PETERBOROUGH ASTRONOMICAL ASSOCIATION THE REFLECTOR Volume 2, Issue 3 January 2003

January 2000. The moon will enter the Editorial umbra at 2:02 UT (10:02 PM EDT) and will be at greatest eclipse at 3:40 UT his year should be a stellar year (no (11:40 PM EDT). The umbral phase will T pun intended) for astronomical end at 5:17 UT (1:17 AM EDT). The events. The planets will be putting on a second lunar eclipse will also be visible spectacular series of shows this year. in North America and occurs on the night of November 8-9. The moon will enter The first of these occurs on the night of the umbra at 23:32 UT (6:02 PM EST) January 4-5 when Saturn will transit and will be at greatest eclipse at 1:18 UT across the Crab (M1) in Taurus. (8:18 PM EST). The umbral phase will It will be in the middle of its transit end at 3:04 UT (10:04 PM EDT). around 6:00 PM EST. Unfortunately, Saturn’s brightness will most likely hide This month we may also be treated to a the nebula, but you never know – so take Mars as Percival Lowell saw it when relatively bright comet—Comet Kudo- a look! In addition to this rare event, it was at opposition in 1924. Fujikawa. This comet is currently Saturn is also at its most favorable visible in the morning sky in Hercules position in 30 years. The rings are tipped near Vega (see www.skytelescope.com fully toward us and the planet is the thought were evidence of life on the red for chart). It could brighten to magnitude closest that it gets during its 30 orbit. planet. In fact it will be the closest 2 or 3 before it disappears in the sun’s This will provide an optimum that Mars has come to Earth in about glare in the last half of the month. I opportunity to view the rings. 73,000 years. At this distance, even looked for it on the morning of January small telescopes should be able to show 7th, but was unsuccessful. Perhaps this On May 7, a transit of Mercury will you the Martian polar caps and dark is another Kahoutek! We’ll see! occur. It will reach maximum at 7:52 UT surface markings on the planet's (3:52 AM EDT). In this part of the reddish surface. Be sure to take this Clear Skies! world, the last part of the transit will be opportunity to study the red planet this visible after sunrise and will end at 10:27 summer, as the next favorable Charles W. Baetsen UT (6:27 AM EDT). As an aside, be opposition will not occur for 16 years. [email protected] sure to mark you calendars next year, as the first of a pair of transits of Venus this The moon will also be putting on a century, will occur on 08 June 2004 show, as there will be two total lunar during sunrise. This would be a good eclipses this year. The first one occurs time to plan a vacation somewhere east on the night of May 15-16. It is the !" of here (e.g., Atlantic Canada or Europe) first total lunar eclipse visible from this to get the maximum effect as the transit part of the world for the first time since ends at 7:05 EDT around here. If you miss that one, you have one more chance in your lifetime to see a transit of Venus Inside This Issue in 2012. EDITORIAL RING AROUND THE MILKY WAY Mars will be the “” attraction of the year. At this year’s opposition on Aug. ASTRONOMY IN STRANGE PLACES A UNIVERSE IN MY STOCKING 27th, it will only be some 55.8 million- km away. At that time, the planet will MEET PAA MEMBER: RENE BOWE OFF THE BEATEN PATH attain an apparent diameter of 25.1” and mag. -2.9. It will be closer to Earth than THE SKY THIS MONTH ASTRONOMY IN PHILATELY it was in the 1924 when Percival Lowell looked at it and saw the “canals” that he CLASSIFIEDS Page 2 THE REFLECTOR Meet PAA Member Rene Bowe

hat did it take to get PAA W member Rene Bowe interested in astronomy? Just a job transfer, about a year living in a college boarding house (the imagination soars) and a trip to Dunlap Observatory. Here’s how those events conspired to produce the dapper fellow with the gray and yellow telescope who we often see at club outings.

The year is 1950 and a 22-year-old Rene Bowe finds himself transferred from the dim and distant realms of Antigonish , NS (Charles Baetsen’s birth place) to the glowing core of the Canadian - Toronto.

At the time, Rene worked for a bank. Such institutions have never been Rene Bowe with his hand crafted scope. Rene and wife Lee have been renowned for their generosity to Peterborough residents for over 50 years. employees just entering the profession, so Rene found a boarding house to be suitable – and affordable – housing. It Rene bought the mirror and did some was in this environment, surrounded by After a few years as a gentleman of more reading. Next he put his home U of T students that Rene first took an leisure Rene’s yen for a telescope once workshop to good use building the interest in astronomy. again rose to the surface. So he started optical tube and rocker box for the scope. reading some books on the subject – Rene began work on the scope in January It seems that some of the students made a and he joined the PAA. During one of of 2000 and completed the project three sojourn to Dunlap Observatory and the club’s meetings Rene mentioned months later in April. invited Rene along. At that point he that he would like to build his own became fascinated with both the telescope. But he still wasn’t too keen astronomical and the mirror grinding on grinding the mirror. Dave Duffus aspects of the hobby. There was only one told Rene that he knew where there was Peterborough drawback. Grinding a telescope mirror a good 8-inch mirror up for sale. The required an absolutely pristine events surrounding the sale of the Astronomical environment. A boarding house filled mirror were somewhat sad, but the Association with college boys didn’t even come eventual outcome had a 98% reflective close. silver lining. The Reflector is a publication of the Peterborough Astronomical Association In late 1950 Rene uprooted himself and The mirror was originally ground by (PAA). Founded in 1970, the PAA is moved to Peterborough where he took a Mr. Sydney Barry. Unfortunately in your local group for astronomy in job with Raybestos. Rene worked with recent years he had become ill with Peterborough and the Kawarthas. them until about 12 years ago when Alzheimer’s Disease and his wife was Raybestos decided to close their selling his equipment. Rene still Website Canadian plant and move their remembers Mr. Barry approaching him www.geocities.com/paa_ca production facilities to Mexico. At that just as he was leaving with the mirror point, Rene was asked to move back to and handing him photograph . On it Email Toronto to help Raybestos wind down were the mirror’s focal ratio and the [email protected] their Canadian operations. That option dates 1952-53. It seems Mr. Barry didn’t appeal to Rene, so he became a made the mirror shortly after Rene was Club Mailing Address consultant for Raybestos during that first visited Dunlap Observatory. c/o Dave Duffus period, then retired. 7 Riverview Hts. Peterborough, ON, Canada K9J1A9 Page 3 THE REFLECTOR

So next time we’re out and you have a “Variable and Crazy Blocks has seen M51 and its companion galaxy look through this beautiful little scope, Quilt, c.1890”. Four embroidered interacting has seen this incredible force don’t forget to compliment Rene on his crazy quit squares are enclosed within a in action. In the recent discovery, it workmanship. And maybe, just maybe field of blocks containing clusters of appears that the Milky Way ripped apart you’ll also remember to tip your toque to “variable stars”. This was created the smaller galaxy and scattered its stars Mr. Barry. It could be he’s up there using thousands of tiny individual into a faint surrounding ring. The end looking right back at you. pieces of silk. It was described as result is a donut-shaped ring of stars with glistening and sparkling with the Milky Way at the centre. John Crossen kaleidoscopic energy! [email protected] Newberg and Yanny presented their Wow, makes one want to pick up a discovery Monday, January 6th at the needle and thread. The more a stare at national meeting of the American this calendar, the more it dazzles. You Astronomical Society. Yanny said that Astronomy In The can see for yourself that the star pattern the ring has 100 million to a half billion is a typical one used in quilting. What stars circling the Milky Way in an orbital Strangest Places makes this sample “variable”, is the period of tens of thousands of years. different colours of fabric used to Newberg said the stars in the ring show ost people who are interested in create each star. I don’t think any two that they are moving ''in a very similar M astronomy are all too aware of the are the same (just like the stars in the fashion to way that planets orbit the sun.'' related items that exist out there. universe). Other evidence shows clearly, she said, Whether it is the Van Gogh painting of ''that we are seeing pieces of another the “Starry Night” or the “Galaxy” It just goes to show that you can expect galaxy coming in and being ripped apart Movie Theatre in downtown to find astronomy in the strangest and incorporated by our galaxy.'' Peterborough, you will notice places! astronomical references you can relate to Studies have shown that Milky Way has in many different places. Rick Stankiewicz interacted with other smaller in [email protected] the past. A structure called the Sagittarius Recently, I saw another example of just tidal stream, which circles the Milky what I am talking about. My wife is Way at an angle, is thought to be the quite the seamstress and she has many There’s A Ring remains of a small galaxy. Astronomers things related to her talents in the house. have recently found evidence that the I was surprised to see a quilt pattern Around The Milky Milky Way is beginning the process of calendar recently that had a sample of a cannibalizing the Magellanic Cloud, a star pattern. It was quite neat and it is Way! nearby galaxy expected to fall into the not hard to see how they got the name for Milky Way in a few billion years. this one. ometimes you get more than you Sbargained for. That’s precisely It would appear that even the spacious what happened to Heidi Jo Newberg of confines of the universe are too crowded Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and for some galaxies. Brian Yanny of the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. The two John Crossen discovered a 120,000 light year-wide [email protected] ring of stars surrounding the Milky Way while working on the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, a project to plot the The Sky This Month position and brightness of 100 million celestial objects. MERCURY: The ring of stars appears to be the remains of a smaller galaxy, which the Mercury will be visible in the morning Milky Way collided with about ten sky in the last half of this month. billion years ago. The evidence of such events can be seen in what are called VENUS: Variable Star Quilt “irregular galaxies”. In these instances it is clear that the galaxies have been Venus is now climbing high in the morn- ing sky. This is an excellent time to pulled out of shape by a massive gravitational influence. Anyone who catch it if you can wake up before the The title of the piece was actually, sun. Page 4 THE REFLECTOR

There are several minor meteor show- MARS: ers this month. For details on these see http://comets.amsmeteors.org/meteors/ Mars will be visible this month in the calendar.html. early morning hours, not too far from Venus.

JUPITER: Astronomy in

Jupiter will be in Cancer and appears as Philately the brightest object visible in the evening hours. n the March 2002 issue of the PAA INewsletter (Vol. 1, No. 5) I did an SATURN: article on Canada’s first space related stamp issue. This was the Alouette II, Saturn will be visible near the Taurus- Canada’s first research satellite and Gemini boundary, not far away from the was issued on January 5, 1966. (M1). The rings are well oriented for viewing the Cassini Division It would be 19 years later before Canada would have anything else space URANUS & NEPTUNE: related to celebrate. On March 15, Canadians in Space Stamp 1985 was issued the “Canadians in Space” stamp. It shows an astronaut Uranus and Neptune are not visible this after his involvement with the Canadian and control panel orbiting above the month military, not only was the first Canadian earth. This was issued to honour in space, but also went on to do two more Canadian achievements in space and PLUTO: space flights. He is a veteran of Shuttle particularly Dr. Marc Garneau, the first flights, STS-77 (May 1996) and STS-97 Canadian astronaut. Pluto will not be visible this month. (Dec 2000). He has logged 677 hours in

space! In February, 2001, he was Dr. Marc Garneau actually was the first METEOR SHOWERS: appointed the Executive Vice President Canadian in space on Space Shuttle of the Canadian Space Agency. flight STS-41G (Oct 5-13, 1984). The

fact that Dr. Garneau made it on a

stamp within 5 months is pretty good Your Astronomical Philatelist for a Canadian. We tend to take years Rick Stankiewicz to honour people or events on stamps. [email protected] However, we are a far cry from propaganda type countries like the USSR, who during the heat of the “space race”, produced stamps to There’s a Universe in commemorate achievements and cosmonauts, within a month of My Christmas something notable happening. Stocking!

True to form though, the astronaut must have done a pretty good job of pictured on our stamp issue is not Ifooling Saint Nick, as nobody could discernable as a real person, even be good enough to warrant the bundle of Quadrans Muralis (shown above though this clearly has to represent Dr. astro-goodies I found in my stocking on Bootes’ head) as depicted in Urania’s Marc Garneau. You might think this Christmas morning. It was nothing short Mirror strange, but it is Canada Post’s policy of an embarrassment of riches. to not put the face of any “living” person on the their stamps except the My booty included DVDs of “Life Quadrantids: This meteor shower peaks Queen herself. So, you have to be dead Beyond Earth” with Timothy Ferris, The on January 3-4. The radiant is located to grace a Canadian stamp. Too bad complete BBC series “Walking With in Bootes. The shower takes it name Marc! Dinosaurs” and “Stephen Hawking’s from the obsolete Quadrans Universe”. On the literary front came Muralis “The Mural Quadrant”, that was Dr. Marc Garneau received his “Starlight Nights” by Leslie Peltier and located between Bootes and Hercules. doctorate in electrical engineering and Page 5 THE REFLECTOR

“Quantum Leaps in Direction” is a good read, and the the Wrong While I had accompanying cartoons by Sidney Harris Direction” by already seen help keep things moving along with a Wynn and much of smile. Personally, I still like “Bad Wiggins. I also “Walking With Astronomy” better, but maybe that’s just received Dinosaurs” on because I read it first. Either one is sure “Mysteries of Deep The Discovery to annoy Madame Zaza and her psychic Space” on Channel, I had readings. And that’s just fine by me. videotape along not viewed it in with a two video its entirety in one Next issue, I’ll give you a quick review astronomy setting. And with of the other stocking stuffers that came education video a total of six my way this Christmas. But you know series from The episodes, it was a what? With gifts like these, it really is Standard Deviants. Here’s a quick long setting, indeed. Long, and very more blessed to receive. overview on just some of the material enjoyable! I’ll spare you all the that I have had a chance to view and/or superlatives and simply say that the read to date: series is fantastic. And almost as John Crossen enjoyable is the second DVD in the [email protected] While not as detailed and intricate as package that takes you behind the Carl Sagan’s “Cosmos”, “Life Beyond scenes to reveal the secrets of how the Earth” is one of the finest films of its series was filmed. Usually this takes Off the Beaten Path type. And, purely by virtue of its more the magic away, but the production of recent production, it also makes good use “Walking With Dinosaurs” was magic his month, the winter Milky Way of more up-to-date discoveries. Written in itself. T and Orion dominates the night sky. and narrated by noted astronomer The Milky Way, as you probably already Timothy Ferris, the film comes up some The series was also followed up by know, contains many hidden treasures. very plausible arguments that we are not “Walking With Prehistoric Beasts”, a Here are just a few that you can try the alone in the universe. series that traces the evolution of next time you are out. mammals in the years following the “Life Beyond demise of the Dinosaurs. Yes, I got that NGC 1788 – Located in Orion, this is a Earth” was filmed one, too. But that’s an article for bright reflection nebula that should be in two parts. The another issue of The Reflector. easy to view from a dark location. first investigates the origins of life With so much visual excitement on Earth and traces generated by the above-mentioned film the search for life series, a simple book has a difficult on other worlds. time keeping pace. And that was the The second part case, with “Quantum Leaps in the delves into current Wrong Direction”. This book falls strategies being somewhere in between “Bad used to Astronomy” and Carl Sagan’s “Demon communicate with other possible worlds. Filled World”. The writing isn’t quite And both portions are filled with as entertaining as that in “Bad imaginative examples and Astronomy” and at the same time it’s demonstrations that communicate Ferris’ nowhere near as detailed or foreboding NGC 1788 points with precision and impact. The as “Demon Filled World”. film also utilizes the very latest in computer animation, the most recent As you would expect, it covers the NGC 2371 – “Double lobed Planetary”. scientific discoveries, and a superb usual suspects – UFOs, astrology, Located in Gemini, above ι-Gem. This musical score to rocket the viewer along numerology, the paranormal and more 13th magnitude object in Gemini appears an enjoyable, educational and very other “-ologies” than I ever dreamed as a pair of teardrop shaped lobes and is exciting journey. existed. Central to the book is the sometimes called the “Peanut Nebula”. scientific method and how it can be Detecting this nebula is a challenge. The Available in both DVD and videotape used to “evaluate” some of the modern southwest lobe is the brighter of the two formats; this film should be on every pseudo sciences currently in fashion. and the most likely to be visible in small amateur astronomer’s library. And if it’s scopes. not, put it on your wish list. “Quantum Leaps in the Wrong Page 6 THE REFLECTOR

somewhere we don’t want to go, so 2003, the planet Saturn will drift from let’s not dig deeper. At any rate, it’s a Turaus into the constellation boundaries good thing their sister, Helen of Troy, of Gemini. Those who rejoice in the didn’t have a taste for omelets. Then search for star cities will find little joy as again, they probably had to endure life, the constellation is void of easily seen hearing jokes about being “sunny side galaxies. up and/or scrambled.” Gemini is relatively easy to spot, thanks The legend surrounding the two stars to its two bright stars, and . goes back into prehistory, and the two Look to the east/southeast about 8:00 p. NGC 2024—”The Flaming Tree” brothers are often confused with m. At that time it should be well above Romulus and Remus, the founders of the horizon and located just below NGC 2024 – “The Flaming Tree Nebula” ancient Rome. Indeed, the two are Auriga. located north of ζ-Ori. This object is depicted on coins wearing half an easily seen in a 6” or larger scope from a eggshell. John Crossen dark sky. It is often confused for the [email protected] Horsehead Nebula located south of ζ- The twins are also associated with a Ori. It looks like a flame (or a burning meteorological phenomenon known as bush) with several dark lanes over it. Saint Elmo’s fire and are thought of by some as the patrons of sailors. The Saturn’s Rings Sing latter reason being their association with Jason when he set out on the ship In 2003 Argo in search of the Golden Fleece. Accordingly, Castor and Pollux calmed ost of those involved in amateur the sea during a terrible storm. Mastronomy are familiar with Saturn’s vital statistics. It’s a gas giant, In China the two stars are associated like Jupiter, only its twice as far away. with the yin and yang, the two forces of And its density is less than that of water, nature. They have also been said to so if you could find a really, really big represent the Roman numeral II and the tub, Saturn would float. Wow, just like twin gods of Sparta. your rubber ducky!

PK205 +14.1—”The ” From an astronomical point of view, Of course, we’re all familiar with Gemini offers a number of interesting Saturn’s beautiful rings. Indeed, if you had to choose just one thing to show targets. When viewed through a someone why you like astronomy, a view PK205 +14.1 – The “Medusa Nebula”. telescope, the star Castor appears as a of Saturn and its rings would probably be This is a large lying double star. Actually it’s part of a six first on your list. And this year, that view around south of Gemini near Canis star system. Pollux, however, is the is even more stunning Minor. It is one of the largest planetary brightest star of the two.

nebulae in night sky. According to the The reason is because Earth’s orbital Observer’s Handbook, this is very Most popular with amateur plane and Saturn’s are currently situated impressive in a large scope using an O- astronomers is the open cluster M35 so that, from our point of view, Saturn’s III filter. near Castor’s toes. This cluster consists rings are tilted in our direction to their of about 120 stars at a distance of 2,700 maximum. As a result they appear Charles W. Baetsen light years. The cluster covers an area brighter and reveal more detail through [email protected] of 40’. At 5th magnitude, it is quite bright and easily seen in binoculars. the telescope. In fact, the entire planet Through a 6- to 8-inch telescope at appears brighter to the naked eye because Gemini – The Product about 100x, M35 becomes one of the rings are adding to its total reflective winter’s more spectacular star clusters. surface. That means Saturn will shine Of Interspecies Sex? more brightly than nearby stars Castor Faint, nearby clusters also include IC and Pollux. egend has it that the twins Castor 2157, NGC 2158 and NGC 2129. L and Pollux were hatched from an There are also some faint nebulae in the A couple months ago (when the weather egg borne by Leda after the god Zeus constellation – NGC 2392 at 8th was more kind to astronomers) I was who had disguised himself as a swan magnitude, and IC 444, a faint, diffuse viewing Saturn at 279 power. The seduced her. This could take us nebulosity. During the last half of Cassini Division in the rings leapt out Page 7 THE REFLECTOR

crisp and dark. The angle of the rings rough scale, the nearest star will still be was such that I could easily see the just over 4 miles away. If there are civilizations out there and we planet’s shadow on them. And the inner can contact them, or they contact us, we rings snapped into view for a few fleeting Thus far, we’ve only physically can learn a great deal without having to seconds if I waited patently. It wasn’t a traveled as far as the moon, about an develop technology for traveling in night of perfect seeing. But the view was inch on the scale we’re talking – and suspended animation. And that’s just one one of the best I’ve registered since the that was a four-day journey. Unmanned of a myriad of problems we would amazing night five years ago when the craft have reached Jupiter and will soon encounter on a journey that will take a seeing was so good that I could push my go as far as Saturn with the Cassini lifetime. Plus, who’d want to go in the old 8-inch to nearly 400 power. Mission. Those treks have taken up to first place, knowing that everyone you four years. know and love will probably have died Of course there was also the year when by the time you return? Saturn’s rings were displayed nearly The Voyager spacecraft, launched in edge on to we Earthlings. It just wasn’t 1977, are currently traveling at about Even with our messages traveling at the the same planet. And at one point the 50 times the speed of our fasted fighter speed of light, it still takes a radio signal rings were all but invisible. Local astro- jet. Yet it has taken them 26 years to 4.2 years to reach Proxima Centauri, the imager Brian Colville recorded it all with pass beyond the bounds of our solar nearest star after our Sun. And if you his CCD. The images weren’t beautiful, system. And even at that speed, they consider the fact that we’ve been but they were…a well…interesting. won’t reach the vicinity of the nearest broadcasting radio signals for the last star in the direction they’re headed for hundred years, we’ve already alerted any While this year will feature the best about another 70,000 years. civilization within 100 light years to our display of Saturn’s rings, December of existence – and still no reply. 2003 will find the planet at the highest Whole species can disappear in 70,000 point in the sky in 30 years. At midnight years. After all, only 25,000 years ago But let’s not give up yet. We’ve really it will be very close to the zenith. And Neanderthal men and women were only begun to listen for responses in the that means we’ll be looking through less hunting the mastodons and sabre- past few years. So, as they say on the CB blurring atmosphere. Hey you astro- toothed cats. Those people and radio, let’s keep our ears on. snappers, get those CCDs, digital magnificent beasts are gone now. So by cameras and the trusty old OM1 ready the time the Voyager spacecraft reach John Crossen for action. that distant star, we’ll probably have [email protected] evolved physically to the point that we John Crossen will look a bit differently than we do [email protected] now. Then again, if you consider the shortest time a species has existed on Classifieds Earth, about 51,000 years, we may not Amazing Space even be here to toast the occasion. For Sale:

What all this comes down to is the fact hen it comes to cosmic distances 8" Dobsonian that traveling to distant stars and and traveling to distant galaxies, Telescope for W galaxies isn’t so much a matter of we should probably talk in terms of time sale. The pri- distance, as it is time. So perhaps we’d rather than distance. Let’s start with our mary mirror is an best abandon our dreams of flitting solar system, and whittle it down to a 8" f/4.66 mirror about the galaxies chatting face to face scale our Earth-bound imaginations can with special coat- with alien civilizations and consider a comprehend. ings on it (Cr + more realistic means of connecting Al + SiO). This with distant star cities. For starters, we’ll reduce the sun to the mirror was made

size of a canned pea. That being the case, custom for me by That’s where our old friend the radio the Earth becomes a microscopic speck Moonward Optics. The f/4.66 mirror comes in handy, because radio waves placed about an inch away from old Sol. gives this telescope a short (portable) travel much faster than we can. In fact In fact, the entire inner solar system, out size of 37". Also comes with Rigel Quik they whistle through space at precisely to Mars, will comfortably fit into the Finder for easy aiming of the scope. Ask- the speed of light – 300,000 kilometers palm of your hand. To include the rest of ing $500. per second. That’s faster than we’ll the planets out to Pluto, you’ll have to ever be able to travel in the foreseeable hold your arms out and put your Contact: Will Juodvalkis future. And if Einstein is correct, fingertips together to form a bowl. And Phone: 905-839-1151 x6767 nothing can travel faster than the speed now the kicker - using that as a very E-mail: [email protected] of light anyhow. Page 8 THE REFLECTOR

ARTICLES MEETINGS

ubmissions for The Reflector must The Peterborough Astronomical Association meets every Sbe received by the date listed below. E-mail or “sneaker-net” (i.e., floppy second Friday at the Peterborough Zoo Orientation Centre disk) submissions are preferred (Next to the PUC Water Treatment Plant) at 7:30 pm. (Microsoft Word, ASCII and most graphics formats are acceptable). Typed or hand-written submissions are acceptable provided they are legible (and not too long). Copyrighted materials will not be published without written permission from the copyright holder. Submissions may be edited for grammar, brevity, or clarity. Submissions will be published at the editor’s sole discretion. Depending on the volume of submissions, some articles may be published at a later date. Please submit any articles, thoughts, or ideas to this address:

Charles Baetsen 4094 Squair Rd Orono, ON L0B 1M0

or via e-mail at: [email protected]

NEXT ISSUE’S DEADLINE IS Feb. 3rd, 2003

# CALENDAR OF EVENTS #

January 2, 2003 New Moon () January 10, 2003 General Meeting — Rene Bowe—Building a 10” Reflector Telescope. Weather per- mitting we will have an observing session afterward at Armour Hill January 10, 2003 First Quarter () January 18, 2003 Full Moon () January 24, 2003 General Meeting—Beginner’s Observing Night at Armour Hill (Wx Permitting) January 25, 2003 Last Quarter () February 7, 2003 General Meeting— Topic to be Announced January Skies

0°

30°CVn 330° Lyr Dra

UMi UMa 60° Vul300° Cyg LMi Leo Cep D

Cam Lac Lyn Cas Eq

Cnc Aur And Per Peg 0° 270 Gem Tri Tau Hya CMi Psc Aqr Ari

Ori Mon Cet

120° 240° Eri CMa Lep

For Scl Col 150° Cae 210°

180° Hor STARS SYMBOLS <1 3.5 Multiple star Dark nebula Radio source 1.5 4 Variable star Globular cluster X-ray source 2 4.5 Comet Open cluster Other object 2.5 >5 Galaxy Planetary nebula 3 Bright nebula Quasar

Local Time: 21:00:00 1-Jan-2002 UTC: 02:00:00 2-Jan-2002 Sidereal Time: 03:46:09 Location: 43° 39' 0" N 75° 0' 0" W RA: 3h46m10s Dec: +43° 38' Field: 182.0° Julian Day: 2452276.5833