Observer Staff Editor & Publisher: Richard DeMidio and Comet Swan Newsletter of the New Hampshire Astronomical Society Vol. 2006 No. 11 “All the news that fits in print” November 2006 Mercury Transit th Prresiidentt''s Message experiment is also being planned for the rain date Nov 30 . We expect about 50 President's Message upcoming Leonid’s meteor shower to 60 7 th graders (as astronomy is now To paraphrase the immortal words of which can be read on page 3 in the 7 th grade curriculum) and their Richard Nixon, “You won’t have me to Rich DeMidio families. This sky watch begins a kick around anymore!” :) By this, I NHAS Secretary 2006 6:00. We also have some pending mean that thanks to a two-term limit, I Offffiicerr Ellecttiions requests for two scout groups: a Cub will no longer be your club president Officer Elections Scout den that needs only one or two of come January 1 st . What does this mean The election process starts this month at us, and a Girl Scout function of to you? It means that it’s time to put the November business meeting indeterminate size. Please check the your own hat in the ring! Nominations (Friday, the 17 th ). Our current president web site for the latest info on these and for the 2007 club officers start at this and vice president retire due to term other December outings. We have had a month’s meeting at St. Anselm College. limits. One board member also retires lot of interest in the handout material Everyone should try to be there! by rotation. Nominations can also be from Night Sky, and I will see about made at the December meeting just obtaining some more. We have also On the astronomy front, it has been a prior to the vote. Please be sure to handed out the NHAS flyers and cards. pretty busy, if cloudy, month. We had participate in these important decisions. It will be interesting to see if they the transit of Mercury last week (even if Rich DeMidio generate new members of event all of us in New England were forced to NHAS Secretary 2006 requests. Please feel free to send me watch it online), a new big storm any material you think should be used brewing on Saturn, and the Leonid PPuubbllliiicc OObbsseerrrvviiinngg for cards or handouts. As always, thank meteor shower on the Saturday night We have had two very successful sky you all for your continued support. after the meeting (forecast is “mostly watches recently: The CMP crowd was Finally, t he Girl Scouts of Spar and cloudy”, but we still have hope). attentive and a few folks brought their Spindle Council, in Northeastern MA., own scopes to learn how to use them. are running a Sky Search program that Finally, our evening presentation this Many club members left their spots to has filled to maximum capacity on month will be on “The Weak Anthropic come over and help the newcomers. A Friday, December 8th, 2007. They are Principle of Cosmology”. This subject fresh wave of observers came out after currently looking for help with the is somewhat similar to the talk that we the CMP lecture was finished, keeping telescope portion of the program had originally scheduled for our us star hopping till late. As usual, we at their camp in Rowley, MA. About October meeting, but this one will be snagged the interest of some Tech 75 girls will attend. Other astronomical given by our own Vice President, John students, too. activities will be going on, with Bishop. Council Staff leading them. I am still The Auburn Village School Sky Watch getting the details figured out, so please See you at the meeting! was frenetic fun! Herb, Gardner, keep an eye for emails about it. This Brian, Matt, Mike, Bob, Joe, & I set would be a particularly good time for Matthew Marulla up scopes in the shadow of a modular the females amongst us to elbow the NHAS President 2006 classroom, avoiding the bright lights. guys out of the way. The requirements About 50 7 th graders and many of their for the program are listed at: HHiiigghhllliiigghhtttss fffoorrr ttthhiiiss MMoonnttthh parents, grandparents and siblings came http://www.astronomy.org/programs/gir Comet Swan has been the focal point to fill in answers on their science lscouts.html for the last several weeks so I am handouts. They were enthusiastic, showcasing the hard work of many club energetic and many “Wow!”s were Marc Stowbridge members on page 2. The Mercury heard when they saw galaxies, star Transit was a bust locally, but other clusters and especially, green lasers. parts of the world got to see it. Read We have another school event on Nov about it on page 6. An interesting 29 th , at Londonderry Middle School, On the web at http://www.nhastro.com/ 2 The NHAS Observer November 2006 date. I have posted 4 sizes on my site Obby trained on the comet for as long CCoommeettt SSwwaann http://www.astronight.com/swan.htm as possible so everyone could get a good look. I was very pleased with the Editor’s Note: Over the past month, results. NHAS members have focused a lot of Rich DeMidio time in observing and photographing this comet. This section will showcase I took the TeleVue 85mm refractor out their observations and results when I got home tonight to view Comet I just got back from YFOS. Clouded SWAN right near Epsilon Herculis (got out but on my way home the sky the constellation right this time ). cleared. I stopped before getting on I-89 Despite a good bit of moonlit and found a boat ramp. I set up my background haze, and the Merrimack Photo by John Buonomo portable tracking platform and managed light pollution, the comet was showing Hope everyone has a chance to catch it to get a few shots of the comet as the very well. Even at 19X magnification, while it is still there. It is noticeably clouds passed over it. it showed a distinct bright, spherical dimmer and the tail is just barely core and surrounding hazy coma-- visible. This one looks somewhat considerably different from last week at different. I rotated the view since my the Reed's Ferry sky watch, when with camera never displays the correct the same eyepiece and scope it looked orientation... I did not color correct the much smaller and less distinct, and was twilight so you can see a correct look in a dead ringer for M13. It made quite a sky color Image Details are as follows: contrast compared to the pinpoint star image of Epsilon Herculis. With a 55 total frames 11mm Plossl (54X) the contrast 5:18pm - 7:26pm est Photo by Tim Printy between the halo and the core was more Twilight The comet is magnitude +4 to +4.5 and distinct. One long (over 1 minute of 15x60 seconds the ion tail was 4 degrees long in my arc) tail was clearly visible, and there 10x90 seconds binoculars. This image really could were hints of a second tail at about a 45 Dark have been better if the sky conditions degree angle to the first. I was glad to 30x180 seconds were not so bad. The passing clouds are get this third (and perhaps last, given its what give the mottled look to the trajectory towards the evening twilight 320x480 image. M13 can be seen at the top. sky, and the upcoming weather http://www.astronight.com/latest/11- Tim Printy conditions) view of a fine telescopic 02-06/CometSwan-11-02-06- Set up in an apple orchard in Chester comet. It's not Hyakutake or Hale- 320x240.htm and imaged the comet on Monday Bopp, but it's giving Maccholz and 640x480 night. NEAT a run for their money. By all http://www.astronight.com/latest/11- means do observe this if you get the 02-06/CometSwan-11-02-06- chance. It's in a hyperbolic orbit and 640x480.htm leaving the Solar System for good, so 800x600 neither our descendants nor we will http://www.astronight.com/latest/11- ever see it again, once it's gone. 02-06/CometSwan-11-02-06- Paul Winalski 800x600.htm 1024x768 http://www.astronight.com/latest/11- AAsstttrrroo PPhhootttoonnss 02-06/CometSwan-11-02-06- Photo by Herb Bubert 1024x768.htm . The moon was out and the sky in John Buonomo Chester is nothing like YFOS but it's only a 10-minute ride from my house in At the November CMP sky-watch, I Derry was able to finally see the comet Herb Bubert through Obby. Although the moon was Editor’s Note: NHAS member John Buonomo nearly full and causing a lot of light has spent a lot of time pollution, I was able to quickly find the producing animations which may be comet utilizing the map Paul Winalski viewed on his website. They are very provided. The comet core was very Gardner Gerry – Photo by Chase McNiss stunning. Here is an excerpt from his bright and I was able to detect the dust blog describing the work. of the tail. Some of the audience As mentioned at the last business including myself commented that saw a meeting, John Blackwell has Seeing was not that great but I think slight green tint in the core. I kept generously offered to hold an advanced that this is the best animation so far to CCD astrophotography class at November 2006 The NHAS Observer 3 Grainger Observatory at Phillips Exeter and transparency.