the vol. 42 no. 7 Skyscraper July 2015 AMATEUR ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF RHODE ISLAND 47 PEEPTOAD ROAD NORTH SCITUATE, RHODE ISLAND 02857 WWW.THESKYSCRAPERS.ORG In This Issue: Saturday, July 18, 6:00pm 2 President’s Message at Seagrave Memorial Observatory 4 Saturn: The Original Skyscrapers Pluto Party and Cookout (Rain Lord of the Rings or Shine) 6 Rosetta Update 6:00pm: Cookout & Pot Luck 7 The Sun, Moon & Planets in July Members and friends are invited to attend an informal summer party featuring ham- burgers, hotdogs, and beverages. Participants are asked to contribute $5 per person (paid on that evening) and to bring something to share. Please RSVP to Kathy Siok ( kathys5@ 10 Fireflies & Northern cox.net) so that the right amount of food is purchased. Lights 7:30pm 12 Pluto in View Official Dedication of Skyscrapers Gazebo, built by Alex 16 Venus & Jupiter Bergemann. Conjunction My Eagle Scout Project at Seagrave Observatory by Alex Bergemann 18 Double Star in Scorpius Observing Globular Clusters in the Summer Sky by Steve Siok Xi (ξ) Scorpii (Σ1998) The Quest for Pluto by Dave Huestis 19 No Surprise! Earth’s Strongest Gravity Lies Atop The Highest The talks will be followed by viewing the latest Pluto images from NASA and live imag- Mountains es from Seagrave Observatory (weather permitting). Phases of the Moon Full Buck Moon July 2 02:20 Seagrave Last Quarter Moon Memorial July 8 20:24 Observatory New Moon July 16 01:24 Open Nights First Quarter Moon July 24 04:04 Saturday’s at 9:00 pm weather permitting Full Apollo Moon July 31 10:43 The Skyscraper July 2015 1 President’s Message by Bob Horton If you are a member of Skyscrapers you are obviously interested in astronomy. And most likely at one time or another you have traveled some distance to view the night sky from a location far from city lights. Over the years I have traveled with some of you to such remote locations as the Mo- jave Desert and the Sierra Nevada Moun- tains in California, Mesas in New Mexico, red rock country in Arizona, and closer to home, the White Mountains of New Hamp- shire and Stellafane in Vermont. From such places we get to enjoy a majestic view of the night sky unhindered by light pollution where the Milky Way glows brilliantly and stretches from horizon to horizon. I took the photo of the Milky Way from a truly dark location on White Mountain in California 13 years ago. Places like this are becoming fewer and a more remote. When I first started stargazing over 40 years ago such views of the sky could be had locally. Back then the Milky Way was quite prominent as seen from Seagrave Observa- tory. From the western part of RI, where I spent my childhood, the skies were truly magnificent. Over time more and more of our skies have become awash in light pollution. The dimming of the stars was gradual of course, and as our local skies became more light The Skyscraper is published President Public Outreach Coordinator monthly by Skyscrapers, Inc. Bob Horton [email protected] Francine Jackson [email protected] Meetings are held monthly, usually on the first or second 1st Vice President Public Relations Spokesperson Friday or Saturday of the month. Steve Siok [email protected] Francine Jackson [email protected] Seagrave Memorial Observatory is open every Saturday night, 2nd Vice President Observatory Committee Chairperson weather permitting. Kathy Siok [email protected] Jim Crawford [email protected] Directions Secretary Membership Activities Coordinator Directions to Seagrave Memorial Observatory are Tina Huestis [email protected] Pat Landers [email protected] located on the back page of this newsletter. Submissions Treasurer Librarian Submissions to The Skyscraper are always welcome. Ed Haskell [email protected] Alex Bergemann [email protected] Please submit items for the newsletter no later than June 19 to Jim Hendrickson, 1 Sunflower Circle, Members at Large Historian North Providence, RI 02911 or e-mail to jim@ Ian Dell’Antonio [email protected] Dave Huestis [email protected] distantgalaxy.com. Tracy Prell [email protected] Archivist E-mail subscriptions To receive The Skyscraper by e-mail, send e-mail Trustees Jim Crawford [email protected] with your name and address to jim@distantgalaxy. Jim Crawford [email protected] Editor com. Note that you will no longer receive the news- Tom Thibault [email protected] Jim Hendrickson [email protected] letter by postal mail. Matt Ouellette [email protected] 2 The Skyscraper July 2015 polluted, many of us started to travel fur- tronomers involved in this effort. be limited to only the most remote places of ther away from home to enjoy our view of One approach often taken is to stress our world. the universe. that better lighting fixtures require less en- How would you feel if your children or Check out the satellite image of the ergy, which in turn saves money. Saving grandchildren could never see the night sky Earth at night. The remaining dark areas money always sounds good, right? This is as you have seen it, and as how our ances- unhindered by light pollution are begin- also better environmentally because these tors saw it? Our little world exists within a ning to look more and more like oases on savings also mean burning less fossil fuel. grand universe, and the sight of its beauty, a planet awash in artificial lighting. It does One should also consider the impact arti- which has inspired humanity and provoked make me wonder just how few people have ficial lighting has on wildlife and human profound thinking since civilization began, actually seen a truly beautiful night sky. health. These economic and environmen- should not be denied to future generations. In an effort to explore what I can do tal arguments for better lighting are some- That certainly motivates me to be more to help preserve our dark skies, I recently thing policy makers and voters will listen involved! joined the International Dark Sky Associ- to. These are good, logical facts to present ation (IDA), an organization that works to in hopes of persuading policy makers and reduce light pollution. I encourage all of voters alike to make beneficial changes con- you to consider joining, too. cerning outdoor lighting. The IDA works to reduce artificial light- However, in addition to presenting log- ing by influencing policy makers and ed- ical arguments, we need to consider our ucating people to use proper lighting that emotional reasons - one might even say a will reduce light pollution. They have had spiritual need we have as humans. Consider success doing this, but IDA would definite- what could happen if we do nothing? Very ly benefit from having more amateur as- soon magnificent views of the night sky will The Skyscraper July 2015 3 Steve Hubbard captured this image of Saturn under poor seeing conditions with a 6 inch f/10 Jaegers refractor and a ZWO color imager. The image is the result of a 50 second AVI processed with AS!2 and Registax, and cleaned up with GIMP. will provide adequate views of Saturn and his rings. All you need to know is where to find Saturn in the sky. And this task is very simple in 2015. Saturn currently resides in the constel- lation of Libra, the scales. Libra is not very distinct, but it is above and to the right of Scorpius, the scorpion. (See the accompa- nying sky chart.) Saturn sits just above the head of the scorpion. From now until it dis- appears completely from view in October, Saturn will be the brightest object in this region of the sky, except when the Moon passes nearby once each month. There is nothing that can compare with the experience of viewing and exploring this magnificent ringed-world. When chil- dren observe Saturn for the first time they often comment, “It looks like a sticker.” With so many overcast nights marring our observing sessions, I wish I could get away with posting a sticker or hanging a plane- Saturn: The Original tary mobile to satisfy their scientific curi- osity. To prepare you for such an evening of discovery, please read the following details Lord of the Rings on what to expect to observe once the plan- by Dave Huestis et is focused on your eye. Saturn was at opposition (opposite the If you have any rudimentary knowl- ful rings, suspended around it … No previ- Sun in our sky) and closest to the Earth on edge about astronomy, anytime someone ous inspection of pictures of these rings can May 22 at approximately 11:00 p.m. EDT lo- mentions the planet Saturn the image that rob them of their effect upon the eye and cal time. It was still a distant 835,500,000 immediately pops into your head is a plan- the mind. They are overwhelming in their miles away. When this column is published et with an extensive system of rings. This inimitable singularity, and leave every spec- at the beginning of July, the Earth will have sixth planet from the Sun is magnificent to tator truly amazed.” pulled out ahead of Saturn in our respective observe with any size optical instruments. Nothing can entice a crowd of casu- orbits and will be 853,750,000 plus miles Why? Saturn’s exquisite ring system is a al stargazers to an observatory more than away. Though this difference in distance marvelous spectacle to behold. the announcement that Saturn will be the may seem large, only careful measurements Richard Proctor (1837-1888), a famous focus of attention.