Elections were conducted October 15, 2009, and the proposed candidates have been duly elected.
It's now October, which means that it's Election Month for the Warren Astronomical Society. All but one of the board members are term-limited out of their current office, so it's a wide-open field for those interested.
Here are the necessary duties for each position. An officer can delegate these duties to someone else, but is responsible for seeing that the duties are carried out.
President:
The president's job is to preside over the twice-monthly general meetings and the monthly Board of Directors meetings, appoint all committee chairmen and authorize payment of all bills. All club expenditures in excess of $100.00 must be approved by the president.
Candidate: Gary M. RossG. M. Ross was/ is First Vice-President for 2008 and 2009. His first Society meeting was in early 1962. He sporatically attended in the 1970s, but did not join until recently at the urging of Brian Klaus.
His goals as President:
First Vice-President:
The first vice-president is the Program Chair, who recruits and manages the guest speakers for each meeting, including the end-of-year Banquet. The first VP can also preside over meetings in the absence of the president.
Candidate: Jon BlumJon Blum has been a member of the Warren Astronomical Society since 2004. He has presented talks to our club about choosing a telescope, astronomy gadgets, and astronomy in New Mexico, Texas, Maui, and Scandanavia.
The job of the First Vice President is to schedule speakers for our meetings. Jon's goals in that position for the coming year will be to continue the excellent work of past VP's in scheduling our wonderful members to speak, provide more information for members about upcoming speakers, limit speakers to no more than one hour, help all members get to know each other by name, and help new people at every meeting to learn more about our club so that they will want to become members.
Second Vice-President:
The second vice-president, or Observatory Chair, oversees and maintains Stargate Observatory and all equipment owned by the club. The second VP can also preside over meetings in the absence of the president.
Candidate: Bob BertaBob Berta is a candidate for 2nd Vice President. The duties include maintaining and scheduling events and open house public observing at the clubs Stargate Observatory. In addition the position involves outreach to scouting organizations, schools, the Detroit Metro Park representatives, etc.
Bob says: "I have served two terms as club secretary, two terms as 2nd Vice President and 2 terms as President. I am again running for this office because I enjoyed it when I was in the position before and felt I made some major improvements and made additional contacts. I also have several ideas for additional upgrades to the club observatory as well as completing the repairs that were started in 2009."
Treasurer:
The treasurer maintains a current list of club members and their addresses, collects dues ad other monies, is accountable for the receipt and disbursement of club property, makes a written report of the club's accounts at each monthly board meeting, files all necessary tax and financial records for the club, and sign all checks. The treasurer also sells club merchandise and runs the 50/50 raffle at each meeting.
Candidate: Jonathan KadeJonathan Kade was the 2008-2009 secretary and has been a member of the Warren Astronomical Society since 2007.
His goals as treasurer for 2010 are securing registered nonprofit status for the W.A.S., providing online membership and renewal forms, issuing new membership cards and member handbooks, and expanding new member services.
Secretary:
The secretary does more than take minutes at the general meetings; the minutes from the monthly board meetings are actually the most critical part of the job. Secretarial duties taking membership counts at meetings, writing "beg letters" for the annual banquet, keeping the board informed of issues at work, and communication with members.
Candidate: Therese OldaniTherese Oldani has an active member since 2003.
Therese says, "My goals are to help to continue the engaged productive efforts our board has developed in the past, and to help in any way I can to keep the energy going. I responded to the need by being asked to run for secretary. I'm interested in serving the other members of the board, the members of WAS at large with a wide scope on the greater outreach of astronomy in the public venue. I bring a creative eager spirit to the board and promise to learn the role of secretary to the best of my abilities."
Publications Officer:
The publications officer is responsible for the monthly production of the offical WAS newsletter, the WASP, and other official WAS publications, such as the upcoming 2011 50th anniversary retrospective. This does not mean it's a one-man job; the WASP can be the joint effort of a team of writers, designers, and editors, all under the guidance of the publications chair. (The WASP editorship is technically a separate position under the jurisdiction of the publications chair.)
Candidates: Stephen Uitti
Outreach Officer:
The outreach chair is responsible for club communications with the outside world: scout groups, other clubs, and the press.
Candidate: Diane Hall (incumbent)Diane Hall became Outreach Director in 2009 and has been a member of the Warren Astronomical Society since 2007.
Her goals as the outreach chair for 2010 are solidifying a relationship between the W.A.S and Metro Beach Metropark, using that relationship as a base to serve the club's "home territory" of Macomb County, and to expand the membership of the W.A.S. by reaching those who are intimidated by the tech-happy side of astronomy.
As you see, most candidates are running unopposed. Nominations for office will be accepted right up to the election, which will take place at the Thursday (Macomb) meeting on October 15. Special voting arrangements, most likely via phone, will be made for those attending the WAS Star Party in Cadillac that evening. All candidates for office must be members in good standing of the WAS-- no guests, sorry. You must also be a member in good standing to vote.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Important: Nominations and Elections - October 15, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Our First Annual Inter-Club Picnic - July 25
The Warren Astronomical Society invites Michigan astronomy club members and their families to our annual picnic and the grand reopening of Stargate Observatory.
WHAT'S UP?
Family day and family nightGames, nature walks, fishing, sky tours – for club members and their families only!
Camping
Bring your tent or your pop-up trailer and spend a night under the stars!
Observing
It's a new-moon weekend, so bring your biggest scope and test the limits of our skies.
Stargate
Take a peek through our classic, hand-built 12.5” classical Cassegrain telescope under an all-new roof and freshly refinished dome, or use all 22” of the Big Dob's aperture.
Messier Contest
Twenty-five summer objects chosen by WAS Awards Chair Larry Kalinowski will be your targets. There are two entry groups: for those using computer assist and for those using manual telescopes.
All you have to do is slew to the correct object, get it in the center of the eyepiece, and call out for a judge, who will check it off your list. You will have one hour to complete the course, earning fame (a Messier Contest Winner badge from Larry) and fortune (half of the gate receipts). If the hour elapses before anybody finishes, shame on us - but the observer with the most finds will win.
The entrance fee is a measly single dollar. Preregistration is requested but not required.
WHEN?
July 25th, from 2 PM to the wee hours.WHAT SHOULD I BRING?
Your own:- chairs
- tables
- picnic blanket
- picnic basket
- maybe a dish to pass.
We will provide soft drinks, shelter, hot dogs, condiments, snacks, and grills. Tents/campers optional.
Contact Therese Oldani (
), WAS Picnic coordinator, for more information or if you have anything to contribute.
Read more...
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Stargate Observatory Reroofing - Plan of Action
Here's the plan, as it stands, for improving the roof on Stargate Observatory. It's a full moon weekend, so the perfect time to work on the observatory. We are going to fix Stargate's roof once and for all so we can put our 12.5" telescope back into full action. Work will begin at approximately 12 noon daily.
Steps:
- having the dome lifted with a crane
- removing all the shingles and the top boards
- adding 2x6s to raise the dome a bit higher
- adding flat boards at a steeper angle to help water roll off more easily
- reshingling
- replacing the dome
Proposed schedule:
July 3 we will be removing the dome and starting tearoff work.
July 4 we will begin to add the new supports and replace the sheathing.
July 5 we will complete the shingling and hopefully replace the dome.
Of course, we'll get as much done as we can each day.
Equipment needed:
- extension cords
- shingle rippers
- belt/disc sanders
- etc.
There have also been rumors that a grill or two may be fired up for sustenance, but we'll figure that out later.
Obviously, this is not primarily a recreational event, but if you have experience doing roofing work (or just a desire to help), we would love to have your assistance. Right now, three members are signed up for the work - the more volunteers, the quicker, more enjoyable, and more successful it is likely to be.
Help of any kind is appreciated, whether you can bring tools, snacks, or just yourself. But PLEASE RSVP so we can make sure everybody is present, so you don't have to stand around waiting.
Currently, the dome sits on a flat roof:
The flat part collects a lot of water, which means leaks:
(The drawing is not to scale - the flat part isn't quite so large in reality.)
The plan is to remove the shingles and the flat board, then add 2x6s to the 2x12s which will raise the dome 5.5 inches.
We will then add the sheathing on top of the new 2x6s, which will help water stream off.
Here are some additional angles on the existing structure:
In the end, the new roof will look something like this:
Once the structural changes are complete, we will add new white shingles. Read more...
Blaine McCullough, R.I.P.
We are saddened to report that "Astro" Blaine McCullough, thirty-year Warren Astronomical Society member, former W.A.S. President, and a key member of the W.A.S. family, had a severe stroke last week and passed away Tuesday morning, June 30.
Though Blaine had had health issues for some time, he showed great dedication to the Society and to observing, attending open houses and meetings regularly. He joined us for his last star party up in Cadillac two weeks ago and spent several happy days among friends. We will miss him.
Funeral arrangements:
Visitation:
Sunday July 5th 5-9pm
Monday July 6th 1-9pm
at:
Lyle Elliott Funeral Home
31730 Mound Rd - just south of Chicago (13 1/2 mile)
Warren MI 48092
The funeral is Tuesday at 10:00 AM. Contact us for details.
Photo by Rick Gossett.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
ISS Alert! Transit Tonight at 6:45 PM
Since the ISS will be near the sun, it is not safe to look for it during the daylight using binoculars. Please don't risk your vision by pointing unfiltered optics towards the sun.
WAS member John Kriegel sends this alert: the International Space Station will transit across the sun from Metro Detroit today. If you have a solar filter and a safe way to view it, don't miss this rare opportunity. He provided the image of the ISS's path below:
He says,
"This image is from a NASA applet, that calculates sighting opportunities. I just happened to be using it in a "non-standard" form where it shows each pass whether it can be seen from the ground or not and there is an option to draw the projected path through a virtual sky and just happened to notice that it passed in front of the sun a few seconds after 18:45:27 today."
Since the ISS will be near the sun, it is not safe to look for it during the daylight using binoculars. Please don't risk your vision by pointing unfiltered optics towards the sun.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
The Warren Astronomical Society At The Texas Star Party
The Texas Star Party is one of the pre-eminent observing star parties in the world. Hosted every spring for twenty-seven years at Prude Ranch, a family-owned hundred-year-old guest ranch deep in the desert, the star party draws hundreds of attendees from all over the country. Excellent skies and desert conditions make for the best observing many attendees ever get.
Six members of the Warren Astronomical Society attended this year's Texas Star Party in April:
From left to right: Jim S, Bill B, Phil M, Joe R, Dave D, and Jon B.
Jon has chronicled their adventures at his web site, but he put together a brief presentation and a handout that he gave at the May Cranbrook meeting. By popular demand, he has provided both documents for this site:
The presentation file
The handout, with excellent instructions and background on the star party if you are interested in attending.
To excerpt just a bit about the logistics of the event:You'll need to apply to go to the TSP by the January before the event, in order to be in the group from which they randomly select the 700 people they allow in any year. This year there was no need for that advance application, because far less than 700 people wanted to go. The price is $50 if you register by mid-March, or $150 if you register later or if you pay at the door (assuming they are not full and you can still get in). If they have over 700 people apply, they will let you know by email in February whether you were accepted or not.
WAS astroimagers scored some real trophies on this trip. Phil Martin's f/2 (!) rig obtained amazing wide-field shots, like the sword of Orion:
When you apply online for the TSP, you'll also have to apply at the same time for accommodations at the Prude Ranch. There is enough "covered housing" (motel rooms and bunkhouses) for about 300 people, and they are chosen randomly from those who apply. Everyone else stays in tents or campers, or off of the property.
Prices per person per day are:
Camping $9.25
RV $19.50
Bunkhouse $40
Family cabin $56 ($50 if 3 or 4 people)
Motel room $77 ($62.50 if 3 or 4 people)
Lunch and dinner are included in covered housing, or cost $160 for the whole week if you are staying in a tent or RV.
Motel rooms have 2 double beds and a bathroom with a small shower. If nobody brings their own bed, and you put more than two people in a room, then somebody will have to share a double bed.
(See more of Phil's TSP photos at his new WAS gallery.)
Bill Beers got his own great images - nebulae, galaxies, and planets, among them M17, the Swan Nebula.
(See more of Bill's photos here.)
Dave D'Onofrio got several excellent shots as well, which will be posted as soon as he has finished final processing on them.
2010's TSP will be held from May 9-16. If you're looking for some great observing, sightseeing in the desert and at the observatory, and great companionship with your fellow WAS members, consider attending. Jon and other alumni will be happy to assist if you have any questions.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Creating Your Photo Gallery on WarrenAstro.org
Interested in putting your astronomical photos or sketches on the WAS website? Great! Posting your photos and sketches on the web:
- introduces your skills to a wider audience
- lets your fellow members know what work you've been doing
- saves space in your inbox and others' by allowing you to send a link to the site rather than the full photos
- shows the world (and most importantly potential members) what members of the Warren Astronomical Society can do.
Ready to get started? Here's an illustrated walkthrough.
Step 1: Go to flickr.com. For ease of use and maintenance, we're using flickr to store our images: it allows you to name, describe, geotag, and edit your pictures - not to mention update your gallery without having to wait on yours truly.
Step 2: If you already have a Yahoo ID (and you probably do, for the WAS Yahoo group), just sign in:
If not, you will have to sign up:
Step 3: Choose your flickr screen name. It's just a nickname used to identify you on flickr, and can be changed in the future.
Step 4: Choose your flickr custom address. This is just to make it easier to send your photos to your friends and family, but once you choose an address, it cannot be changed. Something simple and memorable, like your name, is probably best.
Step 5: Upload your first set of photos. It's easy and very straightforward:
Step 6: Set titles and descriptions for your photos. Describe the equipment you used, the conditions in which the image was obtained, something about the object being shown, or anything that would be of interest.
Also, very importantly, add a tag of "wasphotogallery" to all the photos you would like to show up on the website, as shown in the screenshot.
Step 7: Email one of your photos to warrenastro@gmail.com, preferably the one you'd like to use as your gallery preview.
Within a day or two, the webmaster will set up your gallery link, and then you're done! Remember, this gallery is not just intended to show off the best of the best, but to represent the whole span of imaging work being done by members - so don't be ashamed to post your eyepiece projection photos or less than artistic sketches. Read more...
Monday, April 13, 2009
April WASP Is Available
Through Larry Phipps's hard work, the new WASP is available. Inside you will find horror, sensationalism, and even a bit of Star Trek. This issue is chock full of event announcements and event reporting from all of the IYA stuff going on now.
Pick it up here.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
WAS Jackets Make a Comeback
UPDATE: The ordering period is over and the orders have been submitted. If you'd like the club uniform apparel, let us know and we'll start putting together a new order. Prices may increase if we have to make fewer at a time.
If you're newer to the WAS, you may have noticed the "uniform" jacket many members have. They feature a huge silkscreen of the Society's very elegant "Newton's reflector" logo, the club colors of blue and gold, and a nice solid construction. There are two makes: the light windbreaker, which is not insulated and makes a perfect top layer for summertime; and the quilted jacket (shown here), which is insulated and can make a good top layer most of the year. Their nicest feature is the giant logo, which can easily be seen in the dark - making it easier for the public and your fellow members to find you.
We are commissioning a new run of jackets for our newer members (like yours truly) and for members who need a replacements or extras. The pricing scheme is as follows:
| Item | Normal | Embroidered Name |
| Quilted Jacket, S-XL | $61.00 | $67.00 |
| Quilted Jacket, XXL | $65.00 | $71.00 |
| Quilted Jacket, XXXL | $68.00 | $75.00 |
| Windbreaker, S-XL | $22.00 | $29.00 |
| Windbreaker, XXL | $25.00 | $31.00 |
| Windbreaker, XXXL | $27.00 | $34.00 |
At this time, we can only offer jackets to paid members in good standing. If you are interested in purchasing jackets, you may wish to consider bringing your checkbook to the meeting Thursday. We are trying to get the jackets by Astronomy Day, so we are aiming for a deadline for orders of Monday, April 20. Due to past issues with unclaimed merchandise, prepayment is required. (If you are a member of some years and cannot make a meeting by the deadline, we can probably make an exception.)
One proviso: If we cannot reach the minimum orders for each make of jacket, we may have to delay the merchandise schedule. We are currently only about halfway there.
If you have any questions, please drop us a line.
More photos after the jump.
Apologies for the poor photos!
Read more...
Here comes Radio JOVE
The Society's radio telescope receiver is assembled and ready to go. Now the challenge will be to figure out how to create a usable, portable antenna. Hopefully we will be able to demonstrate the radio somehow for Astronomy Day. Actual scientific work may be further out, and could depend on a computer running at Stargate and a permanent antenna mounting. But this is a start! If you're interested in helping the Society with its radio astronomy experiments, just contact us.
More photos and details after the jump.
Radio JOVE is designed primarily for monitoring radio emissions from Jupiter and the sun. They have different emission waveforms caused by different conditions in the body - see sample graphs and hear audio here. No, it's not Arecibo; we're not really even competing with the RATZ. But it's a different way of "observing" and a potentially interesting outreach tool.
Friday, April 3, 2009
100 Hours Of Astronomy - web updates
100 Hours of Astronomy is underway, with three major events tomorrow to get the word out. For now, though, there are some new WAS things afoot on the web:
- We're on Twitter now.
- And on Facebook. (You must be signed up there and logged in.)
- The WAS photo galleries (the new-style astroimage galleries and historical) have gotten a facelift to make them more usable and modern. They should work no matter what kind of browser you have, but let us know if you have any issues.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Macomb Meeting, March 19
WAS treasurer, librarian, and volunteer Einstein Stephen Uitti will be presenting a talk called "Alien Universe" this Thursday at Macomb County Community College. It should be a blast!
He says:
"This is from the idea that the Universe is often counter-intuitive. From General Relativity to Quantum Mechanics, the Universe is an alien place compared to where we live. If you're not confused when i'm done talking, you weren't paying attention."
Disclaimer: no aliens nor universes were harmed in the making of this presentation. Read more...
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Comet Lulin: Sketches, videos, and photos from WAS members
No, Comet Lulin (the APOD of the year) has not left our skies, but it has faded considerably and will start to (apparently) slow down now that it has passed Earth by. Her prime is past already. Luckily, some WAS members have documented her visit nicely!
As documented in this month's WASP, the research team of Phipps, Hall, and Kade first observed Comet Lulin at Stargate on February 21. Their story can be backed up by referring to the sketch Jonathan made that night:
WAS resident macular imager extraordinaire Jerry Kuchera was next out of the gate with this sketch, made the night of Saturn's conjunction with Comet Lulin, February 23:
Jonathan sketched it the following nights as well, when Michigan was clouded over. It was really moving quickly the night of the 24th. Here it is on the 25th, under the vast constellation of Leo.
Dave D'Onofrio, one of the star WAS astrophotographers, captured this beautiful image of Lulin on February 28, combining four individual images. 
The trailing stars indicate how fast this comet is moving. He says, "The picture was taken from Dearborn Heights using my 12" LX200 at f6.3 and the ST2000 camera. They consist of 4 one minute shots taken consecutively. The short animation is just the sequence of the shots representing 4 minutes of elapsed time."
Here is a video showing each frame separately:
Jerry also sketched it the same night.
Yes, it took a lot of observing time in the cold, cold February climate to document Lulin so well, but since she won't be coming back for more than a millennium if ever, I for one think it was quite worthwhile.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Beware the WASP of March!
Larry Phipps, our indefatigable and heroic newsletter editor and publications director, has delivered another great issue of the WASP. Resident polymath David Y. Bailey supplies the headline article, on Algol, the Demon Star. Larry and Jonathan supply complementary viewpoints of a quixotic (though ultimately successful!) trip to view Comet Lulin on a cloudy February night. The growing avalanche of International Year of Astronomy events takes on new energy with a slew of new events as well. If you want to be in the loop, read it now.
Read more...100 Hours of Astronomy! Special Events on April 4, 2009
As part of the International Year of Astronomy, the Hundred Hours runs from April 2-5. On Saturday, April 4, the WAS is participating in three separate events for the public's enjoyment.
During the daytime, 1-5 PM, we will be offering solar observing and a presentation on the Man of Honor for the IYA2009, Galileo Galilei. More details here.
At night, you get your choice of two great events! A group of volunteers from four local clubs will be offering Sidewalk Astronomy at Metro Beach Metropark. More details here.
For our regularly scheduled open house, there will be a special program, with exhibits, presentations, and videos at the educational center next to Stargate. More details here.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Cranbrook Meeting, March 2, 2009
From Dick Gala:
Dear WAS members,Read more...
The March 2009 Cranbrook WAS meeting will be held in the auditorium of the Cranbrook Institute of Science on Monday, March 2nd at 7:30 pm. Bob Berta, our President, will make a presentation of "Bob Berta's Video Astronomy." Knowing Bob, there will be some amazing images on display.
NOTE: This is a change from our published program as presented in the WASP. Ken Bertin's presentation of George Ellery Hale, which was scheduled for March 2nd, has been moved to April 6th the original slot for Bob Berta's presentation. In other words, they switched dates.
Dick Gala
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Site Updates
A few updates around the site recently:
Bill Beers has moved to the new photo gallery technology and uploaded some new photos. Have a look. Jerry Kuchera has added his drawings to the mix, too. Society President Bob Berta's photos are also on the new gallery. If you're a WAS member and an astrophotographer (or macular imager), why not give it a try? Contact us for more information.
There are nearly ten new photos in the historical photo gallery as well.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Macomb Meeting, February 19, 2009
Dick Gala announces!
Dear WAS members,Read more...
The February 2009 Macomb meeting will be held on Thursday, February 19th at Macomb Community College, Bldg B, Room # 209 at 7:30 pm. The presentation for the evening will be a given by Diane Hall and will be entitled "Lost Constellations: The Cat and the Electric Machine (things the IAU doesn't want you to see)".
It'll be an illustrated guide to many of the former constellations-- some ancient,some modern-- that failed to make the cut when the IAU formalized the skies in 1930.
Diane is a contractor for the electrical company ITC and has been interested in astronomy since her grandfather took her stargazing when she was a toddler. Diane is married to Jonathan Kade, our present WAS Secretary. She is the proud owner of Celestron Skymaster 15X70 binoculars.
Dick Gala
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
The February WASP Is Here!
Thanks to our hard-working and long-suffering publications director and editor, Larry Phipps, the new WASP is ready for download. There are lots of great articles from members and some material that might not look out of place in an issue of Sky & Tel... hint hint...
Read more...Join the WAS on Meetup.com
Some of you may be familiar with meetup.com. It's a rare thing on the internet: a "social networking" site that is targeted at getting people off the computer and out into the world, uniting with others in their community to do something they're interested in. Though its first high-profile use was for political campaigning, it has diversified considerably.
It seemed like a good fit for the WAS, and potentially a good way to reach people we would not otherwise. So I signed up and created a WAS group there:
http://www.meetup.com/warrenastro/
If you have an account there, or would like to help show your fellow Detroiters what a great bunch of people the WAS is, please feel free to join the group.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Cranbrook Meeting, February 2, 2009
Dick Gala sends this:
Dear WAS members,Read more...
The February 2009 Cranbrook meeting will be held in the auditorium of the Cranbrook Institute of Science on Monday, February 2nd at 7:30 pm. The evening's presentations will be given by Larry Phipps and is entitled "The 10 Greatest Astronomical Discoveries of the Last 35 Years". Larry is our Editor of the WASP and an aficionado of visual effects. His presentation is one that you will not want to miss!
Dick Gala
Friday, January 16, 2009
Member News Roundup
Macular Imaging: A Reprise
Jerry Kuchera revisits his 2008 presentation's subject matter with a great article for the astromichigan.org blog. Astromichigan.org, if you haven't yet seen it, is a clearinghouse of information about Michigan astronomy activities. The calendar of events is fantastic and really highlights how much astronomy related stuff there is to do in Michigan. It is run by Michael Narlock, head of Astronomy at Cranbrook Institute of Science.
International Year of Astronomy News
From Mike Simonsen, our man in the American Association of Variable Star Observers, a few web sites of interest.
First up, the IYA2009. One of the most interesting efforts at filling the year with astronomy is the 365 Days of Astronomy podcast, which offers a new audio program every day of the year. One prominent contributor is the AAVSO itself, which hosts the Restless Universe program on the 7th of every month.
Simostronomy
Mike also shared some of his own work with the group: CVNet, a community site for cataclysmic variable observers; and Simostronomy, Mike's blog on... almost everything astronomical. You may find a few of his articles on the irresistable addition of astronomy familiar if you attended the 2007 banquet.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Comets!
There are a couple of exciting comets gracing the skies at the moment. With the moon waning, clear nights this weekend would be good for observing at least one of them in a dark sky... though I suppose it's a bit chilly.
Periodic comet 144/P Kushida is in a good place, very accessible and well off the horizon in Taurus. It's not the most interesting object to look at, but it's nice and getting a bit easier to spot by the day. It's expected to hit its maximum brightness (only about ninth magnitude) in the next several weeks. It has completed its retrograde motion and is now making its way westward. If you go after it, you'll want dark skies, big binoculars or a scope, and an up-to-date finder chart (Heavens Above offers one if you need it).
Even more exciting is Comet Lulin, a weird little comet that's fast, fairly close, and whose orbit is reverse to that of the planets. That means that it will be moving extremely fast from our perspective - so fast that the practiced observer may *see it move* against the field stars. Or so they say. It's got a tail and an antitail and may brighten past fifth magnitude and naked-eye visibility. The only catch is that it just passed perihelion and is in Libra now, not far past the sun. It's an early-morning object now and not best placed. Its position will be improving as it becomes an evening object and nears its closest approach to earth February 24. But comets do funny things, so we'll just have to wait and see. Check out a terrific article on Universe Today for more information, or visit Sky and Tel for charts.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Macomb Meeting, January 15, 2009
Change of plans! We will have a reprise of the film festival at this meeting. For more details... join us.
Read more...Friday, January 9, 2009
January 2009 WASP Available
Start off the International Year of Astronomy on the right note with the new issue of the WASP, available now!
Read more...Sunday, January 4, 2009
Cranbrook Meeting, January 5, 2009
The first WAS meeting of the International Year of Astronomy! And the anniversary of the space shuttle program's inception. Well, you can't win 'em all. Here's the letter from Dick Gala:
Dear WAS members,Read more...
The January 2009 Cranbrook meeting will be held in the auditorium of the Cranbrook Institute of Science on Monday, January 5th at 7:30 pm.
The evening's first presentation will be given by Gary M. Ross, our 1st Vice President, and will be entitled "January Meteors." There is a lot more going in meteor showers than one would imagine - ah, but if only we could see them in Michigan!
The second, entitled "Education for Stars over D-A Ranch," will be given by Sid Keeler. The latter presentation will be a description of a new Boy Scout astronomy facility. Astronomy in scouting is getting ready for a growth phenomenon which is long over due!
Dick
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