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R E F L E C T O R The Astronomical League Newsletter Vol. XLII No. 4 ISSN: 0034-2963 August, 1990 ------------------------------------------------------------------- High Spirits Prevail at Texas Star Party Robert Reeves, San Antonio (TX) Astronomical Society The Texas Star Party achieved a new level of maturity this year during its 9th annual running at the Prude Ranch, Ft Davis, Texas. Not only was there a marked difference in the manner in which observers utilized the legendary dark West Texas skies, but the atmosphere of the whole gathering maintained a remarkably upbeat mood in spite of periods of partial cloudiness which plagued this year's gathering. Some of the nearly 700 attendees at this year's Texas Star Party await the arrival of Saturday's speaker, Walter Scott Houston (above), author of the "Deep Sky Wonders" column in Sky & Telescope magazine. Scotty's talk was entitled "Astronomical Test Objects." New attendance records were established as 650 star seekers arrived for TSP '90 and again temporarily doubled the population of Ft. Davis. A record number of telescopes also spotted the observing field at TSP. The 200 plus instruments represented a world record gathering of both ATM and commercial telescopes in one spot. The mixture of the observing group was noticeably different this year as families, children, wives, and sweethearts abounded. This resulted in a new look to observers at the eyepiece as darkness fell each evening. It was not unusual to see male and female observing teams beside the telescope, one at the eyepiece, the other with star chart in hand, anxiously wailing their turn. One of the reasons for the high level of cheer at this year's TSP was Tucson's David Levy. When I arrived at TSP, I found David almost bursting with exuberance. Lets face it, a six year old child on Christmas Eve is calmer than David at the TSP. The reason for David's excitement was that he had just discovered his sixth comet, 1990c, the day he left home for the Star Party. Arriving at the Prude Ranch before dawn on Monday, David went straight to the 20-inch Dobsonian owned by Houston's Barbara Wilson and confirmed his discovery! Other delights maintained high spirits at TSP this year. A Monday evening pass of the Hubble Space Telescope over the Prude Ranch was predicted by San Antonio's Ron Dawes. He spotted the orbiting telescope shortly after it rose above the western horizon and mentioned it to me in an almost offhand manner. Realizing the high local interest in the HST, I yelled out the location so others could see the spacecraft. That was like dropping a stone into a pond as ripples of excited yells quickly passed the word across the whole observing field. Soon, everyone was cheering as the HST reached first magnitude and passed near Spica high in the southern sky. Interest in the HST continued as Ray Villard from the Space Telescope Science Institute showed the first photos recently returned from the instrument at the Friday evening presentation. Villard's HST talk captured the largest audience of any presentation ever given at the Texas Star Party. Although persistent thin clouds hampered astrophotography for much of the TSP this year, interest in the subject remained high. On Wednesday night, California's Tony Hallas publicly unveiled his most recent astrophotography experiments using Fujicolor HG 400. The reason for Tony's international reputation as a sky shooter was obvious as he presented the most beautiful color astrophoto display ever seen. Tony received a standing ovation and was asked for an encore presentation on Saturday night. Thursday evening's speaker was Brian Marsden from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Dr. Marsden presented evidence that many of the "Great Comets" of past years were really fragments of one single comet which broke up. Other activities this year included an astrocomputing seminar. Demonstrations of both public domain and commercial software were offered, as well as a nationwide CompuServe conference. Astrophotography and telescope making competition also proved the mid-west is up to the challenge of Stellafane and Riverside. Professional quality astrophotos and innovative ATM concepts were displayed. The meeting of the Southwest Region of the Astronomical League continued the League's light pollution reduction program for the area surrounding the McDonald Observatory. Approval was given to finance a plan where McDonald would stock shielded LPS lighting fixtures for sale to area ranchers. The swap meet at this year's TSP continued the expansion trend of recent years and was bigger than ever. Countless items from single do-dads all the way up to large telescopes were on the block. Saturday nights featured speaker was every deep sky observer's favorite, Walter Scott Houston. Scotty's talk combined sound astronomical advice and his own brand of curmudgeonly humor, resulting in a delighted audience. For his 40 years of astronomical service to the amateur community, Houston received the prized Omega Centauri Award. After a week of greeting old astronomical friends and making new ones, it was hard to leave. As this year's TSP participants packed up and started the trip home Sunday, there was a positive and happy mood about the previous week of fun under the Texas stars. Looking forward to next year, almost everyone agreed, "We will be back again!" In a surprise which delighted everyone present, Dr.Brian Marsden (right), from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, revealed to a stunned Debbie Byrd, founder of the Texas Star Party and producer of the "Stardate" radio program, that an asteroid had been named in her honor. Comet Discoverer David Levy looks on. Photo by Robert Reeves. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Another Comet Levy! Bob Shirriff, Birmingham (AL) Astronomical Society One of the highlights of this year's Texas Star Party was the chance to be involved in the excitement of a new cometary discovery. Renowned comet hunter David Levy had spotted a 10th magnitude candidate in the Great Square of Pegasus the morning before leaving his Tucson home for the TSP. He confirmed his find Monday morning from the Prude Ranch, and the next day everyone knew! At first it appeared that the comet was already fading, but it soon became obvious that the new Comet Levy (1990c) was still approaching the inner solar system and would only get better. The latest information, from IAU Circular 5030, shows that the comet will most likely be a naked eye object later this year. Of course Comet Austin has reminded us how fickle comets can be, but other circumstances look very encouraging. In late August, the moon will be out of the way (new moon on August 20th), and the comet will be well placed in the evening sky as it moves from Delphinus into Aquila. The predictions listed in the adjoining box are still preliminary, with an uncertainty of at lease one degree in mid-August. David was awarded $50 for only confirming the comet at the TSP, rather than the long standing challenge of $500 for a comet actually discovered during the Star Party. COMET LEVY (1990c) 1990 ET R.A. (1950) Dec. mag. Aug. 2 23 21.68 +27 22.0 7 22 59.97 +25 17.4 5.5 12 22 29.10 +21 39.1 17 21 45.81 +15 20.9 4.3 22 20 48.37 + 5 15.8 27 19 41.01 - 7 37.8 3.5 Sept. 1 18 35.05 -19 16.8 6 17 40.33 -27 07.9 3.7 ------------------------------------------------------------------- REFLECTOR Quarterly Publication of the Astronomical League Issued by the Astronomical League in February, May, August and November. The Reflector is mailed directly to each individual of its affiliate socities and to members-at-large as a benefit of League membership. ISSN: 0034-2963 Editor: Ed Flaspoehler 5027 W. Stanford Dallas, TX 75209 (214) 357-2744 Assistant Ed.: M. Barlow Pepin 420 S. Shell Road Deland, FL 32720 (904) 736-2534 Book Reviews: Gail O. Clark 74 Mountain Drive Pocatello, ID 83204 Advertising: Debbie Moran see address below Reflector Deadlines: Fall Issue September 20th Winter Issue December 20th Spring Issue March 20th Summer Issue June 20th Written and graphic material from this publication may be reprinted only for non-profit benefit of interested parties, provided specific credit is given to the writer(s), the Reflector and the Astronomical League. Any other use of material, including graphics and photographs, is subject to express permission from the Editor and the Astronomical League Publications Director, Rollin P. Van Zandt. National Officers: President: Ken Willcox 225 SE Fenway Pl Bartlesville, OK 74006 (918) 333-1966 Vice President: Jerry Sherlin 17002 E Prentice Dr Aurora, CO 80015 (303) 680-6894 Secretary: Rollin P. Van Zandt P.O. Box 324 Bisbee, AZ 85603 (602) 432-4779 Treasurer: Debbie Moran 11832 Sandpiper Houston, TX 77035 (713) 726-1514 Executive Merry Edenton-Wooten Secretary: 6235 Omie Circle Pensacola, FL 32504 (904) 477-8859 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Letters Lucky Friday the 13th Telescope Winner! Dear Mr. Flaspoehler, I'm writing to send a follow-up to the article you were kind enough to include in the February issue of the REFLECTOR ... about the Ultima 11 raffle held by the Fort Bend Astronomy Club. The article did indeed draw several responses. At our monthly meeting on Friday night, April 13, 1990, the Fort Bend Astronomy Club held a drawing for the Celestron Ultima 11 telescope that was to be given away. The actual drawing was done by a visitor to the meeting. The lucky winner was Thomas Basking of Little Rock, Arkansas. He had purchased two tickets in response to our article in the REFLECTOR (just one of several such purchasers). Mr. Baskins has been interested in astronomy most all his life. He is 38 years old, and is a Load Research Analyst for Arkansas Light and Power. His interest was really spurred when Halley's Comet came around. He is currently working toward his Messier Certificate and has logged 40 objects. We all wish him good luck with his new telescope and on finishing his Messier List. We also wish to thank all those who generously responded to our fund raising activities. Thanks again, Ed, for your interest. I do believe that there are several people, particularly those who "contributed," who would be interested in knowing who the winner is. Sincerely, Don A. Edwards, Ft. Bend Astronomical Society, Houston, TX ------------------------------------------------------------------- The Astronomical League Piggy Bank by James H. Fox, Trustee The late G. R. (Bob) Wright often referred to the Astronomical League Trust Fund as the League's "Piggy Bank." Bob served the League both as President and as a Trust Fund Trustee. His analogy was very appropriate. Like with a piggy bank, many of us have contributed small amounts from time to time as we found we had "spare change." This has provided most of the slow but steady growth of the Trust Fund since its inception 20 years ago. The most relevant aspect of Bob's analogy, however, is this: whenever we dip into our "piggy bank" and use some of the funds, that money is gone forever. And forever is a mighty long time - just ask a dinosaur or a passenger pigeon. Now that we plan to use each year's accumulated interest to further particular League projects, it is more important than ever that you think of the Trust Fund when you plan your annual schedule of contributions. Once spent, earned interest cannot be reclaimed to build the Fund's principle. We depend on you to do that. There are many ways you can contribute to the Trust Fund. You do not even have to give us any money: just loan it to us! We can invest the money for whatever period you specify and add the interest to the fund's principle. At then end of the load period, we will return your original amount to you. To be most effective, we suggest a loan period of three years or more so that compounding effects of the interest can be realized. Individual members, member clubs and regions have all made loans to the Trust Fund in the past. Send any contributions to Mrs. Elizabeth F. Hasson, 115 Tall Oaks Rd., Stamford, CT 06903. If you wish your contribution to be a loan, be sure to specify that fact and the loan period in a cover letter. ------------------------------------------------------------------- A Word on Membership by Walt Robinson Astronomical Society of Kansas City Some members keep their organization strong, while others join and just belong. Some dig in, some serve with pride, some go along just for the ride. Some volunteer to do their share, while some sit back and just don't care. On meeting days, some always show, but then, there are those that never go. Some always pay their dues ahead, some get behind for months instead. Some do their best, some build, some make, some lag behind, some let things go. Some never give but always take, some never help their organization grow. Some drag, some pull, some don't, some do, which of these are you? * Reprinted from the June 1990 issue of Cosmic Messenger, the newsletter of the Astronomical Society of Kansas City. ------------------------------------------------------------------- BOOK REVIEW Stars and Their Spectra: An Introduction to the Spectral Sequence by James Kaler Cambridge University Press 1989 hard bound $29.95 As an amateur astronomer, I approached this book with some trepidation. It was obviously a college level textbook on a subject in which I had no formal training. But then, I thought, since I have seen Stars and Their Spectra advertised in astronomy magazines, the publishers must have felt it had some mass marketing appeal to the amateur community. As soon as I started reading, however, I felt much more at ease. While Mr. Kaler writes at a high level, he still meets his readers head-on without talking down to them. This book is not an "easy read," so be prepared to spend some time absorbing the material. With a little effort, comprehension comes. We amateurs talk glibly about stellar spectral types, but when pinned down most of us are familiar with only the very basics and are hard put to explain how these spectral types serve to differentiate one star from another. Everything we know about the stars we know through the study of their spectra. Mr. Kaler starts us off with a discussion of the nature of stars, their compositions, distances, motions, brightnesses, and how they are organized in space. Then he engages the reader in a study of the electromagnetic spectrum and how it is affected by the mass, temperature, and structure of a star. In Chapter Two on atoms and spectra, he takes the reader on a strange journey. To help us understand the very large, he first helps us under-stand the very small. Here, most amateur astronomers are treading in strange waters, but Mr. Kaler leads the reader along, prodding and coaxing just enough to keep us from sinking. Soon, we are back in our own familiar territory as we look at the dispersion of light, Doppler effects, and spectrographs. Chapter Three covers the foundation of the spectral sequence, and a brief history of how the spectrum was first mapped and developed into what is in use today. This chapter shows how research from various institutions and individuals have been woven together to produce the present classification system. The chapter ends, "Now, with this background, we proceed with a closer examination of each spectral type, where we will look at the star's physical natures, and fill in the HR diagram to show the details about the various kinds that occupy our Galaxy." Chapters Four through Ten contain details about the stars of the various classifications, and each class is fascinating in its own right. In Chapter Eleven the author takes a look at what he calls Extraordinary Classes: planetary nebulae and their central stars, novae and their remnants, dwarf novae, and an unusual star which warrants its own section, Eta Carinae. The last chapter, Chapter Twelve, takes what we have learned so far about the various star types and puts it all together. This chapter, which deals with stellar birth, evolution and death, is called "Journeys on the HR Diagram." Included in this chapter is the latest data from SN 1987A. I love the final sentence of the narrative: "And, tonight, if it is clear, go out and examine the real thing: all the classes arrayed for you, splashed wondrously across the darkened sky." Stars and Their Spectra is well illustrated with photographs, line drawings, charts and graphs. It concludes with both a subject index and an index of the individual stars named in the text. These are very helpful in comprehending and locating information. I highly recommend this book. Potential readers need to know, however, that Mr. Kaler assumes a level of expertise somewhat higher than some might be used to. If readers stick with it however, they will be pleasantly surprised with a new level of knowledge about stars and how we have come to know what we know. This book is a must for the serious amateur astronomer's library. Paul R. Castle, Popular Astronomy Club, Rock Island, IL ------------------------------------------------------------------- Astronomia para los Hispanicos John Pazmino, Amateur Astronomers Association of New York City Recently, yet only now receiving attention, Mexico is emerging as a major source of native Spanish astronomy literature, as Dr. Julieta Fierro expains through papers in the newsletter of the IAU Commission, #46. Due to the economic downturn suffered by Mexico in the early to mid 1980s, its schools can no longer afford to import Spanish books from abroad or arrange for translation of foreign books into Spanish. Under the administration of Dr. Fierro at the Instituto de Astronomia in Mexico City, Mexican astronomers and publishers teamed up to write, produce, and distribute native works for the schools. The works are not research anthologies but stock textbooks for instructional purposes. They cover the primary grades through upperclass college. In order to keep the cost low for the scanty school budgets, the books are admittedly cheaply assembled and have few photographic illustrations. Nevertheless, by the late 1980s over a score of titles were in circulation. Dr. Fierro suggests that these books would be a boon for the growing Hispanic centers of the United States - Southern California, New York, Texas, Florida - where astronomy as a personal pursuit is increasingly chosen by Hispanics. Inquiries are received by Dr. Julieta Fierro, Instituto de Astronomia, Apartado Postal 70-264, Distrito Federal 05410, Mexico. ------------------------------------------------------------------- The International Dark-Sky Association by Tim Hunter, President IDA A dark nighttime sky is essential for most amateur astronomy and for professional astronomical and space related research. The night sky background can be significantly brightened by large amounts of direct uplighting and by reflected light. Because of considerable night sky brightening in most urban areas of the world, many people have never seen the Milky Way. The type of light emission, as well as the amount, is important - some types may be more easily filtered at the telescope than others. The types of light also vary in their energy efficiency. The following gives suggested uses for various outdoor nighttime light source types. Low Pressure Sodium (LPS) LPS produces a bright yellow, almost monochromatic color. It is very energy efficient but gives no color rendition. Uses: roadways, walkways, and parking areas; security lighting; any area where color rendition is not critical. High Pressure Sodium (HPS) HPS produces a warm, white light with a peach like coloration. It is very energy efficient. Uses: sports parks, tennis courts; street lighting (LPS is more energy efficient but many communities resists its yellow color); security lighting where color rendition is critical. Metal Halide (MH) MH produces a bright white light. It is moderately energy efficient. Uses: Display lighting where color rendition is critical; sports lighting where color rendition is critical. Mercury Vapor (MV or Hg) Hg produces a white light with a strong metallic blue coloration. Uses: Hg is not very energy efficient and not recommended for most outdoor lighting. Use MH instead. In older installations, where shielding is good, Hg can remain in use. Incandescent, including Quartz Not energy efficient but excellent for low watt applications. Incandescent requires no warm up time for full illumination. Even low watt incandescent applications, such as porch lights, should be fully shielded wherever possible. In General All outdoor fixtures should be fully shielded and installed in a way that no light is emitted above a horizontal plane running through the lowest part of the fixture. This will minimize glare, light trespass and light pollution, and maximize energy savings. International Dark-Sky Association 3545 N. Stewart Tucson, Arizona 85716 USA ------------------------------------------------------------------- Lunar Observing Dave Miller, Western Colorado Astronomy Club, Grand Junction, CO Though lunar observing may not seem as glamorous as searching for comets, hunting for deep sky objects, or recording variable stars, it can be fun and very rewarding for those with a small telescope. Equipment for beginning lunar observers doesn't have to be elaborate. A 4 to 6-inch refractor, or an 8 to 12-inch reflector can provide great viewing, but a good pair of tripod mounted binoculars is an inexpensive way to start. Even a small 3-inch telescope opens up a lot of sights. Larger telescopes under a very bright Moon may need an aperature mask, and during a full moon, a lunar filter is often desireable. Too much moonlight can cause eye fatigue and vision problems. Use magnifications of 30X to 100X for good detail. Magnifications in the range of 150X to 300X or more are possible under very clear, steady conditions. Contrary to popular belief, the best viewing is not at full Moon, since there is too much glare and too little shadow detail. The best observing times are around the first and last quarters. So what's to look at? Here are a few suggestions on what to observe. Major Craters - Get a Moon map and locate the more prominent craters. You can do this with a small scope, or a good pair of binoculars. Lunar Landing Sites - Though they are too small to see, you can locate the general areas of the Apollo lunar landing sites. (June 1989, Astronomy). Lunar Days - Pick out a few prominent craters and view them every evening throughout the month to see how the details change with the angle of sunlight. ("One Day at Copernicus Crater," Astronomy, September 1988). Unusual Features - There are a number of unusual surface features that you can observe. (September 1989, Astronomy, "Eight Lunar Wonders"). Spot the New Moon - In early spring and late summer, see how early you can spot the new Moon. Good eyesight, a small telescope or binoculars works well. (Sky & Telescope, July 1988 and May 1990). Count Craters - Yes, if you think you've seen all the craters, pick a high impact area and count the craters! Don't overlook the craters within the craters. The next time you have the urge to go out and do some viewing, or just want to entertain the kids some evening, check out the Moon ... there is more than meets the eye. ------------------------------------------------------------------- The Infamous "Miss" Graze Near Fulshear, Texas Don Stockbauer, Houston (TX) Astronomical Society At 6:28 a.m. CDT August 26, 1990, (Saturday morning), the northern limb of the 22% sunlit waning Moon grazed 6.9 magnitude double star SAO 78540 as seen by an expedition of Houston area observers near Fulshear, Texas. Our last major expedition occurred nearly a year before (11/30/88; Regulus), so we were looking forward to a large success with this one. The prediction was furnished by the International Occultation Timing Association (IOTA). SAO 78540 has 7.1 and 8.7 magnitude components currently 0.62" distant at a position angle of 314 degrees. The sun was down 6.9 degrees; there were no clouds, but the humidity was quite high causing some thin fog. Conditions were good enough that some observers were able to resolve the system. 15 stations were occupied altogether, and only the southernmost five saw occultations of the primary star. The secondary was not occulted for anyone; its shadow was situated even farther to the south. When doing a graze among the fine features of the northern lunar limb, an error of only a few tenths of an arc second in the prediction can produce such a result. David Dunham, president of IOTA, and I suspect two factors combined to cause this shift of the actual from the predicted shadow. The normally reliable recent epoch Zodiacal Zone (ZZ) catalog predicted that the shadow would be 0.3" north of the nominal prediction, so I deployed sites right up to this point (Randy Pollard at site # 1; see the plot). However, the ZZ was measured automatically from plates, and the irregular outlines of double stars can degrade the accuracy of this method; we will be more careful about this in the future. Secondly, we have since noticed that northern limit waning phase grazes appear to be consistently shifting south by several tenths of an arc second, which drove the shadow all the way down to Logan Rimes' station (#13). When trends such as this are noticed, an empirical correction is applied to all future predictions. What can be done to improve the predictions? Uncertainty in the lunar ephemeris, the star's position, and the lunar limb profile (Watts data) all contribute to error in the predictions. The ephemeris is known to a very high degree of accuracy from the Lunar Laser Ranging Experiment and thus contributes no appreciable error. Star positions are getting better with each new catalog produced, and their data is utilized by IOTA as soon as it is available. The Watts data could be improved (although certainly not to perfection) by updating it with all observed graze data which has not already been applied. The problem here is a shortage of manpower. Only Dr. Dunham is in a position to do this, the task is truly enormous, and he has to try to fit this in with the other occultation projects that he does in his spare time. But he does intend to do this work eventually. Suppose we someday receive virtually errorless predictions. Will all members of an expedition be guaranteed multiple events (a "light show") each time? No! That is because we must spread people out in a north-south direction in order to measure a substantial portion of the Moon's limb rather than just one limited area. Spreading people out will almost always cause some observers to get just one disappearance and one reappearance. It will cause others to get a miss. When you do a graze it's more like fishing than shooting fish in a barrel. I wish it were different. But if you think we have it rough, you should hear the war stories from the early sixties. Back then, for grazes in the Cassini Third Law region (just beyond the two lunar poles), there was NO profile data because these areas are never sunlit when presented towards the Earth and thus could not be photographed and measured by Dr. Watts. Grazes had to fill in. Virtually every expedition consisted of observers either seeing all misses or all long single occultations. Although the Fulshear graze shows that this can still happen, at least now it is relatively rare. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Hobbs Observatory - Eau Claire, Wisconsin Carl Harstadt, Minnesota Astronomical Society, St. Paul, MN Here's a list of the great observatories of the world: Kitt Peak, Pic du Midi, European Southern Observatory, Hobbs ... Hobbs? Well, Hobbs may not belong on a list of the world's great observatories but it is impressive nonetheless. Certainly it makes the list of great observatories in central Wisconsin. Hobbs Observatory is not strictly an amateur observatory. The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (UWEC) owns the two telescopes and Eau Claire County owns the observatory building, which is located in the Beaver Creek Reserve northeast of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The reserve runs the observatory, but the day-to-day operation is left to members of the Chippewa Valley Astronomical Society (CVAS). The Society has only 10 active members out of a total membership of 30-35. Hobbs observatory, dedicated October 29, 1989, set amid the pines of the Beaver Creek Reserve, northeast of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The twin domes house an f/5, 24-inch scope in the left-hand dome, and an f/8, 12 1/2-inch scope in the right-hand dome. The Observatory cost $194,000 to build, excluding the cost of the telescopes. The primary donor for the observatory building was the Hobbs Foundation, a trust fund left by 19th century lumber barons, which put up $90,000 in matching funds. The various parties involved in making the observatory a reality successfully raised the matching $90,000, plus an additional $30,000 to $40,000, within six months. Several local residents gave amounts of $5,000 to $15,000 each; many others gave $50 or less. The twin domes of the observatory house a 12 1/2-inch f/8 Newtonian and a 24-inch f/5 Newtonian which can be readily converted to an f/25 Cassegrain. Other smaller scopes housed at the observatory include a 4-inch f/20 refractor and a 10-inch Dobsonian. Stewart Casey made both the 4-inch refractor and the 12 1/2-inch reflector during the 1940s. The observatory building includes a huge classroom, approximately 30x50 feet, that serves as the auditorium for the Beaver Creek Reserve, a darkroom, a computer room, an office, a library and public washrooms that the county required. The washrooms added $30,000 to the cost of the building. The 12 1/2-inch reflector is primarily a lunar and planetary scope. It is currently on a drive from the Starliner company of Tucson, but CVAS is considering mounting it on a fork mount instead. Due to an error in the construction of the reinforced concrete pier, which is three feet higher than the design specifications, the telescope cannot be pointed at some objects. However, this scope has excellent optics, and at f/8 provides a 30-minute field of view, just enough to view the entire moon. The University acquired the 24-inch telescope from the U.S. Air Force, which used it to track and photograph satellites, and the Hobbs Foundation put up the funds to haul it from Edwards Air Force Base to the Beaver Creek Reserve. The tube is cast aluminum, the worst possible material for a telescope tube because of its coefficient of expansion. Leave it to the military! This scope is mounted on a 5-inch high-density steel gun mount from a Navy destroyer, a mount that weighs 20,000 pounds and turns on a bearing seven feet in diameter. It is not a portable telescope! The mount is alt-azimuth. The primary mirror is supposed to be figured to 1/20 wave but has never performed to that level; it may even be spherical rather than parabolic. Harold Watson of E&W Optical made the Cassegrain secondary using CVAS measurements that may have been slightly inaccurate. The net result has been disappointing performance. The primary probably needs to be refigured, then the Cassegrain secondary matched to it. There is talk within the CVAS of having Watson do the work on site. Meanwhile, CVAS is using the 24-inch scope primarily as a light bucket for photometry. An Apple computer controls the 24-inch scope. The operator can select from a menu that includes Messier objects, planets, stars and NGC objects. The computer positions the telescope via stepper motors from the Compumotor Corporation that run at 20 revolutions per second, 20,000 steps per revolution. The operator can also opt to control the telescope manually or with a joystick, or he can enter coordinates in either right ascension/declination or alt-azimuth. Once the telescope reaches the selected object or coordinates, it continues to track via signals sent to the stepping motors by the computer. Because of the alt-azimuth mounting, an object in the field of view rotates, making long exposures with photographic film or the observatory's $16,000 charged couple camera (CCD) impossible. Fortunately, the CCD has an ASA equivalent of 100,000, so most exposures are only 1/10 to 1 second. According to the manufacturer, the CCD can record 20th magnitude objects using exposures in the one-hour range. Before that becomes possible, however, CVAS must lick the field rotation problem. But if the CCD works out as well as CVAS members seem to think it will, they may propose the purchase of a more sophisticated $40,000 CCD in the future. Then visitors in the classroom could view images piped in from the CCD to one or more monitors there. The reserve and CVAS sponsor an aggressive educational and public observing program at Hobbs Observatory. Every Saturday night the observatory is open to public viewing. CVAS members use it Friday nights. A recent program on Mars attracted a crowd of 315 persons. The observatory also hosts school groups of up to 70 students at a time, and sponsors a telescope making class that produces 18 to 20 6-inch Dobsonians each summer. The 24-inch telescope at Hobbs Observatory can be configured as an f/5 Newtonian or as an f/25 Cassegrain. The tube is made of cast aluminum. The telescope is alt-azimuth mounted on a 5-inch Navy gun mount weighing 20,000 pounds. The telescope easily supports a CCD camera or other equipment; in fact, even children can hang on to it as it is moved about. Hobbs Observatory has some problems to overcome, including a leaking roof and poor optics on the 24-inch telescope, but this impressive facility now has the physical location to house a major astronomical program in our region. For more information on the Hobbs Observatory, contact Kevin Litten, Chippewa Valley Astronomical Society, 921 Willow, Chippewa Falls, Wl 54729. ------------------------------------------------------------------- The Joys of Good Collimation As the owner of an 8-inch Newtonian telescope who regularly transports it to various locations, both in the surrounding area as well as to out-of-state star parties, I found that the few minutes it takes to properly align its optics is well worth the effort. A few days ago I was about to purchase a new line of eyepieces, because the star images I saw in my current eyepieces were deteriorating miserably. But since I own Meade Research Grade eyepieces, and I thought they should be performing better, I decided that the problem might stem from my scope's mis-alignment rather than from the eyepiece quality. Before forking over a couple of hundred dollars for a few moderately priced optics, I decided to get my wife to help me collimate the scope's secondary and primary mirrors. After about 5 to 10 minutes, the Airy Disks were the normal round shapes instead of the off-center oval I had when we had begun. Upon focusing on a variety of objects at a variety of magnifications using a variety of eyepieces, I was amazed at the effect that previously failing to align my scope for over a year was having on my observational ability. So, next time you blame your telescope's performance on poor eyepiece quality, try re-collimating instead. You'll be glad you did. Larry Scott, East Texas Astronomical Society ------------------------------------------------------------------- ASTRONOMY SOFTWARE Shareware / Public Domain / Commercial Andromeda Software, Inc. P.O. Box 605-L Amherst, NY 14226-0605 SHAREWARE & PUBLIC DOMAIN SOFTWARE Full Featured Software for only $3.99 per Disk! Specialists in Astronomy / Scientific Shareware & Public Domain Software for IBM and Commodore 64/128 Computers. Astronomy software includes Planetarium Simulators, Ephemeris Generators, Astronomical Databases, Solar System Simulators, Satellite Tracking Programs, Astrophotography Exposure Calculators, Celestial Mechanics Simulators, Astronomical Clocks, Launch Vehicle Simulators and more. Other Categories include Aviation, Chemistry, Earth Science, Electronics, Engineering, Ham Radio, Math, Medical, Statistics, Surveying and more. Write for our FREE catalog of Shareware & Public Domain Software. Specify IBM or Commodore. ASTROVIEW Astonomical Development System A Step Up In Computer Aided Astronomy Generates an undistorted, complete sky starfield. "The full sky view is one of the best this reviewer has seen." - The Reflector - May, 1987 Expandable astronomical database of celestial objects. Position table feature helps you locate elusive deep sky objects in the ACTUAL night sky. For Commodore 64/128 or Apple IIc/IIe (with 64k/80 columns). Only $39.95 JOVIAN SYSTEM SIMULATOR A Simulation of the Galilean Satellites of Jupiter Features a multi-view animation screen of the Jovian System. Includes a Data Bank feature which includes full color cross sectional and data about each moon. A great teaching aid! For IBM PC/XT/AT with 256k, CGA and MS-DOS 2.0 or higher. Only $24.95 Write to the address at the top of this advertisement for more information. ------------------------------------------------------------------- 1991 TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE TRIP by Ken Wilcox - Astronomical League President The Astronomical League has made plans to view the 1991 solar eclipse from the Kona Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii. We have 150 rooms reserved in the Royal Waikolola Hotel, and 100 rooms reserved in the King Kamehameha Hotel and estimate the cost for the five day trip, including ground transportation and baggage, to be approximately $1700 per person, based on double occupancy from the mid west. Rates may vary depending on your departure city. We will be staying in two hotels on the west side of the island, which offers the best chance for good weather the morning of July 11, 1991. Accompanying us will be Dr. Mark Littmann, visiting professor of astronomy at Loyola College, Baltimore, MD, and formerly at Space Telescope Science Institute, Dr. Ron Schorn, Technical Editor for Sky & Telescope magazine, and Dr. Jim Zimbelman, planetary geologist with the Smithsonian Institute, Washington, D.C. Special talks on solar eclipses, particularly the 1991 eclipse, will be presented prior to the eclipse, including instruction on photographing the eclipse with and without a telescope. Dr. Zimbelman did his PHD research on Mars volcanism at Arizona State University and will be leading side trips to Volcano National Park so bring along your hiking boots. In addition to having a "ring side seat" for this spectacular eclipse, we have obtained tentative permission to take approximately 150 people up to Mauna Kea Observatory following the eclipse to view the new Keck Observatory if it is completed by 1991. We have not yet determined the cost for the side trips, but anticipate the cost to be between $40 to $60 per person. Four wheel drive vehicles will be required for the Mauna Kea Observatory trips, and buses will be used for trips to Volcano National Park. A third side trip is being planned called Ancient Hawaiian Astronomy. All side trips are on a first come first serve basis and are subject to cancellation at the discretion of the AL Eclipse Coordinator. Few events call for such plans this far in advance. All of the hotel rooms on the Big Island are already reserved and this eclipse promises to be the eclipse of the century. We have placed a deposit on 20 rental cars for persons in our group who want the extra mobility during their stay. However, transportation to and from the airport is included in the package. We expect the space to go fast so if you are interested in holding a place for yourself you must send a $150.00 refundable deposit to: The Astronomical League c/o Ada Guess Spears World Travel 500 S. Keeler Bartlesville, OK 74005 Your deposit is refundable until July 1990. Make checks payable to the Astronomical League. For additional information, call Ada Guess, 1-800-331-0717. ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE 1991 ECLIPSE REGISTRATION Name_________________________________________________________________ Address______________________________________________________________ City____________________________ State______________ Zip_____________ Day Phone (_____)______________ Night Phone (_____)__________________ Airport of Departure ________________________________________________ Side Trips: Mauna Kea __ Volcano National Park ___ Ancient Hawaiian Astronomy ___ Astronomical League Member Yes____ No____ Name of Member Society_______________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------- Abstract Service The following items are abstracted from newsletters of clubs in the Astronomical League. Persons or clubs interested in a particular subject can send to the address given a SASE with a short note requesting the full article. PHOTOGRAPHING THE SUN by Gordon Garcia With the high activity of the sun in 1990, the writer gives several advices on how to photograph the sun. From: Celestial Log, Volume II, Issue 3 - March 1990, Northwest Suburban Astronomers, Editors Edith and Toni Auchter, 16 Asbury Lane, Barrington, IL 60010 A PLANISPHERE WITH A DIFFERENCE by Gary J. Bivin The article describes the construction of a cardboard planisphere which has the center on the southpole. The southern sky, where most of the celestial objects of interest are, is thus displayed with less distortion. The northern sky is consequently somewhat distorted and the north circumpolar part is not displayed. The cut-out of the top disk is for latitude of 25-45 degrees north with 5 degree increments. From: Desert Skies - June 1989, Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association, P.O. Box 41254, Tucson, AZ 85717 Note: The writer has also developed a Siderial Time Calculator as presented in Desert Skies of December 1987. DESIRABLE CHARACTERISTICS OF LUNAR AND PLANETARY SCOPES by Rodger W. Gordon The various telescope designs are discussed, which have an effect on loss of contrast as a result of obstructions and scattering of light by diagonal and spider vanes. From: The Observer, Volume XXX, Number 11 - November 1989, Lehigh Valley Amateur Astronomy Association, E. Rock Road, Allentown, PA 18103 MIRROR MAKING SOFTWARE by Jan Punalski Two programs are given for checking the curvature of a mirror during grinding, etc. (1) For drawing a graph, using a Cassio Graphic Calculator to show how far the parabola is from the idea case. The program should be adaptable for a Hewlett Packard Graphics calculator. (2) A BASIC program without graphics instruction, but gives data to plot a graph as in (1) above. Note: The writer mentions that both programs encapsulate calculations in the article by Roger W. Sinnot in Sky & Telescope of August 1977, "Calculating a Mirror's Surface Accuracy." From: First Light, December 1989, Alachua Astronomy Club, Editor C.S. Broward, Rt. 2, Box 2915, Melrose, FL 32666 LUNAR ECLIPSE PHOTOGRAPHY by A. L. Ponjee Prepared originally for the August 16/17, 1989 eclipse, for handing out to the public, it is of course valid for all lunar eclipse. (The next one will occur December 9, 1992.) From: Cosmic Echoes - August 1989, Ancient City Astronomy Club, Inc., P.O. Box 546, St. Augustine, FL 42085-0646 ALL CLUBS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SEND A COPY OF THEIR NEWSLETTER FOR THIS ABSTRACT SERVICE TO: A.L. Ponjee, 658 Gilda Drive, St. Augustine Shores, FL 32086-7715 ------------------------------------------------------------------- PAS Wins 10% of Orion's ACSP Award David G. Hughes, 1st Vice-President, Pontchartrain Astronomical Society, New Orleans, La In October 1989, the Pontchartrain Astronomical Society enrolled in Orion Telescope Center's Astronomy Club Support Program. The purpose of the program was to reward astronomy clubs for Orion purchases made by their members. Each participating club would receive a share of $10,000 in purchase credits proportional to the purchases made by its members. The $10,000 was to be awarded in two $5,000 installments at the end of two consecutive six month periods. The first period ended February 28 and the second was to end August 30, 1990. The PAS was notified in April by Orion that we had been awarded $506.62 in purchase credits for the first six month period. This amount far exceeded our expectations. In order to get the maximum benefit from the Orion contribution for the PAS and its members, the officers decided that the credit should be used to purchase items that will be used as raffle prizes at our monthly general meetings. This way the club should end up with a cash contribution larger than the value of the Orion credits, and ten lucky members would each receive a useful astronomical item for the price of a raffle ticket. In selecting items to order - from the list of eligible items provided by Orion - we avoided any items which were useful only for astrophotography, items which could only be used on a Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, and items which required a 2-inch focuser. Unfortunately Orion has decided not to continue the Astronomy Club Support Program. They said they were surprised to find that only a small number of clubs participated. They also received a few complaints from certain astronomy clubs which believed that their club's membership in the ACSP constituted an endorsement of Orion. We disagree completely with that sentiment; purchases from Orion by individual members were completely voluntary and were in no way endorsed or encouraged by the PAS. We simply made the membership aware of a generous offer by a reputable, well respected telescope dealer. While we are happy that the small number of clubs participating in the ACSP increased our share of the bounty, we are truly sorry that apathy and negative attitudes on the part of other clubs resulted in the cancellation of the second half of the program. On behalf of all the members of the PAS, the officers which to thank Orion Telescope Center for their generosity. Many thanks also to those members who made the purchases from Orion which enabled this contribution. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Hubble Space Telescope Amateur Proposals: Round Two In May, the Hubble Space Telescope Amateur Astronomers Working Group announced the opening of round two of amateur proposals for observing time on the Hubble Space Telescope. The program is open to all U.S. citizens who do not have an advanced degree in astronomy. Applications to use the Hubble for amateur observing projects may be made until November 1, 1990. Amateurs should remember that only research projects that cannot be done from the ground will be considered. Interested persons should submit a letter to: Round Two HST Proposals, American Association of Variable Star Observers, 25 Birch Street, Cambridge MA 02138. By Return mail requestors will receive information on the Hubble telescope, proposal forms, and entry instructions. Completed proposals must be postmarked no later than November 1, 1990. The Great M40 Controversy Several members of the Roanoke Valley Astronomical Society have begun pursuing the Astronomical League's Messier Certificate. For ourselves, as well as others persuing this certificate, I thought it might be of value to single out one object which is somewhat of an enigma. In all the references we're presently aware of, M40 (also known as Winnecke 4) is listed as a close double star. It's the only Messier object which is not a galaxy, cluster or nebula. Located just north of the star 70 UMa, itself just north of Megrez (delta UMa), M40's equinox 2000 coordinates are given as 12h 22m and 58d 05m. The puzzling thing about M40 is that it's not that close of a double star. To think that Messier might not have resolved the pair and mistook it for nebulosity or some other object - an idea mentioned in Burnham's Celestial Handbook - seems a bit hard to digest. Furthermore, just east of M40 is a very interesting asterism: a circlet of stars surrounding a smaller, almost perfect square of stars. It's just the type of thing you could picture Messier stumbling upon and noting. There are also some galaxies lurking in the vicinity, but these are 13th magnitude and dimmer, so it's unlikely that Messier meant one of them as M40. Now, to deepen this patently manufactured controversy, enter none other than Sky & Telescope's Dennis di Cicco. In the May '90 issue, Dennis reviews the new Celestron Advanced Astro Master. In so doing, he lauds the catalogs of objects in the software, stating that it correctly lists M40 as an asterism! Unless he considers double stars to be asterisms - which would be a unique use of the term - what's going on? We'd like to know what M40 really is! Does anyone have information on M40 that could clear up this confusion? If so, pass it along. Otherwise, we may be left with no choice but to write to Mr. di Cicco. Mark Hodges, Roanoke Valley (VA) Astronomical Society, 2332 Johns Lane SW, Roanoke, VA 24018 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Spectrum Aurora Borealis On the evening of the 25th inst. we had a splendid view of the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights. The sky, though very light and bathed with a tinge of red, was not of so grand an appearance as we have seen on such occasions, but the reflection upon the snow, was beautiful and sublime in the extreme, having the appearance of a light crimson, while the light seemed almost to equal that of day. ------------------------------------------------------------------- (Item in the Berwick Gazette, pub. by Davis and Gilmore, Berwick, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, Saturday morning, January 28, 1837) ATB's Take Heart (or He's Hans Lippershey and I'm not!) As an advanced ATB (Amateur Telescope Buyer) I take solace in the thought that others, far greater than I, have never built a telescope. While reading Richard Leaner's Through the Eyepiece, I noted that "... Johannes Kepler in Prague, an archetypal theorist regretted that he was all thumbs and had to borrow a telescope that Galileo had presented to the Duke of Bavaria." ------------------------------------------------------------------- (Jim Shearer, Rochester Academy Astronomy Section) Communique from the International Meteor Organization We wish to invite all interested persons to consider the possibilities for cooperation within the International Meteor Organization. We are an international non-profit scientific organization recognized by Commission 22 of the IAU. With members all over the world, IMO was created in response to an ever-growing need for international cooperation in amateur meteor work. Existing pursuits include: studying the structure of the main meteor showers; studying the sporadic background complex; deriving statistical visual radiant positions; fireball reporting, double-station meteor trails; photographic meteorometry; radio, telescopes, binocular and video work. Membership benefits include the bi-monthly 36 page journal WGN, available in English with general meteor news, photos, observing program guidelines, reports and analyses of observations and general articles on meteoric phenomena. The next annual meeting, or IMC, will be from the 6th to 9th of September, 1990 in Violau, West Germany. Write: Dieter Koschny, Ostpreussenstrasse 51, D8000 Munich 81, West Germany. Membership dues are $12.00 U.S. yearly plus one-time $3.00 new-member fee. The Western Hemisphere membership contact for IMO is Peter Brown, 181 Sifton Avenue, FL McMurray, T9H 4V7, Alberta, Canada. Please include an additional $2 if paid by U.S. check, for handling. Telrad - The $45 Wonder There is no doubt that the Telrad is one of the cutest little gizmos to hit the astronomy scene in years, but it's happened again: This month's Astronomy magazine has an article referring to the Telrad as a "zero power" finder. This reference keeps on cropping up in articles, newsletters, and casual conversations. Now if you think about it, it is reasonably obvious that the Telrad is a one-power finder. But wouldn't it be ever so much more fascinating if those zero-power claims were true? Consider a one-half power finder. Logically, this would demagnify any section of the sky by reducing the area of sky to one-half its size as viewed normally without the aid of an instrument. Likewise, a one-hundredth-power finder would reduce objects to one-hundredth their size and a one-millionth power finder would reduce objects to one-millionth their size. You can see that as the power gets smaller and smaller (approaching zero), more and more of the sky could be compressed into the finder's field. At zero power, the entire sky would be reduced to a mathematical point. Think how easy this would make finding any object. Just look through your finder and it's there. You could observe the entire NGC Catalogue in just a second. I'm not sure what you'd see, but the sheer power (excuse me) of being able to view the whole universe in one glance would be well worth the $45 price tag. ------------------------------------------------------------------- (Sue French, from Albany Area Amateur Astronomer's Newsletter) Light Pollution Poem Passing from house to car or barn, from car or barn to house, beneath their hundred-seventy-five-watt dusk-to-dawn mercury vapor security light, the farmer and his family can see the night only as black around their blazing yard. They cannot see the "small lights" (save Sirius, perhaps, or Venus, the brilliant planet), cannot see the myriad stars minutely graded in brightness, delicately varied in color, otherwise visible this far from the city, stippling the dark sky in their ancient patterns that in their rising and setting, could tell of latitude, season, and hour, could intimate the universe beyond the neighbor sun that blots them out by day, as now this yard light does by night. ------------------------------------------------------------------- (Eleanor Berry, International Dark-Sky Association Newsletter, October 1988) Leaving the Nest Growing up with astronomy, I recall reading and being told numerous times from numerous sources that our Sun is an ordinary star in an ordinary galaxy. If this is so, why has it taken the Paris Observatory over a decade to find a star that is similar to our Sun, as reported in the September issue of Sky & Telescope? Our Sun is an "ordinary G2 dwarf." Others must have formed from the primordial cloud in our neck of the woods. Once, long ago, our Sun's accretion began, undoubtedly along with other nursery members of the time. First we were a cloud, then a condensed cloud, then stellar infants surrounded by nebulosity, then an open cluster, and today, a star moving about a spiral arm. Where are our brothers and sisters who were born from our parent cloud? There should be a bunch of G2 dwarfs in all directions, relatively close by. There aren't. Could the galactic dynamics be so great and fast that these other members assumed a distant residence? Or is star formation so slow that billions of years passed from one birth to the next ? If the second holds true, then our family bas changed in many ways. Age and spectral types would differ dramatically, even though we came from the same galactic womb. A relatively close G2 dwarf has been identified, a star as similar to our Sun as Paris Observatory has found to date. They report that it matches our Sun's temperature, age, gravity and chromospheric activity. The star is 6.6 magnitude, HD 44594 in southeastern Puppis at RA 6h 20.1m and Dec -48d 44m. Some day, look at it and imagine you're probably viewing one of our stellar brothers of the same accretion that formed us. I wonder if they have a probe like Voyager, just about finishing up its grand tour about now? ------------------------------------------------------------------- (Tom Quinn, Northwest Suburban Astronomers - Celestial Log, 10/88) Award Winning Book Through the Telescope by Mike Porcellino has won an honorable Mention from the New York Academy of Sciences' 18th Annual Children's Science Book Award Program (Older Category). Congratulations to Mike, who is a member of the Chicago Astronomical Society. ------------------------------------------------------------------- (Reprinted from Focal Point, newsletter of the Milwaukee (WI) Astronomical Society, Summer 1990) ------------------------------------------------------------------- SPECTRUM is a regular feature compiled by assistant editor Barlow Pepin. Young Astronomer DISCOVERY CORNER: To see how Uranus's tilt affects the amount of daylight on the planet, you will need a tennis ball, a long nail, and an adult helper. Ash your helper to drive a large nail through a tennis ball for you. The ball represents Uranus and the nail its axis. Now draw imaginary "continents" on the ball. Place the lamp in the center of an otherwise darkened room. Turning the planet on its axis has little effect on day and night on any area. If you move 1/4 of the way around the lamp and keep the nail pointing in the same direction, the lamp's light will fall on the center of the ball and day and night will change as it rotates. Reprinted from Evansville (IN) Astronomical Society Observer, May 1990 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Total Solar Eclipse Mazatlan, Mexico $875 per person double occupancy July 8-13, 1991 The El Cid Resort Hotel Escorted by Jose Olivarez of Wichita Omnisphere Includes Air Fare from Wichita Hotel Accommodations, Taxes Transfers, Eclipse Fiesta Dinner Call for prices from your City of Departure. El Cid Resort Hotel, Club de Golf y Marina Suzan Barnes, CTC KURDIAN TRAVEL AGENCY, INC. 2020 North Oliver Wichita, Kansas 67208 316-686-4225 800-835-0206 316-686-4108 FAX ------------------------------------------------------------------- Astronomical League Sales Astronomical League Observe Manuals: "Observe and Understand the Sun" (Temporarily Out of Print) "Observe Eclipses" $3.50 "A Guide to the Messier Objects" $3.50 "Observe the Herschel Objects" $3.50 "Observe Comets" $5.00 "Observe Meteors" $5.00 "Math for Amateur Astronomers" $5.00 "Check a Possible Supernova" 40 Photos of galaxies by Juhani Salmi #1 & #2, each $5.50 Set of #1 & #2 $10.00 Proceedings - ALCON '89 $6.00 Proceedings - ALCON '88 $4.00 JEWELRY - Gold Plated Lapel Button, clutch back $4.00 Ladies Pendant, no chain $3.00 T-SHIRTS - Fine quality 50/50 Light Blue with emblem, Med-Large-X-large $5.50 Dark Blue with emblem Med-Large-X-large $5.50 XX-Large $6.00 EMBLEM PATCHES Embroidered cloth, 3" dark blue felt, w/white emblem $4.00 PRESS-ON A.L. EMBLEMS 11" dia., dark blue & white $3.00 3-1/2" dia., dark blue & white $.25 Five 3-1/2" emblems for $1.00 BUMPER STICKERS "I would Rather See Starlight than Streetlights" $1.00 POSTAGE AND HANDLING: Orders up to $5.00. please add 75c. Orders over $5.00, please add 15%, except ALCON Proceedings which are postpaid. Astronomical League Observe Manuals may be purchased in quantity at a discount: 10 to 19 copies are less 25c per copy. 20 or more copies are less $.50 per copy. We pay postage on quantity orders. Send check or money order to: Astronomical League Sales, Four Klopfer Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15209 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Astronomical League Elections During June and July, Astronomical League members have been asked to decide their club's votes on several issues to be addressed at ALCON '90 in St. Louis in August. First, the AL is electing a new president and vice-president. Only one candidate, Jim Fox of the 3M Astronomical Society in Minneapolis, MN, is running for president. But for vice-president, League members must chose between incumbent Jerry Sherlin of Colorado, former AL treasurer Gene Dietzen of Spokane, or NCRAL Representative Larry Jahn. All member society ALCORs have been given brief biographies of each to present to their clubs. League members must also vote on two constitutional issues. At the suggestion of Executive Secretary Merry Edenton-Wooten, Council at the last AL convention voted to establish a new category of AL membership, "Young Astronomers". These would be 8-14 year olds who wish to subscribe to Odyssey and receive the REFLECTOR and other privileges of AL membership (no voting), much like a junior membership-at-large. The second amendment would alter the conditions under which the AL Trust Fund monies could be used to assist AL operations. Now, the trust fund principle is inviolate, and only the interest can be used for AL projects. But the revision approved by Council states that, "The principal of the ALTF will lie inviolate except under the following conditions: This rule may be waived should a grave fiscal crisis face the League. A 3/4 (75%) majority of Council and at least four of the five Trustees must declare such a crisis. This expenditure will be considered a loan at interest, if possible." Results of the voting at ALCON '90 will be reported in the November issue of the REFLECTOR. J. Wayne Wooten, Escambia Amateur Astronomical Association, Pensacola, FL ------------------------------------------------------------------- LENSES, ACHROMAT LENSES & MIRROR BLANKS Stock & Custom unfinished fabricated / moulded mirror blanks, diagonals & lenses made from pyrex, optical glasses, fused silica, quartz and other low expansion materials Write, call or fax for free catalog NEWPORT GLASS WORKS, LTD. 2044-D PLACENTIA AVENUE COSTA MESA, CA 92627 (714) 642-9980 FAX: (714) 642-4832 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Astronomical League Book Service Members of the Astronomical League may order any book on astronomy at a 10% discount through the League's book service. To order a book, send the title and author of the book, the publisher and address if known, and a check for the retail price of the book less 10%. Also give the name of your member society, or state if you are a member-at-large, since this is a service for League members only. All books are sent postpaid with no handling charges. Note the address and send your order to: Jerry Sherlin, AL Book Service, 17002 E. Prentice Dr., Aurora, CO 80015, (303) 680-6894 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Project Star Video The Astronomical League Program Committee has added many new video tapes to the League's Library of Program Materials. One of these new videos is an excellent production by Project Star at Harvard University. It is an 18 minute video aimed at high school, college and adult audiences. This video would be an excellent program to help educate your club members to better interface with the general public at such functions as astronomy day or public star parties. As educators in astronomy, we too often do not realize the misconceptions that students or the general public bring with them to a public star party. This video is a simple yet dramatic demonstration of how preconceived ideas can interfere with what we are trying to teach and demonstrate about our hobby and the science of astronomy. To schedule the Project Star video for your club, contact: Don Garland c/o Ft. Worth Museum of Science and History 1501 Montgomery Street Ft. Worth, TX 76101 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Upcoming Events August 17-19 Northwoods Star Fest, Eau Claire Youth Camp, Beaver Creek Reserve. Facilities include the new Hobbs Observatory. Sponsored by Chippewa Falls Astronomical Society. Contact: Kevin Litten, 921 Willow, Chippewa Falls, WI 54729, (715) 726-2382 August 17-19 2nd Annual Minnesota Sky Show, New Ulm, MN. Sponsored by Minnesota Valley Amateur Astronomers. Contact: Roger Dier, Route 4, Box 15A, New Ulm, MN 56073, (507) 359-2488 August 17-20 Mountain Astronomers Rendezvous and Star Party, Fox Park near Laramie, Wyoming. Contact: Dave Trofft, Denver Astronomical Society, P.O. Box 10814, Denver, CO 80210, (303) 871-5172 August 18-20 1990 Oregon Star Party, Fish Lake Campground, Frenchglen, OR. Contact: Chuck Dethloff, 15111 NW Oakmont Loop, Beaverton, OR 97006 August 18 Prairie Astronomy Club Picnic and Regional Star Party, Atlas Observing Site, Firth NE. Contact: Lee Thomas, P.O. Box 80553, Linclon, NE 68501, (402) 483-5639 August 24-25 4th Annual Astronomy Rendezvous and Conference, Normal, Il. Contact: Twin Cities Amateur Astronomers, P.O. Box 755, Normal, Il, 61761, Carl Wenning, (309) 454-4164 September 8 StarConn, an Astronomical Convention at Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, sponsored by the Astronomical Society of Greater Hartford. Contact: Jay Sottolano, 950 Trout Brook Dr., West Hartford, CT 06119, (203) 651-0096 September 14-16 11th Annual Astrofest, Camp Shaw-Waw-Nas-see, a 4-H Camp 60 miles south of Chicago, sponsored by Chicago Astronomical Society. Contact: John Phelps, Registrar, P.O. Box 596-R, Tinley Park, Il 60477 September 18-22 Okie-Tex Star Party, Lake Murray State Park, Ardmore, OK. Sponsored by Oklahoma City Astronomical Society. Contact: Wayne Wyrick, P.O. Box 21221, Oklahoma City, OK 73156, (405) 424-5545 September 20-21 Iowa Convention of Amateur and Professional Astronomers. Contact: C.L. Allen, c/o Des Moines Astronomical Society, 2307 49th Street, Des Moines, IA 50310-2538 September 20-22 3rd Annual Ozarks Star Party, RLDS Campground, Joplin, MO. Contact: Peter Bessenbruch, 29 Williams St, Ft. Leonard Wood, MO 65473. Send SASE or call (314) 329-3344 September 22 and October 20 6th Annual Blue Ridge Parkway Regional Stargaze, Julian Price State Park, Blowing Rock, NC. Contact: Greg Kirby, 12 East Street, Granite Falls, NC 28630, (704) 396-7656 September 29 11th Annual Astronomy Day, Mariner Mall, Pensacola FL, sponsored by Escambia Amateur Astronomers Association. Contact: Margaret Hildreth, 4100 Lillian Hwy., Pensacola, FL 32506, (904) 456-0078 October 12-14 Georgia Star Party, at Camp Daniel Morgan in Hard Labor Creek State Park, near Atlanta, GA. Contact: Astronomical Society of the Atlantic, c/o Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303-3083, (404) 264-0451 October 19-21 MERAL Convention/Stella-Della-Valley IV, Ottsville, PA, 40 miles north of Philadelphia. Sponsored by the Mid-East Region of the Astronomical League and the Bucks-Mont Astronomical Association. Contact: Greg Mauro, 4 Crosswicks Court, Trenton, NJ 08610, (609) 585-9465 Send announcements of upcoming regional events to Ed Flaspoehler, REFLECTOR Editor, 5027 W. Stanford, Dallas, TX 75209 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Welcoming Mat New Socities: Tri-State Astronomers (me 8919) ALCOR: James E Taylor Rt 1, Box 112-E Falling Waters, WV 25419 Kanawha Valley Astronomical Society (me 8920) ALCOR: Roger Chapman 5204 Dellway Dr. Cross Lanes, WV 25313 Alachua Astronomy Club (se 9004) ALCOR: Mark Ian Cowan 1944 SE 2nd Avenue Gainesville, FL 32601 Mattatuck Astronomical Society (ne 9005) ALCOR: Walter Pajak 109 Mad River Rd Wolcott, CT 06716 Huron Amateur Astronomers (se 9006) ALCOR: Jim Bruton 4963 Truckey Rd. Alpena, MI 49707 Astronomical Society of Southeastern Texas (sw 9007) ALCOR: Ron Bertrand 2008 West Hart Orange, TX 77630 ------------------------------------------------------------------- We Want to See Starlight Instead of Streetlights. Reprinted from Gazers Gazette, Oklahoma City Astronomy Club Join the AL 's Twin Society Program Last year, the Astronomical League introduced a new program for member societies designed to bring clubs together for one-on-one correspondence. Applications were mailed with the 1989-90 bills and eighteen clubs responded, including one as far-flung as Fairbanks, Alaska. After receiving some positive feedback, I would like to announce this program once again. If your club would like to expand its horizons - literally! - by corresponding with another society, perhaps one with darker skies or more members or a different latitude, or simply to enlarge your "local group," send a request for an application to: Debbie Moran 11832 Sandpiper Dr. Houston, TX 77035 If you are already participating, please be advised that the REFLECTOR would welcome reports of joint events or projects. Send your article to Editor Ed Flaspoehler. ------------------------------------------------------------------- KCET/Los Angeles Announces New PBS Series The Astronomers The Astronomers, a major new series on the latest developments in astronomy and the people behind them, is now coming to public television, thanks to a $5.3 million grant from the W. M. Keck Foundation to KCET / Los Angeles. The Astronomers is slated to air in six parts on PBS during the Winter, 1991 season, and is currently being filmed internationally. The Astronomers, in six hour-long episodes, introduces the scientists and technologies which are revolutionizing our current knowledge of the universe. The explosion of knowledge in other related fields - physics, computer science, geology, and even biology - is feeding into and speeding the pace of the revolution, causing experts continuously to revise the field of astronomy. In May, Don Goldsmith, science editor and co-writer of the series, was the guest speaker at the regular meeting of the Eastbay Astronomical Society in Oakland, CA. In his talk he provided insights into why television is what it is, focusing on the joys and difficulties of presenting science information on television, and the pressures that impinge on those who try to do so. In June, members of the Texas Astronomical Society of Dallas presented a star party to 1500 attendees at the PBS annual meeting held in Dallas, in conjuction with the public announcement of the series. Luminaries attending the event, in addition to public television representatives from all over the country, were Richard Hudson, producer of Newton's Apple, KTCA-TV, St. Paul, MN, and George Page, host of WNET- TV's Nature series. Production of The Astronomers began last summer with coverage of the Voyager encounter with Neptune, and continued into the spring of 1990. ------------------------------------------------------------------- The Astronomical League's STARGATE BBS 214-578-7618 300, 1200, 2400 Baud 24 Hours - 8,N,1 Gary Williams' New General Program, NGP for short, is available in Area 6 - Database. This is a fantastic NGC database / manager / notekeeper that is menu driven, has mouse support, multiple sorts, and several print options. It includes observing notes by Steve Coe and Geoff Chester, as well as the Lynga Open Cluster Catalog, Lynds' Bright Nebula Catalog, and the Morphological Catalog of Galaxies, V1.23. Download the text of this issue from the REFLECTOR section on the Bulletin Board! ------------------------------------------------------------------- Comet Austin was photographed on May 25, 1990 at the Texas Star Party, the date of closest approach to Earth. The 15 minute exposure on Ektar 1000 was made using a 12-inch f/5 Newtonian. Tracking on a stationary star shows the motion of the comet during the exposure. Photo by Ed Flaspoehler. Great Comet of the Decade? Jerry Barton, Astronomy Club of Augusta (GA) Comet Austin has come and gone. Billed prematurely as the "Great Comet of the Decade," it certainly did not fulfill expectations. Local members sighted this one-shot visitor in early April, when it appeared about mag 4 in the pre-dawn haze, sporting a 2-degree ion tail. At mid-April perihelion, the ion tail grew to about 2.5 degrees with a distinctive fork, while the coma brightened only to mag 3.5 and enlarged slightly. Receding from the Sun and approaching Earth during May, very little change was noted. The dust tail, predicted to span 20 degrees or more, and startle laymen with its brilliance, simply never developed. A bow shock and tenuous "semi-tail" were detected in late May when the coma had faded to mag 4.5, and the ion tail evaporated completely. A week later, photos showed nothing but a vague fuzz ball as it sped past Earth on its long journey back into the interstellar void. An interesting interloper, but hardly the "Herald of the Gods" as prophesied by the ancients. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Membership-at-Large In the Astronomical League What does the League offer YOU, as Member-at-Large? o Full voting privileges. o The PROCEEDINGS of the National Convention. o A subscription to THE REFLECTOR newsletter. o Book Service through which you can buy astronomy related books at a 10% discount. o A subscription to your choice of one of the three following publications: - Abram Star Chart - Griffith Observer - Star Date News from McDonald Observatory. To join the Astronomical League as a member-at-large, send a check for $25.00 made payable to: Astronomical League Subscription Service Linda Sensenig, M.A.L. Chair 345 Douglass Street Wyomissing, PA 19610 (215) 375-9062 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Astronomy Day April 20, 1990 Taking Astronomy to the People