June 2009 - Volume 38, Number 6
MEETING NOTICE: The regular meeting of the BARNARD ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY will be held Thursday, June 11th at Jones Observatory on Brainerd Rd. The observatory doors will open at 6:45 p.m. Refreshments and social hour begin at 7:00 p.m. The program will be presented at 7:30 p.m. followed by the business meeting at 8:30.
The Barnard STAR is the official publication of the Barnard Astronomical Society.
Planned Activities to Enjoy The Wonders of Astronomy—
Celebrating Amateurs Who Are Professional in Knowledge
“Giving amateurs their due: The term ‘amateur' is often used negatively as a synonym for ‘unskilled.' Not here! In astronomy, the word remains true to its Latin root, amator, meaning ‘lover.' Amateur astronomers spend countless hours under the starry sky purely for the love of it. Many become as skilled at telescope observing or astrophotography as any professional—often more so.”
Discovering the Joy of Astronomy
“The joy of astronomy comes from finding your way around the starry sky and understanding what you see.” –The Editors, SKY AND TELESCOPE MAGAZINE
Mourning the Increasing Loss of Dark Night Skies in Our Cities
“There is no more important task for the modern amateur astronomer than to fight the steady growth of light pollution in urban areas. Already we are witnessing the tragedy of the first generation of city children who might never see the beauty of a dark night sky.”
--Director, Observatory, Houston Museum of Natural Science.
Note: BAS endorses outdoor lighting restriction efforts by the International Dark Sky Association (IDSA) and also by local organizations such as Save Roane Starry Skies (SRSS) at The Tamke-Allan Observatory, Roane State College, Harriman , TN.
Technical Areas of Specialization within BAS for Member Participation
Large Aperture/Dark Sky/Deep Space Optical Astronomy at Several Regional Dark Sky Sites
For more information, contact David Witt or Victor Rogers.
Astrophotography
For more information, contact David Hanon, Ed Sunder or Dr. Gary Caldwell
Radio Astronomy at a Fully Functional Radio Telescope Observatory Outside of Cleveland, TN
For more information, contact Bill and Melinda Lord, Bill Seymour, or John Mannone.
Sidewalk Astronomy—“Chattanooga Out of This World” Challenging Optical Viewing of The Earth’s Moon and The Inner Planets for the General Public from Downtown Locations Surrounded By Bright City Lights
For more information, contact Tom Adkins, Joe D’Agostonoor Dr. Gary Caldwell.
BAS MAY MEETING
Program
On Saturday, May 16th, approximately 27 members and guests enjoyed a unique activity which included tours of the Walker County Georgia Science Center, the adjacent NASA Lunar Impact Observatory, and the impressive private observatory at the nearby home of Bobby Thompson. Although cloudy weather prevented the planned optical observing session, participants did enjoy fellowship, a cookout under Bobby’s carport and the viewing of the movie, “Contact” on a large screen.
Thanks to Dr. Wayne Robinson, Science Center Director and Dr. Bill Cooke of NASA Marshall Space Flight Center for leading the very interesting tours, and to Bobby Thompson for his great hospitality.
The success of this event indicates that BAS can expect a good turnout of people if selected astronomy-related destinations are planned for a few Saturdays in the future.
The Basics
Retrograde Motion of the Planets
All of the planets move in a counter-clockwise direction in the plane of the ecliptic (the plane in which planets orbit around the sun), as viewed from above. Thus for earth observers, from night to night each planet shows a general eastward drift in the zodiacal belt (the 12 constellations that ring the plane of the ecliptic).
But, also as viewed from the earth, planets sometimes seem to move backwards. Even make a loop in the sky if their position is plotted over a period of months. Why is this?
It has to do with the relative motion of the earth in comparison to that of the planets. The earth’s eastward movement in its orbit around the sun tends, from a human vantage point, to shift the planets backward toward the west or sometimes forward to the east, among the stars. It is the same effect that one would observe if driving a car on a huge circular race track. Imagine that other cars are moving, each on a parallel track either inside (superior planets Mercury and Venus) or outside of you (inferior planets Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune). As you look out of your car window at various points around the race course, the other cars (each moving at its own speed) will appear to be moving ahead or dropping back relative to you. This visual effect combines with the planet’s real eastward motions to produce the looped paths that are observed over time.
For example, Mars, at the same hour from one evening to the next falls behind any given star in the zodiacal belt without fail—almost. It was this “almost” that made certain sky wanderers of special interest to ancient astronomers. From time to time, the eastward drift of this planet is reversed. During approximately 2 months in every 26, Mars is seen to reverse its direction from east to west relative to the stars. Instead of drifting further behind surrounding stars as expected, Mars strangely gains ground on them and even catches up. If plotted over time, this seemingly reversed motion relative to the background stars forms a loop. Then after 2 months, Mars again settles into the customary eastward drift for about 2 years. Such reversed motion, seen for the eight planets of the solar system only, is known as retrograde motion.
Reference: The Atom and The Universe; James S. Perlman
The Program for June
Tom Crowley’s presentation, “Searching for Super Novas,” will begin at 7:30 PM. Mr. Crowley is a member of the Puckett Observatory Super Nova Search Team and they have discovered over 170 Super Novas. This presentation will introduce the audience to different classifications of Super Novas; describe how the amateur astronomer hunts Super Novas, and what procedures need to be followed to report their discovery. Besides Super Nova hunting with his homebuilt 24” telescope, Tom does visual observing, CCD imaging and radio astronomy. He currently serves as President of the Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers (SARA).
Mark Your Calendar
Here are a few of the upcoming meetings that have programs scheduled:
June 11: Tom Crowley on hunting Supernovas
July 9: Open.
August 13: Dr Doug Durig (tentative)
September 10: Open
October 8: Joint Meeting with the Chemical Society, Prof. John Mannone will present a program of interest to both astronomers and chemists.
November 12: Paul Lewis, UTK
December 5: Annual BAS Christmas Party
Telescope Project
We would like to start a group within the Barnard Astronomical Society for those interested in building telescopes. We have had a donation to the club of two mirrors and some parts to build two telescopes. If you are interested in helping with these, or in building your own telescope, let us know.
Bill & Melinda Lord 423-478-9043
www.tnSkyNet.com
BAS Members Purchase Advanced Astronomy Software
At least seven club members have signed up to purchase Sky Tools 3, which was demonstrated at the Fall Creek Falls Star Party. This powerful computer program for observers has many more features than an interactive star chart. For example, the Nightly Planner displays the best observed objects for a given night with your telescope at your location by filtering its massive memory of all available sky targets. There is also a feature for the observer to log actual observations which can also be used as documentation for Astronomical League observing awards.
Bill and Melinda Lord are handling the orders for Sky Tools 3, using a special club discount for multiple purchases.
New Website for Barnard Astronomical Society
The new website for the BAS is now at www.BarnardStar.com. Ed Sunder is working to get the site up and running with the assistance of Rod Ruch. Eventually, there will be a member sign in so you can upload astrophotography to the website along with other items to post on the web. Check out the site and contact Ed edsunder@3hd.com or Rod RodRuch@aol.com with suggestions for the website.
President's Corner
Bill Lord
I am excited to be your president for the next year. The Barnard Astronomical Society is made up of some great members who are enthusiastic about astronomy. Thanks to the efforts of past president Gary Caldwell and others, we have been active with star parties and I want to continue this outreach and do even more.
Introducing people to the wonders of the night sky is fun but is also important to keeping our hobby alive. When you go to a star party or even have friends and family over to look through your telescope or binoculars, be sure you invite them to join BAS. Let people know we have telescopes to loan to members.
The Night Sky Network offers items to the club for free to handout at star parties and other club activities. If you are having a group over for a private star party, let me know and I will get you some handouts which include DVD’s, rulers, bookmark, posters, IYA 2009 pins, etc.
While we want to stay active with our outreach, I also want to encourage mentoring of our new members. Recently Ed Sunder had Paul Gartenhaus over to observe with him and make images of Saturn and the Sombrero Galaxy. Bobby Thompson is working with our newest member Carl Westman to get him up and running his Celestron. We had Camille and Charles Graziadei to our observatory earlier this year to show them Orion’s nebula and Venus.
If you would like to offer your assistance to mentor other members, let me know. And if you are a new astronomer or maybe you got some new equipment you would like help with, contact me so we can match you up. We have a lot of talented astrophotographers in the club that I am sure would be willing to offer help to those interested in getting started in astrophotography.
I look forward to the coming year and hope you will join me in exploring the universe and sharing the wonders of the night sky through outreach.
Telescope Loaner Program Donation
Bill Seymour has donated two telescopes to the BAS loaner program. One six inch Newtonian Reflector, f/8, with metal equatorial mount, constructed with parts from Edmund Scientific Co. in good condition.
One Jason 2.5 inch refractor with tripod mount and wooden carrying box. In good condition, except the mirror diagonal is broken and needs to be replaced.
Both of these telescopes are simple, easy to use, with significant magnification (beyond the toy level), and would be wonderful for persons who are just beginning in the astronomy hobby.
The club has several telescopes for loan. Contact Adam Krause krausea34@yahoo.com or Bill Lord ap_guardian@yahoo.com to get a telescope.
The Higgs Particle, Some Fundamentals?
Conversations in Cosmology by Francis Cordell
As it turns out, the vacuum is not empty - there is a difference between the vacuum and nothingness. Surprisingly, of all known ‘substances’ the vacuum is the least well understood.
From the point of view of cosmology, the vacuum appears to have an energy density, which is sometimes called “dark energy” or the “cosmological constant”, responsible for the observed accelerated expansion of the universe. From a particle physics viewpoint, the vacuum is permeated by a “Higgs Field” - named after physicist Peter Higgs. In the Standard Model of particle physics (which has mapped the subatomic world with remarkable success for over 30 years), the masses of all particles are generated as a result of their interactions with this field.
It should also be possible to detect excitations of the Higgs field in the form of a particle known as the “Higgs boson”. Detecting the Higgs - the only particle in the Standard Model that has not been observed experimentally - is therefore one of the outstanding challenges in particle physics today. Scientists hope to detect the Higgs using CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC), due to come online in November this year. The LHC will be the world’s largest particle accelerator, colliding protons on protons at a total energy of 16 TeV (16x1012 eV) to generate what physicists hope will be a slew of new particles, including the Higgs.
The LHC will also search for many hypothetical particles other than the Higgs boson in what is called “physics beyond the Standard Model”, with “supersymmetry” being a promising candidate idea. Supersymmetric extensions of the Standard Model predict that all fundamental particles - such as quarks, photons and electrons - have ‘cousins’: their so-called `superpartners’, yet to be discovered.
Looking to the future the LHC will teach us “something fundamental”. Apart from finding the Higgs, it is possible that the collider will produce the “dark matter” particles indirectly observed in the universe. However, even if the LHC finds nothing this would also be very interesting because it would tell us that we haven’t understood anything about the vacuum. A complete lack of understanding often precedes a scientific revolution.
Good Seeing!
BAS Presents Science Fair Awards
The following young people were judge to be the “Best in Class” at the Chattanooga Regional Science Fair earlier this spring. The Senior Division Winner was Julia Shi of Tullahoma High School for her project “Molecular Imprinting In The Creation of Sensors”.
The Junior Division Winner was Andrew Thomas of OLPH School for his project “Spectracular”.
BAS member Dave Trayer judged the entries in Astronomy and Science. The club has supported the science fair for several years to encourage young people in science studies and specifically astronomy.
DIRECTIONS TO ORION ACRES
FROM NORTH HAMILTON COUNTY:
From 27 (corridor J) take hwy. 111 to Dunlap, continue through the Sequatchie Valley up the next mountain (Cagle Mountain). When you reach the summit about 5 miles turn LEFT onto hwy. 399 (sign reads 'to Savage Gulf State Park' Stay on 399 until it ends, which will be in Grundy Co. Now make a LEFT onto hwy. 108 South. This goes thru Palmer TN. Continue on 108 up to a higher elevation. When this levels off, turn RIGHT onto Palmer Fire Tower Rd. This is a large open area with possibly trucks loaded with timber for the paper mills. Orion Acres will be on the RIGHT about 8 tenths mile.
FROM INTERSTATE 24 (to Nashville):
Go to the Dunlap/Whitwell exit (#155). This is hwy. 28. Exit right and keep on 28 for about 11 miles, passing Hardee’s on your left. Continue through the stoplight and take the next LEFT on Hwy. 108 North. Continue another 11 or so miles. You will see 'Grundy County' sign. Take the next left. This is Palmer Fire Tower Rd. Go 8 tenths of a mile and Orion Acres is on the RIGHT
Start Your Own Meteorite Collection
Through a special purchase arranged by the University of The South, BAS has obtained a large meteorite collection at an unusually low price per gram. These meteorites will be offered for sale to BAS members at the August 14th meeting as a fund-raiser for the Club treasury.
The unclassified North West Africa (NWA) EL3 meteorites have been individually bagged with the weight and magnetic strength noted for each one. There is a wide selection of sizes and the price will be very affordable.
Can’t make it to the meeting? You can place your order with Bill & Melinda Lord at ap_guardian@yahoo.com or 423-478-9043. The price is just 10 cents per gram, and add $5.00 for shipping and handling.
TELESCOPES WANTED
We want everyone in our club to have access to a great telescope. Our plan is to refurbish telescopes so that we can loan them to astronomers without scopes of their own. I f you have a telescope or accessories you are no longer using, please let us have it. We promise someone will use it and treat it with care and respect. Of course you can have a receipt for your tax write-off and every penny is welcome if you would like to donate money so we can buy or fix up a telescope.
Contact Gary Caldwell, Adam Krause or Bill Lord if you have a donation, we will happily come to your door to pick up your unwanted telescope. Sponsorship information will be posted on the web and in the Barnard Star.
BAS WEB SITE
http://bas.chattanooga.net
Officers
President……………………………………….... Gary Caldwell
Vice-President………………………………………….Bill Lord
Secretary…………………………………...………Bill Seymour
Treasurer………………………………………….Melinda Lord
STAR Editor……………………………………….Steve Ramey
Webmaster…………………………………………….Rod Ruch
Star Party Chairman……………………………...Victor Rogers
Outreach Coordinator…………………………...John Mannone
Program Committee Co-Chairs… John Mannone and Bill Lord
Member-at Large……………………………………David Witt
May Minutes
Business Session
Election of 2009 officers was held, with the following results:
President—Bill Lord
Vice-President—David Witt
Secretary—Bill Seymour;
Treasurer—Melinda Lord
REMINDER- Your annual BAS dues of are now due on the anniversary of your membership in accordance with the adopted amendment to the by-laws. The due date appears below your name on the address on the front of this newsletter. If your expiration date says “Overdue” or if you don’t agree with the date shown, contact Melinda Lord to resolve discrepancies. The current dues rates are as follows: REGULAR $15.00, REGULAR ASSOCIATE $7.00, JUNIOR $8.00, JUNIOR ASSOCIATE $5.00. Your Sky & Telescope or Astronomy subscription will continue to be handled as in the past. When you receive your subscription reminder card, submit it to:
Melinda Lord
354 N West Cir NW
Cleveland, TN 37312-1011
Along with the group subscription rate of $32.95 for Sky and Telescope, or $34.00 for Astronomy. Note the increased rate for Astronomy. This was effective July 31, 2005
DEADLINE- All articles and other materials for publication in the next STAR are due no later than Wednesday, June 3rd. The following media are acceptable: hard copy, disk (IBM), video tape (VHS), prints, or e-mail to bas@chattanooga.net or stramey@catt.com and attach a file or mail to:
Steve Ramey
109 Sioux Trail
Ringgold GA 30736
PHOTOGRAPHS ARE ALSO ACCEPTABLE.
Note From Bobby Thompson
It was a great pleasure to host the society’s meeting on May 16 along with Wayne Robinson of the Walker County Science Center and Billy Cook of NASA. It was a day of astronomy and space travel, some in the rain no less:). We had wonderful friendship and knowledge spread among the members. The movies became secondary. I would like to thank the ladies for cleaning my kitchen and trying to keep everyone fat and happy:)
Thank the cook Mr. Bill Lord. I am sorry if you missed the meeting, some through no fault of theirs. By the way someone left a camp chair in my carport.
From my observation, the life of a club is communication. There was no phone number for anyone who was lost to able to call. One member had the local auto parts store find me, that was innovative. Of course that member was a woman:) We also depended on internet maps as a guide. Well, they failed because my address was not listed correctly in the map programs. I tried to search my zip code which has not failed me before and it did for 37405 to 30707. To correct some of this it would be nice to have a membership directory listing home address, phone number and e-mail address; a picture(with their telescope) and interest. I hope it can be added to the new web page. This is done in another club I belong.
All members are welcome to visit, just tell me you are coming. I would love to have your company and share my telescope and knowledge with you. The sky is to be clear this week, so come see Saturn and all the great galaxies in Leo and Virgo. Bring your telescope.
Below are directions from down town Chattanooga.
- Head west on W ML King Blvd/TN-2 toward Broad St/TN-2. Continue to follow W ML King Blvd 0.3 mi
- Take the ramp onto TN-29 S/US-27 S 1.1 mi
- Take the exit onto I-24 E/US-27 1.7 mi
- Take exit 180B to merge onto Rossville Blvd/US-27. Continue to follow US-27 Entering Georgia 5.5 mi
- Turn right at Battlefield Bypass/GA-2/US-27 Continue to follow Battlefield Bypass/US-27 5.4 mi
- Turn right at Wilder Rd 1.0 mi to stop light
- Continue on Crittenden Ave 0.8 m
- Turn left at W 10th St 0.4 mi to stop light
- Turn left at Cove Rd/GA-341 Continue to follow GA-341 1.8 mi
- Turn left at Martin Clement Rd 1.0 mi
- Turn left at Martin Clement Dr 0.1 mi.
#24 Martin Clement Dr
(The numbering system is from end of road)
Chickamauga, GA 30707
Bobby
706-375-7415
bobby-thompson@utc.edu