OBSERVATORY NEWS May 2018 Published by the Friends of the Observatory Volume 29 No

OBSERVATORY NEWS May 2018 Published by the Friends of the Observatory Volume 29 No. 5 513-321-5186 www.cincinnatiobservatory.org Bill Cartwright, editor @ Cincinnati Observatory 2018

a date with the largest planet in through the telescopes (weather Upcoming Events the solar system. permitting).

May Calendar Jupiter Night is great for all All proceeds from Celestial Sips Astronomy Thursday May 3 8:30p ages. No reservations required benefit the Observatory’s Astronomy Friday May 4 8:30p Late Night Date Night May 5 10:30p Admission is $10/adult, programs. *Binocular Astronomy May 9 7p $5/child, $5/Observatory Astronomy Thursday May 10 8:30p members Astronomy Friday May 11 8:30p $60 per person Stonelick Stargazing May 12 dusk For more info, call 513-321- $50 for Observatory members. History of the Observatory May 13 1-4p 5186. Ages 21 or older only, please. FOTO Member Meeting May 14 7:30p Topics In Astronomy May 15 8p Space is limited and A2Z+ Astronomy May 20 7p reservations are required, so Astronomy Friday May 18 8:30p Save-the-Date! please call (513) 321-5186 or CosmicKids May 19 9a-12p Stonelick Stargazing May19 dusk Sign Up Online. *Behind the Scenes May 22 7p Celestial Sips FOTO Planning Meeting May 24 7p Saturday June 16th Astronomy Thursday May 24 8:30p 8-11pm Astronomy Friday May 25 8:30p Jupiter Night May 26 9p History of the Observatory May 27 1-4p Astro Topics w/ Astronomy Thursday May 31 8:30p Summer Camps (4 weeks) June & July Celestial Sips Jun 16 8p Dean Regas * UC Communiversity Complete Calendar & Events Online

Featuring the Wine Merchant Jupiter Night! Celebrate the Summer Solstice Saturday May 26th 9-11pm by enjoying a beverage under Best Astronomy Hoaxes Tuesday May 15th 8pm the starry skies. Celestial Sips,

one of the Observatory’s most popular events, will feature Uncovering the Sun Tuesday June 19th 7pm or wines selected by the experts at Wednesday June 20th 7pm The Wine Merchant shop in

Hyde Park. These fun and laid-back single topic classes for beginners focus on Each participant receives 4 a variety of topics and will surely drink tickets to sample the keep you looking up! evening’s wine offerings. The King of the solar system is back! There’ll also be a silent auction, $15 per person $12 for members. photo booth, and valet parking. Sign Up Online or call 513-321- Giant Jupiter has returned to the Sips includes tours of our 5186 evening skies and you can make historic buildings and viewing 1

For more Camp information or STEM Education to register, call the Cincinnati Astronomy Nights Museum Center at (513) 287- Thursday May. 3, 10, 24, 31 Update 7001 Or Sign Up Online Friday May. 4, 11, 18, 25, By Katie Vaughn & 8:30-10:00pm Samantha Pepper Free for Observatory Lifelong Learning members!

Enrich your life with UC Continuing Education's exciting array of noncredit short, yet in- Summer Camps Are Back! depth courses and educational opportunities designed for We're partnering with the diverse audiences of all ages. Cincinnati Museum Center In awe with the beauty of the again this year to bring you four Binocular Astronomy night sky? Have questions about weeks of Out-Of-This-World th Wed. May 9 7-9pm the Universe? This is where you Summer Camps. We have new $35 per person can get the answers. and exciting themes for the weeks and best of all, it happens Behind the Scenes Astronomy Evenings include at the Observatory! Tues. May 22nd 7-9pm short presentations on a wide $35 per person variety of topics and plenty of June 4-8 & July 23-27 Sign up online time for your astro-questions. Grades K–2: Spectacular Tours of this National Historic Solar System. Landmark. And if clear, view This camp is sure to be out of the Moon, planets and deep this world! Stargazing at space treasures through the Grades 3–7: Mission to Mars. historic 1845 telescope. Your mission, should you Stonelick th (Program is held rain or shine) choose to accept it, is to figure Saturdays – May 12 & 19 out how to take astronauts to The topics and the night sky Mars change week-to-week/month-to- month so you can visit often to June 11-15 & July 30-Aug. 3 hear and see something new. Grades K–2: Space Explorers. Free for Observatory You’ll observe the mysteries of members! the universe and test your Bring the Family! astronaut skills. For the latest schedule visit the Grades 3–7: Rocket Science. Need help with your telescope? Get web calendar then sign up (Premium Camp) expert tips setting it up and online. As part of our crew, you’ll learn exploring the night sky. Stargazing about rocket science! Design begins at dusk. Open to all ages. your own bottle rocket, learn Stargazes are weather permitting. about NASA’s space program “Like” Stonelick Stargazers for and take a field trip to the weather and holiday schedule National Museum of the US Air updates. Force.

2 Looking Up releases new The tours are held at 1pm, 2pm Save-the-Dates episodes twice a month, on the and 3pm Monday through 2nd and 4th Wednesdays. Friday. Subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher. Tours include both of the observatories and telescopes, including the Mitchel telescope- History / Museum the oldest public telescope still in use in this hemisphere. May 26: Jupiter Night Programs June 16: Celestial Sips $5 per person. July 1: Sunday, Sun Day Sundae 1 Sunday Tours of Want to schedule a group up to July 21: Saturnday 12? Sign Up Online. July 27 and 28: Marsapalooza! the Observatory Call 513-321-5186 for more th Aug 5: Sunday, Sun Day Sundae 2 Sunday May 13 & 27 information th Nov. 8: 175 Anniversary Drop in between 1-4pm Celebration

Radio Astronomy! History Notes By John Ventre, COC Historian

Merz & Mahler Telescope Arrives in Cincinnati

At the January 23, 1845 Board Stop by for the whole story or of Control Meeting the just the highlights. It’s all Directors recorded the following Brought to you by Cincinnati fascinating and connects our report. Public Radio & WVXU past with your today. Professor Mitchel stated that the Looking Up brings you the $5 per person. Observatory building was nearly latest astronomical discoveries Free for members. completed and would probably in a really fun, quick-paced Group tours by appointment. be ready for the erection of the conversation. We cover out-of- Telescope in the course of a this-world topics about planets, week. He also informed the stars, and the universe, science The Observatory Society that he had received and technology, throw in a little books of communication from pop-culture and bring it all by Day some of the most eminent down to Earth. astronomers in Europe identifying a very lively interest During each episode, there will in the proceedings of this be conversations about current Society, of giving proof of the astronomical or science high estimate in which the happenings, a special guest, then Telescope procured for us is either a Kid Question or a letter held by those who are from the Observatory's Crank competent to judge its value. File – a collection of wild, unusual, far-fetched and The Cincinnati Observatory is An informal discussion was then conspiratorial correspondences hosting weekday tours of our held on the subject of opening collected through the decades. National Historic Landmark. and mounting the instrument in 3 the City for the inspection of the but still small, white or colorless You may wish to do likewise! public before it should be finally crystals. Unlike most known (There generally are meteorites placed in its permanent situation meteorites, the specimen did not and suchlike on view!) For more in the Observatory, to which an exhibit any detectable information: www.geofair.com objection was made on motion magnetism. However, it was by Mr. Starr. replete with tiny bubbles, again, not a characteristic of known By motion of Mr. Perkins, meteorites. Observatory seconded by Mr. Starr, it was Overall, the rock appeared to be then resolved, that the President a piece of the igneous rock Support and Secretary be directed to scoriaceous basalt. make a publication giving notice (“Scoriaceous” is an adjective New & Renewing of the safe arrival of the that refers to the bubbles, Telescope, of its character and technically termed “scoriae” Members! qualities and generally of the [singular. “scoria”], that result Reza Abrishambaf situation of the Society; and that from entrapment of volcanic Lina Alkamhawi the Board of Control be gasses in the hot, fluid rock- Michael Barbier authorized and directed to give material called lava or, if Bert & Barbara Becker Andrew Boehmer notice after the time when the underground, magma.) Chunks John Brady Observatory shall be completed of basalt commonly are used as Kevin and Jennifer Brady and declared to be ready for use, decoration in gardens and in Will Burnham George and Linda Callard that the price of each share of “landscaping”, but the owner of Amy Carrelli the stock of the Society be fixed this particular specimen Patrick Crowley at $50 and that no subscriptions affirmed that no such Faye Cuasay Carl and Joanne Eastwood thereafter be received at a lower decorations ever have been Chuck and Dawn Fields rate. applied to his property, as far as Fred Sanborn he knows. Scoriaceous basalt is Dr. Jack and Mrs. Beryl Hazen Robert and Toni Kluck Principal Sources: Minutes of the not a rock that one would have Kevin Langston Cincinnati Astronomical Society, expected to have been brought Tony and Jeanne Mains Board of Control, January 23, 1845. in by the glaciers that affected Minnie Mehuron Justin Meyer the region as recently as 19,000 Tom Morrison years ago. In short, the origin of Philip Nebel and Pamela Nebel-Logsdon Museum Notes this particular putative meteorite Jasmine Parsons By Dr. Richard Davis, Maria Scaccia remains a mystery. (Too bad! Susan and Michael Schock COC Curator There have been found only Michael and Marilyn Shore about a dozen confirmed Michael and Julia Spohr AEROLITE ALERT Trevor Stamper meteorites in the whole state of Heather Statt On Tuesday afternoon, 24 April Ohio over the years!) Eric Suchanek 2018, a gentleman brought into Ken and Sharon Taylor Kelsey Wolf the Observatory a piece of black As the gentleman departed the rock that he found on his Observatory, specimen in hand, Thanks to all our terrific property in Harrison, Ohio. He I suggested that he might want members, donors and said that the rock, some 5 cm to attend Cincinnati’s annual volunteers! We hope you will across (2 inches), had not been rock, mineral, and fossil show, visit often in 2018! present one day, but was there called “Geofair”, that will be the next. held at the Sharonville Convention Center on Saturday The rock consisted of minute and Sunday, 5 and 6 May 2018. crystals of one or more black minerals, with occasional larger,

4 Astronomical Society, serving knowledge of Math or Amazon “Smiles” eight years as its president, and Astronomy is necessary. The has taught introductory group meets for about an hour On the Observatory astronomy for Cincinnati State or so and is free to any member for over 20 years, and for UC of the Observatory Clermont for the past five years.

Don't miss this exploration of Borrow a some of the most fascinating cosmological structures in the Telescope! Amazon will donate 0.5% of night sky. By Dean Regas the price of your eligible purchases to the Observatory As a member of the Observatory, whenever you shop on A2Z+ Astronomy you can borrow a scope though the Telescope Loan Program. For more AmazonSmile. Next time info please call Dean at 513-321- you shop at Amazon start at with Dave Bosse th 5186. http://smile.amazon.com/ch/ Sunday May 20 7pm 31-1665954 Last month’s discussion of the

Gaia Data Release and its effect Membership Member on many of the cosmic and galactic distances that have been News Programs & calculated over the decades gave By Valerie Niemi rise to the question, “Exactly Volunteers what is the equation for the Hello Fellow Stargazers, Distance Modulus?” What FOTO Member’s about other Distance formulas Have you been watching parade of like the application of the the planets? Venus, Jupiter and Meeting Doppler Shift? What about other Saturn have been showing off in all Monday, May 14th equations used to produce useful their splendor.

7:30pm Astronomical values? What is Mars has been there too, hardly the Escape Velocity for the imposing though, unless you’ve On May 14, 2018 at 7:30 PM, Galaxy? And what the heck is seen this picture just returned from the Hill Sphere, anyway? please join us for a presentation the Mars Express. by Terry Endres on galaxies. Terry's program, Our In the May edition of A2Z+ Growing Understanding of Astronomy we’ll take a closer Galaxies, will review current look at how some values of understanding of the origin and Astrophysics are calculated. evolution of galaxies and the Most equations are surprisingly role they play in forming simple. Really. I promise. Frosty edges of the Korolev Crater modern cosmology. The A2Z+ Astronomy class on the north of Mars. meets the third Sunday of each Terry has been a member and month at 7:00 P.M. in the West FOTO News: Wing of the Herget Building July meeting-our regular Monday presenter for FOTO/COC for meeting. No picnic. over ten years and currently (May 20th, 7:00 P.M.). September meeting-Picnic and serves as a FOTO guided walking tour of the Representative to the COC Discussions cover contemporary Observatory Historic District. Board of Trustees. He has also Astronomical topics as well as December Dinner-held Saturday been a member of the Cincinnati those historic. No pre-requisite Dec. 8. No Monday meeting. 5 Take time to enjoy those beautiful  Free admission to the historic planets and thanks again for all you landmark buildings and permanent Observatory News do for the Cincinnati Observatory. collections.  Use of the FOTO lending Library. Craig’s Corner  One-year subscription to the monthly FOTO e-newsletter Craig Niemi, Executive Director  Members-Only Facebook Page FOTO Committee For more information, call the Our amazing history has always Observatory at 513-321-5186 been and will always remain Officers central to the Observatory and all Chair-Valerie Niemi the programs we offer. Every Vice Chair-John Blasing April Meeting visitor, whether a middle- Secretary-Michelle Gainey schooler on her first field trip to Treasurer-Al Scheide Highlights Member Representatives to the the Observatory, our growing By Michelle Lierl Gainey, number of weekday tour visitor, COC Board: FOTO secretary. Dave Bosse or a life-long learner leaves with JoAnne Pedersen Craig Niemi thanked the a better understanding and Terry Endres volunteers who helped with all appreciation of our long, unique To contact an Officer or Rep email visitors during the two weeks of history; our connection to the [email protected] spring break. Out-of-town city; to UC and to the role and I’ll forward your contact visitation was high which has him Cincinnati played in the history information on to them. considering about extra programs of American astronomy. and staffing during the summer. FOTO Planning April 14th highlighted that A new projector is in hand and history with First Light Night., will be kept in the West Wing for Young and old, came out for an Meeting use by FOTO, Observatory and evening of history and science as Thursday May 24th 7pm. guest presenters. we commemorated the first time

our great telescope saw starlight, Help plan programs and events for The July FOTO meeting will be your fellow members. Open to all. the normal time and format. 173 years ago. Although the September’s meeting will be the skies did not cooperate, (I annual picnic and include a wonder how many times that has For New Members guided walking tour of the happened in the last 173 years?) With your membership, you neighborhood. December’s everyone left impressed with the meeting is the holiday dinner on become a Friend of the th Observatory, our mission, and Observatory (FOTO) and join our Saturday the 8 . especially our staff and amazing family of amateur astronomers, volunteers. Our 1873 Hannaford Our speaker was Tom East: history buffs, donors and designed observatory sets the “What’s Up? Light Pollution volunteers. perfect venue for science Unfortunately”. Tom covered FOTO meets on the Second learning. Our “power of place”. the concerns of light trespass, Monday of the month at 7:30 pm at the Observatory. All members and the effects of glare on vision, We hope you will take part in our their guests are welcome to attend. particularly when driving, sky 2nd & 4th Sunday or weekday Your benefits include: glow, the physiological and tour, the Astro Nights, one of  Discounted or free admission to economic impacts of wasteful Friends of the Observatory (FOTO) Dean’s classes, Jupiter Night or lighting. He offered some easy programs our Celestial Sips fundraiser, so first steps any citizen-scientist  Member’s only classes and you too can experience the can take to raise awareness and programs power of this remarkable place.  Loaner telescopes lessen their light pollution

 Free admission to impact Astronomy Thu/Fri/Saturdays  Discounts in the Gift Shop 6 The Observatory Connect to Your Staff: Observatory

Craig Niemi, The Cincinnati Executive Director Observatory Center [email protected] 3489 Observatory Place Cincinnati, OH 45208 Dean Regas, Outreach 513-321-5186 Astronomer & Volunteer cincinnatobservatory.org Coordinator [email protected] Social Media

Anna Hehman, Development Director [email protected] Like us on Facebook Kelsey Stryffe. Admin. Assistant & Docent Follow us on Twitter [email protected]

Katie Vaughn, Outreach Enjoy our photos & videos Educator on Instagram. [email protected]

Samantha Pepper, Outreach Educator [email protected]

John Ventre, Historian [email protected]