MountMount DiabloDiablo AstronomicalAstronomical SocietySociety Diablo MoonWatch Diablo MoonWatch April 2013 GENERAL MEETING Doors open at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday April 23, 2013 Lindsay Wildlife Museum Magnetism, Space Weather, and Atmospheric 1931 First Avenue, Walnut Creek, CA 94597 Evolution at Mars By Dr. Matt Fillingim Please park East of the museum, follow the Unlike Earth, Mars does not instructions on the last page have a global scale magnetic Matt Fillingim has been a field. However, it does have research scientist at the Space Sciences Laboratory at the intense and localized crustal University of California, Berkeley, magnetic fields. since 2002. Prior to that, he received his Ph.D. in Geophysics Earth’s planet-wide mag- from the University of Washington netic field is thought to shield in Seattle and both his B.S. and our atmosphere from the solar M.S. in Space Sciences fromthe wind. Without such a shield, Florida Institute of Technology in the solar wind has impacted Melbourne, FL. His current the atmosphere of Mars over research focuses on the magnetic the past few billion sub- fields and tenuous, ionized gas stantially changing it. Dr. Fillingim of Mars has changed. He will also introduce then next mission to (aka plasma) surrounding Earth, will discuss some of the recent the Moon, and Mars. He has also ideas about the history of Mars’ Mars, MAVEN, slated to launch in late 2013, which is designed to been the astronomy instructor at magnetic field and how (and Berkeley City College since 2008. why) the atmosphere and climate decipher the atmospheric history of Mars. P U S ’ T A H W “Space-Creatures” I will share my un-earthed “friends” with you, as we journey through their amazing life, death and. . . rebirth? By Moon Trask Pan-Starrs comet by John Read 1 MountMount DiabloDiablo AstronomicalAstronomical SocietySociety DiabloDiablo MoonWatchMoonWatch April 2013 Keeping Steady With Binoculars CORNER by Chris Ford It is a maxim that Neither are they that comfortable mono eyepiece because of the S to use compared to contemporary way the brain synthesizes the ’ every astronomer binoculars that I have recently visual information. T needs a pair of tried out, all of which led me to binoculars. look for a new set that are more So binocular viewing is a very N up to date so I can give my exist- natural process and wanting the

E For myself, I have ing pair a long overdue rest. two pairs of 7 X 50 best experience, I recently

D and 10 X 50’s that decided to update my

I have been in my pos- vintage binoculars with session for over 30

S a new set, as everything years.They were I read during my

E given to me by my parents to whom in research said that most R turn they were given binoculars over 20 years by a film director old do not compare with

P who used them to scout out locations for shoots. In the current state of the fact I don’t know how old they optical art. are or even who the (long- extinct) maker is, but that’s not So what to buy? These binoculars must be pretty vintage as everything is solid Well, this month’s president’s cor- important, they are MY binoculars metal. No plastic or rubber anywhere. of great sentimental value, almost ner is not meant to be a binocular indestructible, and they have Another common problem buying guide, but rather the per- delivered a wonderful service experienced with binoculars is sonal discovery into how far the over the years. I suspect that keeping the view still and free of experience of using binoculars for many of us have similar relic “the shakes” (especially the 10 X astronomical purposes has instruments of comparable per- 50’s) and avoiding neck ache changed for this author.This is the sonal value. However it has while looking at anything over 45 direct result of purchasing a set of become increasingly clear of late degrees above the horizon unless the Canon IS (Image Stabilized) that my binoculars do not really lying on a recliner.There is compare to what a modern