The IAS

News &

Views

Volume 87, Issue 3 www.iasindy.org

Indiana Astronomical Society

General Meeting

Saturday, March 7, 7:00 PM

Holcomb Observatory

“Life in the Universe”

Dr. Edward Rhoads

We will examine what the basics for life as we know it are, see where in our solar system we have

those building blocks, and then explore how to look for another Earth.

________________________________

Dr. Edward Rhoads is a lecturer at IUPUI with a Ph.D. in Astrophysics from the University of

Minnesota in 2005. Dr. Rhoads is also the author of a science-faction ebook entitled “A Space Odd-

yssey” (available on Amazon).

From the President’s Desk

Improving weather soon…at least that’s what’s supposed to happen. Seems like forever since I was at

the eyepiece, but now without a brisk wind it’s time to inventory the gear.

Behind the scenes – so to speak – the Board of Directors, IAS Coordinators and Liaisons have been

talking with parks department personnel, officials with other organizations and potential speakers

about programs and outings for this and next year.

Also…Tanager Hill Observatory (THO) has now been outfitted with a new mount for the 14″

Celestron telescope, thanks to the family of past President Bill Conner. Engineered and installed by a

dedicated group of IAS members and some of the Board of Directors, it really caps off a huge

undertaking started years ago by Tom Borlik and Bill Conner.

Spring-flowering bulbs are beginning to emerge, and soon it will be time for Solar Observing and

walking Helen Link’s daffodil gardens. Join us if you can; more info will be forthcoming via posts on

our Groups.io collaboration site.

— John Molt

IAS News and Views

Page 2 March 2020

IAS NEWS

Upcoming Events for March

The following events will occur rain or shine.

IAS Program Planning/Board Meeting

Saturday, March 7 at 5 PM, Holcomb Observatory. The IAS board meeting will occur

approximately two hours before the general meeting. IAS members are welcome to attend

and provide input.

IAS General Meeting

Saturday, March 7 at 7 PM, Holcomb Observatory. The public is welcome. See the front

page of this newsletter for details and speaker information.

Observing Activities for March

The following events are weather-dependent and subject to last-minute cancellation. Please monitor

the IAS Collaboration Site for updates and don’t drive out without confirmation that it’s a “go.”

Link Observatory Activities (Members and Invited Guests) —

The IAS has deep-sky observing sessions scheduled to occur at Link Observatory on the

weekend of March 13-14 and again on March 20-21. Come observe with the telescope

operators using the Tanager Hill or Link 36" scopes, or bring your own and set up on the north

observing field.

Camping will be permitted in the (unlikely) event that the grounds are not too soggy. No

trailers or campfires, please.

Dark Sky Observing Site Information

IAS members may observe at Link Observatory, McCloud Nature Park, Prairie Grass Observatories,

West Park in Carmel, Eagle Creek Park, and/or Burkhart Creek Park during non-scheduled times if

they do not conflict with reserved activities.

The Link Observatory is open for observing during IAS functions at that location. For scheduled

events, see the IAS calendar under the “Events” tab on the website iasindy.org (a monthly calendar is

at the end of this newsletter). Impromptu observing opportunities are also occasionally announced on

the IAS-Indy collaboration site by our telescope operators. All observing depends on weather

conditions, so please join the group to receive the latest information.

For those interested in observing at McCloud Nature Park, call the Nature Center (765-676-5437) or

the Park Office (317-718-6188) before 4 PM on the day you want to go. Such impromptu requests are

limited to IAS members and their immediate family; other group viewing requires five days’ notice.

Please understand that some requests may not be granted depending on event conflicts and the like.

IAS News and Views

Page 3 March 2020

To view at Burkhart Creek County Park, first acquire a copy of the IAS approval letter to show you

have permission to be there after dark. Then send an email to both dverley@morgancounty.in.gov and

tutterrow8327@att.net, mention that you are with the IAS, and let them know your plans. You may or

may not get a reply…don’t worry…just take your approval letter and go.

West Park in Carmel is also available for use by IAS members. Download the MOU from our

groups.io files area and print it as proof of membership. You must obtain approval from one of the

listed park liaisons at least 24 hours in advance. The Carmel Police Department must also be notified.

For liability reasons, non-member guests will have to leave before nightfall. See the MOU for details.

To observe at Eagle Creek Park Eagle’s Crest, first acquire a copy of the IAS approval letter and

send an email request to all the addressees provided in the letter to check availability. Upon approval

the gate key may be picked up before 5 PM from the administrative office (north side of 56th Street

just east of the reservoir). Return the key to the office on the following business day.

For those interested in observing at Prairie Grass Observatory, call Hoppe at 765-296-2753.

IU Kirkwood Observatory Bloomington

The Kirkwood Observatory on the IU

campus will again be conducting

“open house” events from March 25

through November 20. The Solar

Telescope will be open on the first

Saturday of each month from 1-3 pm;

viewers may even be able to see a

solar prominence or two! For

nighttime viewing, the 12" refractor

will be in use each Wednesday

evening.

Please visit the IU Astronomy

Department web site for dates and

times. No reservations are required.

Events may be cancelled if weather

conditions are unfavorable; call the IU

Astronomy Department at (812)855-

6911 for updates and closings.

Equipment Loan Program

Did you know you could borrow a scope or piece of astronomy equipment from the Society and take it

for a test drive? Members trying to determine what kind of equipment to buy are welcome to borrow

one of the Society’s scopes for a month or two and see how they like it. Larry Cates is the program

coordinator and can arrange for pickup and training.

We will also consider donations of equipment appropriate for this program. The IAS is a public

charity under section 509(a)(2) of the internal revenue code. We would be happy to provide

acknowledgement suitable for documentation as a tax deduction.

The Equipment Loan Coordinator may be contacted at equipment@iasindy.org

IAS News and Views

Page 4 March 2020

Observing and Outreach Reports

All IAS members are encouraged to submit their observing reports, whether at IAS events or not!

January 30 (Boone Meadow Elementary) — On this Thursday night, Bharat Joshi and Tom Hubbard

represented the IAS at the Boone Meadows Elementary STEM night in Whitestown. The weather did

not permit any actual observations, so we set up static displays of several scopes inside the school and

talked with students and parents about telescopes and Astronomy.

Tom Hubbard and Bharat Joshi discussing our favorite hobby with students and parents at Boone Meadow Elementary.

During the evening, we spoke with approximately sixty families. The younger students, in particular,

enjoyed looking through the eight-inch Dob; even if all we had to look at was the EXIT sign at the end

of the hallway.

— Tom Hubbard

February 12 (Brooks Elementary) —

Brooks Elementary School in Fishers

held its annual Math and Science Fair

tonight, between 5:30 and 8:00 pm. Doug

and Betsy Brown from Indianapolis and

Bharat Joshi from Columbus were able to

represent the IAS despite the warning of

snow and ice. Doug and Betsy set up a

tri-fold display board along with a six-

inch homebuilt Dob. Bharat brought an

eight-inch SCT, binoculars, and several

introductory astronomy books.

Because of the weather, our telescopes

were inside and were focused on the far

wall of the gymnasium. Despite this, the

kids still enjoyed looking through the

telescopes and Bharat’s binoculars, and

they also asked a lot of questions.

Bharat Joshi and Betsy Brown introduce the youngsters at Brooks

Elementary to the wonders of Astronomy. Photo courtesy Doug Brown.

If you are looking for a fun outreach event, Brooks should be on your list. It’s impressive and well

organized.

— Doug Brown

IAS News and Views

Page 5 March 2020

February 1 (West Park) — There is a slight improvement in the forecast, clearing expected by 5:00 am

tomorrow morning. As such West Park observing is canceled for tonight. Hoping for better luck next

time.

— Dave Collier

February 14-15 (Link Campout) — With a current “real feel temperature” of two degrees and since no

polar bears in our society have spoken up regarding tonight, I’m canceling this evening’s DSO at Link

Observatory. Enjoy cold Valentine’s Day sunshine and stars with your heart’s desire or a warm fire, or

both! A separate go/no-go call will be made Saturday.

— Robert Aull

Due the recent change out of the mount in THO, which is not quite complete, and the poor forecast for

tonight’s weather, Deep Sky Observing is canceled for [Saturday]. Hoping for better luck next week.

— Dave Collier

February 21 (Link Campout) —

Tanager Hill observatory was

opened at 6:15 pm for polar

alignment of the Astro-Physics

900 mount. We briefly observed

Venus and then the Orion nebula

M42 prior to beginning the polar

alignment which went easily

because of the lack of leaves on

the poplar tree. Once the mount

was aligned all of the bolts were

tightened in place and the

following objects were observed

under steady but cold skies:

M42, M46, NGC 2438, M35,

NGC 2158, IC 418, NGC 2392,

NGC 2420, NGC 2022, NGC

2371 and M1.

Members in Attendance were:

Fred Keller, Laura Hintz, Wayne

Left to right: Wayne McSpadden, Mike Birch, Dave Collier and THO Observatory

Manager Fred Keller braved chilly weather to polar align the AP900 mount on

February 21. Photo courtesy Robert Aull.

McSpadden, Mike Birch, Robert Aull, Jon Thomas and Dave Collier. The observatory was closed

down at 9:17 pm due to the cold and approaching clouds.

— Dave Collier

February 22 (Link Campout) — The Link 36-inch was opened by Wayne and Steve McSpadden and

Dave Collier with the alignment completed before dusk using the setting circles to locate the

alignment stars. Several members also set up in front and to the east of the observatory (see below).

The skies were clear and steady once again with it being considerably warmer than Friday night.

The following members and guests were in attendance: Jim and Andrew Shuck, Dave Howard,

Laurence Behney, Sundram Raghuraman, Phil Thompson, Bharat Joshi, Gregory Episano, James Bush

and Melissa Lee.

After a productive night of observing the observatory grounds were closed at 11:15 PM.

— Dave Collier

IAS News and Views

Page 6 March 2020

I set up my Vixen at the south end of the parking lot. The seeing conditions were near ideal for

Indiana. The views of M42 were about the best I’ve ever had here. I tried some astrophotography with

a used Nikon D5300 and found out I’m short a counterweight. I moved on to visual observing getting

first look (for me) of Bode’s galaxy M81 along with a closer look at M32 over by Andromeda. I took a

look at Mizar, M101 and the Beehive cluster as well.

I enjoyed looking through Andrew’s new Dob and had a great view of the Crab Nebula through

Laurence’s five-inch Takahashi. A few high thin clouds obscured viewing around 10 pm but the sky

returned to 100% clear by 11:00. Overall it was a nice night and I’d like to thank the other guys there

for showing me their scopes.

— Dave Howard

Bill Conner’s AP900GTO Installed in Tanager Hill Observatory

On Saturday February 15th, Robert Aull, Mike Birch, Larry Cates, Fred Keller, Laura Keller, Ken

Magar, Steve McSpadden and Wayne McSpadden met at the Tanager Hill Observatory. We were all

there to replace the iOptron CEM60 mount with the Astro Physics AP900GTO that was generously

donated to the IAS by Bill Conner’s family after Bill’s passing in late 2018.

Installing the AP900 mount and its power supply in Tanager Hill Observatory on February 15. Photos courtesy Robert Aull.

We were blessed with a cold and sunny day to install the mount. The first thing we did was remove the

C14 OTA from the CEM60 mount. Mike Birch, Larry Cates, Robert Aull and Wayne McSpadden

provided the muscle power needed to lift the C14 off the mount and place it in a safe location on the

IAS News and Views

Page 7 March 2020

floor in THO. Once the C14 was removed from the mount it, was a straightforward process to remove

the iOptron CEM60 from the pier. The CEM60 was placed back into its case. Robert Aull and Laura

Keller loaded the CEM60 and its counter weights on a garden wagon and transported them to the IAS

library.

Ken Magar then removed the iOptron pier adapter and replaced it with the new adapter he had

constructed for the Astro-Physics AP900. The new pier adapter fit perfectly using the same mounting

holes used for the iOptron CEM60 pier adapter. The powder-coated surface on the new pier adapter

was an exact match to the existing pier even though Ken had to use a different company to paint the

new adapter.

While Ken was installing the new pier adapter, Laura Keller drove back to our house to bring back a

selection of stainless-steel cap screws that I had forgotten to bring with me. These were needed to

attach the Astro-Physics AP900 Flat Plate Adapter to the new pier adapter. While we were waiting on

Laura to return with the hardware, we attached the PowerPole 12V distribution panel to the pier. The

PowerPole distribution panel provides additional outlets that can be used to power dew heaters, a

camera or other 12-volt accessories.

Once the hardware arrived, three of us were able to attach the AP900 mount to the new pier adapter.

Everything fit precisely thanks to Ken Magar’s meticulous craftsmanship. The C14 was then very

carefully attached to the new mount. We managed to balance the mount with the 46 pounds (two 18-lb

and one 10-lb) of counter weights that came with the mount.

I was then able to power the mount and conduct a few tests. The mount effortlessly slews the C14

around the sky. We set the park position of the mount to match the position that we had been using

with the iOptron CEM60.

I would like to thank everyone that helped with the mount changeout. With all the expert help we were

able to complete the swap in less than 2-1/2 hours.

There are still a few things that need to be completed before we can operate the new mount. I need to

make some configuration changes to the Astro-Physics keypad to simplify the startup and operation of

the mount. In addition, the mount needs to be polar aligned. The final thing that needs to be completed

is a training session for the Senior THO operators.

— Fred Keller

Roberts Camera Astrophotography Event at McCloud March 21

Astrophotography is practiced by relatively few amateur astronomers, but it can be done with simple

setups and a little dedication. Anyone with a digital camera can enjoy this hobby. It does take patience

and study to be successful, and it can be very rewarding.

Astrophotography allows you to enjoy the colors and details of nebula[e] and galaxies beyond the

scope of what you can see at the eyepiece. It can be a permanent memento of your personal

observations and efforts. Purchasing equipment without full knowledge of the configuration

requirements for astrophotography can frustrate your efforts and be an expensive mistake.

Please consider attending this educational series before any purchase. This class includes a 45-minute

workshop at the Roberts Downtown classroom at 2:00pm followed later that day by a three-hour,

hands-on class at McCloud Nature Park in North Salem, Indiana. (approximately 55 minutes from

Indianapolis)

You do not have to attend the afternoon class. Bring your camera, tripods and cable releases. Nature

Park weather permitting.

IAS News and Views

Page 8 March 2020

Date: Saturday, March 21st (7:30-10:30pm)

Saturday, April 25th (8:00-11:00pm)

Rain dates: Sunday, March 22nd and April 26th

Location: Roberts Downtown and McCloud Nature Park

Instructors: Marc Lebryk, Walt Kuhn

Cost: $49

— From the Roberts Camera Facebook page

This and That

As with all our guest speakers, the IAS is grateful to Dr. Xianming Han for providing the presentation

at our February general meeting. If this photo is any indication, his talk about his ongoing research on

eclipsing binaries appears to have held the attendees in rapt attention.

Dr. Han discusses eclipsing binaries in the Holcomb Observatory meeting room. Photo courtesy Jim Smith.

New IAS member Tony Hamilton has agreed to take on the Membership Coordinator position. He will

transition into his new position over the next few weeks. Thanks to Tony for agreeing to perform this

vital function, and special thanks to outgoing coordinator Jeff O’Dair for his years of service.

The IAS Board has decided to no longer send membership cards along with your membership. New

members and renewals will instead receive an electronic acknowledgement. Physical cards remain

available for those who make a special request.

Treasurer Robert Aull reports that our annual financial audit was completed on February 8. Thanks to

Mike Birch and Larry Cates for performing this audit. Similarly, our Webmaster Bruce Bowman has

completed his annual audit of the IAS-INDY list on groups.io. Members who had previously opted out

of participating in our collaboration site were sent new invitations, and some accepted.

A second, alternate banner design has been approved for purposes of Astronomy outreach. The banner

is currently in the final stages of procurement and purchase. Thanks to Jim Smith for his continued

work on this. Last but not least, Jon Thomas reports that an IAS observing/camping event is under

discussion for Pecar Park in Avon sometime this spring or summer. Stay tuned for more information.

IAS News and Views

Page 9 March 2020

Novice/Urban Observing List – March 2020 Phil Dimpelfeld

The objects in this month’s observing list lie between the celestial coordinates of Right Ascension =

8h and RA = 10h. This section of the sky includes the constellation Cancer. Cancer is the dimmest of

the zodiacal constellations, having only two stars above the fourth magnitude. This area of the sky has

five Messier objects – M48, M44, M67, M81, and M82.

This month’s list is divided into three levels. The brighter objects, which are relatively easy to find,

are in Level 1. The fainter, and more challenging objects, are in Levels 2 and 3.

Level 1

Zeta () Cancri (HIP 40167), Double Star in Cancer, 08h 12.2m, +17° 39', mag = 5.6, 6.0, sep = 6″

M48, Open Cluster in Hydra, 08h 13.8m, -05° 48', mag = 5.8, size = 54'

M44, the “Beehive Cluster” or “Praesepe” in Cancer, 08h 40.1m, +19° 59', mag = 3.1, size = 95'.

Praesepe is Latin for “manger.”

Iota () Cancri, the “Albireo of Winter” (HIP 43103), Double Star in Cancer, 08h 46.7m, +28° 46',

mag = 4.2, 6.6, sep = 30″

M67, Open Cluster in Cancer, 08h 50.4m, +11° 49', mag = 6.9, size = 29'

38 Lyncis (HIP 32438), Double Star in Lynx, 09h 18.8m, +36° 48', mag = 3.9, 6.6, sep = 3″

Level 2

NGC 2539, Open Cluster in Puppis, 08h 10.7m, -12° 50', mag = 6.5, size = 21'

M81, Galaxy in Ursa Major, 09h 55.6m, +69° 04', mag = 6.8, size = 26 × 14'

(M81 and M82 make a great pair in the same low-power eyepiece!)

M82, Galaxy in Ursa Major, 09h 55.8m, +69° 41', mag = 8.4, size = 11 × 5'

Level 3

NGC 2506 (Caldwell 54), Open Cluster in Monoceros, 08h 0.2m, -10° 47’, mag = 7.7, size = 7'

NGC 2775 (Caldwell 48), Galaxy in Cancer, 09h 10.3m, +7° 02m, mag = 10.3, size = 4.5 × 3'

Notes:

If you successfully observe at least six of the objects, please contact Phil Dimpelfeld

(philip.dimpelfeld@yahoo.com). Let Phil know how many of the objects you were able to observe.

You will be e-mailed a certificate recognizing your accomplishment!

Public Outreach Programs

To schedule a program at the Link Observatory or at your site, please contact the following people:

Public Outreach Programs: To schedule a public event, contact the IAS Events Coordinator Steve

Haines by sending an email to events-coordinator@iasindy.org.

Goethe Link Observatory tour: To schedule a tour of the Link Observatory, contact Link Observatory

Manager John Shepherd by email at link-observatory@iasindy.org.

IAS News and Views

Page 10 March 2020

Deep-Sky Challenge: Spring 2020 Bruce Bowman

Below please find a list of ten (10) objects to view this month. Those who complete the primary

objects will receive a certificate via email and be recognized in the News and Views. A challenge

object is also provided to help push the limits of your observing skills. It’s not necessary to

successfully view the challenge object to receive the certificate, we only ask that you try.

Please complete the following list to receive the Spring certificate:

NGC 4064 Barred spiral galaxy in Coma Berenices

NGC 4147 Globular cluster in Coma Berenices

NGC 4162 Spiral galaxy in Coma Berenices

NGC 4314 Barred spiral in Coma Berenices

NGC 4414 Spiral galaxy in Coma Berenices

NGC 4559 Spiral galaxy in Coma Berenices

NGC 4565 Edge-on spiral in Coma Berenices

NGC 4725 Spiral galaxy in Coma Berenices

NGC 4874 Giant elliptical galaxy in Coma Berenices

NGC 4889 Giant elliptical galaxy in Coma Berenices

Challenge object for Spring 2020: NGC4865 in Coma Berenices

This season’s challenge

is a “greatest hits”

rerun originally issued

in May 2015

The above objects are located between 12 and 14 hours of right ascension and are well-placed for

evening viewing this season.

Coma Berenices is Latin for Berenice’s Hair. So, who is this woman Berenice, and how did her hair

end up being immortalized in the stars?

Well, Berenice was a real person; the

Queen of Egypt during the reign of

Ptolemy II, in the third century BC. Her

husband — who was also her brother —

went off to war, as people often did

back then, mainly to kill off the surplus

male population. I mean, if you’re a

king, you have to provide an outlet for

aggression, and can’t keep too many Joe

Schmoes around, lest they someday get

a clue and take up arms against the guy

in the pyramid with all the concubines.

There may have been some other reason

for it but I don’t recall that right now.

Anyway, concerned about her brother-

husband’s safe return, Berenice offered

up her flaxen locks to the goddess

The disembodied hair of Coma Berenices lends a rather macabre note

to this 1603 offering from Bayer’s star atlas Uranometria.

Aphrodite, who was widely known to have a vain streak. When bro-hubby actually managed to come

home in one piece, Berenice was true to her word, and the hair was dutifully enshrined…

…but the next morning, the distressed tresses turned up missing. Oops. Ptolemy, who apparently had

some kind of hair fetish, was madder than a wet hornet; and called for some of the priests (presumably

those who were supposed to keep an eye on the shrine) to be separated from their hair the hard way.

IAS News and Views

Page 11 March 2020

At this point the court astronomer Conon stepped in and saved the beleaguered priests’ skins. The wily

astro-guy asserted that Berenice’s offering had so delighted the gods that Aphrodite herself must have

swiped it and placed it in the sky. He offered the naked-eye star cluster now known as Melotte 111 as

“proof.” Previously, the same cluster was widely agreed to be the tuft of hair at end of the tail of Leo

the lion. Nonetheless, legend has it that the miffed monarch actually bought this lame excuse!

Relieved, the spared priests took Conon out to a bar for a laugh and a big bottle of mead. It was the

least they could do.

Although many people today view hair as little more than a nuisance that requires pricey shampoos

and conditioners and snaking the shower drain every six months, back then the story of Berenice’s

Hair was majorly radical stuff. Some dude named Callimachus even wrote a poem about it.

Returning to astronomy, Coma Berenices remained a star cluster until the 17th century, when Tycho

Brahe promoted the immediate vicinity to constellation status for his star catalog. It’s considered to be

the first “modern” constellation, defined as one added after publication of Ptolemy’s Almagest (not to

be confused with Ptolemy the king…there were a lot of Ptolemys running around in those days).

Deep-sky wise, Coma Berenices contains the aforementioned star cluster, a handful of globular

clusters, and lots of galaxies. The namesake star cluster is in the Novice/Urban Observing List and if

you haven’t looked at it before, you should. For the Deep-Sky Challenge we will mostly be looking at

galaxies, but don’t worry — they aren’t all faint fuzzies, and a few of ‘em are actual showpieces.

NGC4064 can be found less than a degree south of the long-period variable R Comae Berenices. A

barred spiral oriented nearly edge-on, it was discovered by d’Arrest in 1861 using an 11" refractor. My

personal notes from 2010 state that it is pretty bright, pretty large, elongated northeast-southwest,

about 2.5' in length, and very gradually then pretty suddenly brighter in the center. Slew about 1.5º due

east to land on the globular cluster NGC4147. I first viewed this object in an 8" SCT way back in

1988. Pretty bright and extremely rich, it’s round and about 3' across. William Herschel felt this object

was “well resolved” when he first observed it in an 18" glass. Modern observations suggest only a hint

of resolution at best, even in large backyard telescopes. Slew roughly 6º north to land on NGC4162.

Moderately bright and large, this spiral shows only a weak concentration toward the center except for

a distinct “nucleus” which is actually a superimposed star. Look for a 10th-magnitude star just 3' to the

southwest. At magnitude 12 this is one of the fainter objects in this month’s list.

NGC4314 lies almost directly on the +30º line of declination and a couple degrees north of the great

Coma Cluster. This is an impressive barred spiral with several superimposed stars. My notes from

1990 state “considerably bright, large, a little elongated.” The Night Sky Observers Guide says that it’s

brighter than 11th magnitude and rates it four stars. Look for a 13th-magnitude star just off the

northwest tip. Slew your scope about 2º to the NNE to land on NGC4414, which is very close to the

border with Canes Venatici. NGC4414 is a half-magnitude brighter than NGC4314 and also rates four

stars in the NSOG. My notes from the same May date in 1990 say it is “very bright, pretty large, pretty

elongated, and very suddenly much brighter in the center,” as viewed using a 13" Dobsonian from my

IAS News and Views

Page 12 March 2020

semi-rural roll-off observatory. The halo is elongated NNW-SSE and is about 2×3' in size, which

enlarges to 3×4' in larger optics. What do YOU see?

The next couple of galaxies definitely rate as showpieces and have even been assigned designations in

the Caldwell catalog. NGC4559 (Caldwell 36) is located just off the NE edge of Mel 111. Brighter

than 10th magnitude, it is big; even the brightest section reaches to 3×7', and the halo extends to over

10' in photographs. Some mottling can be distinguished in the halo, which is concentrated to a large,

elongated core. Several HII regions in the galaxy have IC designations. Although the overall surface

brightness is low, NGC4559 will reward careful study on a clear, transparent night. NGC4565, aka the

“Needle Galaxy,” is found 2.5º due south. Also known as Caldwell 38, NGC4565 is hands-down the

best edge-on galaxy in the entire sky, and one of the most spectacular galaxies in general. The photo

clearly shows its full extent to more than 15', with a prominent central bulge and a bisecting dust lane.

But the remarkable thing is that these details are also readily visible in the eyepiece. Just the long

extent of the galaxy, cutting across the entire field of your eyepiece, is impressive; and averted vision

will display subtle mottling in the dust lane. I first looked at NGC4565 in 1988 by star-hopping with a

13" Dobsonian, and it’s one that I have returned to over and over. If you’re working on any of the

Astronomical League observing clubs, NGC4565 will satisfy the requirements of both the Caldwell

and the Flat Galaxy programs.

NGC4725 is no slouch, either. Pan about 3º east of NGC4565 to find it. Who says all the good

galaxies are Messier objects? Rated “five stars” by the Night Sky Observer’s Guide, and brighter than

10th magnitude, this barred spiral will reward the observer with a bright, elongated patch nearly 3×5'

in size, even in scopes of modest aperture. Very large apertures may show the spiral arms encircling

the galaxy’s core and a hint of the central bar. The small core is very bright and may dazzle the eye, so

try higher power to bring out these subtle features. The 13th-magnitude barred spiral NGC4712 lies

only 12' to the WSW and is left to the reader as “extra credit.”

Melotte 111 is not the only cluster in the Coma Berenices

constellation, there’s a galaxy cluster, too! Also known as Abell

1656, the Coma Galaxy Cluster is the nearest rich collection of

galaxies beyond the more familiar Virgo Cluster. Centered roughly

8' to the SE of the 7th-magnitude star HD112887; the provided

photo from the POSS shows its core. Like the Virgo Cluster, the

brightest luminaries are supergiant elliptical galaxies that have

grown by the coalescence of smaller companions. NGC4889 is the

brightest of these, at magnitude 11.5; NGC4874 is slightly fainter

overall but may actually be easier to spot due to its strong central

condensation. Neither is likely to show much detail, except for a

slight elongation in NGC4889. As you view them, consider that

you’re looking at galaxies that are 400 million light-years away, 10 times further than the Virgo

Cluster! Their intrinsic luminosity must be truly incredible to be visible from this distance.

IAS News and Views

Page 13 March 2020

Many surrounding galaxies have NGC designations, as labeled. Among these is our challenge object,

NGC4865, a few arc-minutes WNW of HD112887. Although magnitude 13.7, the NSOG gives it a

three-star rating and says it is “not difficult to spot” in scopes of 16-18" aperture. Although I’m

skeptical, we’ll give it a try. The other galaxies in this ridiculously crowded field — most of which

hover around 14th magnitude — are offered as “extra credit.”

If you complete this list prior to the end of spring (May 31, for our purposes), contact Bruce Bowman

to ensure you receive recognition. Only IAS members are eligible. Congratulations to the following

five members for completing the Winter 2019-2020 Challenge: Mike Birch, Fred Keller, Laura Hintz-

Keller, Steve McSpadden, and Wayne McSpadden. Rumor has it that the challenge object NGC 1242

was too faint and could only be detected using imaging techniques.

Dim Delights in Cancer

Cancer the Crab is a dim constellation, yet it contains one of the most beautiful

and easy-to-spot star clusters in our sky: the Beehive Cluster. Cancer also

possesses one of the most studied exoplanets: the superhot super-Earth, 55

Cancri e.

Find Cancer’s dim stars by looking in between the brighter neighboring

constellations of Gemini and Leo. Don’t get frustrated if you can’t find it at

first, since Cancer isn’t easily visible from moderately light-polluted areas.

Once you find Cancer, look for its most famous deep-sky object: the Beehive Cluster! It’s a large

open cluster of young stars, three times larger than our Moon in the sky. The Beehive is visible to

unaided eyes under good sky conditions as a faint cloudy patch, but is stunning when viewed through

binoculars or a wide-field telescope. It was one of the earliest deep-sky objects noticed by ancient

astronomers, and so the Beehive has many other names,

including Praesepe, Nubilum, M44, the Ghost, and Jishi

qi. Take a look at it on a clear night through binoculars.

Do these stars look like a hive of buzzing bees? Or do

you see something else? There’s no wrong answer, since

this large star cluster has intrigued imaginative observers

for thousands of years.

55 Cancri is a nearby binary star system, about 41 light

years from us and faintly visible under excellent dark sky

conditions. The larger star is orbited by at least five

planets including 55 Cancri e, (a.k.a. Janssen, named

after one of the first telescope makers). Janssen is a

“super-earth,” a large rocky world 8 times the mass of

our Earth, and orbits its star every 18 hours, giving it one

of the shortest years of all known planets! Janssen was

the first exoplanet to have its atmosphere successfully

analyzed. Both the Hubble and recently-retired Spitzer

space telescopes confirmed that the hot world is

enveloped by an atmosphere of helium and hydrogen

with traces of hydrogen cyanide: not a likely place to

find life, especially since the surface is probably

scorching hot rock. The NASA Exoplanet Catalog has

more details about this and many other exoplanets at

bit.ly/nasa55cancrie.

Look for Cancer in between the “Sickle” or

“Question Mark” of Leo and the bright twin stars

of Gemini. You can’t see the planets around 55

Cancri, but if skies are dark enough you can see

the star itself. Can you see the Beehive Cluster?

IAS News and Views

Page 14 March 2020

How do astronomers find

planets around other star

systems? The Night Sky

Network’s “How We Find

Planets” activity helps

demonstrate both the transit

and wobble methods of

exoplanet detection:

bit.ly/findplanets. Notably,

55 Cancri e was discovered

via the wobble method in

2004, and then the transit

method confirmed the

planet’s orbital period in

2011!

Want to learn more about

exoplanets? Get the latest

NASA news about worlds

Artist concept of 55 Cancri e orbiting its nearby host star. Find details from the Spitzer

Space Telescope’s close study of its atmosphere at: bit.ly/spitzer55cancrie and the

Hubble Space Telescope’s observations at bit.ly/hubble55cancrie Credit: NASA/JPL-

Caltech

beyond our solar system at nasa.gov.

— David Prosper, NASA’s Night Sky Network

Celestial Events for March 2020

08 – “Daylight Savings Time” begins.

Set your clocks ahead one hour at

2 AM this Sunday morning.

09 – The Moon achieves full phase ~11

hours before perigee. This is the

second of four consecutive

“Supermoons” in 2020.

10 – The spring zodiacal light season

begins. Look for it in the west

about 90 minutes after sunset.

15 – Asteroid 27 Euterpe will be at

opposition. Expect a stellar object

of magnitude 9.5.

19 – The vernal equinox occurs at 23:50

EDT, marking the beginning of

spring in the northern hemisphere.

20 – Mars and Jupiter are only 0.6º

apart in the morning sky.

23 – Mercury is at greatest elongation,

28º west of the Sun in the morning.

The Moon and four planets in March, courtesy Earthsky.org

24 – Venus is at greatest elongation, 46º east of the Sun in the evening sky.

IAS News and Views

Page 15 March 2020

New Horizons Reveals Full Picture of Arrokoth...and How Planets Form

Recent observations have pinpointed the location of a fifth fast radio burst, shedding light on the

environments that create these powerful sources.

Fourteen months have elapsed since New Horizons flew by the Kuiper Belt object named Arrokoth,

the most distant world ever visited by a spacecraft — it lies 4.1 billion miles (6.6 billion km, or 44

astronomical units) away from Earth. Now, the spacecraft has returned enough data to Earth for

scientists to fully assess what they saw, and they’re concluding that our current idea of how

planetesimals form is due for an update.

The New Horizons team presented the findings at the

annual meeting of the American Association for the

Advancement of Science in Seattle and published three

papers in the February 13th [issue of] Science detailing

Arrokoth’s formation, geology, and composition.

Two years after cruising past Pluto’s orbit and 13 years

after leaving Earth, New Horizons reached Arrokoth on

January 1, 2019, flying by at 14.43 km/s (30,000 mph)

just 3,500 kilometers from its surface. Arrokoth,

originally nicknamed Ultima Thule by mission scientists

(and technically known as 2014 MU69), turned out to be

shaped like a giant peanut: A narrow neck joins two

lobes, one slightly larger than the other.

Mission scientists didn’t have a special reason to aim for

this object; it was simply at the right location and

distance from Pluto to attempt a flyby. But they could

have not chosen a better target. New Horizons’ proximity

enabled the probe to map Arrokoth’s surface with a

resolution of 30 meters per pixel. The detail revealed a

smooth surface, relatively unmarred by craters. In other

words, the surface lacks signs of a violent, collision-filled

past.

The observations also confirmed that Arrokoth’s surface

is a deep red. “The way the human eye will perceive it is

as a very dark brown,” said New Horizons co-investi-

gator Will Grundy (Lowell Observatory) during a press

conference. The researchers detected methanol ice on the

This brief animation moves between two New

Horizons spacecraft views of Arrokoth. The 3D

effects come from pairing or combining images

taken at different viewing angles, creating a

"binocular" stereo effect, just as the separation of

our eyes allows us to see three-dimensionally. The

3D information from these images provides

scientists with critical insight on the object’s shape

and structure and, subsequently, origin. Click for

the animation. NASA / JHUAPL / SWRI / Roman

Tkachenko

surface, as well as other complex organic species that the scientists were unable to identify.

Combining the images of Arrokoth with dynamical studies of the Kuiper Belt, the astronomers

conclude that Arrokoth formed 4.5 billion years ago. It’s a relic from the early days of the solar system

that came together in the outer fringes of the solar nebula. And because of its remote location, it has

remained pristine and untouched for most of the solar system’s history.

Peaceful Past

Researchers have classified Arrokoth as a contact binary, and new analysis shows it is the product of a

gentle collision between two preexisting bodies. It must have been a delicate dance, in which the two

objects orbited each other until they came to rest onto each other.

IAS News and Views

Page 16 March 2020

“They are just touching each other, it’s like

they are kissing, or if they were spacecraft

they would be docking,” said New Horizons

co-investigator William McKinnon

(Washington University in St. Louis). “There

is no evidence that the merger of these two

lobes was at all violent.”

The main axes of Arrokoth’s two lobes are

aligned to within 10°, further supporting the

idea of a slow approach under their mutual

gravitational influence.

To test this peaceful scenario for Arrokoth’s

origin, a group of scientists led by McKinnon

ran a series of computer simulations to test

various speeds of impact. They concluded that

the “impact” must have occurred slower than

three meters per second. “Probably less than

one meter a second, and obliquely, otherwise

The uniform color and composition of Arrokoth’s surface shows

the Kuiper Belt object formed from a small, uniform, cloud of

material in the solar nebula, rather than a mishmash of matter

from more separated parts of the nebula. The former supports

the idea that Arrokoth formed in a local collapse of a cloud in

the solar nebula. NASA / JHUAPL / SWRI / Roman Tkachenko

you cannot explain what we see at Arrokoth,” McKinnon said.

Double Worlds

Binary or contact binary objects seem to be fairly abundant in the Kuiper Belt, according to recent

ground-based telescopic surveys. (See Sky & Telescope’s February issue for more on how scientists

have come to this conclusion.) The Kuiper Belt is essentially the debris left over from planet

formation. So if Arrokoth came together gently, its example could potentially shift the way scientists

think about planet formation in general.

There are two dominant theories for how planetesimals form. The classic hierarchical model posits

that a series of collisions gradually grow larger and larger objects, from bits of dust to pebbles to

planetesimals, and so on. The main caveat is that this theory has difficulty explaining why the

impacting bodies would stick together after colliding rather than ricocheting off each other.

The alternative, and more recently proposed scenario is known as gravitational instability. In this

picture, when clouds of small particles within the protoplanetary disk become dense enough, they

collapse under their own gravity.

A phenomenon called streaming instability is behind this collapse: Gas in the disk drags on solid

particles, so they end up organizing into streams, or strings, of pebble-size particles. Like a line of

cyclists riding against the wind, the first pebbles in line receive most of the headwind. The rest of the

pebbles drop behind the first ones in order to reduce drag. These pebble strings ultimately collapse

directly into objects tens to hundreds of kilometers in diameter on timescales of 1,000 years or less. In

other words, massive collapse occurs in the blink of an astronomical eye.

During the press conference, the researchers clarified that the hierarchical model probably still applies

later on during the planet-building process, when larger bodies crash into each other and their

gravitational pull is strong enough for them to stick together.

“This is a decisive result in favor of one theory: local cloud collapse,” said New Horizons principal

investigator Alan Stern (Southwest Research Institute). “I believe this is a game-changer.”

— Javier Barbuzano, Sky & Telescope. Used with permission.

IAS News and Views

Page 17 March 2020

A Detailed View of Our Second Interstellar Visitor

What do we know about the second object to visit us from another stellar system? Detailed Hubble

images have given us plenty to consider!

Extrasolar Guests Among Us

When asteroid 1I/‘Oumuamua tore through our solar system last year, it was a one-of-a-kind event:

the first time we had observed an object from another stellar system pass through our own. But nature

likes to keep us on our toes —

and it wasn’t long before the next

interstellar object paid us a visit.

In October of 2019, comet

2I/Borisov was first spotted. The

body swung through perihelion

— the point closest to the Sun —

in December and then sped along

on its way back out through our

solar system. It’s expected to

reach the distance of Jupiter in

July of 2020, and the distance of

Saturn by March of 2021.

Hubble image of comet 2I/Borisov, captured just after the comet passed

perihelion in December 2019. [NASA/ESA/D. Jewitt (UCLA)]

Apples and Oranges, Asteroids and Comets

Our two interstellar visitors thus far, however, are surprisingly dissimilar. Unlike ‘Oumuamua,

Borisov doesn’t have an obviously elongated, tumbling shape. And though observations of

‘Oumuamua showed it to be entirely inactive, Borisov has the appearance of a typical solar system

comet: it has a prominent coma — a cloud of gas and dust — around it, and its spectrum contains

weak lines that demonstrate ongoing outgassing.

As comet Borisov approached perihelion, a team of scientists led by David Jewitt (UC Los Angeles)

imaged it with the Hubble Space Telescope, capturing this body at a distance of just 2.4 AU from the

Sun. These observations provide us with a

stunningly detailed look at an interstellar object.

A Comet Under Scrutiny

What have we learned from these new data?

● Size

Jewitt and collaborators use three

independent constraints — the comet’s

surface brightness, the rate of its

acceleration from forces other than

gravity, and its gas production — to

measure the size of the comet’s

nucleus. They show that this body is

likely much smaller than originally

thought: just 200–500 meters in radius,

as opposed to the 2–16 km estimated

from initial observations.

Composite Hubble image of comet Borisov taken on 12

October 2019 shows the coma and extensive tail of dust trailing

from the comet. The 5” scale bar corresponds to a distance of

10,000 km. [Jewitt et al. 2020]

IAS News and Views

Page 18 March 2020

● Density

The authors show that the above constraints also dictate a minimum density for the comet

nucleus of at least 25 kg/m3 (for comparison, Earth’s density is 5,500 kg/m3). This rules out

extreme low-density models for this body like some of those proposed to explain

‘Oumuamua’s unexpected acceleration (which have proposed densities of as little as 0.01

kg/m3).

● Spin-up

The small radius for Borisov renders this body susceptible to being spun up by torques from

asymmetric outgassing. Jewitt and collaborators show that in the ~0.6 years Borisov will

spend heating up within 3 AU of the Sun — and, consequently, outgassing as its water

sublimates — the spin of the comet could change significantly, perhaps even causing the body

to break up entirely! We can keep an eye out for spin changes as we observe it in the future.

There’s still plenty to learn as we continue to track this newest interstellar object — and we can surely

expect more visitors to drop in for future observations!

Citation

“The Nucleus of Interstellar Comet 2I/Borisov,” David Jewitt et al 2020, Astrophysical Journal

Letters, 888 L23. doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ab621b

— Susanna Kohler, AAS Nova

IAS Membership Reports for December 2019 & January 2020

On 1/31/2020 the IAS had a total of 241 members (an all-time high!).

During December there were 12 renewals and two new memberships.

The IAS welcomes the following new members:

Elizabeth Freedman Indianapolis

Richard Burton New Whiteland

During January there were 23 renewals and seven new members.

The IAS welcomes the following new members:

Judy Arnold Lapel

Quinton Hutton Indianapolis

Anthony Hamilton Carmel

Susan Pfau Greenwood

Joseph George Carmel

William Norman Indianapolis

Ernesto Rodriguez Brownsburg

Submitted by Jeff O’Dair, IAS Membership Coordinator

IAS News and Views

Page 19 March 2020

Astro Ads

Do you have or are you looking for astronomy-related materials and equipment? The IAS, as a service

to its members, will publish non-commercial ads at no charge. For sale, exchange, or want ads are all

accepted. Each ad runs in the newsletter for four months and may be renewed at the owner’s request.

To place an ad, send an email to editor@iasindy.org.

For Sale

Tele Vue 2× Barlow (1.25" barrel). New, never out of the original cellophane wrapping.

Costs new about $130, but I’ll take $75 cash at a meeting or $90 check shipped with the original box,

silver Tele Vue sticker and product description sheet.

Contact John Molt johnmolt99@gmail.com or 317-989-1875 (voice or text)

2020 Meetings and Events Schedule General Meeting Deep-Sky McCloud West Park

March 7 13, 14, 20, 21 — —

April 25 17, 18, 24 — 4

May 23 15, 16, 22 16 —

June 13 12, 19, 20 27 —

July 11 10, 24, 25 25 —

August 22 14, 15, 21 29 —

September 12 (hog roast) 11, 18, 19 26 —

October 10 9, 16, 17 24 —

November 21 6, 7, 13, 14 — TBD

December 12 (holiday party) 11, 18, 19 — TBD

NOTES:

The April-October general meetings will be at Link. The remainder will be at Holcomb.

IAS board meetings will be held two hours prior to the general meeting at the same location.

Deep-sky observing sessions are at Link. Overnight camping is allowed, but no trailers or campfires.

TBD – to be determined

IAS News and Views

Page 20 March 2020

Miscellanea

Goethe Link Observatory

Observatory Address:

Goethe Link Observatory

8403 N. Observatory Lane

Martinsville, IN 46151

Latitude: 39 degrees, 33 minutes north

Longitude: 86 degrees, 24 minutes west

Phone: (317) 831-0668

Training programs are scheduled by the Observatory

Manager as instructors are available and time permits, although other requests can override these

sessions.

To schedule the use of the 36" telescope, two criteria must be met:

• There must be a trained telescope operator and at least one assistant present.

• Send an email to the Observatory Manager (link-observatory@iasindy.org) to confirm

availability.

Please plan ahead! Last-minute scheduling requests may not get access.

IAS News & Views — The monthly newsletter can be found on our web site at iasindy.org. The News

and Views welcomes articles of local astronomical interest, follow-up on IAS events, and want/for sale

ads. Please submit articles to the editor in an email to editor@iasindy.org.

Membership information — Please send an email to membership@iasindy.org; our membership

coordinator will respond promptly. Full instructions are also available under the “Join Us” tab on our

web site, where you can submit a paperless membership form, e-pay your dues, join the Astronomical

League, and/or make a donation.

Requests for Information — You may contact our officers, Board members, and Coordinators via

our website at iasindy.org. Place your cursor on the “Home” tab and then select “Contact us.” Page

down to the person you desire to contact and send an email message requesting information or a return

telephone call. We will be happy to respond within a reasonable time frame.

Logo Clothing — The IAS has a supply of logo ware using Mid-Central Trophy in Kokomo, IN.

Typically T-shirts, sweatshirts, polo shirts, and caps are available. Call Linda (765-453-5494), tell her

this is an order for the IAS logo ware, discuss what you want and give her the size. She can determine

the cost and shipping and mail the order directly to your home. All major credit cards are accepted.

Astro-Quotes

“The Cosmos is all that is or ever was or ever will be. Our feeblest

contemplations of the Cosmos stir us — there is a tingling in the

spine, a catch in the voice, a faint sensation, as if a distant memory,

or falling from a height. We know we are approaching the greatest

of mysteries.”

— Carl Sagan

IAS News and Views

Page 21 March 2020

March Calendar, 2020 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 2

First Quarter

3 4 5 6 7

IAS Board 5PM

IAS General

Meeting 7PM

8 9

Full Moon

10 11 12 13

Link campout

14

Link campout

15 16

Last Quarter

17 18 19

Vernal

equinox

20

Link campout

21

Link campout

22 23 24

New Moon

25 26 27 28

29 30 31 1

First Quarter

2 3

3 Juno at

opposition

4

West Park

Stargaze 6 PM

The California Nebula, NGC 1499, in Perseus. Photo courtesy Scotty Bishop.

The IAS News and Views ©2020 by the Indiana Astronomical Society. Unsigned articles may be attributed to the editor.