From the Director

Posted on August 6, 2019 by ST Editors

Rex

 

 

 

by Rex Parker, Phd director@princetonastronomy.org

AAAP Member Survey Summer 2019. There were 78 responses to the survey sent a month ago (out of 100 total members). The Board will be reviewing the results and using them in making decisions for the future. The survey will remain open through August 21 at this link if you haven’t yet responded: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Z2MNWPH

It’s encouraging that 61 respondents own an astronomical telescope, 48 come out to the WC Observatory at least once a year, and 33 would likely participate in the proposed Gravity Hill star party (see below).

Hold the Date: Sept 27-28 Gravity Hill Star Party. Plans are being developed for a AAAP member star party, a new twist on the StarQuest theme of years past – stay tuned for more information later this summer.

Performance Test – AAAP’s ZWO294 Astro Camera. I borrowed the ZWO ASI294-MC PRO camera from the Observatory to see how good it can be, especially when hooked up to a “large but fast” scope. The ZWO is a technological marvel and illustrates why CMOS sensor technology continues to displace the CCD in astronomy applications. The ZWO294 camera features a CMOS Bayer-matrix (RGGB) color sensor, the Sony IMX294. The sensor itself is relatively large at 19 x13 mm (so-called 4/3-inch sensor with diagonal 23mm), key to wider-field images. The pixel array is 4144 x 2822 (11.3M pixels) at 4.6 um size. The camera has 14-bit native bit depth, very fast download rate, low read noise, and cooling to ~35 deg C below ambient to reduce dark current noise. Results below confirm that the newer-gen CMOS color cameras are a revolutionary step forward for electronically assisted astronomy (EAA).

My ZWO test was carried out on a bright moonlit night in mid-July with pasty, hazy skies. I even left the deck light on here at home and could barely see the stars. But I gave the camera a whirl using my AG Optics modified-Dall-Kirkham 12.5” reflector telescope at f/5 (0.75x focal reducer on native f/6.7 scope, FL = 1610 mm) on a Paramount-MX running TheSkyX. For these images I didn’t even need to guide. The ZWO camera sensor was cooled to -10 deg and the gain set at default/mid-range deep sky setting. Below are unprocessed JPEGs of screen shots showing what you’d see as live images in real-time with the ZWO. These are all 15 second “live” subframes with stacking going out to only 3 or 5 min.

I do not think SharpCap is the way to go here as the camera control program. I found a much better software program in terms of ease of use, color balancing, and stability of output – for the ZWO as well as the SX Ultrastar. Software Bisque recently developed a “Live Stack” mode in their Camera Add-On to TheSkyX which we have at observatory. It works great, is simpler, and overall better than SharpCap with the ZWO in my opinion.

We can do this at the observatory with the Celestron-14 using a Celestron f6.3 focal reducer (and presumably flip mirror so eyepiece is still available). I really hope that Keyholders give it a tryout (and yes, I did return the camera to the observatory :>).

M13 Globular Cluster in Hercules, ZWO294 – 15 sec live image stacked for 3 min

M16 Eagle Nebula in Sagittarius, ZWO294 – 15 sec live image stacked for 5 min

M27 Dumbell Nebula in Vulpecula, ZWO294 – 15 sec live image stacked for 3 min

Cirrus Nebula East in Cygnus, ZWO294 – 15 sec live image stacked for 5 min

Skynet Project Renewal. Payment has been completed and the new contract is in place now for another two years of Skynet. Two years ago we began this project to bring AAAP members access to remote astrophotography. Skynet was created by Dr Dan Reichart of the Physics and Astronomy Dept at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. The internet-based queue scheduling program runs on a computer at UNC which accesses a system of observatories they created for remote imaging. This system, the Skynet Robotic Telescope Network, comprises more than a dozen telescopes around the world at observatories in Chile, Australia, Italy, Canada, and US. Each telescope is set up with tracking mount, CCD camera, and filters for remote color image acquisition. Tutorial videos are available to help a user get up and running.

Whether you’re a first-time astronomer or seasoned observer, Skynet’s easy-to-use yet powerful interface allows you to get images of celestial objects from the Messier and NGC deep sky catalogs. Skynet also includes a basic image processing program “Afterglow” that runs on the server, so you don’t need any special software on your PC. You also can download and process your images locally with your own programs like CCD Stack or Maxim DL if you like. While there are limits on the length of exposures, Skynet is a great way to get onto the learning curve for astro-imaging and understanding how the modern practice of astronomy works. Current AAAP members who have used the system will have new credits added to their accounts. If you are interested in a Skynet account, or already have an account and want additional credits, please send me an e-mail note at director@princetonastronomy.org.

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From the Assistant Director

Posted on August 6, 2019 by ST Editors

by Larry Kane

As some of you who have Meetup accounts know, the AAAP also has one. At this site. I post notices about out observatory open houses and other salient information about our club. This is a great site to share information about our club and its activities with other members and the public. It is also an excellent way to find out what the public thinks about our club and the decisions it makes.

With this in mind, I am urging that, if you do not presently have a Meetup account, go to meetup website, setup one and stay abreast of what’s happening. And, while you are there, be sure to leave a comment so I and the other Board members know what is on your mind. Setting up an account is free. You can always be up to date with what your club is up to any time and any place. Hoping to keep the AAAP better aligned in the twenty first century and wishing you all lazy summer weekends of clear skies!

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Outreach Blotter

Posted on August 6, 2019 by ST Editors

by Gene Allen, Outreach Chair

We have had a few non-hardware members coming to Outreach Events, and that is great. If you try it, come a bit early and try to engage attendees as they arrive to ask about their interest and experience and share your own. Sometimes there will be opportunities to assist in activities, sometimes not. Chat with them as they wait between stargazing targets. You can bring your interest and passion for astronomy and science and take away what you learn from the presentation and sky tours.

You will be getting continuing email appeals to help staff Outreach Events as their scheduled dates approach. I won’t list them here except to say we have a “biggee,“ our first Partnership Event with Gravity Hill, on August 3. Come and participate if you possibly can. We are also still short of telescopes for stargazing after Prasad Ganti’s presentation at the Plainsboro Library on August 10.

On July 20, the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing, the New Jersey State Museum Planetarium held a party. Dave Skitt, Jeff Pinyan, Victor Davis, and Tom Swords set up solar scopes for attendees in spite of the oppressive afternoon heat. Following the party, only about 10 folks took advantage of Members’ Night at Simpson Observatory.

On July 24 Jeff Pinyan gave our first library summer reading program presentation to about 30 folks in East Windsor. The very next night, Jim Peck gave a presentation to 12 at the library in Cranbury. These programs target youth and tend to end before it’s dark enough to gaze at stars.

On July 25 we were sort of double booked. While Jim gave his talk in Cranbury, I gave my presentation for the first time at a Morven Museum and Gardens event. It seemed to be well received by the mostly adult group of about 25. Stargazing followed, with Hongkun Zhao, Scott Smith, and Jeff Pinyan setting up scopes. They were able to show both Jupiter and Saturn, and Jeff again enraptured those who gathered to hear his constellation walk.

On July 26 I think we had the most folks at the observatory this season. At one point Tom counted 25 inside and nearly as many outside. He was able to take time from his Team 1 duties to repair one customer’s damaged refractor, and Jeff helped another customer set up and get started using their SCT. John Church stopped by to share his vast knowledge and undying enthusiasm. With the turnover of folks throughout the evening, I think we easily had more than 60. Jeff had a group mesmerized right up until midnight, even after we had the roof closed! New member Mark and Keyholder Team Leader Tim Donney were both there with guests, and another Keyholder, Allan Nolde, I think it was, brought his family.

We are off to a powerful start, and there is lots more to come!

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Minutes of the June 11, 2019 AAAP General Meeting

Posted on August 6, 2019 by ST Editors

by John Miller, Secretary

  • This season-end meet gathered at the N.J. State Museum’s Planetarium.
  • Rex Parker, Director, brought the meeting to order at 7:30 P.M.
  • The group thanked member Bill Murray for arranging and hosting the Planetarium show. The presentation was titled: Cap Con Go – Story of Apollo 11.
  • Rex Parker mentioned the Planetarium’s operation may be in jeopardy due to budget allocations. He stated the intention of sending a letter of support for the facility to the State Museum management, on behalf of the AAAP.
  • It was announced that July 20th – Lunar Landing Day will be hosted by the Planetarium. Members are encouraged to attend. That evening, a “Members Night” is scheduled at the Washington Crossing Observatory. All AAAP members and their guests are invited.
  • Rex Parker announced the Skynet Automated Astrophotography (Skynet University – UNC) contract has been renewed for two years.
    https://skynet.unc.edu/introastro/ourtelescopes/ .
  • A proposal was opened to the floor to hold a AAAP star party at a location in Hopewell Township, NJ. Rex Parker is leading talks with a site called “Gravity Hill.” Tentative dates discussed were September 28th and 29th, 2019.
    https://www.thebarnatgravityhill.com/
  • There was continued discussion regarding a proposed name change to our organization. From: Amateur Astronomers Association of Princeton To: Astronomy Association of Princeton.
  • The meeting adjourned at 10:10 PM.
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Rockets and the Moon

Posted on August 6, 2019 by ST Editors

by Gene Allen

Thank you Ira! His contribution to Apollo memorabilia for the May meeting was a terrific Lego Saturn V rocket. Mine was ordered from Amazon that very night. It was kept boxed up as a secret until we were into our weeks at the beach, then built with my grandsons. Bag by bag, #1 through #12, and step by step, #1 through #336, all 1969 pieces (cute, huh?) were assembled. Had to hold Sawyer, age 6, back a bit to give Evan, 4, his turns, but both boys did an excellent job. We were all very impressed with their meticulous diligence and their attention span. They stayed focused and eager for over an hour that first day. Each day after, they came to me and asked to do another bag or two. Packaged that way, multiples of any type piece clearly represent an error, so corrections are easily made. It’s not always clear how sub-assemblies go together, though, so there were a few instances of disassembly to adjust components found to be ninety degrees out of registry.

In the end, we were all justifiably proud of our work, but then the question arose of how to get it home intact. All the cars were overloaded with stuff, so there was no space to lay it out gently cradled on a quilt. Cling wrap to the rescue! It was almost like shrink wrap, and some packaging tape longitudinally over the wrap assured against disconnection of the stages. Fins removed, it slid perfectly into a box that had brought down a beach umbrella. Home safe, the wrapping cut away, the rocket now stands protected but accessible in a place of honor. Yeah, it’s in my house.

A few nights before we started on the rocket, the Moon was a few nights before full, so it was up before sunset and, more importantly, before bedtime. My little Tele Vue 85 was set up on the deck, and the boys had their first ever telescope look at the Moon. It was a good lesson for me, because the high power crater and mountain view at the terminator that I thought would be impressive did not work for them. With no observing experience, that perspective made no sense. The desired aha moment was not achieved until I switched to a medium power eyepiece that gave them a whole Moon view. That was familiar, just lots bigger and more detailed. It’s so fulfilling to watch their faces light up with smiles and hear the “Wow!” when they actually ‘get’ it!

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Yeah, that’s just M13

Posted on August 6, 2019 by ST Editors

by Gene Allen

We show globular star cluster M13 a lot at the Observatory. AKA NGC 6205 and “the Great Hercules Cluster,” it’s just always up there. It’s viewable from April to November, our whole Public Night season. It’s one of the brighter deep sky objects, +5.78 visual magnitude and 23,000 light years away, according to Sky Safari. It’s available unless clouds or the Moon overwhelms it. Only one other globular is brighter, but M22 is in Sagittarius, viewable only June through August, and never much out of the weeds. We still like showing M13 to our guests, and the Ultrastar throws a great image up on the monitor, but for me, it’s become kinda “meh.”

Until last night. I had my SCT set up in the driveway, right next to an obscenely bright street light that stays on all night. I wanted Jupiter to collimate a RACI finder and laser I just added to the tube, and to get it in the back yard I’d be way out in the wet grass. Nah, I’ll shield my eyes.

Got the hardware aligned pretty quickly and put in the ASI224MC camera but couldn’t get any image. Realizing I have no idea where focus should be so I need a bunch more preliminary work, out with the camera and back in with the diagonal and eyepiece. Gazed at binary Mizar a bit, then remembered M13 was also at the zenith on Friday night and jogged over.

Wow. Like, what? How come it looks so detailed, so interesting? It’s just M13, but most of the stars are distinct, and golden ones, sparkling more brightly and feeling closer, are scattered about. I don’t think I have ever seen it looking like this in the much larger and more capable Observatory hardware. The view was captivating. It was like someone had turned on or tuned up my non-existent adaptive optics. Or maybe there was some kind of hole in the atmosphere above me. I had first looked through the Radian 18 mm, at 130X, and the view with the Nagler 6 11 mm at 214X was just as spectacular. Tried the 9 mm but that one dulled it a bit without adding to the depth, so 261X was apparently too much magnification for the seeing.

Pretty soon I quit pondering the how or why and just reveled in the sight. Found the wife still awake, reading, and brought her out. She was not as impressed as I. Oh well, over to Jupiter for her peek, then back.

It was almost 11 when I saw a neighbor’s TV go on, so I knew someone was awake. I tiptoed over and timidly rang the doorbell. He looked at me very sideways as I explained the invitation, but he and his son-in-law both came over to look. They had some trouble seeing M13 with the streetlight competing, but they also aren’t practiced at studying DSOs. Jupiter was a much bigger hit, and tiny Saturn, up by then, really blew him away. They both thanked me vigorously, and he was still exclaiming about it as he walked home.

That’s really where it’s at, isn’t it? I had a thrilling experience, but it wasn’t enough to just enjoy it by myself. I had to try to share it. Okay, so they didn’t catch the thrill I did, but they caught one of their own.

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