ISSN-0039-2502 Journal of the Association of Lunar & Planetary Observers The Strolling Astronomer Volume 47, Number 1, Winter 2005 Now in Portable Document Format (PDF) for MacIntosh and PC-Compatible Computers Inside. * A look back at last summer’s ALPO conference (AstroCon 2004) * Webcams — Are they for you? * A Mercury apparition report * Lots of stuff on the Moon -- the Stuart Flare and a Lunation Report * A book review on the current exploration of Titan . plus LOTS of reports about your ALPO section activities and much, much more. Mars as seen from Earth in August 2003, as rendered by ALPO Mars Section Cordinator Dan Troiani. See page 13 for details. The Strolling Astronomer Journal of the In This Issue: Inside the ALPO Association of Lunar & Point of View: Astro-Gifts and Me ....................1 News of General Interest .................................3 Planetary Observers, Astronomical League 2005 Annual Convention The Strolling Astronomer Set for Aug 12-13 in Kansas City................. 3 ALPO Membership Online ...........................3 Volume 47, No. 1, Winter 2005 ALPO E-Mail List Updated ...........................3 This issue published in December 2004 for distribution Our Advertisers: Good Friends of the ALPO 3 in both portable document format (pdf) and also hard- ALPO Interest Section Reports ........................4 copy format. ALPO Observing Section Reports ....................5 Membership Report ........................................15 This publication is the official journal of the Association of Lunar & Planetary Observers (ALPO). Feature Stories The purpose of this journal is to share observation Photo Highlights and Minutes of the reports, opinions, and other news from ALPO members July 23, 2004 Board Meeting .....................18 with other members and the professional astronomical Book Review: Lifting Titan’s Veil: community. Exploring the Giant Moon of Saturn ...........21 Lunar and Planetary Photography © 2004, Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers With Inexpensive Webcams ......................22 (ALPO). The ALPO hereby grants permission to educa- The 2004 Perseids ........................................32 tors, academic libraries and the professional astronomi- Mercury Apparition Observations cal community to photocopy material for educational or of 2002 34 research purposes as required. There is no charge for ALPO Lunar Topographical Section Report these uses provided that credit is given to The Strolling on Lunations #996 through #1001 .............42 Astronomer, the “JALPO” or the ALPO itself, as appro- That Stuart Brilliant Flare and priate. All others must request permission from the The Search for a New Lunar Craterlet .......46 ALPO. ALPO Resources For membership or general information about the ALPO, contact: Board of Directors ..........................................56 Publications Staff ...........................................56 Matthew Will Interest Sections ............................................56 ALPO Membership Secretary/Treasurer ALPO Resources ...........................................56 P.O. Box 13456 Observing Sections .......................................57 Springfield, Illinois 62791-3456 ALPO Publications .........................................58 ALPO Staff E-mail Directory ..........................58 E-mail to: [email protected] Membership Application ........Inside Back Cover Visit the ALPO online at: http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/alpo Volume 47, No. 1 Winter 2005 The Strolling Astronomer Inside the ALPO Member, section and activity news Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers (ALPO) Point of View Board of Directors Astro-Gifts & Me Executive Director (Chair); Richard Schmude Associate Director, Secretary/Treasurer; Matthew Will By Ken Poshedly, editor & publisher, Founder/Director Emeritus; Walter H. Haas The Strolling Astronomer Member of the Board; Julius L. Benton, Jr. Member of the Board; Donald C. Parker Happy New Year everybody! And to those of Member of the Board; Ken Poshedly you not worried Member of the Board; Michael D. Reynolds about political- Member of the Board; John E. Westfall correctness, I Member of the Board; Open hope you had a Merry Christ- mas, too! Publications Publisher & Editor-in-Chief, Ken Poshedly And with the gift- giving season Primary Observing Section & now behind us, Interest Section Staff it’s time to put (See full listing in ALPO Resources at end of issue) any astronomical Lunar& Planetary Training Program: Timothy J. Rob- goodies we ertson might have Solar Section: Acting Coordinator, Rick Gossett received to good Mercury Section: Frank Melillo use. Venus Section: Julius L. Benton, Jr. Mercury/Venus Transit Section: John E. Westfall As for myself, Santa was pretty generous by Lunar Section: furnishing me with a laptop computer to go with the Meade LPI webcam I purchased for Selected Areas Program; Julius L. Benton, Jr. myself at the Peach State Star Gaze this past Lunar Transient Phenomena; Anthony Cook October. Lunar Meteoritic Impact Search; Brian Cudnik Acting Coordinator, Lunar Topographical Studies; Now I feel almost intimidated in having to William Dembowski learn to produce images like those done rou- Acting Coordinator, Lunar Dome Survey; tinely by folks like our ALPO’s own Don Marvin W. Huddleston Parker, Frank Melillo, Ed Grafton and many Mars Section: Daniel M. Troiani others. I’ve taken a few shots of the Moon and Minor Planets Section: Frederick Pilcher am satisfied that with a little more time and Jupiter Section: Richard W. Schmude, Jr. better polar alignment, things will be much Saturn Section: Julius L. Benton, Jr. better. Remote Planets Section: Richard W. Schmude, Jr. Comets Section: Acting Coordinator; Ted Stryk When I can do that, THEN I’ll feel like a real Meteors Section: Robert D. Lunsford contributor to our fine organization. Doing this Meteorites Section: Dolores Hill journal is my hobby and I’m glad to do it. But I Computing Section: Kim Hay can honestly say that I also long to see my Youth Section: Timothy J. Robertson own images included in the gallery with others Historical Section: Richard Baum in Jupiter apparition reports. Instruments Section: R.B. Minton Eclipse Section: Michael D. Reynolds So what say you? What did Santy bring you? Webmaster: Richard Hill Let me know what and how you’re doing with it and we’ll carry a feature in these pages. Surely I’m not the only geek in town. Volume 47, No. 1 Winter 2005 Page 1 The Strolling Astronomer Page 2 Volume 47, No. 1 Winter 2005 The Strolling Astronomer Inside the ALPO Member, section and activity news (continued) News of General Interest Reminder: Address changes Unlike regular mail, electronic mail is not for- Astronomical League 2005 warded when you change e-mail addresses Annual Convention Set for unless you make special arrangements. Aug 12-13 in Kansas City More and more, e-mail notifications to mem- bers are bounced back because we are not The Astronomical League is proud to announce notified of address changes. Efforts to locate a convention and trade show to be held in Kan- errant members via online search tools have sas City, next year. The League's Council meet- not been successful. ing will be held August 11 at the National Office. This will be our first-ever council meeting at our So once again, if you move or change Internet Service Providers and are assigned a new e- newly opened national office. mail address, please notify Matt Will at [email protected] as soon as possible. The meetings, annual awards banquet, trade show, and speakers will all be held at the Over- land Park, Kansas Sheraton Hotel and Conven- Our Advertisers: Good Friends of tion Center. For information about the hotel the ALPO call, 913-234-2100. Be sure to mention the Astronomical League for a discount rate and call Just as they support us, we ask you to please support toll free at 866-837-4214. those who advertise in The Strolling Astronomer. Sky Publishing has been with a fixture in the Journal For additional information, contact Mr. Carroll for many years and is recognized as an authoritative Iorg, 7241 Jarboe Street, Kansas City, MO source for information for the serious amateur astron- 64114. Phone 816-444-4878, e-mail is Carroll- omy community. And besides its most obvious prod- [email protected] uct – Sky & Telescope magazine – Sky Publishing also produces a number of other itrems to satisfy your ALPO Membership Online craving for astro-stuff. The ALPO now accepts membership pay- Accurate Graphics, the company that produces the ment by credit card via a special arrange- hard copy of each Journal, has gone out of its way ment with the Astronomical League. many, many times to satisfy our needs as a nonprofit organization striving to publish a professional quality However, in order to renew by this method journal at an affordable rate. Please consider using you MUST have Internet access. See the Accurate Graphics for your printing needs, whether inside back cover of this Journal for details. you are local to metro Atlanta or not. ALPO E-Mail List Updated Be sure to consult the list of e-mail addresses in the ALPO Resources section of this Jour- nal before contacting any of the staff or board members. Prepress and Printing Professionals Trey Benton General Manager 3128 Process Drive Norcross, GA 30071 Office: (770) 448-9408 [email protected] Fax: (770) 840-0489 Volume 47, No. 1 Winter 2005 Page 3 The Strolling Astronomer Inside the ALPO Member, section and activity news (continued) Instruments Section By R.B. Minton,