OBSERVATORY NEWS August 2014 Published by the Friends of the Observatory (FOTO) Volume 25 No. 8 513-321-5186 www.cincinnatiobservatory.org Bill Cartwright, editor Planning is well underway for COMING UP AT ScopeOut this September 13. This is a major public outreach event THE OBSERVATORY.... for COC. Dale Zoller and the ScopeOut Planning Committee have some great new ideas for this FOTOKids Aug 1 7p year’s event. Many FOTO Astronomy Friday Aug 1 8:30p volunteers are needed to make this Stargazing at Lincoln Ridge Aug 2 8:30p event a fun and educational Astronomy Thursday Aug 7 8:30p experience for everyone. If you Astronomy Friday Aug 8 8:30p would like to help, please contact SuperMoon Aug 9 7p Dale Zoller or come to the History Tours Aug 10 1-4p ScopeOut planning meeting (see *FOTO Member’s Meeting Aug 11 7:30p announcement later in this **Planetology Aug 12 7p newsletter). Astronomy Thursday Aug 14 8:30p There are also many Astronomy Friday Aug 15 8:30p THE WORD opportunities to participate in Late Night Date Night Aug 16 10:30p Sidewalk Astronomy this summer By Michelle Lierl Gainey and fall, while the weather is nice Astrophoto Workshop Aug 21 7p and people are out and about. Astronomy Thursday Aug 21 8:30p This is a great way to share your Stonelick Stargaze Aug 23 dusk Hello friends! I hope you are all enjoying the summer. The July 13 love of the night sky with people History Tours Aug 24 1-4p who might have never Member Movie Night Aug 25 7p FOTO picnic was held inside, due to bad weather; it was a very experienced it before. It is CMC Heritage Tour Aug 27 7p wonderful to see their eyes light pleasant event with lots of good Astronomy Thursday Aug 28 8:30p up when they look at the Moon or food and friendly conversation. Astronomy Friday Aug 29 8:30p planets through the telescope for We have some excellent cooks Cincinnati Famous Families Aug 30 7p the first time. You can either among our members! Stonelick Stargaze Aug 30 dusk bring a portable telescope, team up In addition to our regular with someone who brings a FOTO meeting at 7:30 PM on *Note the monthly FOTO Members telescope or you can do the talking August 11, Aashi has arranged a Meeting is usually 2nd Mondays - 7:30 pm at and crowd control. Please contact Movie Night at COC on August 25 the Observatory Dean Regas or Aaron Eiben if you (Monday), 7 to 9 pm. We will ** UC Communiversity would like to be part of a sidewalk have popcorn, snacks and drinks. astronomy team Save-The-Dates! See Aashi’s announcement later in Observe the Moon Night Sep 6 this newsletter for details. Aashi Lincoln Ridge Stargaze Sep 6 has also arranged for some fun Did You Know…. Ultimate Educators Expo Sep 10 and interesting field trips for Methane has been detected in the ScopeOut 2014 Sept 13 FOTO members over the next few atmosphere of a supposedly dead Great Outdoor Weekend Sept 27-28 months! planet…..Mars! 1 FOTO's August 2014 Meeting Welcome FOTO Planning Meeting By Dave McBride New & Renewing By Michelle Gainey The next FOTO Planning Meeting On August 11th at 7:30pm the Members! program committee will welcome is scheduled for Thursday, August back John Blasing giving us his 28, 6 pm at the Observatory. The new presentation on “The planning meetings are open to all Diffraction and Interference of FOTO members. We encourage Light.” Many of you may your participation in the remember some of John’s previous discussion of future FOTO topics including his demonstration activities. of the measurement of permittivity and permeability of free space in “Founders and Famous August of 2012. This presentation is an Families of Cincinnati” explanation and demonstration of two closely related phenomena, August 30th 7 pm diffraction and interference, which are exhibited by all electromagnetic radiation, and indeed by all propagating waves. Cheryl and Nicholas Ames The presentation opens with a few Jalaja Anantharaman brief historical remarks and an Paul Blasing introduction to Huygens' Principle James Boothe of Wave Propagation. Diffraction Mellanie Carney and interference are explained in Terra Clarke terms of Huygens principle, and Josh and Alison Cumby are then visualized with water Patricia and Robert Dawson waves using a ripple tank Carla Dreyer apparatus. Finally, diffraction and Louis and Mary Freese interference of light is Jane Garvey and John Lanier demonstrated on an optical bench Barbara Gloeckner apparatus, using a helium-neon Joy and Robert Gorham laser as a light source. Nancy and Tom Hamant Founders and Famous Families of On September 8th our program Scott and Andrea Heile Cincinnati brings to life the will feature Jeff Hutton with his Jennifer Herchline founding families’ histories, topic “More than a Telescope.” Stephen Hill Jeff will tell us the story of how his Christy and Scott Holland sharing these intertwined and telescope was constructed around Barbara and Timothy Juenke fascinating tales with readers near one of Dick Wessling’s mirrors. Joel Klekamp and far. Many of those same Later, it would become a living Jennifer O’Donnell and Pat founding families made possible memorial to his 42 year friendship McDevitt the Cincinnati Observatory and with Dick. Kathleen and John Rorris many of Cincinnati’s other cultural Jerry Black will be the Matthew Schaefer treasures. presenter on October 13th. Jerry is Jack and Lynn Schiff There will be a lecture by the current Chair of the Ohio Margo Smith-Joseph Wendy Hart Beckman, Q&A and Chapter of the Mars Society. He James L. Thompson the book-signing. The Observatory will be speaking about “The Stephen R. Wavra will be open following for tours. Search for Life on Mars and Maureen and Raymond Free, no reservations are needed. Beyond.” Whitehead 2 Dropping in on Astro Evenings at the FOTO Kids and Teens Turkmenistan's 'door to Observatory By Aashi Mital hell' – in pictures As explorers, we’ve investigated Thursdays, August 7, 14, 21, 28 and sought out answers to Fridays, August 1, 8, 15, 29 questions the universe holds dear, 8:30 pm-10 pm all in the name of science! This time around we’ll boldly venture A core program of the through a place that captivates the Observatory is our ongoing Astro hearts of many, a place that is Evenings which take place most familiar, but is still full of Thursdays and Fridays year- mysteries driving our curiosity- round. the Solar System. The evenings are all volunteer Prepare for a journey of a staffed and include a short lifetime (plus some!) at our next The origin of Turkmenistan's presentation on ever-changing and meeting being held on Friday, Darvaza Crater – nicknamed the fascinating topics followed by a August 1st at 7 p.m. in the Herget "door to hell" – is disputed, but the guided stargaze through the oldest Building. theory most widely accepted public telescope in the United Remember to dress for the involves a Soviet expedition to States (weather permitting). weather, bring water to keep explore for gas. Also included is plenty of time hydrated and don’t forget that A Turkmen geologist claims the for Q&A on any astro topic and a sunscreen. If you have any borehole was set alight in historical tour of the Observatory, questions, please email Aashi 1971 after fears it was emitting where you’ll not only see how the Mital at [email protected] or poisonous gases. It has now been old telescopes work, but also learn Aaron Eiben at burning for 40 years. about the role that Cincinnati has [email protected]. "We did find some bacteria played in the birth of astronomy in Until then, keep looking up! living at the bottom that are very Free for Observatory members! comfortable living in those high temperatures, and the most Astrophotography important thing was that they Museums and Historic Sites were not found in any of the Workshop surrounding soil outside of the of Greater Cincinnati Third Thursdays crater," he says. "Outside of our February through November solar system, there are planets that do resemble the conditions inside this pit, and [knowing that] can help us expand the number of places where we can confidently start looking for life outside of our By Craig Niemi solar system." http://www.theguardian.com/w MHS is comprised of over 30 orld/2014/jul/18/-sp-door-to- participating sites across Greater hell-turkmenistan-in-pictures Cincinnati. Each site offers a Next Session: Thursday, unique perspective on local history August 21 7:00-9:30 pm and culture through public Did You Know…. Free for Cincinnati Observatory programs, exhibits, lectures, and tours. members. Space is limited. A high jumper on Phobos could jump 513-321-5186. up to one mile high into orbit. www.historicgreatercincinnati.org 3 Late Night/Date Night Craig’s Corner At the Observatory By Craig Niemi, Executive Director By Craig Niemi Last month I asked you to mark This August and September are your calendar to observe a partial months that truly exemplify the Saturday August 16 solar eclipse on October 23, 2014. Observatory’s mission and 10:30 pm-12:00 am The eclipse will be at sunset so you programming. should be scouting out an In addition to our regular Astro Can’t sleep? Looking for a unique observing site with a very low Evenings, the SuperMoon public Saturday night out? Get a sneak south western horizon. The “open house” program on August preview of the next season’s planetarium program Stellarium, 9th will likely bring hundreds of planets and stars a month or two indicates that the Sun will set at an visitors young and old to ahead of everyone else.
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