Star Gazer September 2018
Schoonover Observatory 670 N. Jefferson Street, Lima, Ohio 45801
Mailing Address: Lima Astronomical Society, Box 201, Lima, OH 45802
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The Star Gazer is written by Sherry Cottle Graham. Please forward comments, suggestions, or to unsubscribe/subscribe to this newsletter to SherryCottle@gmail.com.
September 7, 2018 General Meeting starts at 8:00 P.M. at the Schoonover Observatory
Presentations:
September 7 – David Humphreys will present: Star Brightness VS Distance.
Scheduled Events
2018
- General Meetings for 2018 are on the first Friday of each month starting at 8:00 P.M.
- October 5
- November 2
- December 7
- Astronomy Days #2, October 13, 2018, from Noon to Evening, at Lima Schoonover Observatory.
- International Observe the Moon, October 20, 2018, starting at 6 P.M. at Kendrick Woods.
- Lima Schoonover Summer Schedule: Every Friday night at 9:00 P.M. (June 1st through the end of September.)
2019
- January 20, 2019, there will be the ‘Great American’ lunar eclipse, visible in 50 states
- 50th Anniversary of the Apollo Lunar Landing, May 4th, 2019 at the Neil Armstrong Airport.
- Night Out at the Neil Armstrong Museum, May 19th, 2019.
Under the Dome
The Astronomical League
Great Lakes Region
The Lima Astronomical Society (LAS) joins the Astronomical League’s Great Lakes Region. The 2018 yearly fee for our active members was paid approved by the board and paid by the Lima Astronomical Society. The following information was pulled from their site to explain the benefits of joining this League.
The Astronomical League Regional Information
The Great Lakes Region is a region rich in history of astronomy clubs and societies throughout much of the 20th century, continuing to today, a region which has had a long pedigree of famed amateur astronomers who made significant contributions. The Region today has 27 member societies and clubs, some large, some mid-sized, some small…each participates in public outreach, and each has a mix of experienced observers, astrophotographers, telescope makers, and spokespersons, as well as beginners, young and old. There are four Kentucky clubs and societies, six in Indiana, seven in Michigan, and ten in Ohio, made of hundreds of enthused amateur astronomers. All of these clubs and societies are very active, and most hold annual and seasonal events and hold outreach programs for schools and youth groups.
The Great Lakes Region was the first region organized in the Astronomical League, and its traditions continue to foster and promote amateur astronomy. These clubs and societies promote a sense of group interaction, a place to learn and grow and explore and enhance observing and imaging skills. The Astronomical League is eternally grateful to the many who offer untold hours of volunteer effort and contribute notable leadership and guidance skills to manage club and society events and activities.
In other words, a place to have fun and share a common interest and thrive.
The Great Lakes Region holds its annual convention, GreatCon, hosted by the Indiana Family Star Party at Prairie Grass Observatory, usually in late July or early August of each year. At this event, a meeting is held, information is conveyed, awards are presented, and an AstroQuiz is conducted by the Regional Chair.
A key goal is to recognize members for accomplishments. The Great Lakes Region has two major awards: The Great Lakes Region Award, for notable contributions to amateur astronomy by a Region member, and The Hans Bauldauf Award, for significant contributions to the club, society, to the Region, or to the community, relating to astronomy.
Also, both Region and League awards are available specifically for youth. If you know an Astronomical League member, 18 years or younger, who has brought amateur astronomy to your club or to the public through outreach, presentations, writing, or observing, please consider nominating that person for a Regional Award, or, the three League Horkheimer Service Awards. For adult members, there are League awards which we encourage nominations.
Lima Astronomical Society Participates in Allen County Fair
The Lima Astronomical Society hosted its first booth (#69) in the Merchant Building during the 2018 Allen County Fair on August 18, 19, 24, and 25. During this time, LAS volunteers handed out our new trifold’s that were created and printed by Joshua Crawford. Michael Ritchie decorated the booth with his astro pictures, telescopes, and posters which were well received by the public.
We wish to “Thank” David Humphreys, Michael Ritchie, Tony and Hollie Turner, Bill Smith, Eugene McCall, and Sherry Graham for manning this booth. Tony Turner said, “We had a blast talking with potential members and people that had no clue that Lima had an observatory.” We will be sharing our experiences and hopefully create a better booth next year.
Michael Ritchie, LAS VP, chats with a guest during the 2018 Allen County Fair.
Welcome aboard LAS Members
The Lima Astronomical Society expresses its gratitude to our members (new and old). We encourage our members to join us at the observatory, get involved, and let us know what you hope to experience during our meetings and special events. We are looking forward to meeting each one of you and forming a new fun filled family who enjoy sharing our love of star gazing.
| Teresa | Adams |
| Bruce | Altenburger |
| Charles | Brunelle |
| Chastity | Butterfield |
| Mark | Casazza |
| Kevin | Clark |
| Joshua | Crawford |
| Eric | Croyle |
| Bob | Curry |
| Tim | Deters |
| Scott | Emerson |
| Sherry | Graham |
| Christine | Guy |
| Eric | Hench |
| Edward | Hoffmeyer |
| Sam | Holbrook |
| David | Humphreys |
| John | Joseph |
| Joanne | Konst |
| Rebecca | Kreher |
| Earl and Joyce | Lhamon |
| Jesse | Lowe II |
| Les | Mateka |
| Eugene | McCall |
| Mike | Motycka |
| Joe | Nagy Jr. |
| Steve | Neff |
| Holly | Norton |
| Michael | Ritchie |
| Mark | Rubacha |
| Rich, Jan, Ryan, Skyler, & Zion | Rudolph |
| Randy Jr. | Schaefer |
| Paul | Selhorst |
| Jennifer | Shaw |
| Stephanie | Skylar |
| Bill | Smith |
| Jenn | Snyder |
| Mike | Thaman |
| Tony | Turner |
| Randolph | Wapperom |
| Paul | Warner |
| Denver | Williams |
| Mark | Williams |
| Douglas | Wire |
| Carl | Henderson |
| Sylvia | Hoghe |
| David | Neff |
| Randy | Widmark |
| Barbara | Wilson |
Astronomical Calendar for 2018 June
Date GMT Event
(h:m)
- September 7 – Neptune at Opposition. The blue giant planet will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. It will be brighter than any other time of the year and will be visible all night long. This is the best time to view and photograph Neptune. Due to its extreme distance from Earth, it will only appear as a tiny blue dot in all but the most powerful telescopes.
- September 9 – New Moon. The Moon will located on the same side of the Earth as the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This phase occurs at 18:01 UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
- September 23 – September Equinox. The September equinox occurs at 01:54 UTC. The Sun will shine directly on the equator and there will be nearly equal amounts of day and night throughout the world. This is also the first day of fall (autumnal equinox) in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of spring (vernal equinox) in the Southern Hemisphere.
- September 25 – Full Moon. The Moon will be located on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun and its face will be will be fully illuminated. This phase occurs at 02:53 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Full Corn Moon because the corn is harvested around this time of year. This moon is also known as the Harvest Moon. The Harvest Moon is the full moon that occurs closest to the September equinox each year.
- October 8 – Draconids Meteor Shower. The Draconids is a minor meteor shower producing only about 10 meteors per hour. It is produced by dust grains left behind by comet 21P Giacobini-Zinner, which was first discovered in 1900. The Draconids is an unusual shower in that the best viewing is in the early evening instead of early morning like most other showers. The shower runs annually from October 6-10 and peaks this year on the the night of the 8th. This will be an excellent year to observe the Draconids because there will be no moonlight to spoil the show. Best viewing will be in the early evening from a dark location far away from city lights. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Draco, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
- October 9 – New Moon. The Moon will located on the same side of the Earth as the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This phase occurs at 03:47 UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
- October 21, 22 – Orionids Meteor Shower. The Orionids is an average shower producing up to 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by dust grains left behind by comet Halley, which has been known and observed since ancient times. The shower runs annually from October 2 to November 7. It peaks this year on the night of October 21 and the morning of October 22. The nearly full moon will block some of the fainter meteors this year, but the Orionids tend to be fairly bright so it could still be a good show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Orion, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
- October 23 – Uranus at Opposition. The blue-green planet will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. It will be brighter than any other time of the year and will be visible all night long. This is the best time to view Uranus. Due to its distance, it will only appear as a tiny blue-green dot in all but the most powerful telescopes.
- October 24 – Full Moon. The Moon will be located on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun and its face will be will be fully illuminated. This phase occurs at 16:46 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Full Hunters Moon because at this time of year the leaves are falling and the game is fat and ready to hunt. This moon has also been known as the Travel Moon and the Blood Moon.
- November 5, 6 – Taurids Meteor Shower. The Taurids is a long-running minor meteor shower producing only about 5-10 meteors per hour. It is unusual in that it consists of two separate streams. The first is produced by dust grains left behind by Asteroid 2004 TG10. The second stream is produced by debris left behind by Comet 2P Encke. The shower runs annually from September 7 to December 10. It peaks this year on the the night of November 5. The thin crescent moon will set early in the evening leaving dark skies for viewing. Best viewing will be just after midnight from a dark location far away from city lights. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Taurus, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
- November 6 – Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation. The planet Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation of 23.3 degrees from the Sun. This is the best time to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the evening sky. Look for the planet low in the western sky just after sunset.
- November 7 – New Moon. The Moon will located on the same side of the Earth as the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This phase occurs at 16:02 UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
- November 17, 18 – Leonids Meteor Shower. The Leonids is an average shower, producing up to 15 meteors per hour at its peak. This shower is unique in that it has a cyclonic peak about every 33 years where hundreds of meteors per hour can be seen. That last of these occurred in 2001. The Leonids is produced by dust grains left behind by comet Tempel-Tuttle, which was discovered in 1865. The shower runs annually from November 6-30. It peaks this year on the night of the 17th and morning of the 18th. The waxing gibbous moon will set shortly after midnight leaving fairly dark skies for what could be a good early morning show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Leo, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
- November 23 – Full Moon. The Moon will be located on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun and its face will be will be fully illuminated. This phase occurs at 05:40 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Full Beaver Moon because this was the time of year to set the beaver traps before the swamps and rivers froze. It has also been known as the Frosty Moon and the Hunter’s Moon.
- December 7 – New Moon. The Moon will located on the same side of the Earth as the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This phase occurs at 07:20 UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
- December 13, 14 – Geminids Meteor Shower. The Geminids is the king of the meteor showers. It is considered by many to be the best shower in the heavens, producing up to 120 multicolored meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by debris left behind by an asteroid known as 3200 Phaethon, which was discovered in 1982. The shower runs annually from December 7-17. It peaks this year on the night of the 13th and morning of the 14th. The first quarter moon will set shortly after midnight leaving dark skies for what should be an excellent early morning show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Gemini, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
- December 15 – Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation. The planet Mercury reaches greatest western elongation of 21.3 degrees from the Sun. This is the best time to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the morning sky. Look for the planet low in the eastern sky just before sunrise.
- December 21 – December Solstice. The December solstice occurs at 22:23 UTC. The South Pole of the earth will be tilted toward the Sun, which will have reached its southernmost position in the sky and will be directly over the Tropic of Capricorn at 23.44 degrees south latitude. This is the first day of winter (winter solstice) in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of summer (summer solstice) in the Southern Hemisphere.
- December 22 – Full Moon. The Moon will be located on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun and its face will be will be fully illuminated. This phase occurs at 17:49 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Full Cold Moon because this is the time of year when the cold winter air settles in and the nights become long and dark. This moon has also been known as the Full Long Nights Moon and the Moon Before Yule.
- December 21, 22 – Ursids Meteor Shower. The Ursids is a minor meteor shower producing about 5-10 meteors per hour. It is produced by dust grains left behind by comet Tuttle, which was first discovered in 1790. The shower runs annually from December 17-25. It peaks this year on the the night of the 21st and morning of the 22nd. This year the glare from the full moon will hide all but the brightest meteors. If you are extremely patient, you might still be able to catch a few good ones. Best viewing will be just after midnight from a dark location far away from city lights. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Ursa Minor, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
In the News
Tour September’s Sky: Goodbye, Venus!
By: Kelly Beatty | August 31, 2018
629
As told in this month’s astronomy podcast, Venus is disappearing in the west after sunset. So September offers you a final chance to see four bright planets at once.
Ask an astronomer about September’s astronomical significance, and the answer you’ll most likely get is: “the autumnal equinox.” It marks the celestial end of summer and the beginning of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere.
This year, September’s equinox takes place on the 22nd at 9:54 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. At that moment the Sun shines directly overhead as seen from the equator. Days and nights are both 12 hours long — that’s where the word equinox comes from — and no matter where you live the Sun rises due east and sets due west.
A thin crescent Moon pairs nicely first with Venus and then Jupiter during the second week of September.
Sky & Telescope
Of course, there’s more going on this month than a celestial change of seasons. If you’ve got a clear view toward the west, you can still spot four bright planets in one wide sweep soon after sunset. Venus starts the parade low in the west. Then shift your gaze to the left to sweep up Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars.
This month’s astronomy podcast leads you on a guided your of the evening sky that includes stops at some of the lesser-known constellations in view right now: Capricornus, which hugs the southern horizon, and Draco, Hercules, and Corona Borealis, all found in the northern half of the evening sky.
And of course you almost can’t miss the Summer Triangle — the stellar trio of Vega, Deneb, and Altair — that are cruising nearly overhead as evening twilight ends. If you have to fight light pollution to see the stars, you’ll have your best chance to see the Milky Way if you look overhead near Deneb. As it turns out, some of the Milky Way’s richest concentrations of stars are in the its vicinity.
There more to see in the nighttime sky. So to get all the celestial highlights in the weeks ahead — and that all-important Perseid meteor forecast — play or download this month’s 7-minute-long astronomy podcast (linked below).
Mission Statement
Mission Statement: To promote knowledge of astronomy and science (in general) for the residents in and around our community.
Membership Renewals for 2018 year are now due. Please send your checks to: Lima Astronomical Society, Box 201, Lima, OH 45802. The price is: Student $15: Individual $20: Family $25: Life Time $300.
End of Star Gazer