The Los Angeles Astronomical Society

The Bulletin

Volume 88, Issue 5 May, 2014

Table of Contents

May General Meeting Information .......................................................................................................... 2

Messier Marathon - April 26, 2014 ......................................................................................................... 3

A Guide to the Night Sky for May 2014 .................................................................................................. 4

LAAS Volunteers at “Play Days” ............................................................................................................ 5

Lunar Eclipse – April 14-15, 2014 ........................................................................................................... 6

New Apps from NASA's Space Place ................................................................................................... 10

The LAAS Outreach Program ................................................................................................................ 11

Sierra Vista Park, Sierra Madre, CA ............................................................................................................. 12

The RTMC Astronomy Expo and Big Bear Starlight Festival ............................................................ 13

SunDay – The Mt. Wilson Snow Telescope With Mike Simmons ............................................................. 15

Mt. Wilson 60 Inch Nights ...................................................................................................................... 17

Meet Our New Members ........................................................................................................................ 18

Universe Discovery Guide: May ............................................................................................................ 18

Volunteer for the LAAS .......................................................................................................................... 19

Calendar of Events and Almanac........................................................................................................20

The Loaner Program ................................................................................................................................ 22

Joshua Tree National Park – Class Schedule ........................................................................................ 22

LAAS TShirts......................................................................................................................................23

Celestial Songbook Concert .................................................................................................................... 24

Club Contact Information ....................................................................................................................... 25

LAAS Phone List ...................................................................................................................................... 26

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May General Meeting Information The General meeting will be on Monday, May 5, 2014. All members, families and guests are welcome to attend the meeting. Location: Griffith Observatory Time: 8:00 PM to 9:45 PM Our guest speaker will be Paul Gardner, Chief Engineer for the Palomar Observatory.

My love for astronomy, astrophotography and telescope started in 1997 with the arrival of Comet Hale

Bopp. When it first appeared in the sky I took my dad's old Nikkormat EL out and took the photo that

would set the course of my career in astronomy.

I attended the University of Central Florida and earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering but spent most of

my time running and upgrading the Robinson Observatory at UCF. The observatory started out as a

rebuilt 1960's 26" Tinsley Labs Baker Schmidt and was eventually transformed into a completely

automated robotic observing facility with a 20" RCOS.

After college I moved to California to start a job as an opto-mechanical engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion

Laboratory; designing hyper-spectral imaging spectrometers used for remote sensing aboard airborne

platforms such as NASA's ER-2 (NASA's version of the U-2 spyplane) and the Twin Otter.

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Five years after starting at JPL an opportunity presented itself that was too good to pass on; Chief

Engineer for the Palomar Observatory. I now work at Caltech and with the crew on Palomar Mountain to

make sure the three big telescopes run perfectly night after night.

During all this time I have also built several remote observing facilities for schools, universities and

private individuals and have just recently turned this hobby into an official business; Observatory

Systems.

Topic:

I am not 100% sure what I will talk about but it will have a little bit of Palomar History, Current stuff

happening at Palomar and some interesting behind the scenes experiences I have had working on big

telescopes.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Messier Marathon - April 26, 2014 - Dark Sky Site in Lockwood Valley

This is one of the traditions in amateur observing. The goal is to try and observe ALL the objects in the Messier catalog of deep sky objects in one night. A check-off list and useful advice are just two of the things Herman can provide to assist observers in this endeavor. Please contact Herman if you plan on coming to the Lockwood Valley facilities for the marathon. Contact: Herman Meyerdierks 310-276-9618 Email: meyerdierks@att.net Follow this link for the Messier List from the Astronomical League: https://www.astroleague.org/al/obsclubs/messier/messlist.htm Messier Indexes: http://messier.seds.org/indexes.html Clickable icons for all Messier objects in one screen: http://messier.seds.org/icosheet.html

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As mighty Jupiter slips west, the God of War, Mars, dominates the evening skies. The planet Mars rises around 6:00 pm in the east during the early part of May. By months end, the red planet rises closer to 4:00 pm, making it a rather conspicuous orange-ish “star” in our evening sky. Although it will be positioned for ideal viewing, keep in mind that Mars is so small that even through a telescope, not much detail can be seen. Still, its gleaming reddish hue makes it a gorgeous sight to behold with the naked eye. Our own natural satellite the moon, pairs up with Mars on the evening of the 10th. Not too far behind Mars is the gorgeous Saturn. Rising just after 9:00 pm early in May and 7:00 pm late in May, the quintessential ringed planet will be opposite the sun (in opposition) around May 10th. This means Earth will be directly between the Sun and Saturn, and as a result, Saturn appears directly overhead, though slightly in the south at midnight. Saturn, seen through a telescope, is one of the most spectacular sights to behold. Without a telescope, the Griffith Observatory offers free telescope viewing on the front lawn every night they are open - weather permitting, of course. It’s certainly worth the trip. Through their 11 inch reflecting telescopes, subtle details come to life as Saturn’s famous ring system reflects sunlight back to Earth, making the rings just as visible as the planet itself. The reason the rings are so prominent is due to the fact that they are made mostly of water ice - 99.9% in fact. Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, will also be visible. Look for the moon to travel the night sky with Saturn on the evening of the 14th. By the time the two set in the west, around 4:00am, they will appear to be almost touching each other... Slowly making it’s way into the sunset is the mighty Jupiter. Jupiter has been poised for perfect viewing and dominance in our night skies for the past few months. However, as Earth continues to travel faster around the sun, Jupiter appears to slip further and further away from us, appearing further west in our evening skies. By month’s end, Jupiter is low in the west just after sunset, accompanied by the waxing crescent moon in the evening twilight of May 31st. Lots of changes in our night skies as Earth continues it’s 67,000 mph journey around the sun. Take the time to enjoy the view ! NOTICE : On Saturday/Sunday, May 17,18th, the LAAS will partner with Monterey Park Historical Society for “Play Days” - an annual event in Barnes Park from 10:00am to 5:00 pm. Come learn about the history of Monterey Park and join in lots of cool activities, including safe viewing of the Sun and Venus! A fantastic alternative since our “4th Sunday of the Month” gathering will be cancelled due to the Memorial Day Weekend.

A Guide to the Night Sky for May 2014

by Tre Gibbs, LAAS

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LAAS Volunteers at “Play Days”

a Play Days

Play Days: Monterey Park's Birthday Celebration

There will be a celebration for the birthdate of Monterey Park on May 15 - 18, 2014 at the Barnes Park.

Play Days Parade

This event is fun for the entire family. See the Alhambra Unified School District Band, Schurr High School Band,

Dance Groups, Clowns, and local VIP's.

Saturday, May 17 at 11 AM

Garvey Avenue (between Alhambra and McPherrin)

Carnival Hours

The carnival is one of the highlights of Monterey Park's Annual Birthday Celebration. In addition to the parade,

there will be four days of rides at Barnes Park, and live entertainment.

Thursday – 5 pm to 10 pm

Friday - 5 to midnight

Saturday - noon to midnight

Sunday - 1 to 10 p.m.

Ride Fees

Pre-Sale Ride coupons will be available beginning April 28 until May 15

Special Ride prices are available Thursday, May 15 for all rides $1

Ride all you want Wrist Bands $15 on Sunday, May 18th 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. (save $3 by downloading a special

coupon)

For several years, the LAAS brings telescopes and joins the community of Monterey Park at their

special events. This year, the LAAS will participate in a city event called “Play Days.” We will have a

booth next to the Monterey Park Historical Museum’s booth at Barnes Park.

We’re hoping that several of you will volunteer as this is a fun event and you’ll have time to enjoy the

other activities throughout the park. Please send an email to Mary Brown if you would like to help out

for the day. Her email is nwwrgz@yahoo.com.

We need volunteers for May 17th and 18

th only. (Saturday and Sunday) 10 AM – 5 PM

Bring along the kids and grandkids for a fun day of carnival rides and games, live music, great food

and all that fresh air at the park! Below is information from the official city web site about the event.

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Lunar Eclipse – April 14-15, 2014

Photos by Scott Nichols (3) and Dave Pinsky (2)

All pictures:

Canon T2i DSLR piggybacked on my CGEM 1100.

Moon/Spica/Mars:

F 5.4 / ISO 200 @ 5 second exposure. 75mm focal length No post processing

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Ecplise1: F 5.4 / ISO 200 @ 4 second exposure. 300mm focal length

Cropped from original. No post processing

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Photos by Dave Pinsky (2) 4/15/2014

Dave wrote: I took these through my 90 mm Mak, using a Rebel T3I at prime focus.

The curved shadow of the Earth.

Dave Pinsky, 2014

20120142014

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Totality!

New Apps from NASA's Space Place

There are new fun games for iOS devices (iPhone and iPad) from NASA's Space Place!

Journey to a comet in Rosetta's "Comet Quest", check out GOES-R's Satellite Insight, try out

search and rescue operations in Rescue 406, and of course check out all a selection of the

latest NASA images and videos on Space Place Prime. Check them out here on the main

NASA Space Place website: http://1.usa.gov/1ehTL4R

Dave Pinsky, 2014

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Our club's mission statement:

"The mission of LAAS is to promote interest in and advance the knowledge of astronomy, optics,

telescope making and related subjects. In furtherance of its mission, LAAS conducts public star parties

and other outreach events that are intended to enhance the public's understanding of astronomy and

its enjoyment and appreciation of the beauties and wonders of our universe."

Our Outreach program volunteers visit local schools and organizations in Los Angeles. Most of the

schools schedule a special evening for their students dedicated to science and astronomy. Most of the

children have never seen the moon through a telescope. Remember the first time you saw the moon

through the lens of a scope? It was incredible, wasn't it?

You don't have to be a good speaker. You don't have to know the answers to all the questions. All you

need is the desire to share your hobby of astronomy with others by showing them the natural beauty of

the night sky. The children will think of you as a great explorer who opens up the world beyond Earth.

You'll fill their heads with dreams of space exploration and you will inspire them to learn and to think.

You will give them a gift they will always remember.

Our Outreach program needs help. At this time, only a handful of club members are participating in the

program. We need our club members to participate and get involved. We have events in different parts

of the city and some are close to your home. Most of the events will only take about two hours of your

time and most of the schools do provide food and drinks for all of our members.

If you don't have a telescope, you can help out greatly by standing by to make sure the kids don't knock

over a telescope or help with the lines that form around the scopes. You'll also get to meet some of our

finest members and learn from them. Just try one Outreach event and observe how our volunteers set

up and share their time with the kids. You’ll quickly learn why this is a very rewarding experience.

To help astronomy clubs like ours, the Night Sky Network sends us astronomy toolkits which are stored

at Garvey Ranch Observatory. Inside each box are cards and props created specifically for astronomy

outreach. There are DVDs and easy-to-read guides so you can quickly learn how to use the props. You

can bring a portable table with you and set up a display at the schools for the children. You'll have a

great time with the children and be appreciated by all. These events are fun, fulfilling and you will be

treated with respect by all.

Please contact Heven Renteria, Outreach Coordinator : Outreach@laas.org.

"A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops." --Henry Brooks Adams

Statistics show that people who volunteer live longer! Thank you for volunteering! Andee /Coordinator

The LAAS Outreach Program

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Sierra Vista Park, Sierra Madre, CA

From Van Webster Outreach report 3-28-2014 Members of the Los Angeles Astronomical society met at Sierra Vista Park in Sierra Madre for an outreach event for families at the rotary Club sponsored “Huck Fin Campout” on Friday night, March 28, 2014. About 30 families had set up tents on two plateaus in the settling basin area above the sports park. Representatives of the rotary club came by to offer thanks for your efforts. Although close to residential areas, the park was a haven for wild life. Geese flew in formation and came in for a water ski landing in the ponds. There were ducks, starling, finches and other birds. Heven spotted two deer wandering across the levies. As darkness fell an ostinato of bull frog choruses filled the air, much like baritone crickets. Six scopes were set up in anticipation of an evening’s viewing along the top of a levy between two settling ponds. Jupiter was first to be spotted followed by M42 and M45. Seeing was hampered by the blazing lights of a sports field in the park. Not much in the way of dark skies here. As we waited with our scopes aimed and focused, we could see the movement of children traipsing along the paths with their headlights sparkling white like a line of fireflies. Slowly, families, in ones and twos, trickled in to look through the scopes. Children were amazed and parents thanked us for our efforts. By 8:30 the event was over for us and we were on our way home.

Heven Renteria has helped us have our Star Party at Brockton School and we have enjoyed these

events so very much! John, Tom and Daniel came to our school last week as well as well as

Heven and the excitement that this event evokes from the students is great! The students have

learned so much about our solar system and we are most grateful to all of you for all you do!

Lori Cotton

Brockton School

Pictured are Heven and Dan

being greeted by the president

of the Rotary Club.

Photo credit: Van Webster

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The RTMC Astronomy Expo and Big Bear Starlight Festival

The Big Bear Lake region is hosting two major astronomy events during the long Memorial Day weekend in

2014. The RTMC Astronomy Expo, held in the area since 1975, welcomes the first Starlight Festival to Big Bear

Lake’s Village area.

These two events serve different audiences.

Beginning to advanced amateur astronomers attend the Astronomy Expo from Thursday to Monday to

· Observe from the dark sky of YMCA Camp Oakes,

· see new developments in amateur telescope making,

· Check out commercial telescopes and equipment brought by vendors for observers,

· Listen to presentations covering observing, telescopes, and getting started in astronomy,

· Check out the Saturday swap meet, and

· Socialize and observe with friends

On Saturday and Sunday, weekend visitors to Big Bear, of all ages, will learn more about astronomy and outdoor

sciences at the Astronomy Outreach Network’s Starlight Festival at Big Bear Lake’s Village as they visit

· Sidewalk astronomers,

· Exhibits by the Big Bear Solar Observatory, US National Forest Service, and others,

· Commercial exhibits of science instruments, games, and activities, and

· attend presentations on the current state of astronomy and space science

Come join the fun and learn about the universe your way.

RTMC Astronomy Expo - May 22-25, 2014 Camp Oakes Big Bear City, California

Date The 45th annual RTMC Astronomy Expo will take place from Thursday, May 22 through Monday, May 26, 2014.

Location YMCA Camp Oakes, five miles southeast of Big Bear City on State Route 38 at Lake Williams Road between mileposts 44 and 45. This location is about 50 miles northeast of Riverside in the San Bernardino mountains. Longitude 116° 45' 15" West Latitude 34° 13' 50" North Altitude 7250 feet (2210 meters)

Click here for maps and directions.

Moonrise and Moonset (PDT) Thursday, May 22: moonrise 1:46 AM, moonset 1:55 PM

Photo: Mary and PJ having fun at the LAAS booth at RTMC.

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Friday, May 23: moonrise 2:23 AM, moonset 2:58 PM Saturday, May 24: moonrise 3:00 AM, moonset 4:01 PM Sunday, May 25: moonrise 3:38 AM, moonset 5:02 PM Monday, May 26: moonrise 4:17 AM, moonset 6:02 PM

Keynote Speaker NASA Project Scientist Steve Howell will be speaking about the Kepler space observatory and its mission to find Earth-sized planets around other stars, and the repurposed K2 mission studying objects near the ecliptic plane of the solar system.

Dr. Howell is a member of the Kepler Science Team and specializes in research on variable and binary stars, CCD detectors and instrumentation , and ultra-high precision photometry. He developed the practice of differential photometry using CCDs and has applied the technique to ground-based exo-planet transit detections obtaining, to date, the highest precision photometry yet achieved. Dr. Howell is involved in educational outreach programs, especially those involving multi-wavelength astronomy, using ground-based and space based telescopes. He serves on numerous review panels and was most recently a member of the National Academy of Sciences panel on NASA's Constellation system. Dr. Howell worked with NASA Headquarters to help establish the Kepler guest observer office at NASA / Ames research center and now works at NASA Ames as the project scientist of the Kepler mission.

Astroimaging Workshop - Richard Wright and the Hitchhiker's Guide to Astrophotography, Sunday May 25th This year's Premium Astrophotography Workshop on Sunday at the RTMC Astronomy Expo promises another great learning experience for our imagers. Florida's Richard Wright is lucky enough to be a Pro-Am astronomer. He started out a hobbyist, but had talents and accomplishments that earned him a paying job in the field. He is a software engineer for Software Bisque, among other things, and an accomplished amateur imager. His plans for The Hitchhiker's Guide to Astrophotography workshop include a bit about getting started, selecting equipment, and the all important transition from DSLR to CCD. He has a wide range of experience with just about every type of camera out there. He will do a little bit of processing, including some introduction to PixInsight, but is also a great source for information about automating image acquisition. You can tell by the workshop title that it will be a fun event. Richard sees things differently, and is quite the presenter!

The imaging workshop is a premium event at the RTMC Astronomy Expo. It is held all day Sunday and requires separate registration. Participation is limited. So be sure to register for this workshop early.

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SunDay

April 27, 2014

Let's celebrate our star, the Sun! Awareness and appreciation of the Sun are all you need to

participate. Look at The Sun Now via the NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory or contact your local

astronomy club to find a solar viewing event. Remember, NEVER look directly at the Sun.

Join AWB President Mike Simmons for a special online tour of the historic Snow Solar Telescope live

from Mount Wilson Observatory in California, USA. This telescope, the first permanent facility

designed to study the physics of the Sun, was built in 1904 and is still used for educational programs.

This tour of the horizonal telescope and below-ground 18-foot spectorgraph will provide an insight

into how astronomers learn about the only star close enough to study in detail, our Sun.

Learn more about the history of the Snow Solar Telescope here.

Planning a SunDay event?

Find plenty of activities, including Observing the Sun for Yourself, at the Stanford Solar Center.

What if it’s raining? Be ready for an indoor program with a presentation of “The Sun: Our Nearest

Star” from Galilean Nights (available in English, French and Portuguese).

Don't forget to register your event!

Involving people with visual impairment:

Amazing Space - downloadable images from the Hubble Telescope for printing on

microcapsule paper.

SEE Project - Space Exploration for the Blind and Visually Impaired - Information on the Sun

and sunspots

Check out our Observing Resources and People with Disabilities Astronomy Resources.

Share your SunDay images of outreach, solar photography, or tell us that you love the Sun on Facebook,

Note that there will be a “live” Google

event for the webcast from Mt. Wilson

set up soon.

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Join the Night Sky Network’s vibrant stargazing community!

We invite you to join the NASA Night Sky Network stargazing community

on Facebook and Twitter for sky charts, beautiful images, and lively conversation.

Distant Suns, your personal guide to the cosmos, lists Night Sky Network astronomy club star

parties, safe solar gazing events, and lectures in the main navigation bar. Distant Suns is available

on iPhone, iPad, Kindle, and NOOK.

SkySafari, a powerful planetarium that fits in your pocket, lists Night Sky Network astronomy club

star parties, safe solar gazing events, and lectures in the help menu. SkySafari is available for

Android and the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.

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Mt. Wilson 60 Inch Nights

We have our dates for this year's Mt. Wilson 60" viewing sessions. We have five nights this year. Four are half nights, and one full night. For those of you who have never been to a 60" session, the half nights go from just before sunset until about 1:00 AM. And the full night goes from dusk until dawn, a full night of viewing through the 60" telescope. What a treat!! To make reservations for the sessions, you must be a current member. Members can reserve spots for themselves and guests they are bringing with them. If there are still open spots two weeks before the session date, non-members may make reservations. The only way to reserve a spot for any session is to contact me first. I will maintain the session list for each session, including waiting lists for each session when they are full, in case of cancellations. Refunds for cancelled reservations will be made IF I can fill the spots in time. (Usually not a problem.) In case of sessions cancelled due to weather your spot can be moved to another session with room or you can get a refund for the night. I have information documents that I send to everyone before each session with more specific details for that session. Mt. Wilson’s Web Site: http://www.mtwilson.edu/ To pay for your reservations, you will need to send checks made out to “LAAS” and mail to: John O’Bryan/LAAS Treasurer P.O. Box 56084 Sherman Oaks, CA. 91413 John can be reached at: jobryan@thezenith.com The half nights are $45 per person and the full night is $85 per person. The dates for this year are: Friday, June 20, 2014 - Half Night Friday, July 18, 2014 - Half Night Friday, Aug 29, 2014 - Half Night Saturday, Sept 20, 2014 - Half Night Saturday, Oct 25, 2014 - Full Night I am looking forward to having some great sessions this year. If you have any questions and to make reservations email me at: mtwilsoncoordinator@LAAS.org Darrell Dooley Mt. Wilson 60" Coordinator Treasurer 06-07, Lifetime member

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Meet Our New Members

Ed Gudino Garbriele Vajente

Jeffrey Li

John Rogers

The Hohl Family, Katie, William and Gerri

_________________________________________________________________________________

Comments, Suggestions, Ideas or Complaints?

“Knowledge speaks, wisdom listens. “ Jimi Hendrix

There is always room for improvement and your feedback is important for the growth of the club. Just

click on the box or send an email to: coordinator@laas.org.

This is the official LAAS Suggestion Box, also used for complaints and

comments. Have a gripe, a solution, a brilliant idea? Click on the box

and share your thoughts. All emails will be discreetly reviewed.

Universe Discovery Guide: May From our friends at the Night Sky Network

Discover the universe with your family and friends! In the Guide for May: Theme: A Family Scrapbook of the Universe Sky Feature: Hubble Deep Field Try This! Activity: Cosmic Survey Connect to NASA Science Please note that there are two versions of the Guide. One is full-colour for use during the day, and the other version features a red overlay for use at night to preserve your night vision. Always use Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the Guides on a computer.

Download Universe Discovery Guide for May (Full-Colour) (PDF, 2.24 MB)

Download Universe Discovery Guide for May (Red) (PDF, 2.24 MB) Index of all Universe Discovery Guides

To access files, you need Adobe Acrobat Reader and Quicktime.

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Volunteer for the LAAS Everyone is a volunteer in the LAAS! Our organization thrives on volunteer energy and members like you keep this club active. Committees of dedicated members create successful club events throughout the year. Our events and other activities are organized and planned in advance, with the goal to make each event interesting for all members, including those on the committee. Being on a committee is the BEST way to get to know other members and make new friends in the club.

The following committees are open for participation: Activities Committee: Plan, schedule and organize various LAAS events throughout the year.

Awards Committee: Determine which members deserve awards for their outstanding volunteer work. Awards are

received at our annual banquet each year.

New Members Welcome Committee: Welcome new members and help them learn more about the club.

Nominations Committee: Keep track of the nominations and help out with the ballots.

Outreach Program: Participate at our Outreach events and help the Program Coordinator when needed.

Speakers Committee: Help find and schedule guest speakers for general events, the banquet and other events

when needed.

Youth Program: Assist the Youth Coordinator with the youth membership and any events, when needed.

The Lockwood Valley Improvement Committee: Spending an afternoon making improvements to the Lockwood

property such as painting the telescope pads, filling gopher holes and more.

Annual New Member Potluck and Star Party: Assist the New Member Coordinator plan activities for the day, set-

up and clean-up of facilities, grilling food, raffle prizes/tickets, greeting guests, taking pictures at the event, etc.. You say you’re not a team player and you don’t do well in committees? Consider some other ways to volunteer. Club photographers and reporters are always needed. Take pictures at various events and submit them to the web site, the LAAS Bulletin, or to be used on our Facebook page. Writing an article for the web site is a brilliant way to share your knowledge with not only the club but the public. Your articles will be published online and become part of the history of the LAAS. All of the above committees and other volunteer positions will only take a few hours of your time once a month and some only once a year. This is a hobby club! Don’t be shy! Break out of that comfort zone and join a committee

today! Be a true part of the Los Angeles Astronomical Society by sharing your amazing creativity and knowledge.

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MAY 2014

Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat

1 2 6 - 8 PM Outreach Arcadia, CA

3 2 - 9:45 PM Public Star Party Griffith Obs

4 5

8 - 9:45 PM

LAAS General Meeting Griffith Obs

6 7

7:30 - 10 PM 1.Garvey Nights 2.Board Meeting Garvey Obs

8

6 - 8:30 PM Outreach Los Angeles, CA

9 10

11

Mother’s Day

12 13 14

7:30 - 10 PM Garvey Nights Garvey Obs

15 16

9:30 - 11 PM XP/Outreach Rancho Palos Verdes

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7 - 9 PM Outreach and Concert Arcadia, CA 9 AM - 5 PM Play Day- City of Monterey Park Barnes Park Monterey Park

Armed Forces

Day

Calendar of Events- May, 2014

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18

9 AM - 5 PM Play Day- City of Monterey Park Barnes Park Monterey Park

19 20 21

7:30 - 10 PM Garvey Nights Garvey Ranch Park Observatory

22 23 24

RTMC and Starlight Festival Big Bear City , CA

25

RTMC and Starlight Festival Big Bear City , CA

26

Memorial Day

27 28

7:30 - 10 PM Garvey Nights Garvey Obs

29 31 31

5 - 11:59 PM Dark Sky Night Lockwood Valley

Almanac:

April 27, 2014: The museum at Garvey Ranch Park will be open and the LAAS will have solar scopes on the lawn in front of the observatory for the public. Time: 2 PM-4 PM.

April 22-23, 2014: Lyrids Meteor Shower

April 29, 2014: New Moon. Occurs at 11:14 PM

April 29, 2014: Annular Solar Eclipse.May 5- 6, 2014: Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower. April 29 - New Moon.

April 29 - Annular Solar Eclipse.

May 5, 6 - Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower. It peaks this year on May 5 and May 6th.

May 10 - Saturn at Opposition. .

May 14 - Full Moon. May 28 - New Moon.

June 7 - Conjunction of Moon and Mars

The Moon will pass within two degrees of the planet Mars in the evening sky. The gibbous moon will be at magnitude -12.2 and Mars will be at magnitude -0.8. Look for both objects in the western sky

just after sunset. The pair will be visible in the evening sky for about 6 hours after sunset.

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The Loaner Program provides excellent telescopes and the needed accessories to help

our members view the night sky. Don’t have a telescope? Consider borrowing a telescope from the LAAS before

investing in one of your own. This is a club benefit for current members.

The following instruments are in our inventory and available for all current LAAS members. LAAS-1: Celestron 4.5" f/8 reflector on a genuine Polaris equatorial mount. LAAS-2: Upgraded Tasco 4.5" f/8 reflector on an Edmund equatorial mount with an internal clock drive. LAAS-3: Modified Coulter Dobsonian 8” reflector with Dobsonian mount. LAAS-4: Telescopics 6" f/5 reflector on a Dobsonian mount. LAAS-6: Discovery Instruments 10" f/4.5 reflector on a Dobsonian mount. This is a large instrument especially good for deep sky observation. It is rather large. Therefore anyone considering this instrument should have access to a small truck, van, or SUV. LAAS-7: Meade 80mm f/15 refractor on an Orion Sky-View Deluxe equatorial. LAAS-9: 80mm refractor on a Celestron heavy-duty camera tripod. This is a good Rich Field Telescope.

For more information call David Sovereign at (626)794-0646. Please return any unused loaner scopes so that other club members may use them.

The Loaner Program

Joshua Tree National Park – Class Schedule

Desert Night Sky: Planets to Galaxies Date/Time: Saturday, April 26, 2 pm – 10 pm

Meet at: Oasis Visitor Center

Fee: $50 members $60 non members

Instructor: David Chappell, Ph.D., Astronomy, Professor, University of LaVerne

Hike Level: Easy

Warm April nights are a perfect time to experience the newly emerging spring night sky. The brilliant stars of winter have

sunk beneath the horizon and spring galaxies swirl high in the heavens. David Chappell, Associate Professor of

Astronomy and Physics at the University of La Verne, will lead participants on a tour of the heavens starting with the

planets and ending with distant galaxies during this one-day field class. Starting indoors, the course will cover basic

astronomy and practical observing techniques as well as recent discoveries in astronomy. Just before sunset, the class

will travel into Joshua Tree National Park to observe the night sky. Telescopes and binoculars will be used to see the

rings of Saturn, the Great Orion Nebula, dozens of galaxies, and more. Don’t miss this great opportunity to discover the

universe that surrounds us!

Click to download the course outline: Desert Night Sky Planets to Galaxies Outline – Spg2014

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LAAS T-Shirts – Order Information

We do have an order deadline date on April 9, 2014. Any shirts ordered after the deadline will cost $20.00 each,

no matter which size you order. In order to get the lower prices listed on the form, place your order before the end

of the month and save. Consider buying a few extra for friends and family members or to donate to the club to be

used as door prizes and special gifts.

The LAAS is not set up to mail, ship or deliver any of the tees. You may pick up the tees you ordered at the Garvey

Ranch Obs. on any Wednesday night or at one of our events at Griffith Observatory. I will send out an email

notifying you when to pick up your t-shirts.

If you are interested in checking your size against the spec sheet, here are the links for your review:

PC61P Spec Sheet (Small through 4XL)

PC61PT Spec Sheet (LT through 4XLT) These tees are a few inches longer in length.

If you have any questions, feel free to write to Richard at Richardinwalnutpark@msn.com.

Click on the link below to open up the order form. Please print out the form and mail it in with

your check.

LAAS T-Shirt Order Form 2014.pdf

The T-shirts are manufactured by Port And Co. They are 100% cotton and come in royal blue with our logo in yellow and white. (Royal blue looks great with all skin tones so you'll look absolutely FABULOUS in your new tee.) Photo: Our Youth Coordinator, Marjory Gonzalez models our club tee. Photo credit: Heven Renteria

What is the best way to let people know that you're a part of the LAAS? How can you show off your club

colors? Brand our club logo? The answer is... LAAS T-Shirts! Starting today through April 9, 2014, Richard Roosman will be taking orders for our club T-shirts. If you

are ordering for family members, please make sure you have the correct sizes checked and add the

quantity for all tees on the form. Children will look great in either Small or Medium sizes.

24

Celestial Songbook Concert

Event submission thanks to Spencer Soohoo whose wife will perform

in the concert. Tickets on sale now!

Bring your telescopes if you want to

participate in a star party for the

performers and guests after the

show. Please contact Heven at

Outreach@laas.org.

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Club Contact Information

President: Mary Brown nwwrgz@yahoo.com

Vice President: Geo Somoza .

geovanni_somoza@hotmail.com

Treasurer: John O’Bryan, Jr.

Treasurer@laas.org

Secretary: Zena Brown

Secretary@laas.org

Outreach Coordinator: Heven Renteria

outreach@laas.org

LAAS.org Webmaster: Steve Dashiell

Webmaster@laas.org

Communications Coordinator: Andee Sherwood

Coordinator@laas.org

Mt. Wilson Coordinator: Darrell Dooley

mtwilsoncoordinator@laas.org

Telescope Loaner Program: Dave Sovereign - 626-794-0646

Youth Coordinator: Marjory Gonzalez youthcoordinator@laas.org

Bulletin Editor: Andee Sherwood

Coordinator@laas.org

Mailing Address:

The Los Angeles Astronomical Society c/o Griffith Observatory

2800 E. Observatory Road Los Angeles, CA. 90027

To donate to the LAAS, please use the following

address:

LAAS Treasurer P.O. Box 56084

Sherman Oaks, CA, 91413

If you would like to donate a telescope for our

Outreach program, please contact Mary Brown at:

626-791-2740

Thank you for your donation!

Follow the LAAS on Facebook Youtube, Twitter and the Night

Sky Network.

26

LAAS Phone List

LAAS Message Phone: 213- 673-7355 (All messages answered within 24 hours.) Griffith Observatory: 213-473-0800 Sky Report: 213-473-0880 Lockwood Site: 661-245-2106 (Not answered, arrange time with caller. Outgoing calls – collect or calling card)

The Los Angeles Astronom ical Society