Summer Observing Committee News
SUMMER OBSERVING NEWS
SUMMER TRIANGLE
Summer came early this year along with cloudy nights. If the weather remains with traditional summer high humidity and afternoon thunder showers little opportunity for sustained clear sky observing will be possible. Still there is the moon and planets to observe on those nights that have partial clearing. For those early risers it is also possible to find clear skies in the morning before sunrise. The summer triangle is high above and offers great celestial views.
If all else fails there is always SLOOH.com to fall back on. With the Canary Island , Chile and Australia telescopes up there is usually some observing going on. I use a planetarium program along with SLOOH to keep up with the location of the objects.
Europe:
With the sunspot activity increasing it is time to put on the solar filters again and view the sunspots. CFAS has a Coronado Hydrogen Alpha filter solar telescope that can be checked out for a week at a time. It can be used on a regular camera tripod or attached to your telescope if equipped with a small Los Mandy dovetail. Use the Telescope loaner Forum to reserve this telescope that is able to show the sun’s surface detail and prominences.
Members are reminded that when observing in Florida during the summer months that the mosquitoes can be very bad right after sunset. The last group that observed at Harmony got run out after a few hours. I recommend that you wear clothes that cover most of your body, and use a good bug repellent with Deet. I have a bug jacket that was purchased for spring fishing in New York state to protect against the small black flies. It is hooded and works great against mosquitoes also.
The UCF/CFAS Robinson agreement is still in the works at UCF. Hopefully this will soon be resolved ,and we can get the operator qualification program back on track again. Unfortunately things in academia move slowly, and patience is needed.
The UCF physics department submitted their input for our CFAS Astronomy Grant program. The CFAS Board approved astronomy student Zoe Landsman as the winner of this year’s UCF/CFAS grant competition. Zoe was recommended by astronomy professor Umberto Campins. Along with her undergraduate studies and many astronomy outreach programs, Zoe has been assisting Dr. Campins in a major asteroid project over the past year. Her application essay is below:
Application Essay on the Importance of Astronomy
by Zoe Landsman
We are all astronomers. Everyone has, usually as a young child, perhaps while lying on the grass one night marveling at the vastness of the night sky, asked themselves the most fundamental questions: Who are we? Where did we come from and, for that matter, where did everything come from? These universal questions are some that astronomy seeks to answer.
Astronomy has been woven into the fabric of humanity since the time of our earliest ancestors. We relied on the positions of celestial objects as a guidefor planting and harvesting crops, so astronomy was fundamental to survival. At night, pictures made by connecting bright stars told our stories. Over the centuries, astronomy evolved. Observations became more precise; advanced theories arose. The telescope gave us unprecedented views: the details of surface of the Moon, the moons of Jupiter. But telescopes have also evolved and now we have the amazing ability not only see objects in our solar system and far beyond in great detail, but also to peer back in time, to the very edge of the observable universe.
The science of astronomy has brought us closer than ever to the answers to our fundamental questions – and our discoveries continue to inspire more questions. Astronomy might even once again be critical to our existence, as it was when we relied upon it for planting crops. Astronomers are responsible for locating asteroids that might pose a threat to our planet, and if one such asteroid is discovered, they must then work with engineers to figure out how to eliminate the threat. Astronomers might also learn, by looking at the atmospheres of other worlds, how best to deal with the issue of climate change on Earth.
My interest in astronomy arose out of the basic curiosity that exists in everyone. I was fortunate to have an upbringing where this curiosity was nurtured with books, documentaries, trips to museums and other important resources. Now, as an undergraduate student, I am participating in research involving the characterization of asteroids, an area of study that has implications for the origins of water and life on Earth. Because of the early influence of scientific outreach programs and informal science education on my interest in astronomy and eventual career choice, I have become passionate about the importance of these resources. We are all astronomers in that we all
want to know the answers to the questions about the nature of our universe and our existence. As such, science educators have an excellent opportunity to encourage the inquisitiveness in children, allowing them to become astronomy enthusiasts, scientists and engineers who will be ready to face the challenges of the future.
CONGRATULATIONS ZOE!!!
The award will be presented at a fall general meeting.
Members are reminded of our telescope loaner program. Most telescopes are readily available. Reserve one on the CFAS Loaner telescope forum. The Dobsonian’s are quick to set up, and provide excellent moon and planet observing.
I am looking for a volunteer that is interested in becoming the custodian and maintaining our TEC 140 telescope and its Losmandy mount. This is a very high end telescope system that needs special care in operating and maintaining. The custodian would be expected to participate in our outreach programs, take the telescope to our monthly viewing sessions, and Astrofests. This is an excellent opportunity for an active member wanting to operate an advanced telescope, and be part of the observing committee team. If you are interested please contact me, Ray Jones, directly by phone (407-971-0143) or email (raygjones @earthlink.net).
Clear skies!!
Ray Jones, Observing Committee Chairman
Last Updated Saturday, July 10 2010 @ 09:35 AM EDT|629 Hits 
