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The Night Sky The Newsletter of The Club of Akron www.acaoh.org

Volume 35 Number 8 August 2013 SUMMER BREAK! NO MEETING AT KIWANIS THIS MONTH.

The President’s Column By Gary Smith SUPERNOVA IN M74!

Hello to all fellow members of the ACA. The month of August is upon us and we have been given the gift of warm shirt sleeve weather in which to pursue our favorite hobby of star gazing. However, the changing weather has played havoc with our best attempts to predict clear skies for our star parties. I am very much hoping that August will reverse our fortunes.

The Year 2013 has been alive with excitement for the astronomical community. The reports and articles in the venerable Sky & Telescope and Astronomy Magazines, and the website Space.com have served to keep us well informed of current astronomical events. Pan- Supernova SN 2013 ej, August 5, 2013, By ACA member Jason Shinn. On July Starrs did give a good performance 25th a supernova was discovered in Messier galaxy 74, the second faintest but it favored the audience that object in the Messier catalogue. Here you can just make out the core of the galaxy. The supernova itself has outshone its host galaxy by magnitudes. resided south of the equator. Meade LXD55 w/Canon Digital Rebel. 2X 30sec exp unguided, ISO 1600.

For those of us who are interested telescope is 305 meters in diameter greatest advantage of radio telescopes in the important field of radio with a fixed shape spherical dish. is they can link. Radio telescopes astronomy, the country of China will Essentially the Arecibo telescope placed in different places over the place the finishing touches on the points to zenith and the sky drifts globe can combine their data to world’s largest radio telescope in the across its focus. The FAST telescope achieve a “baseline” that is nearly last part of 2016. The Five Hundred differs because its spherical shape is equal to the diameter of the Earth. Meter Aperture Spherical Telescope adjustable and will allow its focus to (FAST) resembles the world famous range 40 degrees away from zenith in One of my favorite celestial Arecibo radio telescope but will be all directions. The drawback is the objects for 2013 is Comet ISON. It is larger. It will also benefit from effective diameter is reduced to 300 approx 3.5 AU from the Earth and 2.5 various advancements in radio meters when observing the sky at 40 AU from the sun. telescope engineering. The Arecibo degrees from its zenith. The single (con’t page 4)

OFFICERS 2012 – 2014 July Treasurer’s Report

By Glenn Cameron

President 7/1/2013 Through 7/31/2013 Gary Smith Phone: 330-633-9873 E-mail: [email protected] Checking Beginning Balance $2,548.01 Vice President Income Anthony Scarpitti E-mail: [email protected] Magazine Subscriptions 34.00 Dues 220.00 Treasurer Donations 60.00 Glenn Cameron E-mail: [email protected] Solar Party Hot Dog Roast 78.00

Secretary Total Income $392.00 Juan Contreras E-mail: [email protected] Expenses Magazine Subscriptions -34.00 Assistant Secretary/Treasurer Web Hosting -45.06 Ann Ferrell E-mail: [email protected] Total Expenses -$79.00

Observatory Director Income Less Expenses $313.00 Ron Kalinoski Phone: 330-837-5848 Checking Ending Balance $2,861.01

ACA Webmaster Savings Beginning Balance $2,500.24 Dave Jessie E-mail: [email protected] Earned Interest 0.11

Publications Secretary - Editor, Night Sky Newsletter Savings Ending Balance $2,500.35 Jason Shinn Phone: 330-685-5382 E-mail: [email protected] Petty Cash Beginning Balance $49.41 Trustee Lewis Snodgrass Solar Party Hot Dog Roast 10.60 E-mail: [email protected] Petty Cash Ending Balance $60.01 Trustee John Shulan Phone: 330-836-0800 E-mail: [email protected] Petty Cash 60.01 Savings 2,500.35 Statutory Agent Checking 2,861.01 Mark Kochheiser Phone: 330-882-3713 E-mail: [email protected] Grand Total $5,421.37

OTAA Representative Article by Glenn Cameron Lou Poda ACA Treasurer.

2 The ACA wishes to welcome our newest member: “Two possibilities exist: Either we are alone

Dale Woodling in the universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.” We look forward to seeing you at all club functions! —Arthur C. Clark

Astronoquiz The choices I gave you were: many, visits to a new world. So what By Marissa Fanady do we have to look forward to now? A. August 12, 1959 Mars! Right now scientists and The last quiz B. July 20, 1969 private companies are in the great question I left you C. May 10, 1970 race to the red planet! Before you with was an easy D. June 21, 1968 know it the world will be watching multiple choice the Mars landing on television. Tune question. The question Many of you got the correct in to next months newsletter for an all was, what was the answer which is B. July 20, 1969 new Astronoquiz question! exact year, month, and congratulations! Everyone who was day that the United lucky enough to be alive for this States put the first historic moment are, in my eyes, Article by ACA member human on our closest neighbor the extremely fortunate people. You got Marissa Fanady. ? to witness mans first, of hopefully SWAP & SHOP

For Sale: For sale: 15mm Ultra-Wide Angle Eyepiece Pentax XW 20mm Eyepiece Asking: $40 Excellent condition. Contact: Lew Snodgrass Small mark on 1.25” barrel. Phone: 330-819-4886 Always used in a compression clamp. Phone: 330-867-4800 Ask for Lew. Asking: $220 (cash) Email: [email protected] Contact: Fred Fry Email: [email protected]

For sale: For Sale:

Teleview Radian 12 mm 22mm Orion Epic ED-2 ED Eyepiece Eyepiece 25mm Orion Epic ED-2 ED Eyepiece Excellent condition. Asking: $40 each or $70 for both Asking: $180 (cash) Contact: Glenn Cameron Contact: Fred Fry Phone: 330-737-1472 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

For Sale:

Teleview Radian 18 mm Eyepiece Excellent condition. Asking: $180 (cash) Contact: Fred Fry Advertize in the Swap n Shop! Email: [email protected] Send a picture of your item and relevant information to the newsletter editor: [email protected] 3 President’s Column Con’t its surface temperature is approx 863 Canes Venatici (Latin for the hunting degrees F. The common metal Lead dogs). It is considered to be a close The comet will make its closest melts at 621.5 degrees Fahrenheit. runner-up to M13. It is found by approach to the sun on November 28, drawing a line between Arcturus and 2013 and this is the day of its The Summer Triangle is the Cor Caroli (alpha Canum projected greatest brilliance. Its dominant asterism of the August sky. Venaticorum). The cluster is one of current speed relative to the sun is The three stars of the Summer the largest and brightest in our sky. It 59,200 mph. Every day that goes by Triangle are: contains approx ½ million stars and is brings an increase in speed and a about 34,000 light years distant. It is decrease in distance. 1. Vega (alpha Lyrae). It is the fifth estimated to be 8 billion years old. brightest star in the sky. It is M3 is one of the best studied globular As Comet ISON makes its larger (2.1 solar mass) and hotter clusters in astronomy. The studies approach to the inner solar system it (between 8000 to 10000 K) than reveal that it has a comparatively will be monitored by a collection of the sun. It is also only 25 light large number of variable stars. The space based probes and satellites that years distant from the sun. first record of its discovery was by have cameras. Later this month, it 2. Deneb (alpha Cygni). It is the 19th Charles Messier in 1764. will first be greeted and photographed brightest star in the Sky. It is a by the HiRISE camera onboard the blue-white super giant star and is M57 is the Ring in the Mars Reconnaissance Obiter. The one of the most remarkable of the constellation . It is located HiRISE is a reflecting telescope with bright stars that populate our between the two stars that form the a 19.6 inch diameter mirror that is night sky. Its distance is difficult southern line of the parallelogram constructed as an f/24 camera. The to determine, but is guesstimated when drawn between beta and gamma MRO will take a series of images at 2600 light years. Its luminosity Lyrae. The is a planetary from late August until Comet ISON is estimated at 1/5 million times nebula (although it has nothing to do makes its close approach to Mars in more luminous than our sun. with planets). It is visible in October 2013 at a distance of only 3. Altair (alpha Aquilae). It is the binoculars under good seeing but only 0.07 AU’s. I will be very interested in 12th brightest star in the sky with as an object. The appearance of a comparing the quality of the HiRISE a distance of 16.7 light years from silvery gray smoke ring requires an 8 photos with the Hubble Space the sun. It is 1.79 solar masses inch or larger telescope. This is an Telescope photos. Between now and and 10.6 solar luminosity. Its example where a larger telescope will November the HiRISE camera is most unusual characteristic is that show more details. And when a closer to Comet ISON but the it is a very rapidly rotating object. modest priced camera is attached, diameter of the HiRISE primary The sun rotates once every 25 M57 will show colors. This ringed mirror is 19.6inches and the Hubble’s days at its equator. Altair rotates shaped nebula was formed by a red is 94inches. once every 8.9 hours at its giant star that expelled a shell of equator. This rapid rotation ionized gas into space. This red giant The month of August will bring a causes Altair to become oblate. Its star was in its final stage of evolution virtual panorama of famous celestial equatorial diameter is approx 20% before becoming a white dwarf star. objects. The bright planet Venus is greater than its polar diameter. currently the third brightest object in M27 is the famous Dumbbell the sky. Venus gets as bright as –4.6 The August Sky is also rich in Nebula in the dim constellation magnitude and is very visible low on Messier Objects. M13 is the Great . It is found by drawing a the western horizon for approx 90 in Hercules. To find line from Albireo to the small circlet minutes after sunset for the entire M13, first find the Keystone in the of stars in the dim constellation month. Venus is one the four constellation of Hercules. M13 is Delphinus. It is the first planetary terrestrial planets of the solar system located along a line drawn between nebulae to be discovered (1764). and has a diameter that is only 5% the NW and SW stars of the Charles Messier described it as an less than Earth’s. Its mass is .815 that Keystone. It is considered to be the oval nebula without stars. This of Earth and its volume is .866 that of finest globular cluster of stars in the is the most Earth. But here the similarity ends. northern celestial hemisphere. It is 23 impressive object of its kind in the The concentration of CO2 in Earth’s arc minutes across and contains sky, as the diameter of its luminous atmosphere is 0.0387%. The approx 300,000 stars. It is a good body is nearly 8 arc minutes (1/4 the concentration of CO2 in the Venusian binocular object and easily seen in diameter of the moon). It is also one atmosphere is greater than 96%. The small telescopes. of the brightest with an apparent atmospheric pressure at the surface of visual magnitude of 7.4. Venus is 92 times that of Earth’s and M3 is a fine globular cluster in 4 Determining the distance of any ranging from 5th to 7th magnitude Dalmiro Brocchi sketched it in a planetary nebula is difficult as it is a which form a conspicuous “coat finder chart for AAVSO. Since then shell of diffuse gas that is moving hanger”, a straight line of six stars the Coathanger has been popularly rapidly. The distance of 1200 light with a hook of four stars on the south known in this country as Brocchi’s years is a commonly accepted figure. side. It is usually found by drawing a Cluster. The distances of the ten stars The is readily seen line from Altair to Vega. Start at range from 200 to 1100 light years. in binoculars and small telescopes. Altair and travel 1/3 the distance The most recent studies of the proper The rate of expansion of the shell of northward and you will find the motions of the Coathanger’s stars gas is rapid and it is thought to be a Coathanger. Under good seeing indicate that they are not related. younger planetary nebula. The central conditions on a moonless night, the After a few tens of thousands of years star in the nebula is a white dwarf Coathanger will appear as an in the future, the proper motions of with an estimated diameter of 0.055 unresolved patch of light by the each of the members of the solar masses which is the largest unaided eye. It is best viewed with Coathanger will change the shape diameter of any known white dwarf binoculars or a telescope capable of a from the Coathanger to something star. wide field of view under low else. magnification. Its width is approx 1 The dim constellation of Vulpecula degree. The newly marketed Ethos The August sky hosts a myriad of contains one of the most remarkable eyepiece made by Televue might celestial wonders. Each is a marvel grouping of stars in the sky. Brocchi’s allow a telescope of conventional that is free for the taking. Cluster has the popular name of the design to view the full width of the Coathanger or Collinder 399. The Coathanger. In the 1920’s the Article by Gary Smith, Coathanger is made of 10 stars American amateur astronomer ACA President.

Observatory Report Yes, a step change in image quality; 200 stars. We really made a hit with By Ron Kalinoski definitely incredible. Every member the observing public, that's what we're that looked through the 16" telescope all about! What a great time quickly responded with amazement we had at our July and confirmation 30% more light and Our August 3rd star party was no 13th star party for 15% better resolution produces a less impressive as we explored new "First Light" of the significantly better image. Even one objects not yet viewed with the 16" 16" obs er vat or y non-member from our impromptu telescope. Venus was our "early bird telescope. Over 100 group commented there was more special" viewed just off the horizon at people showed up for "star glow" in the center of the Great dusk. NGC6633 looked the star party with Hercules Cluster. John Shulan called crisp & bright. We were able to clear skies all evening. it a "religious experience." Yes, we resolve stars down to the core of The first object the public viewed was viewed God's creation up close and globular cluster M80, located near a five day old Moon. The response personal that night. Definitely Antares. The observatory telescope from the public was awesome. Many impressive. John Crilly was out to the worked well. There are a few issues of the people never looked through a star party to "observe" the observing we need to address; those will be telescope before. The next object session. We got him over to the resolved in time. viewed was Saturn; a fabulous view eyepiece to observe M13 and John of the rings tilted at 20 degrees liked what he saw. Fantastic! The Article by Ron Kalinoski, inclination. Cassini Division & ring ring nebula was the next object ACA Observatory Director. shadow on disk were visible. The line viewed through the 16" telescope with for viewing the Moon and Saturn took evermore stunning results. The us well into the evening observing richness of the image in the eyepiece session. We changed out the eyepiece was one club members have never and fitted the telescope with the seen before. This telescope dominates 31mm Nagler. Finally, the time came on deep sky objects. We continued to slew to M13; to see if there was down the observing list with Cat's Eye going to be any noticeable difference, Nebula & Albireo. The last object we any upgrade of image quality from the viewed was The , 14" observatory telescope. My first M11, a beautiful open response was "Wow, that's sweet"! filling the field of view with about

5 STAR NAMES Z T R F R Z M O M B A R Y J A U E S L P G U U O S W G D E L L I E D Z P I K O J C Y B A C Z Z T A L O G D N M R R L G J B A I E H L E Y G P B E P F I I A D L Y B P S D N L A D D C E L O U M R Z U A X H K P T G E A R I M N N S D I Y V A T S Y L V E O K L M B B E G T S L F Y P R U A P U W B R B G O O D H E N O Y C O R P G S C E K P D S E F N A R A B E D L A X E J N W E O J C U N D U I L S M U L U W V E Q N C S T C A L U M O M E K A U Z K D G O J P A A N R N U B R A H A C X C C Q G C F F O H O A J O G I J C I G Z I K S E C A L B I R E O C P E N A L F U Y Q I K L H F R B I Q B W S U R P E B J N H X U K E P N A B U H T K R S E H U Z H L S W C D A L T A I R K A G M L S O Y Y N N E E E I P L B W Z T A R P L G E M M A W Y W O B P U W Y P X N K E A R A T U Z T R B H O I B V R Y O M R Q X L U G Z O ALBIREO DENEBOLA SADR ALCOR FOMALHAUT SAIPH ALDEBARAN GEMMA SHELIAK ALGOL MIRA SIRIUS ALTAIR MIZAR SULAFAT BETELGEUSE POLARIS THUBAN CANOPUS POLLUX VEGA CAPELLA PROCYON YED POSTERIOR CASTOR REGULUS YED PRIOR DENEB RIGEL ZUBENELGENUBI

6 Pluto (arrow) over three nights, June 14,15,16 2013, north is up. Also in the image at top is Palomar 8 of the Palomar Survey of Dim Globular Clusters. Also of note, the middle frame shows Pluto’s position dead center of two stars! Talk about a cosmic hole-in-one! Meade 14" f/8 ACF LX850 ota - SBIG ST8300M camera.

Globular Star Cluster M13. August 5, 2013. Meade LXD55 w/Canon Digital Rebel. 8X 30sec exp unguided, ISO 1600.

(top) Rick Burke and Dave Jessie bring their white light and H-alpha scopes to the solar party.

(middle) Jim Watson and Jason Shinn tuned in for radio emission from the sun as well.

(bottom) The observatory was open to reveal the brand new Meade 16” LX200 ACF.

THE ASTRONOMY CLUB OF AKRON SEPTEMBER 2013 ACTIVITIES CALENDAR Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 New Moon 11:36UT STOW ASTRONOMY ACA OBSERVATORY PUBLIC EVENT PUBLIC EVENT 7:30p (www.stowastronomy.org) Moon at apogee (farthest) at 9h UT.

8 9 10 11 12 13 14 First Quarter 17:08UT STOW ASTRONOMY PUBLIC EVENT (www.stowastronomy.org)

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Moon at perigee Full Moon 11:13UT STOW ASTRONOMY (closest) at 17h UT. PUBLIC EVENT (www.stowastronomy.org)

22 23 24 25 26 27 28 FALL EQUINOX ACA MEMBERSHIP ACA OBSERVATORY OCCURS AT METTING (KIWANIS) PUBLIC EVENT 7:00p 20:44UT. 8:00p Last Quarter 3:55UT Moon at apogee (farthest) 18h UT. 29 30 AKRON, OH SUNRISE AUG 1 6:22AM EDT AUG 30 6:51AM EDT SUNSET AUG 1 8:42PM EDT AUG 30 8:02PM EDT

EST = UT - 5 hrs, EDT = UT - 4 hrs The Night Sky Newsletter of the Astronomy Club of Akron c/o Jason Shinn, Editor 1025C Hemlock Hills Dr. Akron, OH 44313