The Hubble Ultra Deep Field Image (see description on the right, below)

The Hubble Ultra Deep Field Image
(10,000 galaxies in an area 1% of the apparent size of the moon -- see description on the right, below)

Sunday, July 15, 2012

2012 July


AEA Astronomy Club Newsletter, July 2012

Contents
AEA Astronomy Club News & Calendar p.1
Video(s) & Picture(s) of the Month p. 1
Astronomy News p. 6
General Calendar p. 8
    Colloquia, lectures, mtgs. p. 8
    Observing p. 9
Useful Links p. 10
About the Club p. 11

Club News & Calendar.

Calendar

19 July
Monthly Meeting
 Astrophotography & Research at an Amateur Observatory, Francis Longstaff, Polaris Observatory Assn. (amateur/pro collaboration) & UCLA Faculty & Saturn Lodge 0.7m amateur telescope.  A1/1029A/B

AEA Astronomy Club meetings are on 3rd Thursdays at 11:45am.  For 2012, April-May we meet in A1/1026; June-July & Oct.-Dec. in A1/1029A/B; Aug. in A1/2143 and Sept. in A3/1607A/B.

News:  

An order has been placed for the Mallincam Extreme video camera, along with an f/3 focal reducer.  Expected delivery in 2 months.

Based on the FY 2013 wish list circulated among club members, it appears our request to AEA, to be submitted July 16, will be $4,200.

Astronomy Video(s) & Picture(s) of the Month
(from Astronomy Picture of the Day, APOD: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html)
Video(s)
Fireworks Over Mars: The Spirit of 76 Pyrotechnics
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2012-192&cid=release_2012-192
Journey to the Center of the Galaxy http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120702.html

2012 June 18

Milky Way Above Easter Island
Image Credit & Copyright: Manel Soria
Explanation: Why were the statues on Easter Island built? No one is sure. What is sure is that over 800 large stone statues exist there. The Easter Island statues, stand, on the average, over twice as tall as a person and have over 200 times as much mass. Few specifics are known about the history or meaning of the unusual statues, but many believe that they were created about 500 years ago in the images of local leaders of a lost civilization. Pictured above, some of the stone giants were illuminated in 2009 under the central band of our Milky Way Galaxy.

2012 July 8

Volcano and Aurora in Iceland
Image Credit & Copyright: Sigurdur H. Stefnisson
Explanation: Sometimes both heaven and Earth erupt. In Iceland in 1991, the volcano Hekla erupted at the same time that auroras were visible overhead. Hekla, one of the most famous volcanoes in the world, has erupted at least 20 times over the past millennium, sometimes causing great destruction. The last eruption occurred only twelve years ago but caused only minor damage. The green auroral band occurred fortuitously about 100 kilometers above the erupting lava. Is Earth the Solar System's only planet with both auroras and volcanos?

2012 June 27

Simeis 188 in Stars, Dust and Gas
Image Credit & Copyright: Dieter Willasch (Astro-Cabinet)
Explanation: When stars form, pandemonium reigns. A particularly colorful case is the star forming region Simeis 188 which houses an unusual and bright cloud arc cataloged as NGC 6559. Visible above are red glowing emission nebulas of hydrogen, blue reflection nebulas of dust, dark absorption nebulas of dust, and the stars that formed from them. The first massive stars formed from the dense gas will emit energetic light and winds that erode, fragment, and sculpt their birthplace. And then they explode. The resulting morass can be as beautiful as it is complex. After tens of millions of years, the dust boils away, the gas gets swept away, and all that is left is a naked open cluster of stars. Simeis 188 is located about 4,000 light years away and can be found about one degree northeast of M8, the Lagoon Nebula.
2012 June 17

Jupiter's Rings Revealed
Image Credit: M. Belton (NOAO), J. Burns (Cornell) et al., Galileo Project, JPL, NASA
Explanation: Why does Jupiter have rings? Jupiter's rings were discovered in 1979 by the passing Voyager 1 spacecraft, but their origin was a mystery. Data from the Galileo spacecraft that orbited Jupiter from 1995 to 2003 later confirmed that these rings were created by meteoroid impacts on small nearby moons. As a small meteoroid strikes tiny Adrastea, for example, it will bore into the moon, vaporize, and explode dirt and dust off into a Jovian orbit. Pictured above is an eclipse of the Sun by Jupiter, as viewed from Galileo. Small dust particles high in Jupiter's atmosphere, as well as the dust particles that compose the rings, can be seen by reflected sunlight.
2012 July 1

The Outer Shells of Centaurus A
Image Credit: E. Peng and H. Ford (JHU), K. Freeman (ANU), R. White (STScI), CTIO, NOAO, NSF
Explanation: What causes the surrounding shells in peculiar galaxy Cen A? In 2002 a fascinating image of peculiar galaxy Centaurus A was released, processed to highlight a faint blue arc indicating an ongoing collision with a smaller galaxy. Another interesting feature of Cen A, however, is the surrounding system of shells, better visible here in this recently released wider pan from the four meter Blanco telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory. Faint shells around galaxies are not unusual and considered by themselves as evidence of a previous galaxy merger, analogous to water ripples on a pond. An unexpected attribute of these shells is the abundance of gas, which should become separated from existing stars during the collision.

Astronomy News:
(from e! Science News Astronomy & Space)

"God Particle" Found? "Historic Milestone" From Higgs Boson Hunters

Newfound particle may be at the core of existence.

Ker Than for National Geographic News Published July 4, 2012


"I think we have it. You agree?"


Speaking to a packed audience Wednesday morning in Geneva, CERN director general Rolf Heuer confirmed that two separate teams working at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) are more than 99 percent certain they've discovered the Higgs boson, aka the God particle—or at the least a brand-new particle exactly where they expected the Higgs to be.


The long-sought particle may complete the standard model of physics by explaining why objects in our universe have mass—and in so doing, why galaxies, planets, and even humans have any right to exist.
(See Large Hadron Collider pictures.)


"We have a discovery," Heuer said at the seminar. "We have observed a new particle consistent with a Higgs boson."


At the meeting were four theorists who helped develop the Higgs theory in the 1960s, including Peter Higgs himself, who could be seen wiping away tears as the announcement was made.


Although preliminary, the results show a so-called five-sigma of significance, which means that there is only a one in a million chance that the Higgs-like signal the teams observed is a statistical fluke.


"It's a tremendous and exciting time," said physicist Michael Tuts, who works with the ATLAS (A Toroidal LHC Apparatus) Experiment, one of the two Higgs-seeking LHC projects.


The Columbia University physicist had organized a wee-hours gathering of physicists and students in the U.S. to watch the announcement, which took place at 9 a.m., Geneva time.


"This is the payoff. This is what you do it for."


The two LHC teams searching for the Higgs—the other being the CMS (Compact Muon Solenoid) project—did so independently. Neither one knew what the other would present this morning.


"It was interesting that the competing experiment essentially had the same result," said physicist Ryszard Stroynowski, an ATLAS team member based at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. "It provides additional confirmation."


CERN head Heuer called today's announcement a "historic milestone" but cautioned that much work lies ahead as physicists attempt to confirm the newfound particle's identity and further probe its properties.


For example, though the teams are certain the new particle has the proper mass for the predicted Higgs boson, they still need to determine whether it behaves as the God particle is thought to behave—and therefore what its role in the creation and maintenance of the universe is.


"I think we can all be proud ... but it's a beginning," Heuer said.


[for the rest of the article, go to http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/07/120704-god-particle-higgs-boson-new-cern-science/]

Milky Way struck 100 million years ago, still rings like a bell

Published: Thursday, June 28, 2012 - 14:06 in Astronomy & Space
An international team of astronomers have discovered evidence that our Milky Way had an encounter with a small galaxy or massive dark matter structure perhaps as recently as 100 million years ago, and as a result of that encounter it is still ringing like a bell. The discovery is based on observations of 300,000 nearby Milky Way stars by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Stars in the disk of the Milky Way move up and down at a speed of about 20-30 kilometers per second while orbiting the center of the galaxy at a brisk 220 kilometers per second. The positions and motions of these nearby stars weren't quite as regular as previously thought, according to the study results.


"We clearly observe unexpected differences in the Milky Way's stellar distribution above and below the Galaxy's mid-plane having the appearance of a vertical wave -- something that nobody has seen before," says Queen's University physicist Larry Widrow, lead researcher on the project.
The researchers have not been able to identify the celestial object that passed through the Milky Way. It could have been one of the small satellite galaxies that move around the center of our galaxy, or an invisible structure such as a dark matter halo. It might not have been a single isolated event in the past, and it may even be ongoing.


The researchers discovered a small but statistically significant difference in the distribution of stars north and south of the Milky Way's midplane when analyzing SDSS data. For more than a year, they explored various explanations of this north-south asymmetry but were unable to solve the mystery. So they began exploring whether the data was telling them something about recent events in the Galaxy's history.
Scientists know of more than 20 visible satellite galaxies that circle the center of the Milky Way, with masses ranging from one million to one billion solar masses. There may also be invisible satellites made of dark matter. There is six times as much dark matter in the universe as ordinary, visible matter. Astronomers' computer simulations have found that this invisible matter formed hundreds of massive structures that move around our Milky Way.


These dark matter satellites, because of their abundance, are more likely than the visible satellite galaxies to cut through the Milky Way's mid-plane and cause vertical waves.
Computer simulations indicate that over the next 100 million years or so, our galaxy will "stop ringing." The north-south asymmetry will disappear and the vertical motions of stars in the solar neighborhood will revert back to their equilibrium orbits unless we get hit again.
Collaborators on the project include Brian Yanny and Scott Dodelson (US Department of Energy's Fermilab), Susan Gardner, (University of Kentucky) and Hsin-Yu Chen (University of Chicago).

Source: Queen's University



General Calendar:

Colloquia, Lectures, Seminars, Meetings, Open Houses & Tours:
Note:  The South Bay Astronomical Society website has changed from www.sbastro.org to http://www.sbastro.net/.

Colloquia:  Carnegie (Tues. 4pm), UCLA, Caltech (Wed. 4pm), IPAC (Wed. 12:15pm) & other Pasadena (daily 12-4pm):  http://obs.carnegiescience.edu/seminars/ 

Carnegie astronomy lectures – only 4 per year in the Spring www.obs.carnegiescience.edu.    Visit www.huntington.org for directions.  For more information about the Carnegie Observatories or this lecture series, please contact Reed Haynie.

6 July
SBAS Monthly General Meeting at El Camino College planetarium. 7:30 PM
Topic: TBD Guest Speaker:.  http://www.sbastro.net/.  

9 July
LAAS LAAS General Meeting.
Griffith Observatory
Event Horizon Theater
8:00 PM to 10:00 PM

19 July
AEA Astronomy Club  Meeting
 Astrophotography & Research at an Amateur Observatory, Francis Longstaff, Polaris Observatory Assn. (amateur/pro collaboration) & UCLA Faculty & Saturn Lodge 0.7m amateur telescope.  A1/1029A/B

Jul 19 & 20 The von Kármán Lecture Series:

The Power of Two: How Humans and Robots Explore Space

From robotic scouting missions, to space station construction, to opening the planetary frontiers, there has been a growing relationship between robots and humans. The first robotic scouts to the Moon answered key science and engineering questions, paving the path for the Apollo landings. Now Mars is under the robotic magnifying glass, both from orbit and from its surface. The International Space Station was constructed using robotic arms and manipulators, as well as space walks. The next generation of human explorers will have the advantage of even more capable robotic aids and support systems. This talk explores the evolving nature of the relationship between humans and robots engaged in the exploration of space.
Speaker:
 Garry Burdick
Manager, Human/Robotic Mission Systems Office, JPL

Locations:
 Thursday, July 19, 2012, 7pm
The von Kármán Auditorium at JPL
4800 Oak Grove Drive
Pasadena, CA
› Directions

Friday, July 20, 2012, 7pm
The Vosloh Forum at Pasadena City College
1570 East Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA
› Directions
Webcast:
 For the webcast on Thursday at 7 p.m. PST, click here Video Icon
If you don't have RealPlayer, you can download the free RealPlayer 8 Basic.





Observing:
The following data are from the 2012 Observer’s Handbook, and Sky & Telescope’s 2012 Skygazer’s Almanac & monthly Sky at a Glance.

A weekly 5 minute video about what’s up in the night sky:  www.skyandtelescope.com/skyweek.

Sun, Moon & Planets for April:

Moon Phases:  July 3 full, July 11 last quarter, July 18 new, July 25 1st quarter


Planets:  Venus and Jupiter are visible in the pre-dawn sky.  Mercury, Mars and Saturn are all Evening planets.  


Other Events:


14 July
SBAS Star Party (weather permitting): RPV at Ridgecrest Middle School 28915 North Bay Rd.

21 July
LAAS Dark Sky Night : Lockwood Valley (Steve Kufeld Astronomical Site; LAAS members and their guests only)
21 July
SBAS out-of-town observing – contact Greg Benecke http://www.sbastro.net/.  

28 July
Public  Star Party: Griffith Observatory Grounds 2-10pm

28-29 July Saturday – Sunday Delta Aquarid Meteor Shower
At peak time about 20 bright, yellow meteors can be observed per hour. Because these
meteors nearly broadside the Earth, their speed is a moderate 25.5 miles per second.

29-30 July Sunday – Monday Capricornid Meteor Shower
The Capricornids are characterized by their often yellow coloration and their frequent
brightness. They are also slow interplanetary interlopers, hitting our atmosphere at around
15 miles per second. Though you can expect only 15 meteors per hour at best under dark
sky conditions, the Capricornids are noted for producing brilliant fireballs.

Internet Links:
Link(s) of the Month

A weekly 5 minute video about what’s up in the night sky:  www.skyandtelescope.com/skyweek.

General
Regional (esp. Southern California)
Mt. Wilson Institute (www.mtwilson.edu/), including status for visits & roads




About the Club

Club Websites:  Internal (Aerospace): https://aeropedia.aero.org/aeropedia/index.php/Astronomy_Club  It is updated to reflect this newsletter, in addition to a listing of past club mtg. presentations, astronomy news, photos & events from prior newsletters, club equipment, membership & constitution.  We have linked some presentation materials from past mtgs.  Our club newsletters are also being posted to an external blog, “An Astronomical View” http://astronomicalview.blogspot.com/. 
 
Membership.  For information, current dues & application, contact Jim Johansen, or see the club website where a form is also available.  Benefits will include use of club telescope(s) & library/software, discounts on Sky & Telescope magazine and Observer’s Handbook, field trips, great programs, having a say in club activities, acquisitions & elections, etc.

Committee Suggestions & Volunteers.  Feel free to contact:  Paul Rousseau, Program Committee Chairman (& club VP), TBD, Activities Committee Chairman (& club Secretary), or Jim Johansen, Resource Committee Chairman (over equipment & library, and club Treasurer).

Mark Clayson,
AEA Astronomy Club President

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