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Desert Skies
Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association
Volume XLVII, Number 2, February, 2001
Contents
BEGINNERS LECTURE: Feb 2, 6:30 pm at the Steward Observatory Auditorium - Room N210. This month will be Basic Image Processing: What to do with that astrophoto to make it look it's best. Sharpening, histograms and maximum entropy deconvolution. By Andrew Cooper
GENERAL MEETING: Feb 2, 7:30 pm at the Steward Observatory Auditorium - Room N210. Topic is Members Night by various TAAA members.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING: Monday, Feb 12, 7:00 pm at Steward Observatory Conference room N305.
STAR PARTIES AND EVENTS:
Newsletter Schedule: Deadline for articles: Monday, Feb 12. Printing: Monday, Feb 19. Folding Party: Tuesday, Feb 20. Mailing: Wednesday, Feb 21. The newsletter is scheduled to be in the mail at least one week prior to the following month's General Meeting.
Office Name Phone Email
------ ---- ----- -----
President John Kalas 620-6502 jckalas@aol.com
Vice-President Andy Cooper 795-3585 acooper@pobox.com
Secretary Jane Tongate 623-4056 triton@dakotacom.net
Treasurer Terri Lappin 579-0185 tklappin@earthlink.net
Member-at-Large Robert Callanan 818-1315 tucsonbac@aol.com
Member-at-Large Bill Lofquist 297-6653 wlofquist@aol.com
Member-at-Large Steve Peterson 326-5303 swpeterson@theriver.com
Chief Observer Wayne Johnson
Newsletter Editor George Barber 822-2392 barbergj@flash.net
Star Parties Maggie & Jeff Buzek 760-4578 jeffbuzek@aol.com
AL Correspondent Doug Smith 797-0663 Dsmith71@ix.netcom.com
Astrophoto SIG Dean Ketelsen 293-2855 ketelsen@as.arizona.edu
Computers SIG Rodger Tanner 574-3876 rtanner@seds.lpl.arizona.edu
TAAA Mission Statement
We are a resource for anyone interested in astronomy. It is our mission to nurture a person's natural curiosity about the night sky. By giving people a knowledge and understanding of astronomy, we enhance their enjoyment of the solar system and beyond. Through our public activities and school evening observing sessions, we bring astronomy to persons of all ages. Our regular meetings and observing sessions offer members a forum to meet others with similar interests and experiences and to learn from one another.
Membership in the TAAA
Regular membership $ 23
Senior (over 60) membership $ 21
Student membership $ 15
Add for Family membership $ 5
Add for Astronomical League (optional) $ 3
Add for contribution to Southern Arizona
Section of I.D.A. (optional) $ 3 (recommended minimum)
Add for Sky & Telescope Magazine $ 29.95
Add for Astronomy Magazine $ 29
Rates for membership are given above. Family Membership includes two adults plus minor children. Members may subscribe to Sky & Telescope or Astronomy magazine (or both) at the time of membership renewal, saving substantially over the regular subscription rates. To assure we understand what you are paying for, please identify which class of membership and what options you want. Send one check made payable to TAAA to cover membership dues, magazine subscription(s) and any contributions to:
4 Easy Steps to Membership Renewal
Call the Treasurer if you have any problems. Send address changes to the above address.
Desert Skies Publishing Guidelines
All articles, announcements, news, etc. must be submitted by the newsletter deadline noted above. Materials received after that date will appear in the next issue. All submissions are retained by the editor unless prior arrangements are made. Partial page article submissions should be submitted in Word compatible files via e-mail or on a floppy disk. Full page articles, artwork, and photos should be camera ready. We will not publish slanderous or libelous material! Send articles, announcements, etc. to:
or e-mail: barbergj@flash.net
Desert Skies is published monthly by the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association, PO Box 41254, Tucson, Arizona 85717
Unfortunately, snow on Kitt Peak required the club to cancel the work party that had been scheduled for Sunday, 1/21. We had intended to transfer the 16' diameter observatory support structure from Kitt Peak to the TIMPA Site. This activity was going to initiate the slow and steady progress that has been planned over the next several months for the construction of the observatory building to house the club's 16" telescope. This disappointment will not deter the schedule. Excavation of the ring footer for the observatory will proceed in February, as planned. The permanent bathrooms at TIMPA are nearly completed with the possibility of "first flush" in February. For all of the details, see the article in the TIMPA Site News section.
As I mentioned last month, to achieve success with the increased number of projects being undertaken by the club, it is imperative to identify the tasks that are currently burdening the club officers and seek to assign these jobs to volunteering members of the club. A listing of the needed resources with brief descriptions of the responsibilities is contained in an article in the Club News section of this newsletter. Please consider supporting the club and helping to maintain the many beneficial activities so many of us enjoy. This is a great way to get more involved with this super organization.
The February meeting is a Members Night; so get your presentations ready. There's still room on the agenda. Call me at 620-6502 to reserve a spot.
John Kalas
Beginners Lecture
Title: Basic Image Processing
Speaker: Andrew Cooper
What to do with that astrophoto to make it look it's best. Once you have the image on your computer what do you do with it. Sharpening, histograms and maximum entropy deconvolution will be discussed.
Main Lecture
Member's Night
Every three to four months, the TAAA reserves a meeting for members to make astronomy-related presentations. This February's meeting is just such an event. It is always fascinating to hear members share topics of interest, successes with equipment or facilities construction projects, product reviews, demonstrations, or astrophotography presentations. This Members Night is shaping up to be just as interesting as those in the past. The following members have already requested presentation time:
Member News
We welcome the most recent members who have joined the TAAA: Robert Blackett, Leslie Bodnar, Eric Christensen, Sydney Degon, Paul Landrum, Peg Price, and Paul Ransey. Glad to have you join! If you haven't already, be sure to pick up a new members pack at a meeting. Hope you'll make it to our star parties or meetings so we can all get to know you.
Nominating Committee
It's that time of the year again when the club must select three members to serve on the nominating committee. The responsibility of the committee is to find capable candidates for the offices of President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Members-at-Large (3) for the next elections in May. Three TAAA Members have volunteered to serve on the committee; Michael Turner, Steve Peterson, and Sheila Conrad. Anyone interested in being considered for the Nominating Committee may contact John Kalas at 620-6502 or via e-mail at jckalas@aol.com.
New ASTRO-Tucson Coordinator by: Suzanne H. Jacoby Director, Project ASTRO-Tucson & RBSE
Yesterday I reluctantly accepted Ginny Beal's resignation - she will be leaving NOAO as of January 31 to pursue opportunities in education consulting. As you know, Ginny has been an integral part of the Educational Outreach efforts at NOAO since 1996. She has helped with all aspects of our program, including RBSE, ASTRO, REU, RET, information requests, image requests, and "everything else". Her work with Project ASTRO-Tucson has resulted in NOAO being a leader in the National Network of ASTRO sites, and helped hundreds of ASTRO partners and thousands of students in the Tucson area. I value her contribution to our EO program and will miss her tremendously.
Please join me in wishing Ginny well as she continues on life's journey. Thank you Ginny for all the wonderful work you have done.
(We will be recruiting for a new Project ASTRO-Tucson Coordinator. Meanwhile, you can contact me with any Project ASTRO concerns.)
Beginners Lecturer Speakers Needed
Speakers for the Beginners Lectures are being sought after. These lectures are generally given by our members, but recently very few members are stepping up to give them. If speakers do not come forth, we may have to cancel the Beginners Lectures...a prospect we would hate to see happen. These lectures are about 30 minutes long and cover any astronomical subject of interest to Beginners. Contrary to most Beginners beliefs, they can be given by a Beginner...after all they are your lectures. It does take a little research...easy to do these days with the Internet at your fingertips. If you want to give it a try, please contact Terri Lappin.
Astrophotos Wanted
John Kalas
Wouldn't it be great to logon to the TAAA Website and click on a link that would take you to an Astrophotography Gallery containing members' photos. There are so many club members taking fantastic astrophotos. Several neat shots have been artistically interspersed around the website by TAAA Webmaster, Andrew Cooper, but many more could be displayed in a gallery. I am challenging members to submit their work to be included in such a gallery. With permission, we will start by placing the five "club photos", copies of which we have sold over the past several years, in the gallery. Digital images can be submitted in .jpg format via e-mail to Andrew Cooper. Prints can be scanned into a .jpg file by John Kalas. This would be a great way to showcase the impressive astrophotography talent within club. Let's do it.
Newsletter Articles Wanted
George Barber
Have you ever thought of contributing an article to the newsletter? Perhaps you have a handy astronomy tip you've learned and want to pass on, or maybe an interesting project or subject you'd like to write about. The newsletter is the perfect place to pass on what you know. Anyone in the club is welcome to contribute astronomy related articles or astrophotos. Submit your articles to me, the newsletter editor, before the article deadline, and you'll "make some ink"!
Astrophoto SIG Dinner 1 February, 7pm
Dean Ketelsen
We will be holding our normal (night before regular meetings) astrophoto Special Interest Group meeting at the China Rose restaurant on Speedway and Rosemont. It is a great place to hold an informal meeting to show your astrophotos, both good and bad. That way we can all learn from other's successes and failures. Last month we had a couple very nice slide shows, one of the December partial solar eclipse, and planet shots, the other of general sky shots of moon, planets and deep sky objects. It was a great time and our best attended dinner to date (13!). There is a projector on site, and of course, prints are easy. If you need anything else to display images, please provide it. Hope to see you there.
Support Your Club
Please consider volunteering for one of the following activities to support the TAAA. Currently, most of these tasks are being performed by a few officers of the club and they are placing a significant burden on them. By spreading the individual task responsibilities around to more members, the activities will be achieved in a more efficient and timely manner.
Grand Canyon Star Party 16-23 June North and South Rims
As I mentioned in last month's notice, it is never too early to make plans to attend the Grand Canyon Star Party, especially if you need motel reservations. Likely even now in February, there are not many rooms available for June. So, do make your plans now. I've been told that the Park Service will again make something like a dozen campsites available for us. I'll be taking names for those sites on March 1st ((520)293-2855 or ketelsen@as.arizona.edu). It is, of course, first come, first served and those staying the entire week will be given priority. We've already gotten interest in the star party - there will be a large contingent of amateurs from Kentucky coming down for the second half of the week. There are other requests for info coming in weekly, and that was well before any publicity was in place in any of the magazines. I've also heard second hand that our friends in Utah, Karen and Deloy Pierce will be organizing the north rim version, so consider that location if you have never been there. In the meantime, if you need information, check out the TAAA website (63.134.241.238) and if you need arm twisting, call or e-mail me at the locations above. Don't miss out!
Dean Ketelsen
Here's a Strange One by John Kalas
I received an e-mail message from a gentleman who found a telescope out in the desert in southern Arizona on 12/23/00. He is looking to return it to its rightful owner. If you, or anyone you know, left a telescope out in the desert, call me at 620-6502 and I'll give you the info to contact this fellow. You must be able to accurately describe the equipment in order to claim it.
Girl Scout Troop #744 Star Party Northwest
Feb 16, (Friday)
No. of Scopes: 2
This star party is being hosted by Phil Marsh, a TAAA member at his home. His address is 325 E. Morning Sun Court. Take Oracle Rd north from downtown to Orange Grove Road. Turn right (east) and proceed 0.2 miles to Shadow Run Drive. Turn left (north) onto Shadow Run Drive and continue north for 0.2 miles to Morning Sun Court. Turn right and look for the first house on your left. Volunteers may arrive anytime after 5:00 pm for set up and DINNER will be provided at 6:00 pm.! Viewing will run from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm. A sign up sheet will be available at the February meeting.
TAAA Star Party at TIMPA
Feb 17 (Saturday)
What makes this event special is that our novice members can get help with observing issues or equipment problems. There will be experienced members present who would be more than happy to help. If you don't own a telescope, don't worry. There will be lots of scopes set up and everyone is invited to look through them. This is a great way to check out the different telescope designs before you make that all-important decision to buy. There is no scheduled talk for this activity. Just come out with lots of questions and we'll do our best to get you the answers you need. Arrive at about 5:30 pm for a group question and answer session. It should be dark enough to observe by 6:30 pm. If you have friends who might be interested in amateur astronomy, bring them along. Be prepared for cold weather and dress warmly. Directions to the TIMPA site are located on the outside flap of this newsletter.
Ironwood Elementary School Star Party Northwest
Feb 20, (Tuesday)
No. of Scopes: 8
The 3rd grade classes (120 maximum plus families) will be partaking of the evening of observing after their music program. Set up will be approximately at 6:30 pm with observing starting at 7:00 pm and ending at 8:30 pm. The school is located at 3300 W. Freer Drive. To get to the school from Ina and Thornydale Road, head north on Thornydale for 2.5 miles. Take a right onto Overton Heights Drive (across from Arthur Pack Park). Proceed east for just under 0.5 mile. Turn north (left) on Camino De La Tierra to the end (about 0.25 mile). The school is located on the north side of Freer Drive. On the west side of the school there is a gate. Enter and head north along the driveway. The playground will be on the left. A star party leader is needed for this event, and a sign up sheet will be available at the February meeting.
Rincon Country West RV Resort Star Party(Paid)
February 21 (Wednesday)
No. of Scopes: 10
Our January date was snowed out, so Rincon Resort has re-scheduled for February. Last March this activity was a huge success. About 175 people showed up and we were caught shorthanded. The resort is located at 4555 S. Mission Road, about midway between Ajo and Irvington on the east side of Mission. Take I-10 to I-19 and exit at Irvington Road. Turn right (north) at Mission Road. Look for Rincon Country RV Resort sign on the right. Turn right and then turn right again into the resort entrance. As you approach the entry gates, stay in the left lane. Tell the gate attendant that you are there for the star party. When you pass through the gate, turn right at "B" Street. Set-up will be just past the park models on the right at 6:30 pm. Observing starts at 7:00 pm and ends at 9:00pm. The TAAA will receive a donation for this activity. There will be a sign-up sheet at the February meeting. Bill Lofquist will be the Star Party Leader.
TAAA Star Party at Empire Ranch
February 24 (Saturday)
The Empire Ranch has been our normal dark-sky observing site for quite a number of years. Empire Ranch is about 4000 feet in elevation, so be prepared for freezing temperatures and try to arrive before sunset. Stay as long as you like, but let everyone know when you are ready to leave; someone may be taking astrophotos. Bring a telescope if you have one, but you don't need one to attend. Any member would be glad to let you look through their telescope. There are no restroom facilities at the site, so be prepared. Attendees should park their vehicles either perpendicular to the airstrip facing toward the center of the strip or parallel to the airstrip along either side facing west. That way, when you are ready to leave, you will not have to backup and turn on your bright white backup lights. One nice advantage of belonging to the TAAA is the opportunity to observe among friends. Help in finding an object or the sharing of equipment always goes on at our star parties. If you haven't attended a star party yet, you're missing the best part of belonging to the TAAA. See the directions to Empire Ranch on the outside flap of this newsletter.
Esperero Canyon Middle School Star Party Northern Foothills
Feb 27 (Tuesday)
No. of Scopes: 8
The school is located at 5801 N. Sabino Canyon Rd which approximately 1/3 mile north of Sunrise Dr. and Sabino Canyon Rd. Proceed north from this intersection. You will pass Canyon View Elementary School (on your left). The next series of buildings is Esperero Canyon Middle School. Turn left into the school parking lot. The set-up area will be at the soccer field, which is northwest of the parking lot. Set-up will be between at 5:30 pm and observing will run from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. A Star Party leader is needed for this event. A sign up sheet will be available at the February meeting.
NOTE: The next Site Prep Sub-committee meeting is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday evening, 2/13, at 7:00 pm in Steward Observatory Conference Room N305. Call John Kalas at 620-6502 to confirm.
Snow on Kitt Peak caused hazardous conditions on the steep dirt road leading down to the meadow where the 16' diameter observatory support structure is stored. We could not jeopardize the safety of the borrowed truck we were planning to use to transport the support structure to TIMPA. Therefore, the workparty scheduled for Sunday, 1/21, was canceled. Another attempt to move the structure will be scheduled in February. Construction activities at TIMPA will continue with the excavation of the ring footer for the observatory planned for February.
The permanent bathroom facility at TIMPA is well along in its construction process. By the time we visit the site on Saturday, 1/27, for our monthly star party, the progress will be remarkable. The septic system has been installed, so the bathrooms may be available for use at our 2/17 star party.
What is TIMPA, Anyway? See the TIMPA Page for more information
Watch the newsletter for announcements about TIMPA activities and how you can help.
TAAA Board of Directors Meeting - Dec 10, 2000
NOTE: The minutes of the January 8, 2001 board meeting were not
available for publication in this edition of the newsletter.
Can be found on the TIMPA Page
Can be found on the Empire Ranch Page
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