MountMount DiabloDiablo AstronomicalAstronomical SocietySociety DiabloDiablo MoonWatchMoonWatch January 2013 GENERAL MEETING ON Tuesday January 22, 2013 NEW LOCATIO The Sutter's Mill Meteorite Fall Doors open at 6:45 p.m. By Dr. Peter Jenniskens Lindsay Wildlife Museum 1931 First Avenue, Walnut Creek, CA 94597 On April 22, 2012, a 3 meter the area and are sized asteroid crashed in of a rare carbona- Dr. Peter Jenniskens is a ceous chondrite Earth's atmosphere over the Research Scientist with the Carl type. Meteor Sagan Center at the SETI Institute Sierra Nevada mountains in astronomer Peter and works on mission projects at California. Jenniskens was NASA/Ames Research Center in one of the first on Moffett Field, California, and on The meteor fell near the scene, and research topics that relate to Sutter's Mill, the site of the will describe interstellar and interplanetary gold discovery that set off what to look for, matter. the California Gold Rush. how to search and what has been Meteorites are still being found in found so far. Jenniskens is an expert on (Continued on page 4 ) Einstein’s Telescope by Nathaneil Bates A couple of years ago, I was advance our understanding of the ic.The truth is that the mystery privileged to see the telescope Big Bang and Cosmology. I proba- of biology eludes me. owned by Albert Einstein at the bly will never know, but I can Schrödinger may think that he Chabot Space and Science Center. imagine. can uncover the mystery of life using Quantum Physics, and he I am at a loss as to what went I am a Physicist, not an may be right. But, as much as I through the mind of someone Astronomer.A lot of the public have faith that the Universe is who was a theoretical physicist thinks that because my efforts ultimately understandable, the and not an Astronomer, and yet uncovered Relativity that I am faith of a scientist; I have more whose theories did so much to an expert on all matters scientif- (Continued on page 5 ) P Virtual Star Parties--Bringing Live Astronomy to the World by Stuart Forman U What is a star party? In the last 2 years internet technology has bought a sea of change in how information is S shared. A year ago Fraser Cain of Astronomy Cast asked the question, “What if we can bring star parties to the ’ T whole world?” He recruited astronomers from all over the globe to stream their telescope feeds online via Google A H Plus Hangouts, and has had professional astronomers such as Pamela Gay and Phil Plait to comment, moderate, and teach. Every Sunday we have hundreds of viewers and during the Venus transit we had over two thousand. W 1 MountMount DiabloDiablo AstronomicalAstronomical SocietySociety DiabloDiablo MoonWatchMoonWatch January 2013 Patrick Moore (1923 - 2012) CORNER by Chris Ford On December 9th the (Being lucky enough to have straightening out his tie.That did S ’ well known British indulgent parents who let me stay not last 5 minutes, and his distinc- up late to see it!) It is probably tive accent and disheveled looks T popularizer of astron- hard to over estimate the influ- probably made him even more ence he had, not only on myself appealing for a non-specialist N omy Patrick (Caldwell) Moore but on many scientists across the audience.Where astronomy was E globe who credit Moore and his concerned though, he was passed away at the books and programs for inspiring immensely learned, passionate D age of 89 and this them to pursue their careers. For about sharing the joy of the sub- I month I think it is fit- example "the first book on the ject with everyone, and for a long S ting to pay a short cosmos I ever read was writ- E tribute to his influ- ten by Sir ence both direct and Patrick Moore. R indirect, in both ama- May he rest in peace, some- P teur and indeed pro- where in the fessional astronomy. universe," said He was certainly the single most the well known important influence in establish- astronomer Neil deGrasse ing this authors interest in Tyson, Director astronomy from childhood of the onwards. American Museum of Natural History's time from the 1950's onwards, Patrick Moore was also fairly Hayden Planetarium on hearing of one of the very few popular writ- well known to amateur Moore's passing. ers on the subject, and as such he astronomers here in the USA and had an international reach. in his later years had become I suspect that many members almost a living brand, his name of our society have encountered There are many testimonials that associated with the Caldwell cata- something written by Patrick can be found on the web so I logue, over 70 books published Moore, and he surely left an either by him or with his impri- indelible mark on the world of won't repeat them here, only that matur, and an astronomy maga- amateur astronomy.Though some- entirely self-taught Patrick Moore zine named after his long running times referred to as the "British was regarded in the world of BBC Sky at Night television series. Carl Sagan" as an astronomy popu- astronomy as not merely a gifted This program began airing in larizer, it is hard to think of a per- 1957 and is the longest-running sonality more different. In many amateur but where the subject of television show of all time of ways he was a classic English the Moon was concerned at one which he presented every single eccentric that made him a very time he was one of the world's well known and idiosyncratic episode bar one. Usually con- leading experts. signed to the graveyard slot of character in his home country. 1.00 am in the morning, the Sky The BBC once famously attempt- He could talk like a machine at Night more than anything else ed midway through his 55 year gun at 300 words a minute (and motivated my astronomy interest run of The Sky at Night to tidy type at 89 words a minute on the as a child growing up in the UK. him up, putting him in proper fit- 1908 typewriter that he punched ting suits, combing his hair, and 2 MountMount DiabloDiablo AstronomicalAstronomical SocietySociety DiabloDiablo MoonWatchMoonWatch January 2013 Patrick Moore (1923-2012) (Continued from the previous page) all his books out on) and he will tance of Patrick's house in East ing in a kindly old uncle kind of no doubt be remembered for his Grinstead, I benefited from his way, and many who spent time monocled professor looks pro- encouragement and generosity of with him have described him as a moting a subject that is marginal time and, indeed, from his intro- courteous gentleman who replied to many. Over his half-century on duction to those who were later to every letter, kept his address the air, he met and interviewed to become my teachers and men- and telephone number in the almost everyone of consequence tors.And I still value the inscribed public domain so that interested in astronomy and space technolo- books he gave me during those people could contact him, and gy, including Werner von Braun, years.The scope of his books according to Queen guitarist (and Jocelyn Bell Burnell who discov- went well beyond introductory astro-physicist) Brian May, spent ered pulsars, Einstein, and and popular texts – his early lunar almost all of his money on help- Armstrong and plane- ing other people. Simply if it had and Aldrin. tary publi- not been for Patrick Moore I His reputa- cations would not be interested in astron- tion crossed were well- omy or writing this tribute. the Iron rounded Curtain reviews So wherever you are now in the when he that includ- Universe, thank you, and clear was invited ed much skies Patrick Moore! to the USSR from the to meet Yuri profession- Chris Ford Gagarin, and al litera- he was the ture. Some first books, such Westerner as the one to see the results from the Soviet on Neptune (1989), were useful Luna 3 probe which mapped the contributions to the history of Moon’s far side in 1959. He even astronomy. Patrick's eccentric met Orville Wright. I think this presence and encyclopedic testimonial from Brian Warner the knowledge, as a radio voice and emeritus professor of astronomy, TV personality present at many of University of Cape Town, is partic- the significant astronomical and ularly appropriate: space related events over more than half a century, steadily main- "There are many individuals in tained public interest in the sub- successive generations of profes- ject and helped encourage the sional astronomers who owe a large increase in entrants to uni- versity astronomy courses. Other great deal to the books and per- sciences should have been so sonal support of Patrick Moore. lucky." He introduced children of all I only met him once at a book ages to astronomy, and some of signing at Foyles bookshop in them became prominent profes- London where my overriding sionals in astrophysics and plane- impressions was that he was big- tary sciences. Having, as a school- ger in real life than on the small boy, lived within bicycling dis- screen. I found him quite charm- 3 MountMount DiabloDiablo AstronomicalAstronomical SocietySociety DiabloDiablo MoonWatchMoonWatch January 2013 Scopes Are Needed! Upcoming Mount Diablo Astronomical Society Events: Many events are scheduled, we'll see what the weather brings, check your calendars and signup where you can,Thanks! Wednesday, January 16, 2013—7:00 p.m.- 8:00 p.m.