559-1221 Partial Eclipse at Houge Park SJAA Activities Calendar
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Partial Eclipse at Houge Park Bob Havner The June 10th eclipse at Houge Park was a huge success. The telescopes on telescope row were packed together as tight as possible. I don’t know if there was an exact count but I would guess at least 30 scopes were set up throughout the park. I want to thank everyone who brought out their equipment and a special thanks to Juanita Ryan and her 5th grade class who brought a ton of food and drinks to share with the observers. Quite a crowd gathered at Houge Park for the June 10 partial solar eclipse. Photo by Alex Crichton. — Bob Havner, [email protected] SJAA Activities Calendar Jim Van Nuland July 3 Deep-Sky weekend. Sunset 8:10 5-6 Glacier Point Star Parties. p.m., 24% moon rises 2:00 a.m. 6 Deep-Sky weekend. Sunset 8:28 10 Deep-Sky weekend. Sunset 8:04 p.m., 12% moon rises 3:26 a.m. p.m., 8% moon sets 9:48 p.m. 10-15 Shingletown Star Party 16 Houge Park star party. Sunset 13 Deep-Sky weekend. Sunset 8:27 7:58 p.m., 69% moon sets 1:19 p.m.,18% moon sets 11:16 p.m. a.m. 19 Houge Park star party. Sunset 17 ATM Class XIII — Houge Park, 8:21 p.m., 81% moon sets 2:36 7:30 p.m. a.m. 24 General Meeting: Juanita Ryan, Above: A family studies the solar projection from 20 ATM Class XI — Houge Park, Antarctica Meteor Trip the long focus heliograph provided by Dwight Elvey and Chris Angelos. Below is the objective 7:30 p.m. 29 ATM Class XIII — Houge Park, part of the heliograph, set up 115 feet away 27 General Meeting: Dr. Ken Lum, 7:30 p.m. from the projection screen. Photos by Alex Optical Designer Bernhard V. 30 Astronomy Class IX —Houge Crichton. Schmidt Park, 7:30 p.m. 30 Houge Park star party. Sunset August 7:39 p.m., 50% moon rises 11:54 1 ATM Class XII — Houge Park, a.m. 7:30 p.m. 31 Deep-Sky weekend. 2 Astronomy class VIII 2 Houge Park star party. Sunset September Meeting: Slide and 8:14 p.m., 33% moon rises 1:22 Equipment Night a.m. 24 Hour News and Information Hotline: (408) 559-1221 www.sjaa.net Copyright © 2002 San Jose Astronomical Association, Inc. Volume 13 Number 7 Official Publication of the San Jose Astronomical Association, July 2002 Mooning Things To Do Dave North I suppose a dedicated Loonie shouldn’t admit to such a thing, but sometimes the full Moon just isn’t all that interesting. Sure, you can do the “ray tracing” thang, and sometimes you’re picking up “good librations,” but even so such observations rarely take more than a half hour or so. What to do? This is a problem also faced by the Terminally Lunaphobic crowd (deepsky weasels), but we needn’t concern ourselves about their con- stant whining. I’m convinced the first thing you have to do in order to be a The main telescope field at this year’s RTMC, with its notable features, direct sun and dust. Photo proficient deepsky observer is learn to by the author. complain about every little thing, then use it as an excuse to stand around which is nowhere near Riverside. and a great opportunity to visit with and gossip. I think the idea originally involved many of the wonderful folks who make But the full Moon can be a great amateur builders showing off their up our hobby. time to travel, if you’re also interested craft, but increasingly this is less in Oh, there were a few commercial in things other than astronomy, but evidence, but boatloads of profes- innovations to check out this year. One who around here is? And what kind of sional builders show up — so the side of the telescope field seemed astronomy trip can you make at the full Telescope Makers part certainly literally littered with Coronado solar Moon? works. filters, and they are a great product. This May offered an interesting My personal favorite for this year opportunity: RTMC. And I’m sure many was the new Rigel Skylight/Starlight. SJAA members are curious about it, ... The full Moon can be a I’m sure you’ve seen these flashlights since it takes place on one of the worst great time to travel, if you’re in their original incarnation. The new travel weekends of the year, and is a version is completely redesigned, with long way to go. interested in things other a Great Big Knob for adjusting bright- At one time in the hazy past (a than astronomy. ness, very easily used with gloves on. couple of years ago) RTMC stood for Great stuff! It’s also water-resistant, Riverside Telescope Makers Confer- which is certainly useful in heavy dew ence. It takes place at Camp Oakes, And it is a Conference. or the middle of a lake (such as the which is just above Big Bear Lake, But now it’s called something Big Bear Lake solar observatory). else, I think RTMC Astronomy Expo — There were probably some and the RTMC doesn’t actually stand things I missed, but it seemed like not for anything officially any more. And it’s that much had happened in the incorporated or something. And it commercial world, and perhaps even costs a little more than it used to. less in the amateur world. Many great Otherwise, same old thing. scopes from previous RTMCs were You might think the major reason there, but not much that was both new to go is getting a look at all the cool and remarkable. At the height of the new telescopes various manufacturers event on Saturday afternoon, the are offering, and to see what amateurs telescope field where one usually sees are up to these days. And, to some new amateur work was nearly empty, extent, you’d be right. and there were also significant gaps in But the real point of going to the line of vendor booths. RTMC is to hang out with all the other Still, I’m told attendance was One of the many vendors at the 2002 RTMC folks from all over the country who Astronomy Expo. Photo by the author. attend: it’s a Gathering Of The Clans, Continued on next page SJAA EPHEMERIS Page 2 July 2002 Mooning at RTMC It gets everywhere. In your eyes, Alex Filippenko, ASP President, Continued from previous page ears, nose and throat. And in your University of California, Berkeley scope, if you take one — we never do Geoff Marcy, University of about normal, and there were about anymore (or leave it in the car). California, Berkeley the usual number of entries in the So that’s basically what RTMC is Chris McKay, NASA’s Ames telescope maker’s competition. all about. Give ‘em your 20 bucks and Research Center It may just be that they were hang out in a windy (often hot) David Morrison, NASA’s Ames spread out all over the place rather dustbowl. Research Center than in “the field,” as some folks claim. Or, more accurately, get in touch Jill Tarter, SETI Institute I can easily understand, how- with some of the nicest — and most Chris Impey, University of ever, why someone would avoid interesting — folks in the world. Arizona setting up there (or, for that matter, It’s the latter that brings us back, Ben Zuckerman, University of bringing any nice optics to RTMC). year after year. California, Los Angeles The dust. ps: The devoted Loonie also has Seth Shostak, SETI Institute There are three things you’ll a problem of what to do at new Moon. After the lectures, we will hold a probably remember about RTMC if In June, that was no problem. Just panel discussion. The panel will take you ever go there: all the great people, watch the eclipse! questions from the audience, and the the uncomfortable direct sun, and the Informally, hundreds of folks various speakers will debate issues dust. Definitely the dust. showed up at Houge Park, and it was discussed during their lectures. The entire area is covered wth a great fun. Especially since the day Seating is limited for the lecture series, fine grit, and tends to have winds was hot, and the eclipse gave us some so we encourage early registration. anywhere from a gentle zephyr (with cooling relief for a while. Admission for the lecture series occasional dust devils) to gale-force Plus, it was a rare opportunity to is: $35 general public, $30 ASP blows that topple scopes. And those look at the Dark Side Of The Moon. members, $25 students. winds carry some of the finest abra- Fun few weeks there! If you are an ASP member, we sives known to man. — Dave North, [email protected] invite you to attend our annual member’s meeting, which follows the panel discussion. Admission is free. If that’s not enough, from 7:00 to The ASP’s 2002 Annual Meeting 10:00 p.m. the ASP will be hosting a reception at the UC-Berkeley Faculty The Cosmic Thread: From Stars to Life Club, followed by a dinner banquet in Robert Naeye the Heyns Room. Award-winning author and journalist Timothy Ferris Is life widespread through the You Had to Design a Universe?” A free will speak at the banquet. Following cosmos, or is Earth a lonely oasis? public star party, sponsored by the Ferris’s talk, the ASP will present its The Astronomical Society of the San Francisco Amateur Astronomers 2002 Annual Awards, including the Pacific cordially invites you to learn (SFAA), follows Levy’s talk.