From the Outreach Chair

Posted on June 6, 2011 by ST Editors

by David W. Letcher, Outreach Chair

The Sun Team of “The Three Davids” took advantage of a pleasant, mostly clear day at the Super Science Saturday on May 7, 2011 to show a small group of sunspots to a large group of folks who attended the event at the State Museum.  David Letcher, David Kaplan, and David Zahler represented the AAAP that day.

The morning was quite clear but as the hours passed by, increasing clouds prevented us from seeing the sun.  But we had fun and lots of parents and children got to see some sunspots.

Let’s hope that we have some clear nights for our upcoming open houses.  To that end we expect to have a cub scout troop visit the observatory on Friday evening, June 17th.  We’ll probably have about 50 scouts and parents show up.

Another opportunity for outreach has arisen. An email from Dr. Donald Lubowich, the Coordinator of Astronomy Outreach, for Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York indicates he is applying for a NASA-sponsored education and public outreach grant to fund telescope observations and astronomy demonstrations at the Ronald McDonald Houses within 200 miles of NYC.  If this grant is approved, it would provide all of the funding pay for telescopes, posters, astronomy demonstrations, astronomy videos, etc.

He would like to invite any interested clubs in the NJ, PA, or DE regions to participate in this program.   It will involve a few outreach programs,  assisting with the training of the RMH staff, and being available to help with questions. There would be a small stipend of $500 to reimburse the clubs for any travel expenses.

On May 25, Director Ludy D’Angelo responded to Dr. Lubowich by saying “On behalf of the Amateur Astronomers Association of Princeton (AAAP), we are very interested to participate in these activities. Good luck with the grant. Let us know when we can help.”

Posted in June 2011 | Tagged | Leave a comment

May 10, 2011 AAAP Meeting Minutes

Posted on June 6, 2011 by ST Editors

by Michael Wright for Larry Kane, Secretary

The meeting was called to order by Director Ludy D’Angelo at 8:00PM.

Ludy verified that a quorum of the members was present to elect the 2011-12 officers.  He presented the following nominations to the membership:

  • Director: Ludy D’Angelo
  • Assistant Director: Jeff Bernardis
  • Treasurer: Michael Mitrano
  • Secretary: Larry Kane
  • Program Chair: Ken Levy

There were no additional nominations from the floor.  Hamilton Potter motioned to accept the candidates, which was seconded by Saul Mroz.  The members present approved the slate of officers for 2011-12 by a voice vote.

Princeton Astrophysical Sciences graduate student Khee-Gan Lee presented a talk entitled:  “Quasars and the Lyman-alpha Forest: A Look into the Cosmic Boom Town,”

After a brief intermission, Ludy called the business meeting to order.

Super Science Saturday: Ludy said that the club had a table and solar telescopes at the event on May 7.  Volunteers came forth at the last minutes to help out.  He emphasized that club participation is important because of AAAP’s relationship with the State Museum and Washington Crossing Park.

Picnic:  Ludy asked for opinions on holding a picnic for members and their families on June 4.  It was agreed that the picnic will be held at Ludy’s house beginning at 4:00PM.   The club will provide the basics and members will be asked to contribute other items.  An observing session will be held after dark at the observatory.  Ludy will email an announcement to all members.  Prompt RSVPs will help the planning.

Treasurer’s Report:  Michael Mitrano reported that the AAAP now has 87 members, which is two less than last year.  See Treasurer’s Report.

Star Quest: Ludy and Jeff Bernardis will coordinate requesting prize donations from vendors.

Program:  Retiring Program Chair John Church announced that the next meeting will be a planetarium show by Bill Murray at the State Planetarium on June 14 at 7:30PM.  This is a members-only event.  Reminders will be sent to the membership, and press releases will not be sent out.  Ludy thanked John for his work.  John received a round of applause. John said he enjoyed arranging and meeting the speakers, and hoped the tradition would continue.  He wished luck to incoming Program Chair Ken Levy and offered his help with next season’s speakers.  Ken said that he is arranging speakers and will announce them when dates are confirmed.  Gene Ramsey said that graduate students who are working for leading researchers make great speakers because they can present the latest research.

Outreach:  Bill Murray announced that the State Planetarium will be bringing guests to the observatory on Friday, May 13 after their evening planetarium show so this may be a busy public night.  Ludy D’Angelo requested that members come out to help and bring scopes.

Observatory:  Gene Ramsey said that he and Jeff Bernardis are finalizing the plans to upgrade the alarm system at the observatory.  Gene asked for a volunteer to cut the grass because the park staff is not cutting it.  After a brief discussion, Ludy said that he would speak to the park director about the problem and point out the benefits that AAAP brings to the park.

Sidereal Times:  Michael Wright announced that the deadline for the June issue will be June 3 and encouraged members to submit articles.  John Church thanked Mike for sending press releases to the local media announcing AAAP’s meetings this year.

Bill Murray requested a keyholder to cover his observatory duty night on May 27 because he will be at the Cherry Springs Star Party.

A Board meeting will be held over the Summer.  Ludy will announce the date and time via email.

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 10:00PM.

Posted in June 2011, Sidereal Times | Tagged | Leave a comment

Treasurer’s Report

Posted on June 6, 2011 by ST Editors

by Michael Mitrano, Treasurer

We are approaching the June 30 end of our fiscal year, and the AAAP has had very little financial activity in recent weeks.  At this point, our surplus for the year is about $2,500. On a cumulative basis, it is nearly $21,000.

I will have a detailed report in July.

Posted in June 2011, Sidereal Times | Tagged | Leave a comment

When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer

Posted on June 6, 2011 by ST Editors

Obviously, we generally don’t have a Poet’s Corner in the Sidereal Times.  However, when I came across a fellow New Jerseyan’s 19th century poem, it gave me pause, and we should not take offense. The purity of thought, as to why we’re all members is more important than his seeming boredom with the technicalities of it all.

David Kaplan

When I heard the learn’d astronomer,
When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in col-umns before me,
When I was shown the charts and diagrams, to add, divide, and measure them,
When I sitting heard the astronomer where he lec-tured with much applause in the lecture-room,
How soon unaccountable I became tired and sick,
Till rising and gliding out I wander’d off by myself,
In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time,
Look’d up in perfect silence at the stars.

by Walt Whitman (1819 – 1892)

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Historic Final Flight of Space Shuttle Endeavour

Posted on June 6, 2011 by ST Editors

by Dr. Ken Kremer

Ken Kremer and Space Shuttle Endeavour at Launch Pad 39 A at the Kennedy Space Center. Credit: Ken Kremer

Ken Kremer and Space Shuttle Endeavour at Launch Pad 39 A at the Kennedy Space Center. Credit: Ken Kremer

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER – After a 16 day journey of more than sixteen million miles. Space Shuttle Endeavour and her six man crew glided to a safe nighttime landing at 2:35 am EDT on June 1 at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. I watched from close by the shuttle landing strip as the ghostly ship flew past, preceded by shocking twin sonic booms.

The STS-134 mission marked the end of Endeavour’s spaceflight career. It was the penultimate flight of the shuttle program and the 25th and final one for the youngest orbiter in NASA’s shuttle fleet. Altogether, Endeavour has logged 299 days in space, orbited Earth 4,671 times and traveled 122,883,151 miles.

STS-134 Space Shuttle Commander Mark Kelly. Credit: Ken Kremer

Shuttle Commander Mark Kelly led the STS-134 mission. He was joined by Pilot Greg H. Johnson and Mission Specialists Mike Fincke, Drew Feustel, Greg Chamitoff and the European Space Agency’s Roberto Vittori.

The primary goal of the highly productive flight was the delivery of the $2 billion Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) to the International Space Station. AMS is a state-of-the-art cosmic ray detector that seeks to unveil the invisible universe and search for evidence of dark matter, strange matter and antimatter.

The AMS may revolutionize our understanding of how the universe was born and evolved over time. The AMS science instrument is sponsored by the United States and 15 other countries across the globe. Nobel prize winner Samuel Ting of MIT leads the international science project.

“What a great ending to this really wonderful mission,” said Bill Gerstenmaier, Associate Administrator for Space Operation at a briefing for reporters “They’re getting great data from their instrument on board the space station. It couldn’t have gone any better for this mission.”

Mike Leinbach, the Space Shuttle Launch Director, said, “It’s been a great morning at the Kennedy Space Center.”

The crew conducted the last four spacewalks that will ever by carried out by shuttle crew members. Simultaneously, they completed the construction of the US portion of the ISS.

Space Shuttle Endeavour on Launch Pad 39 A prior to blastoff on May 16, 2011. Credit: Ken Kremer

STS-134 was the 36th shuttle mission dedicated to ISS assembly and maintenance.

“You know, the space shuttle is an amazing vehicle to fly through the atmosphere, hit it at Mach 25, steer through the atmosphere like an airplane, land on a runway. It is really, really an incredible ship,” said Kelly. “On behalf of my entire crew, I want to thank every person who’s worked to get this mission going and every person who’s worked on Endeavour. It’s sad to see her land for the last time, but she really has a great legacy.”

Endeavour blasted off on her historic final spaceflight on May 16 following a two week delay caused by a heater malfunction in the fuel line that powers the orbiters hydraulics. Endeavour lifted off from Pad 39 A at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) at 8:56 am EDT.

Space Shuttle Endeavour blasts off on her 25th and final mission from Pad 39 A on May 16, 2011 at 8:56 a.m. View from the world famous countdown clock at T Plus 5 Seconds at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Credit: Ken Kremer

Overcast skies moved in over the pad in the last 30 minutes of the countdown and nearly derailed the launch again. I witnessed Endeavour’s majestic launch from the KSC press site next to the world famous countdown clock.

Endeavour’s three main engines roared to life six seconds before the twin, solid-rocket boosters were ignited and pushed the shuttle off the pad atop a tremendous roar and brilliant flames shooting from Endeavour’s tail. The rumbling thunder seemed much louder than normal, perhaps due to the cloud cover. Endeavour disappeared into the clouds at about T plus 25 seconds.

Space Shuttle Endeavour launches from Pad 39 A on May 16, 2011. My view from the countdown clock at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Endeavour will deliver the $2 Billion Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer to the International Space Station. The AMS will search for dark matter, dark energy and antimatter to determine the birth of the Universe. Credit: Ken Kremer

Nearly half a million people crowded into the Florida Space Coast to witness history first hand.

“This mission represents the power of teamwork, commitment and exploration,” Commander Mark Kelly said shortly before liftoff. “It is in the DNA of our great country to reach for the stars and explore. We must not stop. To all the millions watching today including our spouses, children, family and friends, we thank you for your support.”

Endeavour was towed back into the Orbiter Processing Facility after the landing where she will be cleaned and “safed” in preparation for her permanent retirement home and public display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles.

The stage is now set for the July 8 blastoff of STS-135, the very final flight of the 30-year long shuttle era.

Space Shuttle Endeavour landed safely at the Kennedy Space Center on June 1, 2011 at 2:35 a.m. EDT. Endeavour delivered the $2 Billion Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer to the International Space Station. Credit: Ken Kremer

Read my STS-134 & 135 features online at Universe Today with more story links:

Era of Space Shuttle Endeavour Ends with June 1 Landing at the Kennedy Space Center
Endeavour Blasts Off on Her 25th and Final Mission
Last Ever Shuttle Journeys out to the Launch Pad; Photo Gallery

Astronomy Outreach by Ken Kremer

Rittenhouse Astronomical Society (RAS) at the Franklin Institute: Philadelphia, PA, Jun 8, Wed, 7 PM.  “Mars Rover Update”, “NASA Flybys of Comets Hartley 2 & Temple 1”

Website: http://www.rittenhouseastronomicalsociety.org

Amateur Astronomers Association of Princeton:  Princeton, NJ, Fall 2011 TBD,  “What’s Beyond for NASA: Shuttle, Station, Orion, SpaceX & Robots”.

Website: http://www.princetonastronomy.org/

Posted in June 2011, Sidereal Times | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

From the Director

Posted on May 2, 2011 by ST Editors

by Ludy D’Angelo, Director AAAP

There is not much to say, so I will say very little.

There hasn’t been very much activity since the weather has been so bad. We opened the observatory on April 1st and it seems that April fool’s joke is running all month long.  We have had to cancel the first five public observing nights this season. We hope that the next public observing night on May 6th will turn out to be clear.  Nonetheless, we will persevere; we’ve got to catch a break sometime.

At our last meeting, I appointed Rex Parker to lead a task force to decide the best use of our new donated Gemini G-11 mount.  This process will take some time, I’m sure. The results will hopefully be something that we can all participate in.

Some upcoming dates to remember:

May 7th– Super Science Day at the State Museum and Planetarium complex in Trenton. We need volunteers to staff a table with exhibits and information and to set up some solar/terrestrial scopes for outside if it is clear. We will be inside if it is raining because this is a rain or shine event. Please contact David Letcher (letcher@tcnj.edu) if you can participate.

May 10th – AAAP Club Meeting.  Ken Kremer had to cancel his talk, but we have found a substitute for the lecture. See the Program Chair’s report for more information.

June 4th – AAAP Annual Picnic.  Location and time will be announced. We need some help to set this up.  Please contact me if interested.

As I indicated above, our next meeting will be May 10th at 8 PM in Peyton Hall.

See you all there!


Posted in May 2011, Sidereal Times | Tagged | Leave a comment

From the Program Chair

Posted on May 2, 2011 by ST Editors

by John Church, Program Chair

We were scheduled to have AAAP Member Ken Kremer speak on May 10th, but he had to cancel very recently due to commitments at the Kennedy Space Center, where he has a press pass.  Hopefully, he can be rescheduled for sometime this Fall.

Instead, Princeton Astrophysical Sciences graduate student Khee-Gan Lee will present a talk entitled:  “Quasars and the Lyman-alpha Forest: A Look into the Cosmic Boom Town,” at the upcoming May 10 meeting in Peyton Hall.

"KG" Lee

"KG" Lee

“KG,” as he is known, grew up in Malaysia, and was an undergraduate at University College, London, UK, where he earned a degree in physics and space science. He arrived in Princeton in 2006 to work on his doctorate, which he expects to finish this fall.  Next, KG will be going to a post-doctoral research position at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg, Germany.

Regarding the evening’s presentation, KG writes “Quasars are among the most distant objects in the universe, visible in large numbers at an era when the universe was only a tenth of its current age. Powered by supermassive black holes in the middle of galaxies, these objects shine like beacons across the universe. Along its multi-billion parsec journey, quasar light gets absorbed by neutral hydrogen along its path.  This absorption pattern is called the Lyman-alpha forest.  It provides a unique probe of matter distribution in the universe.  I will introduce the concept of quasars via a historical narrative of their discovery in the 1960s all the way through to the Sloan Digital Sky Survey in the present day. I will then explain the astrophysics of the Lyman-alpha forest, and give a flavor for the insights they give into the universe.”

There will be a pre-meeting dinner for our speaker at 6 PM before the 8 PM meeting.  Please email me (j.church@mindspring.com) by no later than noon on Tuesday, May 10th for a reservation.  I will respond by 1 pm with the dinner location.

To round out our current season, we will have our traditional presentation by former AAAP Director Bill Murray in the New Jersey State Planetarium in Trenton on June 14th.

At this time, I would like to express my sincere thanks to John Giles, Ira Polans, and Director Ludy D’Angelo for their support in arranging speakers for this past year.  To assist our incoming Program Chair, there are several other possible speakers already lined up for the next session.

Posted in May 2011, Sidereal Times | Tagged , | Leave a comment

April 12, 2011 Meeting Minutes

Posted on May 2, 2011 by ST Editors

by Ludy D’Angelo, Director AAAP

Director Ludy D’Angelo took notes in absence of the Secretary.

The meeting of the AAAP started at 8 PM in Peyton Hall.

The lecture by Dr. Michael Molnar entitled “The Star of Bethlehem” was well attended.

After the break, the business meeting commenced. The nomination Chair, Bill Murray, presented the slate of candidates for the next AAAP Board.  They are:

  • Director: Ludovico D’Angelo
  • Assistant Director: Jeff Bernardis
  • Secretary: Larry Kane
  • Treasurer: Michael Mitrano
  • Program Chair: Ken Levy

The slate of candidates will be voted on at the AAAP meeting in May.

The Director appointed Rex Parker to lead a task force to determine best use of the donated Losmandy Mount, and possible observatory changes to accommodate its use.

Outreach chair, David Letcher, reported on past and upcoming events. There is the Hopewell Valley “Come out and Play” event, and the NJ State Planetarium Super Science Day coming up. He has asked for volunteers for those events.

Program Chair, John Church, reported that the May 10th speaker would be Ken Kremer, and the June meeting will be held at the State Planetarium where Member Bill Murray will give a presentation to the club.

There was no Treasurer’s report, other than what was reported in Sidereal Times.

The meeting ended at approximately 10:15 PM


Posted in May 2011, Sidereal Times | Tagged | Leave a comment

Treasurer’s Report

Posted on May 2, 2011 by ST Editors

by Michael Mitrano, Treasurer

With two months remaining in our fiscal year, membership has increased to 86.  Outreach contributions have continued during this busy outreach season, bringing total revenue for the year to date to about $5,900.  Routine expenses remain modest, and the AAAP’s surplus for the year-to-date is about $2,600.  On a cumulative basis, our surplus exceeds $21,000.


Posted in May 2011, Sidereal Times | Tagged | Leave a comment