Author Archives: ST Editors

No meeting on February 14, 2017. Happy Valentine’s Day

Posted on February 2, 2017 by ST Editors

by Ira Polans, Program Chair Since the next meeting is on February 14 which is Valentine’s Day we’ve decided not to hold the meeting. I can report that the program committee is continuing its work to find speakers for the … Continue reading →

Posted in February 2017, Sidereal Times | Tagged | Leave a comment

Minutes of the January 18th AAAP Board Meeting

Posted on February 2, 2017 by ST Editors

by James Poinsett, Secretary • Rex called the meeting to order at 7:30 pm • A brief overview of 2016’s accomplishments and 2017’s objectives was presented. • The main topic of the evening was next, what to do about the … Continue reading →

Posted in February 2017, Sidereal Times | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Minutes of the January 10, 2017 AAAP Meeting

Posted on February 2, 2017 by ST Editors

by James Poinsett, Secretary Minutes of the January 2017 meeting of the AAAP • The meeting was called to order at 7:30 • Rex briefly listed some objective for the club for 2017     o Continuation of the outstanding lectures … Continue reading →

Posted in February 2017, Sidereal Times | Tagged , | Leave a comment

End of an era; potential new beginnings…

Posted on February 2, 2017 by ST Editors

by Dave Skitt It was a gloomy day on January 21, 2017, when Bill Murray, my wife, Jennifer, and I, made a trip up to AAAP’s former observatory within the UACNJ consortium of observatories in Jenny Jump State Forest. Yes, … Continue reading →

Posted in February 2017, Sidereal Times | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Solar filter crafted for historic telescope

Posted on February 2, 2017 by ST Editors

by Dave Skitt In early 2016, knowledge of the approaching May 9th Mercury transit and the absence of a suitable solar filter for our club’s historic, 6¼-inch Hastings-Byrne refractor, prompted me, as observatory co-chair, to look for a solution. Protruding … Continue reading →

Posted in February 2017, Sidereal Times | Tagged , | Leave a comment

A myth you can live by…

Posted on February 2, 2017 by ST Editors

by Theo Frimet Angular momentum and the space time ripple effect I came. I listened. I learned. And all at last month’s lecture on how stars explode. I am writing here, today, to opine on how a software program running … Continue reading →

Posted in February 2017, Sidereal Times | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Snippets

Posted on February 2, 2017 by ST Editors

compiled by David Kaplan Claim made for hydrogen ‘wonder material’ Scientists in the US say they have at last managed to turn hydrogen into a state where it behaves like a metal. If that is true – and it is … Continue reading →

Posted in February 2017, Sidereal Times | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

From the Director

Posted on January 3, 2017 by ST Editors

      by Rex Parker, Director Help Make 2017 a Great Year for Astronomy! To help improve members’ direct access to astronomy, we’ve been updating and improving the hardware and software at our observatory at Washington Crossing State Park, … Continue reading →

Posted in January 2017, Sidereal Times | Tagged , | Leave a comment

‘Explosions in the sky’ – January 10, 2017 Lecture

Posted on January 3, 2017 by ST Editors

by Ira Polans, Program Chair We begin the New Year with a talk on “Explosions in the sky” by Dr. Ondrej Pejcha of Princeton University on January 10th at 7:30 PM in Peyton Hall on the Princeton University campus. The … Continue reading →

Posted in January 2017, Sidereal Times | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Minutes of the December 13, 2016 AAAP Meeting

Posted on January 3, 2017 by ST Editors

by James Poinsett, Secretary Minutes of the December 2016 Meeting of the AAAP • Director Rex called the meeting to order • Ira introduced the speaker for the evening, Dr. Eric Gawiser from Rutgers University. His lecture was titled “The … Continue reading →

Posted in January 2017, Sidereal Times | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The Solar Eclipse of August 21, 2017

Posted on January 3, 2017 by ST Editors

by John Church As many club members are already aware, we have arranged for a prime viewing site in Oregon for this year’s total solar eclipse. Totality will last for slightly over 2 minutes, beginning shortly after 10 am PDT, … Continue reading →

Posted in January 2017, Sidereal Times | Tagged , | 3 Comments

tabula rasa

Posted on January 3, 2017 by ST Editors

by Theodore R Frimet A photon, neutrino and graviton walk into a bar… A photon, neutrino, and a graviton walk into a bar. Bartender asks, what’s with the graviton? The photon says, “let me explain”. The neutrino interrupts, and says, … Continue reading →

Posted in January 2017, Sidereal Times | Tagged , | Leave a comment

So far away…

Posted on January 3, 2017 by ST Editors

by Prasad Ganti “Betelgeuse is 640 million light years away. It is a red giant, and is almost dying”. How do we know this, when it is difficult to find out what is happening in Syria or Russia? After all … Continue reading →

Posted in January 2017, Sidereal Times | Tagged , | Leave a comment