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)

Tuesday, January 10, 2023

2023 January

 

AEA Astronomy Club Newsletter                        

January  2023

 

Contents


AEA Astronomy Club News & Calendar p.1

Video(s) & Picture(s) of the Month p. 2

Astronomy News p. 11

General Calendar p. 11

    Colloquia, lectures, mtgs. p. 11
    Observing p. 13

Useful Links p. 15

About the Club p. 16


Club News & Calendar.

Club Calendar

 

Club Meeting Schedule: --

 

5 Jan       AEA Astronomy Club Meeting     TBD – Great Courses video        Teams

 

2 Feb       AEA Astronomy Club Meeting     TBD – Great Courses video        Teams

 

 

AEA Astronomy Club meetings are now on 1st  Thursdays at 11:30 am.  Virtual meetings on Teams until further notice.  When live meetings resume, our preferred room has been A1/1735, when we can reserve it. 

 

Club News:  

 

We have a new treasurer –

 

And a new Astronomical League rep (“ALCOR”) – Kelly Gov.

 

Nominations for club V.P. being taken.

 

2024 Eclipse --   An update from the 2024 solar eclipse committee (Mark Clayson, Mai Lee, Melissa Jolliff, Nahum Melamed, Judy Kerner, Marilee Wheaton):

 

The 2 Kerrville (on centerline, 1 hour from San Antonio) hotels that previously said they might accommodate us (50 rooms for about 100 people anticipated) between them – Days Inn & Hampton Inn – have now said they won’t take reservations until 6-9 months ahead.  And they’ve had some 60 requests.  That sounds very iffy. 

2 options in Boerne, halfway between Kerrville & San Antonio.  We did have a very positive response from the Bevy Hotel in Boerne.   Normally they don't take reservations more than a year out, but they could do a contract earlier at current rates (either a mix of room types of our choosing, or theirs).  If 50% of the contracted rooms are not reserved by individuals in the group 1 month before the reserved date, we would be liable to pay the gap (rooms below the 50% not reserved).  I.e., we could reserve 50 rooms (for about 100 people) safely if we have firm commitments for 25 and have no group liability.  After 1 month out, any rooms not reserved are put back on the open market.  Their conference room accommodates 100+.

The Fairfield Inn & Suites in Boerne probably couldn't book 50, but could divide w. another of their other properties, e.g Springhill Suites nearer San Antonio.  Might have at least 2 price tiers.  Their conference room accommodates only 45, but we could book Burdick community Ctr or Bevy hotel’s conf. rm.

Typical group contracts allow individual group members to make their individual reservations and deposits directly with the hotel.  And deposits may not be required until month(s) before the stay.  Still checking other options just in case – some say they’ll require 3 or 4 day minimum stay – we’ve been saying most of us will likely want 2 days (day before and of the eclipse).

 

We have also made tentative arrangements for an observing site at a local church in Kerrville 3 miles from the 2 Kerrville hotels mentioned above.  With adequate parking & restrooms.  I believe they’ll also let us have our pre-eclipse mtg. there the night before.  As courtesy, we’ll invite members of their congregation to join us.

Contact Jason Fields if interested in joining him for an observing night with his 20” Dobs – per recent emails.

We need volunteers to help with:

·         Serving as club Astronomical League representative

·         Installing our new software on our tablet & laptop

·         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, Sam has a fair chunk of the equipment)

 

Astronomy Video(s) & Picture(s) of the Month

(generally from Astronomy Picture of the Day, APOD: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html)

VIDEO:  Video: Powers of Ten  https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap221204.html
Video Credit & Copyright: Charles & Ray Eames (Eames Office)

Explanation: How different does the universe look on very small scales? On very large scales? The most famous short science film of its generation gives breathtaking comparisons. That film, Powers of Ten, originally created in the 1960s, has been officially posted to YouTube and embedded here. From a picnic blanket near Chicago out past the Virgo Cluster of Galaxies, every ten seconds the film zooms out to show a square a factor of ten times larger on each side. The 9-minute video then reverses, zooming back in a factor of ten every two seconds and ends up inside a single proton. The Powers of Ten sequence is actually based on the book Cosmic View by Kees Boeke in 1957, as is a similar but mostly animated film Cosmic Zoom that was also created in the late 1960s. The changing perspectives are so enthralling and educational that sections have been recreated using more modern computerized techniques, including the first few minutes of the movie ContactRay and husband Charles Eames, the film's creators, were known as quite visionary spirits and even invented their own popular chair.

 

Here is my first attempt at processing this event. 

 


Technical details:

Camera: ZWO ASI585MC (3840x2160 array, 2.9 micron pixels),

Telescope: Celestron Edge800,

Accessory: 2X Powermate, yeilding over 4m focal length.

 

Image/Processing details: Single frame from video capture at 10 fps.  Sharpened and processed in Pixinsight using Debayer, RGBWorking space, MultiscaleLinearTransform (think wavelets) for sharpening, TGVDenoise for reducing noise.

I also took timelapse of Mars approaching, tracking across the moon surface, then Mars departure.  Higher resolution video for ingress and egress.  Very good polar alignment kept Mars very close to center frame 1 hour later for capture during egress.

When I have time, I will pull together a video and other sharpened individual frames.

Enjoy,

Jay Landis

 

Full Moon, Full Mars
Image Credit & Copyright: Tomas Slovinsky

Explanation: On December 8 a full Moon and a full Mars were close, both bright and opposite the Sun in planet Earth's sky. In fact Mars was occulted, passing behind the Moon when viewed from some locations across Europe and North America. Seen from the city of Kosice in eastern Slovakia, the lunar occultation of Mars happened just before sunrise. The tantalizing spectacle was recorded in this telescopic timelapse sequence of exposures. It took about an hour for the Red Planet to disappear behind the lunar disk and then reappear as a warm-hued full Moon, the last full Moon of 2022, sank toward the western horizon. The next lunar occultation of bright planet Mars will be in the new year on January 3, when the Moon is in a waxing gibbous phase. Lunar occultations are only ever visible from a fraction of the Earth's surface, though. The January 3 occultation of Mars will be visible from parts of the South Atlantic, southern Africa, and the Indian Ocean.

 

Sun Halo at Sixty-three Degrees North
Image Credit & Copyright: Goran Strand

Explanation: Happy Solstice! Today is the December solstice, marking an astronomical beginning of summer in the southern hemisphere and winter in the north. On its yearly trek through planet Earth's skies, at this solstice the Sun reaches its southern most declination, 23.5 degrees south, at 21:48 UTC. About 4 days ago the Sun was near this seasonal southern limit and so only just above the horizon at local noon from Ostersund in central Sweden. This view looking over the far northern lakeside city finds the midday Sun with a beautiful solar ice halo. Naturally occurring atmospheric ice crystals can produce the tantalizing halo displays, refracting and reflecting the sunlight through their hexagonal geometry. Still, with the Sun low and near the horizon in the clear sky, likely sources of the ice crystals producing this intense halo are snow cannons. Operating at a local ski area, the snowmaking machines create a visible plume at the top of the nearby island Froson toward the right side of the panorama.




A Full Circle Rainbow over Norway
Image Credit & Copyright: Lukas Moesch

Explanation: Have you ever seen an entire rainbow? From the ground, typically, only the top portion of a rainbow is visible because directions toward the ground have fewer raindrops. From the air, though, the entire 360-degree circle of a rainbow is more commonly visible. Pictured here, a full-circle rainbow was captured over the Lofoten Islands of Norway in September by a drone passing through a rain shower. An observer-dependent phenomenon primarily caused by the internal reflection of sunlight by raindrops, the rainbow has a full diameter of 84 degrees. The Sun is in the exact opposite direction from the rainbow's center. As a bonus, a second rainbow that was more faint and color-reversed was visible outside the first.

[And in between the two rings is Alexander’s Dark Band. No supernumerary arcs visible here.]

NGC 6164: Dragon's Egg Nebula and Halo
Image Credit & Copyright: Russell Croman

Explanation: The star at the center created everything. Known as the Dragon's Egg, this star -- a rare, hot, luminous O-type star some 40 times as massive as the Sun -- created not only the complex nebula (NGC 6164) that immediately surrounds it, but also the encompassing blue halo. Its name is derived, in part, from the region's proximity to the picturesque NGC 6188, known as the fighting Dragons of Ara. In another three to four million years the massive star will likely end its life in a supernova explosion. Spanning around 4 light-years, the nebula itself has a bipolar symmetry making it similar in appearance to more common planetary nebulae - the gaseous shrouds surrounding dying sun-like stars. Also like many planetary nebulae, NGC 6164 has been found to have an extensive, faint halo, revealed in blue in this deep telescopic image of the region. Expanding into the surrounding interstellar medium, the material in the blue halo was likely expelled from an earlier active phase of the O-star. NGC 6164 lies 4,200 light-years away in the southern constellation of the Carpenter's Square (Norma).

25 Brightest Stars in the Night Sky
Image Credit & Copyright: Tragoolchitr Jittasaiyapan

Explanation: Do you know the names of some of the brightest stars? It's likely that you do, even though some bright stars have names so old they date back to near the beginning of written language. Many world cultures have their own names for the brightest stars, and it is culturally and historically important to remember them. In the interest of clear global communication, however, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) has begun to designate standardized star names. Featured here in true color are the 25 brightest stars in the night sky, currently as seen by humans, coupled with their IAU-recognized names. Some star names have interesting meanings, including Sirius ("the scorcher" in Latin), Vega ("falling" in Arabic), and Antares ("rival to Mars" in Greek). You are likely even familiar with the name of at least one star too dim to make this list: Polaris.

Artemis 1: Flight Day 13
Image Credit: NASAArtemis 1

Explanation: On flight day 13 (November 28) of the Artemis 1 mission the Orion spacecraft reached its maximum distance from Earth. In fact, over 430,000 kilometers from Earth its distant retrograde orbit also put Orion nearly 70,000 kilometers from the Moon. In the same field of view in this video frame from flight day 13, planet and large natural satellite even appear about the same apparent size from the uncrewed spacecraft's perspective. Today (December 1) should see Orion depart its distant retrograde orbit. En route to planet Earth it will head toward a second powered fly by of the Moon. Splashdown on the home world is expected on December 11.

 

Lunar Dust and Duct Tape
Image Credit: Apollo 17NASA

Explanation: Why is the Moon so dusty? On Earth, rocks are weathered by wind and water, creating soil and sand. On the Moon, the history of constant micrometeorite bombardment has blasted away at the rocky surface creating a layer of powdery lunar soil or regolith. For the Apollo astronauts and their equipment, the pervasive, fine, gritty dust was definitely a problem. Fifty years ago, on the lunar surface in December 1972, Apollo 17 astronauts Harrison Schmitt and Eugene Cernan needed to repair one of their rover's fenders in an effort to keep the rooster tails of dust away from themselves and their gear. This picture reveals the wheel and fender of their dust covered rover along with the ingenious application of spare maps, clamps, and a grey strip of "duct tape".

 

 

Astronomy News:

 

“Peaks of ‘Eternal’ Light”

[Editor:  A few years ago Akshay Bakane & I in the Space Architecture Dept. supported a NASA Artemis study on RTG (radioisotope thermal generators) utility & feasibility, to augment solar, and/or nuclear fission power and thermal for landers, habitats and rovers. We used environmental data and models based on anticipated Lunar south polar landing, on or near a ridge of “eternal light.” I.e., where there is advantageous near-continuous solar illumination for all but a couple weeks or so out of the year. And the benefit of nearby craters with permanent shadow, and deposits of water ice. It appears that they have expanded the number of sites under consideration since then. Below are links to articles on the sites, the nature of these “peaks of ‘eternal’ light,” a simulated video flyover, and some concerns over Chinese competition for the few small sites. As well as policy & legal issues. I note that various south polar craters/features are named for earth south polar explorers like Shackleton, Amundsen & Scott. Lunar north polar sites are named after earth north polar explorers Byrd & Peary.  Astronauts could shuttle between the two poles.]

 

“Artemis III:  Astronauts will step foot on one of these 13 Lunar landing spots”

https://www.inverse.com/science/artemis-iii-landing-spot

 

“PEAKS OF ‘ETERNAL’ LIGHT”

https://skyandtelescope.org/sky-and-telescope-magazine/peaks-of-eternal-light/

 

“The Peak of Eternal Light” video by ESA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXr2auGOxus

 

“NASA Chief Issues Warning About China Banning US Astronauts From Landing on the Moon”

https://outsider.com/news/nasa-chief-issues-warning-about-china-banning-us-astronauts-from-landing-moon/

 

“A legal regime for lunar peaks of eternal light”

https://www.thespacereview.com/article/2423/1

 

“The Peaks of Eternal Light: a Near-term Property Issue on the Moon” https://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1608/1608.01989.pdf

 

 

 General Calendar:

Colloquia, Lectures, Seminars, Meetings, Open Houses & Tours:

Colloquia:  Carnegie (Tues. 11am), UCLA, Caltech (Wed. 4pm), IPAC (Wed. 12:15pm) & other Pasadena

(daily 12-4pm):  http://obs.carnegiescience.edu/seminars/ 

 

https://carnegiescience.edu/events/carnegie-digital-series

 

Carnegie Zoom Digital Series

Register to Join Us!

 

Zoom Webinar Platform

 

Night Sky Network Clubs & Events   https://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/clubs-and-events.cfm  

 

5 Jan      AEA Astronomy Club Meeting     TBD – Great Courses video        Teams

 

13 Jan    Friday Night 7:30 PM SBAS Monthly General Meeting Topic: “El Camino College Planetarium Show”  in the Planetarium at El Camino College (16007 Crenshaw Bl. In Torrance)

 ?      LAAS General Mtg. 8:00pm Griffith Observatory (private)

 

The von Kármán Lecture Series:

January 2023 - How Do Missions Get Formed?

 

Credit: Paulo Younse

How Do Missions Get Formed?

Jan. 19

Time: 7 p.m. PST (10 p.m. EST; 0300 UTC)

We’ll talk to one of our Robotics Engineers about project formulation and demonstration, looking at the process of generating ideas - from napkin sketch to prototype to development and testing. We’ll also look at how they figure out the right questions to ask in order to understand what technologies are needed to get the job done using real life experiences and stories about the Mars Rovers and Mars Sample Return Mission.

Speaker(s):
Paulo Younse, Robotics Engineer, NASA/JPL

Host:
Brian White, Office of Communications and Education, NASA/JPL

Co-Host:
Lindsay McLaurin, Mars Public Engagement, NASA/JPL

Webcast:
Click here to watch the event live on YouTube

 

JANUARY     UCLA Meteorite Gallery Lectures   -- No event currently scheduled.

 

2 Feb   AEA Astronomy Club Meeting     TBD – Great Courses video        Teams

 

 

Observing:

 

The following data are from the 2022 Observer’s Handbook, and Sky & Telescope’s 2022 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 January:

 

 

Moon    Jan. 6  Full, Jan 15  last quarter, Jan 21 new, Jan 28 1st quarter

Planets: Venus is visible at dusk all month.  Mars transits the meridian in the evening and sets before dawn. Jupiter culminates around sunset.  Saturn is visible at dusk and sets in the early evening.  Mercury is visible at dawn starting on the 15th.

Other Events:

 

LAAS Event Calendar (incl. various other virtual events):  

https://www.laas.org/laas-bulletin/#calendar

 

3 January Quadrantids Meteor Shower Peak The Quadrantids (QUA) are a meteor that peaks in early January and whose radiant lies in the constellation Bootes. The Zenithal Hourly Rate (ZHR) of this shower can be as high as that of two other reliably rich meteor showers (120/hour), the Perseids in August and the Geminids in December, yet Quadrantid meteors are not seen as often as those of the two other showers because the time frame of the peak is exceedingly narrow, sometimes lasting only hours. Moreover, the meteors are quite faint, with mean apparent magnitudes between 3.0 and 6.0.

 

Jan. 4, 11, 18, 25

 

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

 

 

14 Jan

SBAS In-town observing session – In Town Dark Sky Observing Session at Ridgecrest Middle School– 28915 North Bay Rd. RPV, Weather Permitting: Please contact Ken Munson to confirm that the gate will be opened. http://www.sbastro.net/.   Only if we get permission to use the school grounds again and CDC guidelines are reduced

 

 

21 Jan

SBAS out-of-town Dark Sky observing – contact Ken Munson to coordinate a location. http://www.sbastro.net/.  

 

?

LAAS Private dark sky  Star Party   

 

 

28 Jan

LAAS Public  Star Party: Griffith Observatory Grounds 2-10pm See http://www.griffithobservatory.org/programs/publictelescopes.html#starparties  for more information.

 

 

Internet Links:

 

Telescope, Binocular & Accessory Buying Guides

Sky & Telescope Magazine -- Choosing Your Equipment

Orion Telescopes & Binoculars -- Buying Guides

Telescopes.com -- Telescopes 101

 

General

 

Getting Started in Astronomy & Observing

The Astronomical League

 e! Science News Astronomy & Space

NASA Gallery

Astronomical Society of the Pacific (educational, amateur & professional)

Amateur Online Tools, Journals, Vendors, Societies, Databases

The Astronomy White Pages (U.S. & International Amateur Clubs & Societies)

American Astronomical Society (professional)

More...

 

Regional (Southern California, Washington, D.C. & Colorado)

Southern California & Beyond Amateur Astronomy Organizations, Observatories & Planetaria

Mt. Wilson Observatory description, history, visiting

Los Angeles Astronomical Society (LAAS)

South Bay Astronomical Society (SBAS)

Orange County Astronomers

The Local Group Astronomy Club (Santa Clarita)

Ventura County Astronomical Society

The Astronomical Society of Greenbelt

National Capital Astronomers

Northern Virginia Astronomy Club

Colorado Springs Astronomical Society

Denver Astronomical Society

 

 

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 Kaly Rengarajan, 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:  Jason Fields, President & Program Committee Chairman, Sam Andrews, VP, Kelly Gov club Secretary (& librarian), or Kaly Rangarajan, (Treasurer).

Mark Clayson,
AEA Astronomy Club Newsletter Editor

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