Newsletter December 2014.pages

CONTENTS
NORTHERN COLORADO
Page 2-3: Science news
Page 4: NCAS info
Page 5-6: Dec & Jan event calendars
Page 7: NoCo resources
ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
December 2014 Newsletter
MEETINGS
Did deadly gamma-ray burst
cause a mass extinction on Earth?
The fastest stars in the universe
may approach light speed.
Date: January 8, 2015
Meeting (NEW TIME): 6:15 pm
Dinner (NEW TIME): 7:45 pm
Location: FoCo Museum of Discovery
Speaker: Dr. David Malaspina, CU Lab for
Atmospheric & Space Physics (LASP)
Topic: The Solar Probe Mission
2014 OFFICERS
add @ncastro.org to email
TITLE:
NAME:
EMAIL:
President
Dave Karp
pres@
Attend the January meeting to learn
Vice President
Greg Halac
vp@
David Auter
about your new 2015 NCAS officers. Also
Secretary
sec@
Treasurer
Jeff Blume
treas@
see page 4 for new (or renewed)
Newsletter Editor
Amanda Bell
objview@
Web Editor & Outreach Coordinator
Greg Halac
web-edit@
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membership information & how your
continued support benefits the
community!
SCIENCE
NEWS
Share your favorite stories, articles, photos or
events with your fellow members! Submit
anything and everything to your newsletter editor,
Amanda, at objview at ncastro.org.
FRE E ‘IN T ROD UCT ION TO A ST RON OMY’ CO URS E:
An introduction to astronomy through a broad survey of what we know about the
universe and how we know it. In this class, you will be studying, quite literally,
everything in the universe.
Q UA NT UM T EL EPORTAT ION RE ACH E S FART H E ST DI STANCE YE T:
A new distance record has been set in the strange world of quantum
teleportation. About five years ago, researchers could only teleport quantum
information, such as which direction a particle is spinning, across a few meters.
Now, they can beam that information across several miles!
‘S UPE R- EA RTH ’ PL AN ET FOUN D BY GROUN D- BA SED TE LE SCOP E:
This is the first time a planet in this "super-Earth" size category orbiting a sunlike
star has been observed by a ground-based telescope using this detection
method. ”With this result, we are also closing in on the detection of the
atmospheres of small planets with ground-based telescopes," Lopez-Morales
said. "We are slowly paving the way toward the detection of biosignatures in
Earthlike planets around nearby stars."
E XPER IMEN T S IM UL AT ES BEG IN NI NG S O F LI FE ON EART H:
The origin of life on Earth about 4 billion years ago remains one of the biggest
unsolved mysteries of science, but a new study is shedding light on the matter.
The findings not only offer support for theories of how life first formed, but could
also aid in the search for signs of life elsewhere in the universe, the researchers
said.
S HE D DIN G LIG HT ON E VO LUT ION OF UN IVER SE:
The leading scientific theory of how the universe evolved has again proved
accurate. The latest study of the afterglow of the big bang confirms even more
precisely the standard model of cosmology, researchers with Europe's Planck
spacecraft reported today at a press conference in Ferrara, Italy. That's a victory
for the theory, but it leaves researchers with no discrepancies that might point to a
deeper understanding.
IS CO M P LE X LI F E P O SS I B L E I N O N LY 1 0 % OF A LL G AL AXIE S ?
F IVE B OOKS THAT STOOD OUT IN 2014:
Of the estimated 100 billion galaxies in the observable universe, only one in 10
can support complex life like that on Earth, a pair of astrophysicists argues.
Everywhere else, stellar explosions known as gamma ray bursts would regularly
wipe out any life forms more elaborate than microbes. The detonations also kept
the universe lifeless for billions of years after the big bang, the researchers say.
Books editor Jermey Matthews highlights five books
reviewed this year in ‘Physics Today’ that you might
want to consider for holiday reading or gifting. One
feature of the ‘Physics Today Book Reviews’ section is
its technical and topical diversity. Highlighting that
diversity was one goal of this year’s “top five” list. The
five books listed below that stood out cover quite
distinguishable topics: cosmology and relativity;
nuclear physics; oceanography and geophysics;
quantum theory; and space science and “sciencefiction” physics.
THE POT S DA M G RAV I TY P OTATO :
Why do some places on Earth have higher gravity than others? Because a center
for studying this data is in Potsdam, Germany and because the results make Earth
look somewhat like a potato -- say ‘hello' to the Potsdam Gravity Potato.
D ECE M BER S OLST I C E 2 0 1 4 :
The earliest people on earth knew that the sun’s path across the sky, the length of
daylight and location of the sunrise and sunset all shifted in a regular way
throughout the year. They built monuments to follow the progress. Today we see
the solstice differently. We can picture it from the vantage point of space.
STARTALK LI VE ! S F S KE TC H F EST:
Where did we come from? Are we alone? Join guest host Bill Nye the Science
Guy, comic co-host Eugene Mirman and their special guests comedian Dave
Foley and Seth Shostak, Senior Astronomer at the SETI Institute, as they attempt
to answer these questions on stage at the Marine Memorial Theater in San
Francisco.
WE AR E D E AD STAR S:
Every atom in our bodies was processed in the body of an ancient star, says NASA
astronomer Dr. Michelle Thaller. Thaller explains how the iron in our blood
connects us to one of the most violent acts in the universe—a supernova explosion
—and what the universe might look like when the stars die out.
Clearly, these aren’t necessarily the best physics
books of the year; I don’t even know where to start
making such a list. But if you’re looking for expert
opinions on relatively accessible titles, you’ll find
them in the review summaries below.
F R O M N C A S T R O. O R G
NCAS was officially established in 1995 as a non-profit organization to promote interest in
the science and hobby of astronomy. We meet the first Thursday of each month to discuss
our interests and share our experience in the universal world of astronomy.
MEM BE R P HOTO
AL BUM S:
You'll want to see all
of the amazing
photos taken by our
members.
NCAS E M AI L :
Anyone can join the
email lists but
subscription requests
are monitored. Only
approved subscribers
are allowed to post.
BORR OW
E QUI PMEN T
H ER E:
Club items may be
borrowed at no cost
by NCAS members!
Find out more here.
CLUB M EE TI NG
OVE RVIEW:
Recommend a future
speaker or find out
how to join speakers
for dinner before the
NCAS meeting.
NCAS
ADM IN I ST R AT I VE
INFO
N CAS P UBLIC
OUT RE ACH
PROG RAMS :
Renew your
membership here.
Find group bylaws
and constitution.
Help NCAS fulfill its
primary mission: to
educate and engage
the public with yearround public events.
Your membership dues support
our public outreach programs as
well as allow us to purchase and
maintain club equipment.
mber today!
come a me
Click here to be
Membership dues are only $20
per year, collected in January and
pro-rated for new members who
join at other times.
Membership benefits include:
membership in the Astronomical
League (and their Reflector
Magazine), use of club equipment
and books and a discount on Sky
and Telescope Magazine and/or
Astronomy magazines.
NCAS Event Calendar
December
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
1
Wednesday
2
3
Olander ES (private)
6:30 pm
7
8
9
FoCo MOD
Melvil Dewey
Birthday, 1851
14
15
16
FoCo MOD
Globe at Night
21
Globe at Night
22
17
24
Ursids shower
December solstice
28
FoCo MOD
Ursids shower
5
11
12
6
Geminid shower 13
Public skygazing
Globe at Night
18
Globe at Night
19
20
Colorado Skies at
Fiske Planetarium
LTO Public Night
Stargazer open
house
Globe at Night
Globe at Night
Globe at Night
25
26
27at
Telescope training
Chamberlin Obs.
Public skygazing
7:30pm
Ursids shower
29
4
Globe at Night
Globe at Night
23
Saturday
Colorado Skies at
Fiske Planetarium
Geminid shower
Globe at Night
Friday
NCAS Meeting
6:15pm
Fort Collins MoD
10
Public skygazing
7:30pm
FoCo MOD
Thursday
30
31
Happy restart of the
earth's tropical
orbital period!
NCAS Event Calendar
January (2015)
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
1
4
5
6
7
FoCo MOD
FoCo MOD
11
12
13
14
Globe at Night
18
Globe at Night
19
FoCo MOD
Globe at Night
20
Globe at Night
21
Globe at Night
25
Apollo 1 lost
(1967)
27
28
CO Star Party
FoCo MOD
Quadrantid Meteor
Shower
9
10
16
17
Globe at Night
LTO Public Night
Stargazer open
house
Globe at Night
Globe at Night
23
24
30
31
Public skygazing
7:30pm
Globe at Night
26
Quadrantid Meteor
Shower
22
ERGO Project
Globe at Night
3
15
Telescope training at
Chamberlin Obs.
Globe at Night
2
8
NCAS Meeting
6:15pm
Fort Collins MoD
225th Am Astro
Society (Jan 4-8)
Saturday
Big Thompson ES,
private 6:30pm
Challenger and crew
lost (1986)
29
America's first
satellite launched
(1958)
NORTHERN COLORADO
Astronomy Clubs, Museums, Observatories and Planetariums
BO ULDE R AST RO N O MY & S PAC E
S OC IETY ( BAS S ) :
D EN VE R AST RON OMICAL S OCIETY
( DAS ):
ESTES PARK M EM OR IAL OBSE RVATORY
( EPM O):
Meetings are hosted by the UC campus at the
Fiske Planetarium. Open to students and the
public. Membership and meeting
info here.
DAS Promotes understanding of astronomical
phenomenon with monthly meetings, outreach
and activities at the University of Denver’s historic
Chamberlin Observatory. Don’t forget
to follow the Chamberlin
Observatory on Twitter.
Has many goals, including raising interest of kids in
K-12th grade in math, physics and science. EPMO
encourages enthusiasm for physics and math and
wants their facility to be free of charge to everyone.
F ORT CO L LI N S MU S E U M O F D I S COV ERY
( F OCO M OD) :
FRON T RA N GE AST RON OMICAL
S UPE RCLUST ER ( FR AS C) :
F RO NT RAN GE COM M UNI TY COLLEG E
( FR CC ) OBS ERVATOR IE S:
The MoD isn't just where we hold our meetings.
Check out their calendar for current events to find
out more or just schedule a visit any time.
A confederation of regional astronomy clubs for
sharing information and hosting joint summertime
star parties. Includes societies in Denver, CO
Springs, Pueblo, Cheynne, FoCo (That's us!),
Longmont, Boulder and many more…
Sunlight Peak Observatory and Stargazer
Observatory of Fort Collins are both operated by
FRCC. Sunlight Peak Observatory is located on
campus; Stargazer Observatory
in Observatory Village near Fossil
Ridge High School.
LIT T LE T H OMP S O N O B S E RVATO RY
( LTO ):
LON GM ON T AST RONO MICAL S O CIETY
( LA S) :
SO M MER S BAUS C H OBSE RVATORY
( SBO ):
No-charge public access to the universe available
during regularly-scheduled public star nights or a
private event.
Promotes amateur astronomy through monthly
meetings, star parties and public observing
sessions. Meetings are open to the public.
SBO is operated by the Department of
Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences (APS) at CU
Boulder. Check out the visitor’s guide for more
info.

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