The Observer of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers

THE OBSERVER OF THE TWIN CITY AMATEUR ASTRONOMERS

Volume 42, Number 1 January 2017

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

1Editor’s Choice: Image of the Month – Cave Nebula 2President’s Log 3Calendar of Celestial Events – January 2017 3New & Renewing Members/Dues Blues 3Subscribing to Our E-Mail Lists 4Planets and Bright Stars in Evening Mid-Twilight 5This Month’s Phases of the Moon 5 Solar Eclipse Guide Available 6 SGO Ash-Dome Updated 7 “Becalmed” at Sea Once Again 8AstroBits – News from Around the TCAA 10PSO Final Usage Stats for 2016 11Make Plans Now to Attend NCRAL 2017 12RESERVE NOW for Camp Ondessonk Eclipse Visit 13Nominations for Board, Awards, Chairs Sought 14Sign Up Now for February’s Annual Meeting 14Bylaws Amendment to Come Before Membership 15G. Weldon Schuette: On the Centennial of His Birth 16Profiles in Amateur Astronomy: Jamey Jenkins 18Calendar of Significant Astronomical Events in 2017 19TCAA Photo Gallery 21Zodiacal Light Now Showing 21The Finest Jewel of the Morning EDITOR’S CHOICE: IMAGE OF THE MONTH – CAVE NEBULA 22Renewing Your TCAA Membership 23Public Observing Sessions for 2017 This month’s Image of the Month’s sub-images were taken by 23TCAA on Facebook and Twitter Bob Finnigan and processed afterward by Tim Stone. Tim writes, 24Treasurer’s Report for December 2016 “This is a photo of Sharpless 2-155, The Cave Nebula. It rides our sky 24HowTimeFlies in the emission nebula rich constellation of Cepheus, the King. Some 252017 Astro Calendar 2400 light years distant, it is a portion of the massive, dusty HII region in that direction, a region that also hosts such notable beauties as The Elephant’s Trunk, The Heart and Soul nebulae, The Bubble nebula, The Wizard nebula, NGC 7822, and The Bat and the Squid nebulae. “The Cave Nebula is primarily powered by the bright blue star below center in this image. Acquired by Bob Finnigan and processed by Tim Stone, this image uses Hα, OIII, and SII wavelengths to clearly show the structure and composition of this complex star birth region. This includes 34 Hα exposures, 17 OIII exposures, and 13 SII exposures, all at 900 seconds, for a total of 16 hours on the 20” The TCAA is an affiliate of the Astronomical League. For PlaneWave in the Prairie Sky Observatory.” more information about the TCAA, be certain to visit our club website.

Vol. 42, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2017

PRESIDENT’S LOG The OBSERVER is the monthly electronic newsletter of Twin At this point at the beginning of City Amateur Astronomers, Inc., a 2016, TCAA board and members were registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit working very hard to finalize the educational organization of amateur astronomers interested in studying North Central Region of the astronomy and sharing their hobby with Astronomical League conference. We the public. hosted that conference in April, and it

TCAA OFFICERS was one of our big successes last year. This year, as we look forward its President & Director/Property Manager Tim Stone 309-531-2401 major events, we have just as much, if [email protected] not more, to be excited about. At the top of the list is the August Vice President & Director Robert Finnigan 309-846-9533 total solar eclipse. I sincerely hope [email protected] you will be able to view this

Treasurer & Director extraordinary event from within the st Dave Osenga 309-287-0789 band of totality on the 21 day of [email protected] August. For me, it will be a great 60th birthday present, as my birthday is on the 22nd!

Secretary & Director/Historian/Editor Carl Wenning has produced a very good eclipse guide, which is available to TCAA Carl J. Wenning 309-830-4085 members for a nominal donation. Please contact him if you’d like one. [email protected] Our Public Observing Sessions will commence at the end of March. We have a

5th Director great lineup of speakers and topics for this year’s sessions. I’m very much looking Tom Weiland 309-830-0167 forward to resuming our regular program and outreach to our communities. [email protected] The dome of the Sugar Grove Observatory has recently had some upgrades to

ALCor/Registered Agent allow it to be turned by a motor rather than our backs. In addition, the lower slit has Duane Yockey 309-452-3936 been modified so the entire slit can be open, which makes working inside the dome far [email protected] better. Along with the fantastic instrument in there, this facility now offers a first-class Webmaster visual experience. Lee Green 309-454-7349 Training classes will commence soon. Darren Erickson will be teaching the [email protected] Introduction to Astronomy course in the Spring, while Carl works on an Introduction to Lighting Education Coordinator Astrophotography course. The first of these courses has proven to be very popular with Lisa Wentzel unlisted number incoming members, even contributing to people’s desire to join the club in the first [email protected] place. Membership Coordinator I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the upcoming Annual Membership Banquet. Tom Willmitch 309-846-2423 [email protected] We will eat good food, enjoy each other’s company, elect the board of directors for the coming year, hold our annual business meeting, and hear from a couple of top-notch Technology Coordinator speakers. Like always, we’ll have door prizes, and a good time will be had by all. I do Justin Meyer 630-649-0611 [email protected] hope you will attend. With membership growing, and plenty of activities to become involved in, there is The OBSERVER every reason to anticipate a great 2017. So, on behalf of the board of directors, I’d like Carl J. Wenning, Editor to wish everyone who reads this a Stellar New Year! Paul Pouliot, Assistant Editor

Submission deadline is normally one day Tim Stone, President before the end of each month. Twin City Amateur Astronomers

MEMBERSHIP DUES

Individual Adult/Family $40 Full-time Student/Senior $25 (Senior status equals ages 60+)

To join, send your name, contact info and dues payment to Dave Osenga, TCAA Treasurer, 1109 N. Linden St., Normal, IL 61761-1471.

Vol. 42, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2017

CALENDAR OF CELESTIAL EVENTS – JANUARY 2017 NEW & RENEWING MEMBERS

MORNING PLANETS (1/15): Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn The following individuals have paid dues for new or EVENING PLANETS (1/15): Venus, Mars, Uranus, & Neptune renewed memberships as of December 29th, 2016. (Others who paid after that date will appear in the February 2017 03 Quadrantids Meteor Shower – The first major shower of issue of The OBSERVER.) the year, the Quadrantids will peak on the night of January rd th 3 and early morning hours of January 4 . A waxing crescent moon will make for good viewing conditions after Tom Weiland; Dave Peters; Mike, Mindy, & Olivia Prescott moonset on the night of January 3/4.

04 Earth at Perihelion – Earth closest to sun today at only DUES BLUES 0.98331 Astronomical Units or 91,404,000 miles. If you have received a “your dues are due” statement 05 First Quarter Moon – The waxing, half-lit moon rises along with the email that brought you this issue of The around midday and sets around midnight. OBSERVER, please remit your dues to Mr. Dave Osenga, TCAA Treasurer, 1109 N. Linden St., Normal, IL 61761- 12 Venus at Greatest Eastern Elongation – Venus reaches 1471. Dues are currently $25 for seniors (60 years of age greatest elongation 47.1° east of the Sun. This is the best and over) and $40 regular. time to view Venus because it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the evening sky. Look for the bright SUBSCRIBING TO OUR E-MAIL LISTS planet in the southwestern sky after sunset. By subscribing to a group’s mailing list you will receive 12 Full Moon – The Moon will rise at sunset and set at sunrise. email messages from the group so you won’t have access This full moon was known by early Native American tribes to the group’s web features (like photos, files, links, polls, as the Full Wolf Moon because this was the time of year calendar, etc.) unless members activate it later. The club when hungry wolf packs howled outside their camps. This now has two open email listservs. The first email listserv is moon has also been known as the Old Moon and the Moon known as the TCAA Yahoogroups listserv. It will be used to after Yule. share announcements and reminders about astronomical and club events. To join this main listserv you must do the 19 Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation – Mercury following: reaches greatest elongation 24.1° west of the Sun. This is 1. Subscribe: Send a blank email to TCAA- the best time to view Mercury because it will be at its [email protected] Note: You’ll be sent a highest point above the horizon in the morning sky. Look confirmation email from the group. Reply to the for the planet low in the southeastern sky before sunrise. confirmation email to activate your subscription. 19 Last Quarter Moon – The waning, half-lit moon rises 2. Unsubscribe: [email protected] around midnight and sets around midday. 3. To post a message: [email protected]

A new forum recently has been 27 New Moon – Sets at sunset and rises at sunrise; not visible. established that replaces the former yahoogroups.com imaging group. This EVENING SKY MAP new space will give TCAAers more room to grow the forum as well as the ability to customize the Click on either of the icons found here look and feel of the site. For now, Tony Cellini will be to access a current evening sky map paying for the hosting service but, if somewhere down the along with a more detailed celestial line he should decide that he doesn’t want to take on that events calendar. burden, the host he chose offers free hosting for 503c organizations. So, join the discussion at the new home of the TCAA forums: https://tcaa.clubforums.net. Please note that guests may view all the forums, but registration is required to post. It’s easy and secure.

Vol. 42, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2017

PLANETS AND BRIGHT STARS IN EVENING MID-TWILIGHT FOR JANUARY 2017

This sky chart by RobertPla nD.e Millerts an isd drawn Brig forh t40 S northtars latitudein Ev buten inmayg beM usedid- Tthroughoutwiligh thet continental U.S. and southern Canada. It shows the positions of objectsFo in rthe J askyn uwhenary the, 2 Sun01 is7 9 below the western horizon. This corresponds from 48 to 45 minutes after sunset this month. The summer’s bright stars are disappearing in the west and winter constellations have made their appearancesThis sky cinh athert i seast. draw Onlyn fo rVenus latitu dande 4 0Mars deg rcanees nnoworth be, found in the evening sky at the but may be used in continental U.S. and southern Canada. times indicated below. On January 12th, Venus reaches greatest eastern elongation and then begins to move back toward the sun. Mars is already heading in that direction. N

Pollux

Capella Vega

Procyon Deneb

Betelgeuse E W Aldebaran

Altair

Rigel

29 29 22 Sirius Mars 15 22 Venus 8 15 1 8 1

Fomalhaut

S Evening mid-twilight occurs Stereographic Projection when Sun is 9O below horizon. Map by Robert D. Miller Jan. 1: 48 minutes after sunset. 15: 47 " " " 31: 45 " " "

Vol. 42, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2017

THIS MONTH’S PHASES OF THE MOON

First Quarter Full Moon Last Quarter New Moon Thursday, January 5 Thursday, January 12 Thursday, January 19 Friday, January 27

All moon phase dates are Central Standard Time. Additional moon phases for the 2017 calendar year can be found by clicking here. Images provided by J. K. Howell of the Champaign-Urbana Astronomical Society & used with permission.

SOLAR ECLIPSE GUIDE AVAILABLE

The Challenger Learning Center (CLC) at Heartland Community College in Normal, IL, has published a total solar eclipse observer’s guide written specifically for viewers within Illinois. This lavishly illustrated 24-page booklet is tailored to provide detailed information specific to Illinois observers, and includes scientific background, local circumstances of the eclipse, a host of preparatory and eclipse day activities, and more. Dr. Carl J. Wenning, member of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers and former director of the Illinois State University Planetarium, authored the publication. The booklet is intended not only to inform your members and your community about the August 21, 2017, total solar eclipse, but to provide observers with the information and basic tools needed to observe the eclipse safely. Each copy of the observer’s guide includes a set of certified- safe solar viewing glasses manufactured on behalf of the Astronomical League, the nation’s largest association of amateur astronomers. Distribution of this booklet is intended as a fundraiser for both the CLC and other educational non-profits willing to distribute this guide. The author suggests that the publication either be sold for a minimum of $10 or given in recognition of those who donate $10 or more to a club, museum, or science center. The document is digitally printed on durable 80# velvet stock paper and is saddle stitched at two points near the center and trimmed on three sides. It has a color cover but is black & white within. This is an updated version of the early draft distributed at NCRAL 2016. BULK orders are now being accepted. Guides MUST be ordered in multiples of 20 only. Guides will be available in exchange for a donation of $5.25 per copy to the CLC. Shipping and handling are extra at 75 cents per copy. A box of 20 booklets shipped to any location within Illinois costs only $120 and can be sold for $200 netting a profit of $80, a 40% profit margin. What a great way for your club to inform the public and make a profit for your club at the same time! Please place your order with and remit your payment to Challenger Learning Center, and mail it to the following address: Challenger Learning Center, Attn: Stacey Shrewsbury, Heartland Community College, 1500 West Raab Road, Normal, IL 61761-9446 Illinois astronomy clubs should consider taking advantage of this offer. It could become a real money maker for your organization and you’ll be providing a great public service at the same time. Your club can become the “go to” source of information in your area.

Vol. 42, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2017

SGO ASH-DOME UPDATED ~ by Carl Wenning ~

Visual observers of the TCAA received an early Christmas gift this year when two workers from Ash Manufacturing Company came from Plainfield, IL, to put in a manual drop-out out shutter and to motorize the rotation of the SGO dome. Brandon Kauffold and Riley Brannen did an excellent job over the course of three days, December 20-22. They both expressed great joy in seeing one of the earliest Ash-Dome products still in operation. Bob Finnigan was present to “supervise” much of their work, to answer questions, and to take pictures during the process. The TCAA extends a cordial thanks to all three individuals for their time and effort. Before telling more about the dome, please look at Bob’s pictures, assembled here in to a couple of montages for your viewing pleasure.

I was present on the morning of December 22nd and questioned Brandon and Riley about state of and care for the dome. When asked about the state of the dome, Brandon expressed an opinion that the dome is in very good condition considering its 40+ year age, and was surprised to see how easily it rolled on precisely located rollers. He said that sinking of observatory buildings often poses problems with the smooth rotation of domes, but that we are in great shape. A few of the rollers were a bit sticky, but he loosened them up with a lubricant. Some of the seals are beginning to fall apart, but he noted that we do have some extra seal materials in stock and then provided us with some adhesive left over from the job. When asked about the unsightly dome interior due to mildew and stains on light blue paint, both suggested repainting with the use of flat black paint which is commonly employed in a lot of new observatories. They said NOT to remove the interior paint as there is an undercoat that protects the aluminum from oxidation. (Both Riley and Brandon have travelled the world assembling domes for Ash Manufacturing Company so they know what they are talking about.) When asked about treatment of the exterior of the dome which is now pealing due to the age of the paint, again both immediately popped up with the answer, “Use Elastomeric, a polymer coating.” That’s what all the big observatories use to whiten their domes, and the coating lasts for many years. Not only will it make the dome cleaner and brighter looking, it will also increase the ability to the dome to reject heat from the sun. The power box and hand controller for the dome motor have been mounted on the southwest wall, and it is plugged into the existing outlet. We probably should hard wire the power box and shorten the cable between the controller and the motor according to our workers. A hand crank for raising and lowering the drop-out shutter is mounted on the right side of the dome slot. The drop-out shutter can be lowered using the crank, but only after the upper dome cover has been moved up enough to free the watertight flange and seal of the drop-out shutter. The drop-out shutter does drop all the way down to

Vol. 42, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2017

horizontal without contacting the roof so that the dome can be rotated fully without concern of the shutter contacting the roof. When fully open, the SGO 12” telescope can point from all the way down to the horizon to 15° beyond the zenith giving an unobstructed 105° view. The drop-out shutter need not be opened if viewing will be focused on the upper portion of the sky (say 30° above the horizon or more). The drop-out shutter may be left in place to be used as both a wind and light screen if preferred. Similarly, if viewing near the horizon only, the upper part of the shutter need not be opened any more than is required to free up the drop-out shutter. A left-right control switch is used to move the dome in clockwise and counterclockwise directions. Throw the switch to the left if you want to move the dome slot to the left, and right if you want the dome slot to move to the right. Always allow the dome to come to a complete stop before reversing the direction of its motion to avoid damage to the drive mechanism. When closing the drop-out shutter, make sure that the upper lip contacts the dome but do not over tighten the hand crank. If the top part of the drop-out shutter does not contact the dome, the upper slot cover flange will not slide down over the lower shutter and seal, and might cause damage. The park position of the dome should be “dome slot into the prevailing wind.” Do be careful to avoid parking the edges of the dome slot directly over the motor as water leakage – if any – might damage it. After the conclusion of the job, Bob asked me to pose from some “Vanna White” type shots “to provide scale” for this newsletter’s readers. You will find me in two “undignified” shots above. And, yes, I am happy – just as the pictures suggest. Now that we have a motorized dome available for our use, I am not in the least bit concerned about any “loss of pleasure” by not being able to constantly push and pull on the dome to line up its slot with the telescope! I wish to extend thanks on behalf of all those who will use the SGO now and in the future to those three generous club members who made this update possible. The cost was $3,880 in parts and $1,600 in labor.

“BECALMED” AT SEA ONCE AGAIN ~ by Carl Wenning ~

As I am wont to do when “becalmed” by long days at sea, I work on all sorts of projects – most astronomically related. During my December 5-20 trip to Hawaii, I had 4 days “at sea” on the way there and 5 such days on the way back. One of the things I did on the return leg of the voyage was to work out the details of my soon-to-be-proposed Astronomical Bucket List. Another of the things I did was to work on several navigation problems. It is to the latter problems that I now draw the reader’s attention. We departed for Hawaii from the San Pedro pier at the Port of Los Angeles (latitude = 휙퐿퐴 = 33.7361° N, longitude = 휆퐿퐴= 118.2922° W). Our first destination was Hilo on the “Big Island” of Hawaii (latitude = 휙퐻푖푙표 = 19.7071° N, longitude = 휆 퐻푖푙표 = 155.0885° W). The following questions then came to mind: What is the distance between these two places, and what direction should we depart from Los Angeles (LA) to get to Hilo following the shorted possible route? Both problems are readily solved with the use of spherical trigonometry. The figure below roughly depicts the situation. Point A represents the North Pole of Earth; point B represents Hilo; and point C represents LA. Arc a represents the angular distance between LA and Hilo; arcs b and c represent the differences in latitude between the North Pole and LA, and between the North Pole and Hilo respectively. Angle A is nothing more than the difference of the longitudes of Hilo and LA (∆휆 = 휆퐿퐴- 휆 퐻푖푙표 = 155.0885° − 118.2922° = 36.7963°). Consider the relationship between these angles and arcs in terms of the distance between LA and Hilo. Using the standard cosine formula of spherical trigonometry, we arrive at the following result:

cos( 푎) = cos(c) ∗ cos(b) + sin(푐) ∗ sin(b) ∗ cos (퐴)

cos( 푑푖푠푡푎푛푐푒) = cos(90° − 19.7071°) ∗ cos(90° − 33.7361°) + sin(90° − 19.7071°) ∗ sin(90° − 33.7361°) ∗ cos (36.7963°)

cos( 푑푖푠푡푎푛푐푒) = sin(19.7071°) ∗ sin(33.7361°) + cos(19.7071°) ∗ cos(33.7361°) ∗ cos (36.7963°)

cos( 푑푖푠푡푎푛푐푒) = 0.3372 ∗ 0.5554 + 0.9414 ∗ 0.8316 ∗ 0.8008

cos( 푑푖푠푡푎푛푎푐푒) = 0.1873 + 0.6269 = 0.8142

Vol. 42, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2017

60푛푚 푑푖푠푡푎푛푐푒 = 푐표푠−1(0.8142) = 35.4917° ∗ = 2129푛푚 1°

So, the sailing distance is 2129 nautical miles (nm) or 2450 statute miles assuming a spherical Earth. With an effective 20 knot sailing speed (not bad for a 116,000-ton ship), we made it to Hawaii in just 4 days. At what azimuth (Az = 360° − 퐶) did the ship depart the Port of Los Angeles to take the shortest possible route to Hilo? That can be readily determined with the use of spherical trigonometry’s simpler sine formula. However, the problem with the sine formula is that it often produces ambiguous answers. So, we will again use for the sake of the discussion the more complex cosine formula to get an unambiguous answer.

푐표푠( 푐) = 푐표푠(푎) ∗ 푐표푠(푏) + 푠푖푛(푎) ∗ 푠푖푛(푏) ∗ 푐표푠 (퐶)

cos(90° − 19.7071°) = cos(35.4917°) ∗ cos(90° − 33.7361°) + sin(35.4917°) ∗ sin(90° − 33.7361°) ∗ cos(360° − 퐴푧)

sin(19.7071°) = cos(35.4917°) ∗ sin(33.7361°) + sin(35.4917°) ∗ cos(33.7361°) ∗ cos(360° − 퐴푧)

sin(19.7071°) − cos(35.4917°) ∗ sin(33.7361°) = cos(360° − 퐴푧) sin(35.4917°) ∗ cos(33.7361°)

0.3372 − 0.8142 ∗ 0.5554 360° − 퐴푧 = 푐표푠−1 [ ] 0.5806 ∗ 0.8316

360° − 퐴푧 = 푐표푠−1[−0.2382]

퐴푧 = 360° − 103.7800° = 256.2200°

Departure azimuth was therefore “west-southwesterly,” where 225° equals southwest and 270° equals west. While this is the azimuth of departure, the azimuth that the ship must follow will change continuously throughout the voyage and must be changed regularly to ensure that the ship travels a “great circle” route. This is readily done using shipboard GPS. Still, it is a requirement of international maritime law that navigators must be present on a commercial ship who can both determine latitude and longitude using a sextant, as well as calculations such as those above, as a matter of safety. Who knows when the GPS will fail and sailors will have to depend upon traditional methods?

ASTROBITS – NEWS FROM AROUND THE TCAA

 Lisa Wentzel was recognized in the December 2016 issue of the Astronomical League’s Reflector for having completed the Binocular Messier Observing Program. Lisa has earned three other observing awards, too, and all these will be conferred upon her at the TCAA’s Annual Meeting in February. Carl Wenning was similarly recognized in the December 2016 issue of the Reflector for winning the Mabel Sterns Newsletter Editor Award, second place. Unfortunately, they had his caption wrong, exchanging his name with another award winner who was similarly misidentified.  Other than the member who made the original inquiry, no members of the TCAA have expressed interest in acquiring clothing with an embroidered TCAA logo. Therefore, there will be no group effort to do so until greater interest is shown. If anyone wants to inquire of the manufacturer on their own, they may do so by contacting Donna Kleinlein at dk designs in Downs, IL, by phoning (309) 378-2552 or emailing [email protected].  On December 3rd, Tim Stone was honored to display his astrophotography at an evening music concert held at Duncan Manor. This is a well-recognized, very large house southwest of Towanda, IL, which is being restored by Randi and David Howell. This concert is one of a series being held to benefit the restoration of this magnificent landmark.  Tim Stone and his “assistants” have been working diligently during these cold and typically cloudy days (and nights) to make updates on observatory telescopes. During December, our property manager has conducted repair work on both the 17” and 20” telescopes. We had thought earlier in that the irregular motion of the 17” mount when pointing to the west had been corrected by the removal of a joy stick controller, but that now appears not to be the case. Tim has disassembled the mount to replace one remaining USB cable that often turns out to be at the root of such problems. The

Vol. 42, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2017

20” telescope was recently off its mount for adjustments to its mount. Tim, Tony Cellini, and Carl Wenning reinstalled the 20” on its mount on December 26th.  The cleaning solution for the telescope mirrors has arrived, and Tim has provided a link showing how the process will work. Check it out at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laD1RTbbMik. Tim has detailed the work on the 20” starting on December 3rd. His updates can be found at the following URL: https://tcaa.clubforums.net/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=39.  Jim Gibbs and Carl Wenning continue to support NCRAL by assembling and publishing the Northern Lights newsletter. Volume 1, No. 3 (Winter 2017, 14 pages) was just released. It was disseminated to NCRAL clubs through their officers and to the TCAA using our Yahoogroups listserv. If you have not yet received this newsletter, be sure to check it out at either through the NCRAL Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/northcentralregionastronomicalleague/) or the NCRAL website (https://ncral.wordpress.com/).  The North Central Region of the Astronomical League needs officer candidates for the positions of Regional Chairperson and Vice Chairperson. These persons will be elected at the NCRAL 2017 meeting in Minnesota this coming spring. If you can think of anyone to nominate, please be certain to send in your nomination as specified in the latest edition of Northern Lights. NCRAL is also looking for nominations for the NCRAL Region Award. Recipients are recognized for outstanding contributions to amateur astronomy. See the latest issue of Northern Lights for details.  The next Board of Directors meeting will occur on Tuesday, January 17th. The event will take place at the home of Carl Wenning beginning at 6:30 p.m. As always, Board meetings are open to all members. If you are not a regular attendee and wish to attend this month, please let Carl know so he can make proper arrangements.  Carl Wenning, working with Stacey Shrewsbury, will co-teach an eclipse workshop for teachers at HCC’s Challenger Learning Center. The event is slated for Thursday, January 12th, from 9AM to 2PM. The workshop will provide an overview of the August 21st total solar eclipse, and give teachers with the means of teaching their students how to observe the eclipse safely on their own.  Chris Franklin and Carl Wenning spent some 3 hours observing the sky from under the updated dome of SGO on Monday, December 26th. Both were incredibly please with the traits and operation of the dome. Afterward Chris remarked, “I wanted to write a quick note on how much I enjoyed the new motorized dome at SGO. Words cannot explain how nice it is to have the observing view that allows horizon and zenith views to be visible without changing the shutter positions. I was able to view objects at different locations in a much more enjoyable experience. I want to thank the club for this great addition.” Carl had similar feelings and noted that he was able to observe longer than any time in recent years due to the fact that lots of energy is no longer required to turn the dome by hand. The pleasure of observing at SGO has increased immensely. These improvements to the dome were long overdue and are greatly appreciated!  Tony Cellini and Tim Stone were imaging at PSO on the evening of December 26th. Tony was imaging with the 17” and Tim was imaging with the 10”. Tim started a RGB, 100-frame image in a 19° square centered on Orion. Tony was imaging Sharpless 171.  Chris Franklin has a telescope for sale, and it is shown in the accompanying picture. It is a LXD75 Meade 6” refractor with a GoTo mount that appears to be an CG-4. It is 10 years old and in great condition per Chris. As for asking price, he is negotiable starting at $500. His phone number is 309- 454-2933, so give him a call if you are interested.  Lisa Wentzel wants to remind everyone about the Northeast Astronomy Forum, NEAF. It is characterized as “the world’s greatest astronomy & space expo.” We might want to think about attending as a group some time. The 2017 NEAF event will be held on April 8-9. Ticket are now available. Details are available here: https://goo.gl/D7kXrr.  Several members within the TCAA are thinking about a trip to the Arctic Circle to observe the Aurora Borealis for a few days. Possible locations include Fairbanks, Alaska, and Iceland. This activity is on the bucket list of several TCAA members, and discussion is encouraged. The possibility for visits in either 2017 and 2018 are very real. Thus far we appear to have 4-5 members who are interested. Duane Yockey visited Iceland for this very purpose in 2007. Please contact Carl at [email protected] if you are interested.

Vol. 42, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2017

 TCAA President Tim Stone recently had images produced by the international collaboration team, of which he is a member, included in the 2017 Nuovo Orione e Le Stelle Astronomical Calendar! Tim noted, “Thanks to Giuseppe Jossie Donatiello for the tremendous amount of work he puts into this collaboration, and his tireless publication efforts.”  On the night of December 27/28, observers once again took advantage of clear skies. Tony and Tim continued their imaging work in PSO while Carl continued making observations for his Astronomical Bucket List, observing about 25 more objects over the course of two consecutive nights. Jim Gibbs joined the group and spent his time imaging from the SGNC parking lot. This evening was colder (with the temperature dropping below freezing) but less windy than the night before, and both Carl and Jim were pretty much chilled to the bone by the time they concluded observing.  Both Mars and Neptune were readily visible in a single field of view of a low-powered telescope on New Year’s Eve. Reports of successful observations using telescopes or binoculars were provided by Troy Berg (25x100 binos), Tony Cellini & Mike Prescott (SGO Meade 12”), Tim Stone (10x70), Carl Wenning (CPC 11”), Brian Barling (Celestron 8”), and Jamey Jenkins (102mm Williams Optics refractor). Mark Boulware, using 10x50 binoculars, was unable see Neptune. The last time this type of “two-in-the-view” phenomenon was visible locally was on June 29, 2015. At that time, Tim was able to capture the event through Carl’s CPC 11”. Troy was able to photograph this year’s Mars- Neptune conjunction with a hand-held cell phone. His picture is on page 25.  It has become common over the past few years to have a door prize drawing at the end of the Annual Meeting. Several of our members have been very generous over the years in providing books, calendars, CDs, unwanted equipment, and so forth. We want to have another such drawing this year. Won’t you consider bringing along an item or two as door prizes? No need to buy anything new; just bring along one or more unwanted items that would be of interest to amateur astronomers. Your donation on behalf of the club will be greatly appreciated.  If you ordered the 2017 RASC Observer’s Handbook, be advised that your copy is available for pick up from Carl Wenning. Please arrange a date and time for pick up by emailing [email protected]. Payment of $21 is due upon receipt. Checks should be made payable to TCAA. If you bring cash, please bring the exact amount. Thanks to Jim Gibbs for arranging for the purchase of the handbooks.  The TCAA is now exchanging newsletters with the Champaign-Urbana Astronomical Society (CUAS), the Rockford Amateur Astronomers (RAA), the Popular Astronomy Club (PAS), and the Quad Cities Astronomical Society (QCAS). Our club members also receive Reflector as a benefit of membership in the Astronomical League and Northern Lights because we belong to the North-Central Region of the Astronomical League. Most of these items are distributed through the TCAA Yahoogroups listserv which is described on page 3 of this issue of The OBSERVER. If you are not receiving these items, you are really missing out on a lot of interesting and helpful information. We also send our newsletter to the Peoria Astronomical Society and the Sangamon Astronomical Society, but they are not producing newsletters on any sort of a regular basis.  TCAA Guide #1 – Introduction to Amateur Astronomy – was updated recently. It now contains 59 pages of information which is up from 56. It contains new information about operating SGO’s dome, a “cheat sheet” for operating the Astro- Physics mount, and provides assessment scales for seeing and transparency as related the Earth’s atmosphere. You may download version 1.4 of this document at http://tcaa.us/TCAAGuides.aspx

PSO FINAL USAGE STATS FOR 2016 ~ by Tim Stone ~

In 2016, the PSO was actively imaging on 102 nights, with 86 of them producing at least an hour of imaging data. In aggregate, the four instruments imaged for a total of 717.8 hours in 2016, just a few minutes short of 30 days of image data. A total of 133 targets were photographed. A good number of these targets were given cursory treatment, the remainder account for the bulk of the photographic hours spent. 3,648 individual images were acquired across all instruments, for a total of 138GB of image data.

Vol. 42, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2017

Our most productive instrument was the HW16, experiencing no significant downtime throughout 2016. The CCA250 had a bad winter and spring, producing very little imagery in the first half of the year. The CDK17 was a steady workhorse, and the 20" continually improved through the year, becoming the most productive platform in September through November. It went down for maintenance at the beginning of December, and December usage is generally down across the board because of bad weather through most of the month.

Sum of Hours Scope Grand

Month CCA250 CDK17 CDK20 HW16 Total Jan 22.33 21.88 44.22

Feb 8.46 6.08 15.83 30.38

Mar 1.50 6.41 6.75 9.33 23.98 Apr 4.75 16.73 19.25 18.08 58.82 May 0.75 17.50 14.00 20.25 52.50 Jun 1.00 17.33 13.00 14.25 45.58 Jul 9.58 10.83 10.67 8.67 39.75 Aug 18.83 10.25 19.48 20.58 69.14 Sep 30.08 25.17 29.60 17.75 102.60 Oct 20.58 22.68 30.50 21.92 95.68 Nov 23.50 21.17 34.25 26.08 105.00 Dec 17.33 12.00 20.82 50.15

Grand Total 150.25 168.53 183.58 215.44 717.80

MAKE PLANS NOW TO ATTEND NCRAL 2017

Now is the time to begin start making plans to attend NCRAL 2017. As noted in the Northern Lights newsletter, the event will be held from April 21-23, 2017, on the campus of the Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center located on the crest of the rolling hills north of Lanesboro, Minnesota (about 40 miles southeast of Rochester). Our hosts will be the Rochester Astronomy Club. This year’s theme is “astronomical observing.” Our hosts will be presenting a full line-up of lectures, panel discussions, demonstrations, and vendor exhibits during the conference. The speaker roster already includes astronomers and scientists from the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, NCRAL, the Minnesota Astronomical Society, University of Minnesota, Mayo Clinic, and Winona State University. Their expertise ranges from astronomical observing to aerospace medicine. TCAA’s Carl Wenning will be speaking at the event; his topic will be An Astronomical Bucket List. Here is the tentative schedule of main activities provided by John Attewell, chairman of NCRAL 2017:

Friday, April 21 Afternoon Planetarium tour Early evening Vendor exhibits and roundtable discussions Late evening Dark sky observing

Saturday, April 22 Morning + Afternoon Speaker presentations Early evening Banquet Late evening Dark sky observing

Sunday, April 23 Morning Checkout

Be sure to consider attending this event. Several TCAA members likely will attend this event. The drive up to Lanesboro will take about 6 hours, and the registration fees are still being worked out according to John. Carl is willing to share a ride, so let him know if you are interested in joining him. Carl can be reached via email at [email protected].

Vol. 42, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2017

RESERVE NOW FOR CAMP ONDESSONK ECLIPSE VISIT

The TCAA Secretary has been in contact over the past few months with Alissa Hollmann, Camping Services Director at Camp Ondessonk, about the TCAA’s involvement with the August 18-21, 2017 total solar eclipse program. The TCAA will present, in cooperation with the CUAS, an eclipse talk and workshop. We will also hold both day and night viewing sessions. As was mentioned earlier, TCAAers who officially participate as volunteers (a.k.a. “presenters” in official paperwork) in the Camp’s educational program will receive free accommodations at the Camp in exchange for their services. Volunteers will, however, need to pay for their direct cost to the camp (food only) which is small indeed considering the services and benefits they will render us. Family members who merely accompany presenters are required to pay for meals and lodging if they are not in some way volunteering. According to Alissa, “We want to extend the discounted [volunteer] offer to: a) Individuals who present at an educational session, b) Individuals who bring a telescope for viewing, c) Individuals who help facilitate the nighttime viewing session, and d) Anyone who is integral to the facilitation of these activities whether or not they are actually speaking.” Anyone who does not meet these very broad and generous qualifications will be asked to pay for camping/housing in addition to food service. Alissa is flexible on the food service fee if there are some volunteers who will not be eating food provided by the Camp, but she still needs to get registration information on everyone who will be staying on site and what type of accommodation they want (if they will be in the St. Noel rooms, or if they will be camping or staying in a traditional cabin unit). TCAAers need to review the 8 pages of information relating to our visit to Camp Ondessonk to participate in the August total solar eclipse program. This information is being made available now so TCAA members might plan and, more importantly, register. If you have not already received the official 8-page Camp Ondessonk informational document through the TCAA listserv, contact the editor at [email protected] IMMEDIATELY. Select accommodations for volunteers are limited, so make your reservations with Camp Ondessonk now. Camping, utility trailers, and motor homes are acceptable, but services (e.g., fire circle, electricity, water) are limited to non-existent.

Tentative Camp Ondessonk Program August 18-21, 2017

Friday

5:00 pm-10:00 pm Friday night guest Check-In OPEN @ Trading Post, move in to units. No meals provided.

Saturday

10:00 am-10:00 pm Check-In OPEN @ Trading Post, move in to units. 12:00 pm-4:00 pm Adventure Activities Available with Pre-Registration only (High Challenge & Trail Rides). Some activities have age/weight restrictions. 4:30-6:00 pm Meet and Greet for Premium Package Participants. 6:00 pm Dinner at Dining Hall 7:30 pm Catholic Mass in the Chapel 8:30 pm Campfire or Night Sky Viewing (weather dependent)

Sunday

8:00 am Breakfast 9:00-11:30 am Open Activity Areas – May include the following: Canoeing/Kayaking, Archers, Swimming, Handicrafts, Climbing Wall, Guided Hikes. 12:00 pm Lunch 1:00-4:4:30 pm Educational Sessions 6:00 pm Dinner 7:00 pm Eclipse Educational Session – Keynote 8:30 pm Campfire or Night Sky Viewing (weather dependent)

Vol. 42, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2017

Monday

8:00 am Breakfast 9:00-11:30 am Monday-only arrivals check-in @ Trading Post 9:00-11:00 am Open Activity Areas 11:00-12:00 To-Go Lunch available at Dining Hall 11:00-2:30 pm All Activities Closes for Eclipse Viewing! 3:00-4:30 pm Limited Activities May be Open 5:00 pm Thanks you for coming!

NOMINATIONS FOR BOARD, TCAA AWARDS, AND CHAIRPERSONS SOUGHT

BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Nominations are still being sought for the 2017-2018 Board of Directors. A new Board will be elected at the club’s Annual Meeting on February 11th. In accordance with the club’s Bylaws, the president and vice president are determined by the Board members at their first meeting and are selected from among the Board members. Other officers and positions – e.g., secretary, treasurer, historian, newsletter editor, ALCor, lighting education coordinator, IT coordinator, membership coordinator, and property manager – are appointed from among the membership as a whole. If you are interested in running for the Board of Directors or accepting an appointed position, please contact TCAA Vice President Bob Finnigan at [email protected] and let him know your intentions. Nominations will be accepted up to the time of the elections at the Annual Meeting.

CLUB AWARDS: Each year at the club’s Annual Meeting and Banquet, Board members are elected, bylaws amendments voted upon, annual reports are given, and members are recognized for their service to the club and field of amateur astronomy. 2017 will be no different. The Board of Directors is now calling for award nominations in three categories.

Nominations are now being accepted for the John and Bertha Kieviet Founders Award. This award is conferred upon a TCAA member to recognize demonstrated leadership to the club. Those so recognized need not have been a president of the club. If leadership is interpreted in terms of service to the membership, this is as close as the TCAA comes to having a distinguished service citation.

Nominations are now being accepted for the Eugene and Donna Miller Family Award. This award acknowledges the strong efforts by a family to participate in the club as a unit. One or more parents are recognized for their efforts to instill within their children interest in and dedication to amateur astronomy.

Nominations are now being accepted for Lifelong Honorary Membership. This designation is reserved for those TCAA members show have provided exceptional meritorious services to the club in terms of contributions of time and resources. This signal honor has been conferred only five times in the 55-year history of the TCAA. During the past 5 years, the following individuals have been recognized:

Award 2011 2012 2013 & 2014 2015 2016 Kieviet Founders William Carney Lee Green Not awarded Tom Weiland Tim Stone Miller Family Not awarded Not awarded Not awarded M. & W. Heiniger M. & D. Boulware Lifelong Honorary Robert Finnigan Not awarded Not awarded Not awarded Not awarded

Nominations are now being accepted for G. Weldon Schuette Society of Outstanding Amateur Astronomers. Returning after many years, this award recognizes a TCAA member who has demonstrated great skill in observing, dedication to the club’s education and public outreach efforts, and commitment to providing service to the membership. While holding the AL’s Messier Award is recommended, it is not required by the Standing Rule that established this award in 1987. This award was last presented in 2011 at which time the honorary plaque as filled. Earlier this year, the Board accepted the anonymous donation of a new plaque in Weldon’s honor due to the need for such recognition and the fact that January 17, 2017 will be the 100th anniversary of Weldon’s birth. He was born in rural Ford county northeast of Gibson City, IL, and was an extremely active member of the club serving in every elected office from 1962 until he passed away quite unexpectedly in 1986. Members of this society include the following: Copyright © 2017 TCAA 13 All rights reserved.

Vol. 42, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2017

 Bertha Kieviet (1987)  Don Johnson (1990)  Lenore Trainor (1997)  Mike Rogers (2009)  Carl Wenning (1988)  Jim Moncher (1991)  William Carney (2005)  Lee Green (2010)  Sharon MacDonald (1989)  Sandy McNamara (1994)  Dan Miller (2008)  Tony Cellini (2011)

Please e-mail your award nomination(s) to President Tim Stone at [email protected] or Secretary Carl Wenning at [email protected]. When recommending a candidate, a short description explaining why you feel the nominee deserves the award is required. The current Board of Directors and appointed officers will make decisions about the awards during their January Board meeting, so be certain to get your nominations in at least a day before. Lastly, the chairpersons of the various committees should consider whether they wish to continue in their current positions and make their intentions knowns to the upcoming Board following the election. The positions of secretary, treasurer, historian, newsletter editor, ALCor, legal registered agent, lighting education coordinator, IT coordinator, membership coordinator, and property manager are held by various individuals and serve at the pleasure of the Board. If you not currently a chairperson but are interested in serving in any of these capacities, again make your interest known to one or more of the Board members.

You many now sign up to attend the Annual Meeting banquet by going to the web page set up by Lee Green: http://tcaa.us/AnnualMeeting2017.aspx. The 2017 Annual Meeting will take place at the Normal Township Hall in Normal (just northeast of Ace Hardware) on Saturday, February 11th. The building will be open at 5:30PM and the meal will start at 6:00PM. At this meeting, we hear annual reports, vote on bylaw amendments, elect a Board of Directors, see various AL and TCAA awards conferred, and hear from one or more invited speakers. At this Annual Meeting, we will hear from Scott Kardel of Palomar Observatory and David Leake of CUAS. David will speak with us about Camp Ondessonk activities as we prepare for the August 21st total solar eclipse. The banquet meal will be $20 per person and includes two entrees, three sides, coffee, lemonade, and water. A 57th anniversary cake will be included for dessert. Payment can be made by cash or checks written to TCAA, and given to Dave Osenga that evening. Registration will remain open through February 4th. If you do register, please do pay for your meal(s) whether you end up attending or not if you do not cancel by February 4th. Last year several of our members did not cancel, did not attend the banquet, and did not pay for their meals. That ended up costing the club. We’d like to avoid this from happening again this year.

BYLAWS AMENDMENT TO COME BEFORE MEMBERSHIP

The TCAA membership is hereby officially put on notice that the TCAA Board of Directors approved on September 21st a proposed amendment designed to allow for an increase in the number of members providing guidance to the club. The thinking is that not requiring the secretary and treasurer to be Board members (they may still be), more members would be present at the Board meetings. We are essentially returning the Bylaws wording to what it was prior to the amendments this past year that had unfortunate consequence of reducing the number of voices contributing to Board decision making. The vote will take place during February’s annual business meeting. The wording of the proposed amendment is as follows:

Section 4: Appointment and Installation of Officers

The Officers shall be President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. THE PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENT Officers must be members of the Board of Directors except as stated in this section. All Officers shall be appointed by the Board of Directors and shall serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. If an officer is temporarily absent from an office, the President may appoint a Member in Good Standing to fill the vacancy until the absent officer returns.

Vol. 42, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2017

G. WELDON SCHUETTE: ON THE CENTENNIAL OF HIS BIRTH ~ by Carl J. Wenning ~

Editor’s note: This month one hundred years ago former report the nova as he felt others certainly would have TCAA member Weldon Schuette was born. It is he for whom already noted it and, besides, it was hard to get word out the TCAA’s Society of Outstanding Amateur Astronomers was from a military post during the height of World War II. named. The following article was printed in The OBSERVER Weldon was fond of reciting the story retold here in shortly after his unexpected passing in 1986. It is reprinted Sharon MacDonald’s words, “I recall (I hope correctly) that here to provide background for a TCAA award to be when, in the army, Weldon first observed the nova in 1942, presented this year for the first time since 2011. he was standing at attention during morning inspection, he couldn’t react, say anything, or tell anyone, he just had to G. Weldon Schuette was born on Wednesday, January stand there and take it all in without exhibiting any emotion 17, 1917 on the family farm just northeast of Gibson City, or response - those in charge likely to show little interest or Illinois. He was the second of two boys born to George and understanding about what was happening, much less have a Ethel Scott Schuette. Weldon was named after his father sense of humor about the struggles of an amateur George, but used his middle name throughout most his adult astronomer in Weldon’s position! I remember Weldon’s life. smile and his laughing about the situation when he told us The interest in astronomy that Weldon had as a youth the story.” was piqued by his observations of a partial solar After completing his military tour in England, eclipse on August 31, 1932. He was then only France, and Germany, and his hitch in the fifteen years of age. Using exposed, fully Army, Weldon returned home to the developed black and white film, he grassy prairies of Illinois. Taking observed the eclipse with fascination. advantage of the G.I. Bill, he went to Afterwards, he began studying star the University of Illinois to study maps and constellations. His first star architecture. He graduated in 1950. map was one he obtained in During this time, according to elementary school. On certain clear Weldon, he “lost interest in nights, Weldon would lie in ditches astronomy.” This interest was to be along the roadside to get a good rekindled in 1957 with the launch of view of the heavens and to avoid Sputnik. bothersome lights. From time to Weldon observed satellites time he would startle passersby, because it was “something [he] could emerging from the shadows of the figure out. It was simple” for him. ditch when they least expected it. Upon coming across Sputnik Purchase of a small mail order predictions in the local papers from telescope was soon to follow. Weldon the Smithsonian Astrophysical began to prepare star maps of his own Observatory, he noted that his own for every hour of the night. He observed predictions were more accurate. He stars, planets and other items that he marked contacted the Smithsonian and provided on his star maps. Undoubtedly, his interest in better predictions. They asked him for his astronomy was increased by reports of a grade school calculations and methodology. teacher who saw and talked glowingly about the 1910 His technique was simple. He developed an analog appearance of Comet Halley. Weldon longed to see computer that consisted of a polar projection of the Earth spectacular objects in the sky and he was rewarded by the and a clear, rotatable laminate upon which he drew one appearance of Nova Herculis on December 13, 1934. orbital track of the satellite based upon a knowledge of the A second nova (CP Puppis) entered Weldon’s life while satellite’s orbital inclination and period. The track had tick he was standing for reveille while in the Army in 1942. On marks of time to indicate the location of the satellite in its the morning of November 9th, he observed a first-magnitude orbit since its last south-to-north equator crossing. With a star in the constellation of Puppis just to the east of Canis knowledge of the longitude of this crossing, he could rotate Major. An observer in Argentina had observed the nova the laminate surface to indicate the ground track. With a three hours earlier. Weldon was possibly the first person in knowledge of the time of the equator crossing, he could tell the northern hemisphere, and the second person in the where the satellite would be at any point in time. When the world, to recognize the nova for what it was. Weldon did not satellite entered one of several “acquisition circles” for

Vol. 42, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2017

central Illinois, he knew the satellite would be visible and Weldon was an integral member of the family known as how high up and what direction in the sky to look for it. He the Twin City Amateur Astronomers. He held every major used this process for sightings of satellites the next 30 years. elected office and was an officer without break from 1971 to In 1960, the Twin City Amateur Astronomers was his death in 1986. He served as Treasurer for many years. He founded under the able leadership of John and Bertha re-instituted the club newsletter, The OBSERVER, in 1975 Kieviet. Weldon heard about the club through Pantagraph and was editor until his untimely death in 1986. He never newspaper accounts while living in Gibson City where he was missed an issue, nor had one ever come out late. For ten living and caring for his aging and sickly mother. years he single-handedly kept up the grounds of the club’s In 1961, Weldon joined the TCAA, regularly commuting Fissel Farm Observatory north-northwest of Normal. After from Gibson City for meetings and other club functions. This club co-founder John Kieviet passed away, Weldon always continued for three years until the death of his mother in drove Bertha Kieviet to meetings because she couldn’t drive 1964. At this time he moved to the Twin Cities after securing at night. That was Weldon, serving the TCAA and others in a job with Middleton and Associates as a draftsman where many ways, large and small, some of which I am sure we will he was to remain for life. never know. His dedicated work on behalf of the club was That Weldon loved astronomy was evidenced by his without comparison. numerous trips around the country to observe solar eclipses In February 1984 Weldon was granted lifelong honorary and to watch the space program develop. He traveled to membership in this august body – a title that he truly eastern Canada (July 1963) and Florida (March 1970) to view deserved and relished. He was the first of the club to recover total solar eclipses. He witnessed the latter in northern Comet Halley and the last to bid it farewell. Only in June Florida. It occurred under cover of clouds. Though he did not 1986 did he complete an odyssey of many years by finishing directly observe the eclipse, he was deeply impressed by the his observations of all 110 Messier objects. He was to “sudden darkness” surrounding the event. Numerous trips receive both his provisional and Honorary Messier citations were made to Florida to see Apollo moon launches and in September 1986 but, unfortunately, death intervened. shuttle launches. Weldon suddenly and unexpectedly passed away on the The most loved portion of sky watching for Weldon was night of August 18/19, 1986 while at home, probably that of satellite observation. He saw the Sputnik I rocket, suffering either a stroke or a heart attack. Sputnik II and III and their rockets, Echo I (which he sighted Weldon was dearly loved and highly revered by fellow over 1,000 times), Echo II, Pageos, Skylab, Salyuts 6 and 7, club members. Honors were paid to him – honors that he space shuttles, and the MIR space station. According to justly deserved. The club saw fit to institute a special society Weldon, he observed satellites over 2,500 times since his – the G. Weldon Schuette Society of Outstanding Amateur first sighting of Sputnik in 1957. Astronomers – to honor one of their own in a way that the The club and its members were the object of great membership felt best exemplified the hard work and affection for Weldon. This we know because he spent so dedication, the prowess and knowledge of Weldon Schuette. much time working on its behalf and participating in its The Society was established as an act on what would have activities. Only two times since 1970 did he miss club been Weldon’s 70th birthday, January 17, 1987. meetings – the reason being trips to see space shots in Florida.

PROFILES IN AMATEUR ASTRONOMY: JAMEY JENKINS

Editor’s note: From time to time I like to shine the spotlight on new members who bring with them considerable observing skills, imaging skills, or other interesting backgrounds. This month I focus on Jamey Jenkins from Homer, IL, who will be showing up from time to time with Jim Gibbs who now resides in St. Joseph, IL, only a stone’s throw from Jamey. Jamey responded to a set of questions I sent him, and it was his responses to these questions from which this article was developed.

1) How long have you been an amateur astronomer, and who or what stimulated your interest?

Vol. 42, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2017

The specific moment that the “spark” took place was in the discovery of Minor Planet 2000 EW148 as “28603 Jenkins” sixth grade of elementary school, we had just received our for my contributions to the ALPO Solar Section. science books in class. Thumbing through the book, an astronomy section with pictures of Mars, Venus, and Jupiter 5) With which observing programs are you currently caught my attention; I remember those photos to this day. involved? This was during the heyday of America’s space program which obviously played a role in my interest. Months later I For the most part I prefer to consider myself either a casual bought a thin paperback book titled, Exploring Space with observer, hobbyist, or dabbler in astronomy. My specific Astronomy by Lloyd Mallan. It taught me a little bit about interests these days are in solar and lunar observing. everything astronomical in its 112-pages. I still have that Recently I’ve been pursuing the Lunar Observing pin from original copy, dog eared and coverless, but acquired a better the Astronomical League. Another activity is small scope condition copy years later, along with several other Mallan imaging of the lunar terminator. This is a casual pastime I do astronomy texts of similar style. I’m now 61 years old. just for the fun of it; the challenge is acquiring sharp, medium resolution pics with my limited aperture telescopes. More importantly about 1968-69 as a teenager, I befriended Solar wise, I like to follow the changing appearance of active an older astronomical pen pal from Ohio, Howard F. Zeh. regions and prominences. The dynamics and non-static Through years of friendly correspondence, he encouraged nature of solar features is magnetic (no pun intended) and me and supplied volumes of knowledge about our mutual habit forming. In other words, the Sun never looks the same; hobby. As a mentor, Howard kept my interest in astronomy it is constantly in a state of flux! By securing a series of fresh and challenged me as an observer. images with a separation as short as one minute, the change in many features easily becomes evident. 2) What sort of telescopes do you and have you owned? 6) What is your greatest satisfaction in the realm of amateur From first to recent: 30mm Galilean drawtube (bought at an astronomy? F.W. Woolworth store), 60mm Jason Empire refractor, 76mm (3”) f/9 Newtonian (K-Mart brand), 4-1/4” f/11 Without a doubt providing encouragement and hopefully Newtonian (A. Jaeger’s components, home assembled), 6” inspiration through my writings has given me the warmest f/4 Cave Optical Newtonian RFT, 8” f/7 Newtonian (home satisfaction. The two solar observing books published by assembled), 125mm f/18 refractor (D&G Optical objective, Springer required hours of research, and fostered online home assembled), 102mm f/7 William Optics ED refractor relationships with several highly accomplished hobbyists (Megrez), and 10-inch f/10 Meade SCT. I have also owned around the world. The quality of the observations by these 8x30 and 10x50 binoculars. folks amazes me to no end, constantly causing me to raise the grade for my own aspirations! The purpose of the few 3) How long have you been a member of various astronomy articles and images I’ve managed to get published is to clubs? inspire or edify the viewer, much like I have been inspired by other hobbyists. I guess it’s about “passing it on.” This is my first membership in a local astronomy club. Just last year I became an at-large member of the Astronomical 7) What are your fondest memories as an amateur League, and have been a member of the ALPO organization astronomer? since the late 1990s. For about 10 of those years I served as assistant coordinator with the Solar Section, specifically the The earliest are often the fondest. As a youthful newbie in archivist and then as advisor to new observers. For quite a 1968, I spent two weeks watching the upward progression of while throughout the 1990s I also contributed observations the Perseid meteor shower to its maximum. Every evening to the American Sunspot Program of the AAVSO. from midnight to dawn I monitored hourly rates and traced meteor paths on star charts, all to be sent to the American 4) Have you earned any awards or honors in the field of Meteor Society. On the night of the predicted maximum amateur astronomy? between about 3am–4am there was a very sharp peak in the hourly rate, numerous bright meteors per minute, more Twice was fortunate to place first in the solar system than I could draw. Over the years several sporadic fireballs category of the astrophotography contest at the Chicago (green particularly) have left an impression. Comet Bennett Astronomical Society’s ASTROFEST in Kankakee. The AAVSO from 1969-70 was spectacular in the morning sky. In 1979 for contributions to their sunspot program has presented me we drove our young family to Brandon, Manitoba, Canada to with two recognition awards. Recently, Rik Hill of the Lunar photograph the total eclipse of the Sun. Of course, there are & Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, designated his more, but there is only so much space. Copyright © 2017 TCAA 17 All rights reserved.

Vol. 42, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2017

8) What are your goals today as an amateur astronomer? 10) Would you like to share one of your best astronomical photographs? If so, please attach and describe. Completing the observing requirements for the Lunar Pin from the Astronomical League in 2017 is on the schedule. A pair of images from 2016 by Jamey Jenkins. In the left My family has plans to observe the total eclipse on August frame, we see the rough surroundings of a “chain” of three 21, 2017 from southern Illinois. As the Sun emerges from the craters: Theophilus, Cyrillic, and Catharina which are situated current solar minimum, to record and share images of near the western edge of Mare Nectaris. A refractor of interesting events as they occur.

9) What are your thoughts about professional and amateur astronomy today?

My understanding is there are several fields where the pro/am cooperative is doable, but not in all areas of research. To do science, an amateur must be selective in the area he chooses. For instance, I enjoy solar observing, but realistically most amateur solar data tends to be redundant, and of low quality for the professional researcher’s needs. Those research requirements are often met by high cadence observations made by a satellite above Earth’s atmosphere, such as the Solar Dynamics Observatory. The pro/am effort in solar observing is for the most part non-existent. However, in the Focal Point column of Sky and Telescope 125mm aperture at f/18 was used with a DMK 41AU02 video (January, 2017) we read about the activities of a European camera. The right frame is a solar capture of Active Regions amateur working with the pros to discover a new kind of star 2574/2575 as well as a quiet region filament (QRF) taken on system. The Europeans have found a niche for pro/am 10 August 2016 at 1414 universal time. The active regions cooperatives. This area of amateur observation, differential contain the sunspot umbrae, penumbrae, drawn out fibrils, photometry, to me would seem limitless considering the several active region filaments (ARF), plage, and an eruptive sheer number of candidates (stars) for observation. If one surge. The feathery regions over the face of the Sun are has the desire, available time, and know-how, photometry as “dark mottles”, or more specifically spicules. The solar image a pro/am cooperative is a possibility, perhaps one I’ll explore was obtained with a 102mm f/7 (@ f/14) William Optics in a few years as retirement beckons? For now, I’d like refractor coupled with a Lunt 100mm ERF, a Daystar Quark everyone to known that I’m excited to be here, and am Hα filter, and a DMK 41AU02 camera. looking forward to sharing astronomy as a hobby with other enthusiasts.

CALENDAR OF SIGNIFICANT ASTRONOMICAL EVENTS IN 2017 The following is a listing of celestial events that will be visible locally during 2017. Watch this newsletter’s Calendar of Astronomical Events as they appear monthly for details.

January 3,4 - Quadrantids Meteor Shower June 21 - Summer Solstice January 4 – Earth a Perihelion July 28, 29 - Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower January 12 - Venus at Greatest Eastern Elongation July 3 – Earth at Aphelion February 11 - Penumbral Lunar Eclipse July 30 - Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation January 19 - Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation August 12, 13 - Perseids Meteor Shower March 20 - Spring Equinox August 21 - Total Solar Eclipse (southern Illinois) April 1 - Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation September 5 - Neptune at Opposition April 7 - Jupiter at Opposition September 12 - Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation April 22, 23 - Lyrids Meteor Shower September 22 - Autumn Equinox May 6, 7 - Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower October 7 - Draconids Meteor Shower May 17 - Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation October 19 - Uranus at Opposition June 3 - Venus at Greatest Western Elongation October 21, 22 - Orionids Meteor Shower June 15 - Saturn at Opposition November 4, 5 - Taurids Meteor Shower

Vol. 42, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2017

November 13 - Conjunction of Venus and Jupiter December 13, 14 - Geminids Meteor Shower November 17, 18 - Leonids Meteor Shower December 21 - Winter Solstice November 24 - Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation December 21, 22 - Ursids Meteor Shower

TCAA PHOTO GALLERY

MESSIER 42, THE ORION NEBULA BY TIM STONE – The Great Orion SHARPLESS 129, THE BAT AND THE SQUID BY TIM STONE – A few days Nebula comes around every year, and every year I resolve to ago I posted a work (on Facebook) in progress of Sharpless 129, take a better picture of it than I did last year. It’s a rather difficult The Bat and The Squid. Since then I’ve acquired some more object to image because of the tremendous range in brightness data, and I think this is going to be the final result, at least until from its brilliant inner core to its extremely faint outer envelope. next year... This is a total of 10 hours in OIII, and 2:40 in Hα. Toss I’ve applied HDR techniques before, with good results, but this in a few quick RGB frames for correctly colored stars, and we’re time I thought I’d just take short exposures and see what I could somewhere around 14 hours total exposure. do with it. Of course, the inner core is colorless, and almost saturated, but I think I’ve managed to capture a pretty good image with just 12x2 minute RGB exposures.

IMAGES OF ACTIVE SOLAR REGION 2553 ON 16 JUNE 2016 BY JAMEY JENKINS – Shown in three wavelengths from left to right: 393.4nm (Ca-K), 430nm (G-band), and 540nm (continuum). Jamey Jenkins using a 125mm f/18 refractor.

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M45, THE PLEIADES BY TIM STONE – The Pleiades is one of my favorite photographic objects. I always find new, yummy details in this region, every time I make a new photograph of it. This time I used the 10” to get a wider field than I’d gotten before. I think we usually consider the nebulosity around the Pleiades to be almost impenetrable, its brightness erasing any trace of what might be beyond. This is not the case. The whole field contains a raft of beautiful background galaxies. The field behind Electra is no exception. I found some nice little galaxies just west of that brilliant star, which up to now have been just outside my photographic fields of view. The brightest is edge-on spiral UGC 02838, around 270 million light years distant. The others may be at approximately the same distance, or may be much farther away. They’re labeled in the crop: A. UGC 02838; B. 2MASX J03434008+2408386; C. 2MASX J03440112+2410578; D. 2MASX J03440653+2413008; E. 2MASX J03442224+2407283

FIRST QUARTER MOON FROM 15 APRIL 2016 AT 0017UT BY JAMEY JENKINS – Various features are labeled including Aristoteles an impact crater near the southern edge of Mare Frigoris, and Meton a formation of several merged crater rings flooded with lava. Jamey Jenkins using a 125mm f/18 refractor. (TCAA Photo Gallery continues on page 26.)

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ZODIACAL LIGHT NOW SHOWING ~ by Weldon Schuette ~

Editor’s note: This timely article is “reprinted” here from the January 1977 issue of The OBSERVER. It provides information about phenomena that are rarely seen and much less frequently searched for, catching most observers by surprise.

THE FINEST JEWEL OF THE MORNING ~ by Darren Erickson ~

Editor’s Note: This article is a tribute by Darren to his mother Joan who passed away just a few days ago in Washington state. We appreciate his warm and heartfelt comments, and extend our sincere condolences on his loss.

Of all the wonderful experiences of my life so far as an amateur astronomer, the greatest so far, was the night I invited my mother out to do some observing with me. It might have been September, 2014, or some other time when she came out to visit us in Bloomington. While she had lived in the same city as me for years, she now lived several states away and was just passing through town. The visits only happened once or maybe twice a year. We went out to the grounds of the club observatory and I carted all my gear from the parking lot to the space in between our two observatory buildings. My mother had to borrow a jacket from my wife because it was colder than normal, and she hadn’t planned on heading out for an astronomical field trip. Setting up was relatively pain free for a change. As I was engaging in the process (tripod, head, counterweight, hand controller, scope, balance, battery, power up, align, references….) Mom noted how fast I was moving, from one step to the next to the next, all without lost motion. “Sure, Mom,” I said, “some of it is experience, some of it is practice in my living room on cloudy nights, and some is just knowledge.” It wasn’t a long session of observing by my standards, for she was in her late seventies. We saw a few targets. I didn’t keep a log that night, but I’d guess the rings of

Vol. 42, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2017

Saturn were on the menu, the dot of Mars, and maybe some nice doubles. But she tired fast and all too soon it was time to pack up the scope. My little 90mm Mak-Cass on an Advanced VX mount – quite overpowered for the tiny scope – had done well. I impressed her. She was always proud of her son, but she and I loved that I could share this time with her. Home we went and, as I remember, she moved along the next day to other relatives or on the drive home to Washington. Flash forward to December 27, 2016. I am visiting her at her at my sister’s home in Wenatchee, Washington. We did have the grandest of family Christmases we ever had with all the family present. It was such a very special time to us - for mom was in hospice care. I had noticed a little spotting scope and tripod of my brother-in-law’s downstairs. A Simmons 20-60 zoom, 60mm objective. Not exactly my current home instrument (150mm Orion Mak on the same Celestron AVX mount), but the clouds parted just enough and I saw Jupiter shining in the sky. I ran downstairs and grabbed the scope, brought it to the upstairs living room level, set it on a chair and pushed it in position and focused it. My nephew was in the room. Also an amateur astronomer, we took turns looking at it. As the clouds rolled in I managed to get the following picture: Not exactly Sky & Telescope material, not my Canon DSLR via T-Adapter on a high powered Cassegrain – just a handheld iPhone image through the eyepiece, rushing to get the shot and being so quiet. And I got the shot, there in her room, right before the clouds and the dawn took it away. Her room, because we were running a heel-and- toe watch on my mother in the living room. I’d taken the duty since about 3 AM. Her room, because it’s where her power bed and all the hospice supplies were. Her last room. Because she had been unresponsive for a few hours, and then she died about 11 AM that morning surrounded by her family. And a little spotting scope. My heart is broken because my mom is no longer here, but I think back to that night of a million years ago when she got to see the universe through my telescope. I think she probably knew what I was doing that morning she slipped away from us. She would want me to continue on. And I will continue on. I’ll show someone else what the universe is through a telescope. But from this day forward, whenever I see it in the sky, Jupiter will get some observation time from me. Jupiter – the finest jewel of the Winter morning – and the “star she rode out on.”

RENEWING YOUR TCAA MEMBERSHIP

The TCAA works to promote in every way among its members and the general public an interest in and knowledge of astronomy and its allied sciences, to advance amateur astronomy and observational techniques, to render assistance to other individuals or organizations working in the same or related fields, and to do everything necessary and proper to further such on a formal or informal basis. The TCAA is a Federally recognized non-profit entity organized exclusively for education and scientific purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service code. The TCAA currently supports family friendly public observing sessions at SGNC, public outreach events such as the recent May 9, 2016 transit of Mercury and the upcoming August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse field trip, hosting of NCRAL meetings (2010 and 2016), September mini conferences, and education courses for our membership and the general public. The TCAA maintains two observatories including payment of insurance, and publishes an award-winning club newsletter. We support Sugar Grove Nature Center through their membership program, maintain a loaner telescope program, and provide many other benefits as outlined in TCAA Guide #2 – Membership and Benefits. Your TCAA membership supports education and public outreach in Central Illinois and regions beyond. Membership dues and the generosity of its members are the club’s primary means of financial support. We receive no grants or public funds. We have unmet needs. By renewing your membership when it comes due, you can help to ensure our continuing efforts.

Vol. 42, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2017

PUBLIC OBSERVING SESSIONS FOR 2017

The TCAA Board of Directors has approved the following schedule and topics for the 2017 public observing sessions at SGNC. In addition to the presentations described below, we will conduct a laser-guided sky tour and have telescopes set up for viewing if the sky is clear. Speakers, if you want your description(s) changed in any way, please contact the editor. These descriptions will be posted on Facebook with the new year.

Mar 25 Orion and Company (Tim Stone) 7:00 – 9:00 PM Orion is a prominent constellation located on the celestial equator and visible throughout the world. It is one of the most conspicuous and recognizable constellations in the night sky.

Apr 29 Wonders of Jupiter (Mark Cabaj) 8:30-10:30 PM Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest in the Solar System. It is a giant gas giant planet with a mass one-thousandth that of the Sun, but two and a half times that of all the other planets in the Solar System

combined.

May 27 Summer Binocular Objects (Darren Erickson) 9:00-11:00 PM You don’t need a large telescope to see object in the Milky Way, or deep space as a matter of fact. Learn what to look for and where you will find it using simple binoculars under a dark night sky.

Jun 24 Wonders of Saturn (Mark Cabaj) 9:00-11:00 PM Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second-largest in the Solar System after Jupiter. It too is a gas giant with an average radius about nine times that of Earth. It is surrounded by an amazing ring system.

Jul 29 The Total Solar Eclipse of August 21st (Carl Wenning) 9:00-11:00 PM A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon crosses over the face of the sun and the moon’s shadow strikes the Earth’s surface. This summer’s total solar eclipse will cause one of the most majestic natural wonders that most people

will see during their lifetimes, and Illinois is the place to be to see it.

Aug 26 Moon and Sun (Tom Weiland) 8:00-10:00 PM Our moon, the brightest object in the sky after the Sun, is the sole natural satellite of the Earth. Learn about the moon’s relationship to, and impact on, the Earth, including a review of the recent total solar eclipse. Some of the

interesting features on our nearest celestial neighbor will be presented also.

Sep 23 Emission Nebulae of the Milky Way (Tim Stone) 7:30-9:30 PM An emission nebula is a nebula formed of ionized gases that emit light of various colors. The most common source of this ionization is high-energy photons emitted from a nearby hot star.

Oct 14 The Andromeda Galaxy (Nataya & Mark Boulware) 7:00-9:00 PM The Andromeda Galaxy is a spiral galaxy approximately 2.5 million light years from Earth. It is the nearest major

galaxy to the Milky Way.

TCAA ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER

Did you know that the TCAA is on both Facebook and Twitter? We encourage users of both social networks to follow the TCAA to see what the club is doing. If you have not yet joined us on Facebook, you are missing important reminders about astronomical events posted several times weekly. You can find us on Facebook by searching either TCAA or Twin City Amateur Astronomers. We can be found on Twitter at @TC_Astro.

Vol. 42, No. 1 The OBSERVER of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers January 2017

TCAA TREASURER’S REPORT FOR DECEMBER 2016

Checking Account Information

Description Memo Category Amount

BALANCE 11/29/2016 4,457.53 Donation Carl Wenning 2,000.00 SGO Equipment SGO Keys (13.05) Dues Received Tom Weiland 40.00 SGO Improvements Dome Rotation and Slot Door (1,600.00) Donation Tony Cellini 800.00 Dues Received Mike Prescott 39.80 Dues Received David Peters 39.80 BALANCE 12/29/2016 5,764.08

TOTAL INFLOWS 2,919.60

TOTAL OUTFLOWS (1,613.05)

NET TOTAL 1,306.55

Checking Account Balance – December 29, 2016 $5,764.08 Savings Account Balance – December 29, 2016 (include $0.16 interest) $10,015.21

Total TCAA Funds – December 29, 2016 $15,779.29

All transactions are reconciled with the bank statements as of this date. Respectfully submitted, Dave Osenga, Treasurer HOWTIMEFLIES

The Twin City Amateur Astronomers was founded in 1960 through the efforts of John & Bertha Kieviet. Over the years, newsletter editors David B. Williams, G. Weldon Schuette, Garry Skinner, Jim Moncher, Mike Rogers & Jean Memken, Rebecca Wenning, and Erin Estabrook (as well as other contributors) documented the efforts of the club. Now, TCAA Editor and Historian Carl Wenning continues that effort and provides monthly updates about the history of the club going back in intervals of 40, 25, and 10 years. Details about all mentioned events will be found in either the publication Twin City Amateur Astronomers: 1960-2010 or in the archive of The OBSERVER found on the TCAA website.

40 Years Ago: January 1977 – The club met at the ISU Planetarium to watch a presentation about planetary motion given by planetarium Director Pat McGee. Aubrey Johnson read the “Vital Statistics.” Copies of the 1977 RASC Observer’s Handbook were distributed.

25 Years Ago: January 1992 – 1992 has been designate the International Space Year. It is also the 500th anniversary of Columbus’ first visit to the Americas. The club has been encouraged to participate in this event, and the ISU Planetarium will present a home brewed program The Voyage of Christopher Columbus that will focus on how Christopher knew the shape of the Earth to be roughly spherical.

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10 Years Ago: January 2007 – Six adults (5 members of the general public and one TCAAer) participated in the TCAA’s adult education course taught at Sugar Grove Nature Center beginning on the 13th. Carl Wenning, Duane Yockey, and Lee Green led the 3-class effort. Meetings were held on consecutive Saturdays.

2017 ASTRO CALENDAR

Did you know that Tim Stone has produced a 2017 astronomical calendar based upon his own images? Tom recently stated, “I finally got my 2017 astrophotography calendar put together, and I’d like to make it available to anyone who wants it enough to give me $30 for it. It’s called More Heavens – Astro-photography by Tim Stone, and it’s gorgeous if I do say so myself. It’s printed on a thick pearlescent paper that makes the images positively glow. It’s bound at the top for easy hanging, and once the month is done, you can cut out the image and frame it if you’d like... the quality is that good! If you’d like one, you need to direct message me on FB, where we will make arrangements for you to pay me in advance for your copy. (If it’s not satisfactory, you’ll get your money back.) If I have to mail it somewhere, depending on where that is, I may have to charge you some extra for shipping. The 2016 calendar was essentially an experiment, and I did a limited production run of it. This time, I’m opening it up. If you liked the 2016 calendar, or if you saw it and wished you could have one, here’s your chance. Let me know by January 3rd, by direct message only please, if you’d like one. The photographs included are shown here!

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TCAA PHOTO GALLERY (Continued from page 20.)

NGC 2238, the Rosette Nebula by Jim Gibbs – The Rosette Nebula Mars and Neptune by Troy Berg – Troy comments, “A that Jim imaged from the parking lot of SGNC on December 27th Galaxy S7 photo of Neptune through my Zhumell despite the cold and chilling breeze. 25x100 binoculars! It's not great on the phone, but a nice view through the eyepieces.” Neptune to upper left of Mars.

LUNAR CRATER CLAVIUS BY JAMEY JENKINS – Medium resolution image of M46 BY TIME STONE – Tim comments, “With the 17” the crater Clavius in the Moon’s southern highlands. This crater is only working in the east sky, I thought that I’d spend also known as L9 in Charles Wood’s list of 100 notable lunar some time on this pretty cluster and see if I could do features. Jamey Jenkins using a 125mm f/18 refractor. better than I did two years ago. This is 15x300RG and14x300B. I love the little planetary.” The P/N is NGC 2436.