The Celestial Observer

 

Newsletter of the North Shore

 Amateur Astronomy Club

 

 

September, 2004

 

 

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From the President

Perhaps I was spoiled by the five cloudless clear nights at the Texas Star Party, but it seems to me that the summer observing season thus far has been much more cloudy than usual. With the exception of a wonderful night at Starport on June 19th (albeit windy), and another very successful GO-ON event on July 9th, there hasn’t been a decent night to do any observing! I write this letter on the eve of my summer vacation to NH. I’m really looking forward to the Perseids and the new moon, but long range forecasts aren’t looking that great. If the skies are clear I hope to see some of you at Starport!

 

The Moose Dodge Star Party is still on! The land management company has yet to send me the maps showing where the bear leases are, but I’m planning to visit their office while on vacation to see them for myself. Even if the land we use has a bear lease the event is still a go. We would just have to wait until thirty minutes after sunset to enter the observing site, an inconvenience but not a show stopper. Please email or call me directly if you are thinking about attending this event. I have never attended a Moose Dodge that was not worth the drive to Rangeley!

 

The status of our relationship with VMP has not changed all summer. There has been no communication with them. I am attempting to re-establish the “labor for rent” barter system we used to have. The September 25th work party to strip the roof is still on. My thoughts are that this work party will be the catalyst to re-establish the barter system with them. A successful work party may elevate our clout with them and eliminate the need to pay cash rent. I’m asking all members who are able to attend to please do so. A turnout of a dozen or more workers may greatly affect the future of our club.

 

Kevin Ackert

President

 

 

NSAAC Welcomes Our New Members:

William LeComte of Burlington

William P. Manning of Lowell

Russ Pinizzotto (Honorary Member)

 

Minutes of the NSAAC Business Meeting,
August 6th, 2004

Vice-President Sammartino called the August Business Meeting of the NSAAC to order at 8:05PM. Vice-president Sammartino called for introduction of new guests: there were no guests.  There were 8 members in attendance plus 3 board members; therefore the meeting was informational only.


Committee Reports:

 

Membership director Barrie Sawyer gave the names of new members of the NSAAC.

 

Secretary:  The minutes of the June Business Meetings were read.

 

 

Treasurer:  There was an as-hoc Treasurer’s report.

 

 

Merrimack College:  No report.

 

Go-On Committee: Art Schniderman discussed ideas to be planned at upcoming meeting of the go-on committee.  Lew Gramer did a great job with the July 9th naked eye observing session.Thanks Lew!

 

Salem State:  Observatory will re-open September 13th.

 

 

Star Parties:  None

 

Site Selection Committee:  No report

 

 

High Tower Rock Observatory. No report

 

Upcoming Events:  Stellafane is August 13-14.  Moose Dodge road trip is planned for Sept 10-11 with a rain date of Sep. 17th.

 

 

Old Business:  No new status on VMP rent issue and lighting.

 

 

New Business:  The VMP work party (roof stripping) is planned for Sept 25 with a rain date of Oct 2.

 

Next Board meeting was set for Tuesday the 17th August 8:00PM at Veasey.

 

 

The program for this evening was a showing of clips from the new “Cosmology” DVD with some discussion.  Art Schniderman did show the “death ray” green laser with worked great..

 

 

Meeting adjourned at 9:05 PM

 

Respectively submitted,
John Hobbs, Secretary NSAAC

 

 

Roof Stripping Work Party

We are asking members to help out on Saturday, September 25, 2004 to strip off the roof and possibly help re-roof the smaller building next to the main building at Veasey Memorial Park. This is one of the ways we pay for the use of the Veasey facility. If you can help, please show up around 10:00 AM, or whenever you can show up, and wear clothes that you can work in safely. Please note that roof stripping is time sensitive, so they may ask us to help complete the job on Sunday, if we don’t finish on Saturday. The folks at Veasey said that they will provide food and drinks for the volunteers. We believe they will provide most of the tools we will need, but members are asked to bring some of their own tools, if they can. We have an alternate date of October 2, 2004 for the work party, if it rains the previous weekend. Note that the annual club picnic may be taking place on the same day, and you’re welcome to participate during, or after, your work shift. Please contact one of the board members if you have any questions about the work party.

 

Thanks for your help,

Dennis Gudzevich

 

NSAAC Picnic News

Come one, come all, to the annual North Shore Amateur Astronomy Club picnic. The picnic this year will be held on the grass, behind the main building, on the Veasey Memorial Park grounds in Groveland Massachusetts on September 25, 2004. Make a note that this is also the date of the Veasey roof stripping work party. Members who can’t join in for the roof stripping can enjoy the festivities while volunteer workers can join in after and during their work stint. This is a compromise this year, as time was limited to do everything, including a road trip this month. The picnic will be delayed to October 2, 2004 if rain cancels the roof party. Members of the club and their families are cordially invited to attend. The festivities for the picnic are scheduled to begin at 2:00 PM, and run on to whenever. This is a “bring your own food and drink event”. You are invited to bring an extra tidbit or two that you may wish to share with other folks however, especially for the workers, though Veasey will provide food and drinks as well for them. Be advised that there are no alcoholic beverages allowed on the park premises. There may be a grill available at the picnic, or you can bring your own along. You are also invited to bring along any game items such as volleyball sets, badminton sets, Frisbees, etc., and don’t forget the mosquito repellent. This can turn out to be a fun event with everyone’s cooperation, so give it a try and we’ll see how it works out.

 

As an added incentive, we invite members to bring along their telescopes and binoculars for daytime solar viewing and evening viewing if anyone wishes to stay and play. We can also discuss past and future road trips, activities and events.

 

This may be your best opportunity to converse with fellow members of the club in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Please contact one of the board members if you have any questions about the picnic.

 

Clear Skies to All,

NSAAC Picnic Committee

 

Moose Dodge 2004

Hello Again All You Adventurous Souls,

 

We are once again trying to set up another Moose Dodge trip to Rangeley, Maine this year. The trip will be held the weekend of September 10, 2004, with the next weekend of September 17, 2004 as the alternate. The first weekend is beyond the last quarter, so we won’t have interference from it until late in the evening, and the second week is before first quarter, so it shouldn’t be a big issue then either. This will be a “clear weather only” trip; therefore, we won’t be making any campsite reservations in advance. Also, there has been no discussion about a group campsite, so plan to sign up for an individual site when you get there. It also looks like this will be a “bring your own food event” as well. All members of NSAAC and their families are invited to attend. As an added note, there are many hiking trails and scenery that’s out of this world in the Rangeley area. I think other family members will enjoy it as much as my wife and son have in the past.

 

Kevin Ackert will be the trip coordinator again this year, and will lead the charge to Rangeley. Please contact Kevin at astroskier@comcast.net if you are interested in signing up or have any questions, so that he will have a head count. Please note that you are still welcome to attend this event, even if you don’t sign up. There are also a few motels and cottages in the surrounding area that you might possibly rent, if the park is full. Directions to Rangeley Lake State Park will be provided to all those who want them.

 

Happy Star Hunting,
Dennis Gudzevich

 

Meteor Man Update

Member Lew Gramer returned late Sunday night, August 15th, from an adventure-filled trip in South Florida to observe the glorious Perseid meteor shower. He began tent camping Sunday night Aug 8th, amid the star-filled skies and gentle breezes of the Florida Keys.

And thanks to the laminar (ocean-like) airflows across the Florida straits, Lew enjoyed mostly clear skies all the way to Wednesday morning the 11th - when the park ranger dropped by with the news that a mandatory Visitor Evacuation of the Florida Keys was about to begin! Lew had to pack up his site in a hurry and drive 3 hours North to get to safer ground. But he still managed to observe the peak night of the mighty Perseids - by heading out into the dank, still, mosquito beclouded airs of the Florida Everglades...

Skies cooperated to the north, and some 200 meteors were logged that night - among them a startling -6 Perseid fireball, and quite a few brighter than magnitude 0. He returned thankful for the clear skies that week, but also saddened by the devastation visited on the people of Florida's hurricane-ravaged West Coast.

 

Deep-Space Objects of the Month

Observer: Lew Gramer        Your skills: Intermediate

Date and UT of Observation: 1997-09-22/23, 02:30 UT

Location: Medford, MA, USA (42N)

Site classification: urban

Limiting magnitude: 5.3 (zenith), 4.5 (in S)

Seeing: 2 of 10 - very good

Moon up: no      Instrument: 8" f/10 SCT

Magnification: 80x, 170x, 340x, 500x

Filters used: None

--

Object: M15                  Category: Globular cluster

Constellation: Peg          Data: mag 6.3  size 12'

RA/DE: 21h30m  +12o10m

Description: A MUCH more enticing view than nearby M2 (see follow-up log entry for this night). Like the sparser cluster, M15 was an intriguing little "fuzz blob" at 80x, with similar apparent "psuedopods" of hazy light spreading off to NE, SE, and E. However, when viewed at higher magnifications (and seeing tonight allowed me to push this fine little SCT to its limits), MANY faint stellarings were suddenly apparent throughout the fuzzy area of M15's halo, and even into its bright core. Some 40 - 50 stars could be resolved using averted vision, with a particularly dense, pretty clustering of stars overlaid on the NE "pseudopod" that had been noted at lower powers. Certainly worth a look under even urban conditions with a well-collimated 6-8" scope!

--

Object: M74                  Category: Spiral galaxy [SA(s)c I]

Constellation: Psc          Data: mag 9.4 size 11'x10'

RA/DE: 15h37m  +15o47m

Description: No hint of this low-lying Messier galaxy in these conditions. Perhaps some day, when I have a backyard horizon permitting a search for this lovely spiral while it's nearer a transit, I will be able to log it under urban skies. But not this night.

 

Getting to Veasey Memorial Park

From Interstate 95 north, take the Route 133 west (54B) exit, and follow it into Georgetown Center.  Go straight through the light, now on Route 97N.  Go about 1.5 miles and take a left onto Salem Street (Tea Garden Restaurant at this intersection).  Stay on Salem Street and turn left onto Washington Street. VMP is down a bit on the right.

 

Getting to Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary (IRWS):

1) From Boston and the south: Take Rt. 95 north to exit 50 and follow Rt. 1 North into Topsfield. At the junction of Rt. 1 and Rt. 97, turn right onto Rt. 97 South (towards Beverly and Danvers).

From the north: Take Rt. 95 south to exit 53 andfollow Rt. 97 south. At the junction of Rt. 1 and Rt. 97 in Topsfield, stay on Rt. 97 south.

2) Once you have reached the junction of routes 1 and 97, and have travelled about 0.5 miles along route 97 South towards Beverly and Danvers, you will encounter a rather well lit intersection. On the left-hand side of this intersection you will see the sign of the Massachusetts Audubon Society, a bird within a triangle. Turn left onto the road marked by this sign. It is called Perkins Row.

3) Perkins Row is a long, windy road. After about a mile, you'll encounter another, identical, Audubon sign. Shortly thereafter, you'll come across yet another. This last one marks the entrance to the Sanctuary. Note that at this entrance is a wooden gate. It is very unlikely that the gate will be closed. However, if the gate is closed simply get out of your car and swing it open. It won't be locked.

4) As you drive through the gate, you'll find yourself proceeding up the sanctuary driveway. As soon as you catch sight of sanctuary signs posted along the driveway, look for an opening for the entrance to a dirt parking lot on the left-hand side.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you encounter the buildings at the end of the driveway, then you've gone past the dirt parking lot. Immediately turn around and go back down the driveway a short distance, carefully looking for what will now be a right-hand turn into the parking lot.

 

 

 

Contact Information

For more information about the club and its activities, contact Barrie Sawyer,  Membership Director, email: membership@nsaac.org or contact Kevin Ackert, President, e-mail at president@nsaac.org.  If you have no email access, you may phone Fred Sammartino, Vice President at (978) 989-9977.

 

Our club web site is: http://www.nsaac.org.

 

The Celestial Observer is edited by Leor Zolman. Feedback, and member contributions are welcome. Contact: newsletter@nsaac.org.

 

E-Mail Listserve

If you have email access and are an NSAAC member in good standing, you may want to subscribe to the email notification system that Lew Gramer established for the Club in 1996. This is a "members only" system that places you in contact with other members for late breaking news concerning spontaneous observing activities, outings, tech talk, etc. You can subscribe by emailing your request to the address below.  Your message should look like this:

 

To: majordomo@nsaac.org

Subject: Email list (you can put anything here)

Body: subscribe NSAAC Full-Name <email-address>

 

To remove yourself from the email list send the same message but replace subscribe with "unsubscribe" in the message body.