ContentsDesert Skies
Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association
Volume XLVIII, Number 2, February, 2002
Contents
Beginner's Lecture: Feb 1, 6:30 pm at the Steward Observatory Auditorium - Room N210. This month's topic is What Kind of Star by George Barber.
General Meeting: Feb 1, 7:30 pm at the Steward Observatory Auditorium - Room N210. Tonight is Members' Night, with various topics presented by members of TAAA.
Board of Director's Meeting: Tuesday, Feb 5, 7:00 pm at Steward Observatory Conference room N305.
Star Parties and Events:
Newsletter Schedule: Deadline for articles: Mon, Feb 11. Printing: Mon, Feb 18. Folding Party: Tues, Feb 19. Mailing: Wed, Feb 20. The newsletter is mailed at least one week prior to the following month's General Meeting.
Cover Photo: As many of you know, Bob Goff Died on 23 December. This photo was taken of him several years ago at the Grand Canyon Star Party. He loved combining many of his interests there - nature, astronomy, optics and meeting new people. Photo by Dean Ketelsen.
Office Name Phone Email
------ ---- ----- -----
President Andy Cooper 795-3585 acooper@pobox.com
Vice-President Thom Peck 327-7825 thomas.peck@optics.arizona.edu
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 586-2244 mrgalaxy@juno.com
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 sun, moon, and stars. 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
Annual Dues
Family Membership includes two adults plus minor children. Persons under 18 may join at a special Reduced Family Membership rate ($15/yr) upon parental or guardian acknowledgement of participation in TAAA activities. Call the Treasurer to request the required form.
Options (add to above membership rates)
Donations are accepted for any of the TAAA funds: SA-IDA/Light Pollution, TIMPA, Education, 30" Telescope & Land, or General Fund.
Renewal Information
Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association
PO BOX 41254
Tucson, AZ 85717
Mailing Address or Email Changes
Send changes to the above address or email the treasurer.
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. The editor retains all submissions unless prior arrangements are made. Partial page submissions should be submitted in Word compatible files via e-mail or on a floppy disk. Full-page articles, artwork, and photos can be submitted camera ready. We will not publish slanderous or libelous material! Send submissions to:
c/o George Barber
15940 W. Ridgemoor Ave.
Tucson, AZ 85736
or e-mail: barbergj@flash.net
Desert Skies is published monthly by the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association, PO Box 41254, Tucson, Arizona 85717
Just before Christmas we lost a club member who will be sorely missed. You will find another couple articles about Bob Goff further into the newsletter, but I wanted to share my own memories.. Maybe I am just trying to forever freeze them in my own mind so that they might not be as easily forgotten, or maybe just sharing a little snapshot of the person we knew to all of you...
As Halloween approached I received from Bob an invitation to join him at his house for the evening's trick or treat traditions. But the tradition at the Goff house had been for many years to treat the neighborhood children with a view through a telescope as much as the usual bowl of candy. This had become so popular that he needed help to accommodate the crowd. Three scopes were set up along the curb, and Demo was there with his projection rig and a laptop with several astronomy programs running to tour a virtual galaxy. The evening was busy, with over two hundred costumed viewers stopping by for a look.
I met neighborhood children that had grown up visiting each Halloween, making a special point to go down Cooper Street to see the telescopes. I remember a particular small pair, a fairy princess with a brother in something unidentifiably gruesome, that when turning the corner at the end of the street, ran straight for the 'scopes, father trailing in pursuit. Running past other houses with perfectly good candy bowls, attention caught by something else, maybe a treasured memory from the last year that needed refreshing. They reluctantly left, eyes bright with visions of Saturn, taking candy from the bowl behind the telescopes almost as an afterthought.
After the kids stopped coming I helped him break down and put away the old Celestron SCT prototype he used that night. Discussing whether is was better to rework its noticeably flawed optics, or retain it in original and possibly historic condition. He showed me what he was up to, always planning another project, a busy and cluttered shop that so reflected its owner. Glass and polishing compound everywhere, pitch and the smell I always associate with the creation of optics. I never did get the 3.1" diagonal that I had been bugging him about for years.
Bob lived life to the fullest, and by his example reminded each of us to do the same.
Andrew
Beginners Lecture
What Kind of Star?
Speaker: George Barber
When we gaze at the night sky, or aim our telescopes at various objects, we see many different stars. In this lecture, the methods that astronomers use to categorize stars will be discussed, as well as the properties of these different types of stars.
Main Lecture
Member's Night
Again we reserve the floor for you, the club membership, to give short presentations on any subject that deals with the field of astronomy. Time slots are given out in first-come first-up order, and while the first few are taken there are still some available. So swallow your stage fright and step up and share what you know with everyone! (We are a very forgiving and tolerant audience) Contact Andrew at taaa@seds.org to get your name on the list.
Member News
We welcome the most recent members who have joined the TAAA: Jenise Martin, Peter Midford, David and Carolyn Moser, Douglas Nelson, Kent and Gini Patterson, Kent Phillips, and Keith Schlottman. 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.
Astro_photo Special Interest Group Dinner
31 January, 7 pm
The weather has been gracious lately, with some good nights for observing and astrophotography. If you'd like to share your efforts, or just learn more about astrophotography, be sure to attend our monthly meeting. Join us for astrophotos, fun, and a delicious Chinese buffet at China Rose, NE corner of Speedway and Rosemont.
Robert Fulton Goff
By Dean Ketelsen
I hope I'm not the one to let you know that Bob Goff died suddenly of heart failure on 23 December 2001. It is funny in this world of instant communication that even today, a mutual friend called to tell me she had just heard the news. I guess e-mail lists and newspaper articles can only go so far...
Bob came to Tucson nearly 20 years ago, starting work as the site manager for Steward Observatory on Kitt Peak, overseeing the maintenance of the 3 telescopes and supervising the telescope operators there. While that was a new task for him, he had been involved in telescope making since before becoming a teenager, eventually working as a professional optician for Perkin Elmer and others, served as chief observer at the Big Bear Solar Observatory, polished the 88" CFHT on Mauna Kea, served as president of the Orange County Astronomers and was instrumental in getting their scope at Anza built.
We learned much of this later as we got to know him, mostly he was a friendly, outgoing fellow, eager to go observing, hiking, go eat Mexican food, or talk telescopes or telescope making. He was a constant presence in the TAAA and everyone was a friend. He served a term or two as Member At Large, and refigured the club's 16" telescope mirror, as well as mostly finishes the 30" mirror that awaits a telescope. He joined the land committee when we were actively looking at observatory sites, sometimes wondering if he would be able to get out his cougar from the jeep roads he explored with us. Health problems slowed him down some, and he would drift in and out of club activities, but he loved to be among us when he was strong enough. If he had a fault, it was that he was too eager to offer assistance in refiguring or testing a mirror, and sometimes his health was such that the offer would wait in a pile in his lab for his attention.
In recent years he had been on the heart transplant list, but the phone never rang. More recently he was taken off the list while recovering from surgery for a tumor on his bladder. In the last 6 months he also had part of his colon removed and had a prostate procedure. But while all this was going on he had lost weight and his strength was returning. He seemed more vigorous than he had been in a long time and it seemed his heart health problems were so distant. His collapse on the 23rd was quick and the EMT workers were never able to regain a pulse. His wife Valerie has been so strong through this ordeal. He also has 4 kids, one living in Tucson, the others in Texas. Fortunately they were all together in November for a big reunion. They gathered again on 11 January for his memorial with hundreds of his friends from astronomy, optics and health fields to say goodbye one more time. There it was announced that a Robert Goff endowment was being started by the Flandrau Planetarium and that contributions could be made through them.
I was perhaps closer to him that some, serving as best man at his and Valerie's wedding in '85. I'll miss his presence at RTMC, his even temperament, his generosity and the same old groaners of jokes he would repeat. When asked "What's New?" he would immediately state "Why, the reciprocal of dispersion!" (An insider optician joke - for glass, nu=1/dispersion) We all knew him, we all will miss him. I suggest at a minimum we name a telescope after him, if not an observatory. Since he refigured the 16" and did most of the 30", he certainly qualifies. For now, that will have to do...
Beginners Lecture Presenters Needed
Have you ever considered giving the Beginner's lecture? The club is always looking for someone who is willing to share the benefit of their experience. And, if you can't come up with a topic, Ray has a number of topics, which would greatly benefit those who are new to astronomy, as well as the seasoned astronomer. This gives you a chance to learn something new, as well as help others. So, step up to the spotlight! Give Ray a call at 294-1197, or e-mail at raywallace@altavista.com.
Newsletter Cover Photos Needed
Perhaps you've noticed that every month, the cover of the newsletter prominently displays a photograph either documenting a club activity, or which ties in with the main lecture for the month. We have our usual contributors, and a few new ones. Thanks to them for their contributions! But, sometimes no one has an appropriate photo and we have to scramble. I would like to build a library of photos, which could be used in our newsletter whenever we needed a specific subject. If you would like to contribute, please send your photo to the newsletter editor. Be sure to include your name, so we can credit you, as well as details on how you obtained the photograph.
We Thank Our Members
Last year our own membership made generous donations in time, property, and money. In addition to the highly visual donations of time made by our elected and appointed officials, many members provided telescopes and expertise at star parties; both the unpaid ones and those we receive money for from local convention groups. All money received from star parties went into the TIMPA fund. We also have a number of members who went through the Project ASTRO workshop and are now working closely with a schoolteacher bringing astronomy to the classroom. There are lots of other ways our members have offered donations of time and we greatly thank every one of you.
This year we had some grand donations of property. A huge library (just under 500 books) was donated to us by a non-member. It took a small group of TAAA members to move all these books! We thank TAAA member Pat Heimann for the donation of signs that are at TIMPA. We also had a few telescopes and associated equipment donated this past year, some needing some tender loving care before they can be used and others in pretty good shape.
Donations of money totaled $1823.90 this year. A large part of this total was donated through our "Automatic Donation" program. This is a method for members to make a monthly donation to the TAAA without writing a check. It's easy on you and the TAAA gets a monthly donation in your name. (If you want information about this program talk to the Treasurer.) We will soon be mailing letters for tax purposes to those who gave in excess of $50 in donations. (Dues, magazines, and the TAL fee are not considered donations.) If you believe you donated and don't receive a letter, contact the Treasurer. The donations received last year are broken into the following funds.
Unrestricted Donation (for General Fund) $338.75
TIMPA Project 151.00 *
TIMPA Telescope Fund 10.00
Education Fund 127.00
Light Pollution Fund 229.10
Land & 30" Telescope Fund 968.05
Total received from members/friends $ 1823.90
* Does not include money from star parties.
We surely overlooked someone in this article and we apologize. We thank everyone who contributed something to the TAAA. We hope 2002 will be as good if not better!
WEBSITES: TRIPS ON THE INTERNET SUPER-SKYWAY
By Rik Hill
This month I relate a tale of woe with a happy ending.
I clumsily tripped over my ETX90 last Nov. and a telescope that had once produced textbook stellar diffraction images, then was ruined. No longer would the pretty close double stars look like disks but rather a confused pattern of coma and astigmatism more resembling a bird in flight. It was so depressing.
A call to Meade and I found that for the mere paltry sum of $75 I could send the whole instrument in for complete refurbishment. I did so and sent along a short list of some nagging little problems to be cleared up (like excessive drive hysteresis) and the off center secondary baffle..
It came back on 12/24 as a welcome Christmas present. I tested it that night and was a bit disappointed in the results. It was better but still not like it formerly was. I'm quite picky about that, perhaps more than the average ETX user. I did notice that the drive was MUCH better and held object in the field quite well.
I did a net search the day after Christmas and found a site that was chock-a-block full of terrific information for ETX owners with the unlikely name of Weasner's Mighty ETX Site at:
http://www.weasner.com/etx/menu.html
(If you do nothing else, even if you do not own an ETX, you should go there to enjoy the photo at the top of the page. It's great.)
I used the search engine on that page and searched on "collimation" and a page full of links on that site was brought up. I went through each one. Then, on the page at
http://www.weasner.com/etx/techtips/collimating.html
I found exactly the information I needed. Here were specific instructions on the alignment of the ETX. But the holidays, and related things, kept me from attempting to fix the problem.
On the night of Jan. 18/19 I set aside time to try my hand at the collimation. Now this should not be done by anyone that is unsure of themselves. Better then to leave it to Meade! When I followed the instructions and removed the optical tube assembly (OTA) from the plastic housing that holds the diagonal, I was looking at the back of the t telescope with three pairs of screws and the focusing knob. Each pair had an allen head screw that was flush to the back plate and another that stood off the back plate. I surmised, with some help from the instructions, that the flush screw was a hold-down for the mirror cell and the one standing off was the alignment screw. All six were set in place with some sort of painted-on material (it looked like nail polish). Alignment would break the bond but since my instrument is well out of warranty, and I had no intention of returning it again, I boldly went ahead.
I should point out that this is not a procedure for those unfamiliar
with the alignment of a fast primary, compound telescope system.
The screws required only on eighth of a turn at a time. In about
an hour and a half I had the star images looking just like a textbook
diffraction image. I was
thrilled. My little 'scope was back in form. A look at Sigma Orionis
was wonderful. Three of the four components were clearly visible
at 125x. I was fighting clouds so the fourth component was not
visible. The same was true for Rigel. The companion was swamped
by scattered light on the thin clouds or simply obscured by the
thicker ones. Before calling it quits for the evening I braved
a look at Beta Mon, one of my favorites. It was split clearly
at 125x with nice diffraction around each star. I dropped the
10mm eyepiece into a KLEE barlow (2.8x) to get to 350x so I could
study the diffraction and the light distribution in the pattern
(a critical test for the collimation). It was beautiful. The drive
was holding them in the field nicely too. It was a splendid end
to a very productive evening!
My compliments to Mike Weasner for a great resource in that website for all ETX owners and to Tony Costanzo who's instruction on that site gave me the information and courage I needed to do the job.
As always, if you know of a particularly good website you would like mentioned here, drop me a line at rhill@lpl.arizona.edu
Our Bob
Sharon Koerber, Sky Works
In October of 1998, while we were moving into Sky Work's permanent location, a mostly gray, bushy haired, wild-bearded hippy kinda guy wearing Birkenstock sandals, nylon shorts and a faded slightly ratty t-shirt (tucked-in, of course) blasted into our shop. He ever so arrogantly and with great relish, perfect articulation and pompous authority, informed us that he was the greatest optician around and we would do well to tell our customers they should not buy a telescope "off the rack" but rather come to him for their mirrors. "Of course, since I am so good they will have to wait up to a year but I am well worth it!"
I, Sharon, was under-whelmed, to put it mildly, by this thunderstorm of a man, so I excused myself to the back of the shop, determined not to return until he left. Suddenly, I heard a female voice and I came back to the front of the store to see the immediate transformation from bully conceited individual into the gentle, still conceited, cuddly bear we came to love like family. Bob Goff our friend and indeed a fine optician will always be like a brother to us. We felt closer to him than mere friends.
Valerie, the source of the female voice, came to the shop to introduce herself and to make sure that Bob got home in time to eat dinner before he got too tired. The love and respect the two of them felt for each other made our day a little brighter and endeared him to us even more. She meant so much to him.
Before they left, they invited us to join them on Halloween to show the ghouls and vampires a bit of the night sky out in front of their home. Valerie explained that this was an annual event. We were delighted to go. It was also at that time that we met Demo Galanos, who unfortunately was the person who was to inform us that our Bob had passed away.
I think, sometime between that first day and Halloween, Lynn Hepburn died. Valerie called to let us know and said that Bob was very depressed. Lynn was the last of the group that polished the 90" on Kitt Peak. Bob was the lone survivor. We had never met Lynn but our growing fondness for Bob removed any doubt that we would attend the memorial. So after we closed our shop late that night we traveled to the house where the memorial was being held. We were nervous about just walking in on mourners at such a late hour. As we got out of the truck, I raised my voice enough for the 10 or so people who looked in our direction to tell them that we were friends of Bob Goff. Suddenly, a booming voice shouted, "And who is Bob Goff!" Steve and I frantically searched the area for the source of the voice and were ready to turn and run but we had promised. Suddenly, a mostly gray, short haired, no bearded, Bermuda chic gentleman grabbed me and lifted me up to his eye level and gave me the biggest bear hug I have ever had. This was the new Bob! How handsome and majestic he looked that night. He put me down and then proceeded to move us through the house introducing us to everyone in sight. His final introduction was to Pauline Hepburn. He told us to stay with her until he said good-bye to Valeria who was going home. We did as we were told. To this day the only person we remember, aside from Bob and Valerie, is Pauline.
For the past four years we invited all our friends and customers out to Sabino to watch the Leonid meteor showers. Bob came every year except this year. 2000 was the best of the times with Bob. One night no one showed up except Bob. It was freezing cold. All we could see of each other were our eyes. We were together from 11:30 p m until 4 a m. We will cherish that night forever. He told us about his time on Kitt Peak, SR71, Celestron, over 40 years experience in the optics field. There were no meteors that night but Bob filled the night sky with his articulate and boisterous voice.
We can't believe we will never see him again. We will love and miss him for as long as we live.
Steward Observatory Public Evening Lecture
Since 1924 Steward Observatory has hosted public evening lectures in astronomy. The Steward Public Evening Lectures are held twice a month at 7:30pm in the Steward Lecture Hall (N210), the same room we hold our meetings. Following each lecture, the 21-inch telescope will be available for viewing the night sky (weather permitting). The lectures and the use of the telescope are free of charge and open to the general public. The entire schedule is available at http://viking.as.arizona.edu/~taf/pubeve/pub_lect.html. The next few lectures are listed below.
Grand Canyon Star Party 2002
8-15 June, North and South Rims
By: Dean Ketelsen
It is time again to put in those vacation requests for the 12th Grand Canyon Star Party. For those of you who have never been there, it is different from other star parties you might have attended. This one is designed for the general public, those tourists who happen upon our telescopes set up at the Grand Canyon National Park. If you enjoy setting up your scope for the public whether it be for school kids or the occasional public event the TAAA or Flandrau puts on, it is very similar, however, under the extremely dark skies of the Canyon, they will be amazed at what they can see thru your scope - and you might be amazed as well.
The star party runs for 8 nights, Saturday thru Saturday. You do not need to stay the entire time, though it hardly seems worth the 6-hour drive for just a night or two. The Park Service provides us with a few free campsites (down to 12 this year), however those are reserved for those staying the entire week - I long ago gave up trying to coordinate the comings and goings of attendees during the week, so for a freebie, you need to commit for the entire time. The campsites are only $12 a night, last time I checked, so if you come up for a few days, it is not a lot of money. Rooms, if you want them, need to be reserved NOW! You might be hard pressed to find a room for the entire event, though likely for a few days in a row you have a better chance. As those reservations reflect, June is just about the Park's busiest time, and that is actually the way I like it - more customers to look thru the scopes! The mass of people make some things difficult - parking is a problem, so take the free shuttle buses or better yet, haul up a bike with your scope. It makes daytime exploring a real joy, especially when you zip past the circling cars straight for the view from the rim.
The nightly routine at the South rim is something like this. A
lot of us set up scopes or binoculars at the rim, maintain a presence
really, to let the public know that we are there and they should
come back for the evening program. At Yavapai Point, where the
scopes are set up, literally thousands of people come for the
sunset, but 30 seconds afterwards they all run for their cars
- on to the next stop. We try to slow the tide, having a twilight
talk to keep them occupied while
it gets dark enough to observe. By the time you can see a few
stars or constellations a few of the scopes will be on M13 or
Albireo and the rush is on as lines form behind eyepieces and
there are so many people you couldn't drive a car thru the parking
lot. But the crowd soon dwindles and in a couple hours it is mostly
the scope owners and the last hangers on. Sometimes you get some
of the employees that are getting off late, but mostly you are
on your own if you want to do some observing from a great sky.
A few of the astronomers stay up till Andromeda rises, or the
Pleiades, or all night, but most turn in early to repeat the process
the next day.
If you would like more information, including contact information for Deloy Pierce, who runs the North Rim event, go to the TAAA website at www.63.134.241.238/gcsp.html, or give me a call at 293-2855 or an e-mail at ketelsen@as.arizona.edu. I'll be taking names for the free campsites on March 1st, and they don't last long, so call or e-mail right away. Please indicate if you are willing to share your space (most campsites will support 2 tents and vehicles) so that we can get more folks in. If you contact me before the 1st, I will remind you of the rules, no exceptions. If you plan to attend the star party, you can let me know anytime - I've got a mailing to get to you at some point for fee waivers, maps and info to help survive the Canyon in June. I'll also have a couple paragraphs for each newsletter until the event to help keep it in your mind and help keep attendees up to date. Like the Canyon itself, you've got to get there at least once in your life - same for the star party - it is a great time and I'd hate for you to miss out! See you there!
Astronomers Needed
The Vega-Bray Observatory and its Bed and Breakfast (Skywatcher's Inn) needs additional astronomers to give practical astronomy sessions to visitors from all over the USA and even abroad. We use various telescopes (from a 6" f8 refractor to various 12" Mead LX200's to a unique 20" f 10 Maksutov). We use a Finger Lakes "Dream Machine" back illuminated CCD with a full set of quality filters. We pay from $80.00 per night (4-5 hours) and are located just east of Benson (45 miles from Tucson). Please call 615-3886.
DARK SKIES (no twilight, no moonlight) for Tucson in 24-hour MST:18=6pm, 20=8pm, 22=10pm, 0=12am
RISE, SET, VISIBILITY for sun and bright planets: rise for morning object, set for evening object
Th/Fr 31/ 1 19:21 - 21:24 Su/Mo 10/11 19:29 - 5:48 Th/Fr 21/22 3:03 - 5:38
Fr/Sa 1/ 2 19:22 - 22:31 Mo/Tu 11/12 19:30 - 5:47 Fr/Sa 22/23 4:04 - 5:37
Sa/Su 2/ 3 19:22 - 23:37 Tu/We 12/13 19:30 - 5:46 Sa/Su 23/24 5:02 - 5:36
We/Th 13/14 19:32 - 5:45
Su/Mo 3/ 4 19:23 - 0:42 Th/Fr 14/15 20:26 - 5:44 Su/Mo 24/25 - - -
Mo/Tu 4/ 5 19:24 - 1:46 Fr/Sa 15/16 21:20 - 5:44 Mo/Tu 25/26 - - -
Tu/We 5/ 6 19:25 - 2:49 Sa/Su 16/17 22:13 - 5:43 Tu/We 26/27 FULL MOON
We/Th 6/ 7 19:26 - 3:49 We/Th 27/28 - - -
Th/Fr 7/ 8 19:26 - 4:46 Su/Mo 17/18 23:07 - 5:42 Th/Fr 28/ 1 19:42 - 20:11
Fr/Sa 8/ 9 19:27 - 5:38 Mo/Tu 18/19 0:03 - 5:41 Fr/Sa 1/ 2 19:43 - 21:21
Sa/Su 9/10 19:28 - 5:48 Tu/We 19/20 1:02 - 5:40 Sa/Su 2/ 3 19:44 - 22:29 We/Th 20/21 2:02 - 5:39
Weekend Sun Sun Mercury Venus Mars Jupiter Saturn
Sa/Su Set Rise Rise Vi Set Vi Set Vi Set Vi Set Vi Vi=Visibility
2/ 3 17:57 7:15 6:16 8 18:16 9 22:24 1 5:04 -3 2:51 0 -3 brilliant
9/10 18:03 7:09 5:47 4 18:31 7 22:20 1 4:34 -3 2:23 0 0 conspicuous
16/17 18:09 7:03 5:38 4 18:45 6 22:16 1 4:05 -2 1:56 0 3 moderate
23/24 18:15 6:55 5:38 4 18:59 4 22:12 1 3:37 -2 1:29 0 6 naked eye limit
2/ 3 18:20 6:47 5:41 5 19:12 3 22:08 2 3:09 -2 1:03 0 9 binoculars limit
By Erich Karkoschka
U of A Science Students Star Party
Feb. 10 (Sunday) No. of Scopes: 10+
The TAAA has been invited again this year to support a star party for U of A Students taking a variety of science courses. The activity will be held at Saguaro National Park West in the parking lot in front of the visitor's center. There will be an area reserved for telescope operators and their vehicles up close to the visitor's center. Viewing is from 7:00 to 9:00 pm, so set-up should be before 7:00 pm. Between 80 to 100 students are expected to arrive by vans from the U of A at 7:00 pm. John Kalas is the Star Party Leader for this event. There will be a sign-up sheet at the February monthly meeting. If you would like to support this activity but are unable to attend the meeting, please contact John at 620-6502 or jckalas@aol.com.
La Cima Middle School Party Northwest
February 13, (Wednesday) No. of Scopes: 7-8
This star party is a make-up event due to poor weather conditions in December, so these folks are quite eager for our support. The school is located at 5600 N. La Canada Drive. Take Oracle Road north to River Road and turn left (west). Proceed to La Canada Drive and turn right (north) and go about 1/2 mile. The school will be on your right. The set-up area is on the north field by the Multi Purpose Room OR on the track. Set-up will be at 6:00pm with observing from 6:30pm to around 8:30pm. A star party leader is needed for this event. A sign up sheet will be available at the February meeting.
Turning Point School Central
February 15, (Friday) No. of Scopes: 4
The school is located at 200 E. Yavapai Road and is between Ft. Lowell Rd and Prince Road (1 block south of Prince Rd). Turn east on Yavapai Road and proceed approximately 2 blocks. The school will be on your right. Go past the school sign. You will see an entrance driveway with an open gate. Turn right and follow the driveway to the basketball courts. This is the set up area. Set up will be at 6:00pm with observing from 6:30pm to around 8:00pm. A star party leader is needed for this event. A sign up sheet will be available at the February meeting.
Sunrise Drive Elementary School Star Party [North-Foothills Area]
Feb 18 (Monday) No. of Scopes: 4
The school is located at 5301 E. Sunrise Drive. Go north on Swan Road and turn right (east) on Sunrise Drive. Proceed to the next traffic light and turn left (north) onto Suncrest. This street accesses the school. The set up area is located on a concrete patio north of the parking lot but just south of the school building. Set up is at 6:00pm with observing from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. A star party leader is needed for this event. A sign up sheet will be available at the February meeting.
Immaculate Heart Middle School Star Party North -Foothills Area
February 19 (Tuesday) No. of Scopes: 6
We will be supporting the 6th and 7th grade science classes of Karen Fisher. The star party is actually going to be located at the Iris Dewhirst Trail parking lot which is located at the east end of Magee Road. Take Oracle Road to Magee Road (1 mile north of Ina Road) and turn right (east). Proceed east for approximately 1.5 miles to the end of the road. The parking lot will be on your right. The set-up area will be located near the center of this parking lot. Set-up is at 6:00pm with observing from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. Note: this parking lot closes at 9:00pm so be sure to allow adequate time to pack up your equipment. A star party leader is needed or this event. A sign up sheet will be available at the February meeting.
Flandrau/TAAA Star Party on U of A Mall
Feb. 22 (Friday)
Here's a chance to show the general public Saturn and Jupiter and the Moon on the U of A mall with the folks at Flandrau Science Center. Bring your scope and join Flandrau Science Center volunteers for a night of celestial viewing and public education starting at 6:30 p.m. directly in front of Flandrau on the grassy mall (setup at 6 p.m.). The event should last until 10:00 p.m. and lights on the mall will be specially turned off for the event. Parking on the paved portion of the mall directly east of the observing area will be allowed. If you intend on helping out please let Michael Terenzoni at Flandrau know via e-mail miket@ns.arizona.edu or phone (546-4473). A sign up sheet will be available at the February meeting.
TAAA Board of Directors Meeting
TAAA Board of Directors Meeting - January 8, 2002
Location: Steward Observatory Conference Room N305 University
of Arizona
Call to Order: 7:15 pm
Board Members Present: Andrew Cooper, Thom Peck, Terri Lappin,
Jane Tongate, Steve Peterson, Robert Callanan, Bill Lofquist.
Others Present: Past President John Kalas.
Meeting adjourned at 8:40 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Jane Tongate, Secretary
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