Roanoke Valley Astronomical SocietyThe Roanoke Valley Astronomical Society is a membership...

Volume 32—Number 12 December 2015

Roanoke Valley Astronomical

Society Amateur Astronomy News and Views

In Southwestern Virginia

RVAS NL— December 2015— Pg 1 of 12

With the promise of an interesting presentation by

guest speaker Steve Conard, of the Johns Hopkins

University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHUAPL) and

Lead Engineer on the New Horizons’ Long-Range Re-

connaissance Imager (LORRI), and the addition of sev-

eral members of the Blue Ridge Astronomy Club

(BRAC) for this joint meeting, the turnout for the No-

vember 2015 meeting was nothing less than outstand-

ing. Filling in for our President Dan Chrisman, who’s

recovering from his recent surgery, Vice President

Rand Bowden opened the meeting at 7:35 p.m. to an

audience of 47 Club members, family members, and

guests.

As the first order of business, Rand recognized our

guest speaker and then asked Frank Baratta to wel-

come our guests and visitors. One of our guests, Bill

Emory, became an RVAS member at the meeting, and

Frank was pleased to welcome back our September

guest speaker, Mr. Nick Anderson, past president of

the Virginia Tech astronomy club.

Rand then took care of some administrative business,

reminding the RVAS members present that the De-

cember meeting has been moved to December 14th.

The meeting will include our Holiday social (bring a dish (Meeting Continued on page 2)

Upcoming Meeting

Winter Solstice Social

December 14, 2015

Our annual winter bash! Details inside. Don’t

miss it!!!

November RVAS Meeting Notes

If you’re going to Pluto……………………………..

Lightweight and fast is best! By Bill Dillon, Secretary

November’s joint RVAS-BRAC meeting drew our largest

turnout in many months

Photo by Carolyn Baratta

The Roanoke Valley Astronomical Society is a membership organization of amateur astronomers dedicated to the pursuit of observational and

photographic astronomical activities. Meetings are held at 7:30 p.m. on the third Monday of each month. See calendar on last page of news-

letter for location. Meetings are open to the public. Observing sessions are held one or two weekends a month at a dark-sky site. Yearly dues

are: Individual, $20.00; Senior Individual, $18.00; Family, $25.00; Senior Family, $22.00; Student, $10.00. Articles, quotes, etc. published in the

newsletter do not necessarily reflect the views of the RVAS or its editor.

Officers/Executive Committee/Editor/Webmaster Dan Chrisman, President ([email protected] )

Rand Bowden, Vice President ([email protected])

Bill Dillon, Secretary ([email protected])

Jeff Suhr, Treasurer ([email protected])

Carol Mesimer, Member at Large ([email protected])

Michael Good, Immediate Past President ([email protected])

Frank Baratta, Past President ([email protected])

David E. Thomas, RVAS Newsletter Editor ([email protected])

Roger Pommerenke & David E. Thomas, Webmaster ([email protected])

RVAS web page: http://rvasclub.org


to share) and a visit to the planetarium at the Science

Museum of Western Virginia.

Rand also reported on the recent copyright infringe-

ment claim involving a copyrighted cartoon used without

license in one of our past Newsletters. After careful

consideration, the Club officers settled the claim and

took measures to prevent future copyright claims.

RVAS members are cautioned to avoid using copy-

righted materials in newsletter articles and presen-

tations, unless use permissions have first been ob-

tained.

As a last administrative matter, Rand reminded every-

one that this meeting would be the last chance to sign

up for a Guy Ottewell 2016 Astronomical Calendar.

This 43rd edition may in fact be the last calendar Mr.

Ottewell will produce. Members were encouraged to sign

up. In addition, RVAS Treasurer Jeff Suhr had a lim-

ited supply of Astronomy Magazine 2016 calendars for

sale at the meeting.

At this point in the meeting, Rand introduced Frank

Baratta to present his “What’s Up” program, highlight-

ing the near and deep sky for mid-November through

December 31st. During this period the tireless observer

will have an opportunity, weather permitting, to observe

the Leonid Meteor Shower, peaking on November 17th

and the Geminid Meteor Shower peaking on the night

of December 13th/14th, with a just past new Moon set-

ting at 7:32 p.m., offering dark skies for viewing. On

December 28th Mercury will be at greatest eastern

elongation. Try spotting it 10⁰ above the WSW horizon

30 minutes after sunset.

Continuing, Frank pointed out that December 3rd will see

a last quarter Moon with observing set for Cahas on the

4th and 5th. We’ll have a new Moon on December 11th with

Cahas observing on the 11th and 12th.

Frank reported that as this period begins, The Pleiades

are low in the east as darkness falls. The only planets

visible in the sky before midnight during this period will

(Meeting Continued from page 1)

(Meeting Continued on page 3)

Vice President Rand Bowden makes a point while chairing

the meeting


mailto:[email protected]









http://rvasclub.org


June 28, 2015 June 29, 2015

June 29, 2015

be Uranus and Neptune, both below naked-eye visibil-

ity. As we watch constellations, stars and other deep

sky objects moving across the night sky our view of the

Milky Way has shifted directions from the brighter

inner regions of summer to the softer outer regions of

the galaxy.

In the period from mid-November to the end of Decem-

ber the haze of the Milky slowly shifts from a NE/SW

orientation to a nearly E/W orientation and the Great

Square of Pegasus slides nearly overhead. On Decem-

ber 16th you’ll find the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) di-

rectly overhead, slightly north and east of the Great

Square. A little further to north and east in the con-

stellation Perseus a challenging observing target is the

eclipsing binary Algol or β Persei.

Following Frank Baratta’s presentation, and with a

great deal of eager anticipation, the audience was intro-

duced to Jack Gross President of the Blue Ridge As-

tronomy Club, who had the honor of introducing our

guest speaker, Mr. Steve Conard of JHUAPL. Steve

described himself as an astronomer wannabe from an

early age, grinding and polishing the primary mirror of

his first telescope.

Focusing on science and math in school he took a circui-

tous route in finding a temporary, two-year position

with JHUAPL which has lasted 33 years, and he is now

the lead engineer on the LORRI imager on NASA’s New

Horizon’s spacecraft, now approximately 1 AU beyond

the Pluto/Charon system, after nearly 10 years in

space. With the initial mission of a Pluto/Charon close

encounter and fly-by successfully completed, New Ho-

rizons will, if approved, make a close fly-by of a small

Kuiper Belt Object (KBO) on January 1, 2019.

As Steve described it, New Horizons launched on Janu-

ary 19, 2006 with the fastest earth departure ever at

36,000 MPH, passing the Moon’s orbit in only 9 hours

and the orbit of Mars in less than 3 months. Steve said

that to get to Pluto in a reasonable period of time “you

make the lightest spacecraft that can stand the stress,

put it on the biggest rocket you can find and throw that

spacecraft out there as hard as you can.”

New Horizons reached the Pluto/Charon system on July

14, 2015. The spacecraft carries seven scientific instru-

ments, including LORRI, which is basically a 208mm

Ritchey-Chretien telescope connected to a 1024 x 1024

pixel CCD.

The greatest challenge Steve said he faced in designing

and building LORRI was figuring out how to overcome

defocused images due to the temperature gradient be-

tween the inside and outside of the spacecraft. The

problem was solved by coming up with a Silicon Carbon

material that has both high temperature conductivity


(Meeting Continued on page 4)

Meeting attendees take in Frank Baratta’s monthly What’s

Up program


BRAC President Jack Gross introduces the evening’s guest

speaker, Steve Conard



Photos Wanted!!!

For the Annual Slideshow

Have you photographed RVAS members at club meetings or observing sessions or other astronomy activities?

Your photos are needed for our 4th Annual Slideshow to be shown at the December 21st Winter Solstice Social.

Send your photos to Frank Baratta at [email protected] or call 540-774-5651 for additional infor-

mation.

and low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), along

with the use of magnesium baffles, external isolators,

and a beryllium radiator and conduction bar.

The spacecraft used a gravity assist from Jupiter to

increase its heliocentric velocity by 20% on February

28, 2007, and got some nice pictures of Jupiter and its

moons as it passed by.

Using LORRI as both an image taker as well as a naviga-

tion instrument, New Horizons continued its journey to

the Pluto/Charon system for another eight-plus years,

giving real meaning to the immense distances in the out-

er solar system.

Finally approaching Pluto in July of 2015, after nine-plus

years of travel New Horizons ripped through the Pluto/

Charon system at a speed in excess of 31,000 mph,

passing within 8,000 miles of the surface of Pluto and

18,000 miles of the surface of Charon.

The images taken by LORRI and shared with us by Ste-

ve were in a word astounding. The supposed flat ice balls

of Pluto and Charon are actually geologically complex,

with mountains, ridges and chasms to rival any in the

solar system. A “look-back” image taken by LORRI of

Pluto on July 16th shows an “atmospheric haze” well over

100 miles high above the surface, the study of which

will keep scientists busy for years.

In

October and November, New Horizons performed a se-

ries of burns to put it on course for a close encounter

of a small KBO on January 1, 2019. Steve said he

wouldn’t be accepting any New Year’s Eve invitations

that year.

After several minutes of questions and answers, Steve

concluded his presentation to a hearty round of ap-

plause.

Rand Bowden then closed the meeting at 9:11 p.m.


Our guest speaker, Steve Conard, shares his insider’s

knowledge about the New Horizon’s Pluto Mission




MESSIER PROGRAM OBSERVING

The Messier objects for December are: M2, M15, M29,

M31, M32, M39, M110.

The observing session will be held at 6:30 pm, Friday

Decembber 4th and December 11th. at Cahas knob overlook,

MP 139 on the parkway.

Club members are welcome to join in the Messier hunt at

any time. (Using a scope or binoculars)

Images by NASA


Are You Receiving Your Newsletters

and Other Club Emails?

To save having to download newsletters from our website, these and other items of interest are emailed to

members. If you have not been receiving these items by email, please let us know by calling the RVAS Mes-

sage Line at 540-774-5651. Please also check whether your spam blocker is intercepting our emails.

Most of you know that I write the monthly astronomy

column for the Roanoke Times.

After what I first thought was a sufficient amount of

research, I had the December column written by Friday

November 20 in plenty of time for the Thanksgiving hol-

idays. Then, I started thinking more about my initial

premise and decided that it didn't sound quite right.

“The road leading to twenty-first century stargazing began one hundred years ago when Albert Einstein re-leased his paper describing the General Theory of Rela-tivity, which eventually resulted in today’s Global Posi-tioning System (GPS) technology. Because of the GPS satellite system, a smart phone equipped with GPS capa-bility “knows” its exact position on the surface of our planet. This would not be possible without taking into account the effects of general relativity.

One of the tenets of this remarkable theory is that time moves slower in stronger gravitational fields. Since GPS satellites orbit at an altitude of 12,000 miles, they feel about four percent less of a tug from Earth’s gravi-ty than we do on the surface. Hence, the clocks aboard the satellites move slightly faster than identical ones on Earth. The positional information that each of these satellites send to a phone’s internal receiver on Earth grow more inaccurate as time passes, with the positional error increasing to a few miles in just a few hours. To correct for this, the internal satellite clock rates are slowed down before launch to match those that stay on Earth.”

I was trying to link Einstein's 100th anniversary of his

General Theory of Relativity, which occurred on Novem-

ber 25, to twenty-first century GPS satellite technolo-

gy and the advent of smart phones with GPS capability.

These phones can run sky map apps which accurately

show the positions of the stars and planets in the sky.

Over the past six years, I have read in a number of

sources that described GPS requiring to take into ac-

count the gravitationally induced slowing of time, pre-

dicted by Relativity. (One such article appeared a few

years ago in the Roanoke Times and another in a book by

an MIT professor.)

But what I read just didn't seem quite right. It was

never adequately explained. So, I looked at a few more

references online. Yes, a number of them confirmed

that surface positions on Earth determined through

GPS would not be accurate enough without the system

compensating for the effects of Relativity. One even

cited Stephen Hawking.

Then, I read a couple of other pieces saying that it was

a popular myth among science types. They gave sound

reasoning why, while Relativity is certainly correct, it

does not play a role in GPS determining positions on

Earth. (One point raised was that it would require an

atomic clock in each cell phone’s hardware – which there

isn’t.) So, I couldn't very well tie Relativity with sky

apps on smart phones. Oh well, while it sure sounded

good, it wasn’t to be. I quickly went down a different,

more familiar, and safer road.

Wrong Road

by John Goss

Get Connected!

Want to be more in touch with other RVAS members? Join the RVAS Yahoo Group! Share

last-minute observing plans, articles, ideas, astrophotos—you name it. You’ll need to have or

create a Yahoo email address. Click the link below. Once logged in, provide the information

requested, including your real name since the group is only for members and those invited.

You’ll receive an acknowledgement from the moderator.

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/RVAS_Club/info

For assistance, call the RVAS Message Line (540-774-5651). We’ll have you connected in no

time!


Member Observation

Video frame taken as a passenger jet crossed the face of the Moon on November 21, 2015 at 6:20 pm.

By Dave Thomas

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/RVAS_Club/info

Our club’s Library Telescopes (LiTel) outreach has

been well documented in previous newsletters [e.g. Oc-

tober, 2014]. Most recently, a Roanoke Times editorial

(“Every library should have one of these”) highlighted

our efforts and those of Bedford’s Blue Ridge Astrono-

my Club. RVAS’ financial donations and sweat equity

(i.e. telescope enhancements) continue to benefit the

families of library patrons. Last September, the li-

brary system registered it’s one hundredth loan of a

telescope. And, the cumulative number of telescope

loans continues to increase as four of the library sys-

tem’s branches are providing patrons with their tele-

scopes (see graph below).

(LiTel Continued on page 9)

LiTel Surpasses 100!

By Dan Chrisman


While the current supply of library loaner telescopes

provides many families with their first view through an

eyepiece, demand for the telescopes exceeds the sup-

ply. As the graph below exhibits, patrons are waiting

for the opportunity. Even with the addition of more

telescopes, the demand remains high.

The data suggests that that seldom is a telescope not

paired with a patron. Anecdotal evidence from out-of-

state library loaner programs suggests that information

sessions hosted by our members (e.g. John Goss’ Gains-

boro Branch session at 5:30 pm on 12/1/2015) will drive

even greater demand for the telescopes.

Let us celebrate our part in the 100th loan and set our

sights on achieving our 200th loan in record time.

(My thanks to Alan Hale at the South County Library

for the telescope loan data and to John Goss for his

vision.)

(LiTel Continued from page 8)


Les Quatre RVASquetaires: Dan Chrisman, Bill

Dillon, Michael Good and John Goss.

Photo by Richard Drumm, “The Astronomy Bum”, Podcaster for “365 Days of Astronomy”.

In the basement of the Leander McCormick

Observatory, Michael Good photographs an ob-

serving logbook that contains one of his under-

graduate observing session entries.

Photo by Dan Chrisman

On the campus of the University of Virginia, Dan Chrisman

with the Leander McCormick Observatory’s 26-inch astromet-

ric refractor: 47,654 days after its dedication, originally the

second largest telescope in the world.

Photo by Michael Good

A Sampling from the 10/3/2015

VAAS Annual Meeting




RVAS 25 years ago

The December 1990 issue of the Newsletter reported

on the November guest speaker, Dr. Laurence Freder-

ick, a Hubble Space telescope “insider”, who at the time

was “one of the honored few with an observing program

scheduled on the HST.” Deeply involved in America’s

space program, Dr. Laurence helped select the Apollo

lunar landing sites and was instrumental in the design of

the HST from the beginning. HST, with “the smoothest

surface ever produced”, promised to deliver “one hun-

dred times the resolution heretofore attained”. Well, at

the date of the November 1990 meeting only five

months had passed since “NASA’s bombshell announce-

ment” that the HST primary mirror had a spherical ab-

erration, the surface having been ground incorrectly.

Dr. Frederick pointed out at least two opportunities the

mirror manufacturer had to catch and perhaps correct

its manufacturing error, but chose not to and a sub-par

telescope was put into space. We all know the rest of

the story. In December 1993 on the first Hubble ser-

vicing mission, a Space Shuttle crew of astronauts car-

ried out the repairs, and we enjoy the results even to-

day.

RVAS 10 years ago

(The November and December 1990 Newsletters

were published in one issue in December)

On November 5, 2005, the annual convention of the Vir-

ginia Association of Astronomical Societies (VAAS) was

hosted by RVAS at Virginia Western Community College.

And in the words of RVAS VP Mike Overacker, “VAAS

was a GAAS!!!” All the planning and hard work put in by

many Club members in October paid off in a well-

attended, well-organized, successful event. John and

Genevieve Goss had the registration table well in hand.

Rand Bowden assisted Mike with selling extra door prize

tickets. Bob Young and Bruce Jones had arranged for

much appreciated coffee and donuts.

RVAS President, Katherine Hix, opened the meeting.

The speakers included Dr. Dwight Holland, Dr. Carlos

Salgado, and Johnny Horne, who donated three of his

posters as door prizes. The final speaker of the day was

our own Michael Good, who spoke on astrophotography,

photometry, and AGN’s.

The meeting closed after the 47 door prizes worth al-

most $3,600 combined were awarded to the attendees.

By all accounts the 2005 VAAS convention hosted by

RVAS was not only a “GAAS”, but was by all accounts a

great success.

RVAS from the Past BY Bill Dillon

MONTHLY MEETING

“Winter Solstice Social”

December 14th, 7:30 p.m.

(Note change of meeting date!)

Classroom A, 3rd floor

Center on Church, Downtown Roanoke.

It’s the holiday season and time once again for the second of our two semiannual, free-spirited gatherings—

our Winter Solstice Social! Bring a munchie to share with your RVAS friends and join us for the fun! The

club will provide the beverages. We’ll feature our annual slideshow of members and friends caught at our

activities to a background of seasonal music, plus our monthly What’s Up program. And we’ll provide plenty

of “open mike” time for anyone who has a topic they’d like to share with everyone. There’ll be a game or two

and maybe even a trip to the planetarium. So mark your calendar and prepare for the munching and camara-

derie. Don’t miss it!


Use Our Message Line!

Want to check whether anyone is getting out on a scheduled observing session night or share that you’re

planning to do so? Have questions about the club or need its assistance? Call the RVAS Message Line,

540-774-5651, and leave a message or listen for any information available.

Monthly Calendar MONTHLY MEETING: “Winter Solstice Social”, December 14th, 7:30 p.m., Classroom

A, 3rd floor, Center on Church, Downtown Roanoke. (Note change of meeting date!) Bring

a munchie to share with your RVAS friends and join us for our annual fun fest! We’ll have a

variety of activities, including our annual slideshow, What’s Up, open mic time for anyone to

spotlight a favorite subject, a game or two and maybe even some time in the planetarium to go

along with our munching. Don’t miss our annual winter bash!

RVAS WEEKEND OBSERVING OPPORTUNITIES: Unless otherwise indicated, observing is held at Cahas Knob

Overlook, milepost 139 on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

-- Friday and Saturday, December 4th and 5th. Sunset is at 5:02 p.m. Astronomical twilight ends at 6:35 p.m.

The Moon rises at 1:44 and 2:39 a.m., respectively.

-- Friday and Saturday, December 11th and 12th. Sunset is at 5:03 p.m. Astronomical twilight ends at 6:36

p.m. The Moon sets at 5:41 and 6:34 p.m., respectively.

-- Future Sessions: January 1st and 2nd; January 8th and 9th; January 29th and 30th.

ROANOKE CITY PARKS and RECREATION PUBLIC STARGAZE: Saturday, December 5th, 5:45 p.m., Cahas

Knob Overlook, milepost 139, Blue Ridge Parkway. Nonmembers must register with Parks & Rec. at 540-853-2236.

Members can call 540-774-5651 for information. (Next session: January 9th, 6:00 p.m., Cahas Knob Overlook, mile-

post 139, Blue Ridge Parkway.)

Astro-Quiz

“Asterisms” are patterns which include some of the stars from one or more constellations, such as the Belt of

Orion. But the Belt is part of another, less known asterism in Orion. Can you name it?

Answer to Last Month’s Quiz: On spring nights, directly south of Leo and Virgo lies slender, sprawling Hydra,

the water snake, with Corvus, the crow, and Crater, the cup, perched on its back. All are characters in an ancient

myth in which Corvus once had silver-white plumage and a sweet singing voice. Asked by Apollo to fetch water in

Crater, Corvus quickly set out, but tarried, eating figs that grew along the way. Returning with the water after a

long absence, Corvus blamed Hydra for holding him back. Apollo saw through the lie, turned Corvus black and

changed his song to a parched caw. Worse yet, placing all three in the sky, Apollo instructed Hydra to always

keep Crater’s throat-quenching water out of Corvus’ reach. Hats off to Harry Montoro for correctly answering

last month’s quiz—his second consecutive month doing so!. Have an answer to this month’s quiz (or a future ques-

tion and answer to suggest)? E-mail it to [email protected]!

Roanoke Valley Astronomical SocietyThe Roanoke Valley Astronomical Society is a membership...

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