August 2009

August 7: Monthly Meeting

Member Presentations

Bob Forgiel

The August monthly meeting will feature informal talks by Skyscrapers’ members. Several members have requested that monthly speakers include more practical “amateur” astronomy level talks that they can directly relate to and learn from. We have three talks of about 20 minutes each:

  • Dick Parker - Chiefland Astronomy Village Observing Site In Florida
  • Craig Cortis - The Summer Milky Way Points of Interest
  • Bob Forgiel - Astro-Imaging Equipment and Procedures
August 7: Monthly Meeting

Member Presentations

Dick Parker

The August monthly meeting will feature informal talks by Skyscrapers’ members. Several members have requested that monthly speakers include more practical “amateur” astronomy level talks that they can directly relate to and learn from. We have three talks of about 20 minutes each:

  • Dick Parker - Chiefland Astronomy Village Observing Site In Florida
  • Craig Cortis - The Summer Milky Way Points of Interest
  • Bob Forgiel - Astro-Imaging Equipment and Procedures
August 7: Monthly Meeting

Member Presentations

Craig Cortis

The August monthly meeting will feature informal talks by Skyscrapers’ members. Several members have requested that monthly speakers include more practical “amateur” astronomy level talks that they can directly relate to and learn from. We have three talks of about 20 minutes each:

  • Dick Parker - Chiefland Astronomy Village Observing Site In Florida
  • Craig Cortis - The Summer Milky Way Points of Interest
  • Bob Forgiel - Astro-Imaging Equipment and Procedures

Chaple’s Arc

: By Glenn Chaple
Forgive me for the apparent ego trip, but this month I’m going to introduce you to an amazing little asterism called “Chaple’s Arc.” I stumbled upon the Arc in the mid-1970s while looking for the double star h1470.
The Heart of our Milky Way Galaxy

The Heart of our Milky Way Galaxy

: By Craig Cortis
Now we come to the very best that summertime observing has to offer us: the areas around the actual center of our home Galaxy, the Milky Way.

The Perseid Meteor Shower of August

: By Dave Huestis
Each year centered on August 12, the Earth passes through a couple of streams of particles stripped off Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle and deposited in orbit about the Sun. At this point in time and space the density of the stream is a little thin, but the resulting display of shooting stars is still worth watching as the meteors plunge into our atmosphere at many miles per second and disintegrate.
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John Kocur DSLR Astrophotography

These shots were taken at Shady Pines Campground, Rockland Astronomy Club Summer Star Party, Savoy Mass, Aug 17 – 20. All shots are single shot unguided 1 min 30 second exposures f/6.25. ISO 400 for double cluster, ISO 800 for all others. Comet Christensen was in Sagitta at Mag. 8.2. Equipment used - 80mm Orion Eon, Canon XSi, Meade LXD75 mount. Live View controlled by Canon EOS Utilities software via laptop.

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