PizzaGram

This comes to me from Hawaii.



Subject: PizzaGram - A May 22, 2004 Star Party
Date: Sunday, May 16, 2004 9:40 PM

A Tale and a Tail of
Two Toppings,
Two Comets and
Two Favorites!

Greetings Fellow Stargazer,

For the next few weeks while eating two topping pizza and looking up
at
the night sky you may be subject to a rare treat. If you can get away
from your street lights, you should be able to see two comets in the
night sky without using telescopes or binoculars! One comet is called
"NEAT" an acronym for the "Near Earth Asteroid Tracking" observatory
in
Hawaii that first spotted the comet. The other comet bears another
acronym, named "LINEAR" for the "Lincoln Near Earth Asteroid Research
project in New Mexico.

So order some pizzas and get outside to see if you can find them!
Here
is some help:

http://skyandtelescope.com/observing...icle_110_1.asp

This month's Star Party will be held on May 22, 2004, which should
give
you a great place to bring some 2 topping pizzas and observe two
comets.
Also, at this month's Star Party you should be able to see my two
favorite objects: THE Omega Centuri and the beautiful planet Saturn.

Speaking of Star Parties, you are invited to one! So... just so you
know,
my favorite two topping pizza is sausage and green pepper and my two
favorite comets (this month) are NEAT and LINEAR!!!

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Star Party Invite for May 22nd
Sponsored by the Hawaiian Astronomical Society
http://www.hawastsoc.org
Dillingham Airfield - before sunset (7:05 pm)
(Star Party Directions are at the end of this message)
Bring:
http://bishopmuseum.org/planetarium/...4/04/may04.pdf

Here is where I go to check the weather on a Star Party Night:

http://www.wunderground.com/radar/ra...&scale=1&noclu
tter=0&ID=HMO&type=N0R&lat=0&lon=0&label=you

If it is clear, you will be able to see many astronomical sights.
It's now that time of year to see the Saturn, the Southern Cross,
Venus, Jupiter,Vega, the Twins as well as many other
heavenly sights!

If you won't be in Hawaii, fear not. Check this link for a Star
Party near you!

http://SkyandTelescope.com/resources/organizations/
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If you miss this month's HAS Star Party then join us at the next:

***** 2004 *****
Jun 19th
July 10th
August 7th
September 18th
October 16th
November 6th
December 4th

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A Neat Linear Pizza

NEAT and LINEAR will join a very small group of comets that have been
visible to the naked eye, including the famed Halley's Comet, whose
76-year orbit around the sun last brought it near the Earth in 1986.
Halley's comet was disappointingly dim, but as one astronomer quipped,
"Comets are like cats. They have tails and they do precisely what they
want."

Comets are sometimes described as "dirty snowballs" or "cosmic
icebergs."
But University of Maryland astronomy professor Lucy McFadden says
comets
and their asteroid cousins- are actually bits of rock and ice, relics
of
cosmic history:

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Comets are Old but Cool!

Comets are part of the solar system. They're in orbit around the sun
as
is everything else in the solar system. But they're special because
they're from the outer solar system. They formed 4 plus billion years
ago
at the very outer edges of the solar system where, you can imagine,
it's
very cold out there. When they come close to the sun which they do
because they're in elliptical orbits, the sun heats them up and the
frozen ices go through a process called sublimation from a solid to a
gas. We see fragments, dust and gas that are drawn off from the comet
and
driven by the heat of the sun."

Comets were first recorded by Chinese astronomers in 240 B.C. and
depicted in the famed 11th century Bayeux Tapestry in Normandy,
France.
In modern photographs, comets are shown as bright darts against a dark
sky. They are sometimes confused with meteors, but unlike meteors,
comets
don't "shoot" across the sky like fast-moving "stars," as Professor
McFadden explains.

They appear in the sky as stationary, bright spots with dramatic tails
that look like they should be moving. But when you see them, they're
not
moving perceptibly to us. When people see things that are remarkable,
and
they don't understand them, they leave an indelible mark in people's
minds. Indeed, some ancient cultures believed the sight of a comet
meant
the end of the world or some other ominous portent.

The 1995 comet (many of you saw it) was called "Hale-Bopp," the one
named
after amateur astronomers Alan Hale of New Mexico and Thomas Bopp of
Arizona. Many people, including my sister, Doreen, got spell bound by
Hale-Bopp's arrival. The next thing we knew she was outside every
night,
with her Hale-Bopp T-Shirt on and enjoying it more each time she saw
it.
IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU!!!

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Cosmic Factoids

If you run out of excuses, you can always blame it on sunspots!!
http://www.bbso.njit.edu/Images/daily/images/wfullb.jpg

In between Hercules and Leo, look for the bright star Arcturus...
better
know as Hokule'a here in Hawaii.

To find Arcturus remember to use the handle of the big dipper and "arc
to
Arcturus"... then continue and spike to Spica.

In Hawaii, we can see the most famous constellation of the southern
skies, the Southern Cross. Look south about as it first gets dark,
around 8 PM. It will set by 10 PM. Then go find my favorite star
cluster, Omega Centauri!!!
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap960221.html

Omega Centauri is the largest known globular cluster in our Milky Way.
It
has a distance of 17,000 lightyears and an absolute diameter of about
150
lightyears!!! In the sky it has more than the apparent size of our
Moon
and appears as a fuzzy star of 4th magnitude!

The globular cluster 47 Tucanae has a central density which is more
than
10 times as high as in Omega Centauri.

The age of Omega Centauri is estimated at approximately 16 billion
years,
so it is one of the oldest objects in the universe.

Vega is in the constellation Lyra the Harp. Deneb is in the
constellation
Cygnus the Swan. Altair is in the constellation Aquila the Eagle.
Together these three stars make up an "asterism," or recognizable star
pattern, on our sky's dome -- called the Summer Triangle.

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Some Messier Objects to See this Month

M51
The famous Whirlpool galaxy in Canes Venatici is a bright face on
spiral
with a smaller elliptical companion, NGC 5195. Look for a pair of
fuzzy
patches of light. The slightly larger and brighter one is M51. Make
sure
to spend some time here as there is almost always some spiral
structure
to be seen, on good nights the detail possible is unbelievable. This
is a
difficult but very possible object in binoculars appearing as a hazy
patch of light.
M63
Another spiral galaxy in Canes Venatici smaller and fainter than M51,
but
seen more edge on so the galaxy appears as an elongated patch of light
with a bright star at one end. Further inspection will show a faint
halo
around this patch. A difficult object in binoculars.
M94
Just past M63 is another galaxy in Canes Vanitici. Look for a bright
fuzzy star to find the core of M94, surrounded by a faint haze. A
tough
binocular object.
M101
I consider this face on spiral galaxy in Ursa Major one of the most
difficult Messier objects to find in a telescope. This is a large
faint
patch of light almost as big as the full moon. There are no real
condensations so use low power and look for a brighter part of the
sky,
more of a change in contrast than an object at first glance, which is
the
galaxy. Dark skies really help in the search of this one and are a to
find M101 in binoculars.
M102
Not an official Messier object in most references, we will look for
the
galaxy NGC 5866 which is a somewhat standard insertion. Look for a
small,
faint patch light that looks like a short fuzzy line.
M64
In a telescope this galaxy in Coma Berenices is a fairly bright,
slightly
oval shaped patch of light. Look for the dark lane which gives this
galaxy the common name Black Eye. The galaxy appears as a faint fuzzy
patch in binoculars.
M85
This elliptical galaxy lies in Coma Berenices just north of the Virgo
Cluster of galaxies. This appears as a bright, but small, patch of
light
with a bright stellar core.
M49
This is an elliptical galaxy in Virgo just south of the main cluster
of
galaxies. M49 is round patch of light with bright center gradually
fading
to a round halo. M49 looks like a faint fuzzy star in binoculars.
M61
This is a face on spiral galaxy just south of M49 in Virgo, but much
fainter. Look for a faint, round fuzzy patch of light.
M104
This is the well known Sombrero galaxy in Virgo. It is bright edge on
spiral galaxy which looks like a bright, elongated streak. It is very
possible to see in binoculars.

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The Wanderers (The Planets) this Month

Mercury is deep in the glow of dawn. Scan for it with binoculars just
above the east horizon 30 or 40 minutes before sunrise.

Venus (magnitude -4.4, near the horn-tips of Taurus) is the brilliant
white "Evening Star" shining in the west-northwest during twilight.
It's
dropping lower day by day, and (in a telescope) it's becoming an
ever-thinner crescent. Both effects are due to it swinging ever closer
toward our line of sight to the Sun. On June 8th it will actually
cross
the Sun's face -- the first transit of Venus since 1882!

Mars glimmers to Venus's upper left, close to the right of brighter
Saturn.

Jupiter (magnitude -2.1, between the feet of Leo) shines high in the
southwest during evening -- the second-brightest point of light in the
sky after Venus.

Saturn (magnitude +0.2, in Gemini) is the brightest "star" to the
upper
left of Venus by a little more than a fist-width at arm's length. (The
next-brightest one there is Mars.)

Uranus and Neptune (magnitudes 6 and 8, respectively, in Aquarius and
Capricornus) are low in the southeast before dawn.

Pluto (magnitude 14, in Ophiuchus) is well up in the southeast by
midnight.

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Annual Meteor Showers

Quadrantids: January
Virginids: March/April
Lyrids: April
Scorpiids: May
Delta Aquarids: July
Perseids August
Piscids: September
Orionids: October
Leonids: November
Geminids: December

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Find what is moving overhead after sunset:
http://www.bester.com/
http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/RealTim.../JTrack3d.html

Check out when the next Iridium Satellite is available for you to
see:
http://www.heavens-above.com/Neighbo...PlaceID=593409
(for non Oahu Star Gazers...)
http://www.heavens-above.com/selectt...p?CountryID=US

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Check out:
http://www.seds.org/messier/xtra/12months/m-may-i.html

and bring the above list...

As for the rest of the Messiers, check out
http://www.hawastsoc.org/deepsky/messier.html It also has a link to:

http://www.hawastsoc.org/messier/index.html
(all the Messier Objects as photographed by HAS's local Jay Wrathall)

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Star Party Directions
(http://www.hawastsoc.org/directions/dillingham.html)

To reach the Dillingham observing site, take the H2 to the end at
Schofield Barracks. Drive past Schofield and follow the signs to
Waialua. At the Y intersection at Waialua, bear left and pass under
the bridge. Drive out of town a few miles until you reach Dillingham
Airfield. Dillingham is several miles long. It has three gates. You
need to drive to the far end to the third gate (marked as Gate 1 on
the color map). When you enter the gate, the road will curve left
behind some hangars. It will then take you through a very sharp S
curve. 1/4 mile beyond that is a stop sign in the middle of nowhere.
Turn right at the stop sign, and you will be there. You can find me
by looking for the big red telescope in the corner with a table with
lots of pizza on it.

You will need to reach the site before sunset in order to find the
gate open!!!

A few words on light. We try to maintain dark conditions at the site.
Therefore we have certain rules about light. First, no white
flashlights. The only flashlights that you should use are not too
bright, red ones.

When entering and exiting the site, do not use headlights. Some cars
now can't turn off their headlights. If you have a car like that
please park nearer the windsock then the telescopes. Point it away
from the telescopes. Headlights make you lose your night vision for
up to 30 minutes. It immediately ruins any astro photography that
might be in progress.

Bring some warm clothes, something to sit on, some real powerful bug
spray, a dim or red covered flashlight and some munches to share with
your friends.

Remember there is an absolute need to remain clear of the runway, and
anyone attending the star party needs to remain in the immediate star
party area. Do not be wandering around in areas where we are not
permitted. Especially near any planes (parked or moving)!
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Bishop Museum Planetarium Happenings

Daily Planetarium schedule:
(808) 848-4136 for pre-recorded sky information and planetarium
schedule.

11:30 a.m. Explorers of the International Space Station (45 Minutes)
12:20 p.m. Explorers of Polynesia (in Japanese , 30 Minutes)
1:00 p.m. The Planet Show (in English , 45 Minutes)
3:30 p.m. Explorers of Polynesia (45 Minutes)

"The Sky Tonight," an hour-long sky talk with Sam Rhoads, occurs on
the first Monday, at 7:00 PM. Reservations are necessary, since Sam's
shows often fill. $4 for adults, $3 for kids, free to Bishop Museum
members and Hawaiian Astronomical Society members. Reservations for
"The Sky Tonight": 848-4168.

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After Dark with Stars in the Park
Waikele Community Park
OR... Kahala Park
(Weather permitting)

***** 2004 *****
May 29th
Jun 26th
July 24th
August 21st
September 25th
October 23rd
November 20th
December 18th

FROM DUSK to 9:30 PM
Bring your children! Tell your friends!

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Visit the cosmos via:

The HAS HomePage: http://www.hawastsoc.org/ or go to
(or show up at meeting 7:30pm first Tue of month)
and check out the Bishop Museum Planetarium Home Page
http://www.bishopmuseum.org/planetarium/
and the Institute for Astronomy Colloquia/Seminars
http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/
http://apollo-society.org/launchpad39_A.html
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Keep Looking Sky Ward...Gary Ward

http://homepage.mac.com/macyoda/PhotoAlbum6.html
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"The computer is to the mind as the amplifier is to sound."
Paul Maurer
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"Knowledge is knowing that we cannot know"
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--
Dragons Must Fly when Thread's in the Sky

www.starlords.org



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