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VOL. XIII NO.5 May 1995
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A PUBLICATION OF THE APL ASTRONOMY CLUB
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FROM THE EDITOR
Membership in the APL Astronomy Club is open to all JHU/APL
Recreation members. The Club frequently sponsors astronomical
activities and has a Celestron 11-inch telescope with Nikon
camera, an 8-inch Tinsley telescope, an Astroscan 4.5-inch
telescope, and a pair of 16X80mm binoculars available for use by
members on a weekly basis. The Club also maintains a library of
astronomical literature in room 7-54 which includes a current
subscription to Astronomy magazine. Anyone wishing to join the
Club should contact any member.
Contributions to this Newsletter should be submitted to the
Editor (Rm 6-247, internet e-mail: gef@aplcomm.jhuapl.edu) by the
15th of the month prior to the month in which publication is
desired.
CLUB OFFICERS
President ................ Marty Pittinger .. X8588
Vice President ........... Tom Potyraj ...... X6598
Secretary/ST Editor ...... Gary Frishkorn ... X6825
Treasurer ................ Bernard Kluga .... X7257
Librarian ................ Ray Sterner ...... X3032
EQUIPMENT CUSTODIANS
C-11, Tinsley ............ Bernard Kluga .... X7257
16X80mm Binoculars ....... Tom Potyraj ...... X6598
Questar .................. Gary Frishkorn ... X6825
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BLACKWATER FALLS STATE PARK, WV TRIP
by Gary Frishkorn
The APL Astronomy club s annual trip to Blackwater Falls
was held this past weekend. It marks the 8th consecutive
year that the club has traveled to Blackwater Falls to enjoy
dark sky observing. Six people in all were able to attend
including four club members: Marty Pittinger, Tom Potyraj,
John Grimes, and myself.
The weather cooperated very well with several hours of clear
viewing both Friday and Saturday nights. Marty brought the
club s C-11 telescope but couldn t arrive until Saturday due
to motor vehicle problems. (Maybe he has somehow
inherited the jinx which used to plague my journey every
year!) Also present were the club s Astroscan and 16X80
giant binoculars, as well as my home-build 8 Dobsonian.
Saturday night provided the best viewing. Mercury and
Mars were both visible but deep sky objects were the main
attraction. These included the Beehive star cluster,
the Whirlpool, Sombrero and Blackeye Galaxies, plus
dozens of galaxies in the Virgo Cluster including M-87,
the alleged home of a giant black hole.
Numerous meteors were also observed including at least
one bollide. Most seemed consistent with the Eta Aquarid
meteor shower now in progress. Artificial satellites
were also observed in abundance. Marty located one
with the Astroscan creeping among the stars as late
as 11:30 P.M. - obviously this one had to be quite high
to remain in sunlight so late. Eventually it was observed
to pass into the earth s shadow.
During the observing session this year we may have witnessed
the beginnings of future laser wars. It began as John
was using the beam of his high powered (4 D cell) flashlight
to point out the location of objects in the sky. Before
long we were forming even more intense collimated beams by
aiming the flashlight into the focuser of my 8 Dobsonian.
At this point I don t think anybody was really sure whether we
were still pointing out constellations or trying to take out
a low earth orbiting satellite! Indeed, I was a little
relieved to read that the object which fell out of the
sky over Perth yesterday (see article below) was not
determined to be a satellite brought down by some inexplicable
beams appearing to emanate from the vicinity of West
Virginia last Saturday night.
Besides all of the great night-time viewing, part of our group
also took in some of the local attractions during the day
on Saturday. We visited the Fairfax stone - the place
where the head-waters of the Potomac River trickle out
from beneath a big rock; then hunted fossils in the strip-
mine nearby. The fossils were mostly ferns and plants, many
in rocks too large to take home, but we were all able to collect
some smaller specimens. (Look for John to bring a backhoe
next year.) We also visited Cathedral State Park and saw the
giant, 500 year old hemlock tree.
Many thanks to Tom Potyraj for making the cabin and food
arrangements again this year, and thanks also to everyone
who helped make this year s trip another success.
*****************************************
Telescope Training Available at Bloomberg Observatory.
To get training on the 20" Cassigrain Telescope @ Bloomberg,
Please send your request to train to: Ryan Newcomer's E-Mail
address or call the observatory at 1-410-516-6525
ryan.newcomer@pha.jhu.edu
******************************************
PERTH, Australia, May 1 (Reuter) - A meteor roared over the
west Australian city of Perth on Monday, shaking buildings and
jolting people awake as it crashed through the sound barrier
only 20 km (12 miles) overhead, police and an astronomer said.
Thousands of people were awoken as the meteor, estimated to
have been the size of a basketball, hurtled toward Earth at
around 300 km (186 miles) per second in the early hours of the
morning, official Perth astronomer Peter Birch told Reuters.
The meteor was seen to split into four pieces and probably
disintegrated before it could hit the ground, Birch said, adding
astronomers were interested to hear from people who noticed any
strange phenomenon in their back yards.
People east and south of the city reported seeing a bright
blue light and hearing an explosion between 2 a.m. and 2.30 a.m.
(1400 GMT and 1430 GMT Sunday), police said. It woke me up,
Birch said, describing the sonic boom as like a jumbo jet landing
on his roof. It rocked the windows and actually turned on my
security lights, he added.
Another startled resident said he initially thought the boom
was a car slamming into a lamp post.
The meteor created chaos for local police, who reported a
flood of complaints from people who suspected burglars had
invaded their home. There was considerable increase in prowler
reports after this explosion was reported, police Chief Inspector
Carl Pettersen told Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio.
Our switchboard at work here was lit up with numerous
calls on flare sightings, he added. The meteor's passage so
close to a city of just over one million people also led to
speculation of possible damage if the meteor had hit the ground
complete.
It was at a height of around 20 km, which is a hair's
breadth in astronomical terms, said Birch, of the Perth
Observatory. Describing the meteor as a lone rock of solid iron
that was sucked into Earth's atmosphere, he said it could have
destroyed a building if it landed intact.
It brings home to people that it can happen -- that this is
Mother Nature, Birch said, noting that the Australian
outback was scarred with craters up to one km (1,100 yards) in
diameter.
On a world scale, this is a reasonably common occurrence but
what's reasonably uncommon is that this sonic boom happened over a
built-up area, he added.