NORTHERN COLORADO CONTENTS ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY … · RMNP Skygazing 8:30pm ! Globe at Night Carter Lake Skygazing! 9pm Globe at Night Globe at Night International Conference of

N O RT H E R N C O L O R A D O A S T R O N O M I CA L S O C I E T Y

This year’s Rocky Mountain Star Stare is here. Click for fees, pictures

and to learn about what’s new in 2014.

It’s that time again: the June Solstice happens at 10:51 Universal Time on June 21st

June 2014 Newsletter

Page 2: Even more COSMOS Page 3-4: Current events Page 5: www.ncastro.org info Page 6-7: June & July event calendars Page 8: NoCo resources

C O N T E N T S

Date: Thursday July 3, 2014 Dinner: 6:00 pm Meeting: 7:15 pm Location: FoCo Museum of Discovery Speaker: Quintin Schiller & Lauren Blum Topic: CU Lab for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP): CubeSat for Measuring Earth’s Radiation Belts

M E E T I N G S

add @ncastro.org to email

2 0 1 4 O F F I C E R S

EMAIL:

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NAME:

Dave Karp Greg Halac David Auter Jeff Blume Amanda Bell Greg Halac

TITLE:

President Vice President Secretary Treasurer Newsletter Editor Web Editor & Outreach Coordinator

Want more? Click here for the Museum of

Discovery summer schedule and here for

NCAS events or meetings held the first

Thursday of the month.

Tune in to Cosmic Queries: COSMOS with Steven Soter.

So many fans asked questions about the science and visualizations in the COSMOS series that Neil brought back astrophysicist Dr. Steven Soter, co-writer of both the original and new series to answer a few of them. Listen as they discuss the Ship of the Imagination’s interactions with planetary atmospheres, why X-rays appear to emanate from black holes, whether our concept of math is a universal truth… and so much more…

I T ’ S N O T

OV E R Y E T

DON’T MISS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO WATCH COSMOS FOR FREE:

Not quite caught up on COSMOS? That’s okay. Each episode is available for free (for a limited time) on hulu.com and cosmosontv.com

“Hosted by renowned astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, the series will explore how we discovered the laws of nature and found our coordinates in space and time. It will bring to life never-before-told stories of the heroic quest for knowledge and transport viewers to new worlds and across the universe for a vision of the cosmos on the grandest scale. COSMOS: A SPACETIME ODYSSEY will invent new modes of scientific storytelling to reveal the grandeur of the universe and re-invent celebrated elements of the legendary original series, including the Cosmic Calendar and the Ship of the Imagination.”

C O S M O S : A S PAC E T I M E O DYS S E Y

LIGHT FROM EXPLOSION 12-BILLION YEARS AGO REACHES EARTH:

Intense light from the enormous explosion of a star more than 12 billion years ago - shortly after the Big Bang - recently reached Earth and was visible in the sky. “We have the brightest detection and the earliest response because our telescope is fully robotic and no human hands were involved,” Ferrante said.

!COORDINATED INVESTIGATIONS OF COMETS (CIOC):

A NASA-backed program tasked with encouraging and facilitating an international Earth and space-based observing campaign for Comet C/2013 A1 (Sliding Spring) prior to, during and after its extremely close brush with Mars on 19 October 2014. Follow CIOC for up-to-date information about Comet Siding Spring.

FAR SIDE OF THE MOON:

The “man in the moon” appeared when meteoroids struck the Earth-facing side of the moon but no “face” exists on the far side. Now Penn State astrophysicists think they know why. The absence of maria, which is due to a difference in crustal thickness between the side of the moon we see and the hidden side, is a consequence of how the moon originally formed. Read more about this 55-year-old mystery!

C U R R E N T

E V E N T SShare your favorite stories, articles, photos or events with your fellow members! Submit anything and everything to your newsletter editor, Amanda Bell, at objview at ncastro.org.

KEPLER: REVIVED AND WORKING AGAIN:

When the Kepler spacecraft failed in May 2013, its planet-hunting days seemed permanently over. Luckily, NASA’s scientists and engineers weren’t so quick to give up on Kepler. Read the details of how NASA’s crippled spacecraft has been reworked for at least two more years of productive new explorations.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK NIGHT SKY PROGRAMS:

Here you can find the 2014 RMNP schedule. Join a park ranger and local astronomers to discover the magic of the night sky at ‘Astronomy in the Park’. Program will be followed by viewing with telescopes. Don’t forget to bring the kids for ‘Stories Behind the Moon and Stars’. where the night sky comes alive through storytelling and activities.

WHAT WILL ROSETTA FIND?

You have just four days left to enter the “What will Rosetta find?” contest. Fill out the online form with your best ideas about Comet 67P shape and size, and what you think about the Rosetta mission. The best answers will win ESA swag! You can also visit the main page of the Rosetta blog, replay Rosetta’s wake-up webcast, read about Rosetta’s current big burns and so much more.

AIAA SPACE AUGUST 4-7 2014:

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Space 2014 will examine the impacts of space activity on society. Speakers and panelists will address issues like facilitating global connections, monitoring the planet, expanding boundaries and advancing technologies.

HOUSE PASSES FY 2015 FUNDING BILL:

The House passed this legislation on Friday morning by a vote of 321-87. Although scores of amendments were offered the bill’s provisions regarding the four science agencies were left largely unchanged. Read the details in an AIP Bulletin of Science Policy News.

MAVIN SCIENCE MISSION ON TRACK:

All of MAVEN’s science instruments are working as expected, which means it’s on track to carry out its full science mission as planned. Designed to explore Mars’ upper atmosphere, The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) will determine the role that escape of gas from the atmosphere to space has played in changing the climate throughout the planet’s history..

THE KAVLI PRIZE IN ASTROPHYSICS:

Andrei Linde, Alan Guth and Alexei Starobinsky have been recognized for developing the theory of cosmic inflation, which explains the origin and structure of the universe.

Also enjoy their video resources: Introduction to Observational Astrophysics and Introduction to Theoretical Astrophysics (both narrated by Alan Alda).

Membership dues are only $20 /

year, collected in January and pro-

rated for new members who join at

other times of the year. Membership

benefits include: membership in the

Astronomical League (and their

Reflector Magazine), use of club

equipment and books and a

discount on Sky and Telescope

Magazine and/or Astronomy

magazines.

F R O M N CA S T R O. O R G

NCAS was officially established in 1995 as a non-profit organization to promote interest in

the science and hobby of astronomy. We meet the first Thursday of each month to discuss

our interests and share our experience in the universal world of astronomy.

MEMBER PHOTO ALBUMS:

You'll want to see all of the amazing photos taken by our members.

NCAS EMAIL:

Anyone can join the email lists but subscription requests are monitored. Only approved subscribers are allowed to post.

NCAS ADMINISTRATIVE INFO

Renew your membership here. Find group bylaws and constitution.

Don’t forget to renew your membership today!

BORROW EQUIPMENT HERE:

Club items may be borrowed at NO COST to NCAS members. Find out more here.

CLUB MEETING OVERVIEW:

Recommend a future speaker or find out how to join speakers for dinner before the NCAS meeting.

NCAS PUBLIC OUTREACH PROGRAMS:

Help NCAS fulfill its primary mission: to educate and engage the public with year-round public events.

NCAS Event Calendar

JuneSunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

NCAS Meeting 7:15pm Fort Collins MoD

RMNP Skygazing 8:30pm

Public Skygazing 9pm

Little Shop of Physics Teacher Workshops, CSU !School Outreach:(Private) 8pm

Cygnus readies for launch: resupply mission to ISS

Campground Skygazing 9pm

Globe at Night Globe at Night Globe at Night

RMNP Skygazing 8:30pm !Globe at Night

Carter Lake Skygazing 9pm !Globe at Night

Globe at Night

International Conference of Learning Sciences (ICLS) 6/23 - 6/27 !Globe at Night Globe at Night

Rocky Mountain Star Stare: Gardener, CO 6/25-6/29 Globe at Night Globe at Night

Bobcat Ridge Skygazing 8:30pm

!Asteroids, Comets, Meteors (ACM) 2014 June 30 - July 4 !SBO Telescope Free Public Open House

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NCAS Event Calendar

JulySunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Orbital 2 Resupply Mission to ISS !OCO-2 Launch

NCAS Meeting 7:15pm FoCo MOD

Henrietta Swan Leavitt Birthday

RMNP Skygazing 8:30pm

Australian Earth Sci Convention 7-10 !Mars Exploration Rover Launch (2003)

Skylab Crashed to Earth (1979) !Public Skygazing 9pm

Globe at Night Globe at Night

RMNP Skygazing 8:30pm !Globe at Night

Campground Skygazing 9pm !Globe at Night

Apollo 11 (1969) !Globe at Night Globe at Night Globe at Night

Progress 56 !Paris Cosmology Colloquium 23-25 !Globe at Night Globe at Night

Bobcat Ridge Skygazing 8pm !Globe at Night

Campground Skygazing 9pm

Delta Aquarids Peak

NASA created (1958) !Delta Aquarids Peak

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Astronomy Clubs, Museums, Observatories and Planetariums

N O RT H E R N C O L O R A D O

BOULDER ASTRONOMY & SPACE SOCIETY (BASS):

Meetings are hosted by the UC campus at the Fiske Planetarium. Open to students and the public. Membership and meeting info here.

BASS

FORT COLLINS MUSEUM OF DISCOVERY:

The MoD isn't just where we hold our meetings. Check out their events like adult night at MoD or schedule a visit.

MOD

LONGMONT ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY (LAS):

Promotes amateur astronomy through monthly meetings, star parties and public observing sessions. Meetings are open to the public.

LAS

LITTLE THOMPSON OBSERVATORY:

No-charge public access to the universe during regularly-scheduled public star nights or a private event.

LTO

SOMMERS BAUSCH OBSERVATORY:

Operated by the Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences (APS) at CU Boulder. Check out their visitor’s guide.

SBO

ESTES PARK MEMORIAL OBSERVATORY:

Has many goals, including raising interest of kids in K-12th grade in math, physics and science. Facility is available free of charge to everyone.

EPMO

DENVER ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY (DAS):

Promotes understanding of astronomical phenomenon through monthly meetings, outreach and activities at the University of Denver’s historic Chamberlin Observatory. You can even follow Chamberlin Observatory on Twitter.

DAS

FRONT RANGE ASTRONOMICAL SUPERCLUSTER:

Confederation of regional astronomy clubs to share information and host joint summertime star parties. Includes societies in Denver, CO Springs, Pueblo, Cheynne, FoCo (That's us!), Longmont, Boulder and many m ore locations. FRASC is affiliated with the Astronomical League.

FRASC