Published by the Astronomical League Vol. 70, No. 4 September 2018

ALCon 2018, Minneapolis Observing Awards for Aspiring Youth White Snow on the Seven Dwarves Departing Message from the League President

T HE ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE 1 2 R EFLECTOR ✶ S EPTEMBER 2018 TORY, GERMANY) TORY,

VA 4 Field of View 5 Reflections Page 4 6 International Dark-Sky Association LEDs and Skyglow 7 All Things Astronomical 9 Deep-Sky Objects The Eagle‘s Best Nebula 10 Wanderers in the Neighborhood Making a Moon Page 9 13 White Snow on the Seven Dwarves 16 ALCon 2016 in Review Minnesota Astronomical Society’s Great Party! 20 From Around the League Young Astronomer Annual Awards Page 16 24 Full STEAM Ahead The Art in ATM 27 Gallery

TITLE PHOTOGRAPH: NGC 1850, THE DOUBLE CLUSTER; CREDIT: NASA, ESA, AND MARTINO ROMANIELLO (EUROPEAN SOUTHERN OBSER TITLE PHOTOGRAPH: NGC 1850, THE DOUBLE CLUSTER; CREDIT:

28 Observing Awards Page 16 30 Coming Events

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Bernard Miller (East Valley Astronomy Club) took this fantastic image of M109 with a PlaneWave 17-inch CDK and an Apogee CG16M CCD camera from Dark Sky New Mexico, Animas, New Mexico. To our contributors: The copy and photo deadline for the December 2018 issue is October 1. Please send your stories and photos to our editor, John Martin ([email protected]), by then. The Astronomical League invites your comments regarding this magazine. How can we improve it and make it a more valuable resource for you, our members? Please respond to the editor’s email address above.

The Astronomical League Magazine Vol. 70, No. 4 • ISSN: 0034-2963 • September 2018 A FEDERATION OF ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETIES A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION To promote the science of astronomy • By fostering astronomical education, • By providing incentives for astronomical observation and research, and • By assisting communication among amateur astronomical societies. Astronomical League National Office: 9201 Ward Parkway, Suite 100, Kansas City, MO 64114

T HE ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE 3 Field of View the volunteers number about 100 people. If From the office of your president that figure is in doubt, think of all the national and regional officers, all the QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF THE The State of the Astronomical League Observing Program administrators, the ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE Personal time under the star-filled dome; Reflector staff, the web team, the awards Issued by the Astronomical League in March, June, September, monthly gatherings, observing sessions, and and December, the Reflector (ISSN: 0034-2963) is sent directly, public observing; books, magazines, and judges, the trust fund trustees, the publica- either by postal mail or via a digital link, to each individual tions chair, the historian, the Book Service member of its affiliate societies and to members-at-large as a star charts; workshops, conventions, and benefit of League membership. Individual copies of the star parties; and, of course, binoculars, administrator, the Astronomy Day coordina- Reflector are available at the following subscription rates, tors, and the convention planners and payable to the League’s national office. telescopes, and a wide assortment of gear: Paper subscriptions: all are facets of our amazing avocation. USA & possessions: $3.00 each or $10.00 per year (4 issues) Canada: $5.00 each or $16.00 per year None of them are in short supply either— Mexico: $6.00 each or $22.00 per year except, perhaps, the time that members Other countries: $7.00 each or $25.00 per year Digital subscriptions: spend gazing skyward. Nevertheless, All countries, possessions, and territories: $10.00 per year doesn’t this mean that amateur astronomy Reflector and Club Roster Deadlines is doing well? March issue January 1 June issue April 1 Because of the League’s generalized September issue July 1 approach at encouraging people to enjoy the December issue October 1 Written and graphic material from this publication may be re- celestial realm, it has been quietly voiced, printed only for non-profit benefit of interested parties, provided “As the Astronomical League goes, so goes specific credit is given to the writer(s), the Reflector, and the Astronomical League. Any other use of material, including graph- amateur astronomy.” With well over 17,000 ics and photographs, is subject to express permission from the members spread across the country, its Editor and the Astronomical League. health could be considered to be a bell- National Officers President wether of organized amateur astronomy as Bill Bogardus a whole. 190 Pheasant Place, Greenport, NY 11944 implementers. Their efforts are a strong A Non-Equation of State 631-477-2246 • [email protected] sign of organizational success and help Vice President Everything the League does can be con- Ron Kramer densed into four interrelated elements, illustrate what the League is all about. 9520 Dragonfly Avenue • Las Cruces, NM 88012 E, the third component, symbolizes the 520-500-7295 • [email protected] which can be used to gain a picture of the Secretary state of our organization. These factors can expenses incurred by the Astronomical Bryan Tobias League. This includes, but is not limited to, Astronomical League National Headquarters be expressed by a strange-looking and 9201 Ward Parkway, Suite 100 • Kansas City, MO 64114 strictly qualitative entanglement. It is not a Reflector publishing and mailing costs; [email protected] or [email protected] Observing Program and Awards Programs Treasurer profit/loss summary, but more of an Bill Dillon indication of organizational effectiveness. administrative costs; and national office 190 Settlers Road • Fincastle, VA 24090 insurance, rent, maintenance, and indepen- 516-593-8580 • [email protected] Executive Secretary dent contractor fees. While it strives to Maynard Pittendreigh keep expenses low, the League must always 3208 Little Oak Way • Orlando, FL 32812 770-237-2071 • [email protected] battle slowly but constantly rising costs. National Office The first factor, R, considers the number The fourth part, B, results from the Mike Stoakes, Office Coordinator Astronomical League National Headquarters of people who belong to the Astronomical interplay of the first three. The revenue 9201 Ward Parkway, Suite 100 • Kansas City, MO 64114 League. Currently, the League’s member- plus the efforts of volunteers minus any 816-DEEP-SKY National office: [email protected] ship level is near its historic high, and there expenses should result in valued benefits. Society rosters: [email protected] is no reason to think that it can’t go The more benefits, the better, resulting in a League sales: [email protected] National Observing Program Coordinators higher—but only if more amateur astrono- healthier League. (Please be assured that Cliff Mygatt Aaron B. Clevenson mers in more clubs are made aware of the the League and its sponsors want members [email protected] [email protected] and clubs to take full advantage of the Astronomical League Historian many benefits and low cost of belonging to Mike Stewart this respected national organization. benefits.) 913-240-1238 •[email protected] Financially, all that is good news because it Consider some of the offerings of the Reflector Staff means more revenue directed towards Astronomical League: Managing Editor Editor Ron Kramer John Martin better serving the membership. • Over 50 Observing Programs; Mobile: 520-500-7295 [email protected] The second factor, V, represents the • The quarterly Reflector magazine; [email protected] Design/Production number of dedicated volunteers active in • Recognition awards program; Photo Editor Chuck Beucher • The ten paths of Youth Awards; Dan Crowson [email protected] the League. The more people who have the [email protected] Advertising ability, time, and desire to complete the • The Library Telescope Program; Assistant Editor Representative tasks that need to be done, the smoother • The Astronomics Sketching Award; Kristine Larsen Carla Johns the AL can operate and the more preferred • The Imaging Awards; [email protected] 1-970-567-8878 [email protected] benefits it can offer. • Astronomy Day Awards; Assistant Editor Coming Events Editor It cannot be overstated that any success • Book Service; Kevin Jones John Wagoner [email protected] [email protected] of the League is largely due to its many, • AstroNotes and Outreach Downloads; Letters to the Editor many hard-working volunteers. If they don’t • Celestial Savings Program; Send to: [email protected] do what needs to be done, things come to a • Dark-sky advocacy; Subject line: “Letter to Editor” screeching halt rather quickly. Right now, • And, yes, much more.

4 R EFLECTOR ✶ S EPTEMBER 2018 Judging from all its many benefits of membership, is the Astronomical League Reflections healthy? Minneapolis is great this time of year: warm “What’s Past Is Prologue” (mid-90s), humid (some days the humidity When William Shakespeare penned those is higher than the temperature), and thoughts in The Tempest, he may have somewhat buggy (flying types). The hotels foreseen the state of today’s Astronomical are cool and dry, with excellent food, and League. All the volunteers marshaling all the Hilton Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport Mall the resources provided by all the members of America was no exception. ALCon 2018 have developed all the benefits. Past actions was in town and some 300 Astronomical place the League in the good position where Leaguers were there to hear the speakers, it sits today. view the vendors, and connect (or in some The League now faces its future. Because cases, reconnect) with each other. See the of its past, the “prologue” is a good one. full report elsewhere in this issue. Epilogue At the annual council meeting (held the These thoughts on the state of the Astro- Wednesday before ALCon), the winners of nomical League mark the sixteenth and final the recent elections were revealed: for appearance of this quarterly column that president, Bill Bogardus; vice president, has often focused more on the “why” of Ron Kramer; executive secretary, Maynard amateur astronomy than on the “what” or Pittendreigh; and treasurer, Bill Dillon. “how.” A League president can serve no Since I was elected vice president, it was more than two consecutive two-year terms, prudent for me to resign as editor of our and this president’s second term will have quarterly magazine, the Reflector. The new ended on August 31. Reflector editor is John Martin. John is Over these past twelve years as a originally from New York and currently lives national officer, I have had the privilege in Minnesota. He has been our associate to meet with many Astro-Leaguers and editor for the past several issues and was other members of the amateur as- the natural choice for promotion. tronomy community from around the I must say that the past five years as country (and the world). Space limita- Reflector editor have been very exciting and tions prevent me from specifically enjoyable. The staff, all volunteers, have naming all those volunteers who have continually produced an excellent journal, contributed mightily to the success of comparing in quality, imagery, and profes- the Astronomical League. I am grateful sionalism with Sky & Telescope and for the support I consistently received Astronomy magazines. Specifically, I wish to from the national and regional officers, give my deepest thanks and appreciation to the Reflector staff, the ALCon organiz- the following people: ers, the Observing Program coordina- Carla Johns, Advertising Representative tors and administrators, the web team, Chuck Beucher, Design/Production and the national office staff—as well as Dan Crowson, Photo Editor many others. John Wagoner, Coming Events Editor Two people deserve special mention. Bill Kevin Jones, Assistant Editor Bogardus, your incoming president, has Kristine Larsen, Assistant Editor supplied wise and prudent counsel since he John Martin, Associate Editor joined the executive committee as secretary Without these individuals, the Reflector in 2009. My wife, Genevieve—an avid could not reach, nor maintain, the level and amateur astronomer herself—has given readership (approaching 18,000) it has today. welcome and valuable assistance to the I also wish to thank the imagers, writers, League and me since I first became secretary of MERAL in 2001. and contributors. Without them, we would be Thank you, everyone, for the opportunity publishing a 32-page magazine of blank pages. to have served as your Astronomical League Finally, I want to thank you, the readers. president! You are why we produce the Reflector. “All good things must end”— This is my final writing of Reflections, but I variation of a proverb by Geoffrey will retain my duties of managing editor, Chaucer. which gives me oversight of the entire picture, including printing, publishing, and the rest of the “behind the scenes” activities. Thank you all for your continued support. May you continue to have clear skies. John Goss, League President 2014–2018 Ron Kramer

T HE ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE 5 International Dark-Sky report, the team led by Barentine “obtained direct and indirect measurements of the Association luminance of the night sky from 15 locations in LEDs and Skyglow and near Tucson, Arizona, during two epochs in The light-emitting diode (LED) revolution has June 2014 and May–June 2017, in between arrived. Most major cities have replaced or are in which the City of Tucson converted ~18,000 the process of replacing their current street municipally-owned street lights from a mixture lighting systems with LED fixtures. High-intensity of HPS and LPS to 3000 K white LED, while discharge lamps, typically high-pressure sodium reducing the number of photopic lumens emitted (HPS) or metal halide (MH), are no longer being by the street lighting system by 63%.” used for new street light systems. LEDs are The researchers measured a decrease in reasonably energy efficient with respect to light skyglow of about 7%. While this is slightly lower emitted per watt of power used, but they have than the predicted decrease of 10–20%, it is an the considerable advantages of lower opera- important result. I believe this study demon- tional costs and maintenance costs. They do not strates one can convert the street lighting of a deteriorateReflector for many years, haveMail lifespans of a city from high-intensity discharge lamp lighting decade or more, and can be easily dimmed or to LED lighting with a reduction of skyglow. I otherwise controlled. also feel this reflects the utility of an outdoor The use of LED street lighting has the lighting code. Tucson’s skies are far from ideal, potential to save municipalities large amounts of with much work needing to be done to reduce money over the long run. The bad news in this is light pollution and light trespass. However, the the very distinct possibility that LED replacement skies over Tucson are far better than would be systems will add to skyglow by increasing the expected for a metropolitan area of 1,000,000 lighting levels on the ground since the long-term persons. City and county lighting codes in cost for lighting is less than it was previously. It southern Arizona designed to protect profes- is not an uncommon phenomenon for users of a sional observatories, in my opinion, are commodity to increase their use as its costs go reasonably effective, giving us skies far superior down rather than continue the same use and to what they would be without the codes. save money. There is anecdotal evidence that Certainly, a lot more needs to be done along some municipalities have increased the number these lines, but the codes are a good start. For of fixtures and/or the lighting levels on the more information, check out the formal study ground when converting from HPS or MH done by Barentine and his colleagues at systems to new LED street lighting. Also, some arxiv.org/abs/1802.03474 (Barentine, J.C., C.E. of the early LED systems had increased emission Walker, M. Kocifaj, F. Kundracik, A. Juan, J. at the blue end of the visible light spectrum, Kanemoto, and C.K. Monrad, 2018, Skyglow increasing perceived glare and increasing Changes Over Tucson, Arizona, Resulting From A scattered light into the sky, compared to prior Municipal LED Street Lighting Conversion, HPS systems, which were mainly in the red end Journal of Quantitative Spectroscopy and of the visible light spectrum. The end result is Radiative Transfer, vol. 212, p. 10–23.). October 13, 2018 unfortunately often a “rebound effect,” which Tim Hunter, Co-founder, IDA results in the emission into the sky of more light Phone: 520-293-3198; Fax: 520-293-3192 and than existed prior to the LED conversion. Email: [email protected]; www.darksky.org The city of Tucson May 11, 2019 converted municipally owned street lights from a mixture of HPS and low-pressure sodium (LPS) to 3000-Kelvin white LED fixtures. These are considered “warm” with a bias toward the red end of the visible light spectrum. John Barentine, director of conservation at IDA, was the lead investiga- Gary Tomlinson tor studying the effects Astronomy Day Coordinator of this conversion on the [email protected] skyglow over Tucson. According to their

6 R EFLECTOR ✶ S EPTEMBER 2018 All Things requires that each telescope have access to an atomic clock to record the precise time Astronomical at which a signal is detected from an object New Use for Telecommunications in space. Focusing all the telescopes on the Networks: Helping Scientists Peer same object and then calculating the slight into Deep Space differences in the time for the signal to For the first time, researchers have demon- reach each telescope allows researchers to strated that a stable frequency reference can combine all the observations and pinpoint be reliably transmitted more than 300 the object’s location and other characteris- kilometers over a standard fiber optic tics. Stable transmitted references could be telecommunications network and used to used to calibrate the relative time at each synchronize two radio telescopes. Stable telescope, eliminating the need for multiple frequency references, which are used atomic clocks in a radio telescope to calibrate clocks and instruments array. that make ultraprecise measurements, In Optica, The Optical Society’s are usually only accessible at facilities journal for high impact research, that generate them using researchers from a expensive atomic clocks. consortium of Australian The new technology could institutions report on the allow scientists anywhere to access the successful transmission of a stable fre- frequency standard simply by tapping into quency reference between two radio the telecommunications network. telescopes via a fiber link and demonstrate The ability to send stable frequency that the technique’s performance is superior references over the telecommunications to the use of an atomic clock at each network could be particularly useful for telescope. The consortium included radio telescope arrays such as the Square Australia’s Academic and Research Network Kilometer Array (SKA), an international (AARNet), the Australian National Univer- effort to build the world’s largest radio sity, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), the National Measurement Institute, Macquarie University, and the Univer- sity of Adelaide. The results show that the technique is capable of compensating for signal fluctuations in the fiber optic network introduced by environmental factors such as temperature changes or vibrations. The demonstra- tion was even performed over a network that was transmitting live telecom- munications traffic at the same time. Testing with live network traffic “By running the experiment on optical fibers also carrying normal traffic, we telescope using arrays in Australia and showed that transmitting the stable South Africa. When complete, SKA will frequency standard doesn’t affect the data detect faint radio waves from deep space or telephone calls on the other channels,” with a sensitivity about 50 times greater said Kenneth Baldwin, a member of the than that of the Hubble telescope. Individual research team from the Australian National radio telescopes will be linked to create a University. “This is necessary to gain the total collecting area of about 1 million cooperation of the telecommunications square meters. companies that own these fiber networks.” Linking radio telescopes in an array Continued on page 26

TTHEHE AASTRONOMICALSTRONOMICAL LLEAGUEEAGUE 7 8 R EFLECTOR ✶ S EPTEMBER 2018 northwest of the third-magnitude star Delta Deep-Sky Objects Aquilae. I line up NGC 6781 knowing the planetary nebula, Altair, and Delta Aquilae The Eagle’s Best Nebula form an isosceles triangle. By James R. Dire Like all planetary nebulae, NGC 6781 is a Kauai Educational Association for type of emission nebula consisting of an Science and Astronomy expanding shell of ionized gas ejected from The constellation Aquila is one of the oldest a red giant star late in its life. Despite their constellations among the current 88 name, planetary nebulae have nothing to do recognized by the International Astronomical with planets. NGC 6781 is roughly 1.8 Union. The constellation predates the Greco- arcminutes in diameter and has an inte- Roman astronomer Ptolemy, who included it grated magnitude of 11.4. Compare this to as one of the 48 constellations he described. the planetary nebula M57, the Ring Nebula, Aquila is the Latin word for eagle. which has a diameter of 1.3 arcminutes and In Greco-Roman mythology, Aquila was is magnitude 8.8. M57 is 11 times brighter the eagle that held onto Zeus’s (Jupiter’s) than NGC 6781. This is why M57 can be thunderbolts. Aquila is also thought to seen in a 3-inch telescope, but a larger represent the eagle that kidnapped the telescope is required to see NGC 6781. mythological Visually, NGC Ganymede to serve 6781 is much as a cupbearer in easier to see in an Mount Olympus, 8-inch telescope the home of the than its magnitude Greek gods. dictates. The view Aquila spans the is similar to M57 celestial equator, in a 3-inch scope from 15° north to at the same 10° south, around magnification. The 19 and 20 hours nebula has a right ascension. brighter outer ring The constellation with a dark can be seen interior. The 15th- equally well in both magnitude central hemispheres in the star is beyond all evening from July but the largest through October. The constellation’s amateur light buckets. Like M57, no color brightest star is yellow-white Altair. At can be seen in the nebula visually. magnitude 0.76, Altair is the 13th-brightest My image of NGC 6781 was taken with star in the sky and is ten times more a Discovery 10-inch f/6 Newtonian with a luminous than the Sun. Tele Vue Paracorr Type-2 coma corrector, Aquila also lies along the Milky Way yielding a 1753 mm focal length at f/6.9. between Cygnus and Sagittarius. Two tiny The image was captured with an SBIG constellations, Vulpecula and Sagitta, ST-2000XCM CCD camera with a 150- separate Aquila from Cygnus. But it’s easier minute exposure. North is up and east to to find Aquila by looking halfway between the left. The brightest star in the image, the more recognizable Cygnus and Sagit- to the left of the nebula, is magnitude 11. tarius. Whereas Cygnus, the swan, is The image captured stars fainter than pictured flying towards Sagittarius, Aquila, magnitude 18. The camera captured the the eagle, is depicted flying away. true color of the ionized gases. The Despite lying along the Milky Way, and bright red regions are ionized hydrogen unlike Cygnus and Sagittarius, Aquila emissions. The interior of the nebula contains no Messier objects and no bright contains faint blue emissions. Note the nebulae. Even tiny Sagitta and Vulpecula central star. The nebula is rounder than have Messier objects! However, Aquila does M57 and appears more like M97, the Owl have one very fine planetary nebula worthy Nebula, than M57. of inspection by anyone with an 8-inch or While Aquila is mostly known for its larger telescope: NGC 6781. myriad double stars and star clusters, NGC NGC 6781 was discovered by John 6781 is a pleasing nebula to spy while Herschel in 1834. He found it using an 18- panning across “The Eagle.” Those with inch reflector. The nebula lies 8° west and sufficient aperture will find capturing NGC 2° south of Altair. It is also 4° north- 6781 a rewarding experience. 8

T HE ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE 9 former location of the material that became the mythological mother of Selene (the Moon), Wanderers in the Moon. This model was discarded when it was making a glancing blow against the still-molten Neighborhood discovered that the Pacific Ocean basin was only Earth. This knocked a great deal of material off two hundred million years old, while the Moon is the Earth and tilted its axis to its current 23.4 4.51 billion years old. degrees. Some of the combined material from Making a Moon The relatively large mass of the Moon makes Theia and Earth escaped into the Solar System, By Berton Stevens it difficult for astronomers to construct a model while some fell back to Earth. The remainder The most obvious astronomical object in our sky for its formation. If it had formed somewhere went into orbit around the Earth. This mix of after the Sun is our Moon. These two are the else in the Solar System, it would have flown Earth and Theia material eventually coalesced to only celestial objects whose disks can be clearly past the Earth so quickly that Earth’s gravity form the Moon. The Apollo Moon rocks showed seen without a telescope. Even visible in would have been unable to capture it, and it the Moon had nearly the same composition as daylight, the Moon becomes a bright lantern would also have a different isotope ratio than the Earth, so what happened to the material when hanging in the night sky. Even though it the Earth. Another hypothesis has the Earth and from Theia? only reflects eighteen percent of the sunlight Moon forming together near the beginning of the Perhaps material from Theia is in the mix that that falls on it, the full Moon illuminates the formed the Moon, but this would require that night sky, allowing only the brightest stars to be Theia have had exactly the same composition as visible. Earth. Since each body in the Solar System has a The Earth–Moon system is unique among the different composition based on temperatures and planets in the Solar System, with the Moon materials in the region where they formed, this containing an unusually high 1.2 percent of the is unlikely. For Theia to have had the same mass of the system. (For comparison, the dwarf composition as Earth, it would have had to form planet and Kuiper Belt object Pluto and its in the vicinity of the Earth, excluding the largest moon, Charon, are a more extreme possibility of a high-speed impact. example—Charon contains about 11 percent of A variation of this idea has a larger Theia the mass of the Pluto–Charon system.) Most hitting the Earth more centrally, shattering both planets’ moons are so small that their mass is planets. The mixture of Theia and Earth negligible compared to the host planet. Because NASA/JPL-CALTECH CREDIT: material that did not escape into the Solar our Moon is so massive, the actual focus of the One hypothesis for the formation of our Moon System formed a giant bagel-shaped cloud has a Mars-sized planetesimal named Theia called a synestia, larger than the Moon’s Moon’s orbit is not at the center of the Earth, but striking a glancing blow on the primordial Earth. at a point roughly 2,902 miles from the center in The impact scattered the remains of Theia and current orbit. The outer torus of the bagel is the direction of the Moon. This is the center of material from the Earth into space. Some of this still connected to the middle and droplets of mass of the Earth–Moon system, called the material formed a ring around the Earth that molten rock circulated freely throughout the barycenter. The Earth and Moon swing around eventually condensed into the Moon. synestia. This material slowly cooled and this point like two children with arms condensed into a central planet, linked circling each other. while the outer torus of the bagel On average, the Moon is 238,800 formed the Moon. Since both were miles from the Earth, but its actual reformed by this event from the distance varies, not only due to the mixed material, they would have Moon’s location in its orbit, but also ended up with the same composi-

. STEWART because the orbit itself changes slowly tion. Unfortunately, no one has ever over time. Nevertheless, it is close seen a synestia anywhere in space. enough that the Apollo astronauts Another hypothesis has up to a could get there in three days. During dozen impactors striking the Earth at their visits, several hundred pounds of different speeds and from different

SIMON J. LOCK & SARAH T Moon rock were collected and returned Formation of the Moon may be the result of a directions. Each impactor would to Earth. synestia, a bagel-shaped cloud of material that create a disk of Earth-like material around the Analysis of this rock has shown that, formed after the impact of Theia with the Earth, Earth that eventually cooled to form a proto- geochemically, the Moon is virtually identical to destroying both. The Earth reformed in the moon. The impactors did not all strike at the the Earth. Atoms of a specific element, such as center of the synestia, while the Moon formed same time, and the Earth must have had an oxygen, always have the same number of from the outer doughnut. Eventually, all the assortment of proto-moons orbiting it. The droplets of hot material became part of the Earth protons in their nuclei, but the number of individual proto-moons would eventually collide or Moon. neutrons can vary. Atoms of the same element to form larger proto-moons. When they all had with different numbers of neutrons are called Solar System. This idea also has a number of been combined, the result would be our Moon. isotopes of the element. Comparing the ratio of problems; one is that it does not explain how Curiously, there is a type of meteorite (and the common isotope of oxygen, with eight eighty percent of the angular momentum in the asteroid)—an enstatite chondrite—whose neutrons, to the other two isotopes (with nine system ended up in the Moon, or why the Moon’s composition is almost the same as Earth’s and ten neutrons, respectively) provides one iron core only occupies twenty-five percent of its composition. Could these have been the type of signature of a sample of the gas. Depending on radius while the Earth’s core occupies fifty planetesimals that coalesced to form both Earth where a planet forms in the Solar System, the percent of its radius. They should both be the and Theia? If so, then the giant-impactor isotopic ratio will be different. For the Earth and same percentage if they formed out of the same hypothesis may be viable. Our understanding of Moon, they are the same. material. the formation of the Moon, and in fact the entire An early model for the formation of the Moon A newer model was devised in the 1970s, Solar System, is still evolving. More observa- had it splitting off from a rapidly spinning Earth. called the giant-impact hypothesis. It has a tions and the chemical analysis of other planets’ The Pacific Ocean basin was the purported Mars-sized planetesimal, dubbed Theia after the compositions will help us understand our history.

10 R EFLECTOR ✶ S EPTEMBER 2018 T HE ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE 11 The North Central Region is preferences. We are expecting among the largest regions in to see significant changes in the Astronomical League with how our region’s conventions some 1,900 members. It is one operate as a result of these of 11 regions that make up the surveys. The regional council Astronomical League. We have recently approved two mini- held an annual convention each grant programs. The first deals year since our founding in 1947 with affiliate membership when we came into being along recruitment and retention; the with the AL. With seven second deals with affiliate member states—Illinois, recruitment which is geared Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, toward getting more organiza- North and South Dakota, and tions in the region to join the Carl Wenning, NCRAL Chair the Upper Peninsula of Michi- Astronomical League. The first gan—it’s hard to maintain any be produced in color and newsletter editors to distrib- grants will be awarded at semblance of activity through- widely distributed with no ute the newsletter, but we our NCRAL 2019 meeting to out much of the rest of the year. concern about printing and have developed an online be held in Moline, Illinois, The North Central Region of the distribution costs. Recent membership sign-up for an May 3–5. Astronomical League (NCRAL) email list so that we A surprisingly large number is now undergoing a sea can get newsletters of our affiliates’ members change that should allow it to and announcements have never completed an AL become a greater benefit to its out to the region on Observing Program. In the affiliate clubs than ever before. a timely basis. We future, the NCRAL will be In an effort to learn more are also taking working on several observing fully about the wants and advantage of programs to help affiliate needs of our region, the present Facebook to provide members transition to leadership reestablished its observing updates completing AL-sponsored newsletter, developed a self- and reminders about programs. Among such service email sign-up list, once per week. programs are Mini-Messier developed and conducted We have conducted Marathons that will consist of several surveys, developed a several surveys to seasonal lists that can be regional convention guide, learn about member- completed on a given night developed two grant programs, ship wants and needs without too much effort. This and increased the use of a dealing with goals for reflects the fact that nearly website and social media. The the region, and how one-third of our membership leadership is now working on best to improve the is at least 66 years old and establishing observing pro- region’s offerings so that more than half is be- grams to supplement the work that it might channel tween 51 and 65 years old. of the Astronomical League and potential affiliates Work is also underway to to satisfy the interests of our into Astronomical develop an astronomical members. We also are currently League memberships, “bucket list” for our region’s holding an NCRAL logo and, by default, members which will focus on competition. NCRAL memberships. viewing celestial objects “one Our Northern Lights These results have, last time” before we bid them newsletter was resurrected or will very soon, be a fond farewell. during the summer of 2016. published in the To see the results of these Each issue contains notes region’s newsletter. efforts you may access the from the regional chair and Some demographic results from our Based on both a post-conven- NCRAL website, which docu- recent convention preferences survey newsletter editor, as well as a tion survey and a convention ments most of these activities. variety of articles written by issues have been in excess of preferences survey we have Visit us at ncral.wordpress.com. members of the region’s 20 pages each. We previously created our region’s own You may also email the author affiliates. The newsletter is used a network of affiliate convention planning guide with your questions at published as a PDF so it can presidents, ALCors, and which considers member [email protected]. 8

12 REFLECTOR ✶ S EPTEMBER 2018 As the Great Depression rocked important clue about body of bodies threatened the Crater is one of the youngest on economies around the world, the unusualities that are awakening rigid inventory of what were Ceres and contains the brightest suggestion of a young English us, decades later, to a larger termed “planets.” Three- region on Ceres, Cerealia girl connected the genius of two and more complex local family. quarters of a century after Facula. The best explanation of American men whose discoveries The asteroid belt was found to Pluto’s discovery, reclassifica- these areas is impacts that and imagination reverberate to contain bodies that didn’t fit. tion of smaller bodies within the uncovered and deposited salts the present. Clyde Tombaugh Some of the planets’ moons Solar System caused a mild onto the surface. Ceres is the was a young and eager amateur didn’t adhere to normal orbital upheaval centered on the largest body in the asteroid belt astronomer who took the emotional and historical between Jupiter and Mars, and challenge offered by connection of Pluto with the first found in that region, by Percival Lowell to come to the eight larger planets. Piazzi on New Year’s Day 1801. Flagstaff and search for a In 2006, the International It is the only asteroid belt body new planet beyond Astronomical Union (IAU) large enough to have retained a Neptune. The story of how the voted to retain only that spherical shape, and the only man from Kansas made his way octet and recast Pluto as a dwarf planet to stay completely to Lowell Observatory to “blink” “dwarf planet.” within Neptune’s orbit. Evidence photographic plates for months Criteria for inclusion in this of cratering and subsurface to accomplish this is legendary. new category were three: that plasticity suggests Ceres may On February 18th of 1930, he the body considered was not a have migrated to its present announced the discovery of the full-fledged planet (one that position from the outer Solar first planet found in our Solar “cleared” its path); that it System. Vesta is the brightest System since 1846. Venetia orbited the Sun directly and not object in the asteroid belt as Phair (née Burney) was an another body (as would a seen from Earth, as it orbits eleven-year-old girl in Oxford, satellite); and that it attained both closer to us than Ceres and England, and offered the name “hydrostatic equilibrium,” where has a higher albedo: 42 versus Pluto, the Roman god of death. its gravity produced a stable 9 percent. Findings of hydrated This was consistent with the spherical or oblate shape. Pluto minerals in its soil and half- naming pattern for the other shares the orbital space of mile-long gullies suggest a planets, Tombaugh liked it, and Neptune in a resonance, and so history of water on its surface. all the astronomers at Lowell Dave Tosteson does not qualify as a planet. Polar temperatures may never Observatory voted in agreement. Chisago City, Minnesota Charon circles Pluto and is exceed –200 degrees Celsius, [email protected] Walt Disney was animating considered its moon. Ceres is allowing water ice to survive in short pieces during this time, patterns. Many of the small, round and in equilibrium, but its top ten feet of soil. In and introduced a floppy-eared, outer ones of Jupiter, Saturn, orbits in a region with thousands favorable orbital alignments, unnamed dog that tracked the and Uranus revolve backwards of other, smaller bodies, and so Vesta attains naked-eye escaped Mickey Mouse in the and follow tilted orbits. Pluto’s is a dwarf planet. Vesta has the brightness, as it did this past canine’s first film, “The Chain orbit had greater ellipticity and distinction of being one of only summer, in June 2018. Gang.” He was pro- two known former The Kuiper Belt extends from moted to a pet of Minnie dwarf planets. It was the orbit of Neptune (30 and, by his third film once in equilibrium and astronomical units, AU) out to “The Moose Hunt” in almost round, but two 50 AU, and is estimated to 1931, became Mickey’s large impacts on its contain over 100,000 bodies companion with a new southern side deformed larger than 100 km in diameter. name. No official it. The internal heat Pluto was the first body found document ties the name that shaped this large within this region, and some of Pluto to that of the asteroid belt body had the outer planets’ moons, such freshly found planet, but inclination to the plane of the dissipated to the point where as Neptune’s Triton and Saturn’s animators’ recollections say ecliptic than those of the other reduced plasticity did not allow Phoebe, are thought to be Walt Disney used the popularity eight planets, and it was locked return to a spheroid shape. captured Kuiper Belt objects of the new planet for his pooch, into resonance with Neptune. I Gravitational field measure- (KBOs). The belt may have who earned his own movie a few met Mr. Tombaugh in the early ments by the Dawn spacecraft about 200 bodies that would years later. In 1937, Disney 1990s at his talk for the confirmed this, so Vesta was qualify as dwarf planets, and used a fairy tale by two German University of Minnesota and, designated in category as a the Oort Cloud that stretches brothers as the basis for his though his body was frail, his minor planet before it even had a halfway to the nearest star first animated feature film about mind was clear and sharp, and chance to enjoy dwarf planet might possess 10,000. By 2016, a young girl, exiled for her he kept us rapt with interest status. the IAU accepted five denizens beauty, who got by with some and appreciation. But even the When Dawn arrived at Ceres as dwarf planets: Ceres, plus help from her friends. reputation and accomplishment in March 2015, one of its main four KBOs: Pluto, Eris, Haumea, The discovery of Pluto of Tombaugh were not enough to goals was to investigate “bright and Makemake. The first two changed the way we perceived stem the tide of professional spots” imaged during the KBOs are nearly equal in size at our Solar System. It was an opinion when an ever-growing journey from Vesta. Occator 2,300 km in diameter, and 800

T HE ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE 13 km larger than the third largest dimness (its magnitude ranged internal structure. Its 220 km

Kuiper Belt body, 2007 OR10. from 13.6 to 16.3), but stemmed core is nickel-iron, and it hosts Two other KBOs, Quaoar and from needing to monitor the an olivine mantle and a 10 km Sedna, are larger than Ceres. planet over a period of time to deep crust resurfaced by lava Since the turn of the millen- see it move among the back- and eruption. Its density of 3.5 nium, we have received a ground stars. Computers with g/cm3 is greater than almost all wealth of data from dedicated digitized Sky Surveys and other asteroids, and among searches for these bodies. detailed charts to 13th or 14th planetary satellites only Io is Missions such as Dawn in the magnitude were not available, denser. It is the source of asteroid belt, and New Horizons and one relied on copied images “HED” meteorites that have told that explored the Pluto system Pluto and coordinate charting to make us much about its structure and in July 2015, are returning visual recovery. In January drawings on at least two history, and carries three beautiful images and invaluable, 2016, he and Konstantin occasions to confirm the “snowman” craters whose unpredicted information such as Batygin, also of Caltech, sighting. I used my 10-inch f/5 bright areas are likely extruded Pluto’s multilayered atmosphere calculated that the orbits of reflector on several occasions to salts. Because of its deviation and variegated terrain with a many recognized and potential do this, a thrill at the time to from hydrostatic equilibrium, it history of plate tectonics. dwarf planets suggested an complete the visual Solar System is excluded from the dwarf Charon has a canyon crossing influence by a larger body in the planetary survey. In recent planet manifest. I first spotted it its whole diameter, spanning a outer Solar System beyond years, amateurs have gone on to in my 18-inch telescope in greater percentage of its parent Neptune. Estimated at ten times observe Pluto’s largest moon, 1992, and fifteen years later, body than even Valles Marineris the mass of Earth (5,000 times Charon, as an elongation when during a favorable apparition, on Mars. Origin theories about that of Pluto), and located at they were most separated in the my son Sam and I were able to this “double-planet system” twenty times the distance of plane of the sky. The other four see this sixth-magnitude minor suggest a collision with Pluto Neptune, this new “ninth moons of Pluto range from 23rd planet without optical aid from early in their formation, similar planet” would carry an elon- to 27th magnitude, too faint for our Minnesota home. to but less violent eyepiece recovery. In January 2005, a new body than the one thought The Minor Planet in the outer Solar System was to have formed Center of the discovered, almost a “twin” of Earth’s Moon. New International Pluto. It was initially thought to Horizons is scheduled Astronomical Union be slightly larger than Pluto, a to visit a second and JPL maintain claim that took detailed Kuiper Belt object in ephemeris services observations by New Horizons early 2019. The list of where amateurs can to clarify. Though now known to known bodies that access positional be a few tens of kilometers may qualify as dwarf and brightness data smaller, this new dwarf planet, planets is growing, on dwarf and minor named Eris after the Greek including one planets. goddess of strife, is 27 percent hundred larger than 400 km in gated orbit taking about 15,000 Ceres orbits in a mildly more massive than Tombaugh’s diameter and another hundred years to circle the Sun. If it is elliptical manner, varying from find. By a statistical coinci- larger than 300 km. Of this 24th magnitude as predicted, it 382 to 443 million km from the dence, it has 0.27 percent of bounty, what is visible to an is presently out of reach for Sun, with a magnitude ranging Earth’s mass. Eris is three amateur? How many of these amateur visual observation. No from 6.6 to 9.3. It can easily be times more distant than Pluto, a distant worlds can we see at the one has yet seen it, but it’s seen in binoculars, and in factor allowing methane to eyepiece? likely a wonderful world of excellent conditions an experi- condense onto its surface and Michael Brown of Caltech has color. Hmm, what could we enced observer can spot it cover the reddish deposits of been the foremost researcher name it? without optical aid. To my tholins that are so prominent on identifying and studying dwarf When I started observing in knowledge, its bright spot, at Pluto. This white coating planets. He spearheaded our the mid-1980s, Pluto was the center of Occator Crater, increases its reflectivity, former ninth planet’s demotion, considered something of a has not been observed. brightening it for visual gaining infamy as the “Pluto challenge. The issue was not its Once upon a time, Vesta was observation. Eris carried a Killer.” As an appease- a dwarf planet. For the magnitude of 18.7 (V) as I ment, his young daughter sake of making it to the searched from the 2006 Okie- suggested he find a magical number of Tex Star Party in the windiest replacement, something seven, we will flaunt conditions in which I had he has done in spades by officialdom and observed. Hurricane force winds helping discover Eris, “grandfather” it into pummeled the camp that week, Sedna, Haumea, and our list. It has a mean scattering belongings, ripping Makemake, among many diameter of 525 km, tents, and overturning struc- others. Brown’s updated and is considered the tures, all in a clear-blue website on dwarf planets last rocky protoplanet morning sky. In the predawn Neptune and Triton informs our search for for its differentiated hours of September 20th, I used

14 REFLECTOR ✶ S EPTEMBER 2018 my 32-inch reflector with the Oort Cloud” between the Kuiper its exact position, I felt visual System to possess a retrograde shroud removed, but the wind Belt and the classic Oort Cloud. recovery was possible in those orbit. It may be considered, as still required my friend Tim It is one of the reddest bodies in rare conditions. I hope to soon Vesta is, a former dwarf planet. Parson to stabilize the mirror the Solar System, with an renew my search at the same It is geologically active with box to minimize motion. The albedo much lower than that of location with the same equip- nitrogen geysers, and, had it exchange between observers Eris. This and its smaller size ment. Careful field drawing not wandered into Neptune’s failed several times and we make it 3.4 magnitudes dimmer would allow evaluation at a later gravitational domain, would be started the iterative process than Eris. date, a la Galileo and Neptune. considered the largest KBO, for again and again, requiring over Failure can define limits, so I The relatively bright its diameter is over 2,600 km. an hour to make one observa- decided to attempt the faintest of Makemake, at magnitude 17.0, From Earth, it is magnitude tion. We were certain of our these newly found bodies. At the proved a much easier target to 13.5, visible in a 6-inch scope. sighting, but my documentation 2008 Okie-Tex Star Party I made recover, even from poor skies at The glare of Neptune slightly by drawing was inadequate, so I charts for Sedna in southwestern the 2015 Texas Star Party. Using affects its observation, but the tried again in calmer conditions Taurus. Its magnitude of 21.1 my 32-inch scope at 650x, with moon appears to us several on October 7, 2010, using the matched the faintest object I had seeing and transparency of 4/10 planet-diameters away so is same instrument with a 9 mm observed, so I brought all the and high humidity, I was able to easily spotted. Sky & Telescope eyepiece giving 361x. By that ammunition I could muster: see it well with direct vision at has a Triton Tracker observing date, the dwarf planet had POSS2 and SDSS images and 12h 48m 36.2s, +26d 20m 56s, tool (www.skyandtelescope. moved ninety arcminutes to the USNO/MegaStar charts. Still air, from the upper field of the Prude com/wp-content/plugins/ northeast, positioned 2.8 low humidity, and seeing and Ranch at 3:50 a.m. CDT on May observing-tools/neptune_ degrees almost due west of NGC transparency of 8/10 at 5:30 16th, along the south-southwest- moons/neptune.html) that 702 in north-central Cetus. a.m. CDT on October 3rd allowed ern edge of a right triangle of shows the location of Triton Using MegaStar with the 21st- me to push my 32-inch f/4 scope, magnitude 12 to 14.4 stars 4 over its 5.9-day period. magnitude USNO stars as a using a 3.5 mm eyepiece, to arcminutes south of galaxy CGCG In the current list of known guide, Eris was seen at 1h 40m 929x with a 5.3-arcminute field 159-80 in northern Coma and possible dwarf planets, 16s right ascension, –4d 16m of view. There is a reference Berenices. Haumea is the four others deserve mention 15s declination, about 22 triangle of stars at 3h 27m 5s brightest of the remaining official as possible targets for arcseconds east of a 19th- right ascension, +6d 24m 48s objects, at magnitude 17.3, and amateur visual observation. magnitude star, at 3:30 a.m. declination. East of this is a was favorably placed in 2016 for Orcus is a Plutino, like Pluto CDT. The brightest nearby star faint, 19th- or 20th-magnitude northern observers at a few locked in a 2:3 resonance was 2.4 arcminutes to the star at 3h 27m 18s, +6d 25m degrees southwest of Arcturus. It orbit with Neptune, but northeast at magnitude 12.2. 25s. Forty-five arcseconds is the largest member of the only dynamically constrained to be Conditions that week prevented slightly north of west from that identified family of collisional in the opposite phase from a second sighting. star is a faint, nebulous object fragments in the Kuiper Belt and Pluto, so at aphelion when In 2003, the team of Brown, that was observed in the 32- owns a chaotic and eccentric Pluto is at perihelion, and Trujillo, and Rabinowitz inch, and 25 arcseconds south- orbit in resonance with Neptune. vice versa. Its relatively discovered another body about southwest of that was an even From my home on July 31, 2016, bright magnitude of 19.1 three times the distance of fainter object at the edge of I used my 32-inch f/4 reflector at results from a high albedo of Neptune. They named it Sedna vision that was seen in the 3.5 650x after sunset to spot this 23 percent, possibly caused after an Inuit sea goddess, and mm Type 6 Nagler eyepiece rapidly rotating oblate interloper by past cryovolcanic activity. its orbit caused difficulty for several times. It did not show on in Boötes, and repeated the It is located in Sextans, best dynamicists. It was found near my printed POSS field image, but observation with the same seen as a late-winter or its perihelion of 76 AU, with its later examination of the digital equipment four nights later. The spring object from southern calculated aphelion of 936 AU POSS and the SDSS did show a latter position was 14h 1m 35s, latitudes or the Southern at the time farther than any very faint object at the position: +17d 17m 12s, at 10 p.m. CDT, Hemisphere. Another Plutino, known, non-cometary Solar 3h 27m 15.2s, +6d 24m 57s. It and Haumea was noted to be Ixion, is magnitude 19.6 and System object. No one could was too faint to be included as gone from its late-July position. is presently in southern figure out how it got there. one of the Sloan photometric The dwarf planet had moved Ophiucus, heading northwest. Eris’s aphelion was only 97 AU, objects. Recalculation with more 4.5 arcminutes southeast in I have plans to attempt faint likely flung by Neptune’s gravity accurate positional and elevation hat time. Quaoar (19.3) and fair Varuna into what is called the “scat- data at a later time suggested In our survey of Pluto’s (19.9) in a star-cross’d fall. tered disk,” but Sedna could not the dwarf planet was several stepchildren, that leaves one So don’t be dopey, sleepy, or have been placed into its tens of arcseconds to the west- dwarf planet to go. Let’s allow bashful. S’know happy is position by Le Verrier’s worldly southwest, so although it was in Triton, the large moon of nothing to sneeze at, ’cause find. Hypotheses explaining its my field of view, it was not Neptune discovered by William seven s’nuff. Undoc your orbit include gravitational included in my drawings. At this Lassell only 17 days after the scope and ungrim your hope, influence by forming cluster faint magnitude an observer planet was announced, to be for grumpy you’ll be if you see siblings of the Sun sending would need to know where to the last target. Triton is almost not a dwarf. objects such as Sedna and 2012 look within a few arcseconds to certainly a captured Kuiper Mere Meir little ball

VP113 into an intermediate zone recover such an object. This was Belt body, and the only large Who’s the Phairest some have called the “inner frustrating because had I known planetary satellite in the Solar of them all? 8

T HE ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE 15 By Dave Falkner On Wednesday, attendees In the fall of 2015, Brandon Hamil came to me as president of enjoyed a field trip to the Science Museum of Minnesota the Minnesota Astronomical Society with the idea that the MAS in the afternoon and the Bell should host an ALCon—an Astronomical League convention. Museum of Natural History and Planetarium in the evening.We Brandon had attended a couple and loved them. They were in also had a star party at Eagle dark-sky locations like Las Cruces and Austin. He thought having Lake Observatory. Despite iffy weather, the 30 or so attendees the ALCon in the Upper Midwest was long overdue. I gave it who made it were able to see some thought and said, “Sure, why not? How hard could it be?” Jupiter, Saturn, and a couple of deep-sky objects. After two and a half years of planning with a very capable Thursday began bright and team, ALCon 2018 came to fruition July early with many more attendees registering. The historical 11–14. Innovative ideas and thorough astronomical equipment exhibit planning made this ALCon incredibly was in full swing now as was the vendor expo. There were successful—one that will be remembered for years. field trips to the John T. Tate It began on Wednesday, July 11. This was primarily setup day Hall and Observatory at the observe some of the faintest University of Minnesota as well observable objects in the night for the vendors and check-in day for attendees. The AL board as the Bell Museum. In speaking sky, including brown dwarf also held their annual meeting this day. The ALCon planning with folks who attended these stars, gravitationally lensed field trips, both were big hits. arcs, and quasars. committee had targeted an attendance of at least 300, and we Visitors to Tate Hall saw the Following lunch, featured were thrilled that at the start of the conference we were at Warner & Swasey 10.5-inch speaker Bob Berman spoke. Bob telescope and were briefed on is the author of the “Strange 335. By the time the conference concluded, we would have 363 some ongoing research. The Universe” page in Astronomy attendees exhibits at the Bell Museum magazine and drew upon his Hilton Minneapolis/St. were fantastic, as was the years of experience with star Paul Airport registered—the planetarium show. parties and astronomy trips for largest ALCon in Meanwhile, back at the his talk. Bob’s presentation, Hilton, the main speaker “Lessons from Hollywood: How to recent history after programs began. Lou Mayo from Create a Great Backyard Sky- Casper (which was NASA outlined NASA’s space Show,” gave attendees tips and science education program and tricks to keep star party visitors an anomaly with how NASA and the Astronomical engaged and leave them with a the total solar League are working together to memorable experience that keeps engage the country in the many them coming back for more. eclipse). Registration check-ins went like clockwork thanks to wonders of our universe. A location mix-up meant our exhaustive preparation by Jerry Jones and his team. Following Lou, MAS’s own next scheduled speaker was Dave Tosteson spoke about unable to make it to the ALCon With the hotel’s freight elevator out of order, one of our major “Observing the Deep Sky.” Dave site, so we shifted the schedule challenges was getting the 8-foot Explora-Dome in the front talked about his experiences a bit and Brandon Hamil, MAS’s using both his 15-inch and 32- unofficial ambassador, gave his door and up the stairs. Fortunately, the dome was flexible inch Dobsonian telescopes to very popular talk, “The enough that it could be deformed to get it through the hotel’s front door. Six people carefully maneuvered the bulky dome up the stairs. The remainder of the pieces were much smaller, and the dome was easily assembled in the space we had for it. After the AL board’s annual meeting, the meeting room was quickly converted into the historical astronomical equipment exhibit. Vintage telescopes, accessories, and documents were set up. It was a real blast from the past with a replica of Newton’s original telescope, a Unitron, a Gebelein 8-inch, a Coulter CT-100, and many other great telescopes. Passing the gavel from John Goss to Bill Bogardus

16 REFLECTOREFLECTOR ✶ SS EPTEMBEREPTEMBER 2018 Hilton. Even though there was ALCon co-chairs Valts Treibergs, left, and Dave Faulkner, right, nothing to look at, the with John Goss presenters, Robert Miller and Doug Neverman, talked about tips and techniques for imaging and were quite informative. At Eagle Lake Observatory there was no viewing, but the HotSpot Classroom hosted presentations by Bob Morrow of Bob’s Knobs and Bill Tschumy of Simulation Curriculum (Starry Night and Sky Safari), who talked about their products and their newest offerings. Friday morning began with the continuation of the vendor Master Observers received their awards expo and historical astronomical equipment exhibit. Traveling Astronomer.” Brandon The lone field trip was to the travels quite a bit as part of his Bakkan Museum displaying job. He makes it a point to visit historic medical equipment and local astronomy organizations documents. In the Hilton’s main and companies as he travels ballroom, the morning session around the country. His began with the announcement of presentation talks about some door prize winners. Raffle of the places he has visited and tickets also went on sale for some interesting and innovative three prizes provided by things some of these astronomical equipment retailer organizations are doing. Starizona. With a gap in the speaker The morning session included schedule, MAS’s outstanding a second workshop featuring outreach speaker, Ron Schmit, Dan Joyce, who gave a graciously offered to give a talk presentation and demonstration on the spot. MAS was high- on mirror making. lighting our Eagle Lake Main ballroom speaker Observatory (above) as part of presentations began with a ALCon, so Ron gave a nice fascinating presentation by Dr. history, with images, on the Jay McLaren entitled “The Eye construction of the buildings and as an Astronomic Instrument.” the equipment there. The Larson He began by discussing the telescope was a central object anatomy of the human eye and Bill Bogardus and John Goss with student throughout the history of ELO how it detects objects in both Astronomical League winners and he talked about the history the daytime and nighttime. He of the telescope, how the MAS then built on this discussion to Dave Faulkner, president, obtained it, and the fate of the talk about the best techniques Minnesota Astronomical Society telescope after it was replaced for viewing various objects at by the Meade 16-inch LX200. the eyepiece, including The afternoon field trips techniques for detecting faint, included a repeat tour of the low-contrast objects. Tate Building at the U of M and The next presentation a tour of the MAS Joseph J. featured Dr. Clem Pryke from Casby Observatory at the the Institute of Astrophysics at Belwin Conservancy. The the U of M. Dr. Pryke spoke weather deteriorated about his work in Antarctica throughout the afternoon and using specialized telescopes and storms rolled in by dinnertime. detectors to measure the As a result, the imaging polarization of the cosmic workshop, originally scheduled microwave background in an to be held at Cherry Grove effort to detect gravitational Observatory, was moved to the waves from the inflationary

T HE ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE 17 period of the universe and some of her friends brought and Pranti Modumudi. The immediately following the Big astronomy to the people there. Horkheimer Youth Service Bang. Her talk, “Little Things Make a Awards were presented to Following a break for lunch, Big Difference,” revealed how Abigail Bollenbach, Tyler we were treated to our next social media allowed her story Hutchison, and Madison France featured speaker for ALCon. to spread throughout the world. Parks. The Horkheimer/Parker Phil Plait is well known through She was invited to visit Youth Imaging Awards were his blog and social media as the astronomy and space given to Tyler Hutchison and Bad Astronomer. His talk, exploration sites around the Vivek Vijayakumar. The “Science Communication in the world and meet people who Horkheimer/O’Meara Jour- Age of Snapchat,” was an would help her with her mission nalism Award was given to informative and entertaining to spread astronomy to her Benedict Althoff. talk on using social media for country. She has been traveling The first speaker of the communicating factual around the United States morning session was Kristen astronomy to the public. Various speaking about her experience Finnigan. Her presentation, forms of social media reach and mission. Telescopes and “Space Law 101: The Basics,” people in different ways, and Dr. Pamela Gay with Abigail equipment have been donated to delved into the existing Phil talked about the best Bollenbach and Pranvera Hyseni her organization, international treaties and ways for using Facebook, The Eagle Lake Observatory Astronomy Outreach of agreements as well as U.S. Instagram, Snapchat, and Kosovo, and she continues legislation around space Twitter. to spread her message of exploration. She examined the Dr. Terry Jones from the bringing astronomy to the history of space law, how it Minnesota Institute of people of this war-torn shaped some of the early space Astrophysics was the next country. programs, and the future speaker. His talk, “Mass With the opposition of implications for government and Loss in Hypergiants,” raised Mars only a couple of weeks commercial activities such as the question of how these away, Richard Schmude, asteroid mining, human huge stars can survive with Jr., from the Association of settlement, and on-orbit the volume of mass being Lunar and Planetary satellite servicing. ejected from their surface. Observers (ALPO) spoke Next, Bob King gave his talk, If these stars replaced our about techniques for “Summer Celestial own Sun, the surfaces of observing the polar icecaps Showstoppers: Getting the some would reach between of Mars. Of course, actually Public Excited about the Night the orbits of Jupiter and observing them this time Sky.” Bob emphasized how it is Saturn. The nuclear processes session and over 200 attendees around may be a little easy to get the public excited taking place in these stars are traveled out to Baylor Regional challenging with the recent about astronomy this summer poorly understood and Dr. Park and Eagle Lake global dust storm on Mars. with four planets visible, as well Jones’ work is trying to unravel Observatory for the Star-B-Q. Throughout the evening the as a favorable night for the these mysteries. The spread was at the pavilion ALCon attendees were treated Perseid meteor shower on The last afternoon event at by the lake with an extra tent to spectacular views of Venus, August 12. He talked about key the Hilton was a panel because of the number of Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars weekends for observing, good discussion with some of our attendees who participated. The thanks to clear skies and locations for sidewalk speakers who are actively caterer Just North of Memphis unusually still air for astronomy, and tips on involved in outreach. The panel served excellent pork and beef Minnesota. We couldn’t have contacting the local media to get was moderated by Bob Berman brisket barbeque with all the asked for a better night. Several the word out. and included Dr. Pamela Gay, fixings. The Mr. Winky Band attendees brought their After lunch, Dr. Larry Rudnick Dr. Phil Plait, Bob King, and Ron provided excellent live telescopes and set them up from the Minnesota Institute for Schmit. The panel talked about entertainment. The cloudy, around the observatory. There Astrophysics at the University how we can attract women, stormy weather we had on were reports that a couple of of Minnesota gave his talk, “Too members of minorities, and Thursday gave way to clear, still folks were able to observe Good to Be True?” This underrepresented demographic skies for the evening. After Saturn’s polar hexagon through captivating talk explored the groups to astronomy and other enjoying the food and a 23-inch telescope brought by potential for life as we know it STEM studies. They also entertainment by the lake, folks Dan Joyce. It was a fantastic elsewhere in the universe, discussed some of the issues migrated to Eagle Lake night for observing. exploring the physical laws and with gender discrimination in Observatory to observe the Sun Saturday, July 14, was the examining whether life on Earth academia and society. It was a and the daytime planets. final day of ALCon and it started is a special exception, an lively and frank discussion that There were two speakers at with the Astronomical League accident, or whether conditions could have lasted hours, but we the HotSpot classroom that Youth Awards and presen- in the universe generally favor had to cut it short so we could evening. Pranvera Hyseni from tations. The National Young the creation of life. make the evening’s activities. the Republic of Kosovo told her Astronomer Awards were The final presenter of the We broke from the afternoon’s extraordinary story of how she presented to Vivek Vijayakumar afternoon was Dr. Even

18 REFLECTOR ✶ S EPTEMBER 2018 Skillman, director of The Astronomical League’s Pamela Gay, director was the best ALCon they had the Minnesota display with banner designed of technology and ever attended. It was even Institute for by president John Goss citizen science for the suggested that this ALCon Astrophysics. He Astronomical Society would be the one future ALCons talked about how the of the Pacific and the would be measured by. Panchromatic Hubble principal investigator Many thanks to the following Andromeda Treasury of CosmoQuest. Her members of the ALCon 2018 (PHAT) program was talk, “A Brief History committee: Dave Falkner, Valts created and talked in of Great Amateur Treibergs, Jerry Jones, Mark detail on how the Achievements in Job, Brandon Hamil, Mark amazing high- Science,” revealed Connolly, John Poppele, Heather definition image of the how everyday people Birch, Antone Gregory, Trena Andromeda galaxy have done Johnson, Robert Miller, Chris was made. He then extraordinary things and Lilah Blinkman, Bob Kerr, went on to talk about throughout the years, Lauren Nelson, Roy Sarver, how the Andromeda such as finding Andy Frasier, Stu Chastain, project enabled the planets, observing Mary Williams, and Suresh largest systematic emerging stars, and Srinivasan. Thanks also to Doug study of the discovering the Neverman and Dave Venne for distribution of the universe in new helping at the imaging workshop initial masses of colors of light. She and to Dave Venne for creating stars. This data implied no plaques were awarded to those went on to discuss how anyone the ALCon 2018 graphics. significant dependencies of the AL members who had achieved could become a citizen scientist Finally, thank you to MAS distribution of initial masses on the distinction of Master and enumerated ways a person president Clayton Lindsey for cluster age, mass, or size, Observer. can become part of the his support of the committee. providing direct observational The surprise of the evening scientific revolution in this new It took over two years to plan evidence of a universal was the presentation of the G.R. golden age of astronomy. this and it was the dedication of distribution. Wright Service Award for ALCon 2018 was a the ALCon Committee that The sessions adjourned to volunteerism that benefits the tremendous success. Many produced the best ALCon ever! I allow the hotel to set up for the Astronomical League and its attendees commented how this hope everyone enjoyed it. 8 Astronomical League Banquet members. Our own Valts that evening. The reception Treibergs and Dave Falkner began at 6:30, and at 6:45 we were presented the award for had the raffle drawing for the their leadership in planning Starizona donations. Katherine ALCon 2018. They were greeted Hammad of Sumner, with a standing ovation from the Washington, won the motorized audience as they came on stage focuser; Rich Willits of Ely, to accept the awards. Minnesota, won the Hyperstar Before introducing the for a Celestron C8; and Erik keynote speaker, Dave Falkner Gisselquist of Cottage Grove, recognized the members of the Minnesota, won the Hyperstar ALCon 2018 planning for a Celestron C11. committee whose hard work John Goss, president of the over the last two years Astronomical League, produced an incredibly announced the Youth Award successful ALCon. Dave Prosper with the Night Sky Network winners of that morning. Then The keynote speaker was Dr. he presented the winners of the Mabel Sterns Newsletter Editor Award. The winners were Dave Thomas (Roanoke Valley Astronomical Society), Brian Thieme (Warren Astronomical Society), and Terry Dufek (Popular Astronomy Club). The AL Webmaster Award was presented to Shawn Loescher and Curt Lambert. The Leslie C. Peltier Award was presented to One of many talks held during astro-imager Damian Peach. the week Several Master Observer

T HE ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE 19 Abigail Bollenbach Pranati Modumudi Horkheimer/Smith Service Award National Young Astronomer Award, second place— Abigail Bollenbach, a 16-year-old, home-schooled high sponsored by Explore Scientific school junior taking concurrent college courses this fall, Pranati is a rising senior student from Evergreen Valley High plans to study her passions, School, San Jose, California. astrophysics and astronomy, She is amazed by the vast universe, both within molecules in college. She is outgoing and beyond the Earth and has been so since a young age. and memorable and was Since the beginning of high school, she has been involved in selected for her outstanding service to her club and astronomy outreach. Abby works in a biochemistry lab as a nanoparticulate specialist and an experimental research design assistant. She started astronomical studies at age 10 on a home computer via Khan Academy. Her first star party was at age 12. She became a member of the astrophysical research at universities. Bartlesville Astronomical Society in 2015 at age 13. At that Last summer, she conducted research on the amount of time, she was the only youth member of the organization, and dark matter present in the Andromeda Galaxy. This year she she began working on outreach. In 2016, she started was granted a leave of absence from her summer studies at presenting monthly astronomy the Simons Summer news via PowerPoint as well Research Program at Stony as presentations on topics Brook University, New York, including “Famous Rocket where she is researching Crashes” and “How to Make A cluster cosmology, to attend Camera Tracking Mount.” She the 2018 ALCon award also set up and maintains an presentation. astronomy news Pinterest page for the club. When finished, she will be presenting research she conducted She was the principal organizer and founding member of at the University of California, Santa Cruz on particle the thriving Bartian Youth Astronomers, the only non-school- acceleration within the jets of the nuclei of active galaxies. affiliated youth astronomy organization in the country. She Her award-winning research project and paper was titled provides news, main talks, is a greeter, new member sign-up “X-Ray Study of Multiple Particle Acceleration Zones in the person, and co–photo documentarian. She continues as a Blazar Mrk 421.” youth leader to assist and mentor at multiple outreach programs for local schools, libraries, and festivals. She gave Benedict Althoff a presentation to the Mid-States Region of the Astronomical Horkheimer/O’Meara Journalism Award, “Memories League titled “Cassini-Huygens’ Legacy.” of the Great American Eclipse” Her many other activities include writing poetry, yoga, The Great American Eclipse on August 21, 2017, was the first singing, photography, and astrophotography. In addition, she solar eclipse in the United States in my lifetime. My hometown, was the state first-place solo piano winner in 2015 at the La Crosse, Wisconsin, had only 87 percent of totality and so my Oklahoma Music Teachers Association competition and a family and I viewed the entire eclipse with special glasses. Even seven-consecutive-year top winner of the National Piano though the eclipse was occurring, it seemed as an ordinary Guild Auditions with the American College of Musicians. bright summer’s day, for the brightness of the Sun’s rays Abby retired from her 13-year dance career as company overcame the Moon’s shadow. If it were not for astronomers member ballerina for the Bartlesville Civic Ballet to work and notifying those outside the band of totality, I would have missed save money for a car. the first solar eclipse of my lifetime!

20 REFLECTOR ✶ S EPTEMBER 2018 My grandfather, an amateur astronomer, had a very astronomy at the age of eight after watching a lunar eclipse. different experience viewing the eclipse in totality in Casper, Since then, his interest in imaging has earned him the 2017 Wyoming. He told me his story. A shadow just suddenly Jack Horkheimer imaging award as well as this year’s consumed the valley where he was watching. The sky second place. He has been working on a project currently became a type of powder gray. The dogs next door were operating in the interesting to observe. Before totality, they were frisky and International Space playing with each other. During totality, they became hushed Station and is involved and still. After totality, the dogs resumed their playfulness with the San Diego and started romping around again. Humans are not the only Astronomy Association. ones who can detect changes in the earth’s behavior. All of His work includes totality was only 2 minutes and 26 seconds. Everyone was research on double-star disappointed when the corona disappeared from view. astrometry with a paper Nobody was interested in the fading phase of the eclipse. pending peer review. An eclipse is an obscuring of the light from one celestial His work with planetary body by the nebulae won first place in passage of the 2017 California State another between Science Fair and in the it and the Greater San Diego observer. When I Science and Engineering viewed the Great Fair, where he was the sweepstakes winner in the physics American Eclipse and astronomy junior division. of August 21, His project on solar dynamics won first place in the Greater 2017, the Sun’s San Diego Science and Engineering Fair where he was the light was sweepstakes runner-up. He placed second in the California obscured by the State Science Fair in the physics and astronomy senior Moon passing division in 2018. between the Sun Apart from astronomy, Vivek is interested in physics and and me. There are math and is a member of the San Diego Math Circle, two to five solar president of the math club at his high school, and serves as eclipses in one a youth commissioner for the City of San Marcos. Other year. Most solar talents include playing trumpet and piano. eclipse totalities last for two to four minutes. Right now, His winning research paper is titled “Analyzing the astronomers are studying eclipses so that we can be Expansion Rates of Planetary Nebulae.” prepared to observe and enjoy them in the future. Eclipses are fun to watch even if you are not an Tyler M. Hutchison astronomer. The next total solar eclipse over the United Horkheimer/D’Auria Service Award States is on Monday, April 8, 2024. Be sure to mark your Horkheimer/Parker Youth Imaging Award, first place calendars! I hope to observe totality with my grandfather, Tyler M. Hutchison is a rising high school senior at St. and this time we can share the eclipse experience together. Christopher’s School in Richmond, Virginia. He is a youth Life would not be as fun without eclipses! member-at-large of the Astronomical League and a member —By Benedict Althoff, Age 10 of the board of directors of the Richmond Astronomical Vivek Vijayakumar Society where he was elected at age 16. He actively National Young Astronomer Award, first-place—spon- participates in astronomy outreach activities through his sored by Explore Scientific school and the community by participating in star watches, Horkheimer/Parker Youth Imaging Award, second- Astronomy Day activities, and events at the Science place image of M8 and M20 Museum of Virginia. Vivek is a rising star from San Marcos, California, who is He recently completed the Summer Academy for the interested in astrophotography and amateur astronomy and Virginia Aerospace Science and Technology Scholars will be a sophomore in the coming school year. He got into program at NASA Langley Research Center where he

T HE ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE 21 Lastly, Tyler is a recipient of St. Christopher’s John Neasmith Dickinson Memorial Scholarship, and he main- tains an active astrophotography blog at tylerhutchison astrophotography.wordpress.com 2018 Webmaster Award Congratulations to Shawn Loescher and Curt Lambert of worked on developing a hypothetical manned mission to the Back Bay Amateur Astronomers (www.backbayastro.org) Mars and presented the proposal to NASA scientists. He has on their selection as the winners of the 2018 Astronomical also completed the Virginia Space Coast Scholars program League Webmaster Award. through the Virginia Space Grant Consortium and was The selection committee evaluated the submitted websites chosen to spend a week last summer at the NASA Wallops on their content, ease of navigation, and ability to attract Flight Facility. people. The Back Bay Amateur Astronomers are fortunate to He has presented his research and findings on cosmic have such a wonderful and informative website. radiation at varying altitudes at the Junior Science and Reflector Content Policy (effective July 11, 2018) Humanities Symposium and is a winner of numerous school, This content policy relates to the quarterly Reflector local, and regional awards for his astrophotography including magazine and the upcoming Reflector Monthly online multiple Gold and Silver Key Awards through the Scholastic newsletter. It also applies to any handbook, periodical or Art & Writing Awards. He also spent part of this past school website content produced by the Astronomical League. year as an exchange student at Lindisfarne College in Hawke’s The proposal is based on input from committee members Bay, New Zealand. John Goss, Bill Bogardus, Bryan Tobias, John Martin, Mitch Tyler is a yearbook Glaze, and Ron Kramer (chair). The input was collected editor as well as a between May 26 and May 29, 2018, and was approved at freelance photo- the League Council meeting on July 11, 2018. grapher for other Purpose school publications Recent questionable articles and advertisements received by and a member of Reflector staff dictated that a written content policy needs both his school to be created. To date, our policy has been, at best, an academic quiz bowl arbitrary, unwritten list of what is and is not acceptable. This team “Battle of the policy proposal spells out, with clarity, criteria for accepting Brains” and the articles, editorials, advertisements, etc., for the Reflector, Science Bowl team. the Reflector Monthly, and any other printed or online Winning astrophotograph, “Milky Way” materials including social media content. Content As the Astronomical League is an astronomical organization, submissions should have astronomy as the primary focus. Submissions concentrating on religion, politics, science fiction, or alternative science (non-Newtonian gravitational theories, flat Earth, ufology, etc.) will not be considered for publication. These subjects can be mentioned in a submission but should not be the primary intent of the piece. Language should be rated G. Originality Submissions for publication must be unpublished and be the He is a three-year intern at the Science Museum of author’s original material. We will no longer accept reprints of Virginia including social media work and climatology articles which have been published earlier. Any supporting research. He founded the Environmental Awareness Club material that is included in the author’s submission that is not at his school and implemented a neighborhood recreation original material must be properly cited and within legal association recycling program. copyright for publication (this includes images).

22 REFLECTOR ✶ S EPTEMBER 2018 Review research, as many amateur astronomers do, by discovering Submissions will be reviewed for accuracy, relevance, and comets and supernovae, and observing meteors, aurorae, appropriateness by Reflector staff, and may be edited for occultations, and the Sun. In my research field of variable grammar and formatting to meet Reflector standards for stars, Canadian observers consistently contribute over publication. 100,000 measurements a year to the American Association Use of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO). Reproduction of published material cannot be copied or The RASC has catalyzed and supported the building and distributed in any form (including electronic media) without operation of public planetariums and observatories, the written consent of the Astronomical League, except for including the ones in my community of Toronto. They are educational materials in a non-profit environment. Contact leaders in preserving dark skies through dark sky reserves the Astronomical League ([email protected]) and by promoting sensible lighting. RASC outreach and as necessary. communication to schools and the public is exceptional. In 2003, RASC received the prestigious national Michael Smith Happy Birthday, RASC! Award for excellence in science promotion. During Your Canadian cousins are having a birthday! The Royal International Year of Astronomy 2009, the RASC and its Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC), Canada’s partners organized over 3,700 events, reaching almost two counterpart to the AL, celebrates its 150th birthday in 2018. million people face-to-face. The RASC is now the publisher In December 1868, a year after Canada’s Confederation, a of SkyNews, Canada’s magazine of astronomy and small group of astronomy enthusiasts met to form the stargazing, for both astronomy enthusiasts and the public. Toronto Astronomy Club. It was a time of increasing public The RASC’s flagship publication is its annual (since 1907) interest and engagement in science. Through the effort and Observer’s Handbook. I was delighted to see that the support of amateur and professional astronomers, the club Astronomical League’s president John J. Goss had evolved into the RASC. It and its Journal became the “voice” contributed a guest editorial to the 2018 edition—the first of astronomy in Canada. It has grown and matured since year that we have had a USA edition of the Handbook. This then, in parallel with the growth of Canadian astronomy, and is surely one more way of drawing our two organizations Canada itself. Incidentally, surveys show that Canada ranks closer together. The RASC is great at partnering. How about very highly in astronomical productivity and achievement. a joint meeting? For half a century, the RASC’s “guiding light” was Professor The RASC has also done an excellent job of preserving its Clarence Chant, University of Toronto. Chant also built up his history and heritage, thanks to historians such as Peter university’s astronomy program, which subsequently trained Broughton and Randall Rosenfeld. Check out the “history” many of Canada’s 20th-century astronomers, including me. His page on the RASC website, rasc.ca. contributions to public outreach were remarkable. Among I joined the RASC in 1961 and have been proud to serve in other things, they contributed directly to the founding of the many national and local roles over the years, including David Dunlap Observatory which, when it opened in 1935, national president, and editor of the Observer’s Handbook. boasted the second-largest telescope in the world. Dozens of other astronomer and educator colleagues have In 1970, Canadian professional astronomers established cheerfully done likewise, as officers, contributors to the their own organization, but the RASC continued to flourish. Journal or Handbook, as speakers at centre meetings, or as With members in “centres” (branches) from St. John’s in the partners in outreach activities. We enthusiastically support east, to Victoria in the west, to the Yukon in the north, and the work of this voluntary nonprofit organization which, with unattached members around the world, it serves along with its centres and members, has done so much to thousands of people with a special interest in astronomy. advance and communicate astronomy, both in Canada and And studies show that the happiest countries (such as the abroad. Happy birthday, RASC! Scandinavian ones) are those whose people tend to join and participate in clubs related to their interests. The RASC is John R. Percy exemplary, in my opinion, in its governance, and the balance Professor Emeritus between national activities and local ones. The centres are Astronomy & Astrophysics and Science Education remarkably diverse in their activities and their individual University of Toronto “personalities.” RASC Honorary President 2013–2017 RASC members and centres have contributed to astronomy AL Award 1996

T HE ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE 23 Kenneth Frank of the Astronomical the inside of the tube. I chose an oil- Inside of Tube: I used a thick, matte Full STEAM Society of the Pacific gifted the cost base, off-the-shelf black paint for the mini–paint roller on a long handle Ahead of the realuminizing in April 2017. He base, and I had most of the acrylic and rolled three layers of paint. The contacted Bob Fies from alcoat.net paints that would be needed for all-wood, handmade spider was who recoated the mirror since he is restoring the artwork on the sides. painted with a sponge applicator. The Art in ATM one of the best in amateur circles. Tube: The tube had three peeling Mirror Cell: This got a light sanding, By Peggy Walker So Tumbleweed gets to me in colors, and the bottom part near the three layers of the black enamel In June 2017, I picked up John Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and I mirror cell had no paint. The ends of paint, and three coats of polyure- Dobson’s favorite sidewalk telescope, decided, after seeing her condition, the Sonotube were frayed and thane. I painted Bob Fies’s name, “Tumbleweed,” from Donna Smith of that she needed a total makeover. It shedding, and the bits could fall business, and date on the bottom of the Sidewalk Astronomers in became apparent that one couldn’t onto the mirror, so I used Elmer’s the mirror cell for posterity’s sake. Burbank, California. John taught even grab the scope by the wooden Glue-All on the tube’s edge and Rocker Box: Fortunately, this was in amateur telescope making (ATM) base without getting a splinter or secured it with paper clips while the pretty good condition and only classes in the 1990s in San Francisco, two. After removing the mirror and glue dried. The tube got four coats needed minimal sanding. However, and one student made this telescope storing it safely in the house, I set to of cappuccino paint, which was a there were some gaps where the that John liked so much, he traded work. feat. Since the rocker box was boards were joined, so I used some his jacket for it. The Sidewalk Donna told me John disliked white unmovable on the tube, I put folded wood epoxy to fill these and then re- Astronomers got “her” back and the telescopes, so I chose “cappuccino,” cardstock on the inside of the sanded the box to make a cleaner board agreed to send her out a color similar to that already on the corners of the rocker box, which edge. It was painted with three coats amongst the clubs to keep John’s tube, “vanilla scone” for the rocker allowed me to get the paint all the of vanilla scone followed by three legacy going. box, and “midnight sky” flat black for way down on the tube. coats of polyurethane.

1. John Dobson looking through his favorite sidewalk telescope, Tumbleweed, in San Francisco. 4, 5. All these eyepieces are made with metal pipes, pieces of glass, 10. The front of the base had more cardboard, and masking tape. delamination of the plywood layers, which led to splintering.

2. John Dobson, founder of the 8. It had to be reconstructed. Sidewalk Astronomers, was at the 11. The one side that did not have corner of 9th and Irving many original artwork. It turned out well. nights with Tumbleweed in tow in 6. Used Elmer’s Glue-All for the end her wagon. of the frayed tube and held it in place with large paperclips.

9. The wood epoxy had to be sanded a few times so that the seams would not be against the natural wood. 3. Bob Fies, an amateur astronomer 7. I painted Bob Fies’s name on the 12 With “cappuccino” on the tube, who has a business recoating mirrors, bottom of the mirror cell for “vanilla scone” on the rocker box, and did Tumbleweed’s in April 2017. posterity’s sake. two fabric end caps, she’s good to go.

24 REFLECTOR ✶ S EPTEMBER 2018 Altitude Bearings: An amateur Base: The layers of the plywood to the colors and the feel even Donna Smith at sidewalk astronomer and muscle car–lover at were pulling apart, so I glued though I was using a paintbrush. [email protected]. The the Casper, Wyoming, ALCon made them down to prevent anything When photos were sent to Donna rules are: 1) no upgrades are to me aware that the altitude bearings from breaking off when I sanded. Smith and the team, Gerard be made, for example, a spotter were repurposed harmonic The whole base got sanded, with Pardeilhan emailed me and said scope; 2) anything that needs to balancers! These were painted with a light run over the artwork on the that I did justice to his artwork be repaired gets repaired in the latex paint that had become chipped sides. The best way to restore the that he put on Tumbleweed for same ATM style; and 3) clubs and scratched and had to be scraped scope properly was to use wood John so many years ago! I was so hosting the scope need to post off. epoxy. I had never worked with it flattered and happy with how it images of their outreach with her Azimuth Bearing: This was a fun before, and boy does it dry out turned out. so the Unofficial Tumbleweed surprise. When the base was quickly. It was applied with a The before and after photos are Facebook page can stay updated removed there was a “Back to the putty knife along the edges, very telling and don’t need any more for her followers. There is also a Future” LP from 1985. It is believed sides, and the front, and the details. However, if you would like to storyboard with before and after the scope was made in the early- to altitude bearing supports had to see my daily posts, visit her Facebook images that can be set up at your mid-90s, but no one in Sidewalk be reconstructed. Black enamel page, “Unofficial Tumbleweed.” events so guests can read about Astronomers knows for sure. paint was applied after the wood A few eyepieces, all made in her at their leisure. Wooden Stand: The bottom base for epoxy was sanded, and blue tape classic ATM style, using metal I appreciated Donna’s and the the mount was raw wood with three had to be used to redefine the pipe, glass, cardboard, wood, and board’s trust in my ability to short legs, and it got four layers of edges on the cactus artwork. I tape, accompany Tumbleweed. If contribute my artistic skills toward poly, top and bottom, to protect it think it was airbrushed using a your club wants Tumbleweed to this hobby that I love, and my role in from moisture. stencil, and so I tried to stay true visit your club, please contact keeping John Dobson’s memory alive.

19. Two coats and good as new.

13. The inside of the base needed a rough sanding to knock down some 22. Felt like this was a time capsule raised grain and paint drip marks. when this was discovered as the azimuth bearing.

20. The harmonic balancers, a.k.a. altitude bearings, needed the peeling paint removed.

14. This side had more wood epoxy on it and took a couple of sessions to sand down even after painting the black. It had to be done right. 16, 17. You can see that the focuser is on the opposite side of a normal scope’s. And there is no 23. The raw-wood stand needed spotter scope! some protection before Tumbleweed would go travel to clubs. Four coats of polyurethane top and bottom.

21. Good shot of the original state of the tube with silver paint, sand 15. This side looked like a stencil or paint, chipping and peeling, and airbrushed piece of art, so redoing the mirror cell had no paint on it at it with paint and a brush was all. challenging when trying to keep 18. Inside the tube with a spider the original look. needing a touch-up as well.

T HE ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE 25 All Things Astronomical/from page 7 with a system that only costs a few tens of receiver stabilized by the hydrogen maser to Importantly, the new technique doesn’t thousand dollars.” be compared with the other receiver require any substantial changes to the rest Demonstrating long-distance stabilized using the stable frequency of the fiber optic network and is easy to transmission reference that was sent on a 310-kilometer implement. To keep the frequency stable To demonstrate their method, the research- round trip through the fiber. during transmission, the researchers send ers began with a type of atomic clock known “Our experiments showed that the the signal through the network to a destina- as a hydrogen maser located at the CSIRO transmitted frequency reference was very tion and then reflect it back. The returning Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA). stable, significantly more stable than the signal is used to determine if any changes They imprinted the radio frequency Earth’s atmosphere,” said Baldwin. “Our occurred. After each round trip, any reference signal from the maser onto a approach of exactly replicating the stable transmitted frequency shift is passively laser beam that then traveled through a frequency signal from one atomic clock subtracted to exactly compensate for the 155-kilometer AARNet fiber and several performed at least as well as two atomic measured changes. amplification stages to a second radio clocks, which can exhibit slight differences For every 100 kilometers of fiber, the telescope, and back again. Once the from each other.” round trip takes about 1 millisecond. Even compensation process began, the reference The researchers say that their demon- though the compensation process happens was picked up by the radio telescope at the stration shows that the new method is very quickly, the time on the receiving end other end of the connection. ready for implementation by radio astrono- can drift during the round trips. To solve The researchers used the stable fre- mers who want to avoid using multiple this problem, a quartz oscillator at the quency reference to calibrate both tele- atomic clocks across a telescope array. The remote location keeps the time steady scopes, which were used to examine the method can be used over even longer between round trips. same object in space. They found that distances by using more amplifiers to boost The frequency of the quartz oscillator will rather than the stable frequency signal the signal. This would also allow stable also eventually drift, so our unique process limiting the performance of the telescopes, frequency references to be broadcast across combines local stabilization with the quartz atmospheric differences between the two a national fiber optic network, where any oscillator for short time lengths, with the locations was the limiting factor. To scientist with access to a telecommunica- longer-greater than round-trip time- eliminate atmospheric interference and tions network could use them. stabilization provided by the transmitted better understand how the new method When atomic clocks were first invented, stable frequency reference technique,” said improved the telescope performance, the no one thought that they would provide Baldwin. “This highly stable method for researchers then used just one telescope timing standards that would be used for transmitting the frequency reference allows antenna at the ATCA fitted with two GPS navigation, for example,” said Baldwin. an atomic clock, which cost around two separate receivers to take measurements. “We hope that in the same way, easy access hundred thousand dollars, to be replaced This “split antenna” method allowed one to frequency standards that are just as stable as those found in a national measure- ment laboratory will be an enabling technology for many applications that require precise timing and accurate frequency measurements.” 8 Paper: Y. He, K. G. H. Baldwin, B. J. Orr, R. B. Warrington, M. J. Wouters, A. N. Luiten, P. Mirtschin, T. Tzioumis, C. Phillips, J. Stevens, B. Lennon, S. Munting, G. Aben, T. Newlands, T. Rayner, 2018, “Long- distance telecom-fiber transfer of a radio- frequency reference for radio astronomy,” Optica, vol. 5, no. 2, p. 138-146, doi.org/ 10.1364/OPTICA.5.000138.

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26 R EFLECTOR ✶ S EPTEMBER 2018 TITLE PHOTO: NGC 2244; BRIAN KIMBALL

Alan Pryor (Flint River Astronomy Club) took this image of the Lagoon and Trifid nebulae with a Takahashi FSQ-106 with a FLI 16803 CCD camera.

Robert Huerbsch (Ancient City Astronomy Club) took this image of the Veil Loop with a William Optics GT71 (with 0.8x reducer) and a QHYCCD 163M CMOS camera.

Frederick Steiling (Astronomical Society of Eastern Missouri) took this June 4, 2018, image of Mars with a central meridian of 312.1˚ from the ASEM observatory in Defiance, Missouri, with a Celestron C14 paired with an ASI174MM CMOS camera and a Tele Vue 2x Powermate.

Dan Crowson (Astronomical Society of Eastern Missouri) took this image of IC 2574, Coddington’s Nebula, with an Astro- Tech AT12RCT and a SBIG STF-8300M camera from Dark Sky New Mexico in Animas, New Mexico.

TTHEHE A ASTRONOMICALSTRONOMICAL L LEAGUEEAGUE 2727 Comet Observing Program Astronomy Club; No. 86, Robert Scott, Island Observing Awards No. 99, David Whalen, Silver, Atlanta Astronomy County Astronomical Society; No. 87, John T. Club Varn, Cedar Amateur Astronomers; No. 88, Kim Editor’s Note: Congratulations to all these Constellation Hunter Observing Program Balliet, Richland Astronomical Society outstanding astronomical observers! All (Northern Skies) Master Observer Award awards, except for the Herschel 400 and Sky No. 206, Paul Lennos, Member-at-Large; No 207, Observer Award Puppies, require current Astronomical League Chad Ruhl, Richland Astronomical Society Paul Lennous, Member-at-Large; Larry M. Elsom, membership for eligibility. If you have Dark Nebulae Observing Program Member-at-Large questions about an award, please contact the No. 28, Dan Crowson, Astronomical Society of Master Observer Award corresponding Observing Program chair. Their Eastern Missouri No. 209, Coy Wagoner, Baton Rouge Astronomi- contact information can be found on the Dark Sky Advocate Observing Award cal Society; No. 210, Lisa Wentzel, Twin City Observing Program website at www.astro No. 12, Jim Ketchum, Astronomical Society of Amateur Astronomers; No. 211, William T. league.org/observing. If further assistance Kansas City Conner, Indiana Astronomical Society; No. 212, is required please contact either of the Deep Sky Binocular Observing Program Nancy Rauschenberg, Minnesota Astronomical national Observing Program coordinators. No. 396, Laura Hintz-Keller, Indiana Astronomical Society; No. 214, Bruce P. Bookout, Colorado Society; No. 397, Preston Pendergraft, Member- Springs Astronomical Society; No. 215, Jonathan Advanced Binocular Double Star at-Large; No. 398, Alfred Schovanez, Astronomi- Poppele, Minnesota Astronomical Society Observing Program cal Society of Eastern Missouri; No. 399, Jeff Advanced Observer Award No. 27, Mark Simonson, Everett Astronomical Oaster, Delaware Valley Amateur Astronomers Steve Boerner, Member-at-Large Society Double Star Observing Program Master Observer—Silver Award Arp Peculiar Galaxies Northern No. 609, Alan Snook, Member-At-Large; No. David Whalen, Atlanta Astronomy Club; Jeff Observing Program 610, Nancy Rauschenberg, Minnesota Astro- Hoffmeister, Olympic Astronomical Society No. 90-V, Vincent Michael Bournique, Member- nomical Society; No. 611, Forrest Smith, Baton Master Binocular Observer Award at-Large Rouge Astronomical Society; No. 612, Alan Vincent Michael Bournique, Member-at-Large; Arp Peculiar Galaxies Southern Scott, The Albuquerque Astronomical Society Denise Terpstra, Member-at-Large Observing Program Flat Galaxy Observing Program Messier Observing Program No. 16-I, Jack Fitzmier, Atlanta Astronomy Club No. 33, Dan Crowson, Honorary, Astronomical No. 2737, Darin Templet, Honorary, Rio Rancho Asterism Observing Program Society of Eastern Missouri Astronomical Society; No. 2743, Janet Rush, No. 47, Edgar G. Fischer, The Albuquerque Globular Cluster Observing Program Honorary, Delaware Valley Amateur Astrono- Astronomical Society No. 313-I, John Sikora, Member-at-Large mers; No. 2756, Marilyn Perry, Honorary, Beyond Polaris Herschel 400 Observing Program Member-at-Large; No. 2783, Dodie Reagan, No. 15, Justin Bolin, Astronomical Society of No 587, Nancy Rauschenberg, Minnesota Regular, Texas Astronomical Society of Dallas; Kansas City; No. 16, Lauren Rogers, Escambia Astronomical Society; No. 588, Bruce Bookout, No. 2784, Yu-Hang Kuo, Honorary, Seattle Amateur Astronomers Association Colorado Springs Astronomical Society; No. 589, Astronomical Society; No. 2785, Todd Hansen, Binocular Double Star Observing Program Mike Neal, Echo Ridge Astronomical Society; No. Honorary, Tucson Amateur Astronomy Associa- No. 136, Marie Lott, Atlanta Astronomy Club 590, Linda Hoffmeister, Olympic Astronomical tion; No. 2786, Marilyn Sameh, Honorary, Binocular Messier Observing Program Society; No. 591, Chuck Stewart, Rose City Wabash Valley Astronomical Society; No. 2787, No. 1135, Hans de Moor, Member-at-Large; No. Astronomers; No. 592, Jonathan Poppele, Mike Reitmajer, Regular, Rose City Astronomers; 1136, Scott Azmus, Member-at-Large; No. 1137, Minnesota Astronomical Society; No. 593, Joe No. 2788, Hal Bidlack, Honorary, Colorado Eric Geater, Shoals Astronomy Club; No. 1138, Timmerman, Minnesota Astronomical Society; Springs Astronomical Society; No. 2789, Bob Roland Albers, Tri-Valley Stargazers; No. 1139, No. 594, Joe Castor, Kansas Astronomical Nolen, Honorary, Shreveport-Bossier Astronomi- Eric Pals, Member-at-Large; No. 1140, Richard Observers cal Society; No. 2790, Scott Lee, Honorary, Boise Beaver, Boise Astronomical Society; No. 1141, Hydrogen Alpha Solar Astronomical Society Craig Lamison, Houston Astronomical Society Observing Program NEO Observing Program Caldwell Observing Program No. 41, Rodney R. Pendergraft, St. Louis No. 16, Jeff Haidet, Intermediate, Toledo Silver Award Astronomical Society; No. 42, Will Young, Astronomical Association; No. 17, Jeff Haidet, No. 249, Len Philpot, Pontchartrain Astronomical Astronomical Society of Southeast Texas Advanced, Toledo Astronomical Association Society; No. 250, Larry Farrington, Mt. Shasta Lunar Observing Program Open Cluster Observing Program Star Gazers No. 1030, DeWayne Carver, Member-at-Large; No. 82 Advanced, Dan Crowson, Astronomical Gold Award No. 1031, Lynda Schweikert, Iowa County Society of Eastern Missouri No. 30, Larry Farrington, Mt. Shasta Star Gazers Astronomers; No. 1032, Chad D. Ruhl, Richland Outreach Observing Award Carbon Star Observing Program Astronomical Society No. 105-S, Marilyn Unruh, Prescott Astronomy No. 94, Mark Simonson, Everett Astronomical Lunar II Observing Program Club; No. 166-S, Elizabeth Brown, Astronomical Society No. 85, David M. Douglass, East Valley Society of Kansas City; No. 495-M, Terry N. Trees, Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh; No. 497-M, John W. Johnson, Omaha Astro- nomical Society; No. 759-M, Steve Goldberg, Houston Astronomical Society; No. 769-S, David Downs, The Albuquerque Astronomical Society; No. 795-M, Connie Haviland, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. 832-S, Ken Lim, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. 857-M, Dave Komar, Northern Virginia Astronomy Club; No. 859-S, John Cavouti, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. 860-S, Christophe Caille, Fort Bend Astronomy Club; No. 894-S, James King, Houston Astro- nomical Society; No. 919-M, Keith Krumm, Seattle Astronomical Society; No. 994-S, Douglas Tilley, Prescott Astronomy Club; No. 1003-S, Abigail Bollenbach, Bartlesville Astronomical Society; No. 1004-O, Don Reed, Von Braun Astronomical Society; No. 1005-O, Benjamin N. Boyd, Von Braun Astronomical Society; No. 1006-O, Mike Reitmajer, Rose City Astronomers; No. 1007-O, Jon Bearscove, Seattle Astronomical Society; No. 1008-O, Gianna Neckel, Flint River Astronomy Club; No. 1009-O, Scott Cadwallader, Baton Rouge Astronomical Society; No. 1010-O David M. Douglass, East Valley Astronomy Club; No. 1011-O, Krista Dison, Baton Rouge Astronomical Society; No. 1012-O,

28 R EFLECTOR ✶ S EPTEMBER 2018 Jason Hoover, Prescott Astronomy Club; No. 1013-O, Jack Szelka, Prescott Astronomy Club; No. 1014-O, Andy Flowers, Tallahassee Astro- nomical Society; No. 1015-S, Ron Mosher, Everett Astronomical Society; No. 1016-S, Louis S. Berman, Delaware Valley Amateur Astrono- mers; No. 1017-O, Stephen L. Snider, The Albuquerque Astronomical Society; No. 1018-O, Wayne Wooten, Escambia Amateur Astrono- mers’ Association; No. 1019-O, Dewey Barker, Escambia Amateur Astronomers’ Association; No. 1020-O, John Arnold, Escambia Amateur Astronomers’ Association; No. 1021-O, Ed Magowan, Escambia Amateur Astronomers’ Association; No. 1022-O, Jon Minnick, Seattle Astronomical Society; No. 1023-O, Joanne Hachtel, Popular Astronomy Club; No. 1024-M, Richard M. Bryant, Jr., Bartlesville Astronomical Society Sketching Observing Award No. 26, Vincent Michael Bournique, Member-at- Large; No. 27, David Whalen, Atlanta Astronomy Club; No. 28, Bob Scott, Island County Astro- nomical Society Solar System Observing Program No. 114, William Bogardus, Amateur Observers’ Society of New York; No. 115-B, Vincent Michael Bournique, Member-at-Large; No. 116, Ron Ziss, Naperville Astronomical Association; No. 117-B, Denise Terpstra, Member-at-Large; No. 118, Vince Giovannone, Member-at-Large; No. 119-B, Steve Boerner, Member-at-Large; No. 120, Jean Napp, Iowa County Astronomers; No. 121, Stephen L. Snider, The Albuquerque Astronomi- cal Society; No. 122, Brad Payne, Northern Virginia Astronomy Club; No. 123, Nina Chevalier, San Antonio League of Sidewalk Astronomers Southern Skies Binocular Observing Program No. 101, Melody Hamilton, Member-at-Large; No. 102, John L. Goar, Olympic Astronomical Society Southern Sky Telescopic Observing Program No. 58, John Wagoner, Texas Astronomical Society of Dallas Stellar Evolution Observing Program No. 47, Daniel Otte, Basic, Southern Oregon Skywatchers; No. 48, W. Maynard Pittendreigh, Basic, Brevard Astronomical Society; No. 49, Jonathan L. Schuchardt, Basic, Rio Rancho Astronomical Society; No. 50, John R. “Sean” Sayers, Basic, Member-at-Large; No. 51, Ian Hewitt, Basic, Raleigh Astronomy Club; No. 52, Rodney R. Rynearson, Basic, St. Louis Astronomi- cal Society; No. 53, Edgar G. Fischer, Basic, The Albuquerque Astronomical Society; No. 54, Dan Posey, Basic, Hill Country Astronomers; No. 55, Pam Lubkans, Basic, Member-at-Large; No. 56, Lisa Judd, Basic, Denver Astronomical Society; No. 57, Joe Timmerman, Basic, Minnesota Astronomical Society; No. 58, Lisa Wentzel, Basic, Twin City Amateur Astronomers; No. 59, Cliff Mygatt, Basic, Olympic Astronomical Society; No. 60, Richard Francini, Basic, Neville Public Museum Astronomical Society; No. 61, Nina Chevalier, Basic, San Antonio League of Sidewalk Astronomers Two in the View Observing Program No. 30, Kevin C. Carr, Minnesota Astronomical Society; No. 31, Nina Chevalier, San Antonio League of Sidewalk Astronomers; No. 32, Alex McConahay, Pomona Valley Amateur Astrono- mers Universe Sampler Observing Program No. 134, Pamela Lowe, Naked-Eye, Boise Astronomical Society Urban Observing Program No. 193, Vincent Michael Bournique, Member- at-Large

T HE ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE 29 October 8–14 November 2–4 Coming Events Staunton River Star Party StarFest 2018 Scottsburg, Virginia Custer Institute, Southold, New York To have your star party or event listed, please www.stauntonriver-starparty.org custerobservatory.org send the details, including dates, sponsors and October 9–13 November 5–10 website, to [email protected]. Confirm Enchanted Skies Star Party Eldorado Star Party dates and locations with event organizers. Socorro, New Mexico X-Bar Ranch, Eldorado, Texas www.enchantedskies.org/essp www.eldoradostarparty.org —John Wagoner October 12–14 November 6–11 September 1 Bays Mountain StarFest Deep South Regional Star Gaze Gateway to Space 2018: Destination Moon Bays Mountain Park, Kingsport, Tennessee Norwood, Louisiana Saint Louis, Missouri www.baysmountain.com/astronomy/astronomy- www.stargazing.net/dsrsg www.bit.ly/2uVtwx9 club/?GTTabs=4 November 1–4 The Astronomical League is now on Facebook. We continue to September 5–9 build followers week by week, and we are becoming better Acadia Night Sky Festival Nightfall Borrego Springs, California known as the word spreads. We are also on Twitter: Mount Desert Island, Maine @AstronomyLeague. www.acadianightskyfestival.com nightfallstarparty.com September 6–8 Great Basin National Park Astronomy Festival Baker, Nevada www.nps.gov/grba/planyourvisit/astronomy- festival.htm September 6–9 Great Lakes Star Gaze Gladwin, Michigan www.greatlakesstargaze.com September 6–10 Iowa Star Party Whiterock Conservancy, Coon Rapids, Iowa www.iowastarparty.com September 7–9 Idaho Star Party Bruneau State Park, Idaho www.isp.boiseastro.org September 14–15 Astronomy at the Beach Island Lake State Recreation Area, Brighton, Michigan www.glaac.org/astronomy-at-the-beach September 29 Virginia Association of Astronomical Societies (VAAS) Convention Randolph-Macon College, Ashland, Virginia richastro.org/index.php/vaas-2018 September 30–Oct. 7 Peach State Star Gaze Deerlick Astronomy Village, Georgia ADVERTISING RATES for the REFLECTOR atlantaastronomy.org/pssg October 4–6 Illinois Dark Skies Star Party Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area, Illinois www.sas-sky.org October 4–7 Heart of America Star Party Butler, Missouri askc.org/events/hoasp October 4–8 Hidden Hollow Star Party Hidden Hollow Camp, Ohio wro.org/?page_id=7 October 5–6 Kopernik AstroFest Vestal, New York kopernikastro.org/astrofest Astronomical League Membership-at-Large Program October 5–7 Chiefland Star Party What does the League offer you as Members-at-Large? Chiefland, Florida • Full voting privileges at AL meetings.• A subscription to the Reflector. chieflandstarpartygroup.com • Book Service offering astronomy-related books at a 10 percent discount. October 6–13 • Optional subscriptions at discounted rates to the following publications: OzSky Star Safari, a.k.a. the Deepest Astronomy magazine $34.00; 2 years $60 • Sky & Telescope magazine $32.95 South Texas Star Party RASC Observer’s Handbook $27.00 • StarDate $19.50 Coonabarabran, New South Wales, Australia (Foreign rates are higher; see website) www.OzSky.org • Free Astronomical League Observing guide with membership. Attendance is extremely limited To join the Astronomical League as a Member-at-Large, send a check for $40.00, $50.00 October 6–14 foreign, made payable to the Astronomical League, to: Okie-Tex Star Party Astronomical League National Office, 9201 Ward Parkway, #100, Kansas City, MO 64114 Kenton, Oklahoma Phone: 816-333-7759; Email: [email protected] Oklahoma City Astronomy Club Or join online at: WWW.ASTROLEAGUE.ORG www.okie-tex.com

30 R EFLECTOR ✶ S EPTEMBER 2018 League Sales are online! Observe Globular Eclipses The League’s online store is available at the website, Clusters Regularly $18, www.astroleague.org. Click on the link on the left side of $14 plus Sale price $9 the home page. The online store includes the latest shopping $3 S&H plus $3 S&H cart technology and accepts credit cards. Shipping & handling (S&H) is calculated at checkout. Merchandise is also available by mail order, payable by check. Please select your items, add Meteors— the applicable S&H fee, and mail your order to: A Guide to Universe Astronomical League Sales the Meteors Sampler Observing $10 plus 9201 Ward Parkway, Suite 100 $3 S&H Kansas City, MO 64114 Program $10 plus If you have questions about the merchandise, or discounts on bulk orders, please call the League $4 S&H office, 816-DEEP-SKY, or email [email protected]. Astronomy for Sky Puppies Educators Observing Handbook RASC 2019 Observer’s Handbook Manual– A Course USA Version For the Sky Puppy Planning Guide Limited Quantities–Order Early Observers Club 5.5” x 7.25” $24 plus $4.50 S&H Regularly $15, Regularly $12, Sale price $8 Sale price $6 plus $4 S&H RASC 2019 Calendar plus $2 S&H Limited Quantities– Order Early Planetary Observe the $18 plus $7 S&H Nebulae Herschel $14 plus Objects $4 S&H $6 plus 2050 Sportsman Bucket Hat $3 S&H Embroidered logo, one size; khaki only $22, plus $5 S&H

Messier Astronomical League travel mug Objects: A Math for $10: plus $4.50 S&H Beginner’s Amateur Guide Astronomers $8 plus Coffee mug (ceramic) $12 plus $3 S&H $12 plus $6 S&H $4 S&H

RASC VC600 Baseball Hat Explore the Embroidered logo, adjustable; Universe Guide Carbon Stars Colors: royal, maroon, khaki, navy; $20 plus A guide to the $16, plus $5 S&H $4.50 S&H Carbon Star Astronomical Observing Club League lapel $12 plus pin (one-inch Astronomical League $3 S&H diameter) full color cloth patch $8 plus (3” diameter) $2 S&H $7 plus $1.50 S&H Bandana “Guide to the Stars” $12 plus; $2 S&H 16” Planisphere Natural or White $21 plus Astronomical $8 S&H League blue and Canvas tote white cloth patch bag–Royal (3” diameter) $12 plus $6 plus $1.50 S&H $6 S&H

T HE ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE 31 Membership Secretary Astronomical League NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION National Office U.S. POSTAGE 9201 Ward Parkway, Suite 100 PAID Kansas City, MO 64114 Permit #6563 SLC, UT 841

32 R EFLECTOR ✶ S EPTEMBER 2018