Published by the Astronomical League Vol. 71, No. 2 March 2019

REMEMBERING BILL BOGARDUS PHOTOGRAPHING THE MOON 7.20.69 5 YEARS TREASURES OF THE LINDA HALL LIBRARY APOLLO 11 THE COSMIC WEB Join a Tour This Year!

From 37,000 feet above the Pacific Total Eclipse Flight: Chile Ocean, you’ll be high above any clouds, July 2, 2019 seeing up to 3¼ minutes of totality in a dark sky that makes the Sun’s corona look incredibly dramatic. Our flight will de- part from and return to Santiago, Chile. skyandtelescope.com/2019eclipseflight

African Stargazing Safari Join astronomer Stephen James O’Meara in wildlife-rich Botswana July 29–August 4, 2019 for evening stargazing and daytime safari drives at three luxury field camps. Only 16 spaces available! Optional extension to Victoria Falls.

skyandtelescope.com/botswana2019

Iceland Aurorae September 26–October 2, 2019

This is our 6th year running this popular tour of Iceland. Visit historic sites, gey- sers, and towering waterfalls with a guide; at night, seek the fabled northern lights. Fine restaurants and hotels await you.

skyandtelescope.com/iceland2019

Australian Observatories Travel Down Under to tour top October 1–9, 2019 observatories, including Siding Spring and “The Dish” at Parkes. Go wine-tasting, hike in nature re- serves, and explore eclectic Sydney and Australia’s capital, Canberra. Plus: Stargaze under Southern skies. Options to Great Barrier Reef and Uluru, or Ayers Rock.

skyandtelescope.com/australia2019

Uluru & Sydney Opera House: Tourism Australia; observatory: Winton Gibson

See all S&T tours at skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-travel ONOMY T STR O T A H G E N P I E Contents G O N P I L R E B 4 ...... Reflector Mail ASTRONOMY DAY 4 ...... President’s Corner May 11 & 5 ...... International Dark-Sky Association October 5, 2019 6 ...... Night Sky Network For a FREE 76-page 6 ...... Deep-Sky Objects Astronomy Day Handbook full of ideas and suggestions, 9 ...... Remembering Bill Bogardus go to:

10 . . . . . From Around the League www.astroleague.org Click on "Astronomy Day” PAGE 19 13 . . . . . Observing Awards Scroll down to "Free Astronomy Day Handbook" 14 . . . . . Basic Small-Scope Lunar Imaging For more information, contact: 18 ...... The Vault of Heaven – Gary Tomlinson ̨̨̨̨̨̨̨̨̨̨̨̨̨̨̨Treasures of the Linda Hall Library Astronomy Day Coordinator [email protected] 24 . . . . . The Cosmic Web

27 ...... Coming Events

29, 30 . . . Gallery PAGE 30

Cover image: Andrew Klinger (Texas Astronomical Society) took this image of M31 from dark sites in Texas and Oklahoma using a William Optics GT81 (reduced to f/4.7, 382 mm) with a ZWO ASI1600MM-Cool CMOS camera. OITHv6 – fully updated and the NEW Goals/Log/Sketch Book Details and ordering only at www.birrendesign.com The Astronomical League Magazine Tel: 630-336-5321 Vol. 71, No. 2 • ISSN: 0034-2963 • March 2019

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 (rules of succession per our bylaws), and Carroll Iorg, past president, was appointed the new vice Reflector Mail president. This was the first time in our 70+ years that an officer died in office. A very sad time QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF THE ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE To the League Board of Directors: indeed. It was encouraging to see that our bylaws Issued by the Astronomical League in March, June, September, and On behalf of the Everglades Astronomical covered such an event, and the positions were December, Reflector (ISSN: 0034-2963) is sent directly, either by postal mail or via a digital link, to each individual member of its Society, Inc., I want to thank you for bestowing filled rather smoothly. We are developing plans affiliate societies and to members-at-large as a benefit of League membership. Individual copies of Reflector are available at the upon our community the Jack Horkheimer Library for our future growth and look forward to the following subscription rates, payable to the League’s national office. Telescope. years ahead. PAPER SUBSCRIPTIONS: I want to thank John Goss for his contributions USA & possessions: $3.00 each or $10.00 per year (4 issues) After much and careful consideration, our Canada: $5.00 each or $16.00 per year and leadership as president for the past four years Mexico: $6.00 each or $22.00 per year board decided to award the telescope to the Other countries: $7.00 each or $25.00 per year Collier County Library System. The library has a and appreciate his wisdom during these trying DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS: times. I also wish to thank Carroll Iorg for accept- All countries, possessions, and territories: $10.00 per year program that allows each library branch through- out the system to borrow the telescope. This ing the role of vice president. His prior experience REFLECTOR AND CLUB ROSTER DEADLINES as both president and vice president made him a March issue January 1 gives access of the telescope to the whole com- June issue April 1 munity. In addition, our society and the library logical choice for the appointment. September issue July 1 December issue October 1 are working in partnership to train staff and e are working on ALCon 2019, which Bill Written and graphic material from this publication may be reprinted only present astronomy programs to the community. Bogardus initially proposed. A unique for non-profit benefit of interested parties, provided specific credit is given W to the writer(s), Reflector, and the Astronomical League. Any other use of idea, combining our annual convention with a material, including graphics and photographs, is subject to express Our deepest appreciation goes out to all those permission from the Editor and the Astronomical League. who have made this gift possible. three-day Bahamas cruise, was readily accepted by the executive council. If you plan to attend, NATIONAL OFFICERS —Denise Sabatini President President, Everglades Astronomical Society note that most of the rooms on the ship have been Ron Kramer 9520 Dragonfly Avenue • Las Cruces, NM 88012 filled, and there are only a handful remaining at 520-500-7295 • [email protected] our very special price. Once the specially priced Vice President Carroll Iorg rooms are gone, the only rooms remaining at that 9201 Ward Parkway, Suite 100 • Kansas City, MO 64114; Dues Reminder time will be at full retail price. 816-444-4878 • [email protected] Secretary This ALCon will be different in other ways. The Bryan Tobias AN IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR Astronomical League National Headquarters Star-B-Que will be held indoors (Holiday Inn, Ti- 9201 Ward Parkway, Suite 100 • Kansas City, MO 64114 CLUB TREASURERS AND ALCORS [email protected] or [email protected] tusville, Florida), and will include the awards cer- Treasurer f your club has not yet paid its 2018–2019 emony and keynote speaker. There will be no ban- Bill Dillon Astronomical League dues, please contact quet and no vendors on the ship (you can order 190 Settlers Road • Fincastle, VA 24090 I 703-674-8484 • [email protected] the national office, leagueoffice@astroleague T-shirts and caps on the convention registration Executive Secretary Maynard Pittendreigh .org, ASAP. We are concerned that we haven’t form). Three separate registrations are required: 3208 Little Oak Way • Orlando, FL 32812 heard from you, as the dues were payable several for the ship, for the hotel, and for the convention 770-237-2071 • [email protected] National Office months ago. We know you want to continue itself. The convention registration form is on our Mike Stoakes, Office Coordinator receiving AL benefits without interruption – website (astroleague.org) and in this issue of the Astronomical League National Headquarters 9201 Ward Parkway, Suite 100 • Kansas City, MO 64114 and we certainly don’t want to lose your club Reflector, just like a regular ALCon, but with the 816-DEEP-SKY National office: [email protected] as an Astronomical League member! addition of the boat rooms. And, just like a regular Society rosters: [email protected] League sales: [email protected] ALCon, there will be observing…on the ship. Bring National Observing Program Coordinators your binocular s or small telescopes (there is very Cliff Mygatt Aaron B. Clevenson [email protected] [email protected] President’s Corner limited storage space in the sleeping quarters). Astronomical League Historian Do not bring your 16-inch SCT or 32-inch Dob. Mike Stewart 913-240-1238 • [email protected] s I write this column in early January, my Remember, you will be on a moving boat! LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ̨thoughts wander to the previous six e are looking at several new initiatives Send to [email protected] with subject line “letter to editor” A months. Bill Bogardus was elected League Win the future. One of the most exciting is REFLECTOR STAFF president in July, the same time I was elected to the securing of grants to fund additional programs Managing Editor Assistant Editor vice president, Maynard Pittendreigh became within the League. This program is not yet final- Ron Kramer Kevin Jones Mobile: 520-500-7295 [email protected] executive secretary, and Bill Dillon was elected ized, but we are already looking for a volunteer [email protected] Design/Production new treasurer. Four of the five national officers who has demonstrated success in grant writing at Editor Michael Patterson John Martin michael.patterson@stellafane.org were either elected or appointed and we were all the local, regional, and national level. If you have [email protected] Advertising Representative eager and willing to fulfill the duties assigned by this talent, check out the “Volunteers Needed” Photo Editor Carla Johns Dan Crowson 970-567-8878 our bylaws and to serve the members of the section of From Around the League. [email protected] [email protected] League. Assistant Editor Coming Events Editor There is another volunteer position available. Kristine Larsen John Wagoner Our information technology manager, Vern Raben, [email protected] [email protected] By the end of November, the League president passed away, the vice president became president has decided to retire after many years in this

4 REFLECTOR ✶ MARCH 201 9 position with the League. There is an immediate activity. According to Gaston, “explicit steps need are affected by artificial light at night. In some opening for his replacement. If you wish to sup- to be taken to limit these impacts [of artificial cases, they are attracted to lit buildings, bridges, port your League, requirements are in the From light at night], which vary according to the and towers, endlessly circling them until they Around the League section, under “Volunteers intensity, spectrum, spatial extent, and temporal become exhausted and fall to the ground. In other Needed.” dynamics of this lighting.” instances, they are injured or killed by flying into Clear skies and smooth sailing, There are two components of artificial light lit structures. Some birds lose their stellar land- —Ron Kramer at night: direct emissions from outdoor lighting marks, causing them to using more energy than Astronomical League President sources and skyglow. Direct emission of light necessary to find their way along their migration from unshielded sources can travel for miles, paths. making this light a problem in both urban and In some regions, there has been a catastroph- International rural areas. Skyglow is caused by upward-emitted ic loss in insect population compared to earlier light that is scattered by dust, gas, and water in decades. The cause and extent of this is unknown, Dark-Sky the atmosphere. Skyglow is enough to obscure the but this phenomenon is just now being studied Milky Way, which may be used for orientation by and is most concerning. Moths that are attracted Association some nocturnal animals. The bright direct emis- to light or are mostly active at night may have sions in suburban and urban areas can be strong been especially affected. There is considerable enough to confuse the diurnal and nocturnal anecdotal evidence that nocturnal light that at- LIGHTING UP THE NIGHTTIME rhythms of many animals. The illuminance levels tracts circling insects alters the balance of the in- mateur and professional astronomers have in urban and suburban areas from direct emission sect population in an area and attracts predators, Ą̨long known artificial light at night has to of lighting vary from about 10 to 100 lux. These such as other insects, lizards, and toads, which be reduced. The health and ecological effects of levels are limited to the immediate vicinity of have an easier time catching prey than previously. light pollution and light trespass are just now the emitting source. Bright skyglow is around 0.2 ight pollution tends to decrease over urban being more widely recognized by scientists other to 0.5 lux, which is not trivial, considering the L̨areas over the course of the night, while in than astronomers and a small cadre of biologists full moon on a clear night has an illuminance of a more natural environment, the sky becomes concerned about the effects of nighttime lighting around 0.1 lux. lighter as the Moon rises and darker as it sets. on plants, nocturnal animals, and insects. iological responses to lighting are spectrum This alteration of the natural swings in darkness The November 16, 2018, issue of Science has B̨dependent. A wide spectrum emission may affect the biological activity of animals and an “Insights” article (pages 744–746) by Kevin increases the likelihood of affecting an organ- insects, and it may also alter the flowering and J. Gaston of the Environment and Sustainability ism’s sensitive spectral range. Poorly designed budding of plants. Similar effects are claimed for Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, high-intensity lighting, particularly that which is climate change, and it is unknown how much of United Kingdom, titled “Lighting up the Night- bright in the blue end of the visible spectrum, that might be from artificial light at night and how time: Artificial Light at Night Needs to Be Reduced induces a variety of human stress responses, much these two forces, artificial light at night and to Limit Negative Environmental Impacts.” This is disrupting sleep patterns, sleep quality, and climate change, could affect biological activity in a very good read and nicely summarizes the neg- circadian rhythms. It may increase cancer risk. the coming decades. ative environmental impact of outdoor nighttime These effects are difficult to study and quantify as The “good” aspect of light pollution is that its lighting. I highly recommend you read the article, it is hard to know the relative importance of cause is known and its solution is simple: turn off which may be available through your local library. outdoor versus indoor lighting, particularly the unnecessary lights. For many years, I have said If time and money permit, I also recommend you effects of computer monitors, tablets, and cell that if we can’t solve light pollution, how do we subscribe to the journals Science and Nature. phones. For many reasons, it is probably a good expect to solve more complex forms of environ- (These can also be read for free at many public idea to reduce our use of screens in the evening mental pollution? It is also probable that the and academic libraries.) I get both. While I rarely before bedtime. negative effects of artificial light at night, when read or understand the main scientific articles in Satellite images of Earth at night show an corrected, will result in reasonably fast recovery, these journals, I thoroughly enjoy the commen- amazing amount of light shining up into space. compared with the decades it will take for carbon taries, editorials, and insight articles that also fill Perhaps one-fourth of the global land area of the dioxide to be reduced in the atmosphere, even if the journals, one of which I am now summarizing. Earth is covered by skyglow, and over 80 percent we stopped emitting it today. Images of the nighttime Earth taken by of the human population lives under light-pol- aston suggests five major initiatives to astronauts demonstrate the proliferation of luted skies and most likely is also bothered by G̨ameliorate artificial light at night. First, electric lighting from industrial, commercial, various forms of light trespass. I doubt there is light should not be introduced casually into areas municipal, and domestic sources. Nighttime any place in the continental United States where that are now dark, particularly where dark spaces images of Earth from the International Space you can stand on a tall hill and not see skyglow are rare, such as Western Europe, the eastern Station (ISS) are available from many sources, from a distant town. Certainly most of the popu- United States, and East Asia. Second, the lowest a good one being the YouTube video at youtube lation of the United States under the age of 60 has realistic levels of lighting should be used. .com/watch?v=ev9oPUNaqXE. These images are never seen the Milky Way unless they grew up in Third, lighting should be limited to where it is thought to provide a good estimate of local pop- or traveled to a rural area. actually required and, fourth, only at times when ulation, energy use, urbanization, and economic No doubt many if not all migrating birds it is needed, not throughout the night if it is not

THE ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE 5 required. Fifth, the color quality of the lighting lation does not just contain scores of galaxies; it than the other Messier objects surrounding it on has to be considered, with lower correlated color contains hundreds of galaxies. Almost every one the celestial sphere. Were it located at the same temperature (less than 2400 K) preferred in most of the 677 NGC objects in Virgo is a galaxy. distance, it would rival those galaxies in apparent cases. Virgo is known for some pretty impressive brightness. All in all, this Science article summarizes the galaxies. It contains great elliptical galaxies like My image of M58 was taken with a 10-inch known and potential environmental harm from M84, M86, and M87. It also holds impressive f/6.9 Newtonian using an SBIG ST-2000XCM CCD artificial light at night. It states the case and spiral galaxies like the Sombrero Galaxy (M104). camera. The exposure was 180 minutes. North is recommends societal changes that have long been Overall there are 11 Messier galaxies in this up and east is to the left. To the right of the galaxy advocated by those dedicated to fighting light bountiful constellation. lies the brightest star in the image, eighth-mag- pollution. It is gratifying to see such work prom- Two less-mentioned Messier galaxies in Virgo nitude SAO 100179. The faintest stars in the image inently displayed in one of the world’s foremost are M58 and M90. These galaxies are the only are dimmer than magnitude 18. The fuzzy “star” scientific publications. Messier objects in Virgo classified as barred spiral located near the lower left corner is spiral galaxy —Tim Hunter galaxies. I find M58 to be the more interesting of IC 3604, magnitude 15.3. Co-founder, IDA the two since it appears face-on. This orientation Note how tightly wound M58’s spiral arms allows for better views of the central bar and are. The spiral arms are not uniform in brightness, spiral arms. resulting in bright arcs rather than complete spiral Deep-Sky Objects arms visible to the eye in larger amateur tele- ost spiral galaxies contain a dense core of scopes. The bar appears to have a central bulge, ̨stars surrounded by spiral arms. Barred perhaps indicating the galaxy is in transition to or VIRGO’S BEST BARRED SPIRAL GALAXY M spiral galaxies contain a bar of stars with the from an ordinary spiral galaxy. irgo is the second largest constellation by spiral arms originating from the ends of the bar. The constellation Virgo offers a smorgas- ̨size. It follows Hydra and is slightly larger Spiral arms typically contain gas and dust as V bord of galaxies to view each spring. No menu is than third-place Ursa Major. The constellation well as numerous nebulae and star clusters. Bars complete without spying the constellation’s best contains three percent of the celestial sphere. contain just stars and appear to lack gas and dust. barred spiral galaxy, M58. One might think such a large constellation Few spiral galaxies more than seven billion years —Dr. James R. Dire would contain myriad galactic star clusters, old contain bars, and some astronomers think Kauai Educational Association for wondrous nebulae, a plethora of globular star bars may be a transient, recurring phase in spiral Science and Astronomy clusters, and scores of galaxies. But alas, galaxy evolution. Up to two-thirds of modern none of the above is true! galaxies may contain bars. Even our home galaxy, the Milky Way, is a barred spiral galaxy. Night Sky Network Charles Messier discovered M58 in ASTRONOMY TOOLKITS 1779. It was one of FOR OUTREACH EVENTS 14 spiral “nebulae” idewalk astronomy is one of many types known to exist S̨of outreach that clubs perform. Astronomy before 1850. The clubs receive invitations year-round to visit galaxy is located schools, libraries, scout camps, and take part in near the northern various community events. Telescopes are usually edge of Virgo. It lies requested, but often volunteers are also asked about one-third of to give a talk, share a science demonstration, or the way along a line otherwise engage with kids in hands-on activi- from the star Vin- ties. Events may be scheduled for the middle of demiatrix (Epsilon the day, inside, or both. Some events, like school Virginis) to the star STEM fairs, happen rain or shine. The resources When we look at the constellation Virgo, Denebola (Beta Leonis). The galaxy lies near and provided by the Night Sky Network’s outreach we are looking towards high northerly galactic in between several other brighter galaxies: M60, toolkits are perfect fits for outreach situations declinations, almost as far away from the plane of M87, M89, and M90. such as these where telescopes might not work the Milky Way as possible. So there are virtually Brightness estimates for M58 average around out so well, and can even help enrich regular club no galactic star clusters. Of the 677 NGC objects 9.7. The galaxy is 5.5 by 4.5 arcminutes in size. In meetings and stargazing activities right alongside cataloged in Virgo, not one is an open cluster. small telescopes, the galaxy may look similar to volunteers with telescopes. Virgo has no NGC nebulae and only one globular its elliptical companions. Eight-inch telescopes Outreach kits are one of the cornerstones of star cluster (NGC 5634). will begin to reveal its central bar as well as the NSN program. These collections of hands-on Even my above statement of Virgo possibly brighter areas of its spiral arms. The galaxy lies 75 activities, handouts, ready-to-use presentations, containing scores of galaxies is off: the constel- million light-years away, about 50 percent farther models, posters, and other demonstrations focus

6 REFLECTOR ✶ MARCH 201 9 on a particular space science topic and related ites or Meteorwrongs?” activity is one of the most commonly observed in a backyard scope fit into NASA missions. A wide variety of resources are popular demos, in which participants determine the lifecycle of a star? This kit includes a poster packed into each kit. Suggested scripts for indi- which rocks from a selection are from space and illustrating the life cycle of stars as well as a fun, vidual resources are included in each toolkit to which are from Earth. The kit also includes a giant hands-on outreach activity that demonstrates help folks get started – especially useful for those Moon banner highlighting the best lunar features how our atmosphere shields us from dangerous new to outreach – but club members regularly to observe during various lunar phases; the other particles and radiation. remix and personalize them for their audiences. side highlights impact sites on Earth to facilitate one of these kits could have been made discussions about the potential dangers of near- ̨without the assistance and feedback of lubs that regularly schedule and log their N Earth objects. the NSN community during their development. ̨events to the NSN website receive a new C • Our Magnetic Sun: A favorite companion for solar Their tireless real-world testing helped give these kit every quarter. When clubs receive every avail- observing events, this kit is focused on space resources the extra polish that helps them shine able kit, they have the option to request refresher weather and solar science, and it includes demon- during outreach! materials to replace lost or damaged items. We strations on solar storms, ultraviolet radiation, try to keep each set of materials contained in one We’ve made many of our resources available and sunspots. An eye-catching multiwavelength medium-size box to aid in transport and storage. for download on our website. Even if you aren’t a “3-D” solar poster with a detachable model of the Most of our kits include large, robust vinyl post- member of an NSN club, you can still download, Sun is included. ers. These giant posters are very eye-catching print, and share handouts and other materials and and draw the eyes of curious visitors at outreach • Shadows and Silhouettes: What are eclipses activities for your own outreach. You can check events. and transits, and how can we observe them? One them out by going to the NSN resource page at of our handiest demos is included in this kit: bit.ly/nsnresources and searching by keyword, We have developed toolkits dedicated to the “Yardstick Eclipse” model, which uses scale topic, or toolkit. The Night Sky Network is always many astronomy topics. The NSN’s current kit models of the Earth–Moon system to allow folks free to join if your club’s volunteers find our lineup includes: to demonstrate both lunar and solar eclipses. resources useful. • Exploring the Solar System: Model planets and Other activities show how planets are discovered —Dave Prosper dwarf planets are packed into this kit, scaled to around other stars. Program manager for amateur astronomy outreach at the Astronomical Society match the accompanying 1-meter square vinyl • Telescopes: Eyes on the Universe: Why do we put of the Pacific in San Francisco, California poster of the Sun. These props make for great So- telescopes in space, and how do they enhance lar System walks! The poster’s other side features and surpass human vision? This kit discusses the a top-down map of the Solar System on which science behind telescopes and includes “Why you can mark the current positions of planets and can’t we see the flag on the Moon?,” an activity SINCE 1926 notable NASA missions. demonstrating not just the difference between • Life in the Universe: Who doesn’t get asked magnification and resolution, but also the limits about aliens? This kit features a dive into astro- of our earthbound telescopes. biology, extremophiles, and the story of life on • Glass and Mirrors: How do telescopes work? How Earth. The vinyl banner features an Earth timeline do lenses and mirrors combine to make these activity on one side, and the other side showcases incredible tools? This kit contains a portable light STELLAFANE some of the watery worlds of our Solar System. bench setup that can be configured to create open CONVENTION Accompanying “Life in the Extreme” cards help models of reflector and refractor style telescopes. The Original Star Party visitors contemplate how life can survive and even • Supernova: What is the life cycle of stars, and thrive in seemingly inhospitable environments. how does the death of giant stars both trigger the AUGUST 1- 4, 2019 • Space Rocks: Asteroids, comets, and meteorites birth of new stars and create bizarre objects like Keynote Speaker Dr. Alan Stern of the New Horizons Mission are the focus of this popular toolkit. The “Meteor- neutron stars and black holes? How do the objects • Observing • Workshops & Talks • Homemade Telescope Competition • Fabulous Raf e • Legendary Swap Meet SAVE THE DATES! ONLINE REGISTRATION OPENS IN EARLY MAY. HARTNESS HOUSE WORKSHOP AUGUST 1 Advanced Telescope Making • Daylong workshop • Keynote speaker Richard Berry, former editor, Astronomy Magazine. (Separate Registration)

MORE INFO AT STELLAFANE.ORG

THE ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE 7 ALCON 2019 Registration Information: July 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 & 29

Mail completed form with your check made Registration Schedule payable to ALCON 2019 to: Please enter your Astronomical League, ALCON 2019 registration amount. 9201 Ward Parkway, Suite 100 Kansas City, MO 64114 AL Member Non-AL mem. Please use one form for each attendee. One check is Individual : ($60)_____ ($100)______acceptable for your group. You may also register at Couples registration: ($90)_____ ($130)______alcon2019.astroleague.org and make remittance with PayPal. Students: ($20)____ Children under 12 years of age who accompany Wed. and Thu. hotel accommodations: registered adults: FREE registration. (They will Holiday Inn Titusville: (321) 383-0240 need to pay for the optional KSC tour, however.) Name: ______Please give their names for ID badges. Name and Title for ALCon badge______If you are booked on the Royal Carribbean ______cruise, you MUST also register for ALCon.

Email address: ______To reserve your cruise cabin aboard the Royal Carribbean ship with a $100 deposit, please Mailing address: ______contact Marsha at Lin-Mar Travel, ______631-736-1049, [email protected]

City: ______State:______Remember: All cruise passengers must have a Telephone: ______passport valid through January 2020! Astronomical League Club Affiliation, or MAL or Lifetime, or Patron? ALCon 2019 ______Registration Summary

Thursday July 25 Kennedy Space Center Tour and Bus Registration______+ ($70 per person 12 years & older; $60 for 3 - 11 years old) Star BQ and Awards Ceremony on Total: ($70 per person 12 & older, $60 under 12) $ _____ Thursday night ($38)______+ Thursday Night Star-B-Que and Awards Ceremony, Kennedy Space Center Tour Holiday Inn: ($38 per person) $_____ Adult ($70)_____ + Children ($60)_____+ Keynote Speaker Derek Demeter Friday Bus to Pier ($36 per person, Are you an AL Master Observer?______, if yes # ______round trip)_____+ Have you already received a Master Observer plaque? _____ League Donation (Thank you!)______= Please help the League help amateur astronomy by making a tax deductible donation! $______Grand Total: $______

The organizers reserve the right to make changes to the event as necessary due to circumstances beyond their control. Astronomical League President William Bogardus 1949–2018

Ambassadors Program, and viewing He obtained his pilot’s license and total solar eclipses in China and taught as an instrument rated certi- the South Pacific. Of course, he and fied flight instructor. He was an his family witnessed the August aspiring apiarist. 21, 2017, eclipse from Casper, urviving are his wife, Kim S. Wyoming. It was Bill’s image of the S̨Palermo-Bogardus; three solar eclipse in China that graced all daughters: Nicole (Andrew) Astronomical League commemora- LaPlante, Peru, New York, Mandy tive lapel pins and materials for the Bogardus, Saranac Lake, New York, 2017 spectacle. He also traveled to and Katie (Tim) Kyle, Wethersfield, view the southern skies from Bolivia Connecticut; one stepson, Dave and Chile and observe auroras from (Jesse Heider-Ayling) Ayling, Sweden. His dabbling in astro- Toledo, Ohio; one stepdaughter, photography led to his image of Becca Bley, Cheektowaga, New York; Eta Carinae, below, which earlier four grandchildren; three brothers: appeared on the cover of the June James (Penny) III, Morristown, New 2015 Reflector. York, Bob (Helga), Holly Springs, ill led a big life, playing many North Carolina, and John (Fran), B̨parts. He started his com- Delmar, New York; one sister, Ann munity role while in high school (David) Fenlong, DeKalb Junction, in Morristown, New York, by New York; and several nieces, neph- being a guitarist in a local band, ews, and cousins. The Mustangs. After graduating Amateur astronomy and the from SUNY Potsdam, he became a communities he called home were high school physics teacher and lucky to have had Bill Bogardus eventually a principal. Later, he play very active roles. His star will served as an emergency medical always shine brightly in our hearts. stronomical League president tion, he ran for Astronomical League technician, a fire department chief, Bill is and will be sorely missed. ê Ą̨Bill Bogardus passed away office, becoming secretary in and a town justice for Morristown on Saturday, November 24, after 2009, then vice president in 2014. and Greenport, New York. Bill was a —John Jardine Goss a year-long illness. His wife, Kim, This past summer, Bill was elected classic car and airplane enthusiast. Past President, Astronomical League was at his side, and members of his Astronomical League president. family had comforted him over the In addition to his leadership Thanksgiving holidays. roles in the League, he created and Bill had been in active service to administered the Radio Astronomy the Astronomical League ever since Observing Program and revital- he received his Master Observer ized and administered the Master plaque at ALCon 2006 in Arlington, Observer Plaque Program. In 2013, Texas. He often remarked that his Bill received the G.R. Wright Award experiences at that event led him to for Outstanding Service to the actively participate in the Astro- Astronomical League. nomical League. He encouraged A few of his astronomy-re- his club, the Amateur Observers’ lated but non-League activities Society of New York, to host ALCon included being chosen in 2016 for 2009. After chairing that conven- the Astronomy in Chile Educator FROM AROUND THE LEAGUE

can provide to professional space information to club members: the club’s website address by April 1 probe missions. newsletter editor. to [email protected]. Congratulations, Damian, for Most of the time, newsletter receiving the 2018 Leslie Peltier editors don’t get much recognition DEADLINE APPROACHES FOR Award! for their steady task of keeping THE 2019 MABEL STERNS NEWSLETTER EDITOR AWARD 2019 PELTIER AWARD the membership informed about NOMINATIONS OPEN what goes on in their astronomy The Mabel Sterns Newsletter clubs. They publish newsletters, Editor Award recognizes the The Astronomical League’s despite often not having enough work of club newsletter editors Leslie C. Peltier Award committee material to fill the edition, magi- across the country. The deadline requests nominations for 2019. cally creating interesting articles for submissions is March 31, The award was established in at the last minute. 2019. The nomination package 1980 to honor the man Harlow With this competitive award, should contain a letter from the Shapley once called “the world’s DAMIAN A. PEACH WINS the strengths and weaknesses of club president or vice president greatest living amateur astron- 2018 LESLIE C. PELTIER each newsletter must be weighed. telling why their newsletter editor omer.” It is presented to an AWARD Many attributes might be should be considered for the amateur astronomer who has con- amian A. Peach, FRAS, is a considered, from specific forms award, a recent issue of the news- tributed to astronomical observa- British amateur astronomer, of content such as membership letter, and a photo of the newslet- D tions of lasting significance. astrophotographer, lecturer, and information, meeting information, ter editor, preferably taken in an author. He is best known for his Scott Roberts of Explore or astronomical calendars to astronomical setting. Including photographs of a variety of astro- Scientific generously sponsors the more subjective ones such as the the URL where electronic copies nomical objects, and his career in award, which is presented annual- appearances of its masthead and of past newsletters are posted the field spans nearly thirty years. ly at ALCon. Details of the award, layout. on the club’s website would also and a list of past recipients, may be helpful. In addition, the postal Peach’s passion for astrono- The 2018 Mabel Sterns News- be found on the Astronomical address of the newsletter editor my began in 1988 when he was letter Editor Award winners were: League webpage at astroleague should be included. The names inspired by books in his school .org/al/awards/peltier/peltiers • 1st place: Terry Dufek, of both the newsletter editor and library. Twelve years later, he .html. Popular Astronomy Club the nominating club officer must joined the British Astronomical Nominations must be received • 2nd place: Brian Thieme, appear on the general member- Association, and since then has Warren Astronomical Society ship roster of the Astronomical contributed many observations to before April 1, 2019. Unsuccessful • 3rd place: Dave Thomas, League. The newsletter nomina- its various observing sections. He nominations will be kept on file for consideration in subsequent Roanoke Valley Astronomical tion materials may be submitted has also written and coauthored years. Society by any of these three methods: many papers in the organization’s 1. The preferable method journal. Nominations may be sent to the committee chair, Roger THE 2019 is emailing the materials. The He has provided astronomical S. Kolman, PhD, at rskolman@ WEBMASTER AWARD supporting club letter and an images for magazines and books issue of the newsletter should abcglobal.net. he Astronomical League’s throughout his career. His images be attached in Adobe PDF format, Webmaster Award acknowl- and articles on astrophotography ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE’S T although Microsoft Word format edges the club webmaster who have been featured in Astronomy, 2018 MABEL STERNS is acceptable. The editor’s does an outstanding job of web- Sky & Telescope, Astronomy Now, NEWSLETTER EDITOR photograph should be attached site design and maintenance. and Sky at Night magazines. AWARDS as a high-resolution JPEG • The webmaster of any current He was a coauthor on several abel Sterns was the file. Please email entries to Astronomical League member professional scientific papers on Astronomical League’s SternsNewsletter@astroleague M club is eligible. planetary astronomy, with a spe- first newsletter editor and this is .org. cial focus on Mars and Jupiter. the seventeenth year of granting • The website will be judged on 2. If electronic submission is Peach’s work has been used the Newsletter Editor Award in its content, appearance, ease of impossible, paper copies may be by NASA and ESA to illustrate her honor. The award recognizes navigation, and ability to attract mailed through the postal service what ground-based telescopes one of the most important people people. to the League’s national office. can achieve in photographing in any club, a person who is a • Club presidents, please send Four copies of the letter of recom- the planets and the support they primary source of beneficial webmaster nominations and the mendation and four copies of the 10 REFLECTOR ✶ MARCH 201 9 10 REFLECTOR ✶ MARCH 2019 newsletter are required. Only one ed but often misinformed public, AL interim vice president Carroll If you are interested in using your copy of the photograph is needed. to spark interest in the young, Iorg, vicepresident@astroleague talents to serve in one of these 3. If the newsletter is avail- and to promote your club, all .org. important positions, we would able on the club’s website, then simply by personally introducing INFORMATION like to hear from you. Please its web address (URL) should be people to the wonders encoun- TECHNOLOGY MANAGER volunteer! tered in amateur astronomy. given along with any password fter 12 years, the League’s For specific information Look on the AL website for these required to access it. The editor’s ̨̨information technology regarding the duties and helpful Astronomy Day materials: A photograph (JPEG) and club rec- manager is retiring. We have im- responsibilities of these two the Astronomy Day Handbook ommendation letter (PDF) can be mediate openings for candidates offices, please refer to the (astroleague.org/al/astroday submitted in an email as instruct- with experience in: League’s bylaws, which can be ed in method 1. /astrobook.html) and Outreach accessed on the League website Downloads (astroleague.org/ • Unix/Linux and the Ubuntu It is strongly recommended at astroleague.org. content/outreach-downloads- operating system that the Astronomical League’s Candidates should send the astronomical-league). • Configuring firewalls and host- logo be prominently displayed in nominating committee chair, based intrusion detection the newsletter, preferably on the If you would like to help Carroll Iorg, vicepresident@ systems (HIDS) front page. administer this great program of astroleague.org, background state- bringing astronomy to the people, • Apache web server configura- For complete information ments explaining why they are please contact Gary Tomlinson, tion and SSL certificates about the 2019 Mabel Sterns interested along with a photo of [email protected]. Newsletter Editor Award pro- • Administration of a Drupal themselves for publication in the gram, please see astroleague.org Astronomy Day 2019: May 11 content management system Reflector. Please limit statements /al/awards/sterns/sternss.html. and October 5! and programming Drupal modules to approximately 250 words. All Contact president@ nomination materials must be 2018 ASTRONOMICAL submitted by March 31, 2019. LEAGUE WEBMASTER astroleague.org if you are willing to take on this challenge. AWARD WINNER Volunteers ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE OFFICER SUCCESSION ongratulations to Shawn GRANT WRITER ̨Loescher and Curt Lam- Needed illiam Bogardus, 34th e have a new volunteer C president of the Astro- bert of the Back Bay Amateur ̨position for a grant W W nomical League, passed away on Astronomers (backbayastro.org) CHAIR OF THE writer. The qualified individual Saturday, November 24. He was on their selection as the winners will have demonstrated success ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE active in the Astronomical League of the 2018 Astronomical League in writing and securing financial WEBMASTER AWARD since 2006 and held the offices of Webmaster Award. grants at the local, regional, he Astronomical League is secretary and vice president. He The selection committee eval- corporate, and national levels. ̨seeking a qualified individual was elected president this past uated the submitted websites on T These grants will enable your who would like to chair the Web- summer and began his term on their content, ease of navigation, League to develop additional master Award. Duties for this po- September 1. The Astronomical and ability to attract people. The programs in outreach, observing sition include placing announce- League was very fortunate to Back Bay Amateur Astronomers programs, expansion of the ments in the Reflector and in have him as an active member are fortunate to have such a won- Reflector, STE(A)M, and a host social media, assembling a team and as an officer. Bill will be derful and informative website. of other projects. The League of judges, collecting the nomina- missed. does many things with an annual 2018 ASTRONOMY tions, reviewing the eligibility of budget of about $100,000. Astronomical League bylaws DAY WINNERS the nominees, sending nomination Imagine what we could do with provide a course for officer suc- materials to the judges, tallying • Large Metro Area, $150: No an additional $25,000 or $50,000 cession in the event of the death the results, notifying the winner, winner per year – literally, the sky’s the of the president: writing a brief announcement for • Medium Metro Area, $150: limit! Contact president@ the Reflector and social media, 1. Article II, Sect. 4.b. “The Roanoke Valley astroleague.org if you can assist. and ordering and mailing the Vice-President shall assist the Astronomical Society award plaque. CALL FOR LEAGUE President in the discharge of his/ • Small Metro Area, $150: This is your chance to help OFFICER NOMINATIONS her duties and perform them Travelers Science Dome at in the case of absence, death, the Astronomical League help he two-year term of the office the Gengras Planetarium disability or resignation of the amateur astronomy by recogniz- of secretary, and the three- T President.” • Best New Idea, $50: Roanoke ing some of those individuals who year term of the office of Valley Astronomical Society make astronomy happen. Inter- executive secretary, end on 2. Article II, Sect. 4.f. “In the Astronomy Day presents an ested? Please contact either AL August 31, 2019. (The one-year event of death, resignation or excellent opportunity to increase immediate past president John appointment of the current execu- disability of any executive officer science awareness in an interest- Goss, [email protected], or tive secretary ends on August 31.) other than the President, the THE ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE 11 President shall appoint a succes- and excitedly announcing what sor to fill the unexpired term.” you are showing. Next, make 3. Article II, Sect. 3.c. “For it possible for them to share purposes of this subsection photos via social media. Attach appointment or succession to a universal phone cradle to an an office with more than one (1) eyepiece for taking photos of year remaining in an term shall targets like the Moon or planets. be regarded as a term of office.” Always let passersby know you are specifically set up for sharing Following the succession out- photos to Instagram, Facebook, lined in the bylaws, AL vice pres- or Snapchat. Allow them to take ident Ron Kramer became the photos themselves, so they can 35th president of the Astronom- say “I took that photo,” but assist ical League effective November if necessary. 24. This will begin his first term holding that office. President What you think you know Kramer has appointed Carroll about young people may Iorg to serve as vice president. ways in which I have found suc- and YouTube all have live video cess engaging with young people, streaming options by which you not be true, nor will it be primarily those at the college can share astronomy virtually in consistent from one year to level, using social media. real time. the next. They do love space Astronomy and astronomy. Neil deGrasse Younger generations do not he Baton Rouge Astronomical Tyson is a superstar to younger Outreach use email as much as their prede- TSociety, to which I belong, generations, after all. Embrace cessors. Even college professors uses Facebook to live stream the live streaming as an alternative Through face difficulty reaching students Moon at public events. Many to traditional outreach. Share via email, so amateur astrono- college students use GroupMe for your own astronomy images via mers should not make the same classes, so they already have the these same platforms. Keep peo- Social Media mistake. Sharing information app on their phones. I use ple coming back by inviting them through email and text messages GroupMe to announce observing to follow you on social media. is being replaced by sharing on sessions and satellite passes. Your enthusiasm must be both t 40 years old and a member social media platforms. Sharing an event on social media contagious and Internet-connect- Ą̨̨̨of Generation X, I bridge can reach more people than ed. Go forward with the idea that the gap between a time when It is time for amateur those that can attend in person, we cannot reach everyone, but, the Internet did not exist and an astronomers to become especially if the link is shared as advocates for the scientific increasingly Internet-connected familiar with how to use widely. community, we have an obligation world. Social media is the next Instagram, Facebook, Snap- to introduce young people to The most important step exciting frontier on the Internet chat, GroupMe, and YouTube astronomy through social media. where the younger generation for outreach. For instance, toward introducing young people —Coy Wagoner lives. Unfortunately, amateur Snapchat allows location-based to astronomy is to go directly to Baton Rouge Astronomical Society astronomy is having difficulty video sharing via a heat map them. Set up in places they fre- connecting with young people via interface that can be used to quent, even if light pollution is a outreach through social media. I publicly promote an event as it is problem. Be proactive in bringing would like to share with you the happening. Facebook, Instagram, people to the eyepiece by clearly AAVSO American Association of Variable Star Observers

Discover the universe through variable stars and contribute to science Join today! www.aavso.org

12 REFLECTOR ✶ MARCH 201 9 Stephen Andrews, Silver, Kern Astronomical Nova Observing Program Raymond Petroff, Oklahoma City Astronomy Society; No. 41, George J Robinson, No. 3, W. Maynard Pittendreigh, Silver, Club; No 1083-O, Richard Mannarino, Observing Gold, Member-at-Large Lifetime Member; No. 4, Michael A. Hotka, Escambia Amateur Astronomers Association; Gold, Longmont Astronomical Society; No. No. 1084-O, Daryel Stager, Member-at-Large; Deep Sky Binocular Observing Program 5, W. Maynard Pittendreigh, Gold, Lifetime No. 1085-O, Ed LaBelle, Psalm 19 Astronomy No. 403, Daniel Otte, Southern Oregon Member; No. 6, Brad Young, Gold, Astronomy Society; No. 1085-M, Ed LaBelle, Psalm 19 Awards Skywatchers; No. 404, Charles E. Allen III, Club of Tulsa Astronomy Society; No. 1086-O, Chris Lasley, Evansville Astronomical Society Central Arkansas Astronomical Society; No. Outreach Observing Award Double Star Observing Program 1087-O, Jane Wood, Ancient City Astronomy Advanced Binocular Double Star No. 498-M, Steve Layman, Charlottesville No. 617, DeWayne Carver, Tallahassee Club; No. 1088-O, Jeffrey Corder, Ancient City Observing Program Astronomical Society; No. 513-S, Susie Astronomical Society; No. 618, Steve Benham, Astronomy Club; No. 1089-O, Joe Komiathy, No. 31, Don Knabb, Chester County Stahlhut, Northeast Florida Astronomical Rose City Astronomers; No. 619, Will Young, Ancient City Astronomy Club; No. 1090-O, Astronomical Society; No. 32, Michael C. Neal, Society; No. 536-S, Steve Arthurton, Astronomical Society of Southeast Texas; No. Judy Dolehanty, Ancient City Astronomy Echo Ridge Astronomical Society Oklahoma City Astronomy Club; No. 543-S, 620, Doug Lively, Raleigh Astronomy Club Club; No. 1091-O, Kalwant Grewal, Ancient David Huntz, Oklahoma City Astronomy Club; City Astronomy Club; No. 1092-O, Lilian Arp Peculiar Galaxies Northern Flat Galaxy Observing Program No. 547-S, William Murrell, Oklahoma City Rodriguez, Ancient City Astronomy Club; No. Observing Program Astronomy Club; No. 608-S, Russ Wheeler, No. 34, Marie Lott, Honorary, Atlanta 1093-O, Linda Paul, Ancient City Astronomy No. 91-V, Jeff Hoffmeister, Olympic Oklahoma City Astronomy Club; No. 695-S, Astronomy Club; No. 35, Mark Simonson, Club; No. 1094-O, Lisa Baird, Ancient City Astronomical Society Ed Averyt, Oklahoma City Astronomy Club; Honorary, Everett Astronomical Society Astronomy Club; No. 1095-O, Lyle Guzman, No. 701-S, Chris Petroff, Oklahoma City Asterism Observing Program Ancient City Astronomy Club; No. 1096-O, Astronomy Club; No. 760-S, Joe Khalaf, No. 48, Charles E. Allen III, The Evansville Globular Cluster Observing Program Lynne Pouliot, Ancient City Astronomy Houston Astronomical Society; No. Astronomical Society; No. 49, Douglas Smith, No. 316-V, Alfred Schovanez III, Astronomical Club; No. 1097-O, Margy Lang, Ancient City 767-M, Stephen H. Rand, New Hampshire Tucson Amateur Astronomical Society Society of Eastern Missouri; No. 317-V, Astronomy Club; No. 1098-O, Mike Napper, William Kocken, Minnesota Astronomical Astronomical Society; No. 797-M, Donald Ancient City Astronomy Club; No. 1099-O, Asteroid Observing Program Society; No. 318-V, Russell Carpenter, Sonora Morris, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. Neal Brown, Ancient City Astronomy Club; No. 52, Vincent Michael Bournique, Astronomical Society; No. 319-V, Robert 817-M, Charles Hale, Fort Bend Astronomy No. 1100-O, Robert Huerbsch, Ancient City Regular, Lifetime Member; Harrison, Patron Member; No. 320-V, Lisa Club; No. 849-O, Rand Bowden, Roanoke Astronomy Club; No. 1101-O, Rod Paul, No. 53, Tom Gazzillo, Regular, Wentzel, Twin City Amateur Astronomers Valley Astronomical Society; No. 864-S, Ancient City Astronomy Club; No. 1102-O, Chesmont Astronomical Society Anika Patel, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. Sharon Flemings, Ancient City Astronomy Lunar Observing Program 865-S, Sanjiv Patel, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. 1103-O, Skip Whitford, Ancient Beyond Polaris No. 1039, Michael R. Martin, Roanoke Valley Club; No. 945-S, Jeff Bennett, Fort Bend City Astronomy Club; No. 1104-S, Beth No. 19, Michael C. Neal, Echo Ridge Astronomical Society; No. 1040, Charles E. Astronomy Club; No. 948-S, Michael Neal, Mansbridge, Ancient City Astronomy Club; No. Astronomical Society; No. 20, Carlos Gramajo, Allen III, Evansville Astronomical Society; No. Echo Ridge Astronomical Society; No. 995-S, 1105-S, Bob Wolski, Ancient City Astronomy North Houston Astronomy Club; No. 21, 1041, Allen Klus, Tucson Amateur Astronomy Patrick Birck, Prescott Astronomy Club; No. Club; No. 1106-O, David Penney, Ancient City Joana Tan, North Houston Astronomy Club Association; No. 1042-B, Rick Eberhart, 998-S, Jerry Shaw, Prescott Astronomy Astronomy Club; No. 1107-O, Gary Charnoski, Binocular, Rose City Astronomers; No. 1043, Binocular Double Star Club; No. 1009-S, Scott Cadwallader, Baton Ancient City Astronomy Club; No.1108-O, Stephen Rand, New Hampshire Astronomical Observing Program Rouge Astronomical Society; No. 1014-S, Amy Dornier, Astronomical Society of Society; No. 1044, Mike Reitmajer, Rose City No. 138, Matt Allen, Omaha Astronomical Andy Flowers, Tallahassee Astronomical Southeast Texas; No. 1109-O, Doug Dornier, Astronomers; No. 1045, Jason Brant Dodson, Society; No. 139, Charles E. Allen III, Society; No. 1017-S, Stephen L. Snider, Astronomical Society of Southeast Texas NASA Langley Exchange Skywatchers; No. Evansville Astronomical Society; No. 140, The Albuquerque Astronomical Society; 1046, Angelo Serra, Member-at-Large Edward Swaim, Central Arkansas Astronomical No. 1021-S, Ed Magowan, Escambia Planetary Nebula Observing Program Amateur Astronomers Association; No. No. 36, Alfred Schovanez III, Basic, Manual, Society; No. 141, Jerelyn Ramirez, Kansas Mars Observing Program: 1059-O, Joshua Johnson, Big Bear Valley Astronomical Society of Eastern Missouri; Astronomical Observers; No. 142, Kristine No. 1, W. Maynard Pittendreigh, Lifetime Larsen, Springfield Telescope Makers Astronomical Society; No. 1060-O, Peter No. 73, Valorie Whalen, Advanced, Atlanta Member; No. 2, Mark Simonson, Everett Detterline, Member-at-Large; No. 1061-O, Astronomy Club Binocular Messier Observing Program Astronomical Society; No. 3, Aaron Clevenson, Jim McDowell, Prescott Astronomy Club; Radio Astronomy Observing Program No. 1155, Ken Wilson, Richmond North Houston Astronomy Club No. 1062-O, Gregory T. Shanos, Local No. 19-S, Fred Schumacher, Member-at- Astronomical Society; No. 1156, Dan Delzell, Master Observer Award Group of Deep Sky Observers and Museum Prairie Astronomy Club; No. 1157, Fernando Astronomical Resource Society; No. 1063-O, Large; No. 20-S, Dennis Farr, Museum Torres, The Albuquerque Astronomical Society OBSERVER Dwight Willman, Prescott Astronomy Club; Astronomical Resource Society; No. 21-S, Daniel Otte, Southern Oregon Skywatchers No. 1064-O, Daniel Otte, Southern Oregon Mike Stewart, Astronomical Society of Kansas Binocular Variable Star Observing City; No. 10-G, Aaron Clevenson, North MASTER OBSERVER Sky Watchers; No. 1065-O, Paul Jones, Program Houston Astronomy Club No. 216, Charles E. Allen III, Ancient City Astronomy Club; No. 1065-S, No. 32, Becky Ramotowski, The Albuquerque Paul Jones, Ancient City Astronomy Club; No. Astronomical Society Evansville Astronomical Society Sketching Observing Award 1065-M, Paul Jones, Ancient City Astronomy No. 29, George J. Robinson, Member-at- BINOCULAR MASTER OBSERVER Caldwell Observing Program Club; No. 1066-O, Robin Jones, Ancient City Large; No. 30, Thomas Baskins, Central Steve Boerner, Member-at-Large; Nora Jean SILVER AWARDS Astronomy Club; No. 1066-O, Josh Jones, Arkansas Astronomical Society; No. 31, Peter Chetnik, Member-at-Large; Rakhal Kincaid, Ancient City Astronomy Club; No. 1067-O, No. 251, Steve Goldberg, Houston Detterline, Member-at-Large; No. 32; Charles Haleakala Amateur Astronomers; Al Lamperti, Anil Ketkar, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; Astronomical Society; No. 252, Alfred E. Allen, Evansville Astronomical Society Delaware Valley Amateur Astronomers; No. 1068-O, Annabella Quesada, Fort Bend Schovanez III, Astronomical Society of David Whalen, Atlanta Astronomy Club Astronomy Club; No. 1070-O, Sonny Manley, Sky Puppy Observing Program Eastern Missouri; No. 253, Alan Scott, The Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. 1071-O, Mark No. 52, Jakob Ridings, Houston Astronomical Albuquerque Astronomical Society; No. 254, Messier Observing Program Chapman, Minnesota Astronomical Society; Society; No. 53, Danielle Emmons, Member- Seth Jelen, Rose City Astronomers; No. 255 No. 2787, Mike Reitmajer, Honorary, No. 1072-O, John Walker, Escambia Amateur at-Large; No. 54, Miles Grzyb, Member- Charles E. Allen III, Evansville Astronomical Rose City Astronomers; No. 2796, Brian Astronomers Association; No. 1073-S, Dennis at-Large; No. 55, Matthew Palmeri, Kansas Society McGuinness, Regular, Northern Colorado H. Hausch, Escambia Amateur Astronomers Astronomical Observers; No. 56, Alaina Bruce, Astronomical Society; No. 2797, Phyllis Eide, GOLD AWARDS Association; No. 1074-O, David Decker, San Kansas Astronomical Observers; No.57, Evelyn Regular, Spokane Astronomical Society No. 31, Alan Scott, The Albuquerque Diego Astronomy Association; No. 1075-O, Bruce, Kansas Astronomical Observers Astronomical Society NASA Observing Challenge – InSight Graham Smith, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. Two in the View Observing Program 1076-O, Glenn Smith, Fort Bend Astronomy Carbon Star Observing Program Steve Boerner, Member-at-Large; Scott No. 34, Bill Kocken, Minnesota Astronomical Club; No. 1077-O, Annie Wargetz, Fort Bend No. 97, Robert Harrison, Patron Member; Cadwallader, Baton Rouge Astronomical Society Society; Aaron Clevenson, North Houston Astronomy Club; No. 1078-O, Tina Fraizer, No. 98, Stephen L. Snider, The Albuquerque Oklahoma City Astronomy Club; No. 1079-O, Variable Star Observing Program Astronomical Society Astronomy Club; Dan Crowson, Astronomical Society of Eastern Missouri; W. Maynard Tony Fraizer, Oklahoma City Astronomy Club; No. 31, Raymond B. Howard, Patron Member; Comet Observing Program Pittendreigh, Lifetime Member; Gregory T. No. 1080-O, Andy Fryhover, Oklahoma City No. 32, David Whalen, Atlanta Astronomy Club No. 102, Ed Valla, Silver, Tallahassee Shanos, Local Group of Deep Sky Observers; Astronomy Club; No. 1081-O, Mike Mitchell, Astronomical Society; No. 103, Mark Simonson, Everett Astronomical Society Oklahoma City Astronomy Club; No. 1082-O, THE ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE 13 Basic Small-Scope Lunar Imaging By Jamey L. Jenkins

lowly 2.4-inch (60 mm) telescope, will also apply to those possessing less resolving power, medium- sized telescopes. can perform well. I use a 5-inch GETTING STARTED f/18 achromatic scope and 4-inch f/7 ED refractor for lunar and et’s say you’ve set up your solar observing. “Achromatic” L̨̨̨small scope to view the means the objective lens has two evening first-quarter phase Moon. elements, usually one of flint During the session you decide glass and the other of crown it might be a great idea to snap glass, bringing different colors some pictures to share with of light to nearly the same focus. fellow club members via email, “ED” is an acronym for extra-low Facebook, or perhaps through dispersion; the 4-inch has two a favorite e-group; after all this lens elements of a more exotic is why we do casual imaging, to glass, bringing refracted colors inspire fellow observers and to to an even closer focus than an share! achromatic lens. Some high-end You must have a camera to refracting telescopes have three record the view through the or four elements to the objective telescope. Frankly, just about any lens; these are called apochro- camera will do. I’ve seen increas- matic (meaning colorless) and can ingly acceptable Moon shots easily bust your budget. While taken with a cell phone held up to there are reflecting and catadi- an eyepiece. This is fine if you are optric (lens/mirror) telescopes content with only the occasional in the “small” category, most of “lucky” photo, but if you want to these telescopes are a bit larger; show the world what can really still, the suggestions in this article be seen through your telescope,

June 8, 2016, Moon with DMK41 camera and William Optics 102 mm f/7 refractor. This is a two-frame mosaic shot through a K2 yellow filter. Amateur astronomical photography, HOW LARGE IS SMALL? or imaging in today’s vernacular, n this article, we will consider used to be a craft pursued by ̨̨a small telescope to be one of only a few ambitious hobbyists. I 5-inch aperture or less. Often, However, the digital camera rev- these are refractors, usually por- olution of the 1990s changed that forever by opening the door for table and equatorially mounted novices to capture impressive with a tracking mechanism. Dob- pictures of celestial bodies. While sonian or tripod-mounted alt-az- some types of astro-imaging are imuth telescopes can be used, better suited to large light buckets but the ability to follow the Moon and exotic cameras, interesting and across the sky with an equatorial educational images of our near- mount is definitely a plus. The by Moon can be made with small theoretical resolution of a 5-inch backyard telescopes and inexpensive telescope is one arcsecond, capa- digital or video cameras. That is ble of providing a detailed view of what we will discuss in this article: lunar features (although imperfect capturing basic Moon photos with a seeing usually prevents captur- small backyard scope. ing images this sharp). Even the “Supermoon” from November 14, 2016. A single frame shot with the 102 mm f/7 refractor and a Nikon D3000 DSLR.

14 REFLECTOR ✶ MARCH 2019 more planning is necessary. These specific equipment, and then you Begin by centering the Moon ability to create a video with a days, two possible solutions top can apply that experience to your in the camera’s viewfinder high frame rate, a requirement my list for capturing consistently circumstances. I use a low-cost and focusing carefully. If you for overcoming the poor seeing of clear and detailed lunar images: Nikon D3000 purchased in 2009 find it difficult to tell if an accu- a turbulent atmosphere. Webcams a digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) from a local Wal-Mart. The rate focus is obtained, then fo- are compact affairs, sometimes camera or a dedicated “webcam” primary advantage of this DSLR cus-bracket your shots. To do this, weighing no more than a modern imager intended for solar, lunar, is its large sensor, enabling me to find a position clearly just inside eyepiece, therefore avoiding and planetary work. take wider-field shots than is proper focus and adjust incre- balance issues with the telescope. PRIME FOCUS IMAGING possible with a webcam imager. mentally to the outside of proper any makes and models focus, shooting pictures at each ̨̨of Solar System cameras The most basic form of position as the focus is advanced. M telescopic imaging with are on the market, and I cannot Invariably some pictures will be instruct you on the use of your either a DSLR or Solar System in focus. Use a slow ISO setting camera is the direct objective particular camera. I use an of perhaps 100 – there is plenty Imaging Source DMK41 mono- or prime focus technique. of lunar light at prime focus, so In prime focus imaging, a camera chrome camera for my pics, but there is no need for ultra-sensi- minus its lens is inserted in place most of my recommendations are tive CCD chips. Optimal exposure of an eyepiece at the telescope. also suitable for other webcams. time is determined by the optical Light gathered by the telescopic Attachment to the telescope is system’s focal ratio. The faster objective is focused directly onto accomplished with the correct the telescopic system, the less the light sensitive chip of the size of screw-in nosepiece. exposure is needed. Be certain to camera, using your telescope as A webcam requires a comput- set the camera to manual mode, a large telephoto lens. The size er to run image capture software starting with a medium range of the Moon at focus is deter- to obtain either a single snapshot Nikon D3000 DSLR with T-ring and 2-inch exposure (such as 1/100 second) mined by the focal length of the focuser adapter. Button device in foreground or a multiple-frame video of the and adjusting accordingly, faster telescope; the longer the focal is for remote hands-off shutter activation. moon. Adjustments to the live or slower, until the image appears length, the larger the Moon. You camera view are made via this n adapter called a T-ring is properly exposed. Watch for can calculate the approximate lu- software controlling the sensi- ̨̨ necessary to attach a saturation at the limb where the nar diameter formed on the chip A tivity, contrast, exposure time, DSLR, minus its camera lens, to Moon appears brightest, which by multiplying the focal length and frame rate (the number of a telescope. Another accessory may wash out detail. Use remote by 0.009. Advantages with this frames captured per second) of with a nosepiece of the appro- shutter activation or whatever type of imaging include superior the camera. priate size (1.25 or 2 inches) technique is necessary to prevent definition and highest light trans- screws into the T-ring to connect vibrations from ruining the mission. In other words, prime the camera to the focuser. These picture. Take dozens, if not more, focus imaging is the fastest and nosepieces are often threaded to pictures! The number one rule sharpest optical arrangement for accept standard eyepiece filters, of successful lunar photography capturing pictures. A disadvan- an advantage that will be useful is to shoot as many pictures as tage of prime focus, however, can as you gain experience. In order possible, being prepared to throw be the small size of the Moon; this to reduce the effects of vibration away most of them because of can be counteracted by inserting in the telescope/camera combi- poor focus or atmospheric smear. an amplifying positive or negative nation, the camera should allow a That’s about all it takes to capture lens system into the optical path delayed shutter release or the use basic Moon images at prime focus to enlarge the Moon. Neverthe- of remote activation. with a DSLR. less, I always recommend an Lightweight DMK41 video camera The idea here is to trip the observer start with prime focus SOLAR SYSTEM CAMERA imaging, and master that skill shutter without your fingers being ost cameras come with before attempting any amplifying in contact with, and shaking, hile impressive lunar M̨̨their own proprietary techniques. the camera. Some cameras may W images are possible with capture software; custom soft- still have a source of vibration the typical DSLR, my experience ware can also be used for image WORKING WITH A DSLR from a dysfunction called mirror is that consistent high-quality capture. One very popular free- odern DSLRs have many slap or bounce. Mirror bounce is pictures result when using a ware is FireCapture, developed M̨̨features that vary prevented by locking the mirror in dedicated video Solar System by Torsten Edelmann. A unique between models, so you must be an up position before the shutter camera, commonly known as a feature of FireCapture is the log familiar with your particular is activated; some models allow webcam. Generally, a dedicated sheet created for each video. camera’s operation before going this. Vibration from the shutter video camera will have finer The log contains data such as out under the night sky. I can mechanism itself may be avoided pixels, more pixels (in the observer, location, scope, camera, note what has worked with my by using a fast shutter speed. monochrome version), and the date, details of the exposure, and THE ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE 15 necessary to edit the images an artifact called “ringing” where with appropriate software. The the edge of a feature (such as the sharpest frames from a video are lunar limb) takes on an unnatural combined into a single frame in a appearance. Save the original process known as stacking. (Sin- file in TIFF format and make gle pictures from a DSLR can also copies for posting in JPEG format, be stacked.) Freeware options for which is usable in practically all stacking include RegiStax, Avi- applications. Stack, and AutoStakkert!, the last being the current favorite among TIPS AND TRICKS Solar System imagers. Software here are a few tricks the downloads and instructional vid- T beginning lunar imager can eos of their use are easily found implement to insure successful online. results. The elevation of the Moon Stacking of images is done to reduce noise, while increasing signal strength, thereby improving detail and resolution. The single or stacked image will be further ad- justed using image-manipulating software. Quality digital photos require calibrating in order to even out pixel sensitivity and remove artifacts created during the imaging process. In my lunar photos I’ve found that the dark and bias frames can be neglected, particularly because we are not creating “science” images, just ca- sual snaps to share with friends. Last-quarter Moon with the 102 mm f/7 refractor and DMK41 camera, October 23, 2016 However, flat frames, which settings of shutter, gamma, and so that there are enough of the highlight uneven chip sensitivity, gain. Generation of the log sheet best frames to justify processing. dust particles on the chip, and frees the observer from making Good seeing also encourages imperfections of the optical sys- copious notes during an imaging capturing many frames because tem, are best utilized by the lunar session. many high-quality frames are then photographer. Again, this article available for stacking, improving The same area of the Moon taken under ecause the Moon is a bright is not the place for detailed how- different lighting conditions. Near Mare object, I typically keep the the detail seen in the image. to instructions, so if you are not Nectaris we see the rugged crater trio B of Theophilus, Cyrillus, and Catharina. versed in obtaining flat frames, gain setting to a minimum in Exposure is adjusted so that Theophilus is 61 miles in diameter, and its order to minimize noise within the brightest regions of the image please consult one of the many central four mountain peaks are approx- tutorials available online. imately 1400 meters high. The smallest the image. Gamma is usually at a do not saturate. The histogram craters visible on the floor of Mare Nectaris setting that maintains a normal feature of FireCapture is great Adobe Photoshop is a are two miles in diameter. Top: April 13, 2016, imaged with a 125 mm f/18 refractor balance in image contrast. for graphically depicting exposure standard tool for editing image and DMK41 camera. Bottom: June 2, 2017, These adjustments can be characteristics; do not let the bar characteristics such as cropping, with a 125 mm f/18 refractor, K2 tweaked to suit the observer. extend beyond 80 or 90 percent, histogram adjustment, and sharp- yellow filter, and DMK41 video camera. These images were cropped from the Focus is accomplished on the to the right of the histogram. ening. Freeware alternatives to author’s larger images. computer screen via the live cam- Again, the best practice is to Photoshop include GIMP, the GNU era view. Set the frame rate as always record as many individual Image Manipulation Program. above the horizon is an important high as possible considering the videos as is practical. This will Most images will be improved consideration. The higher the amount of light available from the increase chances of capturing with a stretching of the dynamic elevation (optimal is the zenith) Moon. I’ve found that successful sharp images. range of the photo and at least the better in order to reduce images are best created from vid- a mild sharpening. Make the ad- the amount of atmosphere that eos of several hundred to several POST-PROCESSING IMAGES justments to suit your preference, lunar light passes through before thousand frames. Poor seeing ne- fter the single snaps or taking care to avoid over-sharpen- reaching the telescope. Thicker cessitates capturing many frames, Ą̨videos are obtained, it is ing the image, which can create atmosphere produces more 16 REFLECTOR ✶ MARCH 201 9 turbulence, a dimmer view, and lunar phases are best imaged in when reduced to a standard view- sharing the images with friends, increased atmospheric disper- the springtime with the Moon ing size, the overall image will I like to identify features in my sion (smearing white light into a higher in the western evening appear to have better resolution. pictures using lunar maps. As rainbow). To combat those issues, sky. Another practical tip is to Therefore, when planning your I learn the names of craters, when possible, image the Moon attempt imaging a bit before the pictures, always consider having mountains, domes, and valleys, I high in the sky. Lunar images are Sun has set, continuing through- some overlap between nearby note the tiniest craters visible in more-or-less grayscale images out twilight; seeing is often better regions to allow the creation of a my images to discover just how with extremely weak colors. during this period, before the sky mosaic. fine the view was on the evening I Introducing deep yellow, orange, gets completely dark. observed. Sometimes it’s amazing or red filters into the optical train Less-than-superb images can GIVE IT A TRY because many of these tiny areas when producing grayscale images be salvaged by pasting several maging the lunar surface with just don’t catch the eye’s attention tends to improve seeing condi- together into a mosaic. The field I a small telescope can be a fun until the final image is studied in- tions and limit dispersion. Early of view will be much wider and, and educational activity. Besides tently on the computer screen.ê

THE ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE 17 The Vault of Heaven Treasures of the Linda Hall Library

years after that, on September the 1759 “Commonplace Book,” 21, 1843, someone had recorded once the property of William Her- the position of Uranus on the schel. It is a large notebook-like plate of Pisces, beneath the tail volume dressed in a white leather of the westernmost fish. But these cover. Within, his bold script con- were serendipitous finds, and veyed purpose as he had recorded time constrained me from looking formulas and sketches relating further. Many other such historic to optics and observations. My notations must lie hidden, unseen eye was drawn to a precisely ren- for hundreds of years, among dered illustration he had labeled By Bob Kerr NASA science missions. Members the pages of these well-used star “A Reflecting Microscope.” About of the Astronomical Society of catalogs awaiting discovery. a third of the book remained The comfortably appointed Kansas City regularly benefit unused, and I pondered with what room in which I sat was quiet, Next, I turned my attention to from special library access nights lit well, and furnished with and attend featured lectures and broad tables of polished exhibitions. wood. At the far end, oppo- site the entryway, were long, This day, I was visiting to waist-high bookcases filled with experience firsthand the astron- substantial looking reference omy-related publications within books. Behind these were three its History of Science Collection. wall-sized windows showcasing The collection’s catalog features thousands of rare books crowding over 10,000 items, but my par- shelves that reached from floor ticular interest was the library’s to ceiling. Here, safely held and world-class collection of over 100 tightly secured, were a great historic star atlases. many of astronomy’s most irre- n the table in front of me, placeable and cherished works. O its delicate binding cradled This was the rare book reading between wedges of foam rubber, Room of the extraordinary Linda the librarian had carefully placed Hall Library of Science, Engineer- Johann Bayer’s famous 1603 ing and Technology in Kansas star atlas, Uranometria. I could City, Missouri. not help but wonder how many This 220,000–square foot hands had turned through these mid-century modern complex is 400-year-old pages. Many were home to a staggering collection of worn and dog-eared, and some some two million books, journals, bore fine handwritten notations, and documents, with strong pri- almost hidden among the resplen- mary and secondary holdings in dent figures of 48 heroes, fair geology, paleontology, natural his- ladies, and monsters populating tory, engineering, mathematics, its pages. In 1824, more than 200 and the physical sciences. On the years after its publication, some- library’s lower level, the William one had made a notation on the N. Deramus III Cosmology Theater map of Perseus, just below Algol delights visitors with images from on Medusa’s left cheek, marking the Hubble Space Telescope and the position of a comet. Twenty Pages from Johann Bayer’s Uranometria 18 REFLECTOR ✶ MARCH 201 9 lar book Star Tales, often uses the Species and you have a sampling library’s freely accessible online for which the term “rare books” is collections. Ian encouraged me to arguably an understatement. add, “If you’re looking for scans of mpressive as its collection of the great books and star atlases ̨rare astronomical books is, of the past, their holdings are I LHL considers its sizable collec- extensive and the place to start.” tion of historic star maps and pace allows only an atlases among its most important S abbreviated listing of the holdings. Its remarkable inventory priceless books held in the of lavishly illustrated sky maps library’s vault. The 1540 Narratio showcases not only humankind’s Prima by Georg Rheticus and measured advancements in celes- Nicholas Copernicus’s 1543 De tial discovery, but also changes in Revolutionibus Orbium Coelesti- scientific illustration and printing um are two of the library’s most techniques over the centuries. Pages from Herschel’s 1759 commonplace book prized holdings. These are closely Sky maps are undoubtedly some Herschel might have eventually bequest stipulated that a free followed by Ptolemy’s Almag- of the most exquisite examples intended to fill these empty pages. public library was to be located estum, printed in 1515, a first of design, copperplate engraving, on the grounds of their estate and edition of Isaac Newton’s 1687 and printing to be found. They The Linda Hall Library (LHL) is named in honor of Linda. In the Principia, and Galileo Galilei’s capture our earliest dreams and an exceptional resource. And early 1940s, a board of trustees 1610 Sidereus Nuncius and concepts of the heavens while what is particularly remarkable recommended the creation of a 1632 Dialogo. Add in Johannes impressing us with their stunning is the library has placed nearly library concentrating on science Kepler’s 1606 De Stella Nova, beauty. When inspected close- a quarter of a million digitized, and technology. My sense is this Tycho Brahe’s 1603 Astronomiae up in their original form, their high-resolution images of vision has certainly been fulfilled, Instauratae Progymnasmata, magnificent artistry cannot help books, maps, photographs, and if not greatly surpassed. the 1620 Instauratio Magna but stun the eye. manuscripts, such as I had been of Francis Bacon, and Charles Dr. William B. Ashworth Jr. Lisa Browar, president of the reviewing, freely available online. Darwin’s 1859 On the Origin of ̨is a consultant for the Linda The catalog and easily search- Linda Hall Library and Library able database can be found at Foundation, rightfully proclaims lindahall.org. the realization of that vision: “The Linda Hall Library has become The breadth of the library’s an international destination for collection has also inspired fasci- research and scholarship in sci- nating astronomy-themed public ence, engineering, technology and exhibits, now available in digital their histories. Additionally, the form. “Out of This World: The Library provides a cultural space Golden Age of Celestial Cartog- in which public understanding of raphy,” “The Face of the Moon: science and its role in contempo- Galileo to Apollo,” and “Thinking rary life may flourish.” Outside the Sphere: Views of the Stars from Aristotle to Herschel” One frequent researcher of may be found online. For amateur the library’s extensive collection astronomers, there is a treasure of books and celestial cartography trove here awaiting our discovery is renowned author and lecturer and exploration (in many ways Nick Kanas. He is widely recog- like the night sky itself). nized for his authoritative book, Star Maps: History, Artistry, and he library, a not-for-profit, Cartography, and uses the LHL privately funded institution, T online catalog regularly. Several traces its roots back to the years ago, Nick visited the library, philanthropic vision of Herbert and he compliments the staff for and Linda Hall, who bequeathed their knowledge and helpfulness. their estate for the purpose of establishing an important cultural Similarly, Ian Ridpath, a lead- center for the people of Kansas ing authority on mythology and City. Their six-million-dollar star lore and author of the popu- THE ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE 19 but with no relationship to their er, in a prescient foreshadowing actual positions in the night sky. of modern, clutter-free star While these crude figures were maps, Piccolomini showed only attempts at mythological depic- star patterns and did not include tions, they were not constellations constellation figures. in our modern understanding. Grand Atlas 1: However, these characterizations Uranometria, 1603 did inspire future cartographers. Sixty years after Piccolomini, De le Stelle Fisse, 1540 Augsburg lawyer Johann Bayer Scholars acknowledge the first created his masterful Uranome- true star atlas was Alessandro tria atlas showing the positions Piccolomini’s De le Stelle Fisse, of more than 2,000 stars. It also printed in Venice. As the presaged the future of celestial first atlas to actually place stars cartography and became the tem- on maps in accordance with the plate on which subsequent atlases Hall Library’s History of Science Ptolemy documented contempo- positions described by Ptole- would be modeled and compared. Collection and is an associate rary astronomical knowledge and my, Piccolomini’s atlas enjoyed Bayer brilliantly depicted the orig- professor in the Department the thinking of earlier Greek as- wide popularity and contributed inal 48 classic Ptolemaic constel- of History at the University of tronomers, notably Eratosthenes significantly to the future devel- lation figures, each occupying a Missouri–Kansas City (while LHL and Hipparchus. The Almagestum opment of celestial cartography. generous map measuring over 14 is located near the university, it of Ptolemy cataloged 1,028 stars Piccolomini pioneered the idea inches across. He also introduced has no organizational relationship and organized them into 48 con- of providing stars with their 12 southern constellations, includ- with it). Ashworth is an authority stellations. And, building upon the own unique identifiers; in this ing Grus, Phoenix, and Tucana, on celestial cartography and has work begun by Hipparchus, Ptole- instance, brighter stars within first conceived by Dutch navigator conducted research and writ- my crafted the basic one-through- each constellation were assigned Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser from his ten extensively on the library’s six stellar brightness scale still lowercase Roman letters. Howev- catalog of 135 stars. collection for many years. I thank used (with modification) today. In him for giving generously of his another innovation, Ptolemy took time and expertise to assist me in a first step toward furthering the preparing this article. accuracy and utility of star maps. While the library houses over He accomplished this by describ- 100 atlases, Ashbrook defines ing, in manuscript form, the the two hundred years spanning location of every important star 1603 to 1801 as the period during within each constellation figure, which the finest star atlases such as noting Algol’s position as were produced. He considers the being “the bright one in the head five most important or “grand” of the demon.” celestial atlases of this era to be, The following are examples chronologically, Johann Bayer’s of influential works found in the Uranometria (1603), Julius Schil- library that were forerunners of ler’s Coelum Christianum (1627), the grand atlases. Johannes Hevelius’s Firmamen- Poeticon Astronomicon, 1482 tum (1690), John Flamsteed’s Printed in Venice, this handsome- Atlas Coelestis (1729), and Johann ly illustrated work was based on Bode’s Uranographia (1801). the ancient literary writings of Before examining these second century Roman historian ambitious works, it’s important Hyginus. During the Renaissance, to recognize that these atlases it became the primary source for find as their foundation the early visualizing what the Ptolemaic influential writings of the Greek constellations might look like. The astronomer Claudius Ptolemy of Poeticon was the first to actually Alexandria (about 100–178 CE). represent mythological charac- In what came to be known as ters by using simple woodcuts the Almagest (a later Arabic title randomly decorated with stars in meaning “the greatest work”), a fashion pleasing to the printer Hand-colored page from Poeticon Astronomicon, 1482

20 REFLECTOR ✶ MARCH 201 9 Unlike the awkward woodcuts Prague, De Stella Nova, relat- Coelum Christianum. It comes lary, had emerged from the design of earlier years, Bayer’s exquisite ing to the “new star” that had as a surprise, then, that Schiller of star globes. But a key depar- Uranometria maps were printed appeared several years earlier in used numbers (not so-called Flam- ture for cartographers would be from fine copper engravings. the constellation Ophiuchus. steed numbers – more on that one of orientation. Should the They were accompanied by tables Kepler included a constella- later) rather than Bayer’s Greek celestial sphere be portrayed as containing the nomenclature, de- letters to identify his stars. The though observed from a distant scriptions, and magnitudes of the atlas was also the first to show point in the heavens looking down stars in each constellation, based the “Little Cloud,” now known upon the Earth, as depicted on on Tycho Brahe’s 1602 greatly as M31, likely a result of Simon star globes (called external or expanded and improved catalog Marius’s telescopic observations mirror-reversed), or was a geo- of 1,005 stars. Inventively, Bayer in 1612. centric orientation preferable – designated the brighter stars in that is, should the map represent t is worth remembering the each constellation with letters the view from Earth looking up at ̨historic context within which from the Greek alphabet accord- I the heavens? these early star maps came into ing to their perceived magnitude: Several creators of star maps existence: Aristotle’s teaching alpha, beta, gamma, delta, etc. preferred the former and chanced that perfect heavenly bodies When the 24-letter Greek alpha- confusion in presenting mir- were carried upon nested crystal- bet was exhausted, Bayer used ror-reversed maps which did not line spheres with the Earth at Roman letters. correspond to what the user saw the center still found wide-ranging tion map based on the Uranome- when observing the night sky. support, Copernicus was reviled, ut a difficulty arose from the tria but he reoriented Bayer’s and Galileo condemned. But all B̨̨manner in which Bayer de- backward figure to a Ptolemaic Grand Atlas 3: this held little consequence for picted a number of his constella- frontal view and placed the Firmamentum, 1690 the cartographer, his two-dimen- tion figures. Rather than illustrat- nova in Ophiuchus’s right (read According to Ashworth, the atlas sional universe being unaffected ing his 48 constellations, Ptolemy correct) foot. On the same map, of Johannes Hevelius was the first by such matters. originally had described them in Kepler plotted a triple conjunc- to rival Bayer’s Uranometria in manuscript form, referencing the tion of Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. A brief mention should be accuracy, innovation, and stars within his constellations (An unrelated LHL map, the 1690 made about the role star globes influence. However, Hevelius as though the figures were being Globi Coelestis, marks the path of played in the development of star did produce it with the some- viewed face-on. For instance, a 1682 comet through the right maps. Star globes had become what confusing mirror-reversed Ptolemy had characterized Rigel foot of Boötes, as discovered by very popular as showpieces, often orientation. It was exquisitely as “the bright star in the left foot Cassini. In time, this comet came of Orion.” In the Uranometria, to be known as Halley’s Comet.) Bayer curiously reversed the view of figures such as Orion and Grand Atlas 2: Coelum Aquarius so they were seen from Christianum, 1627 behind, rendering the Ptolemaic Julius Schiller’s imaginatively descriptions inaccurate. Confus- fashioned Coelum Christianum ing as this may have been for was the first major atlas after users of his time, in so doing, Johann Bayer’s Uranometria. Bayer had (likely unintentionally) Although his craftsmanship and taken a step away from reliance accuracy were inspired by Bayer, on mythological underpinnings Schiller’s atlas differed in one and, by using the Greek alphabet unique way: never before or since to identify stars, toward an era of have Ptolemy’s Greek constella- more precise methods of stellar tions been entirely swapped with identification. other figures. Schiller replaced Bayer’s Ptolemaic characters William B. Ashworth Jr. (right) and the author with Bayer and Flamsteed atlases. De Stella Nova, 1606 with superbly engraved constella- Note rare book vault in background. The essential function of these tion maps based on the Christian early star maps was to provide a Bible. For example, the zodiacal paired with terrestrial globes in engraved by Hevelius himself with reference for tracking and plot- constellations became the 12 the ornate libraries of royalty and 56 large, double-page star maps ting the movements of the Moon, apostles, Argo Navis was trans- the drawing rooms of the wealthy showcasing 71 constellations. planets, and comets. But some- formed into Noah’s Ark, and the classes. A number of conventions Unlike Bayer, Schiller, and other thing new was about to be added. archangel Gabriel replaced Pega- used by cartographers in their previous authors who relied on LHL has a copy of the 1606 book sus. Interestingly, Bayer assisted creation of flat celestial maps, the star catalogs of others, Heve- Johannes Kepler published in Schiller in the preparation of his such as graphic style and vocabu- lius was an active observational THE ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE 21 astronomer and made his own constellation called Triangulum poorly equipped, and Flamsteed numbered the stars in his copy measurements. However, fearing Minor, and others specialized in often used his own meager funds of Flamsteed’s catalog. His sister defective results from optical aid, ill-conceived phantasms such as to purchase or improve its modest Caroline then transferred these he resolutely insisted on na- Montgolfier’s Balloon. Mercifully, equipment. He began in 1677 with numbers in fine pen and ink ked-eye, “plain sight” observations most were ignored by subsequent a seven-foot equatorially mounted into Herschel’s copy of Flam- rather than relying on telescopic map makers. sextant carrying twin telescopic steed’s atlas. sights now in use by others. Grand Atlas 4: sights used as a meridian instru- In 1776, a Flamsteed-deriva- Even though Hevelius fol- Atlas Coelestis, 1729 ment. It wasn’t until 1688 that he tive edition titled Atlas Celeste lowed this traditional path, his This atlas of astronomer John finally procured a well-crafted, was published in French by experienced eye produced ex- Flamsteed distinguished itself reliable seven-foot meridian mural celestial globe maker E. J. Fortin. tremely accurate measurements. from previous atlases by the arc constructed of the finest It featured reengraved plates, a Using neither letters nor numbers unprecedented accuracy of his materials available, with which he smaller, utilitarian size, and more on his maps, he relied on Ptol- stellar measurements and the was able to finally achieve the sta- artistically pleasing constellation emaic-type descriptions in his fact that the Atlas Coelestis was bility and, therefore, the precision figures. Charles Messier used accompanying catalog. Hevelius the largest atlas ever published. he demanded. maps from this Flamsteed/Fortin did create 11 new constellations, Flamsteed’s constellation figures For over 40 years, Flamsteed atlas to record and publish paths doggedly compiled his great of his comet discoveries. The catalog of 3,000 stars, eventually library has Messier’s 1782 “Carte titled Historia Coelestis Britanni- Celeste” map showing the path cae. An early, incomplete version of the comet he discovered in of this catalog was appropriated 1779 tracking through Hercules, and prematurely printed by Isaac Corona Borealis, Boötes, Coma Newton and Edmund Halley in Berenices, and Virgo. The map 1712, with preliminary numbers also plots the positions of 28 added by Halley to Flamsteed’s “nebulous objects” that Messier partial list of observed stars. This labeled with designations such as unauthorized printing apparently “nebula 1777” and “nebula 1780.” became the inspiration for the number of historic star so-called “Flamsteed numbers.” A maps survive to this day, It seems as though it had never but it is uncommon to find these Page from Flamsteed’s 1729 Atlas Coelestis been Flamsteed’s intention to for- star maps in color. Since none mally introduce a numbering sys- were originally printed in color, seven of which still exist today, were all shown face-on, correcting tem, as neither his 1725 Historia each individual map had to be including Leo Minor, Canes Ve- what he considered to be the Coelestis Britannicae catalog nor arduously hand-embellished with natici, and Scutum, and he was the unpardonable breach of tradition his 1729 Atlas Coelestis contain watercolors by expert artists. first to incorporate into an atlas committed by Johann Bayer and numbered stars. Curiously, while These tend to be remarkable the 341 southern stars observed perpetuated by Hevelius. Howev- Flamsteed numbers are found in works of art that only royalty by Edmund Halley in 1676. er, fairly unattractive renderings several 18th-century star catalogs or the wealthiest patrons could ach celestial atlas in the plagued his characters, which produced by others, they do not afford, generally being practical ĘLHL collection is unique in were crude in comparison to the appear on any star maps during only for display. some way and tells a story about elegance of Bayer’s. this era. In fact, the first LHL Vorstellung celestial cartography’s evolu- Flamsteed’s story began 53 star maps in which Flamsteed der Gestirne, 1782 tion in artistry, accuracy, and years earlier, in 1676, when King numbers actually appear is a set Like John Flamsteed, Johann El- usefulness. In terms of original Charles II founded the Royal of six 1831 star charts titled ert Bode was an accomplished as- constellation concepts, there were Observatory at Greenwich and The Constellations. tronomer and was director of the a fair number of dead ends, as installed him as the first Astron- According to Wolfgang Berlin Observatory. Bode’s first unlikely enhancements came and omer Royal. Charles assigned Steinicke, an astrophysicist and atlas was a Flamsteed-derivative went. Commonly, the creators Flamsteed the monumental task graduate in historical astronomy, German language edition similar of star maps felt empowered to of undertaking the most precise William Herschel used a Flam- to the smaller French Fortin men- tamper with the orderliness of celestial measurements ever steed Historia Coelestis Britan- tioned above. The Vorstellung der Ptolemy’s 48 classic constella- made, with great anticipation nicae catalog and Atlas Coelestis Gestirne featured newly engraved tions. In one example, Boötes is that they might lead to the much when he conducted his observ- plates and maps of star clusters seen adorned in a winter coat sought-after solution for deter- ing campaigns of 1781–1785. and nebulae and was populated and fur hat, another cartographer mining longitude at sea. From Steinicke’s research led him to by 1,500 new stars, bringing the assumes the necessity for a new the outset, the observatory was conclude that Herschel personally total atlas count to over 4,400.

22 REFLECTOR ✶ MARCH 201 9 Unquestionably, the edition’s most could rightfully argue losing the relevant feature is that Bode was charm flowing from their ancient the first cartographer to confine heritage in the process). his constellations within bound- The Linda Hall Library’s ary lines. collection of atlases wonderfully Other cartographers eventual- showcases how celestial car- ly followed the idea, but boundary tography achieved maturity. On lines continued to meander from maps from 1811, 1839, and 1843, map to map, according to the constellation figures are no longer inclinations of the cartographer. depicted by prolifically rendered The confusion over constellation engravings, but simply appear as boundaries persisted until 1922 demure outlines. More familiar when the International Astro- to modern eyes will be the 1827 nomical Union finally capped the Pages from Charles Dien’s 1831 atlas atlas of Johann Bartak and the official number of constellations lases launched by Johann Bayer’s 1831 atlas of Charles Dien, where at 88 and published a book of Vorstellung der Gestirne, 1805 Uranometria 200 years earlier. no representations of constella- standardized boundaries in 1930. tions figures can be found at all. Four years later, Bode published Bayer had begun simply Both exclusively employ lines to Grand Atlas 5: a redesigned edition of his 1782 with the 1,000 stars and the 48 connect each constellation’s pri- Uranographia, 1801 Vorstellung der Gestirne. With constellations of Ptolemy. Bode, mary stars, producing geometric Johann Elert Bode’s next atlas, a more compact size and fewer by nesting 17,000 stars and 2,500 shapes. They are recognizable the all-new, extraordinary Urano- embellishments than the Urano- nebulae amidst the likes of Ber- precursors to contemporary graphia, made its debut in 1801. graphia, printing was less costly, nice’s fulsome tresses and Virgo’s “stick figure” images now seen in It was the largest, finest, and allowing the atlas to find a larger feathery appendages, had taken monthly magazines or displayed most comprehensive and costly market. In it, Bode introduced celestial obscuration about as far on smartphones. star atlas ever published. Its 20 a new constellation invented by as it could go (or sensibly had a double-page plates provided the Hungarian astronomer Maxi- right to go). The next time you open your most accurate positions to date milian Hell commemorating the favorite astronomy app, for over 17,000 stars, thousands seven-foot telescope with which unting down dim nebulae don’t think of it so much as more than other celestial maps. Herschel had discovered Uranus and faint stars among these a quick link to the evening’s These included all naked-eye H in 1781. Bode called it Telescopi- heavenly flotsam and jetsam had cosmic smorgasbord, but stars, as well as many telescopic um Herschelii and wedged it become both constraint and nui- rather consider it a sort of stars to eighth magnitude. He uncomfortably between the head sance for serious observers. With digital wormhole, transporting indulgently crowded the Urano- of Castor and the right shoulder the evolution of the telescope and you back to a time when humans graphia with over 100 entirely of Auriga. As with other such the elevation of astronomy to an first gazed upon the vault of redesigned constellation figures heavenly curiosities, it proved esteemed discipline, star maps ul- the heavens and dreamed. And, that elbowed their way around transitory and eventually disap- timately were severed from their unless you’re fortunate enough to the northern and southern hemi- peared. fanciful mythological underpin- live in Kansas City, jump into the spheres. Bode also sandwiched According to Ashworth, nings. By the mid–19th century, Linda Hall Library’s digital collec- in 2,500 nebulae discovered by Johann Elert Bode’s 1801 the time had arrived for star tion – it’s the next best thing to William Herschel. Uranographia marked the end of maps to claim their rightful place being there! ê the era of the grand celestial at- as instruments of science (some

THE ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE 23 The Cosmic Web I LIFT MY EYES TO THE HEAVENS WHENCE COMES MY JOY

The image above, created from seven years of WMAP data, depicts the infant universe. 13.7-billion-year-old temperature fluctuations (shown as color differences) correspond to the seeds that grew to become the galaxies. The signal from our galaxy was subtracted using multi-frequency data. This image shows a temperature range of ± 200 microkelvins. Credit: NASA / WMAP Science Team.

By Dave Tosteson of Herschel to the dimensional concluded they had developed one and one-third of the total. No offer filamentary cosmic network of the percent of foreseeable observa- was made in the editorial as to an hat’s on the map? We can present. Our perceptions are in tional capacity to fully explore increased percentage known with W see it! On a driving trip, flux as we slowly peel back layers these phenomena. With even such current technology, as the piece digital car maps project positions of mystery, with representations limited ability he speculated they emphasized optimism and oppor- onto a road with minimal sights evolving to keep pace, not merely had uncovered between one-tenth tunity for future finds. Prediction and markers. Since their function cater to “Have Alias, Will Travel.” is to get us safely and efficiently To paraphrase my home state’s to a destination, the distraction of recently minted Nobel laureate, detail is minimized. “Space-times, they are a-changin’.” But when I arrive at a place, Given the vast amount of re- especially a new one, I like search, studies, publications, and to get the “lay of the land.” conferences, it might seem most Maps on our handheld devices new ideas and discoveries about are accurate, up to date, and the Cosmos had been proposed. convenient, but their small size Few things may prove more un- limits the scope of view, so a true. A recent editorial by David large, printed version is hard to Eicher in the November 2016 beat. At a glance, one gets an im- Astronomy puts things in perspec- pression of a region to put sights tive. He recalls the proposals of in relation to one another. Maps Czech-American astronomer Mar- are also history, condensations of tin Harwit from the early 1980s topography through time. In them about the percentage of discov- both, the work of those past and eries of potential astronomical the dreams of the future are held. phenomena that had been made, They show an understanding of a conjecture informed by experi- At first glance, the scatter of pale dots on this NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image looks place in time, no different on our ence and insight. With the forces like a snowstorm in the night sky. But almost every one of these delicate snowflakes is a planet than the utmost reach of and fields and particles known, distant galaxy in the cluster MACS J0717.5+3745 and each is home to billions of stars. This ap- parently placid scene also hides a storm of epic scale. This picture shows a region where three space. In them, we have grown the technology then available, galaxy clusters are merging and releasing enormous amounts of energy in the form of X-rays. from Ptolemy to Copernicus, and accounting for likely advance- These distant objects are around 5.4 billion light-years from Earth, and were imaged during the and from the star-gage galaxy Massive Cluster Survey, a project to study distant clusters of galaxies using Hubble. ments in the near future, Harwit Credit: ESA/Hubble, NASA and H. Ebeling. 24 REFLECTOR ✶ MARCH 201 9 remains an exercise bookended by along with nearby “parallel fields” challenge and motivation. for comparison and companion Starting a century ago, just study, was allotted a large block two decades saw profound of Hubble’s time: 540 orbits, or shifts in our understanding 630 hours of imaging. MACS about space and time, from J0717 was imaged in visible light relativity and quantum mechanics by HST, in X-ray by Chandra, and to the expansion of the Universe in radio by the National Radio and the proposal of dark matter. Astronomy Observatory. In the late 1920s, Edwin Hub- A composite image of these ble, among others, showed our wavelengths shows a chaotic mix Universe to be expanding. A few of energized gas and galaxies. years later, Fritz Zwicky conjec- The brightest galaxy in the field, tured that an unknown substance a giant elliptical, shows a set held galaxies gravitationally of bipolar radio jets similar to together within clusters. Without those of Cygnus A, proceeding it, their speed would have caused for hundreds of thousands, if not them to fly apart. Vera Rubin pro- millions, of light-years away from vided confirmation of dark matter the central galaxy. I am uncertain in the 1970s with her studies of if it is a cluster member or a galaxy rotation curves, showing Abell 2218, a rich galaxy cluster composed of thousands of individual galaxies. It sits about foreground object. Harold Ebeling 2.1 billion light-years from the Earth (redshift 0.17) in the northern constellation of Draco. of the University of Hawaii, one of most galaxies were surrounded When used by astronomers as a powerful gravitational lens to magnify distant galaxies, the by a large halo of unseen matter. cluster allows them to peer far into the Universe. However, it not only magnifies the images the principal investigators, stated of hidden galaxies, but also distorts them into long, thin arcs. Credit: NASA, ESA, and Johan this cluster “is actively growing, The Cosmic Background Explor- Richard (Caltech, USA). Acknowledgment: Davide de Martin and James Long (ESA/Hubble). er (COBE) satellite mapped the and thus a prime target for a cosmic microwave background within a billion years after the 2218, 370, and 2267. This small detailed study of the cosmic web.” 14 radiation in the early 1990s, Big Bang, and Mountain and region uses 7 x 10 solar masses he results of the COBE revealing how tiny quantum his colleagues were unaverse to for its effect. A larger area (up to T satellite in the 1990s, along fluctuations in the early Universe using a novel technique to push 4 megaparsecs in diameter) sur- with refinements from subsequent grew into the “web” of matter the venerable instrument further. rounds it where weak lensing can spacecraft such as the Wilkinson seen today: strings and clusters By imaging dense galaxy clusters be studied. This phenomenon is Microwave Anisotropy Probe of galaxies distributed along dark at medium-deep distances (5–6 determined by a statistical analy- (WMAP) and Planck, have shown matter filaments. Finally, the billion light-years), Hubble and its sis of the shapes and orientations the early Universe was imperfect- Hubble Space Telescope (HST) earthbound cousins could use the of background galaxies seen with- ly smooth. The small variations and large ground-based instru- magnifying effect of gravitational in the field of a galaxy cluster. in energy seen on their all-sky ments allowed detailed imaging lensing within these clusters to Dark matter’s milder distorting maps are an imprint of quantum and spectroscopy to unearth the study galaxies from the very early effects on these galaxies allowed fluctuations in the fabric of space three-dimensional distribution Universe. MACS J0717.5+3745 is mapping this unknown substance at the time of the Big Bang. Think of galaxies and the relativistic a group of colliding galaxies at a within the cluster. In 2003, Me- of an ocean with tiny, inherent lensing effects of mass-bent light redshift of 0.55 (light travel time dezinski used the CLASH study ripples, never smooth even on to map this unseen matter within 5.4 billion years) that was one of (Cluster Lensing and Supernova a windless day. As the Universe their clusters. All four of these six Hubble “Frontier Fields” used Survey with Hubble) to do a expanded, gravity acted on these revolutionary ideas combined in this capacity. HST scientists complete lensing analysis of the areas, and they grew in density in a recent study of a distant studied it over several years and MACS J0717 area. As one of and mass. The Cosmos developed metacluster of galaxies in eastern found the growing cluster to have the most dynamically disturbed a sponge-like character, with rel- Auriga concerning the density several interesting properties. clusters known, it is suffused with atively empty “voids” surrounded and shape of this unlit framework MACS J0717 is the largest energy that gives it the highest by filaments at the intersections of our Universe. known gravitational lens. X-ray temperature in the MACS of the edges of these bubbles, att Mountain was director It appears to contain four catalog of about 124 members. evolving into what is known today 15 M̨̨of the Space Telescope merging clusters, creating an At 2.8 x 10 solar masses, it is as the cosmic web. Science Institute in the early area just under one arcminute the most massive cluster with a These collections of matter 2000s and proposed using the of strong lensing. This is where redshift over 0.5, significant for are dominated by a substance HST to extend the boundaries gravity produces drawn-out arcs constraining theoretical limits of that interacts only through gravity of distance one last time. Its of background galaxies seen galaxy cluster growth. and emits no electromagnetic ra- famous Deep and Ultra Deep in many of Hubble’s images of The Frontier Fields Program diation. Almost 90 percent of the Fields had shown us galaxies to galaxy clusters, including Abell to image these six galaxy clusters, Universe’s mass is dark matter, THE ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE 25 energy produced the volcanoes, mountains, and elevations where gravity causes water to flow and collect between them, with how forces molding the voids, dark matter and baryons forged galax- ies in such distant clusters as the Frontier Fields. n the July 4, 2012, issue of Į̨Nature, Jörg Dietrich published the first identification of a dark matter filament between two galaxy clusters, Abell 222 and 223, where Jonah stayed. Several months later Mathilde Juazac used weak lensing to map the dark matter in a filament extend- ing southeast from the center of the MACS J0717 cluster. Their spectroscopic data gave redshift Okie-Tex Star Party̨̨okie-tex.com distances to reconstruct the first and researchers are vigorously structures including the highest its one-mile walking loop around three-dimensional shape of any attempting to discern its identity. point in Oklahoma, Black Mesa, a the monument providing elevated dark matter filament. Jean-Paul Its structure forms the backbone few miles away, to the Cimarron views of the surrounding plains. A Kneib, who was also involved in of the Universe, causing clusters River bed. Its three-dimensional number of the over one hundred the research, stated the “chal- such as the Virgo Supercluster structure added a layer of under- cinder cones that dot the area are lenge was to find a model of that includes our Milky Way, and standing harder to appreciate in visible from the edge of Capulin the cluster’s shape which fitted others such as Coma and Her- flat depictions. When I recently crater, and a short, 0.2-mile all the lensing features that we cules, to coalesce. Without dark attended that star party in far trail descending 100 feet to the observed.” The conclusion of the matter, clusters, galaxies, and western Oklahoma near the New crater floor is accessible to those group was that the dark matter we may never have had a chance Mexico and Colorado borders, I in moderate shape. It seemed a filament had a sinuous shape, to form before the expansion of drove the few miles to the other suitable spot to consider the jux- curving beyond the plane of the the Universe reduced the matter side of Black Mesa to the marker taposition of how Earth’s forma- cluster’s central portion as it pro- density below a critical level. where the three states meet. tion and its remnants of internal ceeded east-southeast, and then We avoided the void. Since dark Navigating cautiously matter produces no light, what around the cattle that effects can amateurs see of this owned the road, I found the mysterious substance? tri-state marker surrounded he town of Kenton, Oklahoma, by hills and caves and mesas T sits a half mile or so west in a region of historically of the Okie-Tex Star Party. Its diverse geologic activity. highlight is the town museum, in As I placed my hand on this a house where its curator, Fannie spot, I mulled the intersection of Jones, lived as a child nearly nine culture, history, and topography decades ago and again for many coming together as might three years after she was married. It is voids to form a galaxy cluster. studded with fascinating artifacts, cross the border in New including Civil War–era wedding Ą̨Mexico lays the Raton– dresses, photographs of the area Clayton volcanic field, a pictur- through the Dust Bowl years, and esque region encompassing the even dinosaur track casts. She Sierra Grande shield volcano emphatically stated the popula- at 8720 feet and the young, tion of Kenton was 19, not 20! steep-sided Capulin Monument The map on the wall was a plastic cinder cone. Dated at 60,000 relief-type, showing elevations years old, this area was a worthy of the surrounding geologic day trip from the star party, with Capulin Volcano National Monument Credit: R.D. Miller, USGS - USGS Photographic Library 26 REFLECTOR ✶ MARCH 201 9 back toward us. At the tip, like a red and blue), and all the others “J,” it started bowing back away are 18.3 or fainter. But on that again at its southeastern termi- morning, many fields had several Coming Events nus. Its length was an astonishing galaxies readily visible, or just at sixty million light-years, and it the edge of averted vision. Push- MARCH 2 APRIL 12–13 carried a density so high that, if ing the magnification to 650x and *Tri*Star*, Guilford Technical North Carolina Statewide Star all proposed filaments were simi- beyond, over several minutes I Community College, Jamestown, Party, 40+ public skywatching lar, they would contain more than was able to count ten galaxies in North Carolina, Greensboro sessions from the North Carolina half the mass of the Universe. the central portion of the MACS Astronomy Club and the Cline mountains to the coast. bserving galaxies in MACS J0717 cluster, mostly to the west Observatory. ncsciencefestival.org/starparty O J0717 has been one of my and north of the BCG, whose gtcc.edu/community- APRIL 28–MAY 5 observing projects, and at the coordinates are 07h 17m 37.21s, engagement/cline-observatory/ Texas Star Party, Fort Davis, Texas. 2010 Okie-Tex Star Party I used +37d 44m 23.1s. I then viewed special-lectures-and-events/ texasstarparty.org my 32-inch f/4 reflector to view the three clumps extending to tristar.php MAY 3–5 its area 6.8 degrees northwest of the southeast that populate and MARCH 30 NCRAL Convention, Moline, Castor, and 26 arcminutes north- define the dark matter filament. All-Arizona Messier Marathon, Illinois. nightsky.jpl.nasa. east of the 15th-magnitude spiral The closest of them is located 1.4 Salome Emergency Airfield, gov/event-view.cfm?Event_ CGCG 176-34. On a below-average arcminutes east-southeast of the La Paz County, Arizona. ID=97447 night I was able to recover only BCG and revealed two galaxies. saguaroastro.org one galaxy, what I termed the MAY 10–13 The clump 4.2 arcminutes /all-arizona-messier-marathon Brightest Cluster Galaxy (BCG). Star Gaze XXVI, Trap Pond State southeast was the smallest of the APRIL 4–5 Its actual membership in the Park, Delaware. three but showed four of its mem- Northeast Astro-Imaging MACS cluster is unknown, but delmarvastargazers.org/event bers to me, and the largest clump Conference, Rockland Astronomy close examination of Hubble’s /star-gaze-star-party-2019 8.5 arcminutes south-southeast Club, Suffern, New York. deep image shows circumferen- gave up six galaxies. Many of rocklandastronomy.com MAY 11 tial, strongly lensed arcs centered these 22 galaxies were seen with /neaic.html Astronomy Day, Nationwide. on it, an indication of belonging. direct vision, or within a few sec- astroleague.org/astronomyday For amateurs without spectro- APRIL 4–7 onds using averted vision. A few /spring scopic redshift data, color and Southern Star took 30–60 seconds to be certain. MAY 30–JUNE 2 size of galaxies give limited hints Astronomy Convention, Overall, I spent about an hour 2019 Bootleg Astronomy Star about cluster membership. Since Charlotte Amateur Astronomers observing this cluster. With such Party, Green River Conservation the cluster is at northern declina- Club, Little Switzerland, North a beautiful sky I closely examined Area, Harmon, Illinois. tions, I did not attempt viewing Carolina. the POSS and HST images of bootlegastronomy.com it at the 2016 Okie-Tex event, charlotteastronomers.org the area later that morning and thinking I could re-observe it from /southernstar MAY 30–JUNE 2 estimated with more time likely a my Minnesota home. Though the Wisconsin Observers’ Weekend, dozen additional galaxies would APRIL 4–7 western Oklahoma site is more Hartman Creek State Park, west of have been in range. On reviewing South Jersey Astronomy Club than one magnitude darker, the Waupaca, Wisconsin. new-star Hubble’s color image, eight of the Spring Star Party, seeing is more consistent at my .org/index.php?option=com_ 22 galaxies I viewed were red in Belleplain, New Jersey. home during the fall. I was about content&view=category&layout color, with the others appearing sjac.us/starparty.html to get a lesson on persistence. = blog&id=38&Itemid=82 blue or white. APRIL 5 With the target placed at eighty Pickett Astronomy Day, MAY 30–JUNE 4 degrees elevation, I awoke at 4 Our visual and cognitive Pickett-Pogue Dark Sky Park, Logan Valley Star Party, Malheur a.m. on October 9, 2016, to a maps of the Universe have Jamestown, Tennessee, National Forest, Oregon. perfect sky. The stars were rock added a piece, an extrusion tnstateparks.com/events sites.google.com/view steady to near the horizon, and of knowledge about the /details/#/?event /loganvalleystarparty the windless and moonless night framework on which galaxies =night-sky-program-3-8-19 MAY 31–JUNE 2 offered only a hint of humidity. I are constructed. It is, in several Michiana Star Party 11, set up my large reflector, and, af- ways, a foundational discovery APRIL 6–7 Dr. T. K. Lawless Park, Michigan. ter collimating and recovering the to be built upon. I experienced Northeast Astronomy Forum michiana-astro.org field, my first look in the eyepiece a profound excitement to have and Solar Star Party, Rockland was stunning. caught the tiniest thread of this Astronomy Club, Suffern, New JUNE 8 n the Palomar Observatory web in the eyepiece and hope, like York. rocklandastronomy.com Apollo Rendezvous, Ǫ̨Sky Survey (POSS) plates Harwit, to glimpse many more /neaf.html Dayton, Ohio. (second version, red), the BCG discoveries that transcend our mvas.org ² is magnitude 17.5 (average of current comprehension. ê THE ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE 27 ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL Coming Events, Continued SOCIETY OF CANADA JUNE 22–29 Canada's Astronomy Club Grand Canyon Star Party: North Rim, Fredonia, Arizona. saguaroastro.org League Sales is /grand-canyon-star-party JUNE 26–29 THE place to Green Bank Star Quest XVI, Green Bank National Radio Observatory, get your West Virginia. greenbankstarquest.org JUNE 26–30 2019 RASC Rocky Mountain Star Stare, Gardner, Colorado. rmss.org Observer's JULY 25–29 ALCon, Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Handbook astroleague.org and Calendar! AUGUST 1–4 Stellafane Convention, Breezy Hill, Springfield, Vermont. stellafane.org SEPTEMBER 19–22 $24 each + shipping; RTMC Astronomy Expo, YMCA Camp Oakes, Big Bear City, California. for orders of 12 or more rtmcastronomyexpo.org – $23 each with free shipping!

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28 REFLECTOR ✶ MARCH 201 9

GALLERY

Jeffrey O. Johnson (Astronomical Society of Las Cruces) took this image of M33 from his backyard in Las Cruces, New Mexico, with a Takahashi TOA-130F refractor with a QSI 590wsg CCD camera.

Bill Neubert (Astronomical Society of Eastern Missouri) took this image of NGC 2403 from Buford Mountain Conser- vation Area using a Celestron C6-N (f/5, 750 mm) with a QSI 683wsg-8 camera.

All Gallery photos © their named creators GALLERY

Terry Hancock (Western Colorado Astronomy Club) took this deep image of M45 from Grand Mesa Observatory using a Takahashi FSQ-130 with a QHY367C camera.

Dan Pelzel (Back Bay Amateur Astronomy Club) took this image of the Bubble Nebula (NGC 7635) using an 8-inch Ritchey– Chrétien with a ZWO ASI1600MM-Cool CMOS camera and H-alpha and O III filters.

All Gallery photos © their named creators

30 REFLECTOR ✶ MARCH 201 9 ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE ONLINE SALES All h cool o a a orearoeageorg The Astronomical League online store utilizes secure shopping cart technology and accepts credit cards. Shipping & handling (S&H) is calculated at checkout. Merchandise is also available by mail order: choose your items, add the applicable S&H fee, and mail your order with check to: roomia Leage ae, 9201 ar ara, ie 100, aa Ci, O 64114 If you have questions about the merchandise, or discounts on bulk orders, please call the League office, 816-DEEP-SKY, or email [email protected].

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