Minnesota Astronomical Society April 2019 a publication of the Minnesota Astronomical Society Volume 45 Number 2 In the pages of Are Science and Religion in Conflict? By Kevin Carr the Gemini The beasts of the field care little about sunsets and night skies. In reality, only humans, so far as I know, can behold the natural world with such rapt attention. Rancho Mirage Library and My guess is that most of us are drawn to observing the heavens from a sense of Observatory— wonder and amazement—for the sheer beauty we observe and the transcendence By Jim Fox…Page 3 we experience. Whether chasing an eclipse, photographing the stars, or letting photons from distant galaxies tickle the eye, we tend to be hopeless romantics MAS Board Minutes for when it comes to the night sky. In my mind, it is not our opposing thumb or January and February upright gait that sets us apart from the beasts, but rather our ability to contemplate By Trena Johnson, secretary…Page 4 our world—to observe, to imagine, to understand and to enjoy. Sundogs Near Grand Forks and My love for the night sky began with my father’s love for the outdoors. We Moorhead would often sleep out under the starlit canopy on a summer’s night. When he By Robert Brose…Page 5 marveled, I marveled. But when, as a Cub Scout, I visited the Kellogg Observatory at the Buffalo Museum of Science in Buffalo, NY, and peered at the moon in its A Twofer: Lunar Eclipse and Meteoroid 8” f/15 refractor, I was hooked for life. Yes, I had experienced those rickety dime- By Kristopher Setnes…Page 6 store models designed to kill interest. But beyond that, the options were few in those days. Later, with the help of a Peterson field guide, I became modestly adept My Telescope-Building Adventure at navigating the constellations and identifying the brightest stars. What is more, By Shawn Lovett…Page 6 my formative years were spent during the space race, experiencing the thrill of humanity’s “giant leap.” Then life got in the way! Military, college, marriage, MAS Patron Members…Page 7 family and work took over, and special interests had to wait. Yet my love for the First Light night sky never waned; a college course in astronomy kept it alive. Later, living By Mark Chapman…Page 7 for a decade on the high desert of the Colorado Plateau instilled that sense of what the Psalmist must have felt when he wrote, “When I look at your heavens, My Astronomical Journey the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, By Matt Dunham…Page 8 what is man that you are mindful of him?” (Psa. 8:3‑4; ESV). As a pastor of forty years, I think a good deal about this intrinsic and inquisitive MAS 2019 Star Party Schedule…Page 11 sense of wonder of which we humans are capable. From where did it come? Why is it unique to our species? Science has made great strides in explaining the processes of nature, but it is short on offering meaning or motive to human existence. Although science and religion have had precarious moments from time to time, historically the relationship has been more positive than negative. The so‑called “conflict thesis” of the Stories Wanted: Gemini is written entirely by our members, for our members! nineteenth century popularized by John Gemini needs your stories… how you first be- William Draper and Andrew Dickson came interested in astronomy, how your inter- White has been largely dismissed by est has evolved over the years, equipment you historians. It is granted that the Galileo use, star parties and events you’ve attended episode was unfortunate. However, it here and elsewhere, how you’ve encouraged was less a conflict between science and others — especially young people — to get in- religion and more a conflict between volved in this fascinating hobby. Submit your old science (Aristotle and Ptolemy) and stories to: [email protected] new science (Copernicus and Galileo) as played out in the Catholic Church at E-mail Update: If your e-mail address the time. To be sure, modern science has recently changed, chances are your was influenced by Greek curiosity and address used for MAS email distribution lists is not current. Please inform Bob Brose of I am standing on my back deck in rural Hinckley, your new e-mail address at [email protected] my usual viewing location. The telescope is a 12” Orion Sky Quest reflector, focal length 1500mm. sustained by streams flowing from the Middle East. However, the Christian impulse to explore the handiwork of a Creator God was, in the West, the primary influence in GEMINI INFO the rise of science as we know it. Kepler, Galileo, Newton and Boyle, to name a few, Editors were Christians who were motivated by their belief in a Creator whose creation could Brian Litecky and Eugene Brown be understood. Webmaster MAS Web Committee, chair Merle Hiltner, [email protected] Forums Administrator Russ Durkee E-mail List Administrator Bob Brose Monthly Meeting Presenter Coordinator Lauren Nelson Gemini is published 6 times annually by the Minnesota Astronomical Society. Electronic submissions for Gemini may be sent to: [email protected] [email protected] Hardcopy items should be sent to: Minnesota Astronomical Society Attn: Gemini The full eclipse photo was taken right after achieving totality. P.O. Box 14931 It was taken with an iPhone through an 8” reflector at 70x. Minneapolis, MN 55414 It was St. Augustine who first offered the maxim, “I believe in order to understand.” Send MAS membership dues, changes Certainly not to be understood as an excuse for mere credulity, Augustine probably had of address and S&T subscriptions to Proverbs 1:7 in view, which says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” the MAS Membership Coordinator. For him, faith and reason bore a mutually happy relationship with each other, with faith Astronomy magazine subscriptions enlightening that knowledge acquired by empirical means. Setting aside differences are available by contacting the MAS Christians may have among themselves, there are some things they hold in common. Treasurer. First, Christians bring to their scientific investigations the belief that there is a Creator who is distinct from His creation (cf. Gen. 1:1). This creation or natural world is ordered MAS Board Members by laws that can be discovered and even described mathematically by those with a mind and intelligence to discern them. But creation itself is not divine or intelligent President: Dave Falkner so as to be worshipped. Second, Christians hold that humanity bears the imprint of the E-Mail: [email protected] Creator and is thus capable of contemplation of the Creator and His creation. “So God Phone: 763-785-0539 Vice President: Andrew Fraser E-Mail: [email protected] Phone: 651-436-6511 Treasurer: Heather Birch Secretary: Trena Johnson E-Mail: [email protected] Phone: 612-719-0737 Board-Member at Large: Suresh Sreenivasan E-Mail: [email protected] Phone: 952-933-0426 Board-Member at Large: Matt Dunham E-Mail: [email protected] Phone: 651-263-7425

Andromeda Galaxy, M31. Photo by Merle Hiltner. GEMINI • www.mnastro.org 2 created man in his own image” (Gen. 1:27). Human beings alone out a faint galaxy in the lens of my telescope or count stars in an are “crowned with glory and honor” (Psa. 8:5). At the very least open cluster. But I marvel more that I can marvel at all. The deer this would account for human ability to observe, study, conceive, foraging in my back yard do not. The geese visiting my pond imagine, design and create—that is, create with a small “c.” Not do not. The cranes that ferret grubs from my grass do not. But only can we humans acquire knowledge, but we can also advance somehow I, and others of my kind, do. Such matters of faith as in knowledge. Third, Christians regard the creation itself, and mentioned above help me understand why and allow me to give particularly the heavens above, as speaking of a Creator. “The credit to Whom it belongs. Faith and science are best seen as heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims friends. Like most friends they may not always agree, but in time his handiwork” (Psa. 19:1). If the heavens are the tapestry, its they will come to a mutual understanding and are the richer for observed beauty and predictability are the divine signature. persevering together.

This photo is of the Moon entering the umbra. It was taken with an iPhone through an 8” reflector at 48x. I have always been held spellbound by the night sky. I marvel at the river of light in the Milky Way. I am enthralled by dynamic episodes like conjunctions and eclipses. I love to tease Milky Way Photo by Merle Hiltner.

Rancho Mirage Library and Observatory By Jim Fox On a recent trip to Palm Springs, CA, I had occasion to visit one of the newest attractions in the Coachella Valley: the Rancho Mirage Library and Observatory. Opened in March 2018, this observatory is dedicated to public outreach, but the addition of a professional astronomer to the library staff indicates that they also intend to conduct some research at the facility. “There’s not too much outreach opportunity after 1:00 or 2:00 a.m.,” commented staff astronomer Eric McLaughlin. The main instrument is housed in a domed observing room with a control room below. The architectural layout envisions the telescope dome as the head of a comet with ADA-compliant access ramps curving away like the comet’s tail. Tours of the observatory are given twice a day, at 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., The Rancho Mirage Observatory as seen from the parking lot. The main dome Tuesday through Saturday. About 20 adults showed up for my is a 5m diameter Ash Dome. tour on Wednesday afternoon. Inside the main dome, the primary instrument is a PlaneWave After giving us a little history of the $2.4 million facility, CDK700. Although it is mounted as an alt-azimuth, its computer observatory docent Jonathon led us “up the comet’s tail” to control system allows faultless tracking of objects in the night the outside observing deck. Four isolated observing platforms sky. The alt-azimuth design also provides a unique dual focus reach down to bedrock in order to provide stable platforms that system: by rotating a tertiary mirror, the image can be directed are impervious to the footsteps of surrounding guests. On our out either end of the altitude axis. On one side, an Apogee day, a 4” solar telescope was set up to provide a CCD image CG16M CCD camera captures images. On the other side, twin to a monitor in the observatory control room. Besides the solar Teleview NP-104 telescopes are mounted objective-to-objective scope, three C-9 telescopes can be set up on the platforms for to construct a periscope-type transfer system to bring the image public observing nights, and they can be used either visually or down near floor level to make it convenient for public viewing. have images captured and transferred to the control room.

3 April 2019 Docent Jonathon explains that the 4” solar scope is feeding the solar image into the observatory control room via a closed circuit camera. The tripod stands on one of the isolated pads to eliminate vibration from surrounding participants. The observatory’s PlaneWave CDK 700 telescope showing the unique When not involved in outreach programming and public construction of dual refractors, mounted to bring the visual eyepiece to a lectures in the library, McLaughlin expects to use the CCD convenient location for observers. camera to study transiting exoplanets or do supernova searches If you plan to visit the desert area around Palm Springs, stop and CCD photometry. Although located in the middle of the by the Rancho Mirage Library and check out its observatory. Palm Springs metropolitan area, early morning seeing conditions You can also find it on-line at www.ranchomiragelibrary.org/ are often in the one arc-second range. McLaughlin and Rancho observatory.html Mirage hope the facility will eventually become “sort of a Griffith Observatory of the desert.”

MAS Board Minutes for January and February future. By Trena Johnson, secretary IT administrator: webmaster, Facebook, Mailchimp, forums, January calendar, salesforce, Google docs. Surplus equipment to be sold: NGT 12.5”, recently used Student board liaison: Coordinate youth outreach activities. at Metcalf. Televue Renaissance has been sold. Observatories: Observing coordinator: Please welcome and support Kris ELO: New monitors have been purchased. Takahashi 2.7” Setnes as he takes on this position. He will oversee the Messier focuser has been purchased and received. Second counterweight Marathon, Virgo Venture, weather calls for events, and organize for Sylvia A. Casby Observatory was approved. The board materials. discussed the broken eyepiece replacements as a future purchase. Budget: The board reviewed the budget and adjusted Metcalf: Observation building designs will need to be presented redundant sections for clearer review. MAS Elections: Please to Belwin. Our board will consider cost and budget accordingly welcome Dave Falkner, president; Trena Johnson, secretary; after approval. CGO: Service door lock was replaced. Steve Matt Dunham, board member at large Emert is looking into an alarm system. Monthly meetings: The MAS constitution needs to be updated and membership February approved. We are seeking individuals to form a subcommittee Uberconference: The board approved purchase of a to review and revise the constitution. Out of 550 members, we conferencing service (Uberconference) for use by the board and need everyone to do a little bit to benefit all in these volunteer other members for society business. A motion was passed for positions: the purchase of an Outreach projector. The board determined that the Spike-A-Flat panel is not needed at this time; further Communications coordinator: Coordinate and improve evaluation is required, so the item was removed from the agenda. communications through the website; organize email blasts, Surplus items for sale will be advertised on Marketplace. social media, Gemini newsletter, outreach. Help take us into the Anoka-Hennepin School District Astronomy Program: The

GEMINI • www.mnastro.org 4 board denied the donation request. Donated 18” telescope: Communications coordinator/PR director: Coordinate and Belwin is willing to store it, but setup at B-SIG will require time improve communications through the website; organize email and money. The board proposed to add this to the 2020 budget blasts, social media, Gemini newsletter, outreach. Help take us and remove it as an agenda item. Domain: Registration was into the future. moved from Clockwork to Domains.google. Observatories: IT administrator: webmaster, Facebook, Mailchimp, forums, CGO: SimplySafe needs ongoing evaluation, due to lack of cell calendar, salesforce, Google docs. service. The board sends a request to the CGO committee to find Student board liaison: Coordinate youth outreach activities. out the cost of putting in a land line for emergencies and future security services. J.J. Casby: Andy is sending MOU updates Minnesota Common Grant application form: We need a back to Belwin for approval. LLCC: The board requests NNSF person to complete and submit the form and supplements needed. updates on attendance, cost, and income on the event. Volunteer Monthly program director: Organize and schedule speakers Positions: for our monthly meetings.

Sundogs Near Grand Forks and Moorhead As we traveled into North Dakota they kept getting By Robert Brose brighter. By the time we got to Grand Forks they were really spectacular—a full circle and brilliant horizontal nodes with At noon on Monday, February 4, my partner Donna and I rainbow-like effects around each node. We finally thought to take were driving back from the Neil Young with Crazy Horse concert some pictures. Most of them are just east of Morehead. They in Winnipeg the evening before. It was cold, and the wind was are point-and-shoot pictures out the window of the car with an blowing about 20 mph. The driving conditions were pretty iPhone SE, which has a reasonably decent 12 mp camera. If we bad. No travel was recommended between the border station at had thought of it we could have played around with the settings Pembina, ND, and Manvel, which is just north of Grand Forks. a bit. The rainbow effect around the nodes was more visible to There was drifting snow on the freeway and the wind that was the naked eye and extended down to the horizon on the last few picking up the dry powder snow on the ground caused near pictures. white-out conditions. Just north of the border we first noticed the sundogs, about 2:00 p.m.

5 April 2019 A Twofer: Lunar Eclipse and Meteoroid Impact at different shutter speeds. I was not imaging continuously— By Kristopher Setnes just at somewhat random times when I wasn’t busy talking to others, moving around to stay warm, adjusting camera settings, On January 20, I set up at Eagle Lake Observatory to or simply looking at the Moon. The temperature was -5° F and take lunar eclipse photos. I was shooting with a simple Orion the sky was hazy. Starblast 6” tabletop reflector on a tracking table. The camera was a Fujifilm X-T20. There was a Barlow lens screwed to the Once I heard that a meteoroid impact had occurred during front of the nosepiece so I could achieve focus. Because I was the lunar eclipse, I checked my stacks and found it on a 1/8 using a tracking table without perfect alignment, I experimented second image. with quick bursts of short exposure times, intending to stack the images. The camera was set to electronic shutter mode to avoid vibrations. I was using a wireless remote.

The first image is a very grainy crop of the stand-alone frame that caught the impact. It is interesting from a data perspective but doesn’t make the greatest picture. The second image is an averaged stack of 40 exposures at 1/8 second, taken within an eight-second period. Within those 40 When I had the telescope framed on the Moon, I would frames is the frame that caught the meteoroid impact. In order to hold down the button on the remote and the camera would shoot show that frame within the image, I applied it as a layer on top of frames until a light would start blinking. This indicated that the the stacked images. camera buffer was full. I did this periodically during the eclipse My Telescope-Building Adventure what do you get? A handmade 6” reflector telescope, what else? The year was 1970 and the inspiration was the book All About By Shawn Lovett Telescopes by Sam Brown. Purchase the 6” mirror-building kit with your paper route money and with just a little elbow grease— O.K., it was a whole lot of elbow grease—and you can grind and polish your own mirror. After receiving two one-inch thick 6” diameter glass blanks with a set of abrasives from Edmund Scientific, I built a hardy stand as described in Sam Brown’s book and started the grinding process. Our Philco record player in the basement played “In-A- Gadda-Da-Vida” over and over again as I worked through the slow process of shaping the mirror into a concave, parabolic shape. My attempts at building an automated mirror-grinding machine in the garage from a bicycle wheel and a washing machine motor were not successful, so the manual grinding continued. I built a tester setup with a light and ended up getting the focal point to 52”, not the 48” that was the goal. I finally decided that it was time to polish, which meant using the pitch that smelled like pine tar when heated, and red rouge, which seemed to end up everywhere. Weeks later (many, many, many weeks later), I was able to take the glass to a company on Hennepin Avenue in Minneapolis to add the mirror coat.t aBecause my focal point was longer than planned, I had to order a five-foot-long tube instead of the four-foot-long tube for the telescope. My dad was good friends with the owner of Richfield Plumbing, so I was able to find and purchase all the Take a 14-year-old kid with a morning paper route (it was pipes and fittings to mount the telescope. The beauty of living in the Minneapolis Tribune back then), a somewhat nerdy love of Richfield, with a latitude of 44.8833 degrees north, meant that a science, and a copy of the latest Edmund Scientific catalog, and 45-degree pipe was perfect for polar alignment of the telescope. GEMINI • www.mnastro.org 6 I built a mount out of plywood to secure the mirror, with side I didn’t build the telescope for a science fair, but it got me adjustments to get everything aligned just right. My second set to the Minnesota State Science Fair. It wasn’t the easiest thing of drill holes in the tube to mount the mirror worked; my first to move, but I built it so I could easily remove the tube and the set of drill holes were too far up the tube, so I could never focus stand to fit it into our car. When I left for college and a stint in the it. More packages came from Edmund Scientific, and I had my Army, it sat in my parent’s garage. I would occasionally get it out finder scope (actually a monocular), eye pieces and alignment when home and point it to the Moon, Jupiter or Saturn if visible. rings. A quickly drilled hole through a cast-iron pipe and a wing After I got married in the late 1980s it followed us to Mason City, nut allowed me to lock the movement and still rotate the scope Iowa. We donated it to one of the local schools to use for their along the polar axis to follow the stars. science program in 1991, and I have never checked back to see After adding a plywood base and wheels, I could push what happened to it. I decided that someday in the future I could the whole contraption out of our garage and set it up on the buy another telescope. driveway. Using the viewfinder, I became pretty good at aligning Fast forward to today. I own a Celestron NexStar 8SE; easy the scope on a heavenly object and enjoying the wonders of the to move, easy to set up, easy to align, easy to select the object night sky. It was enjoyable to show the scope off to friends and you want to see on your iPad and watch the scope rotate spot on. family and train them not to grab onto the eyepiece (thus shifting My past hands-on learning experience of building a telescope the telescope), then look and say they didn’t see anything. My brought me joy, knowledge, and the payoff from hard work. I favorite part was taking it out into the country and setting it up joined the Minnesota Astronomical Society a few months ago with really dark skies, as the city skies grew less and less dark. and learned that many members built something similar when My favorite viewing was of Comet Kohoutek in 1973, when I set they were growing up. My joy now is sharing my experiences, up my telescope in the middle of our street to see past the trees listening to the experiences of others, and teaching the next and clearly saw the comet with a glorious tail. generation of the joys of astronomy.

First Light and in the use of my new telescope. Because of health issues (a By Mark Chapman very unexpected heart bypass from which I’m recovering quite well) and many cloudy nights, I had only used my 12'' twice One of the biggest thrills of my life was my first look before the big night. Thankfully, we had only our second clear through John Rosenow’s tiny refractor. I had just finished the sky in the last nearly three weeks. I had barely any practice and third grade; John was a much older sixth-grader. This was the wasn’t even sure exactly where would be the best place to set up. summer Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stepped off the Eagle As the sky darkened I finally determined that my best site would onto the “magnificent desolation” of the Sea of Tranquility. (That be in the cemetery behind the church of which I am the pastor. was Buzz’s phrase, not mine.) I was nine years old and living in Cemetery observing was certainly a first for me. There was no the space age. John called me over to his home across the street way to know if I would have four people or 40. Whatever the on a night that changed my life. His house sat on a brightly lit number, I was not only unsure how I would keep people engaged suburban corner. I ran over to see what he was up to and couldn’t with my two telescopes, but I wasn’t convinced I would get my believe it when I saw that he had a real telescope set up on his big scope aligned under the pressure of a public viewing, given front lawn. As if being close enough to touch a telescope wasn’t my inexperience with my new telescope. a big-enough thrill, John invited me to look through it. A few people started to show up as I was trying to zero in on I brought my eye up to the eyepiece, and there before me was my alignment stars. I pointed my 8'' at the Moon while aligning a sight I’d only dreamed of. I’d seen it in pictures in the many the 12''. I had to keep running over to the Coulter Odyssey to astronomy books I checked out of my local library, but now I keep the Moon centered. I finally achieved alignment on the big was seeing craters, mountains and seas with my own eyes. I think one and got the optics pointed to Saturn. Success! Most of the I stopped breathing as I took in the landscape before me. The 52 people who by that time were lined up to view had never image of craters and peaks remains embedded in my memory all seen either of these objects before. The ooohs and aaahs made these years later. my heart swell. It was every bit as good as showing friends and Thankfully I had parents who recognized my interest. I got a neighbors the Moon for the first time in my little 3'' all those 3'' Edmund Scientific reflector for Christmas. A telescope under years ago. Next I turned my big scope toward Andromeda, and the Christmas tree; it was the best gift I’d ever gotten! It didn’t the crowd was awed by M31 filling the field of view. Now feeling take long before I became proficient at finding the Moon and confident, I swung the truss-tube from one object to the next. As Jupiter with its Galilean satellites. I was thrilled every time I I did I described what it was we were viewing and a few facts looked through my telescope. But I also came to realize another about it. In addition to the Moon, Saturn and the Andromeda thrill—being able to give others their first views of these cosmic Galaxy, we saw the M13 Globular Cluster in Hercules with its wonders. As much as I delighted in my views of the universe, I thousands of dazzling stars, and M27—the Dumbbell Nebula was equally elated to share these views with my family, friends in Vulpecula. I had more viewing planned but the clouds had and neighbors. Nothing was better than a first-timer’s whispered moved in before we could look at the great two-for-one in Ursa “Wow!” as he or she looked through my prized telescope. Major—galaxies M81 and M82. I guess I’ll save those for next Fast-forward nearly 50 years. Long after my 3'' was gone, I time. owned an 8'' Dobsonian for nearly 30 years. I still have that very I discovered something new that night. It wasn’t a comet or trusty scope and quite recently added a 12'' truss-tube with push- asteroid or even a new interloper from outside the solar system. to electronics. It’s the telescope of my dreams, just like that old It was the depth of the joy I have in sharing my lifelong love of Edmund 3'' was back in 1969. the sky with others. I can think of few things more satisfying Earlier this year my public library asked me if I’d consider than giving someone what John Rosenow gave to me: an bringing my telescopes out for a public observing night. I unexpected glimpse of the wonder of creation that becomes a immediately told our librarian I’d love to. We scheduled a date for life-changing, awe-inspiring moment that lives on for a lifetime the early fall when the Moon was about nine days old. I wanted of discovery. to be very prepared and well versed in what we’d be observing 7 April 2019 MAS Patron Members Patron memberships are available to those who wish to contribute a little extra to support MAS activities. Patron memberships are established by constitution at 2-1/2 times the Regular membership rate—currently $65 annually for a patron membership. The $39 additional contribution is tax deductible. Patron memberships help fund equipment acquisitions, facility improvements, outreach activities and more. We would like to thank the following patron members as of Patron memberships are available to those who wish to help contribute a little extra to support MAS activities. Patron memberships are established by constitution at 2-1/2 times the Regular membership rate – currently, $65 annual for a Patron membership. The $39 additional contribution is tax deductible. Patron memberships help fund equipment acquisitions, facility improvements, outreach activities and more. We would like to thank the following Patron members as of March 4: Tom and Arlene Alm Tony DuBois Merle Hiltner David Malone David Schultz Scott Anderson Molly Duffin Gary Hoaglund John Marchetti Kristopher Setnes Steve Anderson Matt Dunham Michael Hobbs Steven May Mike Shaw Stephen Anthony Dave Eckblad Lauren Hoen Bruce McDonald Jeff Shlosberg Jack Atkins William Eggers Greg Hokanson Duane McDonnell Bernie Simmons Steve Baranski Steven Emert Michael Hopfenspirger Ron McLaughlin Robert Sims Greg Baril Dennis Faith George Hulme Javier Medrano David Siskind Bradley Beisel David Falkner Jason Ingebretson Rebecca Messer David Sjogren Omkar Bhujad Robert Farrell Carole Isakson Dan Meyer Eric Smestad Scott Billeadeau Joseph Fisher Anton Jachim, PhD Matt & Jessica Meyer Andrew Smith Katie Bloome Patricia Flugaur Dick Jacobson Beverly Miller Katherine Sproll Wayne Boline Robert Foucault Gale Jallen Gerald Miller McLanahan Stevens Natalie Broshar Paul Gade Len Jannusch Scott Morgan Bernie Stinger Rev. Eugene Brown Mark Garner Stephen Jensen Doug Neverman Jack Storms Jay Bruesch Jim Gerrity Mark Job Jim Newton David Swymeler Jonathan Burkhardt Erik Gisselquist Chelen Johnson Kenneth Nicholls Peggy Tang Jeff Burrows William Glass Julie A. Y. Johnson Steve Nieckarz David Tosteson Earl Bye Martin Godfrey Kurt Johnson Alan Noot Valts Treibergs William Bynum Bradley Gordon Jerry Jones Douglas Oines David Truchot Ken Carlson Martin Gormanson Michael Kauper Thor Olson Steve Ulrich Kurt Casby Steven Grabarkiewicz Kenneth Kerrick Christopher Paola John Van Hoomissen James Cegla Antone Gregory Michael Kibat Mark Petchenik Bob Vangen Arvind Chakravarthi Daniel Gunter Michael Knowlen Mardon Quandt David Venne Stuart Chastain Jere Gwin-Lenth Jim Knudsen Ahmed Reda Lawrence Waite Cara Clark Dale Hagert Bill Kocken Michael Regouski Paul Walker Deane Clark, Jr. Jake Hairrell David Kocken Kirby Richter Fred Wall Bruce Coleman Brandon Hamil Kristoffer Kopitzke Stephen Riendl Sarah Weaver Mark Connolly Ryan Hanson Parke Kunkle Gerald Roehl David Wetzel Ron Cooper Carl Hasbargen Mary Lahr Robyn Rowen Mary Williams Mike Daniels Greg Haubrich Jonathan Larson Daniel Ruh Neil Worthingham Gary Davis Thomas Hawkinson Christine Laughlin Jack Sandberg Gene Yates Justin Davis Michael Haydock Kevin Lee Roy Cameron Sarver Karen Ziemek Paul and Jolie Davis Jonathan Hayman Louis Leichter Dean Schantzen John Zimitsch Richard Davis Victor Heiner Clayton Lindsey James Schenz Mark Zimitsch Mary Beth Smith & Ted Angela Heins Family Shawn Lovett Ronald Schmit Neal Zimmerman DeMatties Bryan Helmer Walid Maalouli Loren Schoenzeit Thomas Dillon John Hill Edward Malinka Paul Schroeder

My Astronomical Journey By Matt Dunham Grade School My first memory of stargazing is when I was about six years old and my dad set up a pup tent in the side yard. After dark he showed me the Big Dipper and the North Star. In this same period there was a lot of interest in the Moon due to the Apollo missions, and I remember watching the Apollo 11 landing and first Moon walk live on TV (coming up on 50 years ago for that). Dad got me a plastic model Saturn V, and from our front porch he used binoculars to show me the Moon close up. I was amazed at the amount of detail I could see. I don’t recall noticing the Moon or stars before that. It was after these things were deliberately pointed out and explained to me that my interest and appreciation took root.

GEMINI • www.mnastro.org 8 me to remember and locate many constellation shapes with Side note—I also noticed in binoculars how there were Rey’s kid-friendly lines. The book also taught me many different colors on each side of the Moon. My dad explained how important concepts, like stellar coordinates, sidereal time- the (cheap) lenses in the binoculars acted as a prism to separate keeping, orbits, precession, magnitudes, etc. It continues the white light from the Moon into the colors of the rainbow. It to irritate me when I see star maps that make even the was several years later in science class when we studied light and simplest constellations, like Gemini, unrecognizable. I prisms that my brain reconnected the teaching with the earlier really appreciate this book. experience with binoculars. • My interests were further, aided by discovering The I was fortunate that my parents and relatives were all very Observer’s Handbook. I was learning about the planets serious about academics and supported my interests in science. and their orbits in the years just before the anticipated My dad was a chemistry professor and my mom was an English great planetary alignment of 1982. This alignment was a literature major. My uncle was an engineer for Bell Labs. For great help to the Voyager missions, but it posed the risk of Christmas and birthdays I received the whole gamut of kits to exerting tidal forces from the giant planets, causing massive play with—chemistry set (of course), crystal radio, Erector sets, earthquakes and changing the west coast of California into 150 circuit kits, etc. And then, in fifth grade, I received a 3.5” an island. This was the era of blockbuster disaster movies in Newtonian telescope—you know, the one with the flimsy tripod, response to a long series of killer events with bees, sharks, two plastic eyepieces, and a doubler that used O-rings to hold aliens, plagues, asteroids ... We laugh about this stuff now, it in the barrel of the eyepiece. I think the box claimed it could but people actually tried to sell my parents earthquake magnify up to 480 times! It actually worked well for the Moon insurance in northern Illinois. When my mom asked me (with the old familiar chromatic aberration and all). The high- what I thought about the risks, I was able to calculate some power eyepiece was worthless, but the low-power one worked quick comparisons between the normal tidal effects of the pretty well, as did the Barlow. I didn’t really know anything about Moon and the miniscule forces from the planets, and as a the planets or other objects at that time, or how to find them, so result the panic was averted, at least for my mom and a few I thought the Moon was all I could look at. I also enjoyed seeing concerned relatives who were warning my grandparents to the Milky Way change from a faint haze to zillions of individual move out of San Diego. stars. Eventually, that telescope deteriorated and I had seen all I • After an evening of pointing out constellations to could see, so it disappeared into the infamous “storage closet of my high school buddy Seth, he paused a moment no return” of my youth. and went inside and rescued his older brother’s 4” High School Newtonian from his own family’s “storage closet Fast-forward to my junior year of high school. A number of of no return” and just gave it to me. This was an events converged over the next two years to draw me into the incredible gift, many magnitudes better than my first world of amateur astronomy that we enjoy. telescope. It actually had glass lenses and a mirror I could collimate. It sat on a relatively sturdy but simple • That summer I toured Mount Palomar Observatory while equatorial tripod mount with knobs I could turn to visiting my grandparents in California. I don’t recall if the center and follow an object. Now I was able to go 200” Hale mirror was still the biggest reflector at that time, out in my yard at night and hunt for the many things but I marveled at the immensity of the mirror, telescope I read about in The Observer’s Handbook, including and building as I learned all about it and was amazed by the amazing planets and a few deep-sky objects. The images it had captured. views were not detailed, but the telescope gave me super powers to see things that most mere mortals have never seen for themselves. This was the era in which I began to invite people to watch events like eclipses with me, or I would take the telescope on scout campouts and put on a little sky tour. College Now I was off to college at Northern Illinois University. I moved into the dorms a few days early and enjoyed one warm August evening by walking around campus before school started. Suddenly, in the distance I saw the unmistakable shape of a silver observatory dome on top of one of the science buildings. The only thought on my mind was figuring out how I could get up to the top floor and gain access to this observatory. Unfortunately, being that it was before school started, there was no one around and the building was all locked up. It was agonizing to wait several days for classes to start and then find time in my class • I was in Boy Scouts and earned the astronomy merit badge. schedule to talk to the right people about using the telescope. My advisor gave me a copy of the classic H. A. Rey book, The Stars: A New Way to See Them. That book is one of the best beginner textbooks I have found. I still have it, continue to use it, and give it to kids who show an interest. It helped

9 April 2019 scopes in the campsite and take advantage of the very dark skies at these events. We would teach about constellations, stellar navigation, and how to use the telescopes.

It turned out that running the observatory was the job of grad students who taught the astronomy labs. I was a freshman and I wasn’t in an astronomy class, but they invited me up for one of the regular public nights. During this first evening with a public group, I felt right at home giving the other visitors a tour of the sky, and I learned a lot of the practical stuff about the scopes and how to find objects by star-hopping (this was long before the GoTo era). They had a SkyAtlas2000, a sidereal clock which had lost power and was wrong. The 16” Newtonian scope had setting circles and motors, but none of the grad students who were there knew how to find anything they couldn’t see through the finder. At one point about a decade ago, Ron and I were talking, and I set the sidereal clock using the star atlas, a bright star, and the he mentioned that there is a group campsite at Baylor Regional right ascension wheel, and then I was able to find a few deep- Park, the home of ELO. I arranged for our troop to use the group sky objects by the numbers. After that they signed me up for the campsite, and Ron came out to do a classroom presentation and official training as a keyholder, and I worked at a multitude of open the observatory for us. This astronomy campout event has public and private viewing nights during my four years there. become one of our troop’s favorite outings, which we have done The most notable (though unspectacular) event during that time every two years for many years now. Through this campout event was the 1986 return of Halley’s Comet. The phrase “Is that it?” I became reacquainted with MAS, and after my sons were done was very commonly heard, but it was cool anyway. Also, being a with scouts I had more time in my schedule. I strongly desired keyholder, I would occasionally host campouts in the dome with to get more involved with MAS, so I joined in April a year ago. some friends. We would stay up very late and log many planets This past October I was able to help host the troop’s astronomy and faint fuzzies. I can neither confirm nor deny rumors that we campout as an MAS member instead of as a scout leader. It aimed the scope toward the high-rise dorms across campus. was so encouraging to see that the number of participants was as large as ever. The scouts themselves requested the event, and Family Man they asked me to help make arrangements, even without me After graduation, getting married, starting a family, and being part of the troop. That is how much it meant to them. moving to Minnesota for a new job, I met MAS member, Ron Schmit at work. After discovering our mutual interest in MAS Member astronomy, we would often talk about astronomical events, and I I truly appreciate the MAS volunteers and facilities which started thinking about getting back into the hobby. Ron allowed provided the opportunity to introduce many youngsters (the me to borrow one of his telescopes and helped me to connect scouts), and indeed many of their dads, to the wonders of with an MAS member who was selling an 8” Celestron SCT. I observing and astronomy in general. It is my goal as a member, still use it for eclipses and campouts, since it is very portable and a volunteer, and as a new board member, to continue in your quick to set up. I attended a few MAS events at Eisenhower, such fine tradition of outreach and education, as well as the fun and as one where we observed Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and fellowship I have enjoyed since I have been involved. Saturn—all immediately after sunset. However, with a young family I was very busy with work and youth sports. As the boys got older I participated with them in Boy Scouts. I would usually take my Celestron to campouts and give sky shows. Another good friend and scout dad, Tim, and I would both set up our

GEMINI • www.mnastro.org 10 Minnesota Astronomical Society 2019 Star Party Schedule Twilight Completely dark Moon % ELO Public Cherry LLCC B-SIG @ Friday Date Sunset ends: from: to: Illuminated Night (Saturday) Grove Weekend Metcalf (Sat.) Notes Apr 05 07:46 PM 09:45 PM 09:45 PM 05:02 AM 0% x x Messier Marathon Apr 12 07:54 PM 09:36 PM 03:25 AM 04:47 AM 50% x Apr 26 08:12 PM 10:01 PM 10:01 PM 03:05 AM 50% x x x May 03 08:20 PM 10:14 PM 10:14 PM 04:02 AM 2% x x Virgo Venture May 10 08:28 PM 10:27 PM 02:11 AM 03:48 AM 37% x x ELO: Astronomy Day (Saturday) May 24 08:44 PM 10:54 PM 10:54 PM 01:39 AM 67% x x May 31 08:50 PM 11:05 PM 11:05 PM 03:13 AM 8% x x Jun 07 08:55 PM 11:15 PM 12:53 AM 03:05 AM 22% x x Jun 14 08:59 PM 11:22 PM 92% x Jun 21 09:02 PM 11:25 PM 11:25 PM 12:10 AM 83% x Jun 28 09:02 PM 11:25 PM 11:25 PM 03:05 AM 20% x x Jul 05 09:01 PM 11:20 PM 11:30 PM 03:13 AM 12% x x Jul 12 08:57 PM 11:12 PM 03:03 AM 03:23 AM 83% x Jul 19 08:52 PM 11:02 PM 93% x Jul 26 08:46 PM 10:49 PM 10:49 PM 01:40 AM 34% x x Aug 02 08:37 PM 10:36 PM 10:36 PM 04:00 AM 4% x x ELO: Camping with the stars Aug 09 08:28 PM 10:21 PM 01:45 AM 0 4:13 AM 71% x Aug 16 08:17 PM 10:06 PM 99% x Aug 23 08:06 PM 09:51 PM 09:51 PM 12:12 AM 50% x Aug 30 07:54 PM 09:36 PM 09:36 PM 04:49 AM 0% x x Northern Nights Star Fest: 8/27-9/2 Sep 06 07:41 PM 09:20 PM 12:26 AM 05:00 AM 53% x x Sep 13 07:28 PM 09:05 PM 100% x Sep 20 07:15 PM 08:51 PM 08:51 PM 10:48 PM 60% x Sep 27 07:02 PM 08:37 PM 08:37 PM 05:29 AM 1% x x MAS Mini Messier Marathon (4M) Oct 04 06:50 PM 08:23 PM 11:07 PM 05:37 AM 45% x x ELO: Fall Astronomy Day (Saturday) Oct 11 06:37 PM 08:11 PM 97% x Oct 18 06:25 PM 07:59 PM 07:59 PM 09:29 PM 74% x Oct 25 06:13 PM 07:47 PM 07:47 PM 06:04 AM 6% x x Nov 01 06:04 PM 07:39 PM 09:47 PM 06:11 AM 29% x x Nov 11 x Transit of Mercury (cancelled if cloudy) Nov 15 04:48 PM 06:25 PM 06:25 PM 07:15 PM 86% x Nov 22 04:42 PM 06:21 PM 06:21 PM 03:23 AM 15% x x Nov 29 04:38 PM 06:18 PM 07:29 PM 05:42 AM 14% x Dec 20 04:38 PM 06:20 PM 06:20 PM 02:23 AM 28% Dec 27 04:42 PM 06:24 PM 06:24 PM 06:01 AM 4% CGO (Latitude: 44.1971 Longitude: -92.8623): star party dates are for Friday nights with the alternate (if cloudy) for Saturday night. LLCC star party dates for the entire weekend w/ housing provided by LLCC REMINDER: Go/No Go decision is posted on the MAS website ONLY for the Messier Marathon, Virgo Venture & Mini-Messier Marathon. B-SIG star party dates are for Saturday night, with the alternate being on Friday if the Saturday date is forecast cloudy. B-SIG, Go / No-Go decission will be posted on the MAS Discussion Forums. http://forums.mnastro.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=5 *** need to check the B-SIG policy with Suresh *** ELO Public Star Parties (Latitude: 44.8103 Longitude: -93.9397): are All-Weather events for Saturday nights unless otherwise noted. All times are from Skytools 3 and specifically for CGO; approximated for all else. This schedule is subject to change. Please check the MAS online calendar at www.mnastro.org for a complete schedule of all MAS events. Cherry Grove Star Parties are held on Friday nights, with Saturday reserved as the backup night if Friday is cloudy. LLCC (Latitude: 46.6470 Longitude: -93.4650): Star parties are held on both Friday and Saturday night. Eagle Lake Public nights are held on Saturday nights only. J.J. Casby: Latitude: 44.9245 Longitude: -92.7924) Metcalf: Latitude: 44.93734 Longitude: -92.82157

11 April 2019 MN ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY NON-PROFIT P.O. Box 14931 U.S. POSTAGE Minneapolis, MN 55414 PAID a publication of the Minnesota Astronomical Society ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED Twin Cities, MN PERMIT NO. 1407

How to pay your dues April 2019 Volume 45 Number 2

Your MAS membership expires at the beginning of the month shown on your membership card. You will be notified of your renewal by e-mail two months prior to expiration and by USPS mail the month of your expiration. You may renew by mail or online using PayPal. By mail: Send your payment to the MAS membership coordinator at: Minnesota Astronomical Society, Attn. Membership coordinator, P.O. Box 14931, Minneapolis, MN 55414. Make checks payable to MAS. Current annual membership rates when paying by check are: $26 regular, $13 student, and $65 for patron memberships. You may renew for one year or for two years at a time. Online using PayPal: PayPal charges a fee, so MAS includes a voluntary contribution in the PayPal membership rates to offset that fee. Membership rates us- ing PayPal are $27.50 regular, $13.75 student and $67.25 patron. The membership form and the procedure for joining or renewing using PayPal may be found at www.mnastro.org/members/join/. The bimonthly Gemini newsletter is included with your membership online as a downloadable .pdf file. You will be notified by email when each issue becomes available online for you to download and print. Sky and Telescope and Astronomy Magazine Subscriptions

MAS members are offered subscriptions to these magazines at a club discount. The S&T discount subscription is $32.95 per year ($34.25 when using PayPal). New subscriptions to S&T at the member discount must be sent to MAS for processing. Send new subscrip- tions or renewals with your MAS membership to the MAS P.O. box or online using the PayPal process, or you may make subsequent subscription renewals directly with S&T on their web site, by mail or by phone with Sky Publishing at 1-800-253-0245. Astronomy Magazine member discount subscriptions are available for one-, two- or three-year subscriptions. You may subscribe or renew your existing subscription by check or by using the MAS online renewal process and paying via PayPal when entering or renewing your MAS membership, or you can subscribe or renew your Astronomy Magazine subscription directly online using a credit card. When renewing using a credit card, you can renew for one year at $34 per year, two years at $60 ($30 per year), or $83 for three years ($27.66 per year). To subscribe online, go to Astronomy.com/offer and locate the Promo Code box. Then type in the MAS unique promo code of ANTZ055 and click the Update button. The offer at the top of the page will change automatically. Scroll to the top of the page and select the order term (1 year, 2 years, or 3 years). Enter your name, address and email information. Click on the Submit button. You will receive a confirmation page, which we suggest you print for your records.

How to Subscribe to MAS e-mail Distribution Lists

MAS uses Web discussion forums and e-mail distribution lists for timely communications. We highly recommend that you subscribe to both the Web forums and the MAS general distribution e-mail list. To subscribe to the MAS e-mail list visit: lists.mnastro.org/mnastro/listinfo, click on the MAS list link and follow the subscription instructions. There is a general list (MAS), an outreach list and lists for other special purposes.