is The ones I enjoyed the most to the VLF receiver about. The first thing I Jupiter’s Radio Storms software available from Radio- put me in the deep end of a (Figure 5), but there were needed to find was an When I read the project Sky Publishing (radiosky.com). field that is way outside of no VLF signals to be FM radio station as a description I seemed to You enter your location, in my comfort zone. The heard. I never did under- source. It had to be just recall reading that longitude and latitude, and it Analemma and Galileo stand why the signals were far enough away from Jupiter gave off strong tells you when there is a high Programs come to mind, as so averse to coming into my home that I couldn’t radio frequency signals probability of receiving a signal does the Radio Astronomy my backyard! receive it directly, but under certain circum- from a Jovian radio storm. Observing Program, which is What follows is my experience during daytime by briefly I’ve read the online postings close enough that when stances, and that these There are two kinds of radio the subject of this article. with each of the projects. ionizing the Earth’s upper and I understand there are a meteor streaked radio storm signals could storm signals: long burst (L- I am a longtime ham radio Solar Radiation Detection atmosphere. An uneventful plot plenty of SID monitoring through the atmo- be heard on the high end burst) and short burst (S-burst). operator with strong interests in The Sun is a very powerful over a 24-hour period will show stations out there that seem sphere, its signal would of the HF (high fre- Long burst storm signals sound astronomy and photography. You thermal energy source. As a high VLF signal strengths during to be blessed with either a bounce off its ionization quency) radio band. like “waves crashing upon the way to detect its the evening trail, and onto my Both the AL web page shore.” Short burst signals might think getting into Figure 3 radio astronomy would energy, the Radio hours and a receive antenna. I knew and several online sound like either a random be a natural for a guy like Astronomy Observing low, nearly flat that the National sources suggested that a ticking noise or a plastic me, but I just never knew Program’s web page response Weather Service had simple dipole cut for the shopping bag flapping in the how or where to start. A suggests building an during the day. stations continuously 15-meter band (about 20 wind. I reported hearing random couple of years ago, the instrument like the Itty When a SID broadcasting weather MHz) would receive ticking (Figure 9). Astronomical League Bitty Telescope, from occurs during forecasts scattered Jupiter’s storm signals. I put my Jupiter storm introduced a Radio plans available through daytime, the across the U.S., but I Even better, a dual or reception documentation on Figure 1 Astronomy Observing the NRAO (National plot will show did not expect the directional dipole cut to hold until I finished the galactic Program. The requirements Radio Astronomy Observatory). a spike in the delightful coincidence that frequency would hydrogen detection project. seemed within my reach, so I A free-to-air satellite TV received signal that I discovered. improve reception. But I Advancing to gold level requires decided to give it a try. receiver I assembled several strength. A plot I was looking at a list found an even more two more completed projects, so The Radio Astronomy Program years ago, however, was ready with such a of cities from which interesting design. I have to send them both in Figure 6 describes five “projects” one can to be repurposed anyway, and it spike is the weather forecasts are I save magazine together. I had no idea at the do: detection of solar radiation, seemed like a good way to goal of this broadcast and I happened to (dataq.com). I hooked up the articles that are of interest to time just how long this hydrogen sudden ionospheric disturbances detect solar energy. I hooked a project: notice that both Tucson and antenna to my radio, split its me. I happened to be looking line detection project would (SIDs), evidence of SID Flagstaff, Arizona, used the audio output to a small speaker through them for totally take me. Receiving the ex- Figure 2 Figure 4 Jupiter’s radio detection. exact same frequency! I’m in and the data acquisition unit’s different reasons when I tremely weak radio signals at storms, radio VLF radio Phoenix, which is just far input, and started its oscillo- happened upon an article that the extremely high 1.4 GHz meteor scatter, stations are enough away from both of them scope-style software on my PC. was on the back of one I had frequency had its challenges. I and galactic used by so as not to be able to receive It didn’t take long before I saved. It showed a 25-year-old met them, but I had to learn a hydrogen militaries either of them directly, yet close recorded a short burst of a SARA design for a Jupiter radio lot before I was able to do so. radiation around the enough that a meteor’s ioniza- syllable or two from the familiar storm receive antenna, employ- Galactic Hydrogen detection. One world to tion trail would reflect a signal mechanical voice of the weather ing a 21 MHz single loop and a Radiation Detection need only communicate down to my location. This broadcaster (Figure 7). I took a backplane (Sky & Telescope, The AL website has several complete four with their doubled my chances of success. screen shot of the plot and sent Dec. 1989, p. 628). I built it and references for novice radio of the five, but submarines Now, how to log the detection? it in with the description of how connected it to my HF receiver astronomers like myself. There hydrogen because these I have a good (Figure 8). are online papers and websites radiation detection must be one of signal strength meter up to the signals can be quality ham FM Jupiter storms that describe antennas for them. Send in the results for one dish, pointed it just east of the received under radio that receives are a lot more com- atomic hydrogen line (H-line) project and get a bronze-level Sun, and pulsed the motor to water. These the weather plex than they first reception, including a few certificate. Do a second project make the dish scan incremen- communica- frequencies. An appear to be. professional (large) antennas and advance to silver. Complete tally to the west, across the face tions are online search According to Radio- operated by the NRAO and two more projects to achieve gold of the Sun. The signal strength encrypted, so revealed a crossed Jupiter Pro, a others. I looked into the level. As a bonus, beautifully gradually rose and then dropped you may never dipole antenna to Radio-Sky software professionals first, but they styled silver and gold pins off again (Figures 1 and 2). I did extract any be a good choice product, there are cater to groups, like scouts, accompany the silver and gold this on three separate days, intelligence for meteor sectors on Jupiter’s science classes, or astronomy level certificates, respectively. sent in my results and my from them, but reception. I found surface labeled A, B, clubs. I spent a lot of time Some of the projects were bronze-level certificate arrived all we are plans for one and and C. When one of reading websites and the papers easier than others because I soon afterward. really inter- built it from a Figure 7 these sectors is by individuals who built modest could build the antennas from Sudden Ionospheric ested in here is plastic electrical facing Earth, one H-line antennas. There were a material I already had. But one Disturbances the relative signal strength. strong VLF signal presence, a box and some metal rods that I my receiving station worked. My may receive the storm’s signals few horn antennas, a lot of of the projects had me digging An X-ray storm, as one example, SARA (Society of Amateur lack of interference, or both. I already had (Figure 6). I also silver-level certificate arrived, with high, medium, and low reworked dish antennas and a through the literature, and improves the reception of very Radio Astronomers) offers a guess I was not meant to be found a USB data acquisition along with a silver pin depicting probabilities (A, B, and C, few Yagi antenna setups, which ultimately asking for advice. low frequency (VLF) signals “SIDs Kit” that includes a one of them. unit and ordered one online the original antenna that Jansky respectively). Also, if Jupiter’s especially caught my interest.

20 REFLECTOR ✶ J UNE 2017 T HE A STRONOMICAL L EAGUE 21 Figure 8 2017 Astronomics Sketching Award First Place: $250. “M22” by Brian Chopp, Neville Public Museum Astronomical Society. 9 x 12 80 lb. drawing paper, 2B, HB, and 2H pencils, and blending stumps. Inverted using Paint.NET and brightness/contrast adjustment; 15-inch Teeter Telescope, 132x.

Are you ready for the eclipse in August? How can we possibly keep track of all the things we want to accomplish in the short time we have to observe it? The Astronomical League’s Eclipse Checklist is the answer. It is available in English and Spanish, in black-and-white and color, on the AL website at: www.astroleague. org/content/downloadable-certificates, or, under the Observe drop-down list, click Figure 11 Downloadable Certificates. Check it out. Hats Off to the Fort Bend Astronomy Club available from directive noon, and got a very clearly de- The Fort Bend Astronomy Club in Texas has been busy working on outreach systems.com and could be fined hump! Even better, my programs. employed immediately, without single antenna showed a beam Until recently, that club had one member who had received a single modification. I bought just one, width of twice that of Prutchi’s Outreach Award. Leonard Ferguson was one of the first to receive the Figure 9 for starters (Figure 10). I dual antenna setup, as ex- basic outreach-level award—number 10. For over ten years, he was purchased a couple of low-noise pected. Not all of the several the only one in that club to have earned an Outreach Award! All of amplifiers (LNAs) from required galactic detections that has changed. downeastmicrowave.com, and a went smoothly, but many did Recently the Fort Bend club had a meeting and presented 131 bandpass filter from radio (Figure 11). I eventually got certificates—66 Outreach Awards, 44 Stellar Outreach Awards, astronomysupplies.com. One of them all, sent the plots in with and 21 Master Outreach Awards. A total of** 88 pins were distributed for the basic and master levels. the dish antenna systems used a my Jupiter logs, and finally got Let’s put these numbers in perspective. software-defined radio (SDR) to the long-awaited gold-level Last year I gave out 85 basic-level outreach pins. In one night, Brian Chopp and his telescope receive the 1.4 GHz H-line signal, certificate and pin. this club gave out 66. I’ve got two pins left—I sure hope the order for a USB dongle controlled from Conclusions new pins comes soon! Peggy Walker SDR# software, which is a free I have a corkboard on my wall Last year I gave out 16 Master Outreach pins. In one night, this club gave download from airspy.com. For with all the pins I’ve earned from out 21. It took us three years from the program’s inception logging and plotting I chose the Astronomical League, and a for us to give out our 21st Master Outreach Award! another Radio-Sky Publishing couple of notebooks full of project This club now has 66 members who have earned at product, their Radio-SkyPipe, logs and certificates. With this least one level of the Outreach Award. That is more than from radiosky.com. I put every- project, beyond all the memora- any other club! Other clubs that have anywhere close to thing together, pointed the bilia, I’ve got a somewhat modest this number include the Flint River Astronomy Club in Georgia (47), the Northeast Florida Astronomy Society antenna at a bright radio source but effective 1.4 GHz radio (45), the Omaha Astronomical Society and the Oklahoma (Sagittarius A), and got... nothing. astronomy antenna system. City Astronomy Club (both have 40), and the Astronomical After a brief brooding period, I What’s next? I plan to add a Society of Kansas City (39). signed onto the SARA list and second Yagi for a dual The Outreach Award submissions list their events, the posted about my woes. One antenna system, and maybe hours they worked, and the number of participants who Figure 10 person responded by saying that, even an elevation rotator, attended. Together this club has put in over 5,000 while my USB dongle was a following Prutchi’s design. volunteer hours! Flint River has less than half that Finally, there was one paper in from the Milky Way, which, I’m terrific SDR, it didn’t have That should give me a half- number. particular that got my attention, told, is not as easy to receive as enough bandwidth to be effective power beam width of 8 I want to thank Jo Ellen Sutter of the Fort Bend “Hydrogen-Line Radio-As- the others on the AL require- for radio astronomy at 1.4 GHz. degrees, a much better Astronomy Club. She and I have been working together tronomy as an Elementary- ments list. He recommended instead the resolution. 8 very closely on this project and she has done an incredible job keeping track of all the submissions. She Second Place: $125. “The Trapezium at the School Science Project,” by All these papers offered a larger SDR from airspy.com, the Dr. Vrenios is a retired computer has been a tremendous help to me in making sure every End of the Tunnel” by Peggy Walker, Shanni Prutchi. (Proc. 25th variety of selections for the four R2. Cringing at the thought of scientist and a lifetime member of certificate was correct. Tracy Knauss is the ALCor of the Astronomy Club of Tulsa. Ann. Meeting of SARA, NRAO, major components required for good money after bad, I put the the Astronomical League. He Fort Bend club, and she is to be commended for her Black sketching/charcoal paper; white charcoal; Green Bank, WV, 2006, p. 91.) an H-line detection system: the R2 on order. I was pretty much currently proudly serves as vice excellent work. I know there must have been many others white chalk pastel; white Prismacolor pencil; Prutchi built a dual Yagi antenna, line amplifiers and vested by then anyway. president of his local astronomy who worked hard to put these events together. silver metallic colored pencil; black chalk pastel; black and three shades of gray antenna system that success- filters, the receiver, and the I hooked up the R2, pointed club, the Phoenix Astronomical W. Maynard Pittendreigh color pencils; 18-inch Hubble Optics Truss Dobsonian; several Explore Scientific fully received H-line signals logger. Prutchi’s antennas are the antenna at the Sun at local Society. Outreach Award Coordinator, Astronomical League eyepieces (4.7 through 24 mm); Ultrablock, O-III, and H-beta filters.

22 REFLECTOR ✶ J UNE 2017 T HE A STRONOMICAL L EAGUE 23 to follow in the footsteps of astronomers of the past and to attempt to calculate the effect of the Sun’s gravity on the path of the photons coming from How stars close to the edge of the Sun. This is an experiment that was done to test Einstein’s general theory of relativity. The deflection of starlight near the edge of the Sun is expected to be less than about 2 arcseconds. Instructions and requirements will be posted on the AL Many website soon. You may use your own images or images from the Internet. Aaron Clevenson, Coordinator, Solar Eclipse Special Observing Award Observing Celestial Savings Program— You’re not an AL member? Contact an AL member astronomy club in your Your Discount Purchasing Program area and join through them. You’ll find AL dues to be very reasonable, and many local clubs pay them for you. The Astronomical League is excited to announce its new Celestial Savings The Astronomical League also has a member-at-large program detailed at Pins Program where all League members qualify for special discounts at www.astroleague.org/al/general/memblarg.html. participating vendors when purchasing equipment, accessories, or books. For additional AL membership details and benefits, visit Please note that discount amounts may vary by vendor and by items purchased. www.astroleague.org and click the “Join” tab. Do See the Celestial Savings Program ad included in this issue of the Reflector Questions? Write to the Celestial Savings director at to determine participating vendors. [email protected]. If you are a current AL member, you may obtain the discount codes by first logging into your AL member account. If you do not already have an account Want to Volunteer? You (your member account is separate from your store account) you may obtain one To maintain the quality of the AL’s quarterly magazine, the Reflector, we are by visiting members.astroleague.org/request_account and entering your email expanding. Two volunteer positions are available, and if you really want to address. An email will be sent to you with instructions describing how to assist the Astronomical League, this is a great way to start. Have? create an account. We are seeking an editor, who will be responsible for consolidating the Once you have an account established and log in to the AL website, you necessary data for each quarterly issue. The ideal candidate should have some David Prosper of the Night Sky Network provided this image of AL observing pins. You know this had to take a lot of time to create! should select the “Members Website” tab. Next, click on “Celestial Savings.” publishing experience and familiarity with Adobe InDesign and Photoshop and You will then see a listing of the participating vendors, the discounts they offer Microsoft Word and Excel. Typical time required is 30 to 40 hours per quarter. The Astronomical League Is Giving Away Candidate Statement: for their products, their current discount code numbers, their website URLs, and, We are also looking for a photo editor, who will collect and review the hundreds up to Eleven Library Telescopes! Office of Secretary —Bryan Tobias if appropriate, telephone numbers. Simply provide the appropriate discount code of images we receive for each issue, and select the front cover, back cover, and number to the vendor’s salesperson or include it in your website order. Gallery photos. Experience with Photoshop and Word is preferred. Through the vision of the Horkheimer Charitable Fund, the Astronomical League I have been an amateur astronomer for well over 40 years, since I began We encourage you to share the existence of the Celestial Savings Program If you are interested in either position, please contact the managing editor, is again offering a free Library Telescope to a lucky Astronomical League club looking at the Texas sky when I was five years old during the days of Apollo. I with your astronomy friends, AL members or not. However, please do not share Ron Kramer, at [email protected] with a brief description of in each of the ten AL regions. This year a new category is launched, for have been fortunate in my life, being able to discount codes with anyone. your experience as it relates to the position. members-at-large! experience many things in the aviation field as a This wonderful program consists of an Orion 4.5-inch StarBlast Dobsonian pilot and technical advisor, another passion of (or equivalent), a Celestron 8–24 mm zoom eyepiece (or equivalent), and a mine. I have since decided to return to school full- nameplate commemorating the late Jack Horkheimer. The value of the Library time and work towards a PhD in astrophysics to Telescope is approximately $300; the potential of the program is enormous. begin professional work as an astronomer and Submit your completed entry form so that the Astronomical League national educator while managing the university’s office receives it by July 31, 2017. If mailed, the entry must be postmarked no observatory and public outreach programs. later than July 31, 2017. The winning entry for each region will be announced I was chairman of the San Antonio at the annual Astronomical League business meeting held at ALCon/AstroCon Astronomical Association from 2003 to 2009 and a 2017 in Casper, Wyoming, on or about August 18. Full details of this program founding member of the San Antonio League of can be found at www.astroleague.org/content/library-telescope-program. Sidewalk Astronomers (SALSA) from 2009 to The Library Telescope Program is a great club project—one that brings present. In 2003 I was instrumental in the formation of the “Astronomy in the members together while benefiting their community. Indeed, it is the perfect Park” program that takes place every Wednesday evening in a local park here, outreach program! and it continues to take place today after 12 years of success. Another accomplishment that I am very proud to be part of is the implementation of the Texas Amateur Astronomers’ Scholarship to the University of Texas at Austin’s Astronomy Department. In January of this year we reached full endowment status for the scholarship and the first award to a deserving astronomy student will take place later this year. In 2017, I begin my fourth year as coordinator of the Astronomical League’s Solar System Observers Program, and it has been an absolutely wonderful experience communicating with all who have applied for the award, sharing knowledge and experiences. This is only a small part of my experience of leadership and involvement in astronomy, and I would be extremely honored and humbled to continue to serve you as Secretary of the Astronomical League. Solar Eclipse 2017 Special Award August 21, 2017, should be on your calendar. Over the course of 94 minutes, the shadow of the Moon will pass from Oregon to South Carolina. All of the continental U.S. will experience at least a 60 percent partial eclipse, but to see On March 1, 2017, a Library Telescope was presented to the Scott County totality, you will need to travel to the path. Library System, Eldridge, Iowa. (Left to right) Emily Arnold and Connie Owings The Astronomical League will be offering a Special Observing Award of the Eldridge Branch accept the Orion StarBlast 4.5 from Popular Astronomy certificate and pin to those who are up to the challenge. There will be general Club members Terry Dufek and Alan Sheidler. certificates for the public as well. The goal of the Special Observing Award is

24 REFLECTOR ✶ J UNE 2017 T HE A STRONOMICAL L EAGUE 25 Astronomy in Chile/from page 13 antenna array at over 5000 meters (16,500 feet). We were privileged to go, given personal oxygen supplies, and monitored constantly for signs of hypoxia. Pictures don’t do justice as to how cold and windy it was up there at a point where over half of the Earth’s atmosphere is

TITLE PHOTO: NGC 2244; BRIAN KIMBALL below you. Combined with an extremely low humidity, it is an excellent location for radio astronomy. It is just one more example of our astronomical investment in Chile. We did some additional touristy things, but that concluded the astronomical portion of our trip. In conclusion, if you want to see (or photograph) the delights of the Southern Hemisphere and tour observatories that our country is invested in, consider a trip to Chile. You will not be disappointed. 8

Can’t wait to display your 2017 Total Solar Eclipse attire? While testing his equipment in preparation for the upcoming Then order your ASTROCON 2017 solar eclipse, Brian Ottum (Toledo Astronomical Society) apparel now and have them recorded this image. Talk about “right place, right time!” conveniently shipped to your home for early enjoyment. Joel Shepherd, with the Seattle Astronomical Society, imaged Sharpless 2-101 (the Tulip Nebula) from Seattle, Washington. Simply logon to the Infinitees website: He used an Atik 460EX monochrome camera with a Sky- www.infini-tees.com/AstroCon2017.htm Watcher Esprit 80 ED on a Celestron Advanced VX mount.

All Things Astronomical/from page 8 This orbital architecture is thought to be a signpost of or- mechanisms of formation. TRAPPIST-1’s very small size bital migration, meaning that the planets were initially on (roughly the diameter of Jupiter) and its low luminosity system, the planets pass in front of the star during each more distant orbits but were brought closer to the star via (0.05% of the Sun’s) provide exceptional conditions for ob- orbit, causing a fall in brightness known as a transit. The interactions with their nascent disk of gas and dust. Be- serving its planets. Using NASA and ESA’s future James amplitudes of the transits are used to determine the radii cause of gravitational attraction between planets, transits Webb Space Telescope, due to be launched next year, it of the planets, while their periodicities indicate their or- do not follow one another in a perfectly periodic manner, will be possible to detect any atmospheres they may har- bital distances and hence their insolations (the amount of but occur early or late, sometimes by more than one hour. bor and characterize some of their properties. Together with stellar radiation received at each planet’s surface). This effect makes it possible to constrain the planets’ Proxima b, discovered last August, the TRAPPIST-1 planets Following these initial findings, the star was system- masses, which have not yet been determined very precisely, constitute the most promising targets so far discovered for atically monitored to find out whether it contained any and hence their densities. Current data appear to indicate the remote detection of possible signs of life outside the other planets. The result of this follow-up exceeded all that some of TRAPPIST-1’s planets are low-density and Solar System. expectations: TRAPPIST-1 has at least seven planets, all 8 water-rich, a conclusion that will be refined with ongoing of which are Earth-sized (to within 15%). The six nearest For those of you who are not aware of it, the follow-up observations. planets (b to g) orbit their star in 1.5 to 12 days (the pe- Astronomical League is now on Facebook. We The planets around TRAPPIST-1 are in many ways remi- continue to build followers week by week, and we riod of the seventh planet remains to be determined), and niscent of the systems of moons around Jupiter and other are becoming better known as the word spreads. We are 20 to 90 times closer to their star than the distance are also on Twitter: @AstronomyLeague. gas giants in the Solar System, perhaps indicating similar from the Earth to the Sun. At such distances, the tidal forces exerted by the star are considerable, locking the planets into synchronous rotation, which means that they rotate about their axis exactly once in one orbit, thus al- ways showing the same face to their star (just as the Moon does relative to the Earth). The planets of TRAPPIST-1 have insolations, and there- Proving you don’t need very expensive optical gear to take fore average temperatures, similar to Earth’s: the insola- good astroimages, Michael J. Melwiki of the Kalamazoo tion of the innermost planet (b) is slightly higher than that Astronomical Society imaged the Moon with a handheld of Mercury, while the outermost planets (g and h) have an iPhone 5s through a homemade 10-inch f/6 Newtonian. insolation that is a little lower than that of Mars. The insolations of at least three of the planets (e, f, and M4 is a globular cluster approximately 7,200 light-years g) are compatible with the existence of liquid water on their away in Scorpius. It is easy to find as it is about one degree surface for a wide range of atmospheric compositions, as away from Antares, which is at the left of this image. M4 is is shown by numerical simulations of their climate. Due to at the right and NGC 6144, another globular cluster, is at the their synchronous rotation, it cannot be excluded that the top, left of center. These were imaged by Dan Crowson at the planets with the highest irradiation (b, c, and d) may harbor Danville Conservation Area in New Florence, Missouri, with liquid water in temperate regions with little or no sunlight. an SBIG ST-8300M on an Astro-Tech AT90EDT. The TRAPPIST-1 planets are in orbital resonance: while planet g completes one orbit around its star, planets b, c, d, e, and f complete 8, 5, 3, 2, and 4/3 orbits, respectively.

2626 RREFLECTOREFLECTOR✶ ✶J UNEJ UNE 2017 2017 T HE A STRONOMICAL L EAGUE 27 Editor’s Note: Congratulations Rancho Astronomical Oregon Skywatchers; No. 2757, Michael Keefe, No. 811-O, Paul Erway, Fort Bend Astronomy to all these outstanding Society; No. 188, Jean Napp, Honorary, Raleigh Astronomy Club; No. 2758, Club; No. 812-S, Walt Cooney, Fort Bend astronomical observers! All Iowa County Astronomers Mark Colwell, Regular, Member-at-Large Astronomy Club; No. 813-O, Brooks Runnels, awards, except the Herschel Dark Nebulae Observing Meteor Observing Program Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. 814-O, Laura 400, require current Astro- Program No. 62, Jean Napp, Honorary, Iowa County Runnels, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. 815-O, nomical League membership for No. 25, Rich Winters, Astronomers; No. 184, Paul Harrington, 6 hours, Charlie Throop, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. eligibility. If you have questions Member-at-Large Member-at-Large 816-S, Dennis Grigassy, Fort Bend Astronomy about an award, please contact Deep Sky Binocular NEO Observing Program Club; No. 817-S, Charles Hale, Fort Bend the corresponding Observing Observing Program No. 11, Michael Hotka, Intermediate, Longmont Astronomy Club; No. 818-S, Richard Schmidt, Program chair. Their contact No. 387, Gerard J. Jones, Astronomical Society Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. 819-S, Nathan information can be found on the Minnesota Astronomical Outreach Observing Award Jones, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. 820-S, Observing Program website at Society No. 10-M, Leonard Ferguson, Fort Bend Yolando Balane, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. www.astroleague.org/ Flat Galaxy Astronomy Club; No. 142-M, Dan Gava, North 821-S, Imelda Balane, Fort Bend Astronomy observing. If further assistance Observing Program Houston Astronomy Club; No. 147-M, Rick Club; No. 822-S, Terzah Horton, Fort Bend is required please contact No. 30, Honorary, Brandon Heschmeyer, Astronomy Associates of Lawrence; Astronomy Club; No. 823-S, Edward Balestrine, either of the national Observing Jordan, Member-at-Large No. 212-M, Jim Barbasso, North Houston Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. 824-S, Mac Program coordinators. Galileo Observing Program Astronomy Club; No. 349-M, Bruce Pollard, Hooton, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. 825-S, Active Galactic Nuclei Program No. 39, Marilyn Perry, Member-at-Large; No. 40, North Houston Astronomy Club; No. 353-S, Jessie Phillips, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. No. 12-I, Brandon Jordan, Member-at-Large; Laura Hintz-Keller, Indiana Astronomical Society; Susan Pollard, North Houston Astronomy Club; 826-S, Paul Makinen, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. 13-I, George Robert Kepple, Huachuca No. 41, Stephen A. Tzikas, Northern Virginia No. 502-S, David Schmidt, North Houston No. 827-S, Keith Montz, Fort Bend Astronomy Astronomy Club Astronomy Club Astronomy Club; No. 505-S, Rusty Hill, North Club; No. 828-O, James Wooten, Fort Bend Advanced Binocular Double Star Globular Cluster Observing Program Houston Astronomy Club; No. 507-M, Todd Astronomy Club; No. 829-S, Wayne Wiegand, Observing Program No. 302-V, Ken Sperber, Tri-Valley Stargazers Sullivan, North Houston Astronomy Club; No. Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. 830-S, Rosanne No. 17, John E. Glover, Northern Virginia Herschel 400 Observing Program 690-M, David A. Warner, Colorado Springs Dillon, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. 831-O, Astronomy Club; No. 18, Aaron Clevenson, No. 572, John Laning, Member-at-Large; No. Astronomical Society; No. 703-S, Bert Kelher, Madison Dillon, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. North Houston Astronomy Cub 573, Scott Azmus, Member-at-Large; No. 574, Huachuca Astronomy Club; No. 765-O, Dan A. 832-O, Ken Lim, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. Arp Peculiar Galaxies Northern William Kocken, Minnesota Astronomical Chrisman, Jr., Roanoke Valley Astronomical 833-O, Todd Sanders, Tallahassee Astronomical Observing Program Society; No. 575, Stephen A. Tzikas, Northern Society; No. 766-O, Jim Sommer, San Bernardino Society; No. 837-M, Tracy Knauss, Fort Bend No. 86-V, Rodney Rynearson, St. Louis Astro- Virginia Astronomy Club; No. 576, Lisa Wentzel, Valley Amateur Astronomers; No. 767-O, Astronomy Club; No. 838-S, Judy McKaye, Fort nomical Society; No. 87-C, Brandon Jordan, Twin City Amateur Astronomers; No. 577, Jean Stephen H. Rand, New Hampshire Astronomical Bend Astronomy Club; No. 839-O, Jim Erwin, Member-at-Large Napp, Iowa County Astronomers Society; No. 768-M, Jason Wallace, Richland Naperville Astronomical Association; No. 840-O, Asterism Observing Program Local Galaxy Group & Galactic Astronomical Society; No. 769-O, David Downs, Stephen A. Tzikas, Northern Virginia Astronomy No. 40, Mike Fowler, Atlanta Astronomy Club; Neighborhood Observing Program Albuquerque Astronomical Society; No. 770-S, Club; No. 841-O, Pam Huddle, Fort Bend No. 41, Jean Napp, Iowa County Astronomers No. 35, Lisa Judd, Manual, Denver Astronomical Brian Chopp, Neville Public Museum Astronomi- Astronomy Club; No. 842-O, Anna Leslie, Fort Asteroid Observing Program Society; No. 36, Steve Boerner, Device-Aided, cal Society; No. 771-M, Brad Thomas, Fort Bend Bend Astronomy Club; No. 843-O, Miles Huddle, No. 48, Michael A. Hotka, Regular, Longmont Astronomical Society of Eastern Missouri Astronomy Club; No. 773-O, Amanda K. Myers, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. 844-S, Jerel Astronomical Society; No. 55, Jeff Haidet, Gold, Lunar Observing Program Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh; Williams, Astronomical Society of Kansas City; Toledo Astronomical Association; No. 56, No. 977, Karl Henry, Delaware Valley Amateur No. 774-O, Barb Knabb, Chester County No. 845-S, Kathy Machin, Astronomical Society Brandon D. Jordan, Gold, Member-at-Large; No. Astronomers; No. 978, John E. Glover, Northern Astronomical Society; No. 775-S, Christy of Kansas City; No. 846-O, Nina Baker, Omaha 57, Marie Lott, Gold, Atlanta Astronomy Club; Virginia Astronomy Club; No. 979, David Wallace, Richland Astronomical Society; No. 776- Astronomical Society; No. 847-S, Mark Hodges, Binocular Double Star Lawson, Member-at-Large; No. 980, David O, Melissa Wallace, Richland Astronomical Roanoke Valley Astronomical Society; No. 848-S, Observing Program Downs, Albuquerque Astronomical Society; No. Society; No. 777-M, Marc Stowbridge, New Brian Lippincott, Austin Astronomical Society; No. 118, Preston Pendergraft, Member-at-Large; No. 981, Nikolay Kurtov, Member-at-Large; No. 982, Hampshire Astronomical Society; No. 778-S, No. 850-S, Alicia Tristan, Fort Bend Astronomy 119, Paul Harrington, Member-at-Large; No. 120, John E. Riutta, Rose City Astronomers; No. 983, Matt Lochansky, Raleigh Astronomy Club; No. Club; No. 851-O, Roland Fields, Fort Bend John Dorio, Texas Astronomical Society of Dallas Dee Friesen, Albuquerque Astronomical Society; 779-M, Barb Wiese, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; Astronomy Club; No. 852-S, Wes Whiddon, Fort Binocular Messier Observing Program No. 984, Gordon Schaefering, Amateur No. 780-M, Tony Wiese, Fort Bend Astronomy Bend Astronomy Club; No. 853-S, James Billings, No. 1104, Antoine G. Gregory, Minnesota Observers’ Society of New York; No. 985, Terry Club; No. 781-M, Jack McKaye, Fort Bend North Houston Astronomy Club; No. 854-O, Astronomical Society Mealy, Amateur Astronomers Association of Astronomy Club; No. 782-M, Jeffrey Lepp, Fort Katelyn Stringer, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. Binocular Variable Star Pittsburgh; No. 986, Daniel Otte, Southern Bend Astronomy Club; No. 783-M, Jim Jackson, 855-O, Jay Ford, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. Observing Program Oregon Skywatchers; No. 987, Robert J. Olsen, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. 784-M, Joe 856-O, Rodney Rynearson, St. Louis Astronomi- No. 18, Douglas Smith, Tucson Amateur Member-at-Large; No. 988, Hans M. de Moor, Dellinger, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. 785- cal Society; Nos. 857-O and 857-S, Dave Komar, Astronomy Association Member-at-Large M, Justin McCullum, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; Northern Virginia Astronomy Club; No. 858-O, Caldwell Observing Program Lunar II Observing Program No. 786-M, Mary Lockwood, Fort Bend Vincent Michael Bournique, Member-at-Large; No. 27, Vincent Michael Bournique, Gold, No. 81, Becky Ramatowski, Albuquerque Astronomy Club; No. 787-M, Paul Noll, Fort No. 859-O, John Cavuoti, Fort Bend Astronomy Member-at-Large; No. 231, Bill Sanders, Silver, Astronomical Society Bend Astronomy Club; No. 788-M, Ralph Club; No. 860-O, Christophe Caille, Fort Bend Central Arkansas Astronomical Society; No. 232, Master Observer Award (Progression) Stevenson, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. 789- Astronomy Club; No. 861-O, Steve Benton, Flint Melissa Adams, Silver, Member-at-Large; No. Observer Award: David Whalen, Atlanta M, Susan Sailing, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. River Astronomy Club 233, Christopher Ober, Silver, Houston Astro- Astronomy Club; Michael Neal, Echo Ridge 790-M, Curt Lewis, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; Planetary Nebula Observing Program nomical Society; No. 234, Alex McConahay, Astronomical Society; Stephen A. Tzikas, No. 791-S, Susie Lewis, Fort Bend Astronomy No. 32, Terry N. Trees, Basic, Amateur Astrono- Silver, Pomona Valley Amateur Astronomers; No. Northern Virginia Astronomy Club Club; No. 792-S, Michael Fredette, Fort Bend AGE TEAM (AURA/STSCI) mers Association of Pittsburgh 235, David Whalen, Silver, Charlie Elliott Chapter Master Observer Award: No. 188, Paul Astronomy Club; No. 793-S, Jim Verboon, Fort Sketching Observing Award of Atlanta Astronomy Club; No. 236, Mark Harrington, Member-at-Large; No. 189, Kevin Bend Astronomy Club; No. 794-M, Bill Spizzirri, No. 17, Jim Ketchum, Astronomical Society of Simonson, Silver, Everett Astronomical Society; Nasal, Neville Public Museum Astronomical Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. 795-S, Connie Kansas City; No. 18, Rakhal Kincaid, Haleakala No. 237, Kevin Carr, Silver, Minnesota Astro- Society; No. 190, Barbara Biever, Rancho Haviland, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. 796-M, Amateur Astronomers; No. 19, Nora Jean nomical Society; No. 238, John Laning, Silver, Bernardo/Murrieta Astronomical Society; No. David Haviland, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. Chetnik, Member-at-Large; No. 20, Cindy L. Member-at-Large 193, Gerard Jones, Minnesota Astronomical 797-S, Donald Morris, Fort Bend Astronomy Krach, Haleakala Amateur Astronomers Carbon Star Observing Program Society; No. 194, Stephen A. Tzikas, Northern Club; No. 798-M, Don Sailing, Fort Bend Sky Puppy Observing Program No. 79, Nora Jean Chetnik, Member-at-Large; Virginia Astronomy Club; No. 195, Dee Friesen, Astronomy Club; No. 799-M, Jeff Parr, Fort Bend ; NASA AND THE HUBBLE HERIT No. 48, Elizabeth Luther, Prairie Astronomy Club No. 80, Valorie Whalen, Atlanta Astronomy Club Albuquerque Astronomical Society Astronomy Club; No. 800-M, Jo Sutter, Fort Bend Solar System Observing Program Comet Observing Program Advanced Observer Award: Jeff Hoffmeister, Astronomy Club; No. 801-S, Jim Hutchison, Fort No. 105, Stephen A. Tzikas, Northern Virginia No. 36, David Hoover, Gold, Seattle Astronomical Olympic Astronomical Society; James Pryal, Bend Astronomy Club; No. 802-M, Rebecca Astronomy Club; No. 106, Michael C. Neal, Echo Society; No. 91, Coy Wagoner, Silver, Baton Seattle Astronomical Society; Bill Sanders, Brewer, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. 803-M, Ridge Astronomical Society Rouge Astronomical Society; No. 92, David M. Central Arkansas Astronomical Society; Denise Joel Brewer, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. 804- Southern Sky Telescopic Douglass, Silver, East Valley Astronomy Club; No. Terpstra, Member-at-Large M, Steve Clayworth, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; Observing Program 93, Maurice Massey, Silver, Oklahoma Astronomy Master Observer Award—Silver: W. Maynard No. 805-M, Stephen Walker, Fort Bend As- No. 54, Vincent Michael Bournique, Member-at-Large Club; No. 94, Preston Pendergraft, Silver, Pittendreigh, Brevard Astronomical Society; Jim tronomy Club; No. 806-O, Barbara Hassett, Fort Urban Observing Program Member-at-Large Ketchum, Astronomical Society of Kansas City; Bend Astronomy Club; No. 807-O, Scott Hassett, No. 180, Marilyn Perry, Member-At-Large; No. Constellation Hunter Observing Rodney Rynearson, St. Louis Astronomical Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. 808-O, Pamela 181, Antone Gregory, Minnesota Astronomical Program (Northern Skies) Society Cook, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. 809-O, Society; No. 182, Mike Fowler, Atlanta As- No. 186, Daniel Otte, Southern Oregon Messier Observing Program Stephen Cook, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. tronomy Club; No. 183, Albert A. Lamperti,

TITLE PHOTOGRAPH: M64, THE BLACK EYE GALAXY Skywatchers; No. 187, Steven Coltrin, Rio No. 2699, Daniel Otte, Honorary, Southern 810-O, Anne Trujillo, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; Delaware Valley Amateur Astronomers

28 R EFLECTOR ✶ J UNE 2017 T HE A STRONOMICAL L EAGUE 29 To have your star party or July 25–30 September 15–17 event listed, please send the Indiana Family Star Party Connecticut River Valley Camp Cullom, Astronomers’ Conjunction Solar Eclipse Glasses from the details, including dates, Frankfort, Indiana Northfield Mountain Recreation League Sales are online! Astronomical League!! sponsors and website, to www.indianastars.com/ and Environmental Center, Massachusetts The League’s online store is available at the website, starparty www.philharrington.net/astroconjunction 10 units: $ 9.00, plus shipping 250 units: $ 112.50, plus shipping [email protected]. www.astroleague.org. Click on the link for the store on the Confirm dates and locations August 16–19 September 16–24 25 units: $ 20.00, plus shipping 500 units: $ 175.00, plus shipping with event organizers. Astronomical League Okie-Tex Star Party top right of the home page. The online store includes the latest 50 units: $ 37.50, plus shipping 1000 units: $ 300.00, plus shipping Convention Kenton, Oklahoma —John Wagoner Casper, Wyoming www.okie-tex.com shopping cart technology and accepts credit cards. Shipping & 100 units: $ 60.00, plus shipping June 9–11 astrocon2017.astroleague.org September 21–24 handling (S&H) is calculated at checkout. Merchandise is also Individual pairs of glasses are also available for $1 each, plus shipping. MSRAL 2017 Convention August 25–26 2017 Bootleg Astronomy Star Party available by mail order, payable by check. Please select your items, Missouri State University Maine State Star Party Green River Conservation Area, Harmon, Illinois Available at http://store.astroleague.org/. Shipping rates will be www.msral.org Cobscook Bay State Park www.bootlegastronomy.com add the applicable S&H fee, and mail your order to: added at checkout. Or call or email for shipping rates and options. June 10 Edmunds, Maine September 21–24 Astronomical League Sales 47th Annual Apollo www.downeastaa.com/ Acadia Night Sky Festival 9201 Ward Parkway, Suite 100 Rendezvous mssp_2016 Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine Get ready for the Great Boonshoft Museum of Discovery August 25–27 www.acadianightskyfestival.org Kansas City, MO 64114 Dayton, Ohio Northwoods Starfest September 21–24 If you have questions about the merchandise, or discounts on Total Solar Eclipse of www.mvas.org Hobbs Observatory, Beaver Creek Reserve, Wisconsin Great Lakes Star Gaze June 16–17 www.cvastro.org River Valley RV Park, Gladwin, Michigan bulk orders, please call the League office, 816-DEEP-SKY, or email: 2017! Don’t miss out, Stars Over Yellowstone September 14–18 www.greatlakesstargaze.com [email protected]. Madison Campground, Iowa Star Party September 21–24 supplies are limited... Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming Whiterock Conservancy’s Whiterock Resort Hidden Hollow Star Party Eric Loberg, [email protected] Coon Rapids, Iowa Mansfield, Ohio June 17–24 www.iowastarparty.com www.wro.org Trucker Hat 2017 Grand Canyon Star Party September 15–17 September 22–24 Printed logo, adjustable, navy only; Sky Puppies Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona Idaho Star Party Black Forest Star Party $12, plus $5 S&H Observing South Rim: Tucson Amateur Astronomy Bruneau Dunes State Park, Idaho Cherry Springs State Park, Pennsylvania Manual– Association www.boiseastro.org www.bfsp.org Globular North Rim: Saguaro Astronomy Club of Phoenix VC600 Baseball Hat For the Sky Puppy Clusters www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit Embroidered logo, adjustable; Observers Club /grand-canyon-star-party.htm $14 plus June 21–25 Colors: royal, maroon, khaki, navy; Regularly $15, $2.10 S&H Golden State Star Party $16, plus $5 S&H Sale price $8 Frosty Acres Ranch, Adin, California www.goldenstatestarparty.org plus $2.25 S&H June 21–25 2100 Baseball Hat Rocky Mountain Star Stare 2017 Embroidered logo, adjustable; “Sandwich” Colorado Springs Astronomical Society bill; Colors: sage w/stone trim, stone w/navy Planetary Gardner, Colorado Seasonal www.rmss.org trim, navy w/stone trim; Nebulae June 22–25 Star Chart $20, plus $5 S&H $14 plus Cherry Springs Star Party $25 plus Cherry Springs State Park, Pennsylvania $2.10 S&H www.cherrysprings.org 2050 Sportsman Bucket Hat $3.75 S&H June 22–25 Embroidered logo, one size; khaki only Wisconsin Observers Weekend Hartman Creek State Park, Waupaca, Wisconsin $22, plus $5 S&H www.new-star.org June 23–25 Craters of the Moon Star Party ADVERTISING RATES for the REFLECTOR Messier Craters of the Moon National Monument Astronomical League Objects: A Observe the Arco, Idaho www.ifastro.org travel mug Beginner’s Herschel July 18–22 $10: travel mug plus $1.50 S&H Guide Objects Table Mountain Star Party $8 plus $6 plus Eden Valley Ranch, Oroville, Washington www.tmspa.com $1.20 S&H $1.20 S&H July 19–22 Astronomical League full color cloth Green Bank Star Quest XIV patch (three-inch diameter) National Radio Astronomy Observatory, $7 plus $1.05 S&H Green Bank, West Virginia www.greenbankstarquest.org TH (UCSC/LO), M. CLAMPIN (STSCI), THE ACS SCIENCE TEAM, AND ESA. Observe July 20–23 Math for Stellafane Eclipses Amateur Breezy Hill, Springfield, Vermont Astronomical League blue and Regularly $18, stellafane.org/stellafane-main/convention Astronomers white cloth patch Sale price $9 July 21–22 $10 plus Stars Over Yellowstone Astronomical League Membership-at-Large Program (three-inch diameter) plus $2.70 S&H Madison Campground, $6 plus $1.05 S&H $1.50 S&H Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming What does the League offer you as Members-at-Large? Eric Loberg, [email protected] • Full voting privileges at AL meetings.• A subscription to the Reflector. July 21–24 • Book Service offering astronomy-related books at a 10 percent discount. : NASA, H. FORD (JHU), G. ILLINGWOR Astronomical League Brothers Star Party for Oregon Observatory • Optional subscriptions at discounted rates to the following publications: Brothers, Oregon lapel pin (one-inch Carbon Stars Astronomy magazine $34.00; 2 years $60 • Sky & Telescope magazine $32.95 Universe www.mbsp.org RASC Observer’s Handbook $27.00 • StarDate $19.50 diameter) A guide to the July 21–25 Sampler (Foreign rates are higher; see website) $8 plus $1.20 S&H Carbon Star Almost Heaven Star Party $10 plus Spruce Knob, West Virginia • Free Astronomical League Observing guide with membership. Observing Club www.ahsp.org To join the Astronomical League as a Member-at-Large, send a check for $40.00, $50.00 $1.50 S&H July 23–28 foreign, made payable to the Astronomical League, to: $10 plus Nebraska Star Party Astronomical League National Office, 9201 Ward Parkway, #100, Kansas City, MO 64114 “Guide to the Stars” 16” Planisphere $1.50 S&H Merritt Reservoir Phone: 816-333-7759; Email: [email protected] $21 plus $3.15 S&H Valentine, Nebraska Or join online at: WWW.ASTROLEAGUE.ORG

www.nebraskastarparty.org TITLE PHOTOGRAPH: “CONE NEBULA”; CREDIT

30 R EFLECTOR ✶ J UNE 2017 T HE A STRONOMICAL L EAGUE 31 Membership Secretary Astronomical League NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION National Office U.S. POSTAGE 9201 Ward Parkway, Suite 100 PAID Kansas City, MO 64114 Permit #6563 SLC, UT 841

32 R EFLECTOR ✶ J UNE 2017