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Friday, February 8, 2008

North Mountain Park Visitor Center

North Mountain Park Visitor Center

http://tinyurl.com/38q36t

PAS will be doing a few, coop star parties for the North Mountain Park Visitor Center. The link above shows where we will be meeting. There is an entrance to the park at 7th street and Peoria. Drive in, go to the parking lot with the Visitor Center. We will most likely be in the parking lot area for the star parties. The dates of these star parties will be:

The first time we to go there, Rod, Don and I will be scouting out the area for the best possible location to hold a public star party and that will be around 5pm Mar 9th. Others may join us for this scouting. We will get there early enough before sundown to see where the sun is setting, and then watch as it gets dark. The V.C. has a platform at the back of its building that is also an option. I predict we will do it in the parking lot and just block off the area where the scopes are with cars, but if the back area is better, we will let you know. Depends on which way it faces and how close to the building we would need to set up.

  • 1st scheduled Star Party will be Mar 14th 5pm open to the public. RSVP is with Terri.
  • 2nd star party includes a lecture by Mike Marron. Set up is at 5pm for solar, presentation is at 6pm to 7:30pm, and then night viewing 7:30 to 9:30pm. Open to the public. RSVP with Terri.
  • 3rd star party is May 9th 5pm. RSVP with Terri.
That's all we have planned at this time, but my contact at the V.C. wishes to continue doing these type of lectures and star parties through the summer months as well. Watch for postings of this in this Digest Blog and on the website in the Upcoming Events page.


Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Possible Occultation by Varuna Sunday Night 2/10

2/8/08 This came in just now through email to me:

Possible Occultation by Varuna Sunday Night

This is an AstroAlert from Sky & Telescope.

February 8, 2008

Observers throughout the Americas, and even westernmost Europe, have a chance to observe an occultation of an 11.3-magnitude star in Gemini by far-flung 20000 Varuna on Sunday night, February 10-11, 2008. This trans-Neptunian object (TNO) may be as large as 1,000 kilometers across.

Those in South America are especially encouraged to try to observe this event, since they have the highest probability for an occultation. The nominal path misses the Earth to the south, but the real uncertainties in the prediction are hard to assess, as Steve Preston (International Occultation Timing Association) notes. So there's a chance for an event even in North America.

Occultations of stars this bright by such large TNOs are quite rare; so far, none beyond those by Pluto/Charon have been observed. Even if an occultation by Varuna doesn't occur, there could be an occultation by a possible satellite of Varuna.

Closest approach is at 4:26 Universal Time on February 11th in South America, and about 4:30 UT in North America. The formal uncertainty (1 sigma) in the time is about 5 minutes, but you should be prepared for at least a 3-sigma event. I would recommend monitoring/recording the star for at least 20 minutes before and after the predicted time for your station. If an occultation occurs, there will be a 9-magnitude drop lasting about 43 seconds for a central event. The star to be occulted is TYC 1913-00670-1 at right ascension 7h 18m 50.1s, declination +25° 43' 19" (equinox 2000.0). It lies 2.5° SSW of 5th-magnitude Iota (ι) Geminorum and 1.3° WNW of 6th-magnitude 57 Geminorum. Detailed finder charts of different scales are on Preston's website for the event here. His site also has a view of the Earth as seen from Varuna that can be used to estimate your time of closest approach, as well as the altitude of the event above your horizon.

Brian Skiff (Lowell Observatory) notes that the star to be occulted may be slightly fainter than given above, magnitude 11.9 rather than 11.3.

If you are reading an e-mailed copy of this AstroAlert, be sure to look at the online version at SkyandTelescope.com/AstroAlert for possible late updates.

For more about observing occultations in general, check these articles.

Reporting Your Observations

For occultations of stars by asteroids, we have special report forms (.xls versions preferred, but plain-text forms are available as well) at these URLs:

Once you complete one of these forms, please send it to IOTA's e-mail address for reporting asteroid-occultation observations: reports@asteroidoccultation.com.

Additional resources for reporting your observations are available at the website of the North American Asteroid Occultation Program:

Please spread word of this event; good luck with your observations!

David Dunham, IOTA
Contributing Editor
Sky & Telescope
david.dunham@jhuapl.edu
dunham@starpower.net



Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Astronomy Links from Steve

Messenger probe shows off side of Mercury never seen before
http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/space/01/30/mercury.messenger.ap/index.html
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/080130-messenger-flyby-science.html

Space station astronauts make risky spacewalk
http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/space/01/30/space.station.ap/index.html
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/080130-expedition16-eva5-wrap.html

NASA Eyes Kinked Space Shuttle Hose for Feb. 7 Launch
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/080130-sts122-flight-readiness.html

Galactic Wi-fi?
http://www.space.com/searchforlife/080131-seti-galactic-wifi.html

Surprises Stream Back From Mercury's Messenger
http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Surprises_Stream_Back_From_Mercury_Messenger_999.html
http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Surprises_From_Mercury_999.html

Venus And Jupiter Converge
http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Venus_And_Jupiter_Converge_999.html

The Growing-Up Of A Star
http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/The_Growing_Up_Of_A_Star_999.html

NASA Issues Environmental Impact Statement For Constellation
http://www.space-travel.com/reports/NASA_Issues_Environmental_Impact_Statement_For_Constellation_999.html

Young Star Cluster Westerlund 2
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap080131.html
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/0801/wd2_xrayir.jpg

Orbital Traffic Jam Looms for Space Station
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/080131-iss-atv-traffic.html

Solar Eclipse Mostly for Penguins
http://www.space.com/spacewatch/080201-ns-solar-eclipse.html

Mercury Magnetosphere Fends Off The Solar Wind
http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Mercury_Magnetosphere_Fends_Off_The_Solar_Wind_999.html

Columbus Set For February 7 Launch Aboard Atlantis
http://www.space-travel.com/reports/Columbus_Set_For_February_7_Launch_Aboard_Atlantis_999.html

Columbia's Legacy Drives NASA Shuttle Flights
http://www.space.com/news/080201-columbia-legacy.html

NASA: Shuttle's Kinked Hose to be Stowed for Launch
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/080201-sts122-hose-update.html

NASA's Best Missions to Get High Definition Treatment
http://www.space.com/entertainment/080201-discovery-nasa.html

Light Echoes from V838 Mon
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap080203.html
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/0802/v838feb04_hst_big.jpg

Astronomers vie to make biggest telescope
http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/space/02/04/telescope.boom.ap/index.html

Mercury's Mysteries, Old and New
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/080204-mm-mercury.html

Foul Weather May Delay Space Shuttle Launch
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/080204-sts122-update.html

Herschel Telescope Flight Model At ESTEC
http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Herschel_Telescope_Flight_Model_At_ESTEC_999.html
http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Cool_Spacedust_Survey_Goes_Into_Orbit_999.html

An End To A Dark Mystery That Will Simplify The Universe
http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/An_End_To_A_Dark_Mystery_That_Will_Simplify_The_Universe_999.html

Mars In Their Sights
http://www.marsdaily.com/reports/Mars_In_Their_Sights_999.html

Atlantis Set For Launch Thursday Afternoon
http://www.space-travel.com/reports/Countdown_begins_for_Atlantis_liftoff_999.html

Governments Skittish on European Manned Space Program
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/080204-busmon-esa-skittish.html

A Spider Shaped Crater on Mercury
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap080204.html
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/0802/craterspider_messenger_big.jpg

Cosmic Finger Taps Our Galaxy's Shoulder
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/080205-st-galaxy-finger.html

ESA Presents Mars In 3D
http://www.marsdaily.com/reports/ESA_Presents_Mars_In_3D_999.html

New Cargo Ship Launches Toward Space Station
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/080205-expedition16-progress28-launch.html

Three Month Composite of Comet Holmes
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap080205.html
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/0802/holmescomposite_pane_big.jpg

Space Magnetism May Hold Secret to Fusion Power
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/080206-tw-magnetic-reconnection.html

Shuttle Atlantis Cleared for Thursday Liftoff
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,328872,00.html

NASA Plans To Launch Up To Six Space Shuttles In 2008
http://www.space-travel.com/reports/NASA_Plans_To_Launch_Up_To_Six_Space_Shuttles_In_2008_999.html

NASA Budget Request Strong On Earth Weak On Mars
http://www.marsdaily.com/reports/NASA_Budget_Request_Strong_On_Earth_Weak_On_Mars_999.html

The Giant Sponge Of Saturn
http://www.saturndaily.com/reports/The_Giant_Sponge_Of_Saturn_999.html

A Sunspot in the New Solar Cycle
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap080206.html
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/0802/sunspot10982_piepol_big.jpg



Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

PAS SOCIAL - THE PARTY OF THE YEAR 2008

THE PAS SOCIAL - FEB 9TH 2008

The Social is a gathering of everyone you see at PAS star parties who is a PAS Member, or Family or Friend of a member. If you aren't a PAS Member, you must be invited by a PAS Member to attend. This is a fun party. We do not have alcohol (the location will not allow it). The idea is to socialize with those folks who you see at night under the stars and you wish you had more time to chat with, but during a public star party, you just do not have the time. Now is the time!

We are asking for an RSVP to Terri Events@pasaz.org so we can be sure we have enough plastic-ware, cups, food, chairs, name tags etc. Please RSVP by deadline for attendance, deadline moved to Fri 2/8 3pm.

To make the party more fun, we have a gift swap. This is not Christmas gifts. It is meant to be a game. Bring an astronomy related gift, one that you would love to receive yourself, wrapped and disguised, to the Social and play the White Dwarf Gift Exchange with us. You are not required to play, but if you wish to play, a gift is required. We want you to play! Please choose something between $15 & $20 to be fair to others. If you purchase a gift under $10 and feel it isn't enough, put several items in the box to make up the difference. One Gift, wrapped, per person playing the game. Upon arrival at the Social, please swap your gift for a raffle ticket, to play the game. Disguise the gifts. No one needs to know you brought it or how much it cost, or what it is. Just bring it along, wrapped, ready for the game. It doesn't matter what you wrap it in, either. Some of us only have Christmas wrap in their house (me), so it can come in aluminum foil if you wish. Disguise it, make it very pretty, make it worth fighting for.

Food: Since we don't have the extra food & drink, we are asking that each person (kids excluded) bring a food and drink with them. One food and one drink per person attending. Drinks can be a 2 liter bottle of pop, or a 6 pack, or a box of hot cocoa packets, a jug of water, any form of more than one person may drink while there. No Alcohol. It can be a meat, a main dish, a dessert, chips and dip as one item, chips and salsa as one item, a veggie dish, a candy dish. Just bring one dish worth of what every you wish to bring. I know that Jerry always bring chicken to the social. I don't know where he gets it from so maybe we will have Jerry's chicken and KFC Chicken. Both would be different and welcome.

Please, no smoking inside the building.

Table Decorations. We are not looking for Christmas decorations for this party. However, if that is the only Table Decoration you can find, bring it. Bring something really awesome, cute, funny, pretty, what ever. It may be worth your while. Upon entering the Social, get a number from me for your decoration on a sticky note. Put the sticky note on your decoration, and sign up on the page that is supplied. You will be taking your own table decoration back home with you. You are not donating it or leaving it behind.

Clean up: We are all adults. We can be responsible for our own mess. Choose your location to sit and enjoy your dinner, and then clean up what you are done with before leaving. If everyone takes the effort to do this, we can have the place cleaned up quickly that night. Sue and Terri will probably be the ones setting up the Social and taking it back down. If you can assist, let me know.

Below is the short version of this list. If you can donate any of the items requested below, that would be awesome. Let me know today I have them coming to me for use at the social.

  • Bring one Table Decoration per family to decorate your dining table – Not necessary to be Holiday related – any theme welcome, keep it kid appropriate. You will be taking it home with you.

  • Door Prizes needed: Door, Dart, Table Decor (if you can donate one extra astronomy related wrapped door prize, let me know.

  • Sign up page on Piano by door: Dart, Pool, Movie, Number your Decoration.

  • Bring 1 Food, 1 Drink per Person attending (no alcohol please), Children do not need to bring drink and food.

  • Bring 1 Astronomy related White Dwarf Gift. Gift is requirement to play the game. One gift per person. Everyone bringing a gift, will leave with a gift.

  • Bring Family, Friends, but remind them the rules pertain to them as well and they MUST RSVP just like you are doing or you do it for them.

  • Rules: Clean up after yourself for the enjoyment of everyone

  • Decided to do large hot water container, bring instant coffee, tea bags, hot chocolate packets to share. A box of one of these items may take the place of one drink for a person attending.

  • RSVP for attendance by Feb 8th 3pm

  • RSVP today if you'd like to help set up for the Social. Social starts at 4pm. I”d suggest we get there around 3pm to get everything organized and laid out for that night. We need a place to hang the dart boards.

We'd like to see you at this awesome party! Come join us. And if you invite a friend, they must RSVP their attendance too. Make sure they bring the appropriate items. Everyone attending must bring food, & drink. See you there!

THIS YEAR'S WHITE DWARF GIFT EXCHANGE RULES

  • A gift is required to play the game. One gift per person playing. Gifts should range from $15 - $20 and be something astronomy related you'd like to have yourself.

  • The game will begin like this: You will come to the Social, swap your gift for a raffle ticket. Your gift goes on the table as a random item to be chosen by the players. Don't let anyone know you brought that gift. It is a secret and we keep it disguised.

  • Once in a circle for the game, those playing will be chosen in the order of the raffle tickets drawn.

  • Player 1 chooses a gift from the Gift Table.

  • Player 2 may steal Player 1's gift, or choose one from the table.

  • Player 3 then steals from Player 1 or 2, or chooses one from the table.

  • The main rule is – you can not steal a gift from the one who just stole it from you. However, if you steal from Player 1, Player 1 can take from Player 2, Player 2 can take the gift you stole, and the gift can circulate that way. The limit will be 30 seconds of circular thieving. So, if 3 people are swapping around and around, 30 seconds later the bell will ding and who ever is left with no gift, must then steal from another player or take from the table.

  • All gifts stay wrapped until everyone in the game has a gift in their hand (all raffle tickets are used). Then, we open the gifts in the order of the first raffle ticket drawn, and circle clockwise around the circle until all gifts have been opened.

  • There will be a gift exchange table. When the game is over, if you do not wish to keep your gift, you may exchange it on the Gift Exchange Table, by leaving it there. During the night, someone who has a gift they don't' want to keep, can swap for the gift already on the table, leaving theirs behind for someone else. When you leave that night, be sure to leave with a gift, if you brought one with you.

Highlights of the game.

  • Laughing your head off as the stolen gifts keep circulating around and around. There won't be a limit on the number of stolen gifts, however, if it gets out of hand, we may ask that someone be brave and take a gift from the table or someone else to help the game move forward.

  • Receiving a really cool gift. There will be more adults than kids at this party. In fact, no children under 16 have RSVP'd as of today. So, keep the gifts more adult astronomy related.

  • COME HAVE SOME FUN WITH PAS!



Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

PAS Bookman's FREE Telescope Workshops

PAS BOOKMAN'S TELESCOPE WORKSHOPS

DAYTIME: Please RSVP today for the next GREAT Workshop.
Bring your telescope and join us at Bookman's in the back room.
These events are FREE and designed to help you learn how to use your telescope by day!
Yes, this is an important thing to do. How do you know how to release your scope from its locked position by night, when you don't even know where the knobs are? So, bring your scope, accessories, star charts, etc, and come talk to the PAS Telescope Team about your telescope.

EVENING: Then, watch for an announcement about a SPECIAL TELESCOPE TRAINING WORKSHOP in the evening hours. We hold these events at PV Park. Why? Because you can see by moon light, what you are doing, thus you will learn to use your scope and still be able to find objects in some lighting before going out to the deep dark locations that PAS loves to have their more private parties at. By the time you are done learning how to use your scope by day at Bookman's, and a crash course by evening at PV Park, you will be ready to embark on a darker location with PAS, such as our Black Canyon City site, or the Two Trees Site.

Everyone is welcome at both of these types of event. Please RSVP your attendance. The next event coming up will be Feb 10th. We begin at 3pm and go until 6:30 or until our class breaks up.
Dinner afterwards is at Carlos O'Briens and everyone is welcome to join us there. RSVP for dinner attendance with Terri Events@pasaz.org.



Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

April 2008 PAS Events

April 2008 PAS Events

APRIL IS A VERY BUSY MONTH FOR PAS. COME JOIN THE FUN!!!

*

Thu Apr 3 – PAS Meeting – See guest speaker list below, 7pm PVCC Library. Everyone Welcome!
*

Fri Apr 4 – Wow Star Party. RSVP with Chet, PAS Telescope operators ONLY. See list below for location of this star party.
*

Sat Apr 5 – MESSIER MARATHON – This is THE EVENT of the year. Only serious observers should attend. Plan to arrive prior to sundown. No white light allowed at all! Sundown to Early Morning hours. 2 Trees site – RSVP required with Barbara. PAS is sharing Sirius Observers site. Please be considerate of other observers in area. Objects to be seen this night are all 110 Messier Objects. Be the one to get the award this year!
*

Thu Apr 10 – PAS/PVCC Indoor Astronomy Event. It is that time again when the public gets to come “Play” with the astronomy toys. We originally called this the “indoor” event and were planning to keep it to indoors only, but then it was really nice out last year when we did this event and we have since expanded it to include observing outdoors – Weather Permitting. Come play with hands on activities to help you understand Astronomy. All ages welcome. RSVP is required with Terri. Event is from 7:30pm to 9:30pm in G-147 on the PVCC Campus.
*

Fri Apr 11 – Sunset Ridge Elementary School Star Party, 5pm to 10pm. Plan to arrive early enough to catch the setting Sun. Location: 35707 N 33rd Ln
Phoenix, AZ 85086. This was an awesome location to do a star party last year, and we were invited to do another one again this year. Volunteers are needed. RSVP with Terri.
*

Sat Apr 12 – Mayer all day, over night, 900 Girl Scouts Astronomy Event. Volunteers have all been picked. If you wish to help out, RSVP with Terri. A few extras might be nice for handouts, corralling scouts, etc. Start time is 11am in Mayer, and goes till 11am Sunday morning.
*

Thu Apr 24 – PAS Meeting of the Minds – Business meeting, no children please. PVCC G-147 7pm to 10pm. Come share your ideas with PAS.
*

Fri Apr 25 - Wow Star Party. RSVP with Chet, PAS Telescope operators ONLY. See list below for location of this star party.
*

Sat Apr 26 - North Mountain Visitor Center Star Party & Lecture. Public Welcome. Schedule of events: 5pm Solar Viewing to 6pm with Venus. Lecture by Mike Marron "Meteorites & Formation of the Solar System" 6pm - 7:30pm. Evening viewing 7:30pm to 9:30pm. Visible that night: Sun 5pm, Sunset 7pm. Venus 5pm, sets 6pm. Mercury visible 7pm, sets 8pm. Mars 7pm, Saturn 7pm.

May 2008 PAS Events

MAY 2008 PAS EVENTS


MAY IS WARMER TEMPERATURES & GREAT VIEWING!

  • Thu May 1 – PAS Meeting, see speaker schedule below. 7Pm PVCC Library. Everyone Welcome!

  • Fri May 2 – Astronomy Day at PVCC. All day event – Noon to 10pm, with daytime Solar Viewing, plus hands on activities, and evening viewing. Volunteers needed. Those who RSVP may receive a special prize (one per family). Check in at the PAS Table of handouts. RSVP by day before.

  • Fri May 2 – Wow Star Party. RSVP with Chet, PAS Telescope operators ONLY. See list below for location of this star party.

  • Sat May 3 – Deep Sky Star Party at 2 Trees Star Party. RSVP with Barb. Sundown to ? Visible that night: 4pm Sun, Moon, Venus. Moon sets 5:30pm, Venus Sets 6:15pm, Sunset 7pm, Mercury, Mars, Saturn 7;15pm, Mercury sets 8pm.

  • Sat May 3 – Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower Party, PV Park 40th Street & Union Hills. RSVP with Terri, 6pm to 10pm. Volunteers Needed. Visible that night: 4pm Sun, Moon, Venus. Moon sets 5:30pm, Venus Sets 6:15pm, Sunset 7pm, Mercury, Mars, Saturn 7;15pm, Mercury sets 8pm.

  • Thu May 8 – Star Party at PVCC by Telescope Dome. 6pm to 10pm. RSVP with Terri. Volunteers Needed. Visible that night: Moon, Venus Sets at 6:30pm, Sunset 7pm. Mercury, Mars, & Saturn visible 7:15pm, Mercury set 8:45pm.

  • Fri May 9 – North Mountain Park Visitor Center parking lot Star Party, 5pm to 9:30pm. RSVP with Terri. Volunteers Needed. Visible that night: Moon, Venus Sets at 6:30pm, Sunset 7pm. Mercury, Mars, & Saturn visible 7:15pm, Mercury set 8:45pm.

  • Sun May 25 – Bookman's FREE Telescope Accessories Workshop 3pm to 6:30pm. Special guest speaker 3:30pm to 5pm. Seating is limited, RSVP required with Terri. Mike Marron: Topic “Stars & Stellar Jets.” Bring your telescope, Accessories, and Questions and come learn to use your telescope by daytime, so the next time you go out at night, you won't be as lost.

  • Thu May 29 - PAS Meeting of the Minds – Business meeting, no children please. PVCC G-147 7pm to 10pm. Come share your ideas with PAS.

  • Sat May 31 – Deep Sky Star Party at 2 Trees Star Party. RSVP with Barb. Sundown to ? Visible that night: Sun by Venus 4:30pm, Sun & Venus set 7:15pm, Mercury, Mars, & Saturn visible 7:30pm, Mercury sets 8pm, Moon rise 3:15am.




Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

March 2008 PAS Events

MARCH 2008 PAS EVENTS

*

Sat Mar 1 – Sally Ride 11am to 4pm. Daytime event. Volunteers needed for activities, Solar Viewing, as well as Moon and Venus viewing. RSVP with Terri if you wish to help out. They feed us Breakfast and Lunch while there.
*

Sat Mar 1 – High Desert Park Star Party in Black Canyon City. Sundown to ? RSVP with Barbara. Visible that night: Sunset 6:15pm, Mars & Saturn visible 6:30pm.
*

Thu Mar 6 – PAS MEETING 7pm to 9:30pm PVCC Library. See below for list of topics and Speakers.
*

Fri Mar 7 – WOW Star Party. RSVP with Chet. See list of WOW Star Parties & locations below. Start time is 6pm.
*

Sat Mar 8 – High Desert Park Star Party in Black Canyon City. RSVP with Barbara for attendance. $2/car requested donation to cover costs. Visible that night: Sunset 6:20pm, Moon set 6:45pm, Visible Mars & Saturn 6:30pm.
*

Sun Mar 9 – Terri and Rod are making a trip to N. Mountain Park Visitor Center in late afternoon to early evening to scout out best place to do the following week's star party. If you'd like to meet there, our start time will be 6pm. We are not viewing. We are deciding on best time and location to do star party. Input is requested if you wish to meet us there for about 1.5 hours. Sunsets at 6:30pm. This will be the decided area for which all future star parties at N. Mountain Park Visitor Center will be. First of these star parties happens on Mar 14th.
*

Thu Mar 13 – Star Party at PVCC Campus, 6pm to 10pm. Volunteers Needed. RSVP with Terri. Public Welcome. Visible that night: Sunset 6:30, Moon, Mars & Saturn 6:45pm.
*

Fri Mar 14 – Star Party at North Mountain Park Visitor Center parking lot. RSVP with Terri. 5Pm to 9:30pm. Volunteers needed. Public Welcome. Visible that night: Sunset 6:30, Moon Mars Saturn.
*

Fri Mar 14 – WOW Star Party at Phoenix Zoo. See list of locations below. 6pm to 10pm. RSVP with Chet to assist. PAS Telescope operators only.
*

Sat Mar 15 – 6pm to 9pm Special Event: Training Workshop at PV Park. NOT A PUBLIC STAR PARTY! RSVP required with Terri by phone or email by day before. Bring your telescope and learn how to use it with the help of the PAS Telescope TEAM as your instructors. Visible that night: 1st Quarter Moon, Mars, Saturn, & Orion Nebula & more.
*

Fri Mar 21 – Full Moon Star Party at PV Park. RSVP with Terri. 6Pm to 10pm. Visible that night: Sunset 6:30pm, Mars & Saturn 6:45pm, Moon rise 7pm, best view of Fulll Moon begins around 8pm. No RSVP's means this star party will be cancelled.
*

Thu Mar 27 – PAS Meeting of the Minds (Business meeting – no children please). 7Pm to 10pm PVCC G-147. Send your topics to Terri by day before. Come help us decide how PAS is to be. Your input is requested.
*

Fri Mar 28 – Greenfield Elementary School in Gilbert 2550 E Elliot Rd
Gilbert, AZ 85234 – Star Party. 6Pm to 10pm. RSVP with Rod. Volunteers Needed. Visible that night: Sunset 6:35pm, 6:45pm Saturn and Mars.
*

Sat Mar 29 - High Desert Park Star Party in Black Canyon City. RSVP with Barbara for attendance. $2/car requested donation to cover costs.
*

Sun Mar 30 – PAS Bookman's FREE Telescope Workshop 4:30pm to 6:30pm. RSVP required with Terri by Friday before. Bring your telescope and learn how to use it by daylight, then come to our next Telescope Training Workshop at PV Park to learn how to use it by night.

Feb 2008 PAS Events

Feb 2008 PAS Events

* FEBRUARY 2008 PAS EVENTS

*

Sat Feb 9 – PAS SOCIAL 4pm to 9:30pm at The Club House. PAS Members only & invited guests.
*

Sun Feb 10 – Bookman's Telescope Accessories Workshop. Bookman's is at 19th Ave and Northern. We meet in the back room. RSVP is required with Terri because seating is limited. Bring your telescope & accessories and learn how to use them. 3Pm to 6:30pm. Special Guest Speaker: Mike Marron, lecture from 3:30pm to 5pm, Topic: Stars and Stellar Jets. GUEST SPEAKER HAS BEEN MOVED TO ANOTHER DATE!
*

Thu Feb 14 – HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! PVCC Star Party 6pm to 10pm, Volunteers needed. RSVP with Rod. Star Party will be held by Telescope Domes on campus. Visible that night: Sunset 6pm, Moon 5pm, Mars 6:30pm, Saturn rises 7pm.
*

Sat Feb 16 – Mars Party #4, RSVP with Rod. PV Park 6pm to 10pm. Come see MARS and more!!! Visible that night: Sunset 6pm, Moon, Mars 6:30pm, Saturn rises 7pm.
*

Wed Feb 20 – TOTAL ECLIPSE - Full Moon Star Party, 6pm to 10pm PV Park, RSVp with Rod. If no RSVP's, star party may be canceled. Visible that night: Sunset & Moon rise 6:10pm, Mars 6:30pm, Saturn rises 6:30pm.
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Sun Feb 24 - Bookman's Telescope Workshop. Bookman's is at 19th Ave and Northern. We meet in the back room. RSVP is required with Rod because seating is limited. Bring your telescope & accessories & Star Charts and learn how to use them. 4:30pm to 6:30pm.
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Thu Feb 28 – Meeting of the Minds Mayer Assembly Party. Come have a party with us. This will be an assembly party with a twist. We need to put together 500+ bags of goodies for 900+ Girl Scouts for the Mayer Event May 12th. We need your help assembling even if you are not attending the Mayer event. We will do it assembly line style. We need boxes and volunteers. Bring a snack to share and BYO Drinks. No topics will be discussed other than the Mayer event. Begin as close to 7pm as possible and we hope to be done by 9:30pm. See you there!

Wow Star Parties for Spring 2008

WOW STAR PARTIES FOR SPRING 2008


RSVP with Chet if you can help out. PAS Telescope Operators only.
Star party time is 6pm to 10pm. Your help is very needed.

Date Location Address
3/7 South Mountain Park 10409 S. Central
3/14 Phoenix Zoo 455 N Galvin Parkway
4/4 South Mountain Park 10409 S. Central
4/25 Phoenix Zoo 455 N Galvin Parkway
5/2 Reach 11 19224 N. Tatum Blvd.

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Chet – Chetsch@cox.net

RSVP EMAIL ADDRESSES

Do you need to RSVP for an event and you don't have time to pop into the PAS Website and go to CONTACT to find out someone's email address? Well, I've composed a list, that used to be in the emailed version of the Newsletter, and it is now below. If something changes, I will post that info as it occurs. Please use the below email addresses as needed to RSVP your attendance to the PAS events.




Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Event Photos online

Event Photos online

Have you wanted to see yourself in pictures from some PAS event you attended and it has someone going around photographing the event? Well, if it was me, then your photos are on line and here are the links to those photos. The photos will stay on line, in their folders until Photobucket tells me I have too many and need to start deleting. I will post when that happens. In the meantime, please swing by these links and see some photos from the events listed below. I think you will enjoy looking at them. These are the photos I send to Don to use for the newsletter. You may recognize some of them. Please enjoy!

EVENT PHOTOS ON LINE

Take a look soon. I may have to delete to be able to put up more current photos if I exceed the space limit they give me on my account.
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Mayer AZ Field Trip Sept 17, 07 http://tinyurl.com/2u9mjc
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Bookman's Telescope Workshop Oct 28, 07 http://tinyurl.com/28umbw*
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PAS Meeting Nov 1, 07 http://tinyurl.com/ytzvdd
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Bookman's Telescope Workshop Dec 2, 07 http://tinyurl.com/3caeom
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Bookman's Telescope Workshop Jan 13, 08 http://tinyurl.com/32n6hg
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Bookman's Telescope Workshop Jan 27, 08 http://tinyurl.com/2v596u

PAS on IMVU - a 3D Chat Universe

PAS on IMVU - a 3D Chat Universe

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PAS on IMVU – Instant Message 3D Virtual Universe

PAS has a new chat room. You do not have to be a PAS member to join in the fun, however, PAS Members are definitely welcome. If you aren't already on IMVU, drop me an email so I can invite you. Once you get the email invite from StarStuff @ Gmail.com, join in the fun & let us know what your chosen name is on IMVU so that we can chat with you. Everyone is Welcome! This is NOT MANDATORY. It is by choice.

Below are the current PAS members & Guests who are on IMVU:
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Don Boyd – AZPhotog
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Rod Sutter – MrAstronomy
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David Owings – YorkLab
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Terri Finch – CosmicStarStuff
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William Finch – AscentVending
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Matt Kohl – Velioph
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Barbara Hartman – BarbieFromQuar
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Maggie Carrigan – Magztar
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Walt Hohlstein – AZ4Stars
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Scotty Hartman – TheStandMan
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Amanda Sallas (My Daughter) – AlienAsh

We welcome anyone who wishes to talk Astronomy to join us in the 3D Universe of IMVU. It's Free, It's Fun and if you have some time to chat, it is very convenient for us. See you in IMVU!

Mayer AZ 900 Girl Scout STar Party Apr 12th, 2008

Mayer AZ 900 Girl Scout STar Party Apr 12th, 2008

MAYOR AZ GIRL SCOUT STAR PARTY APR 12

Major Bag Assembly party at PVCC G-147 7pm to 10pm at Feb Meeting of the Minds. Bring a snack and drink to share. Come help us assemble the 500+ bags of goodies for the Girl Scouts for this event.

Below is a list of those who are planning to attend and help out at this event. As we get closer to the event, we will be discussing in more detail what everyone will be doing during the day and evening. If you have an activity that can be done during the daytime, please let me know. The event runs from 11am at the Mayer site on Apr 12th, to 10am the next day Apr 13th. They are putting us up for the night and feeding us the whole day. BYO snacks and drinks if you need snacks between their meals. Bring bedding if you are staying over night, most of us are. And plan to be at the March PAS Meeting of the Minds to discuss the last minute details of this event.


Planning & attending committee:
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Don Boyd
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William & Terri Finch
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Rod & Sue Sutter
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Sam Insana
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Steve Palmer
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Mike Marron
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Bruce Wurst
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Chris Johnson
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Barbara Hartman
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John Pulis
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Ed & Bette Wurst

See you at the Feb MOM, Mar MOM and April 12-13 for this awesome event! Your help is very appreciated and needed!

Star Tours Group - PAS Members Only

Star Tours Group - PAS Members Only

STAR TOURS GROUP (STG)
Description: PAS Members who get paid to share the night sky. Wanna be part of the group? You need to be a current PAS member and own a telescope (or have some other form of info that would be valuable to a star party) . Get paid to do what you already love to do! Email me if you wish to be in this group of fine Telescope Operators.

Group Members:
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Sam
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Terri
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Bruce
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Leah
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Rod
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Chet
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Don
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Steve P.
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Frank C.
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Mike
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Chris J.

Watch for announcements of upcoming paid star parties. These can be found by going to the link within the webpage DOCUMENTS. Then, as a PAS member, you have the password for this year. Type it in and then look for PAID STAR PARTIES. There you will find a list. Be sure to verify the YEAR, as sometimes we don't get the past events erased as often as they should be. Then, if you are going to be in on one of these PAID star parties, just RSVP to be involved and as long as the limit of telescopes isn't already met, you will be notified by email that you are part of the group for that paid star party. We have a blast at most of these. They feed us, they are usually very nice people, and a lot of enthusiastic folks come look through our telescopes. Be part of our group. Current PAS members only. The list above hasn't been edited in a while but once I get the membership Roster from Mike, I'll post a new list of who is in this group. Be part of our Telescope TEAM, today!
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Equipment Testing Committee

Equipment Testing Committee

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EQUIPMENT TESTING COMMITTEE (ETC)

Description: PAS Members who wish to help other companies by testing their equipment and giving feedback to the companies about what they found out. Special Star Parties will be scheduled for these events. Committee members need not be present at ALL testing dates. Email me to get on the list and be notified of next testing star party.
Group Members:
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Terri
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Rod
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Chet
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Don
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Steve P
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Leah
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Bruce

I will be contacting companies about this service we offer, very soon. Watch for announcements of items we will be testing. Those who have helped test the Laser Pointer that came in a few months ago, will get a chance to do it again at another star party before we write a review. PAS Members are asked to join this fun addition to our Star Parties. Email me today to help out!

Upcoming PAS Speaker Line-up 2008-2009

Upcoming PAS Speaker Line-up 2008-2009

UPCOMING PAS GUEST SPEAKERS

Data format: Speaker, Topic, Association, Website

2008
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Feb 7: Donald Page – Does God So Love the Multiverse? -- The Intersection between Science and Religion http://fermi.phys.ualberta.ca/~don/
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Mar 6: Steve Coe – “Nebulae, observing and enjoying the clouds among the stars” + Book Signing - Saguaro Astronomy Club http://www.backyard-astro.com/bookssoftware/coe_observing/coemain.html http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=1550
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Apr 3: Laurice Dee - “A Few missions that study our Star, The Sun.” http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/ambassador/profiles/Laurice_Dee.htm
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May 1: Kevin Mullins – “Exploration Rover” - U.S. Geological Survey
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Sept 4: David Williams – “Latest Insights into the Geology of Mars from Recent Planetary Missions” - ASU - http://tinyurl.com/sgnys
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Oct 2: Jeff Hopkins – Variable Stars - http://www.hposoft.com/Astro/astro.html
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Nov 6: Loretta McKibben – “Mars”
http://www.seds.org/~loretta/
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Dec 4: Mike George - “Black Holes” - Mike George Manager of Theaters at Arizona Science Center

2009
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Feb 5: Mike Marron - “Galaxies & History of the Universe, Part 1”
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Mar 5: Don Garnett - “Galaxy M33” ocotillo.as.arizona.edu/~dgarnett/

PAS Meeting 2/7/08

PAS Meeting 2/7/08

Good morning All,

The New PAS Digest is happening!
I welcome all of you to this new way of communication between the PAS membership and the PAS Guests! Everyone is welcome to join this PAS Blog to stay in touch with what's happening with PAS.
Did you RSVP with Terri for a star party? Well, this is the way we notify you of a canceled, due to weather, event. You will definitely want to stay in touch through the PAS Digest Blog.

Our first announcement for today is the PAS meeting that happens tomorrow night. Please remember, it is not being run by PAS. Snacks and drinks will not be provided. The meeting itself will have an awesome speaker with the topic of "DID GOD SO LOVE THE MULTIVERSE?" or something similar to that. Dr. Page will begin his presentation promptly at 7pm. Seating is limited. There will be none of the usual PAS activites, such as announcements or 50/50 Raffle, etc. This is totally run by PVCC. Don't be late! See you there!

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Thu Feb 7 – PAS Meeting, the first of the year! 7Pm to 9:30pm in PVCC Library. Awesome speaker lined up. Please see list of speakers below! SPECIAL MEETING: SPEAKER BEGINS 7PM SHARP.

Here's some info about Dr. Page:

Abstract
Monotheistic religions such as Judaism and Christianity affirm that God loves all humans and created them in His image. However, we have learned from Darwin that we were not created separately from other life on earth. Some Christians opposed Darwinian evolution because it undercut certain design arguments for the existence of God. Today there is the growing idea that the fine-tuned constants of physics might be explained by a multiverse with very many different sets of constants of physics. Some Christians oppose the multiverse for similarly undercutting other design arguments for the existence of God. However, undercutting one argument does not disprove its conclusion. In this lecture, Dr. Page will argue that multiverse ideas, though not automatically a solution to the problems of physics, deserve serious consideration and are not in conflict with Christian theology.
Biographical Sketch
Dr. Page received his bachelor’s degree in physics and mathematics from William Jewell College in Liberty , Missouri . He completed a Ph.D. in physics and astronomy in 1976 at the California Institute of Technology, under the supervision of Kip Thorne and Stephen Hawking. Page was a postdoctoral researcher under Hawking at the University of Cambridge in England 1976-79. He served as Professor of Physics at Penn State University before moving to the University of Alberta in Edmonton , Alberta , Canada where he presently holds the position of Professor of Physics.

Also see more info in the Feb PAS Newsletter, available on line NOW!


Have a great day!

Sunday, February 3, 2008


Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Welcome to the new Digest

Welcome to the New PAS Digest.

You can change your subscription any time with out having to contact me about it. Isn't that cool.

The other thing you can do in here is choose an email notice of Blog entries, or an RSS Feed. I do hope you will stick with me as this will be so much easier for me to get notices out to everyone.

Please have a super day!


Phoenix Astronomical Society