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Southwest Florida Astronomical Society

SWFAS

The Eyepiece

September/October 2017 Contents:

Message from the President .............................................................................. Page 1 Program this Month ......................................................................................... Page 2 Photos by Tony, Chuck, Matthew and Brian ......................................................... Page 3

September Equinox ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Page 6 In the Sky these Months .................................................................................. Page 9

Future Events ................................................................................................. Page 10 Minutes of the Southwest Florida Astronomical Society – August 2017 .................... Page 12 NASA Space Place – Cassini Says Goodbye ......................................................... Page 13

NASA Space Place – GPS and the Quest for Pizza ................................................ Page 15 Club Officers & Positions .................................................................................. Page 16

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Since Irma has so disrupted things, this is a special combined issue for September and October. I hope everyone is ok and that any damages were minimal. Some of you may

still not have power, I hope it is restored soon for you.

The eclipse was great. I heard from a number of you that day and the pics sent in were

very interesting. I finally got to mine and have included them here.

We just said goodbye to Cassini, there is a Space Place Article included about it.

With school back (starting back next week due to Irma) we are getting requests in for science nights and other events. If you have anyone interested in having us do an

event, give them my email, not my phone, as I can better keep up with contacts via email.

Orangewood Elementary has us scheduled for November 16th from 6-7pm.

Ding Darling Days is Sunday October 15th from 10am-3pm out ob Sanibel. Setup starts at 8am. They will provide lunch. Please let me know if you can help out.

Brian

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Program this Month

Fellow Amateur Astronomers,

Jim Passeur, retired USAF Colonel with 27.5 years of active service, will be the guest speaker at the October 5th meeting of the South West Florida Astronomical Society. Jim

was selected by the USAF to go to Ohio State University under the Air Force Institute of Technology Program to provide guidance to the Minuteman ICBM Program in surveying

their launch sites. As a result of this assignment Jim earned a Master's Degree in Geodetic Science and Photogrammetry from OSU in 1974. After graduation Jim was

assigned to Strategic Air Command Headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska where he worked with the group locating and surveying the ICBM unit locations. He spent 12 years at

SAC Headquarters in various targeting roles. Jim will tell of about his experiences as he worked in the OSU cornfields observing latitude, longitude, and azimuths and his

selection of stars used to observe and record the right ascension, declination, and

azimuth from a radio tower 5 miles away.

Jim has had an extraordinary career which also involves developing the GPS system while working at the Pentagon and is also an amateur astronomer who built his own six

inch reflector including grinding the lens. This will certainly be a very interesting and informative presentation. Jim's presentation will begin at 7:30pm on Thursday, October

5, 2017 at the Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium. The monthly business meeting of the South West Florida Astronomical Society will be held immediately afterwards. We

hope to see you at the planetarium on October 5th.

Michael J. McCauley Program Coordinator

SWFAS

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Photos by Chuck Pavlick, Tony Heiner, Matthew Knight and Brian

Risley

Matthew knight Chuck Pavlick Greenville SC

Tony, Fort Myers

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Starting Partial Phases August 21st - Prosperity/Lake Murray South Carolina - Brian Risley

Totality/Inner Corona/Prominences Ending Diamond Ring

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Totality - Full Corona (Note Star to upper left of sun close to top) Ending Partial Phases

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All you need to know: September equinox By Deborah Byrd in ASTRONOMY ESSENTIALS EarthSky.org| September 20, 2017 2017’s September equinox arrives on the 22nd. Happy autumn (or spring)!

Equinoxes and solstices, via NASA Earth Observatory.

The September equinox arrives on September 22, 2017 at 20:02 UTC. Although the equinox happens at the same moment worldwide, your clock times will depend on your

time zone. For time zones in the continental U.S., this equinox comes at 4:02 p.m. EDT, 3:02 p.m. CDT, 2:02 p.m. MDT or 1:02 p.m. PDT. Translate to your time zone. At the

equinox, days and nights are approximately equal in length.

For us in the Northern Hemisphere, the sun is rising later now, and nightfall comes

sooner. We’re enjoying the cooler days of autumn. Meanwhile, south of the equator, spring is about to begin.

Around the time of an equinox, Earth’s Northern and Southern Hemispheres are receiving the sun’s rays

about equally. Image via Wikipedia

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The Intihuatana stone – also called the Hitching Post of the Sun – at Machu Picchu in Peru. It was used to

track the sun throughout the year. Photo via Imagesofanthropology.com.

What is an equinox? The earliest humans spent more time outside than we do. They

used the sky as both a clock and a calendar. They could easily see that the sun’s path across the sky, the length of daylight, and the location of the sunrise and sunset all shift

in a regular way throughout the year.

Our ancestors built the first observatories to track the sun’s progress. One example is at

Machu Picchu in Peru, where the Intihuatana stone, shown above, has been shown to be a precise indicator of the date of the two equinoxes and other significant celestial

periods. The word Intihuatana, by the way, literally means for tying the sun. Today, we know each equinox and solstice is an astronomical event, caused by Earth’s

tilt on its axis and ceaseless orbit around the sun.

Because Earth doesn’t orbit upright, but is instead tilted on its axis by 23-and-a-half

degrees, Earth’s Northern and Southern Hemispheres trade places throughout the year in receiving the sun’s light and warmth most directly.

We have an equinox twice a year – spring and fall – when the tilt of the Earth’s axis and Earth’s orbit around the sun combine in such a way that the axis is inclined neither away

from nor toward the sun.

Earth’s two hemispheres are receiving the sun’s rays about equally around equinox-time. The sun is

overhead at noon as seen from the equator. Night and day are approximately equal in length.

The name equinox comes from the Latin aequus (equal) and nox (night).

Of course, Earth never stops moving around the sun. So these days of approximately equal sunlight and night will change quickly.

Where should I look to see signs of the equinox in nature? The knowledge that summer

is gone – and winter is coming – is everywhere now, on the northern half of Earth’s globe.

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If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, you can easily notice the later dawns and earlier

sunsets. Also notice the arc of the sun across the sky each day. You’ll find it’s shifting toward the south. Birds and butterflies are migrating southward, too, along with the

path of the sun.

The shorter days are bringing cooler weather. A chill is in the air. In New York City and other fashionable places, people have stopped wearing white. Creatures of the wild are

putting on their winter coats.

All around us, trees and plants are ending this year’s cycle of growth. Perhaps they are responding with glorious autumn leaves, or a last burst of bloom before winter comes.

In the night sky, Fomalhaut – the Autumn Star – is making its way across the heavens each night.

A first sunrise of autumn by EarthSky Facebook friend Mary C. Cox in North Carolina.

Does the sun rise due east and set due west at the equinox? Generally speaking, yes, it does. And that’s true no matter where you live on Earth, because we all see the same

sky. Everywhere on Earth, except at the North and South Poles, you have a due east and due west point on your horizon. That point marks the intersection of your horizon

with the celestial equator – the imaginary line above the true equator of the Earth. At the equinoxes, the sun appears overhead at noon as seen from Earth’s equator, as

the illustration above shows.

The illustration above (which is by Tau’olunga) shows the sun’s location on the celestial

equator, every hour, on the day of the equinox. That’s why the sun rises due east and sets due west for all of us. The sun is on the celestial equator, and the celestial equator

intersects all of our horizons at points due east and due west. This fact makes the day of an equinox a good day for finding due east and due west from your yard or other

favorite site for watching the sky. Just go outside around sunset or sunrise and notice the location of the sun on the horizon with respect to familiar landmarks.

If you do this, you’ll be able to use those landmarks to find those cardinal directions in the weeks and months ahead, long after Earth has moved on in its orbit around the sun,

carrying the sunrise and sunset points southward.

Bottom line: Enjoy the 2017 equinox – a seasonal signpost in Earth’s orbit around the

sun!

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In the Sky these Months

Moon: New – Sept 20th; First Quarter – Sept 27th; Full – Oct 5th; Last Quarter – Oct 13th;

New – Oct 19th; First Quarter – Oct 27th; Full – Nov 4th

The Planets:

Mercury and Mars, magnitude 1.8, are passing each other very low in the glow of sunrise, well to the lower left of Venus. Regulus is also down there with them. Use

binoculars. It will be rapidly leaving the morning sky as October approaches.

Venus (magnitude –3.9, in Cancer) shines brightly in the east before and during dawn.

Look for Pollux and Castor, much fainter, high above it. Look for Procyon to Venus's

upper right, and bright Sirius farther to the right or lower right of Procyon.

Mars is just now coming up in the morning sky. Look for it in conjunction with Venus on

Oct 5th.

Jupiter (magnitude –1.7, in Virgo) is just above the west horizon during twilight and

quickly sets. Much fainter Spica is 3° or 4° to its lower left. Again, bring those binoculars. We lose Jupiter for October. It will reappear in the morning sky in

November. Saturn (magnitude +0.4, in Ophiuchus above Scorpius) glows in the south-southwest at

dusk. Antares, less bright, twinkles 13° to Saturn's lower right. See how many of Saturn's satellites you can identify in your scope using S&T’s Saturn's Moons tracker.

Uranus (magnitude 5.7, in Pisces) and Neptune (magnitude 7.8, in Aquarius) are well

up in the east and southeast, respectively, by late evening.

Orionid Meteor Shower – Oct 20-23rd, peak on 21/22.

International Space Station: The ISS is visible in the morning skies over Ft Myers from Sept 20th to the 24th and Oct 26th through the end of the month. It is in the

evening skies starting Sept 22nd through the 25th and again Oct 15th through the 19th. (You can catch 2 bright passes on Sept 22nd, one at 5:54am and the other at 8:50pm!)

See this link for specific times and routes for ISS: http://www.heavens-above.com/PassSummary.aspx?satid=25544&lat=26.6406&lng=-

81.8723&loc=Fort+Myers&alt=3&tz=EST

The Hubble Space Telescope appears in the mornings from Sept 29th to Oct 10th with excellent passes on 10/2 at 6:24am and 10/3 at 6:14am. It appears again in the

evening sky on Oct 18th and stays in the evening sky through October. The best night is Oct 22nd at 8:05pm but the following nights for that week are also good.

See this link for specific times and routes for HST: http://www.heavens-

above.com/PassSummary.aspx?satid=20580&lat=26.6406&lng=-81.8723&loc=Fort+Myers&alt=3&tz=EST

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Southwest Florida Astronomical Society, Inc. Event Schedule 2017

Sept 23rd, 2017 Monthly Star Party Seahawk Park Cape Coral Dusk

Oct 5th, 2017 Monthly Meeting Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium

7:30pm

Oct 14th, 2017 Solar Observing Ponce de Leon Park Punta Gorda

9am-12noon

Oct 15th, 2017 Ding Darling Days Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge - Sanibel

Solar Observing/Displays

Oct 20th, 2017 Public Observing Moore Observatory

FSW, Punta Gorda

Dusk

Oct 20th, 2017 Cub Scout

Jamboree

Camp Miles – Punta

Gorda/SR 31

Dusk

Oct 21st, 2017 Monthly Star Party Caloosahatchee Regional Park

Dusk (Arrive before gate closes, park fee)

Oct 28th, 2017 International Observe the Moon

Night

TBD TBD

Nov 2nd, 2017 Monthly Meeting Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium

7:30pm

Nov 16th, 2017 Science Night Orangewood Elementary Fort Myers

6-7pm

Nov 17th, 2017 Public Observing Moore Observatory

FSW, Punta Gorda

Dusk

Nov 18th, 2017 Solar Observing Sports Park – Harbor Fest Port Charlotte

9am-3pm

Nov 18th, 2017 Monthly Star Party Seahawk Park Cape Coral Dusk

Dec 7th, 2017 Monthly Meeting Calusa Nature Center &

Planetarium

7:30pm

Dec 9th, 2017 Solar Observing Harbour Heights Park Port Charlotte

9am-12noon

Dec 15th, 2017 Public Observing Moore Observatory FSW, Punta Gorda

Dusk

Dec 16th, 2017 Monthly Star Party Caloosahatchee Regional Park

Dusk (Arrive before gate closes, park fee)

All events are Weather Permitting. If it is cloudy, we may not setup at all. There may be no way to provide advance notice of cancellation.

Date Event Location Time/Note

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Monthly Star Parties: These are held at either Caloosahatchee Regional Park (CRP) off SR78 7 miles east of SR31 or at Seahawk Park in Cape Coral. Other than park fees noted, these are

free and open to the public.

CRP has a gate that closes at dusk, you can check the county’s website for current gate closing times and the status of the park’s Northside entrance as that is where we observe from. (They

may close the area if there are issues with the trails.) There is a parking fee of $1/hr or $5/day at CRP. Park in the main Northside parking lot. We sometimes setup down the dirt road that

goes to the east. That area is grassy and may not be level, so one should walk on the dirt road as much as possible and watch their step.

Seahawk Park is in North Cape Coral off Wilmington Blvd. (Nelson Rd or Chiquita Blvd are the

nearest cross streets.) There is a brown sign in the center median at the entrance to the park. (GPS may not get you to the park, as some of the local roads have been closed.) You will make a big J hook before getting to the parking area. Seahawk Park is utilized by the Radio Controlled

Planes and they have priority. They are usually done by sunset but may be there before sunrise. Park in the lot and transport your equipment to the concrete staging area before the runway.

This park is handicap capable as there is level concrete leading from parking to the staging area.

Big Cypress: The Big Cypress Visitor Center is located off US41 5 miles east of SR29 about 25 miles east of Naples. Big Cypress has earned a Dark Sky Park designation. They hold observing

events down the road that extends south of the Visitor Center during the winter months. This is a real dark sky site. One of their events this year is timed to a full moon with a penumbral eclipse, so that night will not be dark. Their observing events are free. After the fires of March,

it has been decided the site will be closed till next season.

Solar Events: We have daytime solar events where one can safely look at the Sun. Things such as sunspots and prominences may be visible. These are free unless tied to another event

that may have an entrance fee.

Rotary Park Star Party: This is a free public star party held at Rotary Park at the south end of Pelican Blvd in South Cape Coral. Park to the west of the main building and walk to where we

are setup to the east of the main building. If the weather is bad, we will try again the next night.

Moore Observatory, FSW Punta Gorda Campus: The campus is located off Airport Rd just

east of I-75. Go to the right around the lake and park. The observatory is located down the path along the lake. Besides the telescope in the observatory, additional scopes may be setup

around the observatory. This is a free event.

Star Party Etiquette: Bright white flashlights are not welcome. We use red flashlights to preserve our night vision. At the parks, please use just your parking lights if possible. As there

may be cords and tripod legs that are hard to see in the dark, we ask that all children be well behaved and cautious around the telescopes. If you need help in moving around in the dark, just ask. Someone will be happy to guide you with a red light. If you have a telescope and

need help with it, just ask. Someone will be glad to show you how to use it.

Golden Rules to Telescope Observing: Move your eye to the telescope, don’t try to move the telescope to your eye! Ladders/chairs are there for your support, the telescopes do not

provide support and should not be touched.

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Minutes of the Southwest Florida Astronomical Society – August 3rd, 2017

The regular monthly business meeting of the Southwest Florida Astronomical Society

was called to order at 7:33 pm by president Brian Risley in the Calusa Nature Center Planetarium.

Twenty-eight people were present, including five visitors or new members.

The Nature Center is seeking volunteers to help out with the Planetarium on a continuing basis, and especially for the August 21 solar eclipse. Harold Dunfee volunteered to help

out.

The Club's International Dark Sky Association membership is up for renewal. Chris Rasmussen moved to authorize the $50 renewal, seconded by Larry Richardson. The

motion passed on a voice vote.

Brian Risley usually sends out star party notifications when weather may be an issue,

but sometimes this is not possible.

We have a limited number of solar eclipse viewing glasses and are giving them out to

adults at various events. Since the eclipse is an extended event, each pair can be shared among several people.

The past events listed in the printed agenda were reviewed.

Upcoming events listed on the printed agenda were discussed.

The Cub Scout extravaganza will be October 20.

Brian has Astronomical League observing programs, or members can check the AL

website.

Tony Heiner made a motion, seconded by Tim Barrier, to approve the minutes of the

July 6 meeting as published in the August newsletter. The motion carried on a voice

vote.

Treasurer Tim Barrier reported a July ending balance of $2203.44. Tony Heiner made a

motion, seconded by Scott Flaig, to approve the report. The motion passed on a voice vote.

The Nature Center might raise our cost for using the Planetarium facility, but discussions are preliminary.

Equipment coordinator Brian Risley reminded members that telescopes are available for checkout.

Alice Mack shared several books and articles about eclipses.

The business meeting was adjourned at 8:18 pm.

Brian Risley presented the program on techniques and equipment for safely viewing the solar eclipse.

submitted by Don Palmer, secretary

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This article is provided by NASA Space Place.

With articles, activities, crafts, games, and lesson plans, NASA Space Place

encourages everyone to get excited about science and technology.

Visit spaceplace.nasa.gov to explore space and Earth science!

Cassini Says Goodbye

By Teagan Wall

On September 15th, the Cassini spacecraft will have its final mission. It will dive into the

planet Saturn, gathering information and sending it back to Earth for as long as possible. As it dives, it will burn up in the atmosphere, much like a meteor. Cassini’s original

mission was supposed to last four years, but it has now been orbiting Saturn for more than 13 years!

The spacecraft has seen and discovered so many things in that time. In 2010, Cassini saw a massive storm in Saturn’s northern hemisphere. During this storm, scientists

learned that Saturn’s atmosphere has water vapor, which rose to the surface. Cassini also looked at the giant storm at Saturn’s north pole. This storm is shaped like a

hexagon. NASA used pictures and other data from Cassini to learn how the storm got its six-sided shape.

Cassini also looked at some of Saturn’s moons, such as Titan and Enceladus. Titan is

Saturn’s largest moon. Cassini carried a lander to Titan. The lander, called Huygens,

parachuted from Cassini down to the surface of the moon. It turns out, Titan is quite an exciting place! It has seas, rivers, lakes and rain. This means that in some ways, Titan’s

landscape looks a bit like Earth. However, its seas and rivers aren’t made of water—they’re made of a chemical called methane.

Cassini also helped us learn that Saturn’s moon Enceladus is covered in ice. Underneath

the ice is a giant liquid ocean that covers the whole moon. Tall geysers from this ocean spray out of cracks in the ice and into space, like a giant sneeze. Cassini flew through

one of these geysers. We learned that the ocean is made of very salty water, along with some of the chemicals that living things need.

If there is life on Enceladus, NASA scientists don’t want life from Earth getting mixed in. Tiny living things may have hitched a ride on Cassini when it left Earth. If these germs

are still alive, and they land on Enceladus, they could grow and spread. We want to protect Enceladus, so that if we find life, we can be sure it didn’t come from Earth. This

idea is called planetary protection.

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Scientists worry that when Cassini runs out of fuel, it could crash into Titan or

Enceladus. So years ago, they came up with a plan to prevent that from happening. Cassini will complete its exploration by diving into Saturn—on purpose. The spacecraft

will burn up and become part of the planet it explored. During its final plunge, Cassini will tell us more about Saturn’s atmosphere, and protect the moons at the same time.

What an exciting way to say goodbye!

To learn more about Saturn, check out NASA Space Place: https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/all-about-saturn

Caption: This image of the hexagonal storm on Saturn’s north pole was taken by Cassini in 2013. Image credit:

NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute

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This article is provided by NASA Space Place.

With articles, activities, crafts, games, and lesson plans, NASA Space Place

encourages everyone to get excited about science and technology.

Visit spaceplace.nasa.gov to explore space and Earth science!

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Club Officers & Positions:

President: Vice President: Secretary:

Brian Risley Bruce Dissette Don Palmer

swfasbrisley@embarqmail.com bdissette@centurylink.net swfas.sec@gmail.com

(239-464-0366) (239-936-2212) (239-334-3471)

Treasurer: Program Coordinator: Librarian:

Tim Barrier Mike McCauley Maria Berni

barrier.tim@gmail.com mmccauley13@comcast.net (239-940-2935)

(239-887-8864) (860-982-5022)

Viewing Coords./Fakahatchee: Viewing Coord/Caloosahatchee: WebsiteCoordinator:

Chuck Pavlick Bruce Dissette Bill Francis

cpav4565@gmail.com bdissette@centurylink.net Bill_Francis@hotmail.com

(239-560-1516) (239-936-2212) (239-233-0958)

Tony Heiner

verahei@aol.com Equipment Coordinator: Club Historian:

(941-629-8849) Brian Risley Danny Secary

swfasbrisley@embarqmail.com asecary@gmail.com

(239-464-0366) (239-470-4764)

Astronomical League Calusa Nature Center Newsletter Editors:

Coordinator: (ALCOR): Planetarium Director: Ron Madl

John MacLean Heather Preston rmadlksu@gmail.com

john.maclean@comcast.net heather@calusanature.org (785-410-2911)

(239-707-3365) (239-275-3435) Chris Rasmussen

neontwister@yahoo.com

(423-505-4758)

Southwest Florida Astronomical Society, Inc.

P.O. Box 100127

Cape Coral, FL 33910

www.theeyepiece.org