Charlotte Amateur Astronomers Club www.charlotteastronomers.org CAAC September 2019 Meeting Place: Next Meeting: Friday July 19th, 2019 Myers Park Baptist Church Education Building – Shalom Hall (Basement) Time: 7:00 PM Address: 1900 Queens Road Charlotte, NC 28207 Cold War Spy in the Sky now Provides an Eye on the Cosmos This evening’s presentation will highlight the refurbishing of the 12 meter communications dish into an astronomical teaching and research instrument after being dormant for 20 years. Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI), originally known as Rosman Station, was sited in 1963 as a NASA ground tracking station for the USA manned space program. In 1981 it was reconfigured as a top secret satellite intercept intelligence gathering facility. Decommissioned in 1995 it reverted to the US Forest Service and finally became known as PARI due to the efforts of Don and Jo Cline. The presentation will provide a brief overview of comparison of optical and radio astronomy, the refurbishing of the 12 meter dish and finally its role in the Learning Center at PARI involving secondary and college students.An online article in Sky and Telescope magazine can be viewed at: https://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/old-radio-telescope-restored-for-new-uses/ Speaker: Ken Steiner, President of Charlotte Amateur Astronomers Club, also served as CAAC Observatory Director for 7 years during the major expansion of the Gayle H Riggsbee Observatory (GHRO). He has served as Interim Executive Director of Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI). He presently is Consultant for Special Projects at PARI with the main focus on acquiring Dark Sky Park Designation for PARI from the International Dark Sky Association. He arrived in the Charlotte area in 2001 as a Sales Engineer for Enprotech Technologies (Forging and Stamping Press rebuilding) covering the Southeast USA and Mexico. He has served on numerous national and international non-profit boards. Ken and his wife Deb have been active in the CAAC since their arrival in the Charlotte area. From the President Also this Friday evening, Tim DeLisle, from the Learning Center at PARI (Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute), will be sharing information with us about PARI’s 2020 Summer Camping Astronomy and Science programs. This should be of special interest to parents and grandparents of school-age young people who are interested in Astronomy. Ken Steiner President [email protected] CAAC Treasurer's Report as of 08/31/2019 Part 1 of 2 Operating Fund Purpose: Enable the CAAC to pursue our non-profit goals, maintain our facilities, and run our programs: Funds are acquired through ongoing receipts of dues, fees, and annual net Southern Star income (or expense). Funds are expended to meet operating obligations of the club. 1 Operating Fund Balance: 07/31//2019 9418.89 Income 2 Dues & Fees 45.00 Expenses GHRO Utilities 298.08 Fees for Credit Card Service 1.48 Meeting Expense 332.46 Administrative 0.00 GHRO Insurance Southern Star Miscellaneous 0.00 Sproles Equipment 10in Repair 0.00 0.00 4 Operating Fund Balance: 08/31/2019 8860.87 Part 2 of 2 Non-Operating Funds Purpose: Administer gifts and donations for designated use. 1 Balance 07/31/2019: Non-Operating Funds Scholarship Fund 3989.36 Contingency Fund 28,038.32 Long-Term Fund 7247.86 2 Income Donation: Microsoft, BofA, Other 3000.00 Interest 1.02 Expenses or Transfers 3 Balance 8/31/2019: Non-Operating Funds Scholarship Fund 3989.36 Contingency Fund 28,039.34 Long-Term Fund 10,247.86 Endowment Fund Balance $1240.06 Note; Correction to the opening balance of the Operating Funds last month to this. The amount of $1526.40 for GHRO Insurance was reported last month, but not subtracted from the total. The beginning balance of $9418.89 reflects this correction. Sorry. Benton Kesler CAAC Treasurer From the CAAC Scholarship Committee Greetings all CAAC Members. The time has come once again for applying for the CAAC scholarship award. Please see the attached guidelines for applying (email or at the end of this newsletter). Completed applications are due by Oct. 31, 2019. CAAC Scholarship Guidelines Available to: College undergraduates (second semester freshman through first semester seniors) in a 4-year college or university in the USA. High school graduates who are CAAC members or children of CAAC members and are currently accepted for a subsequent term in a 4 year college or university in the USA. Guidelines: Students majoring in physics or astronomy Extra-curricular activities/campus involvement/ community considered Applicant to provide a short paragraph describing her/his current and future plans of study in physics or astronomy Winners of scholarship to make a short presentation related to their field of study at a CAAC meeting Preference to applicants who are residents of the geographic or service area of the Charlotte Amateur Astronomers Club (Mecklenburg and adjacent counties). Amount of award to be determined based on available funds Funding source to be auction of donated astronomy equipment or means to be determined by the CAAC Board of Directors Scholarship committee to make recommendation of candidates to the CAAC Board of Directors for final decision on successful applicants and amount of award. Applications can be e-mailed to Tom Blevins @ [email protected], turned in at the October meeting or mailed to: Tom Blevins 6631 Rollingridge Dr. Charlotte, NC 28211 Award will be announced in November. News from GHRO 1. The October Star Party at GHRO will be October 26st, COSMIC CAMPOREE!! There’s a new moon. The next telescope training is October 5 beginning at 5 PM. 2. Cosmic Camporee is upon us and we’re looking forward to a great turnout and fun times for all. This year we will have burgers, hot dogs and drinks provided by the club, all side dishes and desserts will be pot luck for Saturday evening dinner. I’ll have a sign up sheet with suggestions at the meeting on September 20. Model rockets, an unguided hike at 40 Acre Rock and great comradery will be the itinerary for the weekend. I encourage all to come down for the entire weekend, Sunday breakfast will be provided to all that care to stay. Remember that the RV sites are first come-first served. 3. Finally, there are an increasing number of request for private observing pads and private observatories at GHRO and the space available is inadequate without modification to the grounds. The proposal below hopes to address these needs. The CAAC executive committee met at GHRO on July 27 and walked the property and discussed the proposed changes in the land use at GHRO, this proposal is a result of that meeting and subsequent discussion. The proposal is being brought to the membership for review and comment. GHRO Expansion Proposal 1) Install a gate between the parking lot and the driveway through the middle if the property. Access to the road will still be available, but it is proposed that the gate would be closed by default. 2) The trees (show surrounded by the RED line) would be removed to allow better access to the western sky when viewing from the south end of the property. 4) Installation of a second all members pad, site TBD. 5) New parking be installed across the road, approximately where shown. 6) Tent camping sites be finished in the woods in the NE corner of the property. 7) Possible fencing along the road as a light barrier. 8) A second storage container is already in the works and will be installed near the Outreach Center. GHRO Information (see http://1drv.ms/1m2wPUn) GHRO is located at 1427 Bloomwood Drive, Lancaster, SC. (some GPS show city as Pageland). Gravel road leading to the observatory is located 5.22 miles east of the "522 Grill" on Taxahaw, Rd. Facebook FAQ https://www.facebook.com/CharlotteAstronomers/ scroll down to NOTES, then Frequently Asked Questions page for more information about GHRO. Be sure to share your astronomy photos and observing tips. Night Sky Network -- "Heading to GHRO" For updates on GHRO, be sure to join the https://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm "Heading to GHRO" message group. Jim Gaiser, Director GHRO. As always, we care about the safety and security of all visitors to our observing facility, the GHRO. To keep us all mindful for the need to keep alert while visiting the observatory, we provide the following reminder. Please share this with your family and any visitors who may join you at the observatory. *** WARNING *** This facility and adjoining area may contain uneven terrain, dangerous wildlife, low light conditions, and dangerous man-made obstacles. By using this facility, users assume the risk of personal injury, and loss or damage to personal property. All persons should use extreme caution at all times. Users of this facility agree to hold harmless the Charlotte Amateur Astronomers Club, its Directors, and its members for any and all injuries sustained while participating in club activities or using this facility. Are you looking for something to discover in the night sky? Try these with a modest size telescope, with some patience and persistence! Or come down to the GHRO and get a really fine look! This month, a summer flower, a bubble, and something magical – and all discovered by the extraordinary astronomer team, William and Caroline Herschel. Cassiopeia Cepheus NGC 7789 is an open cluster in Cassiopeia that was discovered by Caroline Herschel in 1783. Her brother William Herschel included it in his catalog as H VI.30. This cluster is also known as "The White Rose" Cluster or "Caroline's Rose" Cluster because when seen visually, the loops of stars and dark lanes look like the swirling pattern of rose petals as seen from above.