FOTO Imaging - Cincinnati Observatory

OBSERVATORY NEWS
March 2015
513-321-5186
Published by the Friends of the Observatory (FOTO)
Volume 26 No. 3
www.cincinnatiobservatory.org
Bill Cartwright, editor
COMING UP AT
THE OBSERVATORY....
Not a UFO
Feb 28 7p
*Constellations of Season
Mar 4 7p
Astronomy Thursday
Mar 5 7p
Astronomy Friday
Mar 6 7p
FOTOKids
Mar 6 7p
Late Night Date Night Mar 7 10:30p
History Tours
Mar 8 1-4p
FOTO Movie Night
Mar 8 7p
FOTO Meeting
Mar 9 7:30p
Astronomy Thursday
Mar 12 7p
Astronomy Friday
Mar 13 7p
Pi Day with Pies
Mar 14 8p
Stonelick Stargaze
Mar 14 dusk
A2Z Astro Class
Mar 15 7p
Spring Constellations
Mar 17 8p
Astro 2.0 Class (2 night) Mar 18 & 25
FOTO planning meeting
Mar 19 7p
Astronomy Thursday
Mar 19 7p
Astronomy Friday
Mar 20 7p
Stonelick Stargaze
Mar 21 dusk
History Tours
Mar 22 1-4p
Astronomy Thursday
Mar 26 7p
Astronomy Friday
Mar 27 7p
Save-These-Dates!
Partial Lunar Eclipse
Hubble’s Greatest Hits
First Light Night
*Constellations
th
Hubble’s 25
Apr 4 dawn
Apr 7 8p
Apr 12 7p
Apr 15 8p
Apr 25 8p
* UC Communiversity Class
THE WORD
By Michelle Lierl Gainey
Hello Friends! As I write this,
we have about 8 inches of snow
on the ground and it is COLD
out. On days like this it is hard
to believe, but spring is just
around the corner.
By later this month, hopefully
conditions will be much more
star-gazer friendly – just in time
for the Messier Marathon! What
is the Messier Marathon, you
ask? No, it is not a foot race. See
my article later in this newsletter
for more information about the
Messier catalogue, which lists
some of the most beautiful deepsky objects such as galaxies,
nebulae and star clusters.
If you live in the city or a
light-polluted suburb, consider
coming out to Stonelick Lake
Park for one of our stargazes (on
March 14 and 21), where you
will have ample opportunity to
observe the Messier and other
deep sky objects, as well as
Jupiter (and Saturn, if you stay
late enough!). Bring your own
telescope, your binoculars, or
just yourself, as there are always
plenty of amateur astronomers
there who are happy to share
views through their telescopes
with you.
FOTO has been working on
developing
a
system
for
transmitting images from a
telescope to our large screen TV.
This will accommodate visitors
who are unable to climb the
steps to the dome, and also
provide an additional viewing
station during large public
events. We have extended the
COC wireless network to cover
the
grounds
around
the
buildings. Thanks to the efforts
of members Aaron Eiben, Chris
Kean and others, we now have a
system that works beautifully for
transmitting images of the Moon
to the TV, using a cell phone
camera with a telescope adapter
and wireless transmission to the
TV. We are working on testing
other devices (better cell phone
cameras, web cams) that will
give an equally good view of
Jupiter and other planets, and
even deep space objects, in real
time (although some processing
will be needed to bring out detail
in deep space objects). If you
have expertise in this area, or
1
have an astronomical imaging
web cam or other equipment you
would like to donate to this
cause, please contact me at
[email protected].
Remember that Dave Bosse’s
fun and informative A2Z
Astronomy Classes are held on
the 3rd Sunday of every month at
7 PM (this month, it is on March
15th). These classes are free for
members. Mark your calendar!
Another benefit of FOTO
membership is the option to
borrow a COC telescope for a
month. If you are just learning
how to use a telescope, please
take advantage of the offer from
some
of
our
experienced
astronomers to coach you on
how to use and care for the
telescope, and how to use a star
chart to find interesting objects
in the night sky. Dave Bosse,
Scott Gainey and Chuck
Strubbe have offered to meet
with members one on one for
this training. You can get their
contact information from the
Observatory office.
You can also bring your
telescope to Stonelick Lake Park
for one of our stargazes, where
you can receive mentoring and
enjoy sharing your experiences
with other astronomers.
Also, remember that FOTO
members can attend the Astro
Thursday and Friday programs
(held almost every week) free of
charge. You should call the
office to register, though, as
there is an attendance limit for
these programs.
We look forward to seeing
you at the FOTO monthly
meeting on Monday, March 9 at
7:30 PM. And thank you for all
you do to keep the Cincinnati
Observatory Center thriving and
serving our community.
A2Z+ Astronomy
March: Err of Air
Sunday, March 15
7-8 pm
History of the Observatory
March 8 & 22
Drop in anytime between 1-4 pm
By Dave Bosse
OK, in January it was all about
the human eye. In February it
was all about telescope optics.
What comes next on our trip to
the Celestial Sphere? Well… we
have to get past the sky. What?
A more difficult task than you
might imagine.
The Earth; its motion; its
atmosphere; even your location
and elevation all conspire to
twist the truth of heavens into
something like the truth. The sky
is not really telling us lies, but it
certainly is not telling us the
whole truth. This month’s A2Z+
installment will cover those ever
so slight nuances that make
acquiring precision measurements a very complex issue. In
March we will meet on Sunday
the 15th at the usual time of 7:00
PM.
The A2Z+ Astronomy classes
are held the third Sunday of each
month at 7:00 pm in the West
Wing of the Herget Building.
The group will meet for about an
hour or so and attendance is free
to any COC member. The only
pre-requisite is the desire to
learn.
Did You Know….
If our Sun became a black hole, it
would shrink from a diameter of
865,000 miles to less than four
miles!
Cleveland Abbe, the Cincinnati
Observatory and the birth of the
Weather Bureau.
$5
per
person
suggested
donation. Free for members.
Group tours by appointment.
Intro to Astronomy
A Short-Course at the
Observatory
7-9 pm, Tuesday, March 3
Resolve to learn more astronomy
in 2015.
This introductory
astronomy course is perfect for
beginners who want to know
more about observing the night
sky.
Led by astronomer and cohost of PBS’ Star Gazer, Dean
Regas, this course will show you
the stars. You will learn how to
identify stars, constellations, and
planets as well as viewing tips
for the Moon.
Each night
includes viewing through the
historic telescopes.
Cost: $30, but just $25 for
Observatory members.
To register call 513-321-5186.
2
Welcome
New & Renewing
Members!
Fred and Judy Bay
Douwe and Caroline Bergsma
Marian and Richard Billings
Threasa Wesley and
Geoffrey Bowling
Gordon Brown
Robert Heslar and Kim Camp
Claudia Candito
Tiffany and Jeff Clayton
Lesta Cooper-Freytag
Stacy and Scott Crawford
Jean Davison
Catherine and Bob DeFoor
Fred Sanborn and Janet Dieman
Evans Mirageas and
Thomas Dreeze
Jean Durbin
Carl and Joanne Eastwood
Joan Erhardt
Mel and Connie Gertz
Michael Getz
Philip Griggs
Donna Wirth and Bob Groszer
Dr. Jack and Mrs. Beryl Hazen
John Hill
Noelle and David Houben
Jeff and Kathleen Howe
Scott Huber
Michael Kreate
Paul Franz and Shari Loo
Craig Deck and Laura Lozano
David and Linda McBride
Randy and Mary McKnight
Joseph and Georgiann Meale
John Merrick
Cindy Mincks
LeAnne Montgomery
Rino Munda
Frank and Nancy Palmisano
Valydon Philip Poonoosamy
Dennis and Rhonda Ransdell
Dr. Wes Ryle
Mary and Jay Sallee
Scott and Jessi Schwarz
Patti Smith
Jim Sweeney
Suzanne and Tom Terwilliger
Matt and Homana Titus
Chris and Nancy Virgulak
Tyler N. Webb
Marc & Nadine Whitsett
Lawrence Yates
Greater Cincinnati STEM
Collaborative
The Greater Cincinnati STEM
Collaborative (GCSC) impacts
STEM (Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics)
learning and career readiness
through active, engaged, datadriven partnerships between
business, educational (Cincinnati
Observatory), and community
partners. Our vision is that the
Greater
Cincinnati,
tri-state
region has the most robust STEM
talent pipeline in the country
which is also representative and
inclusive
of
the
region's
population.
www.greatercincystem.org
FOTO's March Meeting
By Dave McBride
On March 9th the program
committee will welcome Mark
Plano Clark as our speaker who
will bring his topic "The Great
Debate: Astronomy in the Early
20th Century."
One of Mark’s predecessors at
Doane College was astronomer
Julia Hawkes who was one of
the first women to obtain a Ph.D.
in astronomy in the U.S. Her
dissertation
was
titled,
“Photographic Determination of
the Positions of Stars and
Nebulous Knots in the Region of
the
Great
Nebula
of
Andromeda” at the University of
Michigan in Ann Arbor and was
published in 1923.
Her research measured star
positions on photographic plates
taken sixteen years apart to look
for “evidence of systematic
movement which might be
attributed to the relationships of
these stars to the nebular
forms.” The dissertation was
published about three years after
the “Great Debate” between
Heber Curtis and Harlow
Shapely on the size of the
universe. This talk will be about
the connection of the debate to
the work done by Prof. Hawkes
in an era when the size of the
universe “grew” in truly epic
proportions.
And
some
Astronomy
Wisdom: “The Sun, with all the
planets revolving around it, and
depending on it, can still ripen a
bunch of grapes as though it had
nothing else in the Universe to
do.” – Galileo Galilei
3
170 Years of Cincinnati
Astronomy
7 pm, Sunday, April 12
First Light is a significant event
for astronomers, being the first
time they view through their
new telescope. For our founder,
Ormsby MacKnight Mitchel, that
was April 14, 1845.
Thanks to the efforts of
astronomers, historians, science
educators and preservationists,
including
the
Cincinnati
Preservation Association (CPA),
every
year
thousands
of
Observatory visitors still get to
experience their own first light
through the same instrument.
Keynote speaker: Paul Muller,
Executive Director of the
Cincinnati
Preservation
Association.
Scientific
Innovations
in
Cincinnati:
The
Historic
Buildings That Housed Them
Cincinnati was a hub of scientific
innovation in the nineteen and early
twentieth century. From Daniel
Drake’s Medical College of Ohio
and Children’s Hospital, to the
Cincinnati
Observatory,
Cincinnatians were leading the
nation by creating new institutions
that advanced science and the
welfare of the public.
The historic buildings which
supported these institutions are a
record that teaches their history like
no
other
method
can
duplicate. Some still exist, some are
lost but all of them have interesting
stories which can enrich our
experience and understanding of the
history and built environment of
Cincinnati.
Tours
of this
National
Historic
Landmark
follow.
Stargazing weather permitting.
Cost: $10 per person, $5 for
Observatory & CPA members.
Reservations Required: Call 513321-5186 or sign up online.
Stargazing at Stonelick
State Park
Saturdays – March 14 & 21st
Spring Skies Bring Galaxies
Need help with your telescope?
Bring it for expert tips setting it
up and exploring the night sky.
Stargazing begins at dusk. Open
to all ages.
Stargazes
are
weather
permitting. “Friend” the Stonelick
Lake Stargazers Facebook page for
weather and schedule updates.
We Love Donors!
By Anna Hehman
Our Valentine’s Night was a
huge success – the event was
sold out! Over 70 people found
their way to the Observatory for
this annual ticketed special
event. Most of our visitors were
there for the first time, and this
year, we added room for 32
additional
attendees
who
participated in our Valentine’s
Late Night Date Night.
In planning for this year’s
ongoing efforts to raise money
and
awareness,
we
have
finalized a corporate giving
proposal
that
will
give
companies of all sizes the
opportunity to partner with the
Observatory through an annual
investment, tailored to their
budget, that rewards them with
interactive and creative perks in
addition
to
recognition
throughout the year.
We have been working
through our lists of individual
and family donors over the
years,
hoping
to
engage
everyone in some facet of the
Observatory. We are looking for
ideas on how we can better
connect to you, our donors, and
offer opportunities that will
increase financial gifts as well as
recruit new donors.
To make an individual or family
gift to the Observatory, or if you
can direct us to a potential
corporate or foundation donor,
please contact the Observatory
Development Director Anna
Hehman
at
[email protected]
or (513) 321-5186.
4
Magnificent Messiers
By Michelle Gainey
The Messier catalogue is a
wonderful resource for amateur
star gazers. The Messier objects
are relatively bright deep-space
objects, visible in amateur
telescopes,
which
were
catalogued by Charles Messier in
1771. Messier was a French
astronomer who was searching
for comets. When he found a
“fuzzy” deep sky object that had
the appearance of a potential
comet,
he
would
make
sequential
observations
to
determine whether it was
moving against the background
stars (as a comet would). If the
object did not move like a comet,
Messier listed it in his catalogue,
to avoid it being mistaken for a
comet in the future. Thus, he
identified many of the most
beautiful deep sky objects that
are visible in the Northern
Hemisphere.
M5 Globular Cluster
All of these can be seen with
amateur telescopes, and many
are also visible with binoculars.
There are 110 objects listed in the
Messier catalogue.
Many of
these objects are visible at any
time of the year, but during the
month of March it is possible to
find all of the Messier objects
during a single night, if you start
at dusk and keep at it until
dawn. This is called the Messier
Marathon. It is a fun thing to
try, if you are already familiar
with many of these deep sky
objects and just want to see
whether you can plan your
viewing in order to catch them
all in one night.
and eyepiece magnification you
are using, and make a sketch of
what you see in the eyepiece.
Even if you are not much of
an artist, sketching the object
forces you to observe it more
carefully and to make note of
nuances
that
you
might
otherwise miss. It also helps you
remember what you saw. Later,
you might observe the same
object again with a different
telescope or eyepiece, or from a
different viewing location, and it
will be interesting to compare
what you can see under those
different conditions.
M31 Andromeda galaxy
The general strategy is to start
with the western-most objects,
and work your way eastward.
There are websites that give
advice on this, for example:
http://members.shaw.ca/rlmcni
sh/darksky/messierplanner.htm
However, if you have not
seen many of these deep sky
objects before, it is more
rewarding to take time to
carefully observe and enjoy each
one. Use a star chart to locate
each object (any decent star chart
will show the Messier objects;
they are listed as “M1” through
M110”).
This is a good chance to hone
your ability to find deep sky
objects, using the bright stars
you can see without a telescope
to help you locate the dimmer
deep-sky objects. I suggest you
start a Messier viewing log (this
is also a great thing to do with
NGC objects and other objects
that you enjoy viewing). For
each object you find, make a note
of the date, observing conditions
(Moon? Clouds? Haze? Light
pollution?), the type of telescope
M57 Ring Nebula
Here is a website that shows a
black and white image of each of
the Messier objects, along with
brief
descriptions:
http://www.seasky.org/astrono
my/astronomy-messier.html .
I
also
recommend
a
wonderful Messier observing
manual, “Messier Objects, A
Beginner’s Guide” by Kathy
Machin and Sue Wheatley. This
handy little booklet gives tips on
how to find each object,
interesting information about the
object, and is organized by the
seasons when the objects are in
the pre-midnight sky.
It is
available for $8 through the
Astronomical League website on
the next page.
5
https://www.astroleague.org/st
ore/index.php?main_page=prod
uct_info&cPath=1&products_id=
6&zenid=3vbd86crgob1i6ahbr2o
cshqt2.
The Astronomical
League also has a Messier
Program, in which you can be
awarded a Messier Program
Certificate and pin for finding all
the Messier objects on your own
(i.e., not using a go-to telescope).
There is a Binocular Messier
Observing Program, also.
M42 Orion Nebula
So, get outside and give it a
try!
Marathon enthusiasts
notwithstanding, there is really
no rush. These objects will be
there for the rest of your life.
Even if you find only one
Messier object per night, you
will enjoy the experience, learn
something about the object, and
get good practice in using a star
chart and finding lovely deep
sky objects.
Amazon “Smiles” on the
Observatory
Craig’s Corner
By Craig Niemi, Executive Director
Last month we talked a bit about
the Cincinnati Preservations
Association (CPA) and some of
the other folks who are
responsible for the stewardship
of the Observatory.
We’re glad to announce that
for the First Light Night
celebration on April 12th, Paul
Muller, Executive Director of
CPA, will be our keynote
speaker. Be sure to check out the
article in this newsletter and go
to the web calendar to sign up
online.
Valentine’s Night and the
Valentine’s Late Night events
were both great successes.
Virtually all of the 100 guests
that night were new to the
Observatory! Once again our
staff and volunteers exceeded
our visitor’s expectations.
Our thanks to Mt. Lookout Joe,
Edible Arrangements in Newport
and Robin Woods Flowers for their
generous support!
Craig
Monthly FOTO
Planning Meeting
By Michelle Gainey
Amazon will donate 0.5% of the
price of your eligible purchases
to
Cincinnati
Observatory
Center whenever you shop on
AmazonSmile. Next time you
shop at Amazon simply start at
http://smile.amazon.com/ch/3
1-1665954
On February 7th a huge magnetic
filament was observed hanging
over the surface of the sun. This
filament was a string-like feature
of plasma more than 400,000 km
long and suspended above the
surface of the sun by magnetic
forces. Then, the filament was so
long it would have easily
reached from the Earth to the
Moon. In the days following, the
filament continued to grow in
length and it became the 2nd
largest object in the solar system.
Only the sun itself was bigger.
By February 14th the filament
had rotated across the solar disk
and part of it formed a
prominence on the solar limb.
The picture below shows the
feature in profile as well as a top
view.
The next FOTO Planning
Meeting
is
scheduled
for
Thursday, March 19 at 7 pm at
the Observatory.
The planning meetings are
open to all FOTO members. We
encourage your participation in
the discussion of future FOTO
activities.
H-alpha photo by Steve Rismiller
By February 20th, the filament
had rotated out of sight but
SOHO caught a large CME
radiating away from the sun. I
believe that was the end of the
filament as it became unstable,
fell back to the surface, exploded
and hurled itself out into space.
6
Late Night Date Nights
Saturday, March 7
10:30 pm to Midnight
By Dean Regas
The Heart Nebula
After your night out dining and
dancing, top off your date night
with a stop at the Cincinnati
Observatory.
The Observatory is one of the
most romantic places in town –
especially after hours.
You'll get to use the oldest big
telescope in the U.S. to view
astronomical objects and snuggle
under
the
stars
(weather
permitting). For adults only. If
the weather does not permit
viewing, we’ll have fun showing
you around the universe and
behind the scenes at the
Observatory. Light snacks and
refreshments will be available.
Admission is $20 per person.
To make reservations sign up
online from the Calendar Listing
or call 513-321-5186.
Did You Know….
The most distant object ever
observed was a gamma-ray burst
from a dying star 13 billion light
years away.
Audio System in Herget
West Wing
By John Blasing
With the recent acquisition of the
new big-screen monitor, it
seemed desirable to overhaul the
audio system in the Herget west
wing meeting room - but the
subsequent failure of the
audio amplifier quite forced the
issue! I undertook the task about
two months ago, and I'm happy
to report that the new system is
installed and fully functional. In
addition to a new 40-watt-perside amplifier, the system now
includes a CD player, an
AM/FM tuner, and a wireless
microphone; in fact, the only
pieces remaining of the old
system
are
the
Bose
loudspeakers we're accustomed
to seeing atop the cabinets in
front of the room. The new
system
provides
greater
functionality than we had
previously, compliments the
new
big-screen
monitor
nicely…and 40 watts per side is
more than enough to fill (or shall
I say clear) the room.
I took some care to connect
and label the components so as
to make operating the system
as straightforward as
possible.
The system is capable of playing
audio from the following
sources:
- The Big Video Monitor
- A Computer or Other
External Source
- AM or FM Radio
- CD
- MP3 files on a Flash Drive
There is also provision to record
audio from the amplifier into a
personal device or other external
recorder. One nifty feature of
the new amplifier is that it
allows voice-over-music mixing,
so that presenters may have any
of the above sources playing in
the background as they speak
over the microphone. And to
think I found the wireless
microphone languishing unused
in a box!
The system is installed in the
glass-door cabinet at the front of
the west wing meeting room, on
the right side of the room.
Posted on the inside of the left
door of the cabinet is a set of
step-by-step
instruction
for
setting the system up to play
from each of the above-noted
sources.
I encourage anyone interested
to acquaint themselves with the
new system, especially those
who might find themselves
covering an event in the west
wing that requires audio. Feel
free to ask me at an upcoming
meeting if you would like an
informal one-on-one familiarization session.
New Star Gazers
Star Gazers airs locally on
channels 14 and 48 and you can
watch each month’s episodes on
our
website:
http://www.cincinnatiobservato
ry.org/stargazer.html
“Keep Looking Up!”
7
Astro Evenings at the
Observatory
Thursdays, March 5, 12, 19, 26
Fridays, March 6, 13, 20, 27
8-9:30 pm
Free for Observatory members!
In awe with the beauty of the
night sky? Have questions about
the Universe? This is where you
can get the answers.
Astronomy Evenings include
short presentations on a wide
variety of topics and plenty of
time for your astro-questions.
Tour
of
the
Cincinnati
Observatory,
which
as
a
National Historic Landmark
played an important role in the
history of Cincinnati and our
nation. Once dark, we will view
the Moon, planets and deep
space treasures through the
historic 1845 telescope. (Program
is held rain or shine; telescope
viewing if clear skies).
The topics and the night sky
change week-to-week/month-tomonth so you can visit often to
hear and see something new
Free for Observatory members!
For the latest schedule see the
web calendar then sign up
online.
Did You Know…..
Approximately every 50 years a
supernova explodes in our galaxy.
A Bug’s Life … In Space
By Fred N. Bowman
As astronauts come and go from
the International Space Station
(ISS) they experience adjustment
periods to and from the microgravity environment. The lack
of gravity has an effect on the
human
body,
from
fluid
distribution to the long term loss
of calcium in their bones.
These effects are not confined
just to the humans. Insects take
several days to adjust to microgravity. Insects
don’t
have
bones; however, they do have
wings. As they become adjusted
to micro-gravity they learn to
push off with their legs using
their wings only to change their
orientation and direction.
On Earth, insects use their
wings to overcome the force of
gravity to fly; in space their
wings are needed only to move
their mass when they are not
attached to a surface. Newton’s
third law of motion: for every
action, there is an equal and
opposite reaction.
Insects, because of their short
life cycles, can be studied over a
large number of generations in a
short period of time. Two effects
of micro-gravity are: The males
tend to live much shorter than
females, and two, it takes longer
for their eggs to hatch. Some
have theorized that the males
use too much energy pursuing a
mate and the lack of gravity
makes the larvae too weak to
break free of their shells.
By studying insects over
many generations allows the
astronauts to monitor any
evolutionary changes caused by
life in space. Do insects need
wings in space and how does the
wing size change from one
generation to the next? The
answers to these and other
questions are being pursued by
the astronauts onboard the ISS.
FOTO Kids and Teens
By Aashi Mital
What does it take to enjoy
astronomy? Just your sense of
adventure, curiosity and love for
the stars! Join us for another
exciting journey at our next
FOTO Kids meeting on March
6th at 7 p.m. in the Herget
Building.
Remember to dress for the
weather! If you have any
questions, please don’t hesitate
to email Aashi Mital at
[email protected] or Aaron
Eiben
at
[email protected]
. Until then, keep looking up!
Topics in Astronomy
March 17, The Spring Sky
April 7, Hubble’s Greatest Hits
May 12, Astrology Exposed
By Dean Regas
Led by astronomer and co-host
of PBS’ Star Gazer, Dean Regas,
these classes will show you the
stars.
Each night includes
viewing through the historic
telescopes (weather permitting).
You can join us for an individual
class or the entire series.
$15 per class. Observatory
members can take all 4 for $50.
8
March Movie Night
By Aashi Mital
Our Thanks to
Bartlett Tree!
Why Go to Pluto? Planetary
exploration
is
a
historic
endeavor and a major focus of
NASA. New Horizons was
designed to help us understand
worlds at the edge of our solar
system by making the first
reconnaissance of Pluto and
Charon - a "double planet" and
the last planet in our solar
system to be visited by
spacecraft. As a part of an
extended
mission,
New
Horizons will visit objects in the
Kuiper Belt region beyond
Neptune.
We will have popcorn to
munch on, but feel free to bring
in your own drinks and snacks
for the event. If you have any
questions, please email Aashi
Mital at [email protected].
Did You Know….
There is one known double pulsar
system in our galaxy which warps
the fabric of space.
8 pm, Saturday, March 14
By Dean Regas
We’re keeping the party going
with another movie night in the
Herget Building on Sunday,
March 8th at 7 pm.
Join us for New Horizons: Passport
to Pluto and Beyond!
Pi Day at the Observatory
3.141592653589793238462643383
27950288419
Our thanks to Bartlett Tree
Experts for generously donating
their services in removing the
dead Norway Spruce from
behind the Herget Building!
By removing the tree they
help to protect this Samuel
Hannaford designed building
from possible damage, ensure
the safety of our thousands of
visitors, and help maintain our
park-like green space.
In-kind donations like this are
great way for the Observatory to
stretch its budget so we can put
more resources into member and
community programs.
Join us on 3 14 15 as we celebrate
the most famous of all numbers.
Pi has been calculated to over
one trillion digits beyond its
decimal point. As an irrational
and transcendental number, it
will continue infinitely without
repetition or pattern.
Only 39 digits past the
decimal are needed to accurately
calculate the spherical volume of
our entire universe, but because
of Pi’s infinite & patternless
nature, it’s a fun challenge to
memorize,
and
to
computationally calculate more
and more digits.
Museums and Historic
Sites of Greater Cincinnati
FOTO Board Members
(Terms expire Oct. 2015,
except as noted)
President: Michelle Gainey
VP: Aashi Mital
Secretary: George Ostrum
Treasurer: Al Scheide
FOTO Rep: Frank Huss (exp.
Oct 2016)
Trustees
John Blasing
Aaron Eiben
Dave Bosse (exp. Oct 2016)
Chris Kean (exp. Oct 2016)
MHS is comprised of over 30
participating sites across Greater
Cincinnati. Each site offers a
unique perspective on local
history and culture through
public
programs,
exhibits,
lectures, and tours.
www.historicgreatercincinnati.org
Did You Know….
At
50-100
million
Kelvins
Hydrogen fuses into Helium and a
star is born.
9
The King of the Planets
Returns
By Aashi Mital
With “Jupiter Season” kicking
off at the Observatory, we are
proud to announce that new
exhibit on the King of the Planets
is open to the public until midApril.
Want to know more about the
Galilean Moons or the Great Red
Spot? Perhaps discovering more
about the Observatory’s past in
connection with the gas giant is
what you’re after. Whatever the
intrigue, stop by and visit.
And don’t forget that this
would make for an excellent
resource! Between incorporating
it into our programming to being
an added intrigue for walk-ins
and tour groups or even if it’s
just
learning
more
about
something of personal interest,
it’s sure to turn a few heads.
Did You Know….
In
February
2015
NASA
launched a new satellite to study
water, not in oceans or lakes, but
in the soil beneath our feet. This
often overlooked repository of
water can have big effects on
weather, climate, drought and
agriculture.
What Is the Value of a
Volunteer to an
Organization Such as
The Observatory?
By Jenny O'Donnell
We all have a finite amount of
time and an infinite amount of
demands. We could spend our
time
on
work,
family,
homeowner
obligations,
a
second job, fitness, community
based needs, education...you
name it.
But instead, each and every
one of us, give some sliver of
time to the organization because
we believe that the "O" is worthy
of our time and attention. We
might be doing it to "preserve
the birthplace of astronomy" or
to have access to some really
cool scientific stuff, or meet some
really nerdy folks, very similar to
ourselves!
Or we might contribute out of
a sense of obligation, or because
it is our field of expertise or
passion, or maybe we really
know that if we are known as
a volunteer we will get a little
more access to someone or
something that we value.
Regardless, while all of us could
just take our toys and stare into
the galaxy by ourselves, we opt
to give a little time to the O. And
that time is extremely valuable.
The accumulated volunteer
hours allow us to operate
another
program,
catalog
another antique book, introduce
a family who had never been in
before, and stretch that donated
dollar a little further than
anyone ever thought we could. It
also
gives
some
really
overworked staffer or key
volunteer a moment to catch
their breath, take a night off, or
pause for a moment to think up
some new task, exhibit or idea
for raising another dollar.
From answering the phones
to setting up the folding chairs to
rebuilding the dome, every
volunteer hour has brought us
right where we are now. These
hours are an amazing asset that
makes the Observatory beam.
To volunteer simply email
[email protected]
Thanks!
5142 is the Kroger
Community Rewards
Number for the
Observatory
After a quick and easy sign up
online, every time you swipe
your Kroger Plus Card a
donation goes to support the
Observatory’s mission. No cost
to you; no loss of fuel points.
https://www.kroger.com/accou
nt/create
Did You Know….
Stars stay Red Giants from a few
thousand to a million years.
10
Not a UFO
At the Observatory
Saturday, February 28,
7-9 pm
Maybe you’ve seen them in the
night
sky.
These
two
unbelievably bright lights – one
in the east and one in the west.
You wonder, what are they?
Planes? UFOs?
They’re NOT UFOs. They’re
much, much cooler.
They are, in reality, Venus and
Jupiter, the brightest star-like
objects in the sky. They, along
with the twinkly stars Sirius and
Capella are the most reported
UFOs
to
the
Cincinnati
Observatory. Don’t be fooled.
We’ll tell you how to
IDENTIFY these objects in the
nighttime sky, and view them
through the telescopes (weather
permitting). Plus we’ll share
false UFO reports we’ve received
over the years. Great for all ages.
Admission is $7 per person. No
reservations required. For more
information call 513-321-5186.
To learn about the seasons on the
planets in our Solar System, go
to this website to watch a video.
https://mail.aol.com/webmailstd/enus/DisplayMessage?ws_p
opup=true&ws_suite=true
An Edge-On Close
Encounter with Jupiter
Every 13 months, Earth and
Jupiter have a close encounter.
Astronomers
call
it
an
"opposition" because Jupiter is
opposite the Sun in the sky. Our
solar system’s largest gas planet
rises in the east at sunset, and
soars overhead at midnight,
shining brighter than any star in
the night sky.
This year's opposition of
Jupiter occurs on Feb. 6th. It isn't
an ordinary close encounter with
Earth (approximately 640 million
kilometers), but in Feb. 2015,
Jupiter is edge on to the Sun.
Efrain
Morales
Rivera
of
Aquadilla,
Puerto
Rico,
photographed multiple shadows
transiting the face of Jupiter on
Jan. 24th. A full-sized version of
his image matches each shadow
to a moon.
In a rare coincidence, Jupiter's
opposition on Feb. 6th coincided
almost perfectly with its equinox
on Feb. 5th when the Sun crossed
Jupiter's equatorial plane. It is an
edge-on apparition of the giant
planet that sets the stage for a
remarkable series of events. For
the next couple of months,
backyard sky watchers can see
the moons of Jupiter executing a
complex series of mutual
eclipses and transits.
The eclipses have already
started. On Jan. 24th, for
example, three of Jupiter's
moon's, Io, Europa, and Callisto,
cast their inky-black shadows on
Jupiter's swirling cloudtops.
As Earth's crosses the plane of
Jupiter's equator in the weeks
and months ahead, there will be
many mutual events.
For
th
instance, on Feb. 5 , volcanic Io
will cast its shadow on Mercurysized
Ganymede,
Jupiter's
largest moon. On Feb. 7th, icy
Europa, home to what may be
the solar system's largest
underground ocean, cast its
shadow on Io. Events like these
will continue, off and on, until
July 2015.
http://science.nasa.gov/science
-news/science-atnasa/2015/04feb_jupiter/
Meet Me Outdoors
Looking for one site to find this
winter’s best outdoor recreation
events? Stargazing, hikes, biking,
everything outdoors.
http://meetmeoutdoors.com
Did You Know….
An asteroid or comet hits Jupiter
every 10-15 years which is 5000
times higher than the rate of
impact on Earth.
11
Unusual Comet DiveBombs the Sun….
….and lives! Astronomers are
puzzling over a comet that
passed "insanely close" to the
sun on Feb. 19th. At first glance
it appeared to be a small object,
not much bigger than a cometboulder, doomed to disintegrate
in the fierce heat. Instead, it has
emerged apparently intact and is
actually brightening as it recedes
from the sun.
Unofficially, the icy visitor is
being
called
"SOHO-2875,"
because it is SOHO's 2,875th
comet discovery.
Karl Battams of the Naval
Research Lab explains what's
odd about SOHO-2875: "It's a
'non-group comet,' meaning that
it does not appear to be related
to any other comet or comet
family that we have on record."
Most comets that SOHO sees
belong to the Kreutz family.
Kreutz sungrazers are fragments
from the breakup of a single
giant comet many centuries ago.
"Non-group comets like this
appear a few times a year, so in
that sense it's not toounusual,"
continues Battams. "But this one
is relatively bright. The big
question most people will have
now is, Can I see it, or will I be able
to see it, from Earth? At first I
thought the answer was no. But I
am very pleasantly surprised-shocked in fact! The comet has
brightened dramatically and
now is sporting an increasingly
impressive tail. Visibility from
Earth in a few weeks is no longer
out of the question, although I
still wouldn't put money on it."
spaceweather.com
Meet Our New
Development Director


Anna Hehman
I’m
thrilled to join
the
Observatory in this role! I’ve
worked in development for over
8 years, including experience in
major gifts, planned giving,
annual fund campaigns, event
management, grant research and
writing, and corporate relations.
I also have an MBA in
Marketing, and several years of
experience creating marketing
plans, crafting press releases,
and working with press contacts.
I was drawn to the Observatory
because of not only its status as a
historical gem, but also as an
educational resource for adults,
children and families in our
region.
There
are
incredible
opportunities for us to diversify
our funding and achieve more
exciting growth. I’m looking
forward to working with all of
you to achieve great things for
the Observatory!
Plans for my initial six months
include:

Identify our top 50
stakeholders (members,
volunteers, and donors)
and begin process of
meeting with each one to
better understand their



buy-in and passion for
the Observatory.
Develop list of
foundations whose focus
matches the work of the
Observatory and begin
funding discussions.
Create a list of businesses
whose philanthropic
reach is within the work
of the Observatory to
underwrite programs
and events.
Work on both
quantitative and
qualitative evaluation
pieces for our programs
to report to funders as
well as capture new
funders.
Capitalize on the
opportunity of people
visiting the Observatory
for public events, tours,
classes and other events.
Create a marketing plan
to help craft a case for
support articulating the
value of our programs for
various audiences.
Anna Hehman
513-321-5186
[email protected]
The GOW website is up all-year
around as a link to informal
education providers like the
Observatory.
www.cincygreatoutdoorweeken
d.org
12
UC Communiversity
Enrich Your Life With
Quality Courses
Constellations of the Season
March 4th
The spring 2015 course selections
will be posted soon. To register
contact UC Communiversity at
513-556-6932,
or
www.uc.edu/ce/commu.html
Eyes of the Night
Dean’s March
Astronomy Classes
By Dean Regas
In March I will be holding two
classes. March 17 at 8pm is
called the Spring Sky, learning
the stars and constellations of a
warmer season. Cost is $15 per
person, RSVP required by call us
at 513-321-5186.
Then on March 18th and 25th
I’m leading another 2-night
series called Astronomy 2.0.
Something
slightly
more
advanced than the Intro Classes.
They're still really for beginners
but I cover some different topics
like the new and improved solar
system
and
star
clusters,
nebulas, and galaxies. Costs are
$30 for the series, $25 for
members. I can send you a press
release for both once I'm back in
the office if you need more info.
The Observatory is a proud
member of GCEE!
Icy Jupiter Moon Throws a
Curve Ball at Formation
Theories
(When Dean sent this article he
was in Florida, where it was
warm, filming Star Gazers again.)
The Heavyweight
Champion of The Cosmos!
Mr. John Ruthven is offering
signed, limited edition giclee'
prints of his "Eyes of the Night"
which features the Observatory!
Each signed 14"x 20" print is
on sale for $150. The total run
will be limited to 250 prints.
Proceeds
support
the
Observatory’s programs. To
order contact Craig Niemi at
513-321-5186
or
[email protected]
Dark energy may be driving
most galaxy clusters apart from
one another. But on occasion,
huge galaxy clusters can merge,
forming the largest gravitationally bound structures in
the universe. The largest such
cluster ever discovered is the El
Gordo galaxy cluster. Learn
more about it in this month's
column! http://spaceplace.nasa.
gov/partners
Artist's concept of Galileo at
Jupiter's moon Amalthea.
Scientists studying data from
NASA's Galileo spacecraft have
found that Jupiter's moon
Amalthea is a pile of icy rubble
less dense than water. Scientists
expected moons closer to the
planet to be rocky and not icy.
The finding shakes up long-held
theories of how moons form
around giant planets.
13
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