Volume 30—Number 10 October 2013
Roanoke Valley Astronomical
Society Amateur Astronomy News and Views
In Southwestern Virginia
RVAS NL— October 2013— Pg 1 of 12
It seemed as if it might be a carbon copy of last year’s
event. It almost was, but in some ways it was more!
On Saturday, September 28th, the RVAS held its 2013
picnic and star party for our members and their fami-
lies. For the second consecutive year the gathering
place was the Claytor Nature Study Center, about 5
miles northwest of Bedford. It’s a beautiful location
and fits our group’s needs extremely well. And this
year’s attendance was even better than last year’s—and
last year’s had been the best in quite awhile!
In all, 39 people turned out for our event. That’s a
(Picnic Continued on page 3)
This year’s RVAS Picnic and Star Party participants. Also attending but not seen in the photo were Carol Mesimer and Rick Rader.
Photo by Dave Thomas
RVAS Annual Picnic and Star Party
A Grand Time Had by All
The Roanoke Valley Astronomical Society is a membership organization of amateur astronomers dedicated to the pursuit of observational and
photographic astronomical activities. Meetings are held at 7:30 p.m. on the third Monday of each month. See calendar on last page of news-
letter for location. Meetings are open to the public. Observing sessions are held one or two weekends a month at a dark-sky site. Yearly dues
are: Individual, $20.00; Senior Individual, $18.00; Family, $25.00; Senior Family, $22.00; Student, $10.00. Articles, quotes, etc. published in the
newsletter do not necessarily reflect the views of the RVAS or its editor.
Officers/Executive Committee/Editor/Webmaster Frank Baratta, President ([email protected] )
Sharon Stinnette, Vice President ([email protected])
Rick Rader, Secretary ([email protected])
Jeff Suhr, Treasurer ([email protected])
Carol Mesimer, Member at Large ([email protected])
Michael Good, Immediate Past President ([email protected])
Paul Caffrey, Past President ([email protected])
David E. Thomas, RVAS Newsletter Editor ([email protected])
Roger Pommerenke & David E. Thomas, Webmaster ([email protected])
RVAS web page: http://rvasclub.org
RVAS NL— October 2013— Pg 2 of 12
Isn’t that just the way it goes? With amateur astrono-
my, just a few hours can make all the difference.
After rising each morning, before doing anything else, I
almost always peek through the bedroom window blinds
to check how the sky looks. It’s a habit I acquired a
long time ago, when I was fresh into amateur astronomy.
Sunday, the day after the RVAS annual picnic and star
party, I followed suit and was greeted by a sky that was
deep blue and virtually cloudless.
Now in the kitchen and starting the morning coffee
brewing—mostly decaf these days—the view of blue
through its window set me thinking: It might only have
been 10 hours, perhaps only 8. That was the difference
between this morning’s blue skies having been last
night’s. That was the difference between an opportuni-
ty to observe—between getting to connect with the
night sky—and not.
In “stream of consciousness” fashion, I was shifted
back into a particularly vivid memory typical of those
earlier years of being an amateur astronomer. Back
then, my work often entailed traveling Route 460 from
Roanoke to Lynchburg. This particular memory was of
doing so on a Friday, a third quarter Friday—an
“observing” Friday. And that morning, the mountains
seen through my kitchen window had been etched
against a deep blue, cloudless sky, an indicator of low
humidity and the possibility of a gloriously transparent
night to come! As I cruised down 460, through
Montvale and onward towards Bedford, the last thing on
my mind was work. I was pumped at the thought of get-
ting out under the stars that night! My mental images
now are like still-lifes of that blue sky framed against
sets of backgrounds along that road.
Actually, I don’t recall if I did get out that night,
whether the weather held through the day or not. But
I do recall the excitement of anticipating that I would.
That was a feeling powerful enough to ensure I’d retain
that mental imagery and emotional content all these
years. Familiarity with that feeling so many times over
the intervening years has moderated its “rush” to some
extent, but I still feel it when the sky is like that on a
scheduled club observing date.
I know I’m not unique in this sensation. I’ve heard other
members, especially some of our newer ones, sound ea-
ger about stargazing and deflated to learn that no is
doing so on a promising observing night. I think it’s par-
ticularly important to nurture that eagerness, to keep
promoting the opportunities for being out under the
stars. The key is having “observing buddies”—others
who want to join in.
(Message Continued on page 4)
President’s Message
In Just a Matter of Hours
RVAS NL— October 2013— Pg 3 of 12
great show of support from our club, whose total mem-
berships have been hovering in the mid-50s. As usual,
there were more hamburgers, hot dogs, side dishes, sal-
ads and desserts than the crowd could possibly con-
sume. And it all looked delicious. Our grill chefs—Paul
Caffrey, Fred Davis and Jeff Suhr—had the burgers
and hot dogs ready right about 5:00 p.m., as planned,
and everyone was eager to dig in. Funny how the “dinner
bell” focuses everyone’s attention!
Following our picnic dinner, it was time for our door
prize drawings. As usual, there was a great line up of
prizes, from certificates for astronomy accessories and
free club memberships to books, wall calendars and ever
-popular RVAS mugs. RVAS president Frank Baratta
led the drawing, randomly asking picnickers to draw a
star name “ticket” from his little tin bucket. Prize win-
ners included Brian Bowman, Paul Caffrey, Dan Chris-
man, Penny Dudley, Genevieve Goss, Katie Hannah,
Larry Hill, Josh Jones, Robin Jones, Charlotte Parrish,
Molly Simpson, Tom Skelly, Sharon Stinnette, Beverly
Suhr, Dave Thomas and Randolph Walker. Congratula-
tions to the winners! And thanks to members Genevieve
and John Goss and Vipin Trivedi, along with Guy Ot-
tewell and the Universal Workshop, Lumicon Interna-
tional and the RVAS, who provided the door prizes!
New for this year’s event were plans to observe the
night sky with the 20-inch Ritchey-Chrétien telescope
at the Belk Astronomical Observatory, also located on
the Center’s grounds. This is a research-quality instru-
ment available to the faculty and students of Lynchburg
College, which owns the Center, including the observato-
ry. The observatory features a 177-square-foot dome
housing the primary telescope, a single-story structure
with an insulated control room and other sections, in-
cluding an unheated, roll-off roof area equipped with
piers for mounting smaller telescopes, and an outer con-
crete deck with additional piers.
Unfortunately, this is where the weather departed
from what we experienced last year. Whereas last year
the overcast skies broke in our favor, this year they
didn’t. Though promising openings in the clouds did ap-
pear, they would reclose and were, in any event, insuffi-
cient to permit a genuine observing evening. Because
visual use of the 20-inch telescope requires equipment
adjustments, the decision was made to forgo the
planned session, though to continue with a tour of the
observatory.
About half of the picnickers stayed on for the tour and
at 7:00 p.m. caravanned to the facility. There, Dr. Mi-
chael Solontoi, Director of the Observatory, Dr. Neal
Sumerlin, former Director, and Docents Mike Overack-
er, Katherine Hix and Douglas Smith awaited. Breaking
up the picnickers into three tour groups, Dr. Sumerlin
introduced each group in turn to the overall facility,
while the Docents circulated and remained available to
answer questions. Dr. Sumerlin explained that, with
(Picnic Continued from page 1)
(Picnic Continued on page 4)
RVAS picnickers enjoy the camaraderie and tasty fare
at mealtime.
Photo by John Goss
RVAS President Frank Baratta calls out the next
winning star name in the door prize drawings.
Photo by Carolyn Baratta
RVAS NL— October 2013— Pg 4 of 12
the arrival of Dr. Solontoi, Belk was placing further em-
phasis on research, while continuing its ongoing focus on
outreach and education, which was his forte, especially
reaching children. He traced the latter to his own
childhood experience, when his great-grandmother al-
lowed him to stay up late to watch the Perseid meteor
shower with her, an event that flowered into his future
career.
Following Dr. Sumerlin’s introduction, tour groups pro-
ceeded to the dome, where Dr. Solontoi described the
observatory’s primary instrument, known as the Marga-
ret G. L. Gilbert telescope. This is an RC Optical Sys-
tems 20-inch Truss Ritchey-Chrétien telescope, the
same optical design as today’s premier telescopes, in-
cluding the Hubble Space Telescope. It’s equipped with
a CCD camera for astrophotography and is connected to
the Lynchburg College campus via Internet, making it
one of the best-equipped observatories in the state. As
it happened, the clouds thinned sufficiently to provide
Dr. Solontoi an opportunity to focus the telescope on
M31, the Great Galaxy in Andromeda, and give the tour-
goers a view. Notwithstanding the sub-par conditions,
suggestions of the galaxy’s spiral arms could be detect-
ed. Thereafter, the group enjoyed Q&A time with Dr.
Solontoi.
Meanwhile, some members had set up their own instru-
ments on the observatory grounds. Clark Thomas had
brought his newly repaired 16-inch Dobsonian reflector;
Chris Wade had his 10-inch SCT; and Mark Hodges had
his 66-mm refractor. In addition, Mike Good set up his
11x80 binoculars. All attempted to view whatever could
be seen in the limited skies. But by 9:30 most everyone
was heading home from the Center.
Perhaps the most curious occurrence happened before
all had done so. In the
grass and bordering the
gravel parking area near
the observatory, glowing
lights could be seen. Char-
lotte Parrish scooped up
one of the bioluminescent
objects and found it to be a larva of some sort (later
determined to be—we think—firefly larvae). “It’s like
looking at stars on the ground,” she observed. On a day
when few could be seen above, it was a fitting end our
2013 event.
Thanks to all who attended, and special thanks to Drs.
Solontoi and Sumerlin, to the Belk Docents and to Cen-
ter Director Greg Eaton and Facilities Manager Dan
Miles for graciously giving their time and effort to help
the RVAS have a most enjoyable afternoon and evening!
(Picnic Continued from page 3)
The Belk Astronomical
Observatory and its 20-
inch Ritchey-Chrétien
instrument. Lynchburg
College images.
One thing is certain, there’s nothing quite like having a
group of observers together on a clear night. It pro-
duces a synergy that—by definition—is not reproducible
by or through the devices of our increasingly virtual
interactions. It’s a characteristic solely the province
of astronomy clubs.
The next scheduled observing evening, call the RVAS
Message Line at 540-774-5651 to announce whether
you plan to get out for observing and where, or to find
out about such plans so you can hook up with others.
You can also alert others to your plans through the
RVAS Yahoo Group. If you’re not yet a Group member
and would like to be, let me know and we’ll get you con-
nected!
Frank Baratta
(Message Continued from page 2)
RVAS NL— October 2013— Pg 5 of 12
October 21st Meeting
Classroom A, 3rd Floor
Center on Church
20 E. Church Avenue SE
Roanoke, VA
Center on Church is located at 20 E. Church
in downtown Roanoke, across from a parking
garage. Parking is available there (at a cost
of $3.00) or on-street. Enter the building
through the double doors shown in the im-
age at left. Take the elevator to the 3rd
floor. Exit the elevator, turn left and con-
tinue down the hall to Classroom A, which
will be on the right.
WELCOME MAT
The Society bids a warm and cordial welcome to Mark and Mary Erickson, of Roanoke, who joined the RVAS at
the August meeting. Born in Massachusetts, Mark’s a pipefitter with the Norfolk Southern Railroad and has
lived in Roanoke for more than 46 years. Mary’s a native Virginian from the Blacksburg/Radford area and is a
sales associate at Wal-Mart. The Ericksons have 4 grown children and are virtually empty nesters. Both are
experienced, published photographers, and have earned awards for their images, including at the recent Salem
Fair. In fact, one of their motivations for joining the RVAS is to connect with astrophotographers in the RVAS
so they can learn about this facet of astronomy and expand their imaging skills. Mark and Mary love to be on
the road and hope to combine astrophotography with their travels.
Mark and Mary, we’re glad to have you with us! And connecting you with other astrophotographers in the club
through our Yahoo Group may be just what you need. Thanks, again, for joining!
RVAS NL— October 2013— Pg 6 of 12
On Friday night, September 6th, at 11:27 p.m. the Lunar
Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE)
lifted off from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility at Wal-
lops Island, on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, the first-ever
moon mission launch from the Commonwealth. LADEE
is taking a roundabout path to the moon, first making
three huge laps around Earth. It’s scheduled to arrive
at the moon in 30 days, then enter lunar orbit. NASA
announced prior to the launch that it would be visible,
weather permitting, as far south as South Carolina, as
far north as Maine and as far west as Pittsburgh.
Locally, a number of members were able to observe and
even photograph LADEE as it climbed into the atmos-
phere, including what appeared to be a rocket stage
separation. One member was even fortunate enough to
be close at hand to the Wallops facility at the time of
the launch. Here are the reports we’ve received.
Scott Adkins – I was lucky enough to be invited to the
NASA Social meet and was 2 miles from the rocket for
the launch. I hope you can see the blurry image of the
Minotaur launch I got from my old camera! I uploaded
the video to http://youtu.be/wB7bvzmLSqQ.
Genevieve Goss – I began watching at 11:20pm when I
saw a NASA tweet that said “T-7minutes, all systems
Go for launch.” Although I had previously thought that
the 7º altitude would probably keep me from being able
to see it due to the summer tree canopy and the hilly
terrain, the NASA message “spoke” to me, so I began
looking. Just past 11:27, I saw what looked like a red
light at our neighbor's house. Instantly, it arced high-
er and turned more flame-y orange. Just when I
thought it was over (sort of like watching a great big
Iridium flare), there was a white flash and LADEE con-
tinued to be visible. Again, when I thought it was out
of view, it reappeared with more of a faint orange col-
or and continued.
Mark Hodges – It was fun to see. I stayed at work
and watched from the 7th floor of Center in the
Square. Except for the downtown lights, it was plainly
visible. I did manage to get a couple of shots and saw
the first stage burnout and then the second stage ig-
nite. Pretty Cool!
Mary Crouch – Aw, man!! I left [the observing group at
Cahas Mt. Overlook] too soon!! That's super disappoint-
ing . . . BUT I had such a great time just getting out
under the stars once again at Cahas with a great group
of folks!! See y'all at the picnic!
Sharon Stinnette and Fred Davis – We had a good
view of the eastern sky from a hilltop in our neighbor-
hood in Southwest Roanoke. We observed the rocket
as a reddish-orange object rising vertically above the
horizon around 11:29 pm. Observing with binoculars,
we could see the vapor trail behind it. After about a
minute, the trajectory changed and we continued to
see the rocket and vapor trail for another couple of
minutes. As we watched, it disappeared briefly and
then reappeared with a bright flash of light, which we
interpreted to be the firing of a second-stage engine.
Eventually, it faded out of sight. Our total observing
time was about 4 minutes. We have toured NASA’s
facility at Wallops Island on Virginia’s Eastern Shore,
so we could visualize the setting for the launch. Aside
from the “wow” factor of witnessing the launch of a
rocket bound for the Moon, we appreciate the histori-
cal significance of this event. The Roanoke Times cov-
(LADEE Continued on page 7)
Liftoff Visible Locally
Members Report LADEE Sightings
LADEE launch from Wallops Island, Virginia
NASA/Carla Cioffi
RVAS NL— October 2013— Pg 7 of 12
erage indicated that the launch was the first lunar mis-
sion to leave from Virginia. The fact that the rocket
was built by a Virginia-based aerospace company deep-
ens the Virginia connection.
Paul Caffrey – I was so amazed I forgot to look in my
binoculars for the first 30 seconds! [Paul was observing
at Cahas. Former RVAS member and past president
Mike Overacker was standing next to Paul and captured
an image of the event – see above – that WDBJ’s Brent
Watts picked up on his blog on Tumblr.com. Here’s the
link: http://brentwatts.tumblr.com/
post/60542151391/the-ladee-launch-from-wallops-
island-was-visible.]
Thanks to all who provided their LADEE sightings – and
condolences to Mary Crouch for missing the show!
(LADEE Continued from page 6)
The LADEE launch seen from Cahas Mountain Overlook, milepost
139 on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Photo by Mike Overacker
Friday night October 11 is the annual
"Wine, Moon, and Stars" at Virginia
Mountain Vineyards near Fincastle.
(http://www.vmvines.com) RVASers
are invited to bring telescopes, just
as we have in the past few years. The
people attending really enjoy the ce-
lestial views and this is a great
chance to connect with the public.
Plus, RVAS members with telescopes get in free.
(Sorry, you still must purchase your own bottles of
wine!)
Sunset: 6:46 p.m.
Moon: First Quarter in the south at 7 p.m.
Even with the Moon in the sky, it should
still be dark enough to target a number
of interesting deep sky objects. Saturn
will likely be too low in the southwest to
be visible.
The rain date is the following night Sat-
urday October 12.
Last year, the RVAS was in force with ten telescopes,
which was fortunate because there were over 200
Moon, Wine, and Stargazers! You are welcome to partic-
ipate in this fun event. If you are interested, please let
John Goss know.
Wine, Moon, and Stars and the RVAS
RVAS NL— October 2013— Pg 8 of 12
NOVAC hosts VAAS
Saturday October 5
The 2013 Virginia Association of Astronomical Societies (VAAS) gathering takes
place on Saturday October 5th, 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM at C. M. Crockett Park near
Warrenton, Virginia. It's hosted by the Northern Virginia Astronomy Club
(NOVAC) in combination with its Star Gaze program.
It's a FREE EVENT, except for the park entrance fee of $6.00 per car. REGIS-
TRATION IS REQUIRED. You can register at http://www.novac.com/wp/
vaas/. You can get more information about the Star Gaze program, including di-
rections to the park, at www.novac.com/wp/outreach/stargaze/.
Sign in will begin at 8:30 AM on the 5th accompanied by a light breakfast. At
9:45 NOVAC President Phil Wherry will welcome attendees and then we will have
two presentations plus a round-table discussion on amateur astronomy by VAAS
members with participation from the audience. All presentations will take place
rain or shine in our large tent adjoining the observing field.
NOVAC will have lunch catered beginning at 12:00 PM. VAAS attendees will be on
their own for dinner but we will have hand outs at our club tent that list a num-
ber of fine eateries in the area. Star Gaze begins at 3 PM and VAAS attendees
are welcome to attend three more presentations and interact with our public
guests.
Please contact John Goss or Rick Rader if you wish to carpool from Daleville.
We will leave at 6 a.m. Yep, that's right - 6 a.m.!
RVAS NL— October 2013— Pg 9 of 12
The first weekend in September provided an opportuni-
ty for some excellent observing. With the new moon on
Thursday, September 5, and crisp, clear, blue-sky days
on Friday and Saturday, the conditions were just right
for astronomy on the Parkway. So it seems unbelievable
that I had to force myself to get up and get out there.
On Friday evening, after a busy week, I had just settled
on the porch with the newspaper when Fred suggested
we needed to load the truck if we wanted to set up the
telescope before dark at Milepost 139. Load the
what??? Drive where??? But I just sat down with the
paper! I confess I had inertia to overcome. Besides,
after months of clouds and rain, the notion of viewing
the night sky seemed strange & foreign to me.
Fred and I were the first to arrive at the Cahas Moun-
tain Overlook. We waited for others before we began
to set up our telescope (just be sure this was real). One
by one, friends arrived and telescopes were deployed.
Members who gathered Friday night were Frank Bar-
atta, Paul Caffrey, Chris Wade, John Goss, Mary
Crouch, Clark Thomas, my husband Fred Davis and
me. Because the humidity was low, the light dome from
Roanoke was fairly compact and close to the horizon.
Stars and constellations began to appear like long-lost
friends. We were all hungry for the night sky. The
Summer Triangle emerged and proved challenging for
necks that were unaccustomed to looking up. As dark-
ness deepened, the Milky Way was dazzling. Earlier in
the year I had set a goal to work on the AL Messier
certificate, but on this night I abandoned any agenda.
It was enough just to be out under a clear, dark sky.
Around 9:30 high clouds began forming, hazy at first
but then blocking more of the sky. Fred and I decided
to leave. Others stayed, but we were home by 10:30.
The show was not over. Scheduled for the evening of
Friday, September 6, was a rocket launch from Wal-
lops Island, Virginia, which would be visible along much
of the eastern seaboard. So about quarter past 11:00,
Fred and I walked a few blocks to a hilltop in our neigh-
borhood where we had a good view of the eastern hori-
zon. Fortunately, there were no clouds to obscure the
view. NASA’s Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment
Explorer, or LADEE, was the first lunar mission to leave
from Virginia bound for the moon. Its robotic mission is
to gather detailed information about conditions near
the moon’s surface and the formation of lunar dust. We
watched the rocket, reddish-orange in color, for about
4 minutes, observing the vapor trail and a stage separa-
tion. It was a real treat to see and a great ending to
our first night of observing in a very long time.
But wait…there’s more! On Saturday, September 7,
Frank had scheduled his monthly public stargaze
through the City of Roanoke Parks and Recreation De-
partment. After enjoying a gorgeous Saturday of shop-
ping at the City Market and planting fall mums in the
flower beds, Fred and I headed back to the Cahas
Mountain Overlook.
It was another clear night, but a touch more humid; the
Roanoke Valley light dome reached a bit higher into the
sky. RVAS members at the overlook on Saturday were
Frank, Brian Bone and his son Noah, Dan and Carolyn
Chrisman, Mark Hodges, Vince St. Angelo, and Fred
and me. About 15 people showed up for Frank’s pro-
gram, but for a little while folks wandered among the
telescopes that RVAS members had trained on various
sky objects. Observing conditions were good. Venus
was setting, but participants were able to observe the
planet in a gibbous phase, as well as Saturn with its
rings, slightly higher in the western sky. Frank’s pro-
gram was excellent, as always. I overheard more than
one visitor remark that they had enjoyed his tour of
the night sky before and wanted to experience it again.
Ditto for me! This evening, he focused on the “how to”
of locating sky objects; less emphasis on the mythology
surrounding the constellations. Frank started with the
familiar Big Dipper, using the “pointer stars” to locate
Polaris. He explained how the American Indians used
Alcor & Mizar in the dipper handle as a visual acuity
test for braves and warriors.
We spent some time exploring stars & constellations of
the Summer Triangle. Frank and several club members
focused their scopes on Albireo in Cygnus. The atmos-
(Weekend Continued on page 10)
A Weekend of Observing by Sharon Stinnette, RVAS Vice President
RVAS NL— October 2013— Pg 10 of 12
phere was clear enough to see the striking blue and or-
ange colors of the double star. Frank navigated the
stars and constellations across the sky - familiar ones
and the not-so-familiar. He highlighted M13 in Hercu-
les; we had very good resolution in our Celestron refrac-
tor. M13 is in an area of the sky where the star field is
not so dense, so it really stands out. We also visited
M22 in Sagittarius, the third brightest globular cluster
in the night sky, so it can be clearly seen even with the
denser background of stars closer to the center of the
Milky Way.
Throughout the evening, people were very engaged and
I found my rusty (from all the recent rains?) navigation
skills to be sharpened somewhat. After a long hiatus, it
was good to look to the night sky again.
(Weekend Continued from page 9)
WELCOME MAT
The Society bids a warm and cordial welcome to Penny Dudley, of Roanoke, who joined the club in September.
Having moved to Southwest Virginia in February from the Pacific Northwest, Penny was living in New Castle until
about a month ago, when she moved to the City. A Suffolk, Virginia, native, she graduated from Virginia Tech
with a degree in horticulture. Thereafter, she shifted directions, completing her preparation as a Registered
Nurse at UNC-Greenville. Penny traces her interest in astronomy to when she was a young girl and got her first
look through a telescope. She’s been hooked on stargazing ever since, and wherever she’s lived, she’s sought to
connect with other night sky enthusiasts. She once owned a telescope, but these days observes with binoculars
and by naked eye. Penny has varied interests and is also a member of the Rock Club, the Ski Club and the Or-
chid Society.
Penny, thanks for looking us up when you returned to Virginia! We’re glad to have you as a member and look for-
ward to your participating in RVAS meetings, events and activities.
Albireo
Photo by: Dave Thomas
M13
Photo by: Dave Thomas
M22
Credit: N.A.Sharp, REU program/AURA/NOAO/NSF
RVAS NL— October 2013— Pg 11 of 12
For two days last month about 30 Virginia and out-of-
state librarians gathered at Roanoke County’s South
County Library to learn about Jupiter and NASA’s Pro-
ject Juno. And the RVAS was on the agenda!
Conducted by the Lunar and Planetary Institute, a non-
profit organization that supports solar system explora-
tion, the September 11th and 12th workshop offered
information and activities the librarians could use to
interest youth in space science and the Juno space-
craft. Juno arrives at Jupiter in July 2016 after a five
-year journey that includes looping back around the
Earth in October 2013 for a gravity assist. Among the
workshop’s suggestions was that libraries partner with
local astronomy clubs, especially for holding moon and
planet viewing sessions. This led LPI’s Christine Shupla,
of Houston, Texas, to invite the RVAS to provide one or
two members to speak to the attendees.
On September 11th, our president, Frank Baratta, and
long-time member John Goss represented the RVAS at
the workshop. Frank began with comments about the
fascination most everyone feels when out under that
stars. He noted that the club facilitates interaction
among those who enjoy astronomy; builds knowledge
with its meeting programs, newsletter and affiliation
with the Astronomical League; promotes skill develop-
ment through observing sessions and League programs;
and raises community awareness by holding Astronomy
Day, public stargazes and other events. Given libraries’
interest in nurturing learning and personal development,
there’s a natural synergy with astronomy clubs. As
Frank quipped, “You’ve got the books, we have the
scopes!” After indicating how attendees could obtain
more information about the RVAS, Frank turned things
over to John.
John focused everyone’s attention on our most ambi-
tious interaction with libraries: the Library Loaner Tel-
escope, or “LiTel.” Inspired by the New Hampshire As-
tronomical Society, which has awarded 90 such scopes
to libraries in that state and neighboring areas, the
RVAS donated its first loaner scope to the Botetourt
Library last year. The scope is loaned out just like a
book or DVD, and has a long waiting list of users. Indi-
cating that this was the first such loaner scope in Vir-
ginia, John explained how the scope was modified to
avoid tinkering by the borrowers that might misalign
the optics. He also noted that a single zoom eyepiece is
permanently mounted in the scope, simplifying matters
and avoiding lost eyepieces. John displayed the Orion
AstroBlast won for the RVAS by member Vipin Trivedi
at July’s Green Bank Star Quest and said that it would
likely become the RVAS’ next LiTel. The group was duly
impressed by the LiTel program concept.
After some questions, Frank and John were invited to
join in the catered workshop lunch buffet of fajitas,
rice, chips, salsa and desserts, which they gladly ac-
cepted.
That evening, Frank returned to the library with his 10”
Dobsonian telescope for a moon and Saturn observing
session. About a dozen of the workshop participants
returned for the session, which provided views of the
moon through breaks in the considerable cloud cover.
Unfortunately, the same could not be said for Saturn,
which remained obscured the entire time.
Artist’s rendering of the Juno spacecraft approaching Earth
for a gravity assist on October 9, 2013. NASA/JPL-Caltech
RVAS Speakers at NASA Workshop
Monthly Calendar
MONTHLY MEETING: Monday, October 21st, 7:30 p.m., Center on Church, Downtown
Roanoke. The first monthly gathering at our new meeting place. See directions and infor-
mation inside. Gary Hatfield will be our speaker and will share with us his unique astrophotog-
raphy methods, which bridge old style film and digital imagery.
RVAS WEEKEND OBSERVING OPPORTUNITIES: Unless otherwise indicated, observing is held at Cahas Moun-
tain Overlook, milepost 139 on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
-- Friday and Saturday, October 4th and 5th. Sunset is at 6:58 p.m. Astronomical twilight ends at 8:24 p.m.
The Moon sets at 6:41 p.m. and 7:17 p.m., respectively.
-- Friday and Saturday, October 25th and 26th. Sunset is at 6:30 p.m. Astronomical twilight ends at 7:57 p.m.
The Moon rises at 11:50 p.m. and 12:44 a.m., respectively.
-- Future Sessions: November 1st and 2nd; November 22nd and 23rd; November 29th and 30th.
RVAS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING: To be determined. Call 540-774-5651 for information.
ROANOKE CITY PARKS and RECREATION PUBLIC STARGAZE: Saturday, October 26th, 7:15 p.m., Cahas
Overlook, Milepost 139 Blue Ridge Parkway. Nonmembers must register with Parks & Rec. at 540-853-2236.
Astro-Quiz
Of the 88 currently recognized constellations, one was specifically named in reference to the Great Flood narra-
tive in the Old Testament of the Bible. What’s the constellation?
Answer to Last Month’s Astro-Quiz: An early developer of the vacuum tube, Sir William Crookes (1832—1919)
used his own version of such devices to investigate cathode rays. Experimenting with these beams of electrons,
he believed he had discovered a hitherto unknown state of matter, which he called “radiant matter” because of
the great heat that it produced. In 1928, the physicist Irving Langmuir used the term “plasma” (from the Greek
πλάσμα – a thing molded or formed) for what Crookes had observed, perhaps because the glowing discharge in
the Crookes tube seemed to mold itself to the tube’s shape. We now know that matter on the Sun is a plasma, as
are lightning, static electric sparks and fluorescent lamps on Earth.
RVAS NL— October 2013— Pg 12 of 12