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.

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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.

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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.

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January 2009 WASP Available

Start off the International Year of Astronomy on the right note with the new issue of the WASP, available now!

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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,

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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