O R I Z O LA SOCIÉTÉ ROYALE D’ASTRONOMIE DU CANADA New Brunswick Centre H THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA N Mar/Apr 2011 IN THIS ISSUE Meeting Reports! Focus on Kouchibouguac Summer Stargaze EVENT HORIZON Astronomy in New Brunswick SRAC/RASC Centre du NB Centre RASC NB Local Unit Réunion / Meetings Réunion / Meetings Inside this issue : ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Event Horizon (Upcoming Events) March Astronomy Meeting William Brydone-Jack Unit Cover photo details (Fredericton) 3. Presidents Report When: March 19, 2011 1:00pm A local group of members meet in Freder- 4. September 2010 Meeting Report icton monthly for meetings and observing. 5. October 2010 Meeting Report Where: Saint John ,UNB SJ 6. “Focus On” Guy Arnold Ganong Hall When: March 8, 2011 at 7:00pm 7. Library Books Listing Room 115 April 12, 2011 at 7:00pm “As Heard” on the RASC Email List 8. Meteorites on Earth - Clue in the So- April Astronomy Meeting Where: Fredericton, UNB Campus lar System 2 Bailey Drive, Room 203 9. Editors Report When: April 16, 2011 1:00pm November 2010 Meeting Report www.frederictonastronomy.ca 11. Kouchibouguac Summer Stargaze Where: UNB Fredericton --------------------------------------------------- Details Forestry and Geology Building 12. Observer’s Score Card 2 Bailey Drive Saint John Astronomy Club Centre Contact Information Room 203 Meetings consist of talks on constella- Cover Photo Summer Events to Note! tions, the solar system and other astro- nomical topics, as well as Show & Tell, By Tim Doucette Kouchibouguac Summer Stargaze observing reports and Ask the Astronomer. NGC 2903 taken on March When: May 20-22 13,2010. Taken with a C9.25 and Where: See details on page 11. When: March 5, 2010 at 2:15pm April 2, 2010 at 2:15pm QHY8 camera. Total exposure April 28, 2010 at 2:15pm 60min. NGC 2903 is well placed in More events to come! See the next issue the spring sky for observing and is Where: SJ Free Public Library at Market of Horizon as events are yet to be con- often overlooked. firmed. Square ——————————————————————————————————————–———————————————–———–———————————————————-- SRAC New Brunswick RASC — Volume 12, Number 2— Page 2 Horizon: instruire, informer et inspirer PRESIDENTS REPORT Badges or weekend outings. The badge Astronomy Day 2011 is May 7. by Curt Nason criteria for Cubs and Guides are listed on This is usually a time when we showcase the RASC Web sire ( www.rasc.ca ) under our hobby in city markets and malls, and Spring is a busy season for public Education -> Other Resources. The astron- take advantage of clear skies whenever outreach, a chance to share our knowledge omy curricula for schools in the various possible to provide solar observing by day and love of the night sky. Schools are par- provinces are also available at that and planetary after sunset. Astronomy Day ticularly interested in having guest speak- site. Covering some or all of the badge cri- is always scheduled near the First Quarter ers for topics in which the teachers have teria during a meeting, then supplementing Moon. Some amateur astronomers tend to little experience. Astronomy and space are it with an observing session at the end of ignore the Moon, but it always gets the relatively new additions to the curricula the meeting, is a great way to get them in- loudest Wows at public observing ses- for Grades 6 and 9. The teachers can fol- spired to complete their badge require- sions. Saturn will also be well placed for low what is provided in the books, ments. evening observing this year. Don't limit but most do not have the practical experi- yourself to Astronomy Day, set up your ence of "having been there" that we have Earth Hour has become another scope on any clear evening during Astron- as amateur astronomers. We can commu- venue for astronomy outreach and for edu- omy Week, which runs May 2 -8. nicate what Saturn and the Moon really cating people on light pollution issues. If look like through a telescope. Better yet, you do public observing in an area that In addition to the information on the after whetting their appetites in a class- will have the lights turned off from 20:30 RASC Website, other materials are avail- room, we can coax the teachers into ar- to 21:30, people will see for themselves able to enhance our public outreach ef- ranging an observing session, either day- how many more stars are visible with the forts. The Centre has a recently replen- time for solar or during an evening. Do lights out. Showing them the treasures of ished supply of Star Finders, in English or you know any teachers for Grades 6 and the night sky, either naked eye or through French, and we still have a supply of as- 9? Ask them if they would like to have a a telescope, will get them thinking about tronomy cards from IYA 2009. Some of us guest speaker on astronomy. If you aren't how they manage lighting in their own ar- have PowerPoint presentations for school comfortable in providing the service, con- eas. It won't hurt to do a little research and Scouting programs that we are willing tact a fellow RASCal in your area or one first, so check out the Light Pollution sec- to share. If you have a need for any of of the Centre Council members on the last tion of the RASC Web site. This year, these, please contact me. page of this newsletter. Earth Hour is on March 26, and events are planned in Fredericton, Moncton and St. If you do a public outreach event, The various Scouting troops are an- Andrews. It is not too late to organize a please take the time to record this on the other group who are often seek- presentation or observing session, or just RASC Web site, via the link on the lower ing assistance with the astronomy section set up a telescope in a public area as twi- left corner of the Home page. The form of their programs. Brownies, Guides, Bea- light fades. will ask for your name and Centre, the ver, Cubs and the rest have Space type of event, date and location, the num- ——————————————————————————————————————–———————————————–———–———————————————————-- SRAC New Brunswick RASC — Volume 12, Number 2— Page 3 Horizon: instruire, informer et inspirer ber of participants and volunteers, and part of a “Beyond IYA” project. Septem- “RASC butter tarts” (Emma, Mandy and how many Star Finders were used. If we ber 23 is the Harvest Moon and October 7 June) with a friend from Ontario at the run short of Star Finders, we can continue is the new moon. Two days after the first GA. Jackie showed 2 scopes for sale. Paul to receive them for the cost of shipping if quarter moon is the best time to see showed some of his photos of lightening, we show they are being used for outreach Clavius Crater on the moon – it is 225 km 22&1/2 ° halo around the Sun, with Kath- through this reporting method. If you do wide and 3.5 km deep. Venus is low in the ryn his daughter as the photographic assis- not feel comfortable making a report, send west and will be at its greatest brilliance tant - letting Paul use her head to block the information to Don Kelly, Education September 23 but be gone by October 29. the Sun’s light to get a better picture. He Committee Chair, or to me. And please Mars and Saturn will be gone in a few also showed a few pictures of Mt. Carle- send the details of your event to Don so months and September 30 respectively. ton observing weekend, including one that he can include it in the next issue of Jupiter will be at opposition September 21 with the premier Shawn Graham, who Horizon. and almost as big as it gets - nearly 50 arc happened to be up there and said he had a seconds –September 21, the best since telescope himself, although he didn’t get Public outreach is an important goal 1963. The Red Spot seems easier to see to use it much. Paul also had some pic- of the RASC. You will find the enthusiasm without the southern belt. You can do a tures of a trip to N.S. with his family. of others seeing the Moon or a planet for search for Comet 103P/Hartley, mag 11.6- Beautiful vistas and dark skies – he had a the first time through your telescope is in- 8.5 at it’s best. beautiful photo of the Milky Way. He fectious, and once you catch the bug it is showed a video of a rocket launch from difficult to stop. As you inspire them, they For observing reports Ted said he Petersville, where the biggest rocket to will inspire you. This is where the future observed comet Hartley and used a comet ever participate took flight and had great members of our Centre will be found. filter, which worked well with this comet. video footage from the rocket itself. It really darkened the sky around it so he could pick it out more easily. Don saw an After the break, Mike Powell gave a MEETING REPORT Iridium flare around mag 4 under Polaris. presentation of how he built his roll-off- September 2010 by June MacDonald Jackie showed a video of Perseid meteor roof observatory in his backyard in Mil- Curt did a “What’s Up” for Septem- shower in China & an animation of the ledgeville, with lots of pictures of the con- ber, the Solar equinox is Sept.