JANUARY 2018

November 2019

November Meeting Details November Presentation

DATE: Tuesday, November 12th

MEETING TIME: 7:00 PM

PLACE: La Posada Recreation Center

MEETING SCHEDULE:

7:00 Meeting Intro and Welcome

7:10 Organizational Announcements

7:30 Featured Presentation

~8:15 Club Activities/Business

~8:30 Door Prizes Drawing?

~8:45 Outside Activities/Snack at

Denny’s

Join us after the meeting at the local Denny’s restaurant for a snack, dessert, or whatever so we can get to know each other better and talk more astronomy .

WHO: Amy Oliver, Public Affairs Officer,

Whipple Observatory

TITLE: MMTO: Big Discoveries in a Hurry

ABSTRACT: This presentation is about the

major discoveries that have been made using

the MMT telescope over the past couple of

months, including some new cosmological

constraints for supernovae, a potential new type

of supernova, and evidence of dark matter.

Next Member Star Parties

DATE: Thursday, November 21st

TIME: 5:15 PM Setup

PLACE: Canoa Preserve Park

DATE: Thursday, December 19th

TIME: 5:15 PM Setup

PLACE: Canoa Preserve Park

Please join our Yahoo Group site:

(http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/sas_club/)

To get directions and up-to-date infor-mation on the status of a star party in case a weather issue develops.

If you have a telescope that you don ’t

know how to use, or are looking to buy

a telescope and want to compare differ-

ent telescopes, join us at a star party

and we can give you some help.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

NEXT MEETING

DATE: December, 10th

TIME: 7:00 P.M.

SPEAKER: TBD

PRESIDENT’S NOTES

Greetings everyone,

I hope you have taken a peek at our new website. If not, please check it out and let us know what you think.

We finally had a great night at our club star party in October although we did not have much participation. John Bransky was there taking some wide-field images of the Milky Way. Joe Castor, Doug Nelson, and I were also in attendance. It got a little chilly by the time we left so if you are planning to come to any club star parties in the next few months, be sure you dress warmly.

Among the several public star parties we had scheduled in October, one was cancelled and another was memorable for good and bad reasons. The Rancho Sahuarita star party was cancelled by them. The star party held for Hermosa Montessori was located in the middle of nowhere at a fairly dark site near Colossal Cave. The kids were very appreciative and one even brought his own telescope and was using it to take some amazing images with his DSLR camera. Unfortunately getting in and out of that location was extremely difficult and I ended up getting scratches all the way down both sides of my car from the heavy vegetation along the narrow road in and out. I don’t know if I want to go back there again. Canoa Ranch had a huge public turn out. Arivaca Library had a good number of public attending. The big problem we had was a lack of participation on our part. We had no more than three telescopes at each of these events and with the large public turn out at Canoa Ranch plus the problem I had setting up my scope, there were very long lines. We need club member participation at these public events else we will have to discontinue them. PLEASE HELP.

John Dwyer, President SAS

PUBLIC STAR PARTIES

DATE: December 27th TIME: 5:30 PM Setup PLACE: Historic Canoa Ranch

CLUB EQUIPMENT FOR LOAN OUT

TELESCOPES:

2 - 8” Celestron Schmidt Cassegrain telescopes

1 – 4” Refractor telescope

1 – 1” Refractor telescope

Note: Instruction may be required for some telescopes. Contact one of the club officers for information and availability.

CLUB BOOK/CD/DVD LOAN LIBRARY

BOOKS:

The following books are available for check out:

1. Guide to the Stars (16”) by David H. Levy

2. The Next Step: Finding and Viewing Messier’s Objects by Ken Graun

3. Touring the Universe: A Practical Guide to Exploring the Cosmos through 2017 by Ken Graun (2 copies)

4. What’s Out Tonight? Celestial Almanac & Astronomy Field Guide 2000 to 2050 by Ken Graun (2 copies)

5. Sky Atlas 2000.0 Companion by Robert A. Strong (donated by Paul Anderson)

Please see the club treasurer or secretary for availability. Our thanks to Ken Graun for his generous donations. CDs/DVDs:

We have “Understanding the Universe: An Introduction to Astronomy”. This is a 16 DVD set of 96 lectures (30 min per lecture) by Dr Alex Filippenko of UC Berkeley and CalTech. This is a nontechnical introductory college-level course on astronomy. More information about this course can be found at http://www.teach12.com/ttcx/coursedesclong2.aspx?cid=1810. Please see the club treasurer at the next meeting for availability.

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November 2019 3 Volume XII Issue 3

THE NOVEMBER SKY

Jupiter is very low in the evening

southwestern sky. By the end of the month, it will

be too low for any worthwhile viewing. Saturn is

low in the southwest at sunset and by the end of

the month will be setting a few hours after

sunset. Venus is now in the evening sky but still

fairly low in the southwest. Mercury will be in

conjunction with the Sun on the 11th. On that

date it will transit before the Sun on its way to

the morning sky. On the 20th it will reach

greatest western elongation and have good

visibility for the rest of the month. Mars is very

low in the eastern morning sky and very small.

Uranus, in Pisces, after reaching opposition

late last month, will be visible most of the night.

Neptune, located in Aquarius, is visible for

several hours in the evening sky.

Comets are basically nil. There is one which

is supposed to reach 8th magnitude next

summer.

Transit of Mercury

There will be a transit of Mercury across the

Sun on the morning of the 11th. I have more

information in the Stargazer’s Corner.

NOVEMBER MOON/SUN TIMES

WANT TO VIEW SATELLITES? WANT CURRENT COMET INFORMATION?

To find out information on when you can view

satellites, such as the International Space Station

(ISS), or satellite related events, such as Iridium

Flares, go to www.heavens-above.com. Under

“Configuration”, use “select from map” to enter your

specific location (precision can make a difference for

Iridium Flares), and choose what satellite’s infor-

mation you want to view. Also, information on

comets, planets, and other objects are available.

If you want information on current observable

comets, go to “The Weekly Information about Bright

Comets” site at http://www.aerith.net/comet/weekly/

current.html. Comets are listed in brightest to

least bright order. Remember, to see a comet without

any optical aid, it must be approximately 4th magni-

tude or brighter. With binoculars, the comet would

most likely need to be at least 8th magnitude.

Comets below 11th magnitude might be difficult to

pick up with other than a large aperture telescope.

Visibility can also depend on how diffuse the comet

is.

DATE M-Rise M-Set M-Phase Sun-set Star Party

Fri 11/01 11:20 21:38 17:34

Sat 11/02 12:12 22:33 17:34

Sun 11/03 12:58 23:29 17:33

Mon 11/04 13:39 ----- 1st Qtr 17:32

Tue 11/05 14:15 0:24 17:31

Wed 11/06 14:47 1:19 17:30

Thu 11/07 15:18 2:13 17:30

Fri 11/08 15:47 3:06 17:29

Sat 11/09 16:16 4:00 17:28

Sun 11/10 16:46 4:54 17:28

Mon 11/11 17:19 5:50 17:27

Tue 11/12 17:54 6:47 Full 17:26

Wed 11/13 18:33 7:47 17:26

Thu 11/14 19:19 8:47 17:25

Fri 11/15 20:10 9:47 17:25

Sat 11/16 21:07 10:44 17:24

Sun 11/17 22:08 11:38 17:23

Mon 11/18 23:13 12:27 17:23

Tue 11/19 ----- 13:12 3rd Qtr 17:23

Wed 11/20 0:18 13:52 17:22

Thu 11/21 1:25 14:29 17:22 S.A.S.

Fri 11/22 2:31 15:05 17:21

Sat 11/23 3:37 15:42 17:21

Sun 11/24 4:44 16:19 17:21

Mon 11/25 5:51 16:59 17:21

Tue 11/26 6:58 17:44 New 17:20

Wed 11/27 8:03 18:31 17:20

Thu 11/28 9:05 19:24 17:20

Fri 11/29 10:01 20:19 17:20

Sat 11/30 10:51 21:16 17:20

(S)=Solar

SONORAN STARRY NIGHTS

November 2019 4 Volume XII Issue 3

THE STARGAZER’S CORNER: Transit of Mercury

On the morning of November 11th Mercury will cross in front of the Sun and the event will be visible from our area. When the Sun rises here, the transit will already be in progress. At 8:20am, Mercury will be near the center of the Sun. The transit will end shortly after 11am. Since Mercury will be pretty much crossing over the center of the Sun, this will be a long transit (about 5.5 hours for those able to see the entire event). Here is a graphic of Mercury’s transit path and times across the Sun.

Compliments of earthsky.org

SONORAN STARRY NIGHTS

November 2019 5 Volume XII Issue 3

OFFICE/POSITION NAME PHONE NO.

Chairman of the Board Open

President John Dwyer (520) 393-3680

Secretary Michael Moraghan (520) 399-3352

Treasurer John McGee (520) 207-6188

Star party Coordinator Duane Johnson (520) 303-6920

Newsletter Editor John Christensen (520) 869-8983

Webmaster Joe Castor (620) 584-4454

ALCOR* Burley Packwood (520) 396-3576

NSN** Representative Duane Johnson (520) 303-6920

Past President Emeritus Dan F. Case (520) 207-6833

Past President Emeritus Ben Coppock (520) 625-5360

*Astronomical League Coordinator

**Night Sky Network

S.A.S CLUB OFFICERS

SAS STATISTICS & FINANCES

Total Membership:

WHY JOIN SAS CLUB DUES

SAS WEB SITE

1. SAS Family Membership Fee is only $15.00 per year.

2. SAS monthly newsletter “The Sonoran Starry Nights.”

3. Top-quality astronomy lectures by local astronomers!

4. SAS Discount for Astronomy Magazine $34.00 for 1yr

or $60.00 for 2 yr renewed through our treasurer.

5. SAS Discount subscription rate for Sky & Telescope

Magazine $32.95 for 1-year self-renewed.

6. RASC Observer’s Handbook at a discount, $30.00.

7. SAS T-Shirts for sale for $10.00—M, L, XL.

8. Member of International Dark-sky Association (IDA)

and The Astronomical League.

9. SAS Discount for Astronomy 2020 Calendar $10.00

10. SAS monthly Member Star Parties.

11. SAS Telescope and astronomy book loan programs.

12. SAS outreach to astronomy education in schools.

13. SAS fellowship with other amateur astronomers!

Dues (family or individual) are $15 annually, payable each

year in the month you initially joined the club. You will

receive a reminder in the monthly newsletter e-mail of your

due date. You can either pay at the club meeting or mail it

to the club’s address (S.A.S., P.O. Box 1081, Green

Valley, AZ, 85622).

If you want to keep up-to-date with club activities, such as

star parties, etc., check out our website at:

sonoraastronomicalsociety.org

Individual & Family Members: 158

Lifetime Members: 0

158 Bank Balance as of End of Oct: $2472.93

Deposits / (W/Ds): $75.00/($88.00)

Bank Balance as of End of Sep: $2485.93

SONORAN STARRY NIGHTS

November 2019 6 Volume XII Issue 3

LOCAL ASTRO-IMAGING GROUP: Sonoran Desert Astro Imagers (SDAI) (Larry Phillips, Coordinator)

Are you interested in Astrophotography or are you currently involved in imaging the skies?

Please plan to join our monthly meeting of the Sonoran Desert Astro Imagers group. Our meetings

focus on improving our skills, helping each other, workshops, and field trips. Please send your Name

and E-mail address to my address below and we’ll include you in the emailing notices of monthly

meetings; “the when and where meeting notice.” Do you have any questions? If so, call me (Larry

Phillips) at (520) 777-8027 or email to llp41astro@cox.net.

Clear Skies! Larry Phillips

SAS IS A MEMBER OF THE ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE SAS IS A MEMBER OF IDA

OUR SPONSORS

S T A R I Z O N A

ADVENTURES IN ASTRONOMY AND NATURE

5757 N. Oracle Rd www.starizona.com

Tucson, AZ 85704 (520) 292-5010

Stellar-Vision Astronomy & Science

Since 1986

New Address:

3721 E 37TH ST

TUCSON AZ 85713

(520) 571-0877

http://www.stellarvisiontucson.com

Since SAS is a member of the Astronomical League, any SAS member may join the Astronomical League for a nominal fee of $7.50. What are the advantages to you of joining the AL?

1. You can receive various observing awards by joining an “observing club” and observing the required number of objects. There are all levels of clubs from beginner to advanced, viewing constellations to deep-sky objects and using either your naked eyes, binoculars, or a telescope. Contact our ALCOR rep Burley Packwood for details.

2. You can get a 10% discount on books purchased through the AL Book Service.

3. You will receive the AL’s quarterly “Reflector” magazine which keeps you up to date on all the AL activities.

More info at www.astroleague.org

SAS is proud to be a member of the International Dark-Sky Association, supporting the reduction in light pollution around the U.S. and the world. More info at www.darksky.org

SAS NON-PROFIT STATUS

The Sonora Astronomical Society is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit charitable organization! SAS has a CERTIFICATE OF GOOD STANDING from the State of Arizona Corporation Commission for 2009-2011!

MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONS

To order or renew your Sky and Telescope Magazine at the Club Rate, you can go directly to www.skyandtelescope.com/clubspecial To order or renew Astronomy Magazine, see the

Treasurer.

SONORAN STARRY NIGHTS

November 2019 7 Volume XII Issue 3

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE (CONT)

3. Orion XT8 Plus Dob.

If you are interested in this scope, contact Robert

Shropshire at rshropshire1@aol.com for more information.

5. Celestron CPC 1100 Computerized

Telescope.

includes:

Starbright XLT optical coating

GPS with SkyAlign for quick & easy alignment

9x50 finder scope & Telrad finder

microfocuser

2” star diagonal with Virtual View swivel adapter

40 mm x 1.25” Celestron Plossl eyepiece

13 mm x 1.25” TeleVue, Nagler IV eyepiece

17 mm x 2” TeleVue, Nagler IV eyepiece

2” 2x Barlow magnifier

hand control with 2 line LCD screen

sturdy tripod with 2” diameter steel legs

compatible with StarSense technology & WiFi

ergonomic carrying handles

12 V cable & 120 V adapter

metal carrying case for accessories, manual, original

packaging

In excellent condition was $4400 new, asking $2850 obo

Please contact Murray Croot, at (520)526-2526

or mcroot@gmail.com for photos.

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE

One of our club members (John Verderame) is offering a service to sell equipment. Here is John's info:

"If you have astronomy equipment sitting around collecting dust, or just want to get some cash for your equipment, please contact me! I some-times buy equipment outright for cash, or if you would like me to help you sell something larger or more expensive, I can do that for a small com-mission. This is the only way I get new or better equipment, and I did it for the Prescott Astrono-my Club too. I sell mainly on Cloudy Nights and eBay, but also sometimes CraigsList, and have all positive feedback (I go by my actual name on Cloudy Nights if you wish to check me out).

Please call (I don't do texting) 307-250-2728 or email me at: astroitalian@gmail.com.

Thanks! John Verderame

1. Celestron 11” Nexstar GPS (Go-To)Telescope.

Includes:

* Alt-Azimuth Mount

* 1 Eyepiece

* Landing Pad

* Feather Touch Focuser

* Vibration Pads

* Asking $1400

Contact Lyle Kolze at (608) 346-5957 or E-mail

lkolze@yahoo.com

2. Orion Skyquest xt10i For Sale.

includes:

The telescope is an Orion Skyquest xt10i which has a

computer that can locate 14000 items in the sky. It is as-

sembled and the mirror and scope have been checked. It

comes with a carrying case. It’s never been used. I decid-

ed that another telescope would be better suited for me.

Original price was $900. Asking $850 which includes the

carrying case, a $120 value. I live in Green Valley .

Contact Ed Matte at EdMatte@msn.com

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SUMMARY OF THE SEPTEMBER 10TH PRESENTATION

At the September 10th, 2019 meeting Tim Hrutkay, spoke about Astronaut training at Kitt Peak. Mr. Hrutkay is the Day Time Coordinator at the National Observatory.

One of the most impressive structures at the Kitt Peak National Observatory is the unique McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope. The skyward end of an angled shaft rest atop a 100-foot tower. Only about 200 feet of the shaft is visible, an additional 300 feet extend below ground. The shaft is angled at about 32 degrees to align with celestial north. At the upper end of the shaft two flat mirrors, heliostats, track the motion of the sun and reflect its image down the tube to a 1.6-meter concave mirror at the bottom of the shaft. That mirror reflects the image halfway back up the tube where a 1.5-meter mirror directs the image into the underground observation room. The focal ratio is about f/54.

Since 1962 the telescope served as the National Solar Observatory. In 2016 the National Science Foundation announced the solar observatory would move to Maui, Hawaii where the Daniel K. Inouye (NIK) solar telescope will be installed with first light in 2020. It would have been hugely expensive to demolish McMath and return the site to its original state as required by the lease with the Tohono O’odam Nation, so a new mission was found. In 2016 the NSF authorized a grant to transform McMath into the Windows on the Universe Center for Astronomy Outreach. The telescope will thus remain in use for public outreach and education.

The solar telescope was used during April and May 1964 to familiarize the Apollo astronauts with the moon. In the control room, they could view a 30-inch McMath image projected on a table, or use “Astronaut Eyepieces” to study a photo under various magnifications. Years later a dusty visitors’ log was found at the observatory with the signatures of the Apollo astronauts. In the 1960’s the road to Kitt Peak was unpaved. An Apollo astronaut’s recollection of his Kitt Peak visit was of a long, weary drive.

Mr. Hrutkay discussed the history of the US astronaut program beginning with the Mercury missions. There were seven Mercury astronauts, so each mission name included the number 7, e.g., Freedom 7, the first mssion. There were only 6 missions, however, as Deke Slayton was grounded because of minor heart irregularity. After the Mercury missions in 1963 only 5 continued in the astronaut program: Gordon Cooper, Wally Schirra, Gus Grissom, Alan Shepard and Deke Slayton.

The Gemini missions were designed to prepare for landing on the moon. Of the skills to be tested, the

“spacewalk” (EVA) this proved to be one of the most difficult. Gene Cernan’s heart raced to 180 beats per minute as he fought to control his movements in space; every action produced an equal and opposite reaction. Buzz Aldrin, a Ph.D., was instrumental in the success of the early days of the space program as he solved two major problems, including how to practice for EVAs--in a giant swimming pool. He also provided the solution for the difficult orbital paradox problem: bringing together two spacecraft traveling at different velocities and altitudes. Adding velocity adds altitude so the pursuing spacecraft rises above the target spacecraft. Slowing, the pursuing spacecraft falls below and behind the target spacecraft.

Rehearsal for the first manned Apollo mission ended in tragedy when Virgil Ivan (Gus) Grissom, Edward White II, and Roger Chaffee died in a command module fire. Three stars were unofficially renamed in their honor: Navi in Cassiopeia, backward became Ivan; Dnoces in Ursa Major, backward became Second for Ed White II; Regor in Puppis, backward became Roger, for Roger Chaffe.

Mr. Hrutkay told stories about the Apollo astronauts, such as the “First Mutiny in Space”. The Apollo 7 crew, perhaps sympathizing with Commander Wally Schirra’s severe head cold, refused some of Mission Control’s orders, culminating with the refusal to wear their helmets during landing. None of them would ever fly another NASA mission. During the Apollo 8 flight, Frank Borman had a “legendary bout of space sickness”. Apollo 10 was a dress rehearsal for a moon landing, to include a partial descent of the Lunar Module to within 50,000 feet of the surface. To assure that the astronauts would not attempt an actual landing, the fuel tank of the lunar module was only half full. When moving about the cabin of Apollo 11 in his spacesuit, Buzz Aldrin accidently broke off a switch needed to arm the Lunar module’s ascent engine. Fortunately, he was able to replace in with a ballpoint pen.

From Apollo 11 to Apollo 17, the last lunar mission, there were legendary battles over choosing the lunar landing sites, with conflicting concerns about safety and science. Kitt Peak and the University of Arizona’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory provided key input.

Congress cut funding for Apollo after mission 17. Leftover rocket and module components from cancelled missions were used to construct Skylab in 1973. Skylab provided the first scientific study of the sun from orbit. Skylab observations were coordinated with the McMath telescope. McMath will continue to support science as the new Windows on the Universe Center for Astronomy Outreach.