The Celestial Observer

 

Newsletter of the North Shore

 Amateur Astronomy Club

 

 

February, 2005

 

 

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From the President

 

Members voted overwhelmingly at the January business meeting for NSAAC not to re-join the Astronomical League (AL) as a club. It was pointed out during the meeting that dues were raised many years ago to enable us to have a club membership in the AL. The Board of Directors will discuss at the next board meeting the notion of sponsoring any club member who would like to participate in one of the AL achievement certificate programs. So, unless the board finds some reason why we should not sponsor individuals, we will do so. Any club member wishing to participate in an AL program should approach the Treasurer and request to be sponsored in the AL. Individual AL memberships are $30.00 each.

 

A suggestion by Art Schneiderman for a “Telescope Clinic” was well received at the meeting. The Telescope Clinic will be a gathering in which members can bring in their telescopes to learn how to use them, solve problems regarding them, or just to show and/or demonstrate them to others.  The details and logistics of the clinic have yet to be worked out and will be on the agenda at the next BoD meeting. Look for the Telescope Clinic to be in operation by late February or possible March.

 

Chris Nicholl has written a fine article entitled Buying Your First Telescope and it is posted on the Resources page of our website. Chris’s article can be viewed at http://www.nsaac.org/first_scope.htm. Kudos to Chris for taking the time to help fellow members by writing this article! I encourage any members with similar ideas of ways to aid others to write articles for the Resources page. If you have an idea for an article, it might be prudent to run it by the board before writing it to make sure someone else isn’t doing a similar piece.

 

Glimpses of Comet Machholz, on the few clear nights we’ve had, have managed to keep us entertained so far this winter. And for those of us unable to catch the comet live we have our wonderful astrophotographers supplying us with images via the list server! The comet will be visible for the remainder of January and most of February if you haven’t seen it yet.

 

What’s better than going to the Texas Star Party? Going for the second year in a row! NSAAC will once again have a delegation along with members of ATMoB and SSAS going to the Prude Ranch in West Texas this May. In that regard, I won’t mind if every night between now and then is cloudy because I can see photons at the end of the tunnel!

 

Kevin Ackert

President

 

 

NSAAC Welcomes Our New Members:

James M. Fiorello, Methuen, MA

Dennis Richards, Andover, MA

 

Minutes of the NSAAC Business Meeting, January 7th, 2005

 

President Ackert called the January Business Meeting of the NSAAC to order at 8:06PM. President Ackert called for introduction of new guests: there were three guests: Dennis Richard and son John, Howard Epstein, and Brenda Babylon.  There were 18 members in attendance plus 4 Board members.


Committee Reports:

 

Secretary: The minutes of the December Business Meetings as printed in the newsletter were approved.

 

Treasurer: Treasurer indicated that there was $199.90 income, $7,506.18 in checking account, and $7,859.99 in the land fund.  Total assets are $15,366.07.  Treasurer’s report was approved.

 

Membership:  The membership chairman announced one new member.  Also in attendance was honorary member Chris McCarthy.

 

Merrimack College:  Kevin Ackert ran the observing on the 15th of Dec.  He had 9 visitors.

 

Go-On Committee:  The GO-ON event for December was cancelled because of bad weather. The G0-ON committee is trying to plan an event for February.

 

Salem State:  The Observatory was open only once in the last month with only one visitor.

 

Star Parties:  Jim Foy will personally hold a star party for several groups of Brownies. There will be a star party Tuesday February 15th at the Proctor School in Topsfield at 7:00PM.  There will be a Cranes Beach star party Saturday February 12th 2005.

 

High-Rock Tower Observatory.  No report.

 

Nominating Committee:  Chairman Barrie Sawyer indicated that current slate of officers would run again.  Any one else may submit their names to Barrie if they would like to run for one of the offices.  We need volunteers for members at large. See Barrie Sawyer or Fred Sammartino if interested.

 

Upcoming Events:  The Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics Oak Ridge Observatory is having public observing at their new 25’’ diameter Telescope in Harvard Mass on Jan 14th, March 11th, and May 13th 2005.

 

Old Business:  Kevin Ackert indicated that the VMP lighting has been installed; however, some have said that the lights go on and off on their own.  We will look into it.

  s

SHARE System –Written proposals are being solicited from the following non-profit organizations:  University of Southern Idaho and the Magic Valley Astronomical Society, Stellafane and the Springfield Telescope Makers, and the Tucson Amateur Astronomy club..

 

American Astronomical League (AAL) –It would cost the club about $560 to rejoin the AAL.  Majority of the club members voted not to rejoin the AAL.  The Board will look into whether or not the club could pay for individual memberships for those interested in the AAL certificates.

 

New Business:  Art Schniderman suggested that the club should have a Telescope Clinic after someone contacted the club about new telescopes.  Will discuss this at the next board meeting.

 

The presentation for the evening was a comparison of three vintage Questar 3.5’’ telescopes given by Barrie Sawyer, Tony Costanzo, and Russ Pinizzotto.

 

Next Board meeting will Tuesday, January 18 at 8PM at VMP.

 

Meeting adjourned at 9:10 PM

 

Respectively submitted,
John Hobbs, Secretary NSAAC


Elections In March

On behalf of the Election Committee, I’d like to remind everyone that elections are in March for club officers and members of the board. I understand that the two Member-At-Large positions do not yet have candidates on the slate. These positions require very little work, and are an excellent opportunity for one to become familiar with the operations of the club. Members-At-Large act as liaisons between the members and the club officers. They also respond to email sent to info@nsaac.org, and they do a follow-up with new members six months after joining. Oh yeah, you are also expected to come to the board meetings. So, if you’ve been thinking about taking a more active role in your club, here’s the chance!

 

Contact either Barrie Sawyer membership@nsaac.org or Fred Sammartino vicepresident@nsaac.org if you are interested or just have questions.

 

Kevin Ackert,

President

 

 

Talk for February / Naked-Eye GO-ON!

Following the February 4th  Business Meeting we will present a Naked Eye GO-ON hosted by Lew Gramer and the rest of your GO-ON Committee. Dress warm, and bring a comfortable chair. The building will remain open after our meeting for coffee and restrooms.

 

Dennis Gudzevich

Program Coordinator

 

 

NSAAC Star parties for February 2005

 

The first star party this month is Saturday February 12, 2005 At Cranes Beach, Ipswich, MA.  Set-up time is 6:30 PM.  The program, held in the Great House, will be on Constellations.  It starts at 7:00PM.  Telescope observations at the beach parking lot will start about 7:30 PM and last until 9:00PM.  About fifty people are expected.  This event will not be cancelled for weather.

 

Directions to Cranes Beach

 

From Route 128 north (towards Gloucester), take exit 20A (Route 1A north) and follow for 8 miles to Ipswich. Turn right onto Route 133 east and follow for 1.5 miles. Turn left onto Northgate Road and follow for .5 mi. Turn right onto Argilla Road and follow for 2.5 miles to Crane Beach gatehouse at end of paved road.  Program is in the Great Hall and observations are at the beach parking lot.

 

The second star party is Tuesday, February 15, 2005 at the Proctor School, Topsfield MA.  Set-up time is 6:30 PM.  Program Starts at 7:00PM and lasts about 30 minutes.  Observations will start for 200+ people around 7:30PM.  On good weather nights, this is a well attended program that includes parents and children.  The NSAAC has sponsored several star parties at this school.  Please come with your telescope. .  This event will not be cancelled for weather.

 

DIRECTIONS TO PROCTOR SCHOOL, 60 Main Street, Topsfield, MA

 

FROM SOUTH OF TOPSFIELD

From I-95 Northbound, take Exit 50 to Route 1 North / Topsfield.  Go through a traffic light and past 2 gas stations.  Continue for about 2 miles.  After the Topsfield Fairgrounds, at the intersection of Route 97 (traffic light and FleetBankBoston), turn LEFT onto Route 97 North. Continue for 1 mile to first STOP SIGN.  Turn LEFT onto Main Street.  Go about 50 yards on Main Street.  Proctor School will be on your right.  Turn RIGHT into the parking lot (which is on the left side of the school.

 


Deep-Space Objects of the Month

Observer: Lew Gramer

Your skills: Intermediate (some years)

Date/time of observation: 19/20 Apr 1998  01:00 UT

Location of site: Long Key, FL, USA (Lat 25N, Elev 0m)

Site classification: Rural

Sky darkness: 7.4 Limiting magnitude

Seeing: 7 on 1-10 Seeing Scale (10 best)

Moon presence: None - moon not in sky

Instrument: 5" f/5 altaz refractor

Magnification: 18x, 30x, 55x, 90x

Filter(s): None, DeepSky.

Object(s): M83

Object category: Galaxy

Object class: SAB(s)c I-II

Constellation: Hya

Object data: mag 7.54:8.20  size 12.88x11.48 55°

Position: 133700.3-295204

(continued)

 

Description:

A fairly difficult find below the easternmost "kink" of Hydra the Serpent. I finally found two yellowish mag 4 stars, 1 & 2 Cen, to be good pointers. This galaxy which seems so wan and subtle from further north, was from here in the Keys a startlingly beautiful, bright, obviously barred object. Outer details in the bright halo were best seen with a 12mm (55x). The strong bar was seen to stretch some 3-4' to either side of the small, knobby core, and was especially complex to the S. At this power, the third arm of the spiral roiled off of the S end of the bar, stretching many minutes in a wide arc to N and E of the core, finally reaching a trio of mag 9-11 stars 8' to the S. Interestingly the addition of the DeepSky Filter strongly enhanced the bar, in particular near the now almost stellar core. However, it correspondingly weakened the arms, showing in a fascinating amateur view where emission (and thus the most star formation) is probably going on in this graceful spiral. What a surprise to see such details in this Southern Gem of the Messiers!

 

 


Observer: Lew Gramer

Your skills: Intermediate (some years)

Date/time of observation: 9/10 Feb 1999  05:00 UT

Location of site: Westford, MA, USA (Lat 43N, Elev 30m)

Site classification: Exurban

Sky darkness: 6.6 Limiting magnitude

Seeing: 4 on 1-10 Seeing Scale (10 best)

Moon presence: None - moon not in sky

Instrument: 17.5" f/4.5 dob reflector

Magnification: 57x, 225x

Filter(s): None, UHC

Object(s): NGC 2022

Object category: Planetary Nebula.

Object class: 4+2

Constellation: Ori

Object data: mag 12.4 15.20m*  size 28"x27"

Position: 054206.18+090510.3

 

Description:

Next up on our tour of duty with the 17.5" Club scope tonight, we went off searching for the unexpected Orion planetary NGC 2022. We star-hopped from the lovely star triangle (lambda Ori) at the head of Orion, down along the E "collar bone" of the Hunter. After first encountering emission/reflection nebula Cederblad 59 accidentally (see previous log this night), we managed to sweep back to a pair of mag 8 stars, which point conveniently SE to the planetary. With low power n2022 was distinguishable from surrounding stars, but hardly striking. No color or detail could be seen. But at higher power with the UHC filter, the annular nature of 2022 became immediately apparent. In addition, a definite brightening could be observed near the middle using averted vision. At the time, after first deciding it was the mag 15 central star, I noted it on more careful observation to be clearly non-stellar, and in any case too bright to be the star. I guessed it to be either nebulosity surrounding the central star, or maybe an incipient inner ring. Now though, after viewing some of the available data and images, I have to conclude that this central brightening was in fact either that central star bloated by poor seeing, or else some bright knot of NGC2022's internal filamentary structure, which confuses the eye at this power. Other features were also logged at the time around the bright ring of nebulosity: the most striking was a seemingly irregular brightening or knot SSW of the center of the object. Another such knot, slightly less distinct, was noted an equal distance to the N. Between these two brightenings, I almost got the impression that I was seeing bipolar lobes, although their shapes and spacing were definitely more irregular than the symmetry one expects in true bipolarity. Finally a mere suggestion of an outer halo was noted to increase the overall diameter of the object by maybe 10", with what occasionally seemed to be an irregular longer lobe on the NW.

 

(For more observing logs online, check out Lew’s website:

    http://www.visualdeepsky.org .)

 

 

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.

 

Directions to all of the NSAAC observing sites are available on our web site's “About” page at:

        http://www.nsaac.org/about.htm

 

 

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.

 

Suggestions regarding the content of the NSAAC web site are also welcome, as I (Leor) am also acting as de-facto webmaster for the site. Do you have a web site you’d like to see listed on the members’ web site page? Suggestions for the Resources (or any other) page? Just email webmaster@nsaac.org with your ideas.

 

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>

 

The on-line archives of all list server messages since April ’04  are available via this URL:

   http://lists.nsaac.org/mailman/private/nsaac/

 

(See the  January, 2005 newsletter for information on retrieving your subscriber password, needed to view the archives.)

To remove yourself from the email list, or to temporarily suspend delivery from the list or access your other options, please use our “Subscriber Settings” Web page:

  http://lists.nsaac.org/mailman/listinfo/nsaac#subscribers