Passing along an interesting link (and note) sent by Steve Capp, SAS Member and reigning king of the Darling Hill Big Dobsonian owners (and the last amateur astronomer you want to play chess against on an overcast night). Embedded here are a few images from the great read at chessbase.com.

Dr. Christian Sasse, Vishy Anand, John Nunn at the astronomy session.

Being a chess player, I have been following a world class chess tournament in London this week. One Grandmaster from London (Dr John Nunn) along with the world champion (Viswanathan Anand) are really interested in astronomy.

John Nunn’s image of Rho Ophiuchus Nebula. Click HERE for a larger version.

During the tournament yesterday, after round four, they gave a lecture along with Dr Christian Sasse on astronomy. It’s pretty good. The first part of the talk is about the images that John has taken and then it moves more into the equipment and software. World Champion Viswanathan Anand has taken up imaging which I found cool.

The site is: http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=7739

Greetings fellow astrophile!

In the interest of reaching the larger CNY astronomy community, the SAS is happy to post information for people in the CNY area about astronomical equipment for sale. The SAS takes no responsibility for any aspect of the sale itself, but simply provides an outlet to members and nonmembers alike.

The following scope is available from Janet O’Mara (janetomara@gmail.com).

From Janet: I purchased it about 3 years ago but have never used it. I am including an accessory lens kit along with the scope. I am hoping to get $325.00 for it.

Additional information can be found at: www.celestron.com/astronomy/telescopes/celestron-nexstar-130slt.html

Product Identifiers

Brand: Celestron
Model: NexStar 130SLT 31145
MPN: 10001011
UPC: 050234311458

Key Features

Lens Size: 5.1 in. (130 mm)
Focal Length: 25.6 in. (650 mm)
Optical Diameter: 5.1 in. (130 mm)
Optical Design: Newtonian
Mount: Altazimuth

Technical Details

Max. Magnification: x 306
Finderscope: Optical
Motorized: Yes

Dimensions

Measurement: 306 x 130 mm

I am pleased to announce that the New York Center for Astrobiology is sponsoring a writing contest for 9th – 12th graders. A brief overview of the contest is below, with the complete list of rules, story proposals, and lots of extraterrestrial parameters included in the linked PDF you can find at:

www.origins.rpi.edu/astrobiologycontestfinalversion.pdf

NOTE: I urge you to have wikipedia open as you read the two plots. Some good explanations and a whole lot of potential inspiration lies within!

This contest is sponsored by the New York Center for Astrobiology, a member of NASA’s Astrobiology Institute program, headquartered at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, NY. The New York Center for Astrobiology at RPI also involves scientists at the University at Albany (SUNY), Syracuse University, and the University at Arizona. The multi-disciplinary team of scientists from these four institutions is working to better understand the origin and distribution of life on Earth and on other planets in the Galaxy. For more information about the New York Center for Astrobiology, please visit its website at www.origins.rpi.edu

Prizes

> An award ceremony will occur in early May 2012 for students, teachers, and parents with scientists and high school teachers associated with the New York Center for Astrobiology

> $200 for each of the best stories (up to 4 to be selected)

> An interview with the winning authors on WAMC Northeast Public Radio in Albany, NY

About the Contest

> Open to all students in grades 9-12 from Connecticut, New York, and Vermont. Eligible students within that grade-range can be from public schools, private schools, and home schools.

> One entry per student. Entries must be authored by one individual only.

> Entries must have a minimum of 500 words to a maximum of 1600 words. The format must be double-spaced; 12-point font; 1-inch margins. Graphs, images, tables, and citations are optional, and would not count toward the length-limit.

> If sent by mail, entries must be post-marked no later than Friday, March 2, 2012. If sent electronically (pdf and doc files), the entry must be received no later than 5:00 PM EST on Friday, March 2, 2012. Results of the contest will be announced by mid-April 2012.

> Entries will be assessed by a team of (i) high school teachers with expertise in the sciences, literature, and the arts, and (ii) scientists associated with the New York Center for Astrobiology.

The short stories can range from being highly scientific to being fictional. The intent is to select up to two entries per Story Option, in which one may be highly scientific and the other may be highly fictional. In both instances, each would have been judged to be of outstanding quality. The contest-organizers fully recognize that the assessment criteria (described on page 3) will yield disparate scores for these two styles of short story. That range of scores will be calibrated by the team of reviewers.

To Enter

Mail a printout of your entry with the cover sheet to the following address: Prof. John W. Delano; Associate Director, New York Center for Astrobiology; Dept. of Atmospheric & Environmental Sciences; 1400 Washington Avenue; University at Albany; Albany, NY 12222 Alternatively, you can submit your entry as an e-mail attachment (.doc or .pdf) to Prof. John Delano at the following address: jdelano@albany.edu

Questions

For questions about this contest, please contact Professor John Delano by either telephone (518-442-4479) or e-mail (jdelano@albany.edu).

A TACNY (Technology Alliance of CNY, of which the SAS is a member organization) Sweet Lecture (not to be directly confused with a sweet TACNY Lecture) is happening on the OCC campus this coming Tuesday (February 7). Information from the TACNY website for “Forensic Science: Real-Life CSI” is provided below.

When: Tuesday, February 7, 2012, at 5:30 pm
Where: Whitney Applied Technology Center Room 101 at Onondaga Community College

Anita Zannin, owner and forensic consultant at AZ Forensic Associates, will present Forensic Science: Real-Life CSI, a talk about forensic science and bloodstain pattern analysis, as part of the the Technology Alliance of Central New York’s 2011-2012 Sweet Lecture Series. The event is also sponsored by the Syracuse section of the American Chemical Society (ACS).

People interested in learning more about forensic science are invited to attend the free Sweet Lecture presentation on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Room 101 of the Whitney Applied Technology Center on the Onondaga Community College campus. Networking starts at 5:30 p.m., the speaker is introduced at 6 p.m., the presentation is slated to run from 6:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., and the event ends at 8 p.m. following questions from the audience. Admission is free and open to the public. Walk-ins are welcome, but we ask that people RSVP by emailing sweet.lecture@tacny.org by Jan. 31, 2012.

Anita Zannin has been an expert witness in state and federal courts, and has worked on criminal and civil cases in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. She recently appeared on CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360” talking about evidence used in the case of Warren Horinek, a former Fort Worth, Texas, police officer who was found guilty of killing his wife based on the testimony of a bloodstain pattern analysis expert, which others believe to be wrong. Zannin graduated magna cum laude from Buffalo State College with dual bachelors degrees in forensic chemistry and criminal justice. She earned her master’s degree in forensic science from Syracuse University’s College of Arts and Sciences, where she currently is an adjunct professor. She is also a visiting professor at Francisco Marroquin Law School in Guatemala. Zannin earned her certification as a competent forensic expert in bloodstain pattern interpretation from the Institute on the Physical Significance of Human Bloodstain Evidence, which only six people worldwide have earned.

Zannin will discuss the science of forensics and bloodstain pattern analysis, topics that have risen to prominence due to the popularity of television shows such as “CSI.” She will talk about how technology has transformed this field of investigation and share her thoughts on the future of forensic science. Zannin will also discuss some the many cases she has worked on.

To help us plan, please email your RSVP

We look forward to seeing you there – please pass the word!

The Kopernik Observatory & Science Center is hosting a Winter Star Party this coming Saturday, January 28. Information from the flyer is provided below (and the PDF of the flyer is available for download). For information call (607) 748-3685 or visit www.kopernik.org.

Is Astronomy really better in the Winter? Find out what happened this past year in the world of astronomy. Learn about meteors and meteor showers and learn about dark matter theories and how they affect our understanding of the Universe.

Saturday, January 28, 2012

5:30 PM: Kopernik Observatory Members-Only Reception (coffee & donuts provided)
6:00 PM: Astronomy: The Year in Review
7:00 PM: Meteorites
8:00 PM: Dark Matter Halos – Discrepancy Between Simulations & Observations

Program

Our understanding of the Universe continues to expand almost as rapidly as the Universe itself. Dr. Nicholas Guydosh of the Kopernik Observatory & Science Center will present a “Year in Review” of some of the latest Astronomical discoveries and images.

An estimated 500 meteorites reach the Earth’s surface each year. These visitors from space bring with them a wealth of knowledge from our solar system. Patrick Manley, of the Kopernik Astronomical Society, will display his meteorite collection for viewing. Come join us to learn about meteorites, their origins, what they are made of, what wonderful secrets they hide inside. Discussions will cover the basics of identification of meteorites and meteor-wrongs as well as meteorite hunting practices. Please feel free to bring in your suspected finds for a brief visual assessment.

Many discrepancies exist between simulations of dark matter halos and observations of galaxies. Betsey Adams, a PhD candidate at Cornell University, will present some of her current research which involves finding the lowest mass, gas-rich, galaxies using data taken at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. One of the most well known discrepancies is the mismatch in the number of dark matter halos versus galaxies. In order to reconcile the discrepancies many solutions have been proposed; from a loss of the luminous matter from the dark matter halos to a modification of dark matter. Various solutions will be discussed revealing the current consensus.

After the programs, if it is clear, view Venus, Jupiter, the Moon, the Orion Nebula, double stars and a multitude of deep-sky objects through Kopernik’s powerful telescopes. When you need to warm up you can come back inside our warm building and visit our computer room to run night sky simulation software and build a 3D glow-in-the dark constellation. See on-going demonstrations of our 3D imaging Geowall and Ham Radio Satellite Station.

Admission

Kopernik Members: Free
$5.00 Adults
$3.00 Students/Seniors
$16.00 family maximum

As a few calls and emails have come in – the December 10 Lunar Eclipse will not be visible from the East Coast and will, in fact, only be somewhat visible to early-morning risers on the West Coast. The forecast calls for considerable cloud cover as well on the evening of December 9th, so we will also not host a still-can’t-see-the-eclipse nighttime lunar observing session.

For pictures and interesting descriptions and discussions about the even we won’t be able to see, check out the following: earthsky.org/space/how-do-i-watch-the-total-lunar-eclipse. And expect some fantastic pictures to be posted to astronomy website in the next 48 hours…

It isn’t often enough commented upon, but a considerable amount of the really interesting neighborhood (celestial, that is) observational astronomy is performed by amateurs (some examples can be found in stories by ABC, physicsworld, Discovery, or just google it) from the observation of impacts on Jupiter to the recording of increasing light pollution to the tracking of meteor show quantities to, perhaps most famously, the discovery and tracking of comets. David H. Levy has been a recent star in this area and, for those ever wondering how astronomers keep track of their discoveries and more general observations, the announcement below provides you a link to Dr. Levy’s complete set of logbooks.

For those wondering how to organize a logbook, taking a look at 10-year intervals to see how Dr. Levy worked towards perfecting his technique is quite instructive.

November 29, 2011

Contacts: Deborah Thompson / Randall A. Rosenfeld
thompson@rasc.ca / levylogbooks@rasc.ca / +1 416-924-7973 (DT)

ACCLAIMED CANADIAN ASTRONOMER DR. DAVID LEVY’S LOGBOOKS NOW ONLINE

The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) in conjunction with Jarnac Observatory is pleased to announce the launch of the David Levy Logbooks archive. The project offers full and free access to digital facsimiles of over sixteen thousand observing sessions by David H. Levy chronicling more than half a century of astronomical exploration and discovery: http://www.rasc.ca/logbooks/levy.

Dr. David H. Levy, co-discoverer of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9, is one of the most acclaimed amateur astronomers of our time. He is the discoverer or co-discoverer of twenty two comets and more than 150 asteroids, and is the first person to have discovered comets visually, photographically, and electronically. Dr. Levy is a well-known popularizer of astronomy, who has spent a lifetime advancing the active engagement of others in the rich cultural pursuit of astronomy by personal example and through live appearances, and print and electronic media. The conviction that astronomical observation, both recreational and scientific, provides a way to discover more about our place in the universe and to better know ourselves is shared by Dr. Levy and the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC), an organization of which he has been a member for nearly as long as he has been an astronomer.

The David Levy Logbooks offer a glimpse into one man’s personal engagement with the night sky, an engagement as dynamic and pristine now as when he commenced his records at age eleven with a partial solar eclipse in 1959. In the logbook pages readers will encounter his personal entries of notable discoveries — comets and near earth objects found with Eugene M. and Carolyn Shoemaker through the Palomar Asteroid and Comet Survey (PACS), including the unfolding drama of Shoemaker-Levy 9 impacting Jupiter — interspersed with records of variable star observations for the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) and searches for the RASC’s COMET and NOVA Section, along with recreational observing of deep-sky objects (DSO) and solar-system phenomena. An attractive feature of the logbooks is their witness to astronomical friendship — accompanying Dr. Levy’s notes are the autograph comments of those who have observed with him, ranging from Clyde Tombaugh the discoverer of Pluto, to observers as young as Dr. Levy was when he started in astronomy. Observational sketches, photographs, and quotes from literature reflecting astronomy can be found throughout, attesting to the wider cultural matrix in which astronomy is embedded.

Complementing the digital logbook facsimiles are several interpretive essays, one introducing the logbooks by Dr. Roy Bishop, a long-time personal friend and mentor of Dr. Levy’s, and another setting the logbooks in historical context by RASC Archivist R.A. Rosenfeld.

Few primary sources of significant amateur scientists are available in their entirety on the web. The logbooks should be of interest to all intrigued by the variety of 20th- and 21st-century practices of astronomy, and should prove a resource for those researching the history of amateur astronomy, pro-am collaboration, continuities and adaptation in modes of discovery, astronomy education and public outreach, and the scientific notebook as a literary genre, a locus for memory, and an agent for creating filiations and structuring scientific communities. The pages of the David Levy Logbooks can also aid amateur observers in finding their own voice and style of astronomical note taking through emulation, modification, and antithesis.

* * *

The David Levy Logbooks are a joint project of the Jarnac Observatory and the RASC through its History Committee. The project team consists of Roy Bishop, David and Wendee Levy, Walter MacDonald, R.A. Rosenfeld, and Nanette Vigil.

Founded in 1868, The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada is the nation’s leading astronomy organization bringing together over 4,200 enthusiastic amateurs, educators and professionals from Canada and abroad. The Vision of the RASC is to inspire curiosity in all people about the Universe, to share scientific knowledge, and to foster collaboration in astronomical pursuits, and our Mission is to encourage improved understanding of astronomy for all people, through education, outreach, research, publication, enjoyment, partnership, and community.

The November & December 2011 edition of the Astronomical Chronicle has been posted at:

astronomical_chronicle_nov_dec_2011.pdf

Our 2011 Observing Year has come and gone, closing a year that saw the untimely passing of a brightest star in our organization but also increasing Darling Hill Observatory activity over 2010, increased membership, library and state park lecturing, school observing sessions, the return of the SAS Summer Seminar, and a plethora of observables.

We thank all those who attended activities this year and look forward to an even “darker” 2012!

In the interest of reaching the larger CNY astronomy community, the SAS is happy to post information for people in the CNY area about astronomical equipment for sale. The SAS takes no responsibility for any aspect of the sale itself, but simply provides an outlet to members and nonmembers alike.

The following scopes are available at Johnson Camera (6565 Kinne Rd Ste 1, Syracuse NY 13214, 315-446-0290, sales@johnsoncamera.com).

We have a new ETX-125AT for $425 (reg $499) and a new ETX-125AT for $599 (reg. $699). There only two available. There is also a new 10″ Meade LX-90ACF on display (reg. $2649) that we would sell for $2449.

In the interest of reaching the larger CNY astronomy community, the SAS is happy to post information for people in the CNY area about astronomical equipment for sale. The SAS takes no responsibility for any aspect of the sale itself, but simply provides an outlet to members and nonmembers alike.

The following is available from Robert Piekiel in CNY. Yes, THAT Robert Piekiel, reachable at piekielrl@netzero.net. For those of you lucky enough to have seen one of Bob’s lectures, been to one of his observing sessions at Baltimore Woods, or have a digital copy of his Celestron: The Early Years, you already know these are top-condition and maintained scopes and that Bob’s offer to instruct on setup and usage will be as complete as anyone would need.

Info from Bob:

Hi All, I am scaling down my astronomy operations somewhat and have decided to sell my Vintage Celestron C16 (image above) and / or the C12 (image below). Both are in as good a condition as you will ever find one of these 40-year-old scopes in and I have restrored them to as original as you will get. These scopes are heavy (around 800 lbs. each) so a buyer must come to my home (I’m 13 miles SW of Syracuse, NY, with easy access to I-81 and I-90) to pick them up, where I will personally assist with disassembly and instructions for use. If you choose, you could hire a mover to come and get one of the scopes, but I would strongly recommend that you the buyer come and get them whereupon I can give you one-on-one instruction as to their use and construction.

They can fit in the back of a minivan or Taurus-sized stationwagon. The prices: C16 – $9900, and the C12 – $7500, both a bit less than what I paid for them. Prospective buyers should study my ebook “Celestron The Early Years” as many photos of each of them are in there as well as answers to 95% of the questions you may have. The pictures I have posted are from my ebook – it contains many more of these scopes both inside and out.