Date: 14 Jun 2007 07:03:36
From: Starlord
Subject: Astro News from Hawaii
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Is the shape of a Pizza the same as our Milky Way Galaxy?
*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:
Greetings Fellow Stargazer,
For many years, scientists thought that our home galaxy, the Milky Way,
was a circular spiral galaxy like the nearby Andromeda Galaxy. But
recently it has become clear that the Milky Way is a "barred spiral"
galaxy. This was a expanded conclusion derived from the fact that people
originally thought pizza's could only be found in bars.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/Milky_Way_2005.jpg
Instead of having smooth spiral arms, our home galaxy has a nearly
straight bar of stars across the center, with spiral arms trailing from
the ends of the bar. The bar and the spiral bands are fuzzy collections
of gas, dust, and millions of stars. Our sun is located at the edge of a
spiral band, near one end of the bar.
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/050816_milky_way.html
So come take a close look at a pizza, not barred, and galaxies that
are barred in the many telescopes that will be at this month's Star
Party.
Speaking of Star Parties, YOU are invited to one!
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Star Party Invitation for June 16th, 2007
Sponsored by the Hawaiian Astronomical Society
http://www.hawastsoc.org
Dillingham Airfield - before sunset 7:15 pm)
(http://www.hawastsoc.org/directions/Map_of_Dillingham.jpg)
(Star Party Directions are at the end of this message)
Bring:
http://www.bishopmuseum.org/planetarium/skyWatch/2007/06/june07.pdf
Here is where I go to check the weather on a Star Party Night:
http://www.wunderground.com/radar/radblast.asp?num=6&delay=15&scale=1&noclu
tter=0&ID=HMO&type=N0R&lat=0&lon=0&label=you
If it is clear, you will be able to see many astronomical sights.
Yes SATURN and Jupiter can still be seen this month. Also check
out the Ring Nebula and M-13, the Hercules Globular Cluster!
If you won't be in Hawaii, fear not. Check this link for a Star
Party near you!
http://SkyandTelescope.com/resources/organizations/
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This Month's Sky Tour
http://hubblesite.org/fun_.and._games/tonights_sky/
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If you miss this month's HAS Star Party then join us at the next:
***** 2007 *****
July 14th
August 4th
September 15th
October 13th
November 10th
December 1st
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More on the shape is the Milky Way galaxy?
The bar is not directly visible from Earth, because it is obscured by
vast clouds of dust. Astronomers discovered it by carefully mapping the
shape of the central bulge of stars in the Milky Way and by observing the
motions of stars.
The bar is estimated to be about 12,000 to 18,000 light-years long,
roughly one-sixth of the diameter of the Milky Way's disk. It is about
two or three times longer than it is wide; in comparison, some barred
spiral galaxies have bars five times longer than their width. Recent
research suggests that a tightly wound spiral arm comes off each end of
the bar, a phenomenon commonly seen in other barred galaxies. In the case
of the Milky Way, the arms are so long that they reach to the opposite
ends of the bar, forming a thin elliptical ring of stars and gas around
the bar. The ring is a common feature of barred spiral galaxies and was
confirmed by the work of Maartje Sevenster, a young Dutch astronomer now
working in Australia.
How do barred spirals form? One theory is that the bar is a consequence
of intense magnetic fields near the center of the galaxy, which could
cause the gas, dust, and stars to orbit differently.
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A Galactic Year
The longest known cyclic period (repeating cycle) for us Milky Way'ers is
the galactic year, which is the time it takes the solar system to orbit
once around the center of the Milky Way galaxy. Each galactic year takes
about 230 million Earth-years, and the solar system is about 20 galactic
years old.
The galactic center is in the direction of the constellation Sagittarius,
where vast swarms of distant stars are visible on clear summer nights.
The Sun and all the nearby stars orbit around the galactic center.
Research suggests that one galactic year ago, there were dinosaurs all
over the planet and flowering plants and birds had not yet appeared. What
kind of place will Earth be one galactic year from now? Stick around and
find out!
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The Wanderers (The Planets) this Month
Mercury (in the feet of Gemini) is dropping down into the glow of sunset
and also fading fast: from magnitude 1.1 on the 8th to 2.6 on the 16th.
Look for it early in the week, far to the lower right of Venus in early
twilight. Binoculars help.
Venus (magnitude 4.5, in Cancer) is the brilliant "Evening Star" in the
west during and after twilight. After standing high in the dusk all
spring, Venus is getting a little lower. To its upper left, Saturn and
Regulus are perfectly lined up with it.
Mars (magnitude +0.8, in Pisces) is gradually getting higher in the east
before and during dawn. It's the orange-yellow dot far below the Great
Square of Pegasus. Mars is on its way to a Christmas-season opposition
and closest approach to Earth. However, unlike during its past few
oppositions, Mars this year will grow to an apparent diameter of only 16
arcseconds.
Jupiter (magnitude 2.6, in southern Ophiuchus) was at opposition on June
5th. It glares low in the east-southeast at dusk and dominates the south
by about midnight daylight saving time. Antares, less bright, sparkles 7°
to Jupiter's right in early evening, and to its lower right later in the
night. Jupiter's Great Red Spot is rotating into view around Jupiter's
celestial east.
Saturn (magnitude +0.5, in Leo) shines in the west during evening,
closing in on dazzling Venus from the upper left. The gap between the two
shrinks from 17° to 10° this week. Venus and Saturn are on their way to a
close conjunction at the end of June. Regulus, less bright at magnitude
+1.4, is 9° to Saturn's upper left. And look north (upper right) of
Regulus by 8° for the 2nd-magnitude star Algieba (Gamma Leonis), a fine
telescopic binary.
Uranus (magnitude 5.8, in Aquarius) and Neptune (magnitude 7.9, in
Capricornus) are well up in the southeast before the first light of dawn.
Pluto (magnitude 13.9, in the northwestern corner of Sagittarius) is not
far from Jupiter in the south late at night.
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Annual Meteor Showers
Quadrantids: January
Virginids: March/April
Lyrids: April
Scorpiids: May
Delta Aquarids: July
Perseids August
Piscids: September
Orionids: October
Leonids: November
Geminids: December
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Find what is moving overhead after sunset:
http://www.bester.com/
http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/RealTime/JTrack/3d/JTrack3d.html
Check out when the next Iridium Satellite is available for you to
see:
http://www.heavens-above.com/Neighbours.asp?PlaceID=593409
(for non Oahu Star Gazers...)
http://www.heavens-above.com/selecttown.asp?CountryID=US
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Check out:
http://www.seds.org/messier/xtra/12months/m-apr-i.html
and bring the above list...
As for the rest of the Messiers, check out
http://www.hawastsoc.org/deepsky/messier.html It also has a link to:
http://www.hawastsoc.org/messier/index.html
(all the Messier Objects as photographed by HAS's local Jay Wrathall)
(and http://www.jastrow.net/messier/index.htm for great pictures)
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Star Party Directions
(http://www.hawastsoc.org/directions/dillingham.html)
To reach the Dillingham observing site, take the H2 to the end at
Schofield Barracks. Drive past Schofield and follow the signs to
Waialua. At the Y intersection at Waialua, bear left and pass under
the bridge. Drive out of town a few miles until you reach Dillingham
Airfield. Dillingham is several miles long. It has three gates. You
need to drive to the far end to the third gate (marked as Gate 1 on
the color map). When you enter the gate, the road will curve left
behind some hangars. It will then take you through a very sharp S
curve. 1/4 mile beyond that is a stop sign in the middle of nowhere.
Turn right at the stop sign, and you will be there. You can find me
by looking for the big red telescope in the corner with a table with
lots of pizza on it.
You will need to reach the site before sunset in order to find the
gate open!!!
A few words on light. We try to maintain dark conditions at the site.
Therefore we have certain rules about light. First, no white
flashlights. The only flashlights that you should use are not too
bright, red ones.
When entering and exiting the site, do not use headlights. Some cars
now can't turn off their headlights. If you have a car like that
please park nearer the windsock then the telescopes. Point it away
from the telescopes. Headlights make you lose your night vision for
up to 30 minutes. It immediately ruins any astro photography that
might be in progress.
Bring some warm clothes, something to sit on, some real powerful bug
spray, a dim or red covered flashlight and some munches to share with
your friends.
Remember there is an absolute need to remain clear of the runway, and
anyone attending the star party needs to remain in the immediate star
party area. Do not be wandering around in areas where we are not
permitted. Especially near any planes (parked or moving)!
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Bishop Museum Planetarium Happenings
http://www.bishopmuseum.org/visitors/dailyschedule.html
Daily Planetarium schedule:
(808) 848-4136 for pre-recorded planetarium schedule.
Barry Peckham will host the Sky Tonight program on the first Friday
of each month at 7pm. Reservations are required as there is limited
seating in the planetarium. Call 848-4168 for information and
reservations. Tickets cost $4 for adults, $3 for kids, free to Bishop
Museum members and Hawaiian Astronomical Society members.
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After Dark with Stars in the Park
Waikele Community Park
OR... Kahala Park
(Weather permitting)
***** 2007 *****
June 23rd
July 21st
August 18th
September 22nd
October 20th
November 17th
December 15th
***** 2008 *****
January 19th
FROM DUSK to 9:30 PM
Bring your children! Tell your friends!
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Visit the cosmos via:
The HAS HomePage: http://www.hawastsoc.org/ or go to
(or show up at meeting 7:30pm first Tue of month)
and check out the Bishop Museum Planetarium Home Page
http://bishopmuseum.org/exhibits/planetarium/planetarium.html
and the Institute for Astronomy Colloquia/Seminars
http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/ifa/astronomy_in_hawaii.htm
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Keep Looking Sky Ward
Take care...gww
http://web.mac.com/macyoda/
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"The computer is to the mind as the amplifier is to sound."
Paul Maurer
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The Lone Sidewalk Astronomer of Rosamond
Telescope Buyers FAQ
http://home.inreach.com/starlord
Sidewalk Astronomy
www.sidewalkastronomy.info
AD World
http://www.adworld.netfirms.com/
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