Copyright © 2006 San Jose Astronomical Association, Inc.Volume 17 Number 5 Official publication of the San Jose Astronomical Association, May 2006

24 hour news and information hotline: (408) 559-1221http://www.sjaa.net

SJAA EPHEMERIS

Continued on page �

May5 HougeParkstarparty.Sunset8:10

p.m.,61%moonsets3:05a.m.Starpartyhours:9:00to12:00a.m.Astronomy Day

6 ATMclassatHougePark.7:30p.m.13 General meeting at Houge Park.

8p.m.Memberspresentphotos,videosandthoughtsfromrecentEclipsetrips.Seephotosonpage4.

17 SiliconValleyAstronomicalLectureSeries.7:00p.m.FoothillCollege.AstronomerJoshuaBloomofUCBerkeleywillgiveatalkon:GiantCosmicExplosions:TheGamma-rayBurstBoom

18 ATMclassatHougePark.7:30p.m.19 AstronomyClassatHougePark.

7:30p.m.19 HougeParkstarparty.Sunset8:13

p.m.,50%moonrise2:11a.m.Starpartyhours:9:30to12:00

20 Darkskyweekend.Sunset8:14p.m.,38%moonrises2:40a.m.

27 Darkskyweekend.Sunset8:19p.m.,1%moonsets9:29p.m.

SJAA Activities CalendarJimVanNuland

The Board of Directors meets at 6:00 p.m. preceding each general meeting. All are welcome.

June2 HougeParkstarparty.Sunset8:23

p.m.,44%moonsets1:30a.m.Starpartyhours:9:30–midnight

3 ATMClassatHougePark.7:30p.m.10 General meeting at Houge Park.8

p.m.15 ATMClassatHougePark.7:30p.m.16 AstronomyClassatHougePark.7:30

p.m.16 HougeParkstarparty.Sunset8:30

p.m.,64%moonrises0:43a.m.Starpartyhours:9:30–midnight

17 Darkskyweekend.Sunset8:30p.m.,53%moonrises1:10a.m.

24 Darkskyweekend.Sunset8:32p.m.,0%moonrise5:26a.m.

30 HougeParkstarparty.Sunset8:32p.m.,28%moonsets11:55p.m.Starpartyhours:9:30–midnight

Eclipse 2006RobHawley

WetraveledtoLibyaontheSkyandTelescope/TravelQuestInternationaltripaboardtheMSCSinfoniaarrivinginTobrukharborTuesdayevening.

About60ofusdecidedtotraveltothesitethenightbeforeandsleepoutthere.Inprinciplethiswouldavoid

problemsthenextdaygettingtothesiteandwouldallowustopolaralignourequipment.Thesitewasabout2hourssouthalongtheroadtoAlJaghbub.

Ourovernightaccommodationswereatentcampsetupspecificallyforourgroupandoneother.Ourhostsprovided

uswithdinnerandsomeofthenearbyresidentsprovidedaprogramofmusicandlocaldance.

Thenextmorningweweretoldthattheviewingsitewasinadifferentlocationfurtherfromtheroad.Wepackedupandheadedinlandabout2kilometers.ThesitetherewaslikenoothereclipsesiteIhavebeento.Iheardestimatesthatalmost2000peoplefromtheboatandothergroupswerebusedtothesite.TherewerepeoplestretchingintothedistanceplusLibyanTV,boyscouts,andotherlocalgroups.

Thesurfacewashardpackeddirtwithalayerofrocksontopandclearlywindblown.Itwasflatextendingtothehorizoninalldirections.ItevokedthoughtsoftheUtahSaltflatsmorethenthetraditionalviewofSaharaassandydunes.Ithadrainedacoupleofdaysbeforewhichprobablyreducedthedust.Thiswasmysixtheclipse.Thelasttwowereontheseaandbothhadproblemswithclouds.ThistimeIsetformyselfacoupleofgoals:

Watch the eclipse-inpreviousattemptsIspentmostofthetimefussingwithcameras.

Break my picture curse-Ihadtriedtotakephotosinthepast.Somethingalwayswentwrongfromstolenslides,tothecaptainturningtheboat,tobadbatteries,toweather.ThistimeIreallywantedtowalkawaywithsomephotos.

Thesegoalssoundedliketheywereconflicting,butitmeantthatIhadtoautomatethecollectionprocessmuch

SJAA EPHEMERIS Page 2 May 2006

Auction 2006The26thSJAAAuctionwasheldonApril9thatHougeParks.Theauctionwaspackedwithpotentialbidders&bargainhunters.SomewereverypickywhenitcometosmallSCTscopes.Ontheotherhand,theactionpickedupforsmalleritemsparticularlyhighqualityeyepieces.Nonetheless,everyonewenthomehappy!TheAuctionnettedabout$1300forSJAA.

Abigthankyougoestoallwhoworkedontheauctionandmadesureitransmoothly.SpecialthankstoParksOpticals,LumiconInternational,andtoSamSweissofScopeCityforallitemsdonated.SamhasbeenanavidsupporterandpromoteroftheSJAA.OrionTelescope,KenFrank,JeffHorne,TheMedlocks,andLickObservatoryalsodonateditems.AndthankstoKevinMedlockwhowasourauctioneerthisyear.KevinannouncedthatheandhiswifeDenniaremovingtoanewplacenearReddinglaterthisspring.Itsoundsdarkandthat’sgreat.Formorephotos,gotophotos.yahoo.com/sanfranscopecity. –MikeKoop

It’s an even-numbered year so Kevin Medlock was the auctioneer.

A small sample of what was available. The picture went for $35, the laserjet printer (still in the factory sealed carton) went for $10 and the small refractor could have gone to a new home for $1 but it did not generate any interest.

Sellers and buyers check out what’s available before the auction begins.

Kevin Medlock holds up a small scope and the bidding commences. On the left is SJAA president Mike Koop, on the right is SJAA treasurer Gary Mitchell, behind Kevin is Rob Hawley who did the computer logging which allowed Jim Van Nuland to sit in the crowd for the first time in 24 years.

SJAA EPHEMERIS Page � May 2006

The Shallow Sky

Blue Ring Around Uranus AkkanaPeck

JupiterreachesoppositiononMay4andisvisibleallnight,thoughofcourseit’sbestnearmidnightwhenit’shighestinthesky.Unfortunately,it’squitefarsouthandnevergetsashighas40degreesevenattransit.

SothismaynotbethebestyearforseeingfantasticdetailonJupiter(unlessyou’replanningatriptothesouthernhemisphere)--butit’sexcitingnonetheless,becauseofJupiter’ssmallnewredspot,theoneItalkedaboutin

lastmonth’scolumn.Maybetherainswillfinallystopandwe’llgetachancetoobservethisnewfeatureonJupiter,evenlowinthesky,insomegoodspringweather.

SaturnandMarsarebothfairlylowinthewestasnightfalls,withSaturnsettingabitlater.They’rebothcatchable,butyou’llhaveahardtimeseeingmuchdetail.

MercuryandVenusarebothlowinthemorningskyatthebeginningofMay,soyou’llhavetoworktoseemuchofanyofthoseplanetsthismonth.Venusremainsthere,butMercurydisappearsafterthefirstweek,reappearingintheearly

eveningskyaswemoveintoJune.

Uranus,inOphiuchus,andNeptune,inCapricornus,arealsoavailableinthemorningskyfordedicatedobservers,butyou’llgetabetterlookatthemifyouwaitafewmonths.Plutoisabitaheadofthem,risingbeforemidnightandtransitingat3am,butPlutocratswillstilltostayuplatetocatchthedimroughly14th-magnitudespeck.

Uranushasbeeninthenewsthisweek

becauseofitsrecentlydiscovered“bluering”.TheouterringofUranuswasactuallyseenforthefirsttimelastyear,butanewpaperinAprilsaidthattheringwascoloredbrightblue,justlikeSaturn’sEring.Ofcourse,theseareverysmall,subtlerings,fartofaintforustoseeatallinatelescopefromEarth.Butit’sinterestingtocontemplate:whatmakestheringsblue?

PrevioustheoriesaboutSaturn’sblueEringspeculatedthatthering,unlikeSaturn’sbrighterringsoftinyrockandiceparticles,wasmadeofgaseseruptedfromplumesonEnceladus.ButUranusisn’tthoughttohaveamoonsimilartoEnceladus(itsouterringisthoughttobe

From left to right, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune in their relative sizes. Photo courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech.

keptinlinebyatinymoonnamedMab,only15milesacross).Sosomeotherexplanationisinorder.

Thenewexplanationisthattheblueringsaremadeonlyofthetiniestdustparticles,lessthanatenthofamicroninsize.Somepeculiarityofresonancewithamoonkeepslargerparticlesoutofthering.Thesetinyparticlesscatterbluelight,justastheparticlesinourownplanet’sskydo.Theblueringsare

blueforthesamereasonEarth’sskyisblue!

Youcandemonstratescatterandhowitaffectsthecoloroftheskybymixingsmallparticlesintoaclearcontainerofwater,thenshiningabrightwhitelight

intothecontainer.Tryflour,siltfromalocalstream(shouldbeeasytofindafterthisseasonofheavyrains),orasmallamountofmilktoseewhatgivesthebesteffect.Ifyougettheparticlesizeright,thebluelightshininginwillscatter,creatinga“bluesky”inyourcontainer,whilemostoftheredlightwillpassrightthrough,mimickingabeautifulredsunset.Whathappenswhenyoushineonlymonochromaticlight,suchasaredlaseroragreenlaser,intoyourcontainer?

SJAA EPHEMERIS Page � May 2006

Eclipse 2006

Rob Hawley prepares for the coming eclipse. The scope is a TeleVue 76 and his camera is the new Canon 20Ad. Photo courtesy of Chris Erickson.

The diamond ring effect is shown very nicely by David Baumgartner’s photo taken in Egypt.

This intriguing photo is the moon during totality. It shows the Earthshine reflecting off of the moon. Photo by Rob Hawley.

It was possible to watch the eclipse in real time over NASA TV or catch the full replay the follow-ing day. Photo courtesy of NASA.

Solar prominences are captured very nicely in this picture. Photo by Rob Hawley.

FYITheMayGeneralMeetingisaboutthetotaleclipsethatoccurredMarch29,2006.MembersandfriendsofSJAAareinvitedtospeakabouttheirexperiencesstartingat8p.m.onMay13atHoguePark.

SJAA EPHEMERIS Page � May 2006

Planets in Strange PlacesTrudyE.Bell

Redstar,bluestar,bigstar,smallstar—planetsmayformaroundvirtuallyanytypeorsizeofstarthroughouttheuniverse,notjustaroundmid-sizedmiddle-agedyellowstarsliketheSun.That’sthesurprisingimplicationoftworecentdiscoveriesfromthe0.85-meter-diameterSpitzerSpaceTelescope,whichisexploringtheuniversefromorbitatinfrared(heat)wavelengthsblockedbytheEarth’satmosphere.

Atoneextremearetwoblazing,blue“hypergiant”stars180,000light-yearsawayintheLargeMagellanicCloud,oneofthetwocompaniongalaxiestoourMilkyWay.Thestars,calledR66andR126,arerespectively30and70timesthemassoftheSun,“aboutasmassiveasstarscanget,”saidJoelKastner,professorofimagingscienceattheRochesterInstituteofTechnologyinNewYork.R126issoluminousthatifitwereplaced10parsecs(32.6light-years)away—adistanceatwhichtheSunwouldbeoneofthedimmeststarsvisibleinthesky—thehypergiantwouldbeasbrightasthefullmoon,“definitelyadaytimeobject,”Kastnerremarked.Suchhotstarshavefiercesolarwinds,soKastnerandhisteamaremystifiedwhyanydustintheneighborhoodhasn’tlongsincebeenblownaway.Butthere

itis:anunmistakablespectralsignaturethatbothhypergiantsaresurroundedbymammothdisksofwhatmightbeplanet-formingdustandevensand.

AttheotherextremeisatinybrowndwarfstarcalledCha110913-773444,relativelynearby(500light-years)intheMilkyWay.Oneofthesmallest

browndwarfsknown,ithaslessthan1percentthemassoftheSun.It’snotevenmassiveenoughtokindlethermonuclearreactionsforfusinghydrogenintohelium.Yetthisminiature“failedstar,”asbrowndwarfsareoftencalled,isalsosurroundedbyaflatdiskofdustthatmayeventuallyclumpintoplanets.(Note:ThisbrowndwarfdiscoverywasmadebyagroupledbyKevinLuhmanofPennsylvaniaState

University.)Althoughactualplanetshavenotbeendetected(inpartbecauseofthestars’greatdistances),thespectraofthehypergiantsshowthattheirdustiscomposedofforsterite,olivine,aromatichydrocarbons,andothergeologicalsubstancesfoundonEarth.Thesenewfounddisksrepresent“extremesoftheenvironmentsinwhich

planetsmightform,”Kastnersaid.“Notwhatyou’dexpectifyouthinkoursolarsystemistherule.”

Hypergiantsanddwarfs?TheMilkyWaycouldbecrowdedwithworldscirclingeverykindofstarimaginable—verystrange,indeed.KeepupwiththelatestfindingsfromtheSpitzeratwww.spitzer.caltech.edu/.Forkids,theInfraredPhotoAlbumatTheSpacePlace(spaceplace.nasa.gov/en/kids/sirtf1/sirtf_action.shtml)introduces

theelectromagneticspectrumandcomparestheappearanceofcommonscenesinvisibleversusinfraredlight.

This article was provided by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Artist’s rendering compares size of a hypothetical hypergiant star and its surrounding dusty disk to that of our solar system. Photo courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech.

SJAA EPHEMERIS Page 6 May 2006

Solar System Stats for May 2006AdaptedfromtheObserver’sHandbookpublishedbyTheRoyalAstronomicalSocietyofCanada

whichinturngetsthisdatafromtheU.S.NavalObservatory’sNauticalAlmanacOfficeandHerMajes-ty’sNauticalAlmanacOfficeandcontributionsbyDavidLane,St.Mary’sUniversity,HalifaxNS.

Mercury Venus Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune SunRA 1 1h25m 23h52m 6h43m 14h49m 8h30m 23h01m 21h28m 2h32m

11 2h36m 0h34m 7h09m 14h44m 8h32m 23h02m 21h29m 3h11m

21 4h01m 1h17m 7h35m 14h39m 8h35m 23h03m 21h29m 3h50m

Dec 1 6°27’ -2°16’ 24°39’ -14°52’ 19°46’ -7°06’ -15°07’ 14°57’11 14°06’ 1°50’ 24°02’ -14°30’ 19°39’ -6°59’ -15°05’ 17°46’21 21°16’ 6°02’ 23°09’ -14°09’ 19°29’ -6°53’ -15°05’ 20°06’

Dist 1 1.19 0.96 1.92 4.42 9.17 20.61 30.20 1.00711 1.30 1.04 2.00 4.42 9.33 20.47 30.03 1.01021 1.31 1.11 2.08 4.45 9.49 20.31 29.86 1.012

Mag 1 -0.5 -4.0 1.5 -2.5 0.3 5.9 7.911 -1.3 -3.9 1.6 -2.5 0.3 5.9 7.921 -2.1 -3.9 1.6 -2.5 0.3 5.9 7.9

Size 1 5.6” 17.3” 4.9” 44.6” 18.1” 3.4” 2.2” 31’45”11 5.2” 16.1” 4.7” 44.6” 17.8” 3.4” 2.2” 31’41”21 5.1” 15.0” 4.5” 44.3” 17.5” 3.4” 2.2” 31’36”

morethanIdidinthepast.

Thusitmeant:1.Thecamerahadtobefullycomputercontrolled2.Thetelescopeneededtobeonatrackingmountsominimaladjustmentswouldberequiredduringtotality.(InpracticeIgavethedecadjustmentasingletweekabout1minuteintototality)

Computercontrollingthecamerawashighrisk,butitalsomeantthepossibilityofcapturingfarmorepictures.Istartedevaluatingvariousimagecaptureprogramslastfall.RightfromthestartImagesPluswastheclearfavorite.Theauthorworkedupaversion(whicheventuallybecame2.75)thatwascapableoftakingashotaboutevery3seconds.Fora4minuteeclipsethispresentedthepossibilityof

capturingover60imagesoftotality.

Myolddigitalcameradidnotpermitcomputercontrol(itdidnotevenhaveablubport).SoIdecidedtogettheCanon20Da.ThisisastandardcamerathathasanumberofmodificationsforastrophotographyincludinghighersensitivitytoH-alpha.ItcanbefullycontrolledusingaUSBcable.

ForatelescopeIchoseaTeleVue76.ThisisarelativelysmallAPOanditmateswellwiththe20Da.Thecombinationyieldedaneffectivefocallengthof768mmatf/6.3.

ThetrackingmountwasanOrionEQ-3.Thisisnotaveryhighqualitymountifitisbeingusedforastrophotography,butitprovedmorethanadequateformyuseinLibya.Ididaroughpolaralignmentthenightbeforetheeclipseatthetentsite.WhenwemovedthenextdayIaligneditusingacompass.

Thecapturescenario,thethinkingthatwentintoit,andtheresultsareawholeotherdiscussion.IwillrevisemywebpagesometimeinlateApriltocoverthistopic.

TherewerealsosomedetaileditemssuchasusinganexistingAtlascaseasasuitcase/fieldtable.Usingaboxthatfitinsidethecasetoshieldthelaptopfromthesun.IboughtalowendhandheldGPSthatallowmetosyncthelaptoptothecorrecttimeand(atleastIwassupposedto)alsosyncthecameratoGPStime.FinallyIboughtasmallprogramthatmadevoiceannouncementsduringtheeclipse.Thiswasuseful,butlesssothaninpracticesessionssinceitgotverynoisyduringtotality.

Ed.Note: Be sure to check out Rob’s website at http://www.robhawley.net/libya06

Eclipse 200�Continued from page �

SJAA EPHEMERIS Page � May 2006

Officers and Board of Directors

Pres MikeKoop (408)446-0310VP RobHawley (408)997-6526Sec CraigScull (408)292-9317Tres GaryMitchell (408)265-2336Dir BillO’Shaughnessy (408)984-8304Dir DavidSmith (408)978-5503Dir RichNeuschaeferDir LeeHoglanDirGordonReade

Ephemeris Staff

Editors Paul&MaryKohlmiller (408)848-9701Circulation BobBrauer (408)292-7695 LewKurtz (408)739-7106 DaveNorth north@znet.comPrintingAccuprint (408)287-7200

School Star Party ChairmanJimVanNuland (408)371-1307

Telescope Loaner ProgramMikeKoop (408)446-0310

Web PagePaulKohlmiller pkohlmil@best.com

SJAA Email AddressesBoardofDirectors board@sjaa.netMembership?’s membership@sjaa.netChatList chat@sjaa.netEphemeris ephemeris@sjaa.netCirculation circulation@sjaa.netTelescopeLoaners loaner@sjaa.netMembersEmailLists: http://www.sjaa.net/mailman/listinfo

SubmitSubmit articles for publication in the SJAA Ephemeris. Send articles to the editors via e-mail to ephemeris@sjaa.net. Deadline, 10th of previous month.

Publication StatementSJAA Ephemeris,newsletteroftheSanJoseAstro-nomicalAssociation,ispublishedmonthly.

SanJoseAstronomicalAssociation,P.O.Box28243SanJose,CA95159-8243

SJAA loaner scope statusAllscopesareavailabletoanySJAAmember;contactMikeKoopbyemail

(koopm@best.com)orbyphoneatwork(408)473-6315orhome(408)446-0310(Pleaseleavemessage,phonescreened).

Available scopesThesearescopesthatareavailableforimmediateloan,storedatotherSJAAmembers

homes.Ifyouareinterestedinborrowingoneofthesescopes,pleasecontactMikeKoopforascopepickupatanyofthelistedSJAAevents.

#Scope Description Storedby1 4.5”Newt/PMount AnnetteReyes3 4”QuantumS/C HsinI.Huang6 8”CelestronS/C KarthikRamamurthy7 12.5”Dobson TomFredrickson8 14”Dobson ColmMcGinley10 StarSpectroscope JimAlbers11 OrionXT6Dob RaviShankarErram 14 8”f/8.5Dob ColmMcGinley15 8”f/9Dobson MikeKoop19 6”Newt/PMount DarynBaker23 6”Newt/PMount WeiCheng24 60mmRefractor AlKestler26 11”Dobson VivekKumar27 13”Dobson SteveHoulihan28 13”Dobson AnupamDalal29 C8,Astrophotography MarkZiebarth32 6”f/7Dobson SandyMohan33 10”DeepSpaceExplorer JackZeiders34 Dynamax8”S/C Yuan-TungChin36 Celestron8”f/6Skyhopper CharlesSantori 38 Meade4.5”DigitalNewt TejKohli39 17”Dobson SteveNelson41 18”SkyDesignsDob LenBradley42 11x80Binoculars RiteshVishwakarma43 OrionXT4.5Dob GaryMitchell

Scope loansThesearescopesthathavebeenrecentlyloanedout.Ifyouareinterestedinborrowing

oneofthesescopes,youwillbeplacedonthewaitinglistuntilthescopebecomesavailableaftertheduedate.

#Scope Description Borrower DueDate12 OrionXT8Dob JudyArauz 3/17/0635 Meade8”Equatorial MikeHorzewski 4/20/0637 4”FluoriteRefractor PeterYoung 5/11/0640 SuperC8+ BillKerns 4/20/0644 4.5”Skyview/PMount MantleYu 5/03/06

Extended scope loansThesearescopesthathavehadtheirloanperiodextended.Ifyouareinterestedinbor-

rowingoneofthesescopes,wewillcontactthecurrentborrowerandtrytoworkoutareason-abletransfertimeforbothparties.

#Scope Description Borrower DueDate2 6”f/9Dob JohnPaulDeSilva ?9 C-11Compustar BillManey Indefinite13 OrionXT6Dob RajivVora 04/20/0616 SolarScope KenFrank 05/13/0621 10”Dobson MichaelDajewski Repair

Waiting list:(lotsofscopesavailable!!!)

SJAA EPHEMERIS Page � May 2006

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