SOUTHEASTERN IOWA ASTRONOMY CLUB THE SIDEREAL TIMES OCTOBER 2013 A M EMBER SOCIETY OF THE ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE CLUB OFFICERS : MINUTES SEPTEMBER 20, 2013 President Jim Hilkin called the meeting to is meeting night. Jim Hilkin gave an up- Executive Committee order with the following members in attend- date on the following maintenance President Jim Hilkin items: some additional dirt was added to Vice President Libby Snipes ance: Judy Smithson, Libby Snipes, Jim Treasurer Vicki Philabaum Wilt, Ray Reineke, Duane Gerling, Claus the east end of the berm to help block Secretary David Philabaum Benninghoven, Dave Philabaum, John Ton- headlights from cars coming from the Chief Observer David Philabaum ey, and Paul Sly. Vicki Philabaum conduct- beach and area E; the viburnum bushes Members-at-Large Claus Benninghoven ed a tour of the facility for a group from on the north side of the classroom were Duane Gerling Great River Christian School during the removed as they were getting too big for Blake Stumpf meeting. Libby moved to approve the the space; Jim has installed cabinet Board of Directors minutes as published, seconded by Jim Wilt, doors and created a storage area in the Chair Judy Hilkin motion passed. Jim Hilkin read the Treasur- Stone-Kelly dome; the new doors for Vice Chair Ray Reineke er's report from Vicki. Checks were written the Prugh-Carver Observatory are in, Secretary David Philabaum for the phone bill and to Ray for the new but there has been no word from SCC Members-at-Large David Martin about painting them so Barngrover's will Blake Stumpf motor for the Fecker telescope. The club Jim Wilt balance is $1,872.82 and the grant balance is deliver them to the observatory; Ray's Audit Committee $1,426.97 for a total of $3,299.79 in the images that he took of Pluto and other objects will be put in a rack on the west Karen Johnson (2011) checking account. Jim Wilt moved to ap- Dean Moberg (2012) prove the Treasurer's report, seconded by wall of the classroom. Jim said he plans JT Stumpf (2013) Ray, motion passed. Dave Philabaum an- to invite Dr. Steven Spangle of the Uni- nounced that a group from AEA 16 will be versity of Iowa to come sometime this at the observatory on November 15 th , which fall and view comet ISON, Jim will ask if INSIDE THIS ISSUE : (continued on page 2) Minutes (cont.) 2 UPCOMING DATES Treasurer’s Report 2 ~ The next meeting will November 15 at 7:00 pm Observer’s Report 3 be Friday, October 18, at at Witte Observatory Ottewell Calendars 4 the Witte Observatory at ~ Extended days for pub- 7 pm. Looking Back 5 lic viewing and youth ~ ~ Deadline for the No- November 1 & 2 Space Place Info 5 vember newsletter is Calendar 6 Wednesday, November 6, 2013 Sky Maps 7 - 8 ~ November meeting on PAGE 2 THE SIDEREAL TIMES MINUTES (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1) he could give a talk sometime in the spring. We plan to only the Ealing telescope not tracking correctly. No one reported advertise the first Friday nights in the newspaper since the having any problems with the tracking. With no further busi- meeting nights coincide with the full Moon. Jim reported ness to discuss Ray moved to adjourn, John seconded, and the that Karen Johnson has received several items from NASA's meeting adjourned at 7:40 pm. Space Place to be used as handouts. Jim asked that anyone interested in becoming a telescope operator to let him know. Respectfully submitted, Dave gave the Observer’s report. Jim presented a list of up- Dave Philabaum, Secretary coming events for the club and pubic nights at the Observa- tory Complex. Claus asked if anyone has had trouble with TREASURER ’S REPORT SIAC Treasurer's Report September 2013 9/1/2013 Beginning Balance $3,392.03 Deposits 9/20/2013 Membership, Donations $60.00 Total Deposits $60.00 Expenses Check # Payee 9/18/2013 432 MTC Technologies $30.21 9/20/2013 433 Ray Reineke $122.03 Total Expenses $152.24 9/30/2013 Ending Balance $3,299.79 General Fund $1,872.82 Grants (1549-122.03) $1,426.97 Total in Checking Account $3,299.79 OCTOBER 2013 PAGE 3 OBSERVER ’S REPORT FOR OCTOBER ~ N OVEMBER BY DAVE PHILABAUM Note: All times are given in this report using a 24 ter's cloud tops. Mars is in Leo less than 2° east of Reg- hour clock ulus in mid October when it rises just before 03:00 CDT. By mid November the red planet is almost 20° Mercury is very low in the west just a few degrees farther east, below the back end of Leo. On the morning above the horizon. It will reach inferior conjunction with of October 29 th Mars, Regulus, and the waning crescent the Sun on November 1 st and pass into the morning sky moon roughly form an equilateral triangle. The Moon is where it will begin to be visible a little over a week later. third quarter on October 26 th at 18:40 CDT. New Moon It's greatest elongation east of the Sun occurs on Novem- is on November 3 rd at 6:50 CST. There is a total solar ber 18 th when it will be 19° west of the Sun and rises eclipse from the middle of the Atlantic ocean to central over two hours before the Sun. This is the best morning Africa. This is a hybrid annular-total eclipse. The eclipse apparition for Mercury this year. Saturn is visible very begins as an annular one lasting only 15 seconds and then low in the west during the last part of October although becomes total for the rest of the eclipse path. Along the binoculars will be needed. It is in conjunction with the east cost of the United States, a very small partial eclipse Sun on November 6 th and won't be visible to the naked will be visible at sunrise. First quarter eye until late November. Venus is still occurs on November 9 th at 23:57 CST low in the west as it has been for the last and the Moon is full on November 17 th several months, but as it catches up to at 9:16 CST. On October 22 nd a couple the Earth, the view is beginning to of hours before sunrise the Moon, just change more rapidly. It goes from a gib- past full, lies between the horns of Tau- bous phase to a crescent, and the size rus in the Hyades cluster. Recent re- grows from 22" in mid October to 37" in ports show that comet ISON (C/2012 mid November. Venus reaches greatest S1) is about magnitude 11 as of the first elongation east of the Sun on October part of October, still fainter than it was 31 st when it will be 47° east of the Sun predicted to be. The comet is located and appears half lit. It is so low because about 1° north of Mars near the middle of the angle of the ecliptic and the fact that it reaches its of October, but is moving to the east past Mars, and by greatest southern declination in decades on November the middle of November it is 33° east of Mars and just 6th . Pluto , in Sagittarius, is low in the southwest as the 1.5° from Spica. On the morning of November 7 th it is sky becomes fully dark in mid October and is only half as less than 0.5° from Beta Virginis. The peak of the Ori- high by mid November. Neptune is in Aquarius less onid meteor shower is October 21 st , but this is a very than two degrees from 5.4 magnitude 38 Aquarii. It is unfavorable year because the Moon is three days past full. highest shortly after the sky becomes fully dark. Uranus This is a good year for the Northern Taurids which is in Pisces near the border with Cetus and rises about peak on November 12 th and are associated with debris two hours after Neptune. Jupiter, in Gemini, rises from Halley's comet. This minor shower has a rate of around 23:30 CDT in mid October and almost two about 5 meteors per hour. This is a very unfavorable hours earlier by mid November. On October 19 th begin- year for the Leonids with full Moon occurring on No- ning at 1:25 CDT a double-shadow transit begins with vember 17 th , the peak of the shower. Daylight Savings the shadow of Europa and Io visible on the disk of the Time ends at 2:00am on November 3 rd so remember to planet following just behind the Great Red Spot which is fall back an hour. This is good news for those observers centered on the disk around 2:25 CDT. Another double- who do most of their viewing in the evening but not so shadow transit occurs on October 26 th beginning at 3:37 good for those observing Jupiter or looking for comet CDT when the shadows of Io and Europa again are visible ISON in the morning sky. on the disk of Jupiter. The Great Red Spot is centered on the disk at 3:11 CDT just before the shadows reach Jupi- PAGE 4 THE SIDEREAL TIMES ASTRONOMICAL CALENDAR 2014 & COMPANION The Astronomical Calendar “keeps improving” (as readers have said) and for 2014 it has taken a leap. There are extra pages, an even richer array of illustrations and fea- tures, and an even friendlier narrative style.