^ • [ P Q F L I D Q L J T

A L A C H U A A S T R O N O M Y C L U B

MAY 1932

_AY'G FRQGRAM will fs •*_!_______

Gilbert Bernardo and a discussion and demonstration

of FOUCAULT TESTING MIRRORS AND TELESCOPES

(LEARN HOW TO TEST /OUR SCOPE MITH M CREDIT CARD/)

EDITOR APOLOGIZES...

I n o r d e r t o make p u b l i s h i n g t h e FIRSTLIGHT e a s i e r and f a s t e r , as w e l l as do nea t s t u f f l i k e image p r o c e s s i n g , ham r a d i o , and o t h e r s t u f f , you r E.DITOR has a c q u i r e d a 383 computer a n d . . . i s so l o s t t h a t you Are lucky to get t h i s t i n y m i s s i v e ! ! !

MAY IS A BUSY MONTH...AAC MEEDS YOUR H E L P ! ! !

E v e n i n g o f May 9 - S t a r p a r t y a t H idden Daks S c h o o l , c o n t a c t Doug R i c h a r d s , 3 3 2 - 4 3 1 7 t o a s s i s t .

CLUB MEETING TUES MAY 12 th , , . . 7 : 30 PM D o y l e Conner B l d g . , 34 t h St and 2:0 A v e . . . B r i n g y o u r new t o y s , and

s t u f f t o s w a p o r r a f f 1 e o f f !

MORNINGSIDE NATURE CENTER'S MOONLIGHT MADNESS... on MAY 15, F r i d a y n i g h t . . . c a l l Mark Cowan

a t 3 7 5 - 2 5 3 4 f o r i n f e r

ASTRONOMY DAY AT THE UF MUSEUM, SAT . , MAY lb a b i t a f t e r noon t o 4 PM, PLEASE CALL CHUCK,

475 - 1 0 1 4 / 3 3 2 - 1 0 1 5 T0 HEL P WITH TABLES, A C T I V I T I E S, ETC. , A N D . . .

STARPARTY AT SFCC CAMPUS MAY 16 EVENING, SOUTH FIELD LETS MAKE THIS A BIG D A Y ! ! ! !

EDITOR ASKS FOR H E L P . • •

Any h e l p you. can g i v e me on b r i n g i n g me up to speed w i t h a word p r o c e s s o r r u n n i n g i n a W i n d o w ' s e n v i r o n m e n t , pleases l e t me k n o w '

A l s o , i n t h e near f u t u r e w i l l have a modem f o r e l e c t r o n i c t r a n s f e r o f YOUR a r t i c l e s , n o t e s , e t c . PLEASE HELP OUT!!

Science Fair Project George Russell The 37th State Science Engineering Fair was recently held at the O'Connell Center

at the University of Florida. Some 950 or so science projects were on display and what a nice surprise to find out that Stephanie Cineresky of Eastside High School and winner of the club's special astronomy award ea r l i e r this spring and for the past sev-eral years again became a f i r s t place winner in the senior division, Earth and Space category, for her five year study of sunspots.

Stephanie has prequalified for the International Science and Engineering Fair to be held next month. And with great expectations we wish her well. Congratulations Stephanie!

ATM's Journal George Russell As mentioned last month, Amateur Telescope Making magazine will no longer be

published. However, filling the void, is William J. Cook of Seattle, Washington, who, in addition to some good friends, has decided to create a new publication to be called "ATM Journal". This will be in the form of a newsletter to be published quar-terly for the "Amateur Telescope Makers Association". This newly formed group has been created solely to promote advances in telescope making and related topics. It's first issue is scheduled for June delivery and it should be noted that the ATM Journal is not associated with Telescope Making in any way and maintains none of its officers, assets, or liabilities.

The association's annual dues are $20.00 and includes a subscription to ATM Journal. For more information, contact Amateur Telescope Maker Association, c/o William J. Cook, 17607 28th Avenue,, S.E., Bothell, Wash. 98012.

The foregoing has been adapted from information appearing in the June-1992 issue of Sky and Telescope magazine.

CCD's George Russell I guess that it is no secret that I have more than just an ordinary interest in

electronic detection devices. When I was about 12 or so, some 60 years ago, I remem-ber rather faintly of constructing a rather simple photoelectric cell from copper wire and some Selenium from a compound of stuff obtained from an available chemistry set. When finished, I had no idea of the nature of its sensitivity, etc. No matter. It did respond electrically to changes in light levels and that's what really mattered at the time. It worked! I'm sure you know the feeling.

Looking at the literature available these days about Charged Coupled Devices, CCD's, reveals a whole new class of detection devices that have seem to have spawned from the video camera industry. Early video cameras employed rather special electronic vacuum tubes with sensitive face plates particularly sensitive to changes in light levels. They were scanned with an electron beam inherent in the design of a system intended to provide an electronic image. Today, the CCD is considerably more sophisticated.

The application of the CCD to modern astronomy has occurred at such a fast pace it is difficult to keep up with the latest advances. Some of the images that we see in the popular magazines of today devoted to astronomy are simply fantastic and seem to suggest that perhaps a whole new way of looking at the universe as we now know it may be in order. By that I mean that perhaps old theories may be in peril and new under-standings of our universe may arise.

Imagine focusing an image on a rather small area of one of these devices that "di-vides" that image into literally thousands of electrical signals, called pixels, and displaying the resultant on an ordinary video monitor or television receiver. Sophis-ticated systems are already available costing thousands of dollars which may be a lit-tle steep for the average amateur astronomer. However, much less expensive systems are also available. Certain CCD cameras are available for less than $300.00 that have fewer pixels, perhaps 262 or so per TV line, but adaptable for use with a monitor or TV set.

Adapting a video camera to an amateur's telescope certainly is within the realm of possibility but it may present more problems than one would care to deal with. How-ever, I'm sure that the challenge of such a project has already been tackled by an ATM'er and we'll soon see construction projects describing in detail how this can be done.

Through the Eyepiece:

May is usually a grand month for star watchers. The air is cool and pleasant, not yet saturated with moisture. Our summer "friend" the mosquito has not yet arrived in force, and late night observing sessions bring a preview of summer nights to come. May is also the best month for those of us in the southern U.S. to catch a glimps of that massive globular cluster, Omega Centauri. You will need an unobstructed view of the southern horizon, a very clear moonless night, and at least some 7 X 50's. Toward the end of the month and the early part of June, Spica, in the constellation Virgo, will be near the meridian at about 9 PM. About 35 due south of Spica, (use your yardstick crossbow) just above the horizon, will be Omega Centarui. In 7 X 50's it looks like the fuzzy head of a comet. In 11 X 80's it's better. Some of you guys with light buckets see what you can do. Have fun!

- Gilbert -

ASTRONOMY DAY Taking Astronomy To The People

Come and lend a hand. We have a big day planned for May 16. First there will be activities at the Florida State Museum of Natural History starting at noon. There will be many things to share and explain to the public. That evening, a star party will be held on the grassy knoll south of the ball fields at SFCC. Everybody come.

FRANK and ERNEST

\ry TUB weefc* TH&Y WANT Tb fcrs/oiv IF /ViY^e Thex COULO INHERIT *ATu8N

INSTFAP.

ASTRONOMICAL EVENTS FOR MAY...

.Moon at Perigee

.Moon at First Quarter „Starparty at Hidden Oaks School .Jupiter 3 degrees north of Moon .AAC MEETING, Doyle Conner Bldg, 7:30 PM .'Pluto at opposition .MORNINGSIDE PARK MOONLIGHT GATHERING ..ASTRONOMY DAY, Fl State Museum .STARPARTY at SFFC Campus .Uranus 2 deg S of Moon . Neptune . 9 deg 3 of Moon .Moon at Apogee .Saturn 5 deg 3. of Moon . L.ast Quarter .Mars 7 deg 3 of Moon .3 a turn S t a t i o n a ry .Mercury Superior Conjunction

May May May May May May May May May May May May May-May May May-May

3. 9. 9. 11 12 12 15 16 13 21 21 xi \Zi

24 29 29 31

ALACHUA ASTRONOMY CLUB FIRSTLIGHT EDITOR

C. S. Brauard Rt 2 Box 2915

Melrose, fl 32666