![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.asnh.org\/ShootingStar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/mask-850.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nMember Reports: Amateur Astronomy in a Time of Social Distancing<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\nWe know that many ASNH members miss the monthly meetings and public observing nights that we would normally be having at this time of year. But astronomy is a hobby that can be done alone or with those with whom you are isolated during the pandemic. To foster some sense of community and interaction during these difficult times, we asked our members to share any observing or astronomy-related activities they have been able to do. Here are their reports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nFrom Michael Amato:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nOn Saturday evening, March 21, I observed the close encounter of Venus and the ISS. The ISS passed by Venus to the south by just a half of a degree. I used this opportunity to compare the brightness of both objects when they were close together. Surprisingly, the ISS looked less than half as bright as Venus did. I’m going to guess the difference was -4.9 Magnitude for Venus Vs 2.4 Magnitude for the ISS. What a difference!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My second observation occurred on the predawn hours of March 18 for the very close encounter of Mars, Jupiter and the waning crescent Moon. The three objects formed a close triangle together with the waning Moon anchoring the bottom. About one degree to its upper right was Mars with Jupiter one degree to the Moon’s upper left. Jupiter and Mars were also about one degree apart and this sight was really spectacular in my 10X50 binoculars. Completing the scene, lonesome Saturn was about five degrees to the lower right. It was well worth getting up for!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I have a number of other observations that I’ve done in the last few months. From late winter to early spring, I’ve been observing the dimming and then brightening of Betelgeuse. It took more than a month to see the star dim from about .5 to 1.6 magnitude. I noticed the belt stars of Orion were now equally as bright as Betelgeuse. After about a month, Betelgeuse gradually returned to its normal brightness. It was fun trying to speculate whether it would go supernova. With the Pleiades in the western sky earlier this year, I was able to enjoy watching Venus enter into the lower part of the Pleiades and it proved to be a stunning binocular sight. Right next to it was the Hyades with Aldebaran on the top end. Both of these side by side in western sky was really something to see. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In mid-May, I observed the close conjunction of Venus with Mercury 1.1 degree to its upper right. In my 10X50 Binoculars, I was able to see the the waning crescent of Venus rather easily but the real shock was being able to easily observe Mercury’s waning gibbous phase. I believe this was easy to see because the skies seem to be so transparent since this virus outbreak. Earlier this year, I was also able to observe the close conjunction of Venus and Uranus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finally, while photographing the sunset with my cell phone camera, without realizing it, I photographed the green flash. I didn’t see it myself but there it was, on my camera. Again, I believe the skies were very transparent because of the virus or I would never have photographed this. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nFrom Patricia and Torin Thurston:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nWe have been thinking of you all, and hoping\nyou\u2019re also staying safe and in good health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We have been staying active! I guess you could say we had a bit of a remote star party with a neighbor. Last week, from our own homes, we attended an Astronomy on Tap (Texas A&M, Bryan-College Station) on YouTube. Then we looked at Venus and Mercury through our Astronomical binoculars, from our own backyards. There was a lot of texting and smart-phoning throughout. Our neighbor got up before the birds to look at Jupiter (moons transiting). We had a great time, and are looking forward to doing more of that kind of thing. It\u2019s not the same as actually viewing, within view of each other; but it still felt great to be sharing the sky together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We tried to see the comets through our\ntelescopes, but couldn\u2019t quite. There\u2019s just too much ambient light in our\narea. However, we are enjoying the fact that fewer jet planes make for clearer\nskies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We\u2019ve also been reading books written by notable\ncosmologists, and some science fiction. Torin wears his CSP hat during the day\nwhen we go on neighborhood walks (wearing masks, staying 6 feet away from\neveryone).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
May you stay well! Happy Summer! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n Member Reports, continued: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nFrom James Menturweck:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nLeitner observatory is providing a live feed on Tuesdays which includes live telescope observing, a lecture, sometimes a guest astronomer, and a movie. It is worth watching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nFrom Leo Taylor:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nUnfortunately the only astronomy I’ve done is a simple photo of two planets and the Moon. It was to show that the Happy Face Conjunction being promoted on Facebook was phony. A no recent time were there two planets centered at the open end of a crescent Moon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.asnh.org\/ShootingStar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/MoonJupiterSaturn-650.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nLeo’s image of Saturn, Jupiter, and the Moon in what social media said would be a smiley face–not even close! <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nFrom Barbara Blanko:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat I have to share is old news. Very old. It goes back to the days before I was a club member. It goes back as far as the very first Astronomy on Tap, held at the Cav a Vin on State Street. That is where I met the Yale post docs, Meg Schwamb, soon to become a project scientist for Planet Hunters using data from Kepler and team member for PlanetFour, Kevin Schawinski, who spoke of his novel idea for help with his research which he called the Zooniverse, and Brooke Simmons, also a part of the startup of Galaxy Zoo, now data science consultant. All those astrophysicists ready and willing to help me choose my very first telescope so that I could begin my new hobby of astroimaging. Well, all except for Kevin who told me if I wanted an instrument to image something I could not see, he couldn’t help me. But my sister and I were enjoying the night and with a handful of people in attendance. We didn’t hesitate to strike up conversation with these presenters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But none of that has anything to do with what I wanted to share. Well, except for Meg. The cover of the March 2014 issue of Sky & Telescope<\/em> highlights Meg’s work. In big letters, “Planet Hunting Goes Public. No scope, no sky, no problem!” I was excited to read this issue. So enjoying my commute on the Shoreline East train coming home from my shift in the CTICU at YNHH I sat down to read. It was a great article and issue. I was captivated. I read the entire magazine, “The Origin of Stacking,” “How the Web Saved the Webb,” I read everything including the letters. <\/p>\n\n\n\nBut wait, this letter looked familiar. Could it… Wait… I wrote a letter to Sky & Telescope.<\/em> But that was a long time ago. Yes! There at the bottom, after a sentence somewhat changed by the publisher (I know because my sentences always had a cadence, a rhythm to match my words, and this didn’t), was my name. My letter. My very first letter, published, in Sky & Telescope<\/em>. I was famous! In my own house, that is. Wow! Sky & Telescope<\/em>. And in the same volume as Meg. I was so excited. To this day, this is my claim to fame. My 15 minutes. The topic, no, it wasn’t about astrophotography, or planet hunting, James Webb, or Astronomy on Tap. My letter was much more simple. It was about H.A. Rey and how he shaped my vision and enjoyment of the night sky. And how could anyone presume to make his illustrations more clear. I was compelled to write. And my story was told. <\/p>\n\n\n\nI never did pursue that\nhobby of astrophotography, but man, I have enjoyed work of others. My grand\nplan brought me into the company of so many amazing individuals. And it brought\nme to seek out the community of those in the ASNH, the gatherings and star\nparties. And so, in this time of quarantine and story telling, I thought\nI would share my story. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here’s to many more, and\nto dark skies, too, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMember Reports, continued:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nFrom Al Johnson:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nI hope all is well and safe with you and yours. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I just finished doing a polar alignment of my permanent pier mount in my observatory using the drift method. This took place in mid-May during two clear nights. I also installed two new hi-resolution encoders for my Lumicon Sky Vector digital setting circles that I use to point my 10\u201d Newtonian scope. Next clear night I will check out their ops. I recently had the 10\u201d mirror recoated, reinstalled and aligned with my laser collimator. My plan is to start imaging with the 10\u201d Newtonian. I sent my 4\u201d FS102 to Takahashi in Houston for cleaning at the beginning of April but it its coming up to 2 months and it’s not ready yet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I spent some time trying to locate the two comets but never did find them, somewhere between Polaris and Capella. The northwest tree locations here don\u2019t help. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nFrom Don Filer:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nI can not contribute much but can report that I observed Venus and Mercury as they passed close by each other on Thursday, May 21. Venus\u2019 razor thin crescent was a pretty sight in binoculars with Mercury in the same field of view.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nFrom Jim Mazur:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nOn May 21,\nI was able to capture images of two supernovae that appeared in distant\ngalaxies this spring. The first was in\nthe face-on spiral galaxy Messier 61, also known as Oriani\u2019s galaxy. This supernova was discovered on May 6 and\nwas designated SN 2020jfo. Comparing it with\nnearby stars, I estimated its magnitude to be about 14.3, which put it in range\nof visual observation through large amateur scopes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The other\nsupernova, SN 2020hvf, was discovered on April 21 in the dim galaxy NGC 3643 in\nLeo. The picture shows that the\nsupernova is brighter than the entire rest of the galaxy combined! This galaxy is about magnitude 14.6, and I\nestimated the brightness of the supernova to be about 13.5. When a supernova is brighter than its galaxy,\nthat\u2019s one big explosion!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Two other features caught my attention in the second image. First, there is the larger elliptical galaxy NGC 3640 near the upper edge of the field. Looking closely, you can see an oddly shaped faint halo, roughly rectangular and not centered on the brightest part of the galaxy. I have never seen a galaxy with a feature like this, and don\u2019t know what to make of it. I first thought it was some type of defect or artifact in my image, but I found some pictures of this galaxy online, and they do show this curious asymmetrical halo. Second, to the left of center in this image there is a short diagonal line, which is probably a passing asteroid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of\nthe things that\u2019s so much fun about astrophotography is that you never know\nexactly what you will see when you process your image and examine it closely. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.asnh.org\/ShootingStar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Messier61-SN2020.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.asnh.org\/ShootingStar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/NGC3643-SN2020.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCancellation of Public Events and the 2020 Connecticut Star Party<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBecause of COVID-19, this year’s Connecticut Star Party will not be held. We look forward to holding the 30th CSP in September 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Similarly, beginning in March, all of our monthly meeting and public observing events have been cancelled. If you have attended any of our public observing nights in the past, you know that it is not possible to maintain social distancing while allowing other people to look through your telescope. Sharing telescope views involves letting people touch the telescope, eyepiece, stepladders, etc. Until this can be done safely again, we will not be holding these observing events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Classifieds<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n- If you find something you like, you contact the owner directly with an email by using the link at the bottom of each item.
<\/li> - ASNH is not responsible or will not be held responsible for any item listed.
<\/li> - All transactions are between the seller and the purchaser and NOT ASNH.
<\/li> - This listing is simply a courtesy to display items that members could be interested in purchasing.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
For Sale: Paramount MX+ mount
Price: $6875<\/strong>
Selling my used Paramount MX+ mount with all the accessories that originally came with the mount. I purchased this mount new in March of 2016 directly from Software Bisque, and it\u2019s spent most of its life in my observatory.
Comes with 2 – 20lb CWs and 1 extra 20lb CW and 7\u201d conterweight shaft extension, Manuals, Software suite on USB thumb drive, Power supply, Hand controller, Grease, USB cable, Factory boxes, pretty much what Bisque sends you when you buy a new one. Plus this mount comes with the MKS5000 WiSky Kit already installed to allow direct connection to the mount via wifi. And it also comes with the Ego Battery Power Adapter to allow you to run the mount off an EGO battery.
Fully functional and both axis have been regreased.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBuyer is responsible for the SB license transfer fee which is $300.
Contact me at rasarisi@bluebirdsknoll.com<\/a>
Rich Asarisi
<\/p>\n\n\n\nFeatures<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nIf you have not looked at the newsletter before, check out some of the regular features. There are four useful links in the menu at the top of this page:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Calendar <\/strong> This is a monthly calendar that includes all the scheduled events of ASNH, other regional events of interest, plus the dates and times of noteworthy events in the night sky.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSkyMap <\/strong> This page has a chart of the sky as it appears over the New Haven area at the present date and time. It is constantly updated, so you can go to this page on any clear night to see what is overhead.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSpace Place<\/strong> Read the monthly article from Space Place.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDirections <\/strong>This page gives directions to all the locations where regular activities of ASNH take place, including the monthly meeting, public observing sessions, and the annual Connecticut Star Party.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOther regular features can be found within these pages:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Upcoming Public Events <\/strong>Many ASNH events are free and open to the public. These include the monthly meetings and public observing sessions at Young’s Pond Park in Branford and Silver Sands State Park in Milford. This section gives the dates, times, and descriptions of these events.<\/p>\n\n\n\nUpcoming Events for ASNH Members <\/strong>These events are for ASNH members only. Some are private observing nights, and others are outreach events where volunteers are needed with the telescopes and equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\nNight Sky Highlights <\/strong>This section lists some objects to observe in the sky during the next few months, whether you are using just your eyes, a pair of binoculars, or a telescope.<\/p>\n\n\n\nGallery <\/strong> This section features photographs of celestial targets taken by ASNH members and others. If you have a picture you want to share with us, please submit it to newsletter@asnh.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNight Sky Highlights for July-September 2020<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\nSolar System<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nPerseid Meteor Shower<\/strong>
Peaks on the night of August 12-13<\/strong>
Weather permitting, this should be a pretty good year for observing the Perseids because on the peak night, the Moon will be a waning crescent, rising in the early morning hours. It is always worth remembering that the Perseids are visible for quite a few nights before and after the peak. If you have a clear night either before or after August 12, it can be fun to gaze up from a reclining chair under a dark sky and watch the show.<\/p>\n\n\n\nMercury<\/strong>
The best chance to see Mercury this summer will be in the eastern sky before dawn during middle to late July. It reaches its greatest western elongation (greatest angle from the Sun as seen from Earth) on July 22.<\/p>\n\n\n\nVenus<\/strong>
Venus moved into the eastern sky in June, and it will visible in the east during the pre-dawn hours throughout the summer. As usual it will be very bright and hard to miss, at magnitude -4 or brighter.<\/p>\n\n\n\nMars<\/strong>
Mars gets closer and closer to the Earth throughout the summer as it approaches its opposition in October. Its size and brightness will steadily increase. In July it will rise around midnight and have an angular diameter of about 12″. This will increase to about 16″ in August and about 21″ in September, when it rises soon after sunset and will be well placed for observation later in the evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\nJupiter<\/strong>
On July 14, Jupiter reaches opposition (opposite to the Sun in the sky, so it rises just as the Sun sets). Located in western Sagittarius, it will be ideally placed for observation during the evening throughout the summer. Jupiter will be less than 10 degrees away from Saturn this summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSaturn<\/strong>
Saturn closely trails Jupiter as these two planets cross the sky during the evening hours this summer. It reaches opposition on July 20, less than a week after Jupiter. This will be an excellent summer for observing these two gas giants.<\/p>\n\n\n\nUranus<\/strong>
Located in Aries, Uranus will be in the morning sky this summer, rising before midnight in September.<\/p>\n\n\n\nNeptune<\/strong>
Neptune is in Aquarius, appearing at about magnitude 7.8. It rises in mid-evening during August and around sunset in September as it reaches opposition on September 11. To find either Neptune or Uranus, you will need a go-to scope or a finder chart such as the one in this article from the Sky & Telescope<\/em> website:<\/p>\n\n\n\nwww.skyandtelescope.com\/observing\/planets\/ice-giants-neptune-and-uranus\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nDeep Sky Objects<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nFor those who enjoy observing the night sky, there are some classic targets that never disappoint. Here are some old favorites that deserve a good long look on a clear, dark summer night. For each of these objects there is a link to a star-hop chart if you need help in locating it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Messier 6, the Butterfly Cluster
<\/strong>Open cluster in Scorpius
This beautiful open cluster is dimly visible to the naked eye from a dark location, and with a good pair of binoculars its butterfly shape starts to be visible. It is a very nice sight through telescopes of all sizes with a low-power eyepiece. Star-hop chart<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\nMessier 7, Ptolemy\u2019s Cluster<\/strong>
Open cluster in Scorpius
This open cluster is roughly twice as large and twice as close as nearby Messier 6. It is easy to see with the naked eye on a dark night if you have a good view of the southern sky. Its stars spread out an area of sky about twice the apparent size of the Moon, so a low-power eyepiece is needed to capture the whole object. Star-hop chart<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\nMessier 8, the Lagoon Nebula
<\/strong>Diffuse nebula with open cluster in Sagittarius
This is probably the easiest diffuse nebula to see with the naked eye from the northern hemisphere. Once you find the teapot shape of Sagittarius, look above the spout for an oval glow about the size of the Moon. Through a telescope you will see that there is both a hazy nebula and an open cluster, NGC 6530. Star-hop chart<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\nMessier 13 and NGC 6207<\/strong>
Globular cluster and galaxy in Hercules
The great Hercules cluster, M13, is a wonderful target for telescopes of medium to large aperture. The cluster is about 23,000 light years away and contains about half a million stars. About half a degree to the northeast is an 11th magnitude spiral galaxy, NGC 6207, which appears oblong with a brighter center. Star-hop chart<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\nMessier 17, the Swan Nebula
<\/strong>Diffuse nebula in Sagittarius
This is a bright emission nebula that has the shape of a swan floating on a pond in profile. Other nicknames are the Checkmark, Omega, or Horseshoe Nebula. Its shape can even be seen in binoculars, and it does look something like a check mark. Star-hop chart<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\nMessier 22
<\/strong>Globular cluster in Sagittarius
This is one of the closest globular clusters, and one of the most spectacular to observe with a medium to large telescope on a dark night. Through binoculars, Messier 22 is easy to spot just to the upper left of the star that marks the top of the Sagittarius teapot, appearing as a hazy ball. Through a small scope, some of its stars can be resolved. Star-hop chart<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nMessier 24, the Sagittarius Star Cloud
<\/strong>Milky Way star cloud in Sagittarius
This dense patch of stars is easy to see with the naked eye, even with moderate light pollution. It looks like a small cloud, about 3 times the apparent size of the Moon, about 5 degrees above the lid of the Sagittarius teapot. With stars by the thousands in a small area of sky, this is a great region to explore with binoculars or a telescope with a wide-field eyepiece. Star-hop chart<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\nMessier 57, the Ring Nebula<\/strong>
Planetary Nebula in Lyra
This iconic object looks like a smoke ring floating high in the summer sky. It has a high surface brightness so it stands up well to high magnification. Try high power and see how much detail you can observe. Star-hop chart<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nAlbireo
<\/strong>Double star in Cygnus
One of the most famous and colorful double stars, Albireo marks the head of Cygnus the Swan. A telescope is needed to see that there are two stars, which are 35 arcseconds apart. It is not known whether the two stars are actually close together in space or are at very different distances. The brighter star is gold or orange, and the dimmer one is blue. Star-hop chart<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\nEpsilon Lyrae, the Double-double<\/strong>
Pair of double stars in Lyra
With binoculars, Epsilon Lyra appears as a double-star. In fact, people with exceptional eyesight can see that it is double with the naked eye. Through a telescope at low to medium power, the two stars start to look elongated, and at higher power they both resolved into close double stars. A night of steady air is needed to see them well. Star-hop chart<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGallery<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\nAbell 1367, the Leo Galaxy Cluster<\/strong>
This large galaxy group is estimated to be about 300 million light years away. A few of the largest and brightest of these galaxies can be seen in large amateur telescopes. Jim Mazur captured this image with a 14″ Meade LX850 telescope and an SBIG STF-8300M imager. Total exposure times were 273 minutes of luminance and 45 minutes each of red, green, and blue.<\/p>\n\n\n\nMore details can be seen in this larger image<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.asnh.org\/ShootingStar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Abell1367-850.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Member Reports: Amateur Astronomy in a Time of Social Distancing We know that many ASNH members miss the monthly meetings and public observing nights that we would normally be having at this time of year. But astronomy is a hobby … Continue reading
On Saturday evening, March 21, I observed the close encounter of Venus and the ISS. The ISS passed by Venus to the south by just a half of a degree. I used this opportunity to compare the brightness of both objects when they were close together. Surprisingly, the ISS looked less than half as bright as Venus did. I’m going to guess the difference was -4.9 Magnitude for Venus Vs 2.4 Magnitude for the ISS. What a difference!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My second observation occurred on the predawn hours of March 18 for the very close encounter of Mars, Jupiter and the waning crescent Moon. The three objects formed a close triangle together with the waning Moon anchoring the bottom. About one degree to its upper right was Mars with Jupiter one degree to the Moon’s upper left. Jupiter and Mars were also about one degree apart and this sight was really spectacular in my 10X50 binoculars. Completing the scene, lonesome Saturn was about five degrees to the lower right. It was well worth getting up for!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I have a number of other observations that I’ve done in the last few months. From late winter to early spring, I’ve been observing the dimming and then brightening of Betelgeuse. It took more than a month to see the star dim from about .5 to 1.6 magnitude. I noticed the belt stars of Orion were now equally as bright as Betelgeuse. After about a month, Betelgeuse gradually returned to its normal brightness. It was fun trying to speculate whether it would go supernova. With the Pleiades in the western sky earlier this year, I was able to enjoy watching Venus enter into the lower part of the Pleiades and it proved to be a stunning binocular sight. Right next to it was the Hyades with Aldebaran on the top end. Both of these side by side in western sky was really something to see. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In mid-May, I observed the close conjunction of Venus with Mercury 1.1 degree to its upper right. In my 10X50 Binoculars, I was able to see the the waning crescent of Venus rather easily but the real shock was being able to easily observe Mercury’s waning gibbous phase. I believe this was easy to see because the skies seem to be so transparent since this virus outbreak. Earlier this year, I was also able to observe the close conjunction of Venus and Uranus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finally, while photographing the sunset with my cell phone camera, without realizing it, I photographed the green flash. I didn’t see it myself but there it was, on my camera. Again, I believe the skies were very transparent because of the virus or I would never have photographed this. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
From Patricia and Torin Thurston:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n We have been thinking of you all, and hoping\nyou\u2019re also staying safe and in good health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We have been staying active! I guess you could say we had a bit of a remote star party with a neighbor. Last week, from our own homes, we attended an Astronomy on Tap (Texas A&M, Bryan-College Station) on YouTube. Then we looked at Venus and Mercury through our Astronomical binoculars, from our own backyards. There was a lot of texting and smart-phoning throughout. Our neighbor got up before the birds to look at Jupiter (moons transiting). We had a great time, and are looking forward to doing more of that kind of thing. It\u2019s not the same as actually viewing, within view of each other; but it still felt great to be sharing the sky together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We tried to see the comets through our\ntelescopes, but couldn\u2019t quite. There\u2019s just too much ambient light in our\narea. However, we are enjoying the fact that fewer jet planes make for clearer\nskies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ve also been reading books written by notable\ncosmologists, and some science fiction. Torin wears his CSP hat during the day\nwhen we go on neighborhood walks (wearing masks, staying 6 feet away from\neveryone).<\/p>\n\n\n\n May you stay well! Happy Summer! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Member Reports, continued: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n From James Menturweck:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Leitner observatory is providing a live feed on Tuesdays which includes live telescope observing, a lecture, sometimes a guest astronomer, and a movie. It is worth watching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From Leo Taylor:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Unfortunately the only astronomy I’ve done is a simple photo of two planets and the Moon. It was to show that the Happy Face Conjunction being promoted on Facebook was phony. A no recent time were there two planets centered at the open end of a crescent Moon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Leo’s image of Saturn, Jupiter, and the Moon in what social media said would be a smiley face–not even close! <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n From Barbara Blanko:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n What I have to share is old news. Very old. It goes back to the days before I was a club member. It goes back as far as the very first Astronomy on Tap, held at the Cav a Vin on State Street. That is where I met the Yale post docs, Meg Schwamb, soon to become a project scientist for Planet Hunters using data from Kepler and team member for PlanetFour, Kevin Schawinski, who spoke of his novel idea for help with his research which he called the Zooniverse, and Brooke Simmons, also a part of the startup of Galaxy Zoo, now data science consultant. All those astrophysicists ready and willing to help me choose my very first telescope so that I could begin my new hobby of astroimaging. Well, all except for Kevin who told me if I wanted an instrument to image something I could not see, he couldn’t help me. But my sister and I were enjoying the night and with a handful of people in attendance. We didn’t hesitate to strike up conversation with these presenters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But none of that has anything to do with what I wanted to share. Well, except for Meg. The cover of the March 2014 issue of Sky & Telescope<\/em> highlights Meg’s work. In big letters, “Planet Hunting Goes Public. No scope, no sky, no problem!” I was excited to read this issue. So enjoying my commute on the Shoreline East train coming home from my shift in the CTICU at YNHH I sat down to read. It was a great article and issue. I was captivated. I read the entire magazine, “The Origin of Stacking,” “How the Web Saved the Webb,” I read everything including the letters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But wait, this letter looked familiar. Could it… Wait… I wrote a letter to Sky & Telescope.<\/em> But that was a long time ago. Yes! There at the bottom, after a sentence somewhat changed by the publisher (I know because my sentences always had a cadence, a rhythm to match my words, and this didn’t), was my name. My letter. My very first letter, published, in Sky & Telescope<\/em>. I was famous! In my own house, that is. Wow! Sky & Telescope<\/em>. And in the same volume as Meg. I was so excited. To this day, this is my claim to fame. My 15 minutes. The topic, no, it wasn’t about astrophotography, or planet hunting, James Webb, or Astronomy on Tap. My letter was much more simple. It was about H.A. Rey and how he shaped my vision and enjoyment of the night sky. And how could anyone presume to make his illustrations more clear. I was compelled to write. And my story was told. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I never did pursue that\nhobby of astrophotography, but man, I have enjoyed work of others. My grand\nplan brought me into the company of so many amazing individuals. And it brought\nme to seek out the community of those in the ASNH, the gatherings and star\nparties. And so, in this time of quarantine and story telling, I thought\nI would share my story. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here’s to many more, and\nto dark skies, too, <\/p>\n\n\n\n Member Reports, continued:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n From Al Johnson:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I hope all is well and safe with you and yours. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I just finished doing a polar alignment of my permanent pier mount in my observatory using the drift method. This took place in mid-May during two clear nights. I also installed two new hi-resolution encoders for my Lumicon Sky Vector digital setting circles that I use to point my 10\u201d Newtonian scope. Next clear night I will check out their ops. I recently had the 10\u201d mirror recoated, reinstalled and aligned with my laser collimator. My plan is to start imaging with the 10\u201d Newtonian. I sent my 4\u201d FS102 to Takahashi in Houston for cleaning at the beginning of April but it its coming up to 2 months and it’s not ready yet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I spent some time trying to locate the two comets but never did find them, somewhere between Polaris and Capella. The northwest tree locations here don\u2019t help. <\/p>\n\n\n\n From Don Filer:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I can not contribute much but can report that I observed Venus and Mercury as they passed close by each other on Thursday, May 21. Venus\u2019 razor thin crescent was a pretty sight in binoculars with Mercury in the same field of view.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From Jim Mazur:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n On May 21,\nI was able to capture images of two supernovae that appeared in distant\ngalaxies this spring. The first was in\nthe face-on spiral galaxy Messier 61, also known as Oriani\u2019s galaxy. This supernova was discovered on May 6 and\nwas designated SN 2020jfo. Comparing it with\nnearby stars, I estimated its magnitude to be about 14.3, which put it in range\nof visual observation through large amateur scopes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The other\nsupernova, SN 2020hvf, was discovered on April 21 in the dim galaxy NGC 3643 in\nLeo. The picture shows that the\nsupernova is brighter than the entire rest of the galaxy combined! This galaxy is about magnitude 14.6, and I\nestimated the brightness of the supernova to be about 13.5. When a supernova is brighter than its galaxy,\nthat\u2019s one big explosion!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Two other features caught my attention in the second image. First, there is the larger elliptical galaxy NGC 3640 near the upper edge of the field. Looking closely, you can see an oddly shaped faint halo, roughly rectangular and not centered on the brightest part of the galaxy. I have never seen a galaxy with a feature like this, and don\u2019t know what to make of it. I first thought it was some type of defect or artifact in my image, but I found some pictures of this galaxy online, and they do show this curious asymmetrical halo. Second, to the left of center in this image there is a short diagonal line, which is probably a passing asteroid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of\nthe things that\u2019s so much fun about astrophotography is that you never know\nexactly what you will see when you process your image and examine it closely. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Because of COVID-19, this year’s Connecticut Star Party will not be held. We look forward to holding the 30th CSP in September 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Similarly, beginning in March, all of our monthly meeting and public observing events have been cancelled. If you have attended any of our public observing nights in the past, you know that it is not possible to maintain social distancing while allowing other people to look through your telescope. Sharing telescope views involves letting people touch the telescope, eyepiece, stepladders, etc. Until this can be done safely again, we will not be holding these observing events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For Sale: Paramount MX+ mount Buyer is responsible for the SB license transfer fee which is $300. If you have not looked at the newsletter before, check out some of the regular features. There are four useful links in the menu at the top of this page:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Calendar <\/strong> This is a monthly calendar that includes all the scheduled events of ASNH, other regional events of interest, plus the dates and times of noteworthy events in the night sky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n SkyMap <\/strong> This page has a chart of the sky as it appears over the New Haven area at the present date and time. It is constantly updated, so you can go to this page on any clear night to see what is overhead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Space Place<\/strong> Read the monthly article from Space Place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Directions <\/strong>This page gives directions to all the locations where regular activities of ASNH take place, including the monthly meeting, public observing sessions, and the annual Connecticut Star Party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Other regular features can be found within these pages:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Upcoming Public Events <\/strong>Many ASNH events are free and open to the public. These include the monthly meetings and public observing sessions at Young’s Pond Park in Branford and Silver Sands State Park in Milford. This section gives the dates, times, and descriptions of these events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Upcoming Events for ASNH Members <\/strong>These events are for ASNH members only. Some are private observing nights, and others are outreach events where volunteers are needed with the telescopes and equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Night Sky Highlights <\/strong>This section lists some objects to observe in the sky during the next few months, whether you are using just your eyes, a pair of binoculars, or a telescope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gallery <\/strong> This section features photographs of celestial targets taken by ASNH members and others. If you have a picture you want to share with us, please submit it to newsletter@asnh.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n Perseid Meteor Shower<\/strong> Mercury<\/strong> Venus<\/strong> Mars<\/strong> Jupiter<\/strong> Saturn<\/strong> Uranus<\/strong> Neptune<\/strong> www.skyandtelescope.com\/observing\/planets\/ice-giants-neptune-and-uranus\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n For those who enjoy observing the night sky, there are some classic targets that never disappoint. Here are some old favorites that deserve a good long look on a clear, dark summer night. For each of these objects there is a link to a star-hop chart if you need help in locating it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Messier 6, the Butterfly Cluster Messier 7, Ptolemy\u2019s Cluster<\/strong> Messier 8, the Lagoon Nebula Messier 13 and NGC 6207<\/strong> Messier 17, the Swan Nebula Messier 22 Messier 24, the Sagittarius Star Cloud Messier 57, the Ring Nebula<\/strong> Albireo Epsilon Lyrae, the Double-double<\/strong> Abell 1367, the Leo Galaxy Cluster<\/strong> More details can be seen in this larger image<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Member Reports: Amateur Astronomy in a Time of Social Distancing We know that many ASNH members miss the monthly meetings and public observing nights that we would normally be having at this time of year. But astronomy is a hobby … Continue reading
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\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCancellation of Public Events and the 2020 Connecticut Star Party<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Classifieds<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Price: $6875<\/strong>
Selling my used Paramount MX+ mount with all the accessories that originally came with the mount. I purchased this mount new in March of 2016 directly from Software Bisque, and it\u2019s spent most of its life in my observatory.
Comes with 2 – 20lb CWs and 1 extra 20lb CW and 7\u201d conterweight shaft extension, Manuals, Software suite on USB thumb drive, Power supply, Hand controller, Grease, USB cable, Factory boxes, pretty much what Bisque sends you when you buy a new one. Plus this mount comes with the MKS5000 WiSky Kit already installed to allow direct connection to the mount via wifi. And it also comes with the Ego Battery Power Adapter to allow you to run the mount off an EGO battery.
Fully functional and both axis have been regreased.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Contact me at rasarisi@bluebirdsknoll.com<\/a>
Rich Asarisi
<\/p>\n\n\n\nFeatures<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Night Sky Highlights for July-September 2020<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
Solar System<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Peaks on the night of August 12-13<\/strong>
Weather permitting, this should be a pretty good year for observing the Perseids because on the peak night, the Moon will be a waning crescent, rising in the early morning hours. It is always worth remembering that the Perseids are visible for quite a few nights before and after the peak. If you have a clear night either before or after August 12, it can be fun to gaze up from a reclining chair under a dark sky and watch the show.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The best chance to see Mercury this summer will be in the eastern sky before dawn during middle to late July. It reaches its greatest western elongation (greatest angle from the Sun as seen from Earth) on July 22.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Venus moved into the eastern sky in June, and it will visible in the east during the pre-dawn hours throughout the summer. As usual it will be very bright and hard to miss, at magnitude -4 or brighter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mars gets closer and closer to the Earth throughout the summer as it approaches its opposition in October. Its size and brightness will steadily increase. In July it will rise around midnight and have an angular diameter of about 12″. This will increase to about 16″ in August and about 21″ in September, when it rises soon after sunset and will be well placed for observation later in the evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On July 14, Jupiter reaches opposition (opposite to the Sun in the sky, so it rises just as the Sun sets). Located in western Sagittarius, it will be ideally placed for observation during the evening throughout the summer. Jupiter will be less than 10 degrees away from Saturn this summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Saturn closely trails Jupiter as these two planets cross the sky during the evening hours this summer. It reaches opposition on July 20, less than a week after Jupiter. This will be an excellent summer for observing these two gas giants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Located in Aries, Uranus will be in the morning sky this summer, rising before midnight in September.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Neptune is in Aquarius, appearing at about magnitude 7.8. It rises in mid-evening during August and around sunset in September as it reaches opposition on September 11. To find either Neptune or Uranus, you will need a go-to scope or a finder chart such as the one in this article from the Sky & Telescope<\/em> website:<\/p>\n\n\n\nDeep Sky Objects<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>Open cluster in Scorpius
This beautiful open cluster is dimly visible to the naked eye from a dark location, and with a good pair of binoculars its butterfly shape starts to be visible. It is a very nice sight through telescopes of all sizes with a low-power eyepiece. Star-hop chart<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Open cluster in Scorpius
This open cluster is roughly twice as large and twice as close as nearby Messier 6. It is easy to see with the naked eye on a dark night if you have a good view of the southern sky. Its stars spread out an area of sky about twice the apparent size of the Moon, so a low-power eyepiece is needed to capture the whole object. Star-hop chart<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>Diffuse nebula with open cluster in Sagittarius
This is probably the easiest diffuse nebula to see with the naked eye from the northern hemisphere. Once you find the teapot shape of Sagittarius, look above the spout for an oval glow about the size of the Moon. Through a telescope you will see that there is both a hazy nebula and an open cluster, NGC 6530. Star-hop chart<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Globular cluster and galaxy in Hercules
The great Hercules cluster, M13, is a wonderful target for telescopes of medium to large aperture. The cluster is about 23,000 light years away and contains about half a million stars. About half a degree to the northeast is an 11th magnitude spiral galaxy, NGC 6207, which appears oblong with a brighter center. Star-hop chart<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>Diffuse nebula in Sagittarius
This is a bright emission nebula that has the shape of a swan floating on a pond in profile. Other nicknames are the Checkmark, Omega, or Horseshoe Nebula. Its shape can even be seen in binoculars, and it does look something like a check mark. Star-hop chart<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>Globular cluster in Sagittarius
This is one of the closest globular clusters, and one of the most spectacular to observe with a medium to large telescope on a dark night. Through binoculars, Messier 22 is easy to spot just to the upper left of the star that marks the top of the Sagittarius teapot, appearing as a hazy ball. Through a small scope, some of its stars can be resolved. Star-hop chart<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>Milky Way star cloud in Sagittarius
This dense patch of stars is easy to see with the naked eye, even with moderate light pollution. It looks like a small cloud, about 3 times the apparent size of the Moon, about 5 degrees above the lid of the Sagittarius teapot. With stars by the thousands in a small area of sky, this is a great region to explore with binoculars or a telescope with a wide-field eyepiece. Star-hop chart<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Planetary Nebula in Lyra
This iconic object looks like a smoke ring floating high in the summer sky. It has a high surface brightness so it stands up well to high magnification. Try high power and see how much detail you can observe. Star-hop chart<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>Double star in Cygnus
One of the most famous and colorful double stars, Albireo marks the head of Cygnus the Swan. A telescope is needed to see that there are two stars, which are 35 arcseconds apart. It is not known whether the two stars are actually close together in space or are at very different distances. The brighter star is gold or orange, and the dimmer one is blue. Star-hop chart<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pair of double stars in Lyra
With binoculars, Epsilon Lyra appears as a double-star. In fact, people with exceptional eyesight can see that it is double with the naked eye. Through a telescope at low to medium power, the two stars start to look elongated, and at higher power they both resolved into close double stars. A night of steady air is needed to see them well. Star-hop chart<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGallery<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
This large galaxy group is estimated to be about 300 million light years away. A few of the largest and brightest of these galaxies can be seen in large amateur telescopes. Jim Mazur captured this image with a 14″ Meade LX850 telescope and an SBIG STF-8300M imager. Total exposure times were 273 minutes of luminance and 45 minutes each of red, green, and blue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n