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 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 , 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 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 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. I also decided to revisit M31 last night Academy. The date will be at YFOS. Friday, December 1st at 7:00pm. This  Herb Bubert promises to be an exiting event for imagers. The following is a summary John sent to me via email:

"Cost: Free.

Title: Advanced CCD astrophotography

Topics: Photo by Herb Bubert CCDs, their internal workings and how to get the most from it. Two nice groups though they are

diminishing now. Purchasing CCDs and scopes that play well together.

At the telescope… using these things. Photo by Chase McNiss Focus, cooling, power, etc. Got out for an hour between 2:00 and 3:00 AM EST. The wind prevented me Inside: Image processing. Darks, flats, from getting any avi sequences longer bias frames. Summing vs. Averaging. than 35 seconds. The image posted Color. Stretching, sharpening and (Aristotoles and Eudoxus) is taken with more. Tricks and tips. a Nexstar 8iSE @f16 in Alt-AZ mode w/ IR-pass filter, 10fps, 100/350 frames I assume that those coming would have stacked w/ Registax V3, 5pt MAP Photo by John Blackwell had some film experience and some processing and finished in PSCS. Taken with 500 frames with registax CCD experience before. The image  Chase McNiss ans FS125 at 1000mm with ToUCam processing portion is certainly II. accessible and useful to anyone who has digital images to work with, but After 18 months of playing around,  John Blackwell will lean towards those doing CCD experimenting, and tuning I finally got work. to gather some photons and produce my first image. Very excited when that RRaaddiiioo AAsstttrrroonnoommyy If anyone is further interested: we can color popped out on the combine. The touch upon science: photometry and details of this picture are as follows: in particular." M27 - LRGB - 120:120:150:150 - all 30m subs. ST-10XME, 14" LX200R @ As usual, our regular contributors f/9.25, Astrodon filters, Paramount ME continue to post wonderful images in on a pier. Processed in CCDStack, the NHAS "Pictures" forum. Check out AIP4Win, and Photoshop CS2 John Buonomo's Comet Swan animations, Chase's lunar work, images from new members Paul Howard and Rich Schueller and many others.  Gardner Gerry

Having the day off really helps motivate you to get out and image even though the forecast is for poor seeing Photo by Paul Howard I'm not happy with some of the halos Antenna by Bob Sletten and bloom removal was interesting (to The radio astronomy group is going to say the least) make an attempt to receive a radio signal from the Leonid meteors as they  Paul Howard enter the atmosphere. This is an unproven technique and if we have any 4 The NHAS Observer November 2006 success it will be intriguing. If Octobers coffeehouse was clouded out. conditions are clear Saturday night Perhaps we'll have success with our (Nov 18th) we will try to associate post Thanksgiving coffeehouse, on the visual sighting with low frequency 24th. Clear Sky permitting, I hope to radio signals from individual meteors. see you there. If it works this technique may be able to obtain split second warnings of an October is the time to renew incoming meteors! But mostly this will memberships, as I know that many of be for fun to see if we can pull off a you have. For $15 you remain a science project that involves video, member of one of New England’s radio, audio, recordings and antennas. premier astronomy organizations, with The event will be at YFOS. There is a access to people knowledgeable or predicted peak between 11:00 and Diagram by Matthew Marulla expert in many areas of astronomy as midnight. It may be necessary to set up  Matthew Marulla well as discounts on equipment and some of the equipment in the daylight. magazines like Sky and Tel and See the forums section of the web site The schematic you drew is perfect. Astronomy. When you factor in your for further information. If the weather is Nicely done. Indeed the12kHz antenna access to club facilities at YFOS, it is poor then we will postpone until shown is nearly identical to what I am an unbelievable (except that we are not another shower or possibly try for designing and building. The diamond for profit and entirely volunteer, more random meteors. All interested will be 8 feet on a side. It is a loop on that next time) value. If you have not members are welcome to attend. antenna and I am determining how yet renewed, please send your $15 dues  Bob Sletten many turns to put on. The computer to audio is a nice, high tech way of doing Editor’s Note: I am including a it. It should work well. The back up The New Hampshire Astronomical diagram and a few excerpts from the would be to put the audio on camera as forums thread. There is much more Society you suggest. Maybe we should keep the P.O. Box 5823 detail in the entire documented in the computer far away from the 12 kHz forums portion of our website. Manchester, NH 03108-5823 antenna. Attention: Treasurer I was thinking that we could record  Alan Shirey WWV on one track, audio on another We all agree that there will be an audio and receiver output on a third. That will HHuubbbblllee UUppddaatttee work, but none of these recorders have connector challenge, lots of wires. We 4-track output -- they are all designed to don’t have a W W V receiver problem. Several NHAS members reported via mix-down into stereo. There seems to be plenty. I have a email that NASA has approved funding dipole more or less ready to go that we a mission to repair Hubble. There are So... I think the next best alternative can throw into the trees behind the several URLs that document the details. might be a PC with a pair of sound warming room. Actually, we may only Here are a few that I found and that cards. Can record 4 independent need a whip antenna to get it reliably, were provided by club members. channels and everything will already be depending on conditions. We need http://news.nationalgeographic.com/ne digital for later analysis. Of course, a someone to build up the directive ws/2006/10/061031-hubble.html microphone system. There is a good bit PC could also time-stamp the http://www.nature.com/news/2006/061 of mechanical assembly. Getting it right recording, but there would be no way to 030/full/061030-5.html sync that with the video. So we record might be a trick. I suppose the simple answer is to point the microphone itself http://www.space.com/news/061031_h WWV on one PC channel, and we also ubble_wrap.html need it on the video's audio track. at the meteor and see what we get. Background subtraction may be less  Rich DeMidio I have several PCs I could use, and lots effective then. of sound cards, so I will get one of  Bob Sletten those up and running and get an OS loaded. Need to make sure I can record MMeemmbbeerrrsshhiiipp to both at once. We have had one new member since last month’s meeting, James McIntosh Then I'll need to sort out all the cables of Tyngsboro MA. We have had many and connectors. Will get back to you on new members over the summer months. that one - once I figure out what I have It is still my intention, when clear skies and what I need, I'll ask what permit, to host a new member connectors other people's equipment roundtable at a YFOS coffeehouse. takes. This would essentially be a forum to ask questions and get direction from surrounding members. The proposed new members discussion scheduled for November 2006 The NHAS Observer 5 schedule. Mark brought a box problems that their fix did not address. TThhee BBoottttttoomm LLiiinnee containing copies of the Night Sky Some discussion about why the device magazine to he handed out by members kept shutting down. Larry has a Starting Balance $2939.22 at star watches, and includes nice lengthy discussion about this on his (checking acct) astronomy startup documentation. If blog for technical details on the cycle Deposits/Credits $1802.38 anyone wishes to propose a sky watch, on why it is going dead. Small heater (Donation, please direct people to the website and at YFOS is working fine. Large heater Membership, mark’s contact information in the has not been started yet. Site is in good Moose Lodge, officer’s area. Mark asked for help to shape – there will be sand when winter Calendar review some materials on star party comes. Plow person needs to be Deposits, Acct etiquette. He also showed the club the contacted. Potential issue with Mount Int.) proposed brochure to hand out at in the observatory. Larry to contact A/P $194.25 parties. Currently, he has been sending Don Ware. (Astronomy these attachments to sponsors who want Calendars) us to do a star party. He is asking us to Membership: Alan Shirey reported that Net Acct Balance $4548.28 review and propose changes if deemed six new members joined since the last Cash Balance + Petty cash appropriate. Also reminded folks to meeting. Next coffee house will have drawer (195.25) request someone to take point and roundtable at 7pm. General questions $4740.53 formulate a status report. Mark also and topics encouraged with Allan Membership 140 (2006) 84 briefed on an idea that another club did aligning them with proper club (2007) regarding sky watches based on members. Donations $20.00 Alan geographically dispersed teams and Shirey propose the idea for us to think about. Radio Astronomy: Bob Sletten We should be able to leverage this via reported on recent NSL article the current number of regulars that tend regarding about listening to meteors. Please note that NHAS membership is to show up at the sky watches He would like to setup an experiment due October 1st. The cost is $15.00 for the upcoming Leonids meteor payable by cash or check. Our mail Book of the Month , None shower. Scientists believe EMR is address is: emitted while in the atmosphere and

Committees. Photo Club Gardner claim that they can hear it before they NHAS Gerry reported that last Saturday at see it. Some people have reported a Attn: Treasurer YFOS was a great session with several sizzling sound before seeing it – P.O. Box 5823 folks taking images and posting on the interesting since it would take a long Manchester, NH 03108-5823 web site. John Blackwell has also time for the audible sound to reach. Chase McNiss  volunteered to open his observatory on However, the belief is that

Friday nights for advanced Electromagnetic Radiation can be LLooookkiiinngg BBaacckk aattt LLaassttt MMoonnttthh Astrophotography. There will be a detected and translated into sound. Bob limit of 15 members in order to make it explained the details about how sound Opening Matthew Marulla opened productive. The focus will be on CCDs might be detected. He would like to try the meeting introducing the agenda. He internal working, purchasing them, and detect this radiation at YFOS brought up the topic of the Proxy vote using them at the scope. Please contact during this shower. This is new science that we have had going on for the last Gardner if you are interested. so if we actually detect something, it . The proposal is to allow proxy Web: Matthew Marulla reported that can be reported. In theory, if this votes in electronic form. A motion he will work on sky maps now that he theory does work, an instrument could was made and approved to vote on this is back. There is still some material on be built to detect and derive the with a quorum of members present. The the old web site archived that needs to direction of where the meteor would be motion was seconded and voted on with be migrated to the new site. Matt is coming from. Kinda like an early a unanimous decision. figuring that he can do that once he is warning meteor detection system (see

no longer president. NSL and forum). Scope of the Month None ATMs: Larry Lopez reported about a

donation by Larry LaForge from Miscellaneous . Matthew Marulla drove Public Observing . Marc Stowbridge Stellafane. Formally thanked Larry for a discussion regarding the upcoming reported that many sky watches are his donation and we are going to put the Mercury Transit. We will see the coming up (check the web and forums). materials at YFOS. beginning and egress. YFOS and CMP 10/25 at Reeds Ferry School is the YFOS Larry Lopez reported that the are the ideas. Will need a clear western biggie; expected near 400 peeps. 10/28 Porta potty needs to be pumped. horizon to view. Kanagangous is AMT group near Mark for a sky watch. Mosquito Magnet is put away and possibility and finally, Pack Mark reported and briefed us on the broke again during the season. Matt is Monadnack but openings might be details of many upcoming events – all going to contact the manufacturer for a narrower for view. The audience is on the web. He did report on a small new one because there are obvious decided that CMP would be the official sky watch on 12/4 that is not on the 6 The NHAS Observer November 2006 location. Dave McDonald would scout complete trip with various stopovers. out and report back on the best location The pictures were breath taking. Thank to setup. Matt also reported that the you Matt for sharing this with NH Park Service is now locking Pack everyone! Monadnock at night now. Matt has  Rich DeMidio received permission and a procedure for Mercury Transit us to get access to the place. Matt will Merrcurry Trransiitt let the officers know the procedure. Unfortunately, the transit was clouded Matthew Marulla also showed some out in New England. CMP offered a pictures from Victoria Crater from show inside the dome and NHAS was Mars. JPL website an high res image invited to attend. I was of 20 mb. The MRO orbiter took the also able to find a picture and if one zooms in, it will wealth of articles on show where Opportunity is currently the web relating to the sitting. I found a nice URL that has the transit. One web site picture http://www.xs4all.nl/~ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_cr carlkop/mercurius/tran ater sit.html contains photos taken by both professional and amateur Astronomers. Many of you also know that NHAS president Matthew Marulla is affiliated with Slooh and he posted the following in the pictures forum.

Photo provided by NASA Photo provided by Matthew Marulla via www.slooh.com Elections : The 2007 nominations for We will have to wait another ten officers will be in November, and again in New England before another transit in December meeting followed by the visible to us occurs. actual vote. The office of President, Vice President, Board, Secretary, and  Rich DeMidio Treasurer all up for nominations. Don Ware will become chairman and one new board member will be elected as the Jr. Board Member. There was discussion about the VP position in that whomever gets elected, they should view is as the president in training with a natural progression occurring. There was also discussion about officers migrating to the board. Finally, the main point emphasized is that you do not need to know a lot about Astronomy to serve as an officer.

Evening Program . Matthew Marulla treated the membership to a wonderful slide show depicting his summer at Bryce Canyon. We were able to see the

DEADLINE Dec2006 Issue: 5 PM 11Dec E-mail articles to the Editor. CHANGE OF ADDRESS – Notify the Treasurer of changes to postal or e-mail address.

How to Join N.H.A.S. Write to us: Send E-mail to: 2006 Officers NHAS [email protected] President: Mathew Ma rulla P.O. Box 5823 Vice President: John Bishop Manchester, NH 03108-5823 Use our web site: Treasurer: Chase McNiss Attn: Treasurer http://www.nhastro.com/ Secretary: Richard DeMidio

This month's contributors: Matthew Marulla, Chase McNiss, Bob Sletten, Gardner Gerry, Allan Shirey, Gardner Gerry, Bob Sletten, Rich DeMidio, Paul Winalski, Herb Bubert, John Buonomo, Paul Howard, John Blackwell

New Hampshire Astronomical Society P.O. Box 5823 Manchester, NH 03108-5823

November 17 th - TBA

Event Date Time Location Business Meeting Nov 17 7:30 pm St. Anselms College Coffee House Nov 24 Dusk YFOS CMP Skywatch Dec 1 Dusk CMP Business Meeting Dec15 7:30 pm CMP Coffee House Dec22 Dusk YFOS