On the web at http://www.nhastro.com/

Observer StaffEditor & Publisher:Paul Winalski

Newsletter of the New Hampshire Astronomical Society

Vol. 2008 No. 12 “All the news that fits in print” December 2008

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Election of the 2009 club officersand a director will take place at theJanuary 2009 Business Meeting.

NHAS has made its first telescopedonation to a lending library as thepilot for our Library TelescopeOutreach Program.

Several public sky watches werescheduled, and the weather actuallycooperated for some of them.

NHAS member John Reidsucceeded in observing the roguetool bag from the InternationalSpace Station.

Did you know that YFOS is in aBortle green (class 4) light pollutionzone? If you don’t understand whatthis means, read Matthew Ota’sarticle on light pollution.

� Paul Winalski

NHAS Secretary 2008

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These nominations for 2009 clubofficers were made and seconded atthe October and NovemberBusiness Meetings:

President: Rich DeMidioVice President: Mike TownsendTreasurer: Ken CharlesSecretary: Paul Winalski

Director: John Rose

The election was supposed to takeplace at the December 2008Business Meeting, but the meetingwas cancelled due to bad weather.Instead, the election will take placeat the January 2009 BusinessMeeting. The floor will be open forfurther nominations and then thevote will take place.

� Paul Winalski

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This class was presented on 28December by Gardner Gerry andHerb Bubert. The students wereJason Paul, Ken Charles, and BillSteele, and Alan Kaplan.

Herb started by providing a printedcopy of the Titan – Gemini Level 4Users Manual. He went over thestart up procedures and wanted toget started right away in theobservatory. After Herb’spresentation each of the studentstook turns starting, aligning on abright star, then finding an object.Some of us struggled with theclouds but each student was able tocomplete the tasks and then park thescope successfully. Herb went overhow to check and set the slewingspeed for the types of observing andhow to increase the viewing speedto slewing speed when moving orfinding an object.

After the start-up and shut downwas demonstrated and practiced bythe students, Herb went over how toremove, store and re-mount theC14.

� Bill Steele

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Meeting date: 18 December.

Matt Amar, Matthew Ota, andChase McNiss attended.

The proposed NHAS flyer was themain topic of the meeting and wefound a number of changes to make,including fixing the spelling errors.Most importantly we are going toput the flyer on hold until thewebsite can mirror the key pointswe want to list in the flyer.Something about the cart before thehorse....

We also thought it a good idea totake the membership applicationcompletely off of the flyer andrecommend that people log onto thewebsite to fill out a membershipform there or to attend a meeting.The small space provided createslegibility issues for the treasurer aswell as filing issues. A form thatcan be filled out on line and printedwith typed text will be a great helpover the handwritten form.

� Chase McNiss

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NHAS has donated an OrionStarBlast 4 ½" reflector, with 6mmand 26mm Plössl eyepieces, to theCook Memorial Library inTamworth, NH. The telescope isavailable for circulation in the sameway as the library’s books.

This is the pilot for a LibraryTelescope Outreach program,whereby we hope to provide lendinglibraries with telescopes that can becirculated like a book and enjoyedby the public. Along with thetelescope comes a local NHASmember who can periodically cleanand adjust the telescope, and whocan act as a local astronomicalresource to library patrons. We alsosuggest that local schools find a 6th

or 7th grade student to become anapprentice astronomer and to act asa liaison to local schools.

The program is the brainchild of ourPublic Observing Coordinator MarcStowbridge. If the pilot inTamworth is a success, we willextend the program to other publiclibraries in the state.

Funding for the telescope comesfrom the educational outreach grant

2 The NHAS Observer December 2008

we received from the NewHampshire Charitable Foundation.

� Paul Winalski

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This is usually our largest publicsky watch, and this year was noexception as 150 third graders,parents, and siblings came to see thenight sky on 17 November 2008.NHAS members John Rose, MikeTownsend, Al Navarro, JohnBishop, Bill Steele, GardnerGerry, Joe Derek, Ken Charles,Matt Amar, and Paul Winalski setup a total of eleven telescopes andone set of binoculars to show thelate fall sky.

The weather had been looking verybad. The early group had tocontend with partly cloudy skies,but there were big clear patches andconditions improved as the eveningprogressed. Transparency wasn’tgreat, but seeing was very good toexcellent. The observing field, asalways, was soggy, and there wassome frost, but not troublesome—Ididn’t bother with anti-dewequipment and had no trouble.

The Pleiades and AndromedaGalaxy, M57, Perseus DoubleCluster, and M13 were all on view.

Our hostess, Cindy Janiak, said thatthe event was a success, and that,“Everyone at Reeds Ferry Schoollooks forward to the event everyyear and talks about astronomynight for years afterwards. We allappreciate the effort and time givento the school community.” That’swhat we like to hear!

� Paul Winalski and Bill Steele

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NHAS hosted a sky watch for theEast Kingston, NH Public Libraryon 21 November. Paul Winalski

gave an indoor “What’s Up inTonight’s Sky” and that wasfollowed by observing in the libraryparking lot. All of the lights on thelibrary building were turned off, sowe had a darker observing field thanwe are used to at public skywatches. It was a very successful

event and the library wants to holdanother sky watch in the spring.

� Paul Winalski

My son Mike offered to come to theSky Watch and we arrived at 18:50EST. Mike Townsend and JohnRose carpooled and arrived rightafter me, followed by GardnerGerry. Ted Blank was set up withbinoculars in front of the mainentrance near the curb in a parkingspace. Paul Winalski was setting upMr. T at the end of a parking spaceat the eastern edge or the observingfield. Tim and Carlena Maurowere setting up behind Paul’s Saab.John and Mike picked their spots upin front of Ted. Gary Tilden, aformer member, was setting up hisTakahashi to the west of Ted at thewestern edge or the observing field.

Jessica Newton and her husband,Matthew, showed up about 19:05and started unpacking the Orion 4”OTA, mount and the boxes of pieceparts. They picked a spot near Johnand Mike. Mike was a great help toJessica and Matthew, showing themhow to setup the mount without theOTA attached, then getting them toalign the finder using a front doorlight of a house down MaplevaleRoad. As Mike set up his 4” Vixen Iwent over to help because theycould not find the house light. Afterworking with Matthew I removedthe 10 mm (I’m guessing that itshipped with 10 and 25 mm EPs)eyepiece and the Barlow. I keptencouraging Matthew to take outthe bigger EP. I explained to themthat using the smaller EP is moremagnification and meant it wouldbe harder to find objects. About thetime Matthew found the 25 mm EPJohn has his C8 setup and Mike wasdone setting up. They startedworking with the Newton’s againand it wasn’t long after I could hear“I found it”, “cool”, and “that isawesome!”

Another family showed up with a“department store” refractor. I triedto help her and her three young boysset up the mount and get the scopepointed at a building security light. Ifound that the battery on the red dotfinder was dead and the EP was thehighest magnification. I put my

25mm in the .9625 diagonal andthey were able find the light thenfocus on a star. Without a workingbattery in the finder I had a hardtime getting them some viewinginstructions. I did encourage themto make sure to use it on the Moonand change the battery in the finder.I went over how to align the finder,the purpose of the finder and to findthe larger EP. When they were inthe presentation I took back the25mm; mostly my concern was thatthe EP was too big for the diagonal.

Here is a list of all of the members,their equipment, and the objects thatthey planned on showing:

* Gardner: Stellarvue 80 mm onNils Wygant’s Astrostar Atl/Azhead. Pleiades and the NGC 457(Lobster Cluster) open cluster inCassiopeia.

* John: Celestron C8. Albireo.

* Mike: Vixen 4" refractor. Pleiadesand double stars, depending on theclouds.

* Gary Tilden: Takahashi refractor.Albireo.

* Ted: binoculars. Pleiades, the coathanger asterism (Brocchi’s Cluster).

About 19:45 Ken Charles showedup and Paul’s indoor presentationwas over.

* I set up the Orion SkyQuestXT10i on the Perseus double clusterNGC 869/NGC 884.

* Tim and Carlena were planningon slewing to a bunch of objectsbased on the help they were gettingfrom Ken.

* Ken was going to set up hisBinocular table and would showopen clusters.

* About 20:00-ish Steve Forbesand his son set up a 102mm/F7.They set up a PC that was synchedwith the mount and was could slewthe mount to the object on the PC. Ididn’t get an opportunity to askthem about what they wereshowing.

That makes nine members and oneex-member as experiencedoperators showing objects to thirty-six public visitors and two staff ofthe Library.

December 2008 The NHAS Observer 3

Ellen Dang, the coordinator, saidthat she wanted to have another SkyWatch in the Spring and I offered toprovide a presentation on buying atelescope.

� Bill Steele

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This was held on 2 December at theWhite Farm field near the ProjectSEE Science Center, whichprovided a very welcome warmbuilding and refreshments for theastronomers and our 54 guests.

NHAS members participating: EdTing (who organized the event),John Bishop, Herb Bubert, JoeDerek, Steve Forbes, StephenForbes, Gardner Gerry, andmyself.

Objects that I presented in my 14”reflector: 61 Cygni (Piazzi’s FlyingStar), γ Arietis, M31/32, M35, M36,M37, M38, the Perseus doublecluster, T Lyrae, WZ Cassiopeiae,NGS 457 (Lobster Cluster), NGC7662 (the Blue Snowball planetarynebula).

� Paul Winalski

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During the last space shuttlemission to the International SpaceStation, one of the astronautsaccidentally dropped a tool bag, itdrifted free of the ISS, and couldnot be recovered. All the majornews media reported the story. Lesswell known is that the highlyreflective tool bag can be seen insmall earth-bound telescopes. Itappears as a satellite of roughly 6th

to 8th magnitude. The Heavens-Above web site carries predictionsof visible passes of the tool bag, asit does for the ISS itself and forIridium flares.

On 29 November Heavens-Abovewas predicting a pass of the shuttleand ISS low to the north at 5:35PM, preceded at 5:24 PM by thetool bag. All three objects werefollowing nearly the same trajectoryand would pass within a degree justsouth of α Ursae Majoris (Dubhe).It thus should be easy to spot with

the TeleVue 85 using a 35mmPanoptic (20X) wide-angle eyepiecewith Dubhe kept on the edge of thefield of view.

I watched with this setup for fourminutes starting at 5:22 PM. Therewas no sign of the tool bag. I andseveral neighbors did enjoywatching the shuttle and ISS go byabout ten minutes later, though.

According to the following report, Ijust missed the tool bag—apparently the trajectory predictedat Heavens-Above was correct, butthe time was off by a couple ofminutes.

� Paul Winalski

I can confirm seeing all threeobjects. I was setting up my Orion(Vixen) 102ED, also with a 35mmPanoptic, and also in Merrimack. Iput the “tool bag pass” about 17:20-17:21,earlier than expected . I hadjust set up and put Alpha (Dubhe) atthe edge of my FOV. About 30seconds later, the bag came sailingalong, small but absolutelyunmistakable. The Shuttle + ISSpass followed. I look forward totrying this again!

� John Reid

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Light Pollution (LP) is a subject ofconcern for every amateurastronomer, whether they aretelescope visual users, binocularusers, or astroimagers. As ourmetropolitan population increasesand encroaches on rural areas, LP isan ever-growing threat to ourpastime, making it more difficult tosee the fainter deep sky objects.There are many ways to lessen theimpact of LP, but this article isfocused on measuring andquantifying the light pollution itself.

In 2001 the Italian Light PollutionScience and Technology Institute(LPST) undertook an intensivestudy of the light pollution issue bystudying and compiling thousandsof images from the US Air ForceDefense Meteorological SatelliteProgram database. It was the firstworldwide map of sky brightness,

which is the level of lighttransmitted through the atmosphere.This map (attached at the end of theNewsletter) shows the amount oflight being scattered in the air and isa much more accurate quantificationof light pollution than the traditionalground brightness photomaps of thepast.

In 2002, Russel Sipe of the OrangeCounty Astronomers did anintensive analysis of the project bymaking a local study of the artificialnight sky brightness of SouthernCalifornia. He used the map ofNorth America, which was availablefrom the Light Pollution Scienceand Technology Institute. By usingthe modern software capabilities ofAdobe PhotoShop, he was able tomake map overlays over the skybrightness image in order to showborders, roads and towns. Hepresented the information at anOCA Astroimagers meeting and itwas quite sobering to see how muchlight pollution was impacting thevarious observing sites aroundCalifornia.

By using similar methods, I havebeen able to make a sky brightnessmap of New Hampshire showinginternational, state and countyboundaries along with selectedtowns and major roads. The map isa latitude longitude projection,which matches the original mapprojection used by the LightPollution Institute. The map showsthe sky brightness with a total scaleof seven Bortle light level colorcodes. The brightest level (> 27white) is shown in Boston,Providence and Montreal, which areshown as a saturated white. Thedarkest level is black, which is notvisible on this map projection. It isinteresting that only the extremeNortheast portion of the state is in adark Bortle Class 2 “gray” zone.

The following explains the Bortlelight pollution scale in detail. Itcomes from the Sky & Telescope“Dark Sky” web page.

Class 1: Excellent dark-sky site -

Black

The zodiacal light, Gegenschein,and zodiacal band (S &T: October2000, page 116) are all visible - the

4 The NHAS Observer December 2008

zodiacal light to a striking degree,and the zodiacal band spanning theentire sky. Even with direct vision,the galaxy M33 is an obviousnaked-eye object. The Scorpius andSagittarius region of the Milky Waycasts obvious diffuse shadows onthe ground. To the unaided eye thelimiting magnitude is 7.6 to 8.0(with effort); the presence of Jupiteror Venus in the sky seems todegrade dark adaptation. Airglow (avery faint, naturally occurring glowmost evident within about 15degrees of the horizon) is readilyapparent. With a 32-centimeter(12½) scope, stars to magnitude17.5 can be detected with effort,while a 50-cm (20-inch) instrumentused with moderate magnificationwill reach 19th magnitude. If you areobserving on a grass-covered fieldbordered by trees, your telescope,companions, and vehicle are almosttotally invisible. This is anobserver’s Nirvana!

Class 2: Typical truly dark site -

Gray

Airglow may be weakly apparentalong the horizon. M33 is rathereasily seen with direct vision. Thesummer Milky Way is highlystructured to the unaided eye, andits brightest parts look like veinedmarble when viewed with ordinarybinoculars. The zodiacal light is stillbright enough to cast weak shadowsjust before dawn and after dusk, andits color can be seen as distinctlyyellowish when compared with theblue-white of the Milky Way. Anyclouds in the sky are visible only asdark holes or voids in the starrybackground. You can see yourtelescope and surroundings onlyvaguely, except where they projectagainst the sky. Many of theMessier globular clusters aredistinct naked-eye objects. Thelimiting naked-eye magnitude is asfaint as 7.1 to 7.5, while a 32-cmtelescope reaches to magnitude 16or 17.

Class 3: Rural sky - Blue

Some indication of light pollution isevident along the horizon. Cloudsmay appear faintly illuminated inthe brightest parts of the sky nearthe horizon but are dark overhead.

The Milky Way still appearscomplex, and globular clusters suchas M4, M5, M15, and M22 are alldistinct naked-eye objects. M33 iseasy to see with averted vision. Thezodiacal light is striking in springand autumn (when it extends 60degrees above the horizon afterdusk and before dawn) and its coloris at least weakly indicated. Yourtelescope is vaguely apparent at adistance of 20 or 30 feet. Thenaked-eye limiting magnitude is 6.6to 7.0, and a 32-cm reflector willreach to 16th magnitude. Longexposure astrophotos might showsome light pollution gradient, butvisual observing is relativelyunimpaired.

Class 4: Rural/ suburban

transition – Green/Yellow

Fairly obvious light-pollutiondomes are apparent over populationcenters in several directions. Thezodiacal light is clearly evident butdoesn’t even extend halfway to thezenith at the beginning or end oftwilight. The Milky Way well abovethe horizon is still impressive butlacks all but the most obviousstructure. M33 is a difficult averted-vision object and is detectable onlywhen at an altitude higher than 50degrees. Clouds in the direction oflight-pollution sources areilluminated but only slightly so, andare still dark overhead. You canmake out your telescope ratherclearly at a distance. The maximumnaked-eye limiting magnitude is 6.1to 6.5, and a 32-cm reflector usedwith moderate magnification willreveal stars of magnitude 15.5.Modest to serious impact to deepsky observing and imaging.

Class 5: Suburban sky - Orange

Only hints of the zodiacal light areseen on the best spring and autumnnights. The Milky Way is very weakor invisible near the horizon andlooks rather washed out overhead.Light sources are evident in most ifnot all directions. Over most or allof the sky, clouds are quitenoticeably brighter than the skyitself. The naked-eye limit is around5.6 to 6.0, and a 32-cm reflectorwill reach about magnitude 14.5 to15.

Class 6: Bright suburban sky -

Red

No trace of the zodiacal light can beseen, even on the best nights. Anyindications of the Milky Way areapparent only toward the zenith.The sky within 35 degrees of thehorizon glows grayish white.Clouds anywhere in the sky appearfairly bright. You have no troubleseeing eyepieces and telescopeaccessories on an observing table.M33 is impossible to see withoutbinoculars, and M31 is onlymodestly apparent to the unaidedeye. The naked-eye limit is about5.5, and a 32-cm telescope used atmoderate powers will show stars atmagnitude 14.0 to 14.5.

Class 7: Suburban/urban

transition - Red

The entire sky background has avague, grayish white hue. Stronglight sources are evident in alldirections. The Milky Way is totallyinvisible or nearly so. M44 or M31may be glimpsed with the unaidedeye but are very indistinct. Cloudsare brilliantly lit. Even in moderate-size telescopes, the brightestMessier objects are pale ghosts oftheir true selves. The naked-eyelimiting magnitude is 5.0 if youreally try, and a 32-cm reflector willbarely reach 14th magnitude. Lessthan 100 stars visible over 30degrees elevation.

Class 8: City sky - White

The sky glows whitish gray ororangish, and you can readnewspaper headlines withoutdifficulty. M31 and M44 may bebarely glimpsed by an experiencedobserver on good nights, and onlythe bright Messier objects aredetectable with a modest-sizetelescope. Some of the stars makingup the familiar constellationpatterns are difficult to see or areabsent entirely. The naked eye canpick out stars down to magnitude4.5 at best, if you know just whereto look, and the stellar limit for a32-cm reflector is little better thanmagnitude 13.

Class 9: Inner-city sky - White

The entire sky is brightly lit, even atthe zenith. Many stars making up

December 2008 The NHAS Observer 5

familiar constellation figures areinvisible, and dim constellationssuch as Cancer and Pisces are notseen at all. Aside from perhaps thePleiades, no Messier objects arevisible to the unaided eye. The onlycelestial objects that really providepleasing telescopic views are theMoon, the planets, and a few of thebrightest star clusters (if you canfind them). The naked-eye limitingmagnitude is 4.0 or less. Less than20 stars visible over 30 degreeselevation.

If there is enough interest I canmake maps of other New Englandstates, and provide a map for themembers only area of the NHASweb page showing locations of clubobserving sites.

References:

Light Pollution Science andTechnology Institute (Istituto diScienza e Tecnologiadell'Inquinamento Luminoso) Italy -http://www.lightpollution.it/dmsp/index.html

Sky & Telescope online, "TheBortle Night Sky Scale -http://www.skyandtelescope.com/resources/darksky/3304011.html?page=1&c=y

U.S. Geological Survey, "TheNational Map Seamless Server" -http://seamless.usgs.gov/index.php

� Matthew Ota

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ATM

No report.

YFOS

No report.

Membership

Alan Shirey reported that we havetwo new members. The Astro 201course on the Titan mount will begiven soon by Herb Bubert and/orGardner Gerry. There is nointerest yet in other Astro 101/201courses.

Astrophotography

Gardner Gerry reports that therehave been no recent meetings andno recent photos posted on the

website. There will be anothervirtual meeting held soon.

Radio Astronomy

No report.

Public Observing

Marc Stowbridge reported thatpublic sky watches have beenscheduled for Reeds Ferry, the EastKingston Public Library, and theAuburn Village School.

Educational Outreach

Rich Schuller and Matt Amarreported that eleven attended thelast committee meeting. Thecommittee thinks that a revamp ofthe website design and content isneeded. A website designsubcommittee of five members wasformed. Matt Marulla has beencontacted about the website revamp.The meeting also touched ourprocedures at public sky watches.

Webmaster

No report.

Miscellaneous Business

Wade Walker was thanked forarranging speakers for our businessmeetings for the past two years.

Should NHAS join theAstronomical League? The costwould be $10 to NHAS, plus $5 perNHAS member.

The nomination of Rich DeMidiofor 2009 NHAS President was madeand seconded. 2009 nominationsstand at:

President: Rich DeMidioVice President: Mike TownsendTreasurer: Ken CharlesSecretary: Paul Winalski

Director: John Rose

Book of the Month

How Apollo Flew to the Moon byDavid Woods. This covers all ofthe technical aspects of the flights:navigation, tracking, landing,takeoff, and reentry.

Teaching Aid of the Month

A transparent umbrella with Polarison top and constellations drawn onthe umbrella. A Lego man on atennis ball on the stem of theumbrella represents an observer onthe Earth.

Evening Program

A slide show of images from theNHAS website.

� Paul Winalski

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Starting Balance: $6271.99

Deposits/Credits: 322.00(membership, calendar sales)Accounts/Paid: 303.31(Rhymes Propane, Larry Lopez[mosquito magnet repair], ChaseMcNiss [office supplies])

Net Account Balance: $6393.68

Petty cash drawer: $100.00

Cash Balance: $6493.68

2009 Membership: 89

Donations: $235.00

(Dave Weaver, John Buonomo,Rich Schueller)

Balance of Grant Funds $809.70

New Members:

Rick Amidon, Manchester NHWarner Reed, Atkinson NHDan Griffin, Epping NH

� Chase McNiss

DEADLINE January 2009 Issue: 5 PM January 13E-mail articles to the Editor.CHANGE OF ADDRESS – Notify the Treasurer of changes to postal or e-mail address.

How to Join N.H.A.S.Write to us: Send E-mail to:NHAS info@nhastro.comP.O. Box 5823Manchester, NH 03108-5823 Use our web site:Attn: Treasurer http://www.nhastro.com/

This month's contributors:Bill Steele, Chase McNiss, John Reid, Matthew Ota

New Hampshire Astronomical SocietyP.O. Box 5823Manchester, NH 03108-5823

Event Date Time Location

CMP Public Sky Watch January 2 7:00 PM Christa McAuliffe Planetarium

NHAS Business Meeting January 16 7:30 PM St. Anselm College

Coffee House Night January 23 5:00 PM YFOS

NHAS Upcoming Events

2008 OfficersPresident: Gardner Gerry

VicePresident: Mike TownsendTreasurer: Chase McNiss

Secretary: Paul Winalski