THE DENVER OBSERVER OCTOBER 2013 OT h e D eBn v e r S E R V EOCTOBERR 2013 P H O T O O P P S G A L O R E — G E A R U P ! ! SISTER GALAXY—THE ANDROMEDA GALAXY (M31 OR NGC 224) The Andromeda galaxy is one of the closest galaxies to our own. At only 2.5 million light-years away, it Calendar spans about 170 arc-minutes of sky which is over three times the diameter of the moon! Although that distance in light years equates to 393,121,310,400,000,000 km, it is still close enough to see in incredi- 4.......................................... New moon ble detail. Because of its close proximity, Andromeda is fairly easy to image because it is bright enough to capture in short exposures. The images that comprise this image were taken on November 1, 2008 at 11............................ First quarter moon the CSAS site near Gardner, CO. with a Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi using a Canon 200 mm f/4L lens 18......................................... Full moon riding atop a Meade 10-inch LX200GPS on an equatorial wedge. There are a total of 13 60-second im- ages stacked together to render this image. Stacking and editing was accomplished using Images Plus. 26........................... Last quarter moon Image © Scott Leach Inside the Observer OCTOBER SKIES by Dennis Cochran he Canadian astronomy magazine Sky News (from comet Giacobini-Zinner) on the 8th, then on President’s Message......................... 2 T informs us that on October 11, there will be the 10th we’ll see the Southern Taurids (from comet three—count ’em—three moon shadows on Enke). On the 21st we’ll be treated to the Orionids Society Directory............................ 2 Jupiter. The last time this happened was in 2004. (from Halley). The latter swarm has a higher velocity Schedule of Events........................... 2 Big photo op! Clouds of flying saucers will swarm than the other two. The moon is good for the first out of Ganymede and—uh, no. Not yet. But we’d two but unfortunately, just past full for the Orionids. About the DAS................................. 3 better hurry up or there’ll be nothing worth having Comet ISON may be a factor this early. It will be Photographing ISON...................... 4 on Earth for us to take. Species are dying off fast near Mars in the sky midmonth, both of them near except for the prolific humanoids, who reproduce Regulus in Leo. ISON Calendar............................... 5 like insects but take up more room. Anyway, Callisto, Overhead, Cygnus flies through magnificent Member Profile............................... 6 Europa and Io will provide the shadows on the Big swaths of the Milky Way. Just north of overhead Guy. A repeat of the shadow show will occur Jan 23, some players in the Andromeda story follow the New Members................................. 7 2015. Jupiter rises at about 10 P.M. at month’s end, so swan: Cepheus the King and Cassiopeia the Queen. Job Jar.......................................... 7 you’ll have to be up in the morning to see this Just south of the zenith is the huge square of Pega- shadow dance. sus, the Flying Horse, also an actor in some versions Auction Info................................... 7 Did anybody get to see the Perseids in August of the story, and springing from its upper left corner, Chamberlin at Night.......... Back Page besides Lisa? This month we get the Draconids the “spray,” as I see it—two diverging lines of stars— Continued on Page 3 The Denver Astronomical Society One Mile Nearer the Stars Page 1 THE DENVER OBSERVER OCTOBER 2013 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE by Ron Hranac Society Directory hen I was a youngster in the late 1950s, my par- server the approximate location of the Apollo 11 landing President: Wents took me to our hometown’s local airport site. But for the majority of folks, just seeing all of those Ron Hranac 303-790-0893 where one of the community’s amateur astronomers craters for the first time makes for a big “wow.” [email protected] had set up a telescope for public viewing of a comet. Next on my list is Saturn, and it’s all about the rings. Vice President: What I remember the most is being amazed at how big On more than Lisa Judd (626) 487-8515 [email protected] the telescope seemed to be. The scope reminded me of one occasion Secretary: a cannon, because it was nearly horizontal and probably some have Dena McClung 303-564-8630 aimed toward the west. Unfortunately, like many little asked if they [email protected] kids trying to look through a telescope at a dim fuzzy were looking at Treasurer: object, I didn’t see anything in the eyepiece. the real thing Brad Gilman (720) 488-1028 I share this story because as amateur astronomers, or a picture. we get a lot of “wow” factor from looking at dim fuzzies Right be- Executive Board Members in our telescopes. But most dim fuzzies are generally hind Saturn on not the best things to observe during public outreach the list is Jupi- John Barela Digby Kirby events, especially since some members of the public ter. Most peo- Jack Eastman Scott Leach expect Hubble-like views. You and I might see a distant ple can spot Joe Gafford Ed Scholes galaxy or nebula, but most non-amateur astronomers the northern Chuck Habenicht Dan Wray see a grayish smudge: “Is that a fingerprint on the lens?” and southern Over the years I’ve compiled a list of objects that e q u a t o r i a l Past President, Ron Pearson President Emeritus, Larry Brooks tend to get some “wow” factor from the general public. belts, and they These objects are pretty ordinary to the seasoned ob- often get a kick server, but they are altogether different to someone out of seeing looking through a telescope for the first time. At the some or all of Committees top of the list is the Moon. It’s bright enough to be the Galilean DAS President Ron “Mr. Wizard” easy to see through the eyepiece, even for most kids. moons. If the Van Nattan-Hansen Scholarship Fund: Hranac getting ready for 2012’s Tim Pimental (Chair) Denver Astronomical Society open houses are held timing is right trick-or-treaters. PO Box 100621 on the Saturday closest to the and the seeing Denver, CO. 80250-0621 first quarter moon, which cooperates, a EGK Dark Site Committee: ensures great views of cra- shadow transit provides an opportunity to let folks Darrell Dodge, Interim Chair ters, mountains, and other know that tiny black dot is a shadow of one of Jupi- Email: [email protected] IDA Representative: features near the terminator. ter’s moons. Dr. Robert Stencel With a good lunar map Here are a few other goodies from my list in no par- Email: [email protected] handy and a little patience, ticular order, largely because these objects provide good it’s sometimes possible to “wow” factor for some, and “um, ok” for others. Volunteers or Appointed point out to the novice ob- Continued on Page 6 Representatives ALCor: DAS SCHEDULE Darrell Dodge (303) 932-1309 Newsletter: Editor: Patti Kurtz (720) 217-5707 OCTOBER NOVEMBER Email: [email protected] The Observer is available in color PDF 4-6 EGK Dark Sky weekend 1-3 EGK Dark Sky weekend format from the DAS website. 12 DAS Colorado Astronomy Day at 3 Daylight Saving Time Ends Website: Chamberlin Observatory (Details 9 Open House (Open House begins at Darrell Dodge Email: [email protected] forthcoming!) and Open House (Open 5:00 P.M.) IT Coordinator: House begins at 6:30 P.M.) 11 Veterans Day Scott Leach 19 DAS Auction (Setup begins at 11:00 15 General Membership Meeting at Olin A.M., 1:00 P.M. bidding) Hall (Begins at 7:30 P.M.) Members Librarian: Phil Klos 25 E-Board Meeting at Chamberlin (Be- Show-n-Tell DAS Information Line:(303) 871-5172 gins at 7:30 P.M.) 22 E-Board Meeting at Chamberlin (Be- DAS Correspondence: 31 Hallowe’en gins at 7:30 P.M.) Denver Astronomical Society 29-1 EGK Dark Sky weekend Chamberlin Observatory c/o Ron Pearson 2930 East Warren Avenue Denver, Colorado 80210 Open House costs: If the skies are clear, $2 per person ($5/family), and $1 per person in the event of inclement weather. The Executive Board conducts the business of the Public nights are held at Chamberlin Observatory every Tuesday and Thursday evenings DAS at 7:30 p.m. at Chamberlin Observatory. beginning at the fo)owing times: Please see the Schedule of Events for meeting dates. A% members are welcome. April 9 - October 1 at 8:30 P.M. October 2 - April 8 at 7:30 P.M. Costs to non-members are: $3.00 adults, $2.00 children www.denverastro.org Please make reservations via our website (www.denverastro.org) or ca) (303) 871-5172. The Denver Astronomical Society One Mile Nearer the Stars Page 2 THE DENVER OBSERVER OCTOBER 2013 OCTOBER SKIES (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1) Andromeda herself. Cetus and Perseus, the other two in the Andromeda cast, come a bit later. Right below the Great Square is the circlet of Pisces the Fish. Some of us—and we’re real snobs—remember when the word “fish” was both singular and plural, just like “deer.” The head of the swan—or bottom of the Northern Cross—is the colorful double star Albireo. It’s always good for public viewing because it’s easy to find, doesn’t need much magnification and has obvious colors, and demon- strates temperature differences in those colors.