AEA Astronomy Club Newsletter November 2019
Contents
AEA Astronomy Club News & Calendar p.1
Video(s) & Picture(s) of the Month p. 2
Astronomy News p. 6
General Calendar p. 8
Colloquia, lectures, mtgs. p. 8
Observing p. 12
Observing p. 12
Useful
Links p. 13
About the Club p. 14
Club News & Calendar.
Club Calendar
About the Club p. 14
Club News & Calendar.
Club Calendar
Club Meeting Schedule:
-- note the possible change of date in Sept. due to Labor Day holiday week
7 Nov.
|
AEA Astronomy Club Meeting
|
A Great Course lecture on modern or ancient astronomy
(The GMT presentation has been rescheduled for January)
|
(A1/1735)
|
5 Dec.
|
AEA Astronomy Club Meeting
|
TBD
|
(A1/1735)
|
9 Jan.
|
AEA Astronomy Club Meeting & Pizza
Party
|
"Overview and Status of the Giant Magellan
Telescope,” Breann Sitarsky of GMT Corp. & Aerospace casual (works on the
design and specification of the telescope and its subsystems)
|
(A1/1735)
|
AEA
Astronomy Club meetings are now on 1st Thursdays at 11:45 am. For 2018:
Jan. 4 in A1/1029 A/B, Feb. 1 & March 1 in A1/2906 and for the rest
of 2018 (April-Dec), the meeting room is A1/1735.
Club
News:
Mercury Transit Viewing Mon. Nov. 11, 9-10am in Paulikas Mall
There will be a rare (next is 2032)
transit of Mercury across the face of the Sun on Monday, Nov.
11.
The AEA Astronomy Club will set up telescopes with safe solar filters
and a solar projection
system for viewing on the west side
of the Paulikas Mall between 9 and 10 am (possibly as early as
8:30).
In California, mid- (greatest)
transit is about 7:20 am, with the Sun at 10 deg elevation, and egress
(end of transit) about 10:03am,
with Sun elevation 34 deg. The forecast
is for clear skies. East
Coast viewers will be able to see
the entire transit from beginning to end from 7:36am to 1:03pm.
And Colorado viewers can view mid-transit to
end 8:20am to 1:03pm.
At AGO we plan to have a 40mm
H-alpha telescope, a SolarScope
projection system (better for
group viewing), and an 8-inch
Dobsonian with
comfortable 2-inch eyepieces.
We need volunteers to help with:
·
Populating
our club Sharepoint site with material & links to the club’s Aerowiki
& Aerolink materials – Kaly Rangarajan has volunteered to help with this
·
Arranging
future club programs
·
Managing
club equipment & library (Kelly Gov volunteered to help with the
library)
Astronomy Video(s)
& Picture(s) of the Month
(generally from
Astronomy Picture of the Day, APOD: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html)
VIDEO: A Mercury
Transit Music Video from SDO https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap191021.html
Video Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Genna Duberstein; Music: Encompass by Mark Petrie
Explanation: What's that small black dot moving across the Sun? Mercury. Possibly the clearest view of Mercury crossing in front of the Sun in 2016 May was from Earth orbit. The Solar Dynamics Observatory obtained an uninterrupted vista recording
it not only in optical light but
also in bands of ultraviolet light. Featured here is a composite movie of the crossing set to music.
Although the event might prove successful scientifically for better determining components of Mercury' ultra-thin
atmosphere, the event surely proved successful
culturally by involving people throughout the world in observing a rare astronomical phenomenon. Many
spectacular images of this Mercury transit from around (and above) the globe were proudly displayed. The next transit of Mercury will take place in three
weeks: on 2019 November 11. Video Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Genna Duberstein; Music: Encompass by Mark Petrie
VIDEO:
What Comes After James Webb and WFIRST? Four Amazing Future Space
Telescopes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7x0RpGa_IXA&feature=youtu.be
VIDEO: Black Hole
Safety Video https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap191001.html
Video Credit: NASA's GSFC, SVS; Music: Prim and Proper from Universal Production Music
Explanation: If you were a small one-eyed monster, would you want to visit a black
hole? Well the one in this video does -- but should it? No, actually, but since our little
friend is insistent on going, the video informs it what black holes really are, and how to be as
safe as possible when visiting. Black
holes are clumps of matter so dense
that light cannot escape. Pairs of black holes, each several times the mass of our Sun, have recently been found
to merge by detection of unusual gravitational radiation. The regions surrounding supermassive black holes in the centers of galaxies can light up as stars that near
them get shredded. The closest known
black hole to the Earth is V616 Mon, which is about 3,300 light years away. The best way for
our monster friend to stay
safe, the video informs, is to not
go too close. Video Credit: NASA's GSFC, SVS; Music: Prim and Proper from Universal Production Music
Explanation: How do binary stars form? To help find out, the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) recently captured one of the highest resolution images yet taken of a binary star system in formation. Most stars are not alone -- they typically form as part of a multiple star systems where star each orbits a common center of gravity. The two bright spots in the featured image are small disks that surround the forming proto-stars in [BHB2007] 11, while the surrounding pretzel-shaped filaments are gas and dust that have been gravitationally pulled from a larger disk. The circumstellar filaments span roughly the radius of the orbit of Neptune. The BHB2007 system is a small part of the Pipe Nebula (also known as Barnard 59), a photogenic network of dust and gas that protrudes from Milky Way's spiral disk in the constellation of Ophiuchus. The binary star formation process should be complete within a few million years.
Interplanetary Earth
Image Credit: Cassini Imaging Team, SSI, JPL, ESA, NASA & NASA/JHU Applied Physics Lab/Carnegie Inst. Washington
Explanation: In an interplanetary first, on July 19, 2013 Earth was photographed on
the same day from two other worlds of the Solar System, innermost planet
Mercury and ringed gas giant Saturn. Pictured on the left, Earth is the pale blue dot just below the rings of Saturn, as captured by the robotic Cassini
spacecraft then orbiting the outermost gas giant. On that same day people across planet Earth snapped many of their own pictures of Saturn. On the right, the Earth-Moon system is seen against the dark background of space as captured
by the robotic MESSENGER spacecraft, then in Mercury orbit. MESSENGER took its image as part
of a search for small natural satellites of Mercury, moons that would be
expected to be quite dim. In the MESSENGER
image, the Earth (left) and Moon
(right) are overexposed and shine brightly with reflected sunlight. Destined not to return to their
home world, both Cassini and MESSENGER have since retired from their missions of Solar System
exploration. Image Credit: Cassini Imaging Team, SSI, JPL, ESA, NASA & NASA/JHU Applied Physics Lab/Carnegie Inst. Washington
NGC 7714: Starburst after Galaxy Collision
Image Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble Legacy Archive;
Processing & Copyright: Rudy Pohl
Explanation: Is this galaxy jumping through a giant ring of stars? Probably not. Although the precise dynamics
behind the featured image is yet
unclear, what is clear is that the pictured galaxy, NGC 7714, has been stretched and distorted by a recent collision
with a neighboring galaxy. This smaller neighbor, NGC 7715, situated off to the left of the featured frame, is
thought to have charged right through NGC 7714. Observations indicate that the golden ring
pictured is composed of millions of
older Sun-like stars that are likely co-moving with the interior bluer stars.
In contrast, the bright center of NGC 7714 appears to be undergoing a burst of new star formation.
The featured image was captured by the Hubble Space
Telescope. NGC 7714 is located
about 130 million light
years away toward the constellation
of the Two Fish (Pisces). The interactions between these galaxies likely started about 150 million years ago and should continue for several hundred million years more, after which a single central galaxy may result. Image Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble Legacy Archive;
Processing & Copyright: Rudy Pohl
Sprite Lightning in HD
Image Credit & Copyright: Stephane Vetter (TWAN)
Explanation: This phenomenon occurs in the sky over our heads, not the sea. It is a
type of lightning known as red sprite, and rarely has it ever been photographed
in this detail. Even though sprites have been recorded for over 30 years, their
root cause remains unknown. Some thunderstorms have them, but most don't. These mysterious bursts of
light in the upper atmosphere momentarily resemble gigantic
jellyfish. A few years ago high speed videos were taken detailing how red sprites actually develop. The featured
image was captured last month in
high definition from Italy. One unusual feature of sprites is that they are relatively cold -- they operate more like
long fluorescent light tubes than hot compact light
bulbs. In general, red sprites take
only a fraction of a second to occur and are best seen when powerful thunderstorms are visible from the side. Image Credit & Copyright: Stephane Vetter (TWAN)
Astronomy
News:
Not long ago, the center of the Milky Way exploded
Researchers find
evidence of a cataclysmic flare that punched so far out of the galaxy its impact
was felt 200,000 light years away
Date: October 6,
2019
Source: ARC Centre
of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3D (ASTRO 3D)
Summary: A titanic,
expanding beam of energy sprang from close to the supermassive black hole in
the center of the Milky Way just 3.5 million years ago, sending a cone-shaped
burst of radiation through both poles of the galaxy and out into deep space.
Milky Way
Galaxy today as seen from Earth (stock image).
Credit: ©
narathip12 / Adobe Stock
A titanic, expanding beam of energy sprang from
close to the supermassive black hole in the centre of the Milky Way just 3.5
million years ago, sending a cone-shaped burst of radiation through both poles
of the Galaxy and out into deep space.
That's the finding arising from research conducted by a team of
scientists led by Professor Joss Bland-Hawthorn from Australia's ARC Centre of
Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3 Dimensions (ASTRO 3D) and soon to be
published in The
Astrophysical Journal.
The phenomenon, known as a Seyfert flare, created two enormous
'ionisation cones' that sliced through the Milky Way -- beginning with a
relatively small diameter close to the black hole, and expanding vastly as they
exited the Galaxy.
So powerful was the flare that it impacted on the Magellanic
Stream -- a long trail of gas extending from nearby dwarf galaxies called the
Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. The Magellanic Stream lies at an average
200,000 light years from the Milky Way.
The explosion was too huge, says the Australian-US research
team, to have been triggered by anything other than nuclear activity associated
with the black hole, known as Sagittarius A, or Sgr A*, which is about 4.2
million times more massive than the Sun.
"The flare must have been a bit like a lighthouse
beam," says Professor Bland-Hawthorn, who is also at the University of
Sydney.
"Imagine darkness, and then someone switches on a
lighthouse beacon for a brief period of time."
Using data gathered by the Hubble Space Telescope, the
researchers calculated that the massive explosion took place little more than
three million years ago.
In Galactic terms, that is astonishingly recent. On Earth at
that point, the asteroid that triggered the extinction of the dinosaurs was
already 63 million years in the past, and humanity's ancient ancestors,
the Australopithecines,
were afoot in Africa.
"This is a dramatic event that happened a few million years
ago in the Milky Way's history," says Professor Lisa Kewley, Director of
ASTRO 3D.
"A massive blast of energy and radiation came right out of
the galactic centre and into the surrounding material. This shows that the
centre of the Milky Way is a much more dynamic place than we had previously
thought. It is lucky we're not residing there!"
The blast, the researchers estimate, lasted for perhaps 300,000
years -- an extremely short period in galactic terms.
In conducting the research, Professor Bland-Hawthorn was joined
by colleagues from the Australia National University and University of Sydney,
and, in the US, the University of North Carolina, University of Colorado and
the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore.
The paper follows on from research also led by Professor
Bland-Hawthorn and published in 2013. The earlier work looked at evidence of a
massive explosive event beginning in the centre of the Milky Way, ruled out a
nuclear starburst as the cause and tentatively tied it to activity in SgrA*.
"These results dramatically change our understanding of the
Milky Way," says co-author Magda Guglielmo from the University of Sydney.
"We always thought about our Galaxy as an inactive galaxy,
with a not so bright centre. These new results instead open the possibility of
a complete reinterpretation of its evolution and nature.
"The flare event that occurred three million years ago was
so powerful that it had consequences on the surrounding of our Galaxy. We are
the witness to the awakening of the sleeping beauty."
The latest work firms up SgrA* as prime suspect, but, the
researchers concede, there is still a lot more work to be done. How black holes
evolve, influence and interact with galaxies, they conclude, "is an
outstanding problem in astrophysics."
Story Source:
Materials provided
by ARC Centre of
Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3D (ASTRO 3D). Note: Content may be edited for style and
length.
General Calendar:
Colloquia, Lectures, Seminars, Meetings, Open Houses & Tours:
Colloquia, Lectures, Seminars, Meetings, Open Houses & Tours:
Colloquia: Carnegie (Tues.
4pm), UCLA, Caltech (Wed. 4pm), IPAC (Wed. 12:15pm) & other Pasadena (daily
12-4pm): http://obs.carnegiescience.edu/seminars/
Carnegie 2019 Astronomy Lecture Series
Each
year the Observatories organizes a series of public lectures on current
astronomical topics. These lectures are given by astronomers from the
Carnegie Observatories as well as other research institutions. The
lectures are geared to the general public and are free.
–
only 4 per year in the Spring www.obs.carnegiescience.edu. For more
information about the Carnegie Observatories or this lecture series, please
contact Reed Haynie. . Click here for
more information.
7 Nov.
|
AEA Astronomy Club Meeting
|
A Great Course lecture on modern or ancient astronomy
(The GMT presentation has been rescheduled for January)
|
(A1/1735)
|
||||
1
Nov.
|
Friday Night 7:30PM SBAS Monthly General Meeting
in the Planetarium at El Camino College (16007 Crenshaw
Bl. In Torrance)
Topic: “Member Astrophotography Show”
|
||||||
11 Nov. Monday,
CalTech Astro: Stargazing and Lecture Series “Transit of Mercury”. For
directions, weather updates, and more information, please visit: http://outreach.astro.caltech.edu
Nov. 14 & 15 The von Kármán Lecture Series: 2019
Looking
Home: OCO-3 and Science from the ISS
We
live on a dynamic, living planet. Land shifts. Seas rise. Volcanoes erupt.
Storms rage. Snow melts. Plants grow. Cities expand. These ever-changing,
interconnected systems affect Earth–our planet, our home. The best way to cope
with these changes is to better understand them through NASA’s unique
perspective in space.
From its perch on the International Space Station, the Orbiting Carbon Observatory 3 (OCO-3), along with a suite of Earth-observing instruments, will improve our understanding of the interaction between carbon and climate. By mapping carbon dioxide over land and sea, OCO-3 gives scientists a better view of the global ecosystem and the health of our planet.
Join members of the OCO-3 project team for a night of science conversation, tales from the little mission that could, and a renewed charge for a changing future.
For more information, please visit https://ocov3.jpl.nasa.gov/
From its perch on the International Space Station, the Orbiting Carbon Observatory 3 (OCO-3), along with a suite of Earth-observing instruments, will improve our understanding of the interaction between carbon and climate. By mapping carbon dioxide over land and sea, OCO-3 gives scientists a better view of the global ecosystem and the health of our planet.
Join members of the OCO-3 project team for a night of science conversation, tales from the little mission that could, and a renewed charge for a changing future.
For more information, please visit https://ocov3.jpl.nasa.gov/
Host:
Brian White
Brian White
Speaker(s):
Ralph Basilio: Project Manager, OCO-3
Matt Bennett: Project Systems Engineer, OCO-3
Karen Yuen: Science Data Applications and Communications Manager, OCO-3
Graziela Keller Rodrigues: Engineering Applications Software Engineer, OCO-3
Ralph Basilio: Project Manager, OCO-3
Matt Bennett: Project Systems Engineer, OCO-3
Karen Yuen: Science Data Applications and Communications Manager, OCO-3
Graziela Keller Rodrigues: Engineering Applications Software Engineer, OCO-3
Location:
Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019, 7pm
The von Kármán Auditorium at JPL
4800 Oak Grove Drive
Pasadena, CA
› Directions
Friday, Nov. 15, 2019, 7pm
Caltech’s Ramo Auditorium
1200 E California Blvd.
Pasadena, CA
› Directions
› Click here to watch the event live on Ustream
* Only the Thursday lectures are streamed live.
Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019, 7pm
The von Kármán Auditorium at JPL
4800 Oak Grove Drive
Pasadena, CA
› Directions
Friday, Nov. 15, 2019, 7pm
Caltech’s Ramo Auditorium
1200 E California Blvd.
Pasadena, CA
› Directions
› Click here to watch the event live on Ustream
* Only the Thursday lectures are streamed live.
*
Only the Thursday lectures are streamed live.
18 Nov.
|
LAAS General Mtg. 7:30pm Griffith Observatory
(private)
|
Nov. 24, 2019
|
PROFESSOR DAVE JEWITT
INTERSTELLAR OBJECTS IN THE SOLAR
SYSTEM
Location: Geology Building - Slichter Room 3656
Time: 2:30PM
Dave is an observational astronomer who has a nose for leading edge
problems. He and his students were the first to document the large set of
Kuiper-belt objects orbiting beyond Neptune. For the first time, we are able
to study objects passing through the solar system from interstellar space.
The two known interstellar objects ‘Oumuamua and Borisov are both thought to
be ejecta from planetary systems elsewhere in the Milky Way galaxy but,
curiously, their appearances are completely different. I will present UCLA
observations of both objects and discuss their big-picture scientific
significance.
 |
5 Dec.
|
AEA Astronomy Club Meeting
|
TBD
|
(A1/1735)
|
Observing:
The
following data are from the 2019 Observer’s Handbook, and Sky & Telescope’s
2019 Skygazer’s Almanac & monthly Sky at a Glance.
Current
sun & moon rise/set/phase data for L.A.:
http://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/usa/los-angeles
Sun, Moon
& Planets for November:
Moon: Nov 4 1st
quarter, Nov 12 Full, Nov 19 last quarter, Nov 26 new
Other
Events:
2 Nov.
|
LAAS Public
Star Party: Griffith Observatory Grounds 2-10pm See http://www.griffithobservatory.org/programs/publictelescopes.html#starparties for more information.
|
3 November Taurids Meteor Shower Peak
3 Nov. Daylight Savings time ends
6,13,20,27 Nov.
|
LAAS
The Garvey Ranch Observatory is open to the public every
Wednesday evening from 7:30 PM to 10 PM. Go into the dome to use the 8 Inch
Refractor or observe through one of our telescopes on the lawn. Visit our
workshop to learn how you can build your own telescope, grind your own
mirror, or sign up for our free seasonal astronomy classes.
Call 213-673-7355 for further information.
Time: 7:30
PM - 10:00 PM
Location: Garvey
Ranch Obs. , 781 Orange Ave., Monterey Park, CA 91755
|
11 Nov. Transit of Mercury
12 November Northern Taurids Meteor Shower Peak Associated
with Comet Encke, The Taurids shower is made of two streams. The Southern
Taurids peak in October and the Northern Taurids peak in November. One can
expect about 5 meteors/hour under good conditions.
17 November Leonids Meteor Shower Peak A Zenith Hourly Rate
of 15/hour is typical most years for this shower. Only about every 33 years
does it rise to the level of a storm.
23 Nov.
|
SBAS In-town
observing session – contact Greg Benecke to coordinate a location. http://www.sbastro.net/.
|
23 Nov.
|
LAAS Private dark
sky Star Party
|
24 Nov Venus 1.4 deg
S of Jupiter
25 Nov Mercury 1.9
deg S of Moon
28 Nov Jupiter 0.7
deg S of Moon, Mercury greatest elongation W, Venus 1.9 deg S of Moon
29 Nov Saturn 0.9
deg N of Moon
30 Nov.
|
SBAS
out-of-town Dark Sky observing – contact Greg Benecke to coordinate a
location. http://www.sbastro.net/.
|
Internet
Links:
Telescope, Binocular & Accessory Buying
Guides
General
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/.
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 Alan Olson, or see the club website (or Aerolink folder) where a form is also available (go to the membership link/folder & look at the bottom). Benefits will include use of club telescope(s) & library/software, membership in The Astronomical League, 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: Mark Clayson, President & Program Committee Chairman, Walt Sturrock, VP, Kelly Gov club Secretary (& librarian), or Alan Olson, Resource Committee Chairman (over equipment, and club Treasurer).
Mark Clayson,
AEA Astronomy Club President
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