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November 2016 the vol. 43 no. 11 Skyscraper November 2016 AMATEUR ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF RHODE ISLAND 47 PEEPTOAD ROAD NORTH SCITUATE, RHODE ISLAND 02857 WWW.THESKYSCRAPERS.ORG In This Issue: Saturday, November 12, 7:00pm 2 President’s Message at Seagrave Memorial Observatory 3 Upcoming Meetings 3 Introduction to Amateur Astronomy Workshop Series 7:00 pm Light Refreshments history of the solar system and our place in 7:30 pm Tim Barker, Professor of As- it. 4 Transit of Venus Finding tronomy Emeritus, Wheaton College Tim Barker received a Ph.D. in Astro- May Help Detection of presents "Samples from the Moon" physics from the University of California at Exoplanet Magnetic Fields Tim Barker will show six samples in a Santa Cruz in 1974 and has been a profes- 4 Locating Uranus Plexiglas disk of material returned from the sor at Wheaton College ever since. He has Moon by the Apollo program nearly half a taught courses in subjects such as extrater- 5 The Sun, Moon & century ago. Twelve astronauts, supported restrial life, the solar system, the universe, Planets in November by 400,000 other Americans who worked observational astronomy, and ancient as- on the program, walked on the Moon, tronomies. His research interests include 6 November Skies Have engaged in scientific experiments, and minor planets, the deaths of stars, and tran- Something for Everyone brought back lunar samples and their own sient lunar phenomena. 7 Star Cloud in Andromeda compelling personal stories. Their work led Galaxy NGC 206 to a revolution in our understanding of the 8 Is Proxima Centauri's 'Earth-like' planet actually like Earth at all? Center for Astrophysics Lecture Webcasts 10 Astrophoto gallery1 at Seagrave Observatory November 17 12 AstroAssembly Photo Gallery 18 Star Parties & Observing Reports Skyscrapers Workshop Series Skyscrapers Saturdays, 6pm Board Meetings November 5, 19 & December 3 Third Monday of the Month All Members Welcome Phases of the Moon First Quarter Moon November 7 19:51 Full Beaver Moon Seagrave Memorial Observatory November 14 13:52 Open Nights Last Quarter Moon November 21 08:33 Saturdays at 7:00 pm weather permitting New Moon November 29 12:18 President’s Message by Steve Siok Ever since the days of H. G. Wells and ined human space travel to the Moon and vatory, Dr. Tim Barker, will display and Edgar Rice Burroughs' novels, "John Carter Mars. This month Skyscrapers members discuss Moon rocks returned to earth by of Mars", we have been fascinated by the can participate in two events echoing these Apollo astronauts and on short term loan possibility of people (or smart aliens) living sentiments. from NASA. You will have the opportunity on Mars. And ever since the days of Ches- On Saturday, November 12, at our to examine these samples, so don't miss this ley Bonestell and Willy Lee, we have imag- monthly meeting held at Seagrave Obser- evening! Normal start time is 7:00pm. On Monday, November 14, the National Geographic channel on cable will begin a six part TV series called "The Race to the Red Planet". The show airs at 9:00pm. So stay home on Monday nights or "set your VCR'' so you do not miss any of the shows. In support of this effort, the November is- sue of National Geographic magazine has a feature article about attempts to get to Mars and has a nice poster showing the surface of the red planet, as well as a graphic of a human colony. Thursday, November 17th is the month- ly open night at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, MA. We will be streaming this event live at Sea- grave. The topic is "The Care and Feeding of Monster Black Holes" by Paul Greene of CfA. So come to Seagrave and bring some peanuts and Cracker Jacks. Plan to arrive around 7, as the event starts at 7:30. Keep Looking up! -Steve Steve Siok is president of Skyscrap- ers, Inc. See more at http://www. theskyscrapers.org/steve-siok The Skyscraper is published President Public Outreach Coordinator monthly by Skyscrapers, Inc. Steve Siok [email protected] Francine Jackson [email protected] Meetings are held monthly, usually on the first or second 1st Vice President Public Relations Spokesperson Friday or Saturday of the month. Ian Dell’Antonio [email protected] Francine Jackson [email protected] Seagrave Memorial Observatory is open every Saturday night, 2nd Vice President Observatory Committee Chairperson weather permitting. Kathy Siok [email protected] Jim Crawford [email protected] Directions Secretary Membership Activities Coordinator Directions to Seagrave Memorial Observatory are Steve Hubbard [email protected] Pat Landers [email protected] located on the back page of this newsletter. Submissions Treasurer Librarian Submissions to The Skyscraper are always welcome. Lloyd Merrill [email protected] Alex Bergemann [email protected] Please submit items for the newsletter no later than November 15 to Jim Hendrickson, 1 Sunflower Cir- Members at Large Historian cle, North Providence, RI 02911 or e-mail to jim@ Tracy Prell [email protected] Dave Huestis [email protected] distantgalaxy.com. Linda Bergemann [email protected] Archivist E-mail subscriptions To receive The Skyscraper by e-mail, send e-mail Trustees Jim Crawford [email protected] with your name and address to jim@distantgalaxy. Jim Crawford [email protected] Editor com. Note that you will no longer receive the news- Matt Ouellette [email protected] Jim Hendrickson [email protected] letter by postal mail. Kent Cameron [email protected] 2 The Skyscraper November 2016 Upcoming Meetings Saturday, December 10 at North Saturday, February 4 at North Scituate Scituate Community Center Community Center Saturday, November 12 at Seagave Holiday Meeting, Al Hall & Dick Parker Stephon Alexander Observatory Tim Barker Saturday, January 7 at North Scituate Saturday, March 4 at North Scituate Community Center Community Center Conrad Cardano still open Let’s Go “Back to the Moon for short program on Light Pollution will be Good” at the URI Planetarium shown, then The Skies of the URI campus, a live introduction to the night sky. URI Campus, Upper College Road Admission is only $5.00, to benefit the Kingston, RI 02881 University of Rhode Island Planetarium Friday, November 11th, 2016, 6:00 P.M. Fund. It’s been over 45 years since humans The University of Rhode Island Plane- have walked on the Moon. But, are there tarium is located on Upper College Road, plans to go back? Should we? Could we? on the Kingston campus, across from the How could his happen? Please join the URI Art Center. Planetarium as it plays this award-winning The University of Rhode Island Plan- show about the possibility of returning to etarium is available for programming for our one and only natural satellite. “Back to schools and other organizations. For more the Moon for Good” will be shown Friday, information, please contact Francine Jack- November 11th, at 6:00 P.M. In addition, a son at 401-527-5558. Center for Astrophysics resulting in fewer seats available. However, ginning precisely at 7:30 P.M., when emcee Lecture Nights at these programs are streamed, so Skyscrap- Christine Pulliam starts her introduction Seagrave Observatory ers, Inc., will be scheduling “movie night” at of the evening's speaker. The talks normally The Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Seagrave, where we can enjoy the talk in the last about an hour, and, as is done there, if Astrophysics has a talk geared to the pub- comfort of the clubhouse. skies are clear, we can do our own observ- lic every third Thursday evening. These The next program onNovember 17, ing. Bring food, and get set for an interest- talks have gotten so popular that the CfA will feature Paul J. Green, with “The Care ing talk. is now starting to distribute tickets to them, and Feeding of Monster Black Holes.”, be- Introduction to Amateur Astronomy Workshop Series Anyone interested in learning the fas- about having an observatory or your own? will have you enjoying your new hobby, or cinating hobby of amateur astronomy is Steve will take the mystery away with some learning which telescope is right for you, invited to come to Seagrave Memorial Ob- practical tips and solutions to help you de- before the night is over. servatory, 47 Peep Toad Road, Scituate, RI. cide if having a simple, easy to build back- Skyscrapers, Inc., the Amateur Astronom- yard home for your telescope is for you. December 3: Introduction ical Society of Rhode Island, is offering to Astrophotography workshops at 6pm on Saturdays in October November 19: Using Have you ever looked at a beautiful as- & November on topics in astronomy to in- a Telescope tronomy image and wondered whether you troduce anyone interested in the fascinat- You’ve always wanted a telescope of could come close to taking something as ing world of amateur astronomy. Also, sky your own; or, you’ve gotten one as a gift. breathtaking as that? Although none of us permitting, each program will be followed Now what? What can I see with it? How do can compete with those from the Hubble by observing with the historic 8-inch re- I work with it? Where can I go to learn all Space Telescope, you can, with very little fracting telescope. All programs are free about using a telescope to find what is in help, soon be taking astroimages you can and open to the public. the sky? be proud of. Skyscraper member Jeff Padell will in- Bob Horton and Jim Hendrickson, both November 5: Backyard troduce you to the basics of taking your members of Skyscrapers, Inc., have been Observatories equipment outside and using it to find taking incredible images of celestial objects Did you ever get frustrated with the time the beautiful celestial objects waiting to for many years.
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