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ISSN-0039-2502
Journal of the
Association of Lunar &
Planetary Observers
The Strolling Astronomer
Volume 53, Number 2, Spring 2011
Now in Portable Document Format (PDF) for
Macintosh and PC-compatible computers
Online and in COLOR at http://www.alpo-astronomy.org
Inside this issue . . .
• All the latest on ALPO 2011 at Las Cruces (and your chance to meet our fearless founder, Walter
Haas)
• A look at how founding member Elmer Reese contributed to our understanding of the famous
Jupiter SEB
• Life on the Moon? Read what the greats had to say about it
• Apparition reports: Jupiter in 2008 . . . plus reports about your ALPO section activities andmuch, much more!
While easy to miss at the very center of this
image by Alfons Diepvens of Balen, Belgium,
taken on March 7, 2011 at 23:05 UT, Comet
Elenin (C/2010 X1) may turn out to be
considerably more noteworthy as a good
binocular target in mid-August and naked-eye
object not long afterwards.The object was first
imaged on December 10, when discoverer
Leonid Elenin, an observer in Lyubertsy,
Russia, remotely acquired four 4-minute-long
images using an 18-inch (45-cm) telescope at
the ISON-NM observatory near Mayhill, New
Mexico. This image by Diepvens was obtained
with a 20-cm refractor and a Canon 7D digital
camera. This image was a 57 minute exposure
at ISO 1600. Image copyright © 2011 by Alfons Diepvens
(Balen, Belgium)
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The Strolling Astronomer
Journal of the
Association of Lunar &
Planetary Observers
The Strolling Astronomer
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
This issue published in March 2011 for distribution in both portable
document format (pdf) and also hardcopy format.
This publication is the official journal of the Association of Lunar &
Planetary Observers (ALPO).
The purpose of this journal is to share observation reports, opinions,
and other news from ALPO members with other members and the
professional astronomical community.
© 2011, Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers (ALPO). The
ALPO hereby grants permission to educators, academic libraries and
the professional astronomical community to photocopy material for
educational or research purposes as required. There is no charge for
these uses provided that credit is given to The Strolling Astronomer,
the “JALPO” or the ALPO itself, as appropriate. All others must
request permission from the ALPO.
For membership or general information about the ALPO, contact:
Matthew Will
ALPO Membership Secretary/Treasurer
P.O. Box 13456
Springfield, Illinois 62791-3456
E-mail to: matt.will@alpo-astronomy.org
Visit the ALPO online at:
http://www.alpo-astronomy.org
In this issue . . .
Inside the ALPO
Point of View: Eclipse-chasing, anyone? ....................3
News of General Interest .......................................4
ALPO 2011 Updates ...............................................4
Worth Watching: Saturnian System Flyby...............5
New Lunar Observing Guide Soon
from ALPO Staffer................................................6
Venus Volcano Watch .............................................6
ALPO Interest Section Reports ..................................6
ALPO Observing Section Reports ..............................7
Feature Stories
(Book Review) “Carl Sagan: A Biography” ...............14
A Brief History of Life on the Moon .........................15
Jupiter’s Deepest Mystery:
The ALPO Connection .........................................22
Jupiter: Observations During the
2008 Apparition ....................................................28
ALPO Resources
Board of Directors ....................................................43
Publications Staff .....................................................43
Interest Sections ......................................................43
Observing Sections ..................................................43
ALPO Publications ...................................................44
ALPO Staff E-mail Directory .....................................45
Back Issues of The Strolling Astronomer .................47
Our Advertisers
Orion Telescopes & Binoculars ....... Inside Front Cover
ALPO 2011 Conference ad .........................................2
Catseye Collimation Systems/Catsperch
Observing Chairs .......................................................5
Announcing the ALPO Lapel Pin ................................6
Galileo’s Place .................................Inside Back Cover
Sky Publishing ..............................Outside Back Cover
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
Page 1
The Strolling Astronomer
ALPO 2011 Conference
Las Cruces, New Mexico
July 21- 23
Join your ALPO colleagues for a weekend of observational solar system astronomy and
planetary science at the prestigous New Mexico State University:
• Meet with Walter Haas, founder and director emeritus of our fine organization,
the Assn of Lunar & Planetary observers
• Paper / business sessions and lodging right on the NMSU campus
• Special tours to the Very Large Array radio observatory, National Solar Observatory,
Apache Point Observatories, New Mexico Museum of Space History, and
White Sands Missile Range
• Awards banquet Saturday night
For more information, go to http://www.morning-twilight.com/alpo
e-mail alpoconference@morning-twilight.com
Page 2
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
The Strolling Astronomer
Inside the ALPO
Member, section and activity news
Association of Lunar &
Planetary Observers (ALPO)
Board of Directors
Executive Director (Chair); Richard W. Schmude, Jr.
Associate Director; Julius L. Benton, Jr.
Member of the Board; Sanjay Limaye
Member of the Board; Donald C. Parker
Member of the Board; Ken Poshedly
Member of the Board; Michael D. Reynolds
Member of the Board; John E. Westfall
Member of the Board & Secretary/Treasurer;
Matthew Will
Founder/Director Emeritus; Walter H. Haas
Publications
Editor & Publisher, Ken Poshedly
Primary Observing Section &
Interest Section Staff
(See full listing in ALPO Resources)
Lunar& Planetary Training Section:
Timothy J. Robertson
Solar Section: Kim Hay
Mercury Section: Frank Melillo
Venus Section: Julius L. Benton, Jr.
Mercury/Venus Transit Section: John E. Westfall
Lunar Section:
Lunar Transient Phenomena; Anthony Cook
Lunar Meteoritic Impact Search; Brian Cudnik
Lunar Topographical Studies &
Selected Areas Program; Wayne Bailey
Lunar Dome Survey; Marvin W. Huddleston
Mars Section: Roger Venable
Minor Planets Section: Frederick Pilcher
Jupiter Section: Richard W. Schmude, Jr.
Saturn Section: Julius L. Benton, Jr.
Remote Planets Section: Richard W. Schmude, Jr.
Comets Section: Gary Kronk
Meteors Section: Robert D. Lunsford
Meteorites Section: Dolores Hill
Computing Section: Larry Owens
Youth Section: Timothy J. Robertson
Historical Section: Richard Baum
Eclipse Section: Michael D. Reynolds
ALPO Website: Larry Owens
Point of View
The Rewards /Uncertainty of
Meteor-Chasing
By Robert D. Lunsford, coordinator, ALPOMeteors Section
I feel it’s safe to say that most of us like fireworks and the brilliant
displays that can be seen in times of celebration. Nature itself
can produce some fine displays, most notably lightening and the
resulting thunder. I find myself attracted to a type of celestial
fireworks. Most of these are silent, but the resulting streaks of
light in the sky can often rival those made by man.
Of course I am talking about the phenomena of meteors and
meteor showers. The term “shower” is a misnomer, as even the
strongest of the annual meteor showers produce no more than a
trickle of meteors. Yet this trickle of meteors is fascinating to
watch as the observer does not know when or where in sky
these will occur. Nor do they know how bright or what color they
will possess. I feel this element of surprise adds to the
fascination of viewing meteors.
Every so often there is a prediction of a meteor storm. Now since
a shower of meteors gives you a trickle of activity, a storm will
actually provide a decent “drenching.” The actual definition of a
meteor storm is a display that will likely produce a rate of at least
1,000 meteors per hour at maximum activity. These are the
events that really get meteor observers excited. Like eclipse
chasers, they will travel to the ends of the Earth to be in the right
place at the right time to view such an event.
But unlike eclipse chasers, these folks are not guaranteed the
event will even occur! Fifty years ago, predictions of meteor
storms were based on the prior history of each shower. Even as
late as 1972, a few meteor storm chasers went to Japan to view
the October Draconid storm that failed to materialize.
More recently, predictions have been based on computer
simulations of particle motion in space. These simulations have
proved reliable, but not perfect. One factor that is still “a shot in
the dark” is the exact strength of each prediction. It is far easier
to predict the locations of particle concentrations in space
compared to their density. The potential meteor storm chaser
has to weigh these factors before setting off to exotic lands.
These events are among the rarest of celestial phenomena,
much rarer than the total solar eclipses or the appearance of
bright comets. Only four meteor storms occurred during the 20th
century. Rates in excess of 1,000/hr lasted less than 12 hours in
all four events combined. They are fantastic sights to behold,
with the entire sky filled with meteors, one after another.
(See Meteor-Chasing, page 4)
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
Page 3
The Strolling Astronomer
Inside the ALPO
Member, section and activity news
News of General Interest
ALPO 2011 Updates
Arrangements for the 2011 annual
conference of the Assn of Lunar &
Planetary Observers are being finalized as
this issue of your Journal goes to press
(late-March).
The event will be held Thursday through
Saturday, July 21 - 23, on the campus of
New Mexico State University at Las
Cruces.
Here are the particulars at this time:
Registration - Individual (includes Friday
night dinner
•
Before July 1: $65
•
After July 1: $80
Meeting/presentation venue:
•
Banquet:
•
Before July 1: $75
•
After July 1: $95
Check payable to:
•
“ASLC ALPO Conference”
Meteor-Chasing (from page 3)
I myself have been lucky to have
witnessed two such storms and just
missed another by a couple of
hours.
Unfortunately, there are no meteor
storms predicted until the 2099
Leonids. We can hope that research
will find another one in the near
future. Until then, I will be outside
watching the trickle of meteors and
always hoping for a little bit more.
Page 4
$30 per person (location to be
determined - check website for
updates and speaker)
Lodging:
•
Dorm rooms at NMSU -- check
website for additional information
•
Comfort Inn, 2585 South Valley Dr.,
Las Cruces, NM, US, 88005; phone:
(575) 527-2000; single queen-size
bed $69+tax or two queen-size beds
$74+tax; reservation phone number,
1-877-424-6423 (call after April 1,
2011)
Registration - Individual plus family
member (includes Friday night dinner)
•
Room 201, Guthrie Hall, New Mexico
State University
Special tours (July 21 and July 22; note
(all venues may not be available, dates to
be determined. See website for current
details):
•
Very Large Array
•
National Solar Observatory
•
Apache Point Observatories
•
New Mexico Museum of Space
History
•
White Sands Missile Range
•
Registration packets will be sent out
shortly.
Second Call for Papers:
ALPO 2011
Participants are encouraged to submit
research papers, presentations, and
experience reports concerning Earthbased observational astronomy of our
solar system for presentation at the event.
Topics
Suggested topics for papers and
presentations include the following:
•
New or ongoing observing programs
and studies of solar system bodies,
specifically, how those programs were
designed, implemented and continue
to function.
•
Results of personal or ALPO group
studies of solar system bodies
possibly including (but not limited to)
Venus cloud albedo events, dust
storms and the polar caps of Mars,
the various belts and Great Red Spot
of Jupiter, the various belts and ring
system of Saturn, variances in activity
of periodic meteor showers and
comets, etc.
•
New or ongoing activities involving
astronomical instrumentation,
construction or improvement.
•
Challenges faced by Earth-based
observers including increased or lack
of interest, deteriorating observing
conditions brought about by possible
global warming, etc.
Conference website:
•
http://www.morning-twilight.com/alpo
Registration/questions e-mail:
alpoconference@morning-twilight.com
ALPO 2011 conference registrar:
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
Robert Williams, 308 N. Mesquite St.
#3, Las Cruces, NM 88001
Submission Format
Please observe and follow these
guidelines:
The Strolling Astronomer
Inside the ALPO
Member, section and activity news
•
Presentations — The preferred format
is Microsoft PowerPoint, though
35mm slides or overhead projector
slides are also acceptable. The final
presentation should not exceed 45
minutes in length, to be followed by
no more than five (5) minutes of
questions (if any) from the audience.
•
Research Papers — Full and final
research papers not being presented
as described above should not exceed
5,000 words (approximately 8 pages),
including figures and references.
Important: The results described
must not be under consideration
for publication elsewhere.
•
Posters — Posters should not exceed
1,000 words. Posters provide an
opportunity to present late-breaking
results and new ideas in an informal,
visual and interactive format.
Accepted poster submissions will
receive a one-page description in the
conference proceedings. The
submission abstract must be no
longer than one page.
Worth Watching:
Saturnian System Flyby
ALPO member Phil Plante posted a link
to a website with a short HD film “Outside
In,”a video voyage thru the Saturnian
system created from hundreds of
thousands of Cassini still photographs and
supported as a non-profit project funded
by individual supporters.
http://www.outsideinthemovie.com/
Think Kubrick's “2001: A Space Odyssey”
when you watch it.
Acceptance for presentation is contingent
on registration for the conference. In the
case of multiple authors, at least one must
register.
Important Dates
•
June 15, 2011 - Deadline for four- or
five-sentence abstracts / proposals for
papers, workshops, and posters.
•
March 30, 2011 - Registration opens.
•
July 1, 2011 - Late registration fee
begins (late registration via mail
accepted up to July 15; then in
person at conference afterwards).
•
July 21 - 23, 2011 - ALPO Con 2011.
Contact
Dr. Richard Schmude
Professor of Chemistry, Gordon College
Barnesville, Georgia 30204
770-358-0728
schmude@gdn.edu
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
Page 5
The Strolling Astronomer
Inside the ALPO
Member, section and activity news
New Lunar Observing Guide
Soon from ALPO Staffer
Yet another book for lunar observing
afficiandos is on the way!
Our Journal Book Review Editor Bob
Garfinkle reports that he was recently
contacted by Dr. Harry Blom, editorial
director of the astronomy department at
Springer Publishing (formerly SpringerVerlag), wants to publish Bob’s own
“Luna Cognitum” lunar observers
handbook. Bob’s been working on this
project for about 15 years.
Dr. Bom reports to Bob that Springer may
publish the project as a two-volume work.
Says Bob: “If they do a hardback first run
for institutions (like libraries, observatories
and such) the book will probably be
priced in the $450 USD range followed by
a much cheaper paperback edition two or
three years later. They will probably also
make an electronic version available right
away as well.”
Bob adds that there are come minor
issues to work out, but it looks very
favorable that a publishing contract will be
signed soon.
The manuscript is coming along well and
is currently is over 900 pages in length,
double-column with nearly one-third of
Location from
Terminator
Date
28 May 2011
Volcanoes on thin terminator.
16 June 2011 Volcanoes on the central
meridian; look for circular
cloud formations.
29 Jun 2011
Volcanoes midway from
CM to bright limb.
13 Jun 2011
Volcanoes approaching
bright limb.
17 Jun 2011
Volcanoes pass beyond
bright limb.
the images already placed in the book. “I
also figure that I may have about 100
pages of text to create as well.”.
Venus Volcano Watch
By Michael F. Mattei
micmattei@comcast.net
The Venus Volcano Watch continues. See
the accompanying table for a list of times
to be watching Venus for cloud activity
both on the terminator and on the bright
sun lit side.
Watch for a bulge on the terminator
where the uplifted sunlit clouds would
Announcing,
the ALPO Lapel Pin
Now you can display your affiliation with our fine organization proudly with the new, colorful ALPO Lapel Pin.
With bright raised gold lettering against a recessed gold
sandblast finish, each pin features the pupil of the ALPO
“eye” in fluorescent aqua blue. A “pinch” clasp at the rear
secures the pin in place. Pin dimensions are 1 1/8 in. by
9
/16 in.
Free for those who hold or purchase ALPO Sponsor level
memberships.
Only $3.50 for those who hold or purchase Sustaining
level memberships
Only $8.50 for all other ALPO members.
Not available to non-ALPO members.
Price includes shipping and handling.
Send orders to: ALPO, PO Box 13456, Springfield, IL
62791-3456. E-mail to: matt.will@alpo-astronomy.org
Page 6
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
show on the dark side of the terminator,
and on the sunlit side, watch for bulges of
circular cloud formation like the tops of
cumulus clouds.
There are three volcanoes that are
believed to be active; Maat Mons, Ozza
Mons and Sapas Mons. All are near the
equator centered near CM 165°. From
research of cloud formations and lit clouds
on the dark side and circular sunlit side
clouds, it may be possible to determine if
a volcano has erupted. A correlation of
these observations can be made to locate
volcanoes on the surface of Venus.
Observations should be made at all times
because there may be many more
volcanoes that could be active. I would be
happy to receive observations, drawings,
sketches, CCD images. Please be sure of
the time in UT and location of observer.
See Volume 51, No. 1, page 21 this
Journal for an article of the events and
what they look like. You can find the
article by going to http://www.alpoastronomy.org/djalpo/51-1/JALPO51-1%20%20Free.pdf
ALPO Interest Section
Reports
Web Services
Larry Owens,
Section Coordinator
Larry.Owens@alpo-astronomy.org
Follow us on Twitter, become our friend
on FaceBook, or join us on MySpace.
Section Coordinators: If you need an ID
for your section's blog, contact Larry
Owens at larry.owens@alpo-astronomy.org
For details on all of the above, visit the
ALPO home page online at www.alpoastronomy.org
The Strolling Astronomer
Inside the ALPO
Member, section and activity news
Computing Section
Meteors Section
Larry Owens,
Section Coordinator,
Report by Bob Lundsford,
Section Coordinator
Larry.Owens@alpo-astronomy.org
lunro.imo.usa@cox.net
Important links:
Visit the ALPO Meteors Section online at
www.alpo-astronomy.org/meteorblog/ Be
sure to click on the link to viewing
meteors, meteor shower calendar and
references.
•
To subscribe to the ALPOCS yahoo
e-mail list, http://groups.yahoo.com/
group/alpocs/
•
•
To post messages (either on the site or
via your e-mail program),
alpocs@yahoogroups.com.
To unsubscribe to the ALPOCS
yahoo e-mail list, alpocsunsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
•
Visit the ALPO Computing Section
online at www.alpo-astronomy.org/
computing.
Lunar & Planetary
Training Program
Meteorites Section
Dolores Hill, Section Coordinator
dhill@lpl.arizona.edu
Visit the ALPO Meteorite Section online at
www.alpo-astronomy.org/meteorite/
Comets Section
Gary Kronk,
acting Section Coordinator
kronk@cometography.com
Tim Robertson,
Section Coordinator
cometman@cometman.net
For information on the ALPO Lunar &
Planetary Training Program, go to
www.cometman.net/alpo/; regular postal
mail to Tim Robertson, 195 Tierra Rejada
Rd. #148, Simi Valley CA, 93065; e-mail
to cometman@cometman.net
Visit the ALPO Comets Section online at
www.alpo-astronomy.org/comet.
meteors, meteor shower calendar and
references.
Solar Section
Kim Hay, Section Coordinator,
kim.hay@alpo-astronomy.org
The prediction is that Solar Cycle 24 is still
to peak in May 2013. To date, the activity
has been moderate with a few good
groups and spots, but most are fading
quickly.
The Carrington Rotation numbers for
2011 are CR2105 to CR2118. We are
currently in CR2106 with some moderate
activity; on the Sun in mide-February
were sunspot groups AR1157, AR1159,
AR1160 in the northern hemisphere and
AR1158 and AR1160 in the southern
hemisphere (the latter of which was
producing quite a number solar flares).
On February 13th at 17:38 UT, the largest
Support the ALPO with an Orion Purchase
Those planning to purchase any item via the Orion website can at the same time
have their purchase result in a small contribution to the ALPO. Simply visit our website at www.alpo-astonomy.org and click on any of the Orion-sponsored banners
shown here before completing your purchase (within 30 days).
We ask all who are considering an online purchase of Orion astronomical merchan-
ALPO Observing
Section Reports
Eclipse Section
Mike Reynolds, section Coordinator
alpo-reynolds@comcast.net
Please visit the ALPO Eclipse Section
online at www.alpo-astronomy.org/eclipse.
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
Page 7
The Strolling Astronomer
Inside the ALPO
Member, section and activity news
solar flare (M 6.6) this year was produced
from AR1158. NASA's Solar Dynamics
Observatory (www.nasa.gov/
mission_pages/sdo/main/index.html)
recorded this event. To see that image and
hear the solar flare event from amateur
radio astronomer Thomas Ashcraft,
please go to www.spaceweather.com
(February 14th, 2011).
Solar observer Jerry Fryer of Arizona,
USA, sumitted an image which shows the
recent sunspots of February 13th, 2011,
CR2106. He used a 100 ED, 18 mm
eyepiece, and a Baader Hershel CP4500
with 900 mm focal length. [insert image
Feb. 13 # 13- I have asked Jerry for the
high res version]
You too can submit digital images and
sketches of solar activity by using the
guidelines that are on the website,
www.alpo-astronomy.org/solarblog/.
The publications listed in "Guidelines for
the Observation of Monochromatic and
White Light Solar Phenomena" have been
updated by Jamey Jenkins (originals by
Rik Hill). They are there to encourage and
answer your questions on the Sun and
your submissions. Report forms are also
located on the website. Please send your
images/sketches to kim.hay@alpoastronomy.org. These images are then
archived and placed online as a
permanent resource for other solar
observers. You can always keep informed
on what is happening on the Sun and
what other solar observers are doing by
joining the ALPO Solar Yahoo Group
(www.groups.yahoo.com).
In other news, the NOAA / Space Weather
Prediction Center webmaster for over 45
years is retiring. Viola Raben was
responsible for looking after thee websites
and also producing "The Weekly" (formal
name: The Preliminary Report and
Forecast of Solar Geophysical Data). She
has now made this totally automated and
solar observers will still receive their
report. Many of us receive the daily and
weekly updates of the Sun's activity.
Congratulations, Viola, for helping so
Page 8
Solar image of the Sun with sunspots at Carrington Rotation 2106 by Jerry Fryer of
Scottsdale, Arizona, USA, taken February 13, 2011. Jerry used a 100 ED, 18 mm
eyepiece, and a Baader Hershel CP4500 with 900 mm focal length.
many solar observers, and good luck with
your future endeavours.
Mercury Section
Report by Frank J. Melillo,
Section Coordinator
Finally, I include here some of my own
favorite sites for you to look up present
and past solar data; the Active Region
maps at http://www.solar.ifa.hawaii.edu/
ARMaps/armaps.html and "Today's Space
Weather" http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/
frankj12@aol.com
today.html
Report by Julius Benton,
Section Coordinator
For information on solar observing –
including the various observing forms and
information on completing them – go to
www.alpo-astronomy.org/solar
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
Visit the ALPO Mercury Section online at
www.alpo-astronomy.org/mercury.
Venus Section
jlbaina@msn.com
Look for Venus in the Eastern sky before
sunrise, drawing nearer and nearer
The Strolling Astronomer
Inside the ALPO
Member, section and activity news
toward the Sun as the apparition
progresses. A real benefit of Western
(Morning) apparitions is the fact that
Venus rises higher and higher in the sky as
the morning hours progress, so it can be
easily tracked into a daylight sky for
viewing when most of the glare associated
with the planet against a dark sky is
measurably reduced. During the current
2010-11 Western (Morning) Apparition,
the planet is passing through its waxing
phases (a progression from crescent
through gibbous phases). At the time of
this report (mid-February), the gibbous
disk of Venus is about 17.7" across and
roughly 66.5% illuminated.
This apparition, observers have submitted
over 100 images to date. Readers are
reminded that high-quality digital images
of the planet taken in the near-UV and
near-IR, as well as other wavelengths
through polarizing filters, continue to be
needed by the Venus Express (VEX)
mission, which started systematically
monitoring Venus at UV, visible (IL) and
IR wavelengths back in May 2006. This
Professional-Amateur (Pro-Am) effort
continues, and observers should submit
images to the ALPO Venus Section as well
as to the VEX website at:
http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/
index.cfm?fobjectid=38833&fbodylongid=18
56.
Regular Venus program activities
(including drawings of Venus in Integrated
Light and with color filters of known
transmission) are also valuable
throughout the period that VEX is
observing the planet, which continues into
2011. Since Venus has a high surface
brightness it is potentially observable
anytime it is far enough from the Sun to
be safely observed.
Gibbous Venus as imaged in UV on
January 29, 2011 at 12:02UT by Richard
Jakiel of Lithia Springs, GA, USA, with a
30.5 cm (12.0 in.) Schmidt-Cassegrain.
Apparent diameter of Venus is 20.2",
phase (k) 0.601 (60.1% illuminated),
and visual magnitude 4.3. South is at
top of image.
The observation programs conducted by
the ALPO Venus Saturn Section are listed
on the Venus page of the ALPO website at
http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/venus as
well as in considerable detail in the
author's ALPO Venus Handbook
available from the ALPO Venus Section.
Observers are urged to carry out digital
imaging of Venus at the same time that
Geocentric Phenomena of the 2010-2011 Western (Morning) Apparition
of Venus in Universal Time (UT)
Inferior Conjunction
2010
Oct 19 (angular diameter = 58.3 arc-seconds)
Greatest Brilliancy
2010
Dec 04 (mv = – 4.6)
Greatest Elongation West
2011
Jan 08 (47º west of the Sun)
Predicted Dichotomy
2011
Jan 08.28 (exactly half-phase)
Superior Conjunction
2011
Aug 16 (angular diameter = 9.6 arc-seconds)
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
others are imaging or making visual
drawings of the planet (i.e., simultaneous
observations).
Although regular imaging of Venus in
both UV, IR and other wavelengths is
extremely important and highly
encouraged, far too many experienced
observers have neglected making visual
numerical relative intensity estimates and
reporting visual or color filter impressions
of features seen or suspected in the
atmosphere of the planet (e.g.,
categorization of dusky atmospheric
markings, visibility of cusp caps and cusp
bands, measurement of cusp extensions,
monitoring for the Schröter phase effect
near the date of predicted dichotomy, and
looking for terminator irregularities).
Routine use of the standard ALPO Venus
observing forms will help observers know
what needs to be reported in addition to
supporting information such as telescope
aperture and type, UT date and time,
magnifications and filters used, seeing and
transparency conditions, etc.
The ALPO Venus Section urges interested
readers worldwide to join us in our
projects and challenges ahead.
Individuals interested in participating in
the programs of the ALPO Venus Section
are encouraged to visit the ALPO Venus
Section online http://www.alpoastronomy.org/venusblog/.
Lunar Section:
Lunar Topographical Studies /
Selected Areas Program
Report by Wayne Bailey,
Program Coordinator
wayne.bailey@alpo-astronomy.org
The ALPO Lunar Topographical Studies
Section (ALPO LTSS) received a total of
151 new observations from 12 observers
during the September-December quarter.
Two contributed articles were published,
and 11 observations included extensive
comments. This quarter's observations
also included height measurements for 15
Page 9
The Strolling Astronomer
Inside the ALPO
Member, section and activity news
Lunar Calendar for Second Quarter 2011 (All Times UT)
Apr. 01
Apr. 02
Apr. 02
Apr. 02
Apr. 03
Apr. 03
Apr. 04
Apr. 08
Apr. 11
Apr. 17
Apr. 17
Apr. 18
Apr. 21
Apr. 23
Apr. 25
Apr. 27
Apr. 29
Apr. 29
Apr. 30
May 01
May 01
May 01
May 02
May 06
May 10
May 14
May 15
May 17
May 18
May 20
May 24
May 24
May 27
May 27
May 29
May 30
May 31
May 31
June 01
June 02
June 09
June 10
June 12
June 15
June 15
June 16
June 20
June 23
June 23
June 24
June 26
June 28
June 29
June 30
22:00
09:01
12:00
15:00
14:32
20:00
09:00
22:54
12:05
03:00
06:01
02:43
13:42
00:00
02:46
05:00
18:03
23:00
18:00
00:00
16:00
17:00
06:50
03:54
20:32
10:00
11:19
11:07
23:24
08:00
15:00
18:51
07:00
09:59
11:00
20:00
01:00
18:00
21:02
09:54
02:09
17:00
01:43
08:48
20:12
20:00
23:00
11:48
19:00
04:14
04:00
20:00
17:48
06:00
Moon 1.6° SE of asteroid Eunomia
Moon at Apogee (406,655 km / 252,684 miles)
Moon 5.9° NNW of Mars
Moon 5.7° NNW of Uranus
New Moon (Start of Lunation 1092)
Moon 5.8° NNW of Jupiter
Moon 1.4° NW of Mercury
Extreme North Declination
First Quarter
Moon 7.6° SSW of Saturn
Moon at Perigee (358,087 km / 222,505 miles)
Full Moon
Extreme South Declination
Moon 3.4° S of Pluto
Last Quarter
Moon 5.2° NNW of Neptune
Moon at Apogee (406,042 km / 252,303 miles)
Moon 5.8° NNW of Uranus
Moon 6.6° NNW of Venus
Moon 7.3° NNW of Mercury
Moon 5.6° NNW of Jupiter
Moon 5.3° NNW of Mars
New Moon (Start of Lunation 1093)
Extreme North Declination
First Quarter
Moon 7.6° SSW of Saturn
Moon at Perigee (362,132 km / 225,018 miles)
Full Moon
Extreme South Declination
Moon 3.4° S of Pluto
Moon 5.4° NNW of Neptune
Last Quarter
Moon 5.9° NNW of Uranus
Moon at Apogee (405,004 km / 251,658 miles)
Moon 5.4° NNW of Jupiter
Moon 3.8° N of Mars
Moon 4.4° NNW of Venus
Moon 3.7° N of Mercury
New Moon (Start of Lunation 1094)
Extreme North Declination
First Quarter
Moon 7.6° SSW of Saturn
Moon at Perigee (367,187km / 228,159 miles)
Extreme South Declination
Full Moon (Total Eclipse of the Moon)
Moon 3.4° SSE of Pluto
Moon 5.4° NNW of Neptune
Last Quarter
Moon 5.9° NNW of Uranus
Moon at Apogee (404,274 km / 251,204 miles)
Moon 5.2° NNW of Jupiter
Moon 1.9° NNE of Mars
Extreme North Declination
Moon 1.0° W of Venus
Table courtesy of William Dembowski
Page 10
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
features; measurements that I hope will
continue and attract more observers.
Upcoming "Focus-On" subjects include
the Marius-Reiner Gamma area, Central
Peaks with Craters, and Alphonsus. The
photo of Maurice Collins that was omitted
from the last report due to space
limitations is included here.
The radiance images from the Moon
Mineralogy Mapper instrument on the
Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft are now
available. The images cover 85 spectral
bands from the visible through the near
infrared. The reflectance images are
scheduled for release in July 2011. The
Lunar Reconnaisance Orbiter Camera
(LROC) also continues producing images
(see links below).
*******************
(Editor’s Note: The following writeup on
valued contributor Maurice Collins ran in
JALPO53-1 without his photo. It is
repeated here with photo included.)
The One of the most prolific and
innovative contributors to this section is
Maurice Collins who grew up in a rural
area near Dannevirke in the North Island
of New Zealand, and now lives in
Palmerston North.
Maurice writes: "I have always liked the
Moon. I started out with binoculars and a
small toy telescope, and then bought a
larger 60mm refractor after leaving high
school. My telescopes include a Meade
ETX-90/RA, which I use for visual
observing and afocal photography. My
main instrument is a Celestron 8-inch
SCT which lets me do imaging easier
because it is computer-controlled and can
be used remotely from inside the house
when it is cold outside.
"Today, my lunar work involves imaging
the Moon every clear night as well as
using spacecraft data for studying the
lunar surface. One bit of work I am
involved with is in creating Digital Terrain
Models of the Moon using the Lunar
Terminator Visualization Tool (LTVT) and
The Strolling Astronomer
Inside the ALPO
Member, section and activity news
•
ALPO Lunar Topographical Studies
Section moon.scopesandscapes.com/
alpo-topo
•
ALPO Lunar Selected Areas Program
moon.scopesandscapes.com/alposap.html
•
•
Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA)
data. I am interested in all aspects of the
Moon, from lunar rocks to large-scale
topography and origin of the Moon. I am
also interested in spaceflight and Apollo
missions especially. I have travelled
around the U.S. space centers to see the
hardware and Moon rocks. I also gained
my private pilot license in 1988.
"I like to do a mix of my own imaging and
computer-based investigations. Mostly, I
do imaging rather than visual observing
with my telescope, but do enjoy visual
observing in the summer months. Each
clear night, I try to complete a full mosaic
of the Moon. I am always trying to think
of new ways of looking at the Moon with
the images and other data just to see what
I can see up there on the Moon. It is a
fascinating place and there is so much the
amateur can do!"
*******************
•
moon.scopesandscapes.com/alposmartimpact
Only one LTP was reported from May to
December 2010.
The Lunar Observer (current issue)
During 00:50-01:02 UT on 2010 Aug 19,
Jay Albert (Lakeworth, FL) observed that
Tycho had a very faint hint of redness in a
pencil-thin arc (< 1/4 circumference of the
rim) confined to the top of the rim of the
well-lit northeast wall. The colored arc
had a thickness similar to Rupes Recta,
but not as sharply defined. The outer east
edge was perhaps sharper than the inner
edge. The redness was more on the inside
of the top of the rim. The outside of the
rim was bright white.
The Lunar Observer (back issues)
Selected Areas Program:
moon.scopesandscapes.com/alposap.html
•
Banded Craters Program:
moon.scopesandscapes.com/alpobcp.html
•
"The Lunar Discussion Group:
tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/MoonALPO/
•
•
Chandrayaan-1 M3: pdsimaging.jpl.nasa.gov/portal/
chandrayaan-1_mission.html
LROC: lroc.sese.asu.edu/EPO/LROC/
lroc.php
Lunar Domes Survey
Marvin Huddleston, FRAS,
Program Coordinator
kc5lei@sbcglobal.net
Visit the ALPO Lunar Domes Survey on
the World Wide Web at
www.geocities.com/kc5lei/lunar_dome.html
Visit the following online web sites for
more info:
Lunar Meteoritic Impacts
•
Brian Cudnik,
Program Coordinator
The Moon-Wiki: themoon.wikispaces.com/Introduction
Dr. Anthony Cook,
Program Coordinator
tony.cook@alpo-astronomy.org
moon.scopesandscapes.com/
tlo_back.html
Maurice Collins with his Celestron 8-inch
SCT.
Lunar Transient Phenomena
ALPO Lunar Topographical Studies
Smart-Impact WebPage
moon.scopesandscapes.com/tlo.pdf
•
Please visit the ALPO Lunar Meteoritic
Impact Search site online at www.alpoastronomy.org/lunar/lunimpacts.htm.
cudnik@sbcglobal.net
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
This effect was seen in three eyepieces, at
311x, 224x and 400x. The color could
not be seen on other nearby craters and
had disappeared by 01:02 UT, taking
about 1-2 minutes to fade. Observation of
Tycho continued until 01:06 UT, and
quick checks were made periodically until
02:50 UT, but the color failed to return.
Jay used a C11 telescope, the
transparency was 3/10, seeing 7-9/10,
and the Moon's altitude was 38°. A
monochrome image was obtained by Bill
Dembowski at 01:25 UT and processed
by myself in order to computer-simulate
terrestrial spectral dispersion; however,
the effect seen by Jay Albert could not be
reproduced without adding significant
spurious color to other craters, too. Later
color images taken by Maurice Collins
and Kerry Koppert (New Zealand)
between 06:18-08:05 UT failed to detect
any color in the crater.
This report has been given a LTP weight
of 3,"an unconfirmed report by an
experienced observer".
Page 11
The Strolling Astronomer
Inside the ALPO
Member, section and activity news
Note that live LTP alerts are now available
via Twitter at http://twitter.com/lunarnaut.
Please visit the ALPO Lunar Transient
Phenomena site online at http://alpoastronomy.org/lunar/ltp.html.
Mars Section
Roger Venable,
Section Coordinator
rjvmd@hughes.net
Visit the ALPO Mars Section online at
www.alpo-astronomy.org/mars.
Minor Planets Section
Frederick Pilcher,
Section Coordinator
pilcher@ic.edu
Minor Planet Bulletin Vol. 38, No. 1, 2011
January - March, is the first issue of the
publication to be published only in
electronic format. and downloaded freely
from http://www.MinorPlanetObserver.com/
astlc/default.htm.
Printed versions continue tobe sent to
astronomical libraries retaining archival
collections.
Annual voluntary contributions of $5 or
more in support of the publication are
welcome.
We congratulate veteran asteroid
lightcurve observer Robert Stephens,
winner of the American Astronomical
Society's 2010 Chambliss Amateur
Achievement Award, for his excellent
article in Sky And Telescope, Oct. 2010,
Vol. 120, pp 60-65. Here he describes
several important objectives in asteroid
lightcurve research. This is a "must read"
paper for anyone interested in what
amateurs are contributing to this subject.
Brian Warner has established for the
binary asteroid 2577 Litva the primary
rotation period 2.8129 hours, secondary
rotation period 5.6830 hours, and the
orbital period 35.88 hours. For binary
(8026) 1991 JA1 he has found a super
Page 12
slow primary rotation period 373 hours
with short secondary period 2.2981
hours.
Lightcurves with derived rotation periods
are published for 165 other asteroids,
numbers 27, 103, 266, 287, 295, 296,
308, 326, 369, 370, 448, 500, 504, 573,
575, 605, 620, 664, 665, 672, 687, 762,
787, 822, 836, 850, 860, 869, 878, 884,
938, 996, 1018, 1027, 1142, 1146, 1158,
1162, 1164, 1211, 1258, 1260, 1282,
1373, 1375, 1453, 1469, 1521, 1600,
1619, 1625, 1643, 1659, 1685, 1719,
1730, 1834, 1987, 1996, 2074, 2105,
2189, 2261, 2287, 2375, 2501, 2639,
2642, 2650, 2860, 2961, 2983, 3076,
3145, 3285, 3387, 3431, 3447, 3560,
3695, 3774, 3833, 3870, 3991, 4029,
4116, 4223, 4391, 4440, 4483, 4674,
4786, 4928, 5175, 5325, 5333, 5452,
5968, 6087, 6139, 6163, 6170, 6244,
6265, 6838, 7087, 7173, 7741, 7816,
8523, 9297, 10091, 10179, 10936,
11058, 11277, 11424, 11549, 13009,
14691, 14790, 14815, 15822, 15964,
16525, 19261, 20037, 20038, 20453,
21688, 29729, 31956, 33203, 34817,
35404, 39087, 45436, 46559, 47081,
49574, 49675, 49678, 57219, 61907,
66146, 66193, 68350, 72693, 76864,
76929, 82060, 84944, 101769, 102063,
154029, 164400, 174633, 2006 WL15,
2009 EW, 2009 FD, 2009 NH, 2009
QH34, 2009 UD, 2009 WV51, 2010
EX11, 2010 GF7.
Some of these provide secure period
determinations, some only tentative ones.
Some are of asteroids with no previous
lightcurve photometry, others are of
asteroids with previous period
determinations which may be consistent
or inconsistent with the earlier values.
To repeat what was stated earlire in this
report, the Minor Planet Bulletin is a
refereed publication and that it is available
on line from http://
www.MinorPlanetObserver.com/astlc/
default.htm.
In addition, please visit the ALPO Minor
Planets Section online at http://www.alpoastronomy.org/minor.
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
Jupiter Section
Richard W. Schmude, Jr.,
Section Coordinator
schmude@gdn.edu
The South Equatorial Belt continues to grow.
In a February 8 image (System 2 longitude =
260° W) by Don Parker, the SEB has a wide
SEB zone, whereas in a February 8 image
(System 2 longitude = 31° W) by Damian
Peach, the SEB is complete but has a lot of
smaller white spots.
Oval BA has a reddish color also in Damian
Peach's February 8 image. The North
Equatorial Belt has several barges. Jupiter is a
few percent brighter than what it was during
1999-2009, due to the South Equatorial Belt
being fainter than normal. Jupiter is expected
to have normal brightness once the SEB
returns completely.
I hope to start working on the 2010-2011
Jupiter apparition report this summer. A
referee has already examined the 2008 Jupiter
report and the appropriate corrections have
been made. It should be published shortly. The
2009-2010 Jupiter report has been examined
by a referee as well and should also be
published shortly.
Visit the ALPO Jupiter Section online at http://
www.alpo-astronomy.org/jupiter
Galilean Satellite
Eclipse Timing Program
John Westfall,
Assistant Jupiter Section
Coordinator
johnwestfall@comcast.net
New and potential observers are invited to
participate in this worthwhile ALPO observing
program.
Contact John Westfall via regular mail at P.O.
Box 2447, Antioch, CA 94531-2447 USA or email to johnwestfall@
comcast.net to obtain an observer’s kit, also
available on the Jupiter Section page of the
ALPO website.
Saturn Section
Julius Benton,
Section Coordinator
jlbaina@msn.com
The table of geocentric phenomena for 201011 apparition is presented here for the
convenience of observers.
The Strolling Astronomer
Inside the ALPO
Member, section and activity news
Saturn appeared in mid-February at apparent
visual magnitude +0.6° and was well up in the
East after midnight. The planet's northern
hemisphere and north face of the rings are
becoming increasingly visible as the ring tilt
toward Earth increases throughout the next
several years, with regions south of the rings
becoming progressively less favorable to view.
Right now the rings are inclined about +10.6°
towards Earth and will reach as much as
+11.5° during the apparition.
With inclinations of the rings round +9.0°,
observers can still witness and digitally image
transits, shadow transits, occultations, and
eclipses of satellites lying near Saturn's
equatorial plane. Apertures great than about
20.3 cm (8.0 in.) will likely offer the best
opportunities for observing and imaging these
events, except perhaps in the case of Titan.
the NTrZ white features, and digital imaging at
visual, infrared, UV, and methane (CH4)
wavelength bands is particularly important.
The observation programs conducted by the
ALPO Saturn Section are listed on the Saturn
page of the ALPO website at http://www.alpoastronomy.org/ as well as in considerable detail
in the author’s book, Saturn and How to
Observe It, available from Springer,
Amazon.com, etc., or by writing to the ALPO
Saturn Section for further information.
Observers are urged to carry out digital
imaging of Saturn at the same time that others
are imaging or visually watching Saturn (i.e.,
simultaneous observations). Although regular
imaging of Saturn is extremely important and
ighly encouraged, far too many experienced
observers have neglected making visual
numerical relative intensity estimates, which
are badly needed for a continuing comparative
analysis of belt, zone, and ring component
brightness variations over time. So, this type of
visual work is strongly encouraged before or
after imaging the planet.
The ALPO Saturn Section appreciates the
dedicated work by so many observers who
regularly submit their reports and images.
Cassini mission scientists, as well as other
professional specialists, are continuing to
request drawings, digital images, and
supporting data from amateur observers
around the globe in an active Pro-Am
Those who can image and obtain precise
timings (UT) to the nearest second of ingress,
CM passage, and egress of a satellite or its
shadow across the globe of Saturn should send
their data to the ALPO Saturn Section as
quickly as possible. Notes should be made of
the belt or zone on the planet crossed by the
shadow or satellite, and visual numerical
relative intensity estimates of the satellite, its
shadow, and the belt or zone it is in front of is
important, as well as drawings of the
immediate area at a given time during the
event.
So far this apparition there have been over
300 visual observations and digital images
submitted. The real highlight of this apparition
has been the presence of a particularly
noticeable white spot in Saturn's North
Tropical Zone (NTrZ) that was first detected by
ALPO observers in early December 2010. The
apparent long-enduring NTrZ white spot has
brightened and undergone fairly rapid
evolution, becoming morphologically complex
with widening and considerable longitudinal
growth along the NTrZ, extending almost
halfway around the planet's globe.
It is thought that as the inclination of Saturn's
northern hemisphere toward the Sun
increases, with subsequently greater solar
insolation affecting these regions, conditions
are more favorable for activity to develop, such
as the NTrZ white spot currently being
observed. Only time will tell if further activity
emerges, but observers should definitely not
miss an opportunity to view or image the
continued development of the NTrZ white spot
over the coming months, especially with
opposition approaching in early April.
Comparing what can be seen visually with
various instruments with digital imaging results
is meaningful. Color filter techniques can be
used by visual observers to determine which
visual wavelengths produce the best views of
Beautiful digital image of the rapidly evolving NTrZ white spot feature taken on February 9,
2011, at 18:17UT by Christpoher Go of Cebu, Philippines using a 28.0 cm (11.0 in.) SCT in
visible light (RGB). Seeing = 7.5, Transparency = 4.0. Ring tilt is +10.0º. CMI = 84.2°,
CMII = 314.0°, CMIII = 34.7°. S is at the top of the image.
h
Geocentric Phenomena for the 2010-2011 Apparition of Saturn
in Universal Time (UT)
Conjunction
2010 Oct 01d
Opposition
2011 Apr 04d
Conjunction
2011 Oct 13d
Opposition Data:
Equatorial Diameter Globe
19.3 arc-seconds
Polar Diameter Globe
17.5 arc-seconds
Major Axis of Rings
43.8 arc-seconds
Minor Axis of Rings
6.6 arc-seconds
Visual Magnitude (mv)
0.4 mv (in Virgo)
B=
+8.6º
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
Page 13
The Strolling Astronomer
Inside the ALPO
Member, section and activity news
cooperative effort.
Information on ALPO Saturn programs,
including observing forms and instructions,
can be found on the Saturn pages on the
official ALPO Website at www.alpoastronomy.org/saturn.
All are invited to also subscribe to the Saturn email discussion group at SaturnALPO@yahoogroups.com
Remote Planets Section
Richard W. Schmude, Jr., Section Coordinator
schmude@gdn.edu
Jim Fox has done an outstanding job of
measuring the brightness of Uranus and
Neptune from his new observatory in New
Mexico. He recorded 26 sets of blue (B) and
visual (V) magnitude measurements of Uranus
and 19 sets of Neptune form a total of 90
brightness measurements. Richard Schmude,
Jr., has also measured the brightness of
Uranus. Most of his measurements were made
in red (R) and infrared (I) filters.
Several other observers had also submitted
observations of the remote planets in 2010
and early 2011. If you have observations of
Uranus or Neptune, please send them to
Richard Schmude, Jr., as soon as possible. I
plan to complete the 2010-2011 apparition
report of Uranus and Neptune in this summer
(2011).
A reminder that the book Uranus, Neptune
and Pluto and How to Observe Them is now
available from Springer at www.springer.com/
astronomy/popular+astronomy/book/978-0387-76601-0 or elsewhere (such as
www.amazon.ca/Uranus-Neptune-PlutoObserve-Them/dp/0387766014) to order a
copy.
Visit the ALPO Remote Planets Section online
at http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/
remote.
Book Review: “Carl Sagan: A Biography”
Review by Robert A. Garfinkle, FRAS
ALPO Book Review Editor
ragarf@earthlink.net
Carl sagan: A Biography, by Ray Spangenburg and Kit Moser, 2009, published in New
York by Prometheus Books (ISBN 978-1-59102-658-7); 181 pages, paperback; list
price $16.98.
Carl Sagan was probably the most widely known American astronomer of the last
century, due in part to his books and as the host and star of the popular PBS
television series Cosmos. Freelance journalists Ray Spangenburg and Kit Moser
have packed a fascinating look at Sagan in this thin biography. Though a little on the
thin side for such an extraordinary scientist, exobiologist, teacher, astrophysicist,
and public figure, the authors have delivered enough concise information in this
book to give the reader a full understanding of what made Carl Sagan tick and why
the public embraced him. He made the technical and bewildering world of the whole
cosmos understandable by non-scientists.
The authors present the early years of Carl Edward Sagan’s life and the
backgrounds of his immigrant parents and grandparents. We learn about his school
years, and I found it fascinating that he entered the University of Chicago at the age
of only 16. Sagan was able to work summers for several prominent scientists, including Nobel laureates Herman Joseph
Muller (1952), physicist George Gamow (1957), chemist Melvin Calvin (1959), geneticist Joshua Lederberg, along with
planetary scientist Gerard Kuiper in 1956. Sagan built friendships easily and these people helped him to establish his place
among the best of American scientists.
I am somewhat dismayed at the lack of information about Sagan’s role in the development of the search for extraterrestrial life
in the chapter that covers this aspect of his career. That chapter seems to be devoted to the efforts of Frank Drake, while
Sagan is hardly mentioned.Bits and pieces of Sagan’s work in this area are mentioned in other parts of the book.
Overall, I enjoyed the brief look into the life and times of Carl Sagan and recommend it to anyone interested in him. I also
suggest that anyone interested in learning more about Sagan use this book as a primer, then consult any of the more detailed
Sagan biographies or read the more than 500 scientific papers that he published and his books.
Page 14
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
The Strolling Astronomer
Feature Story:
A Brief History of Life on the Moon
By William M. Dembowski, FRAS,
Asistant Coordinator,
Lunar Topographical Studies/
dembowski@zone-vx.com
Introduction
Our Moon is virtually airless, waterless,
and its surface temperature varies from 233° to +123° C (-387° to +253° F);
therefore, it is obviously impossible for
life to exist there. But things have not
always been that simple.
There have long been legends, myths,
and works of fiction that spoke of life on
the Moon; but what of scientific works?
What have men of science had to say
about this dead world?
Baron Franz Von
Gruithuisen
In 1824, Baron Franz von Gruithuisen,
a German physician and astronomer,
reported his discovery of “many distinct
evidences of lunar inhabitants, in
particular a colossal artificial structure
by the same.” The main wall of the
structure he called “Wallwerk” (6° N –
8° W) is approximately 5 miles long with
smaller walls branching off at 45° angles
(Figure 1). In addition, he observed a
roughly star-shaped structure near its
northwest wall which he postulated was
a temple built by the same lunar
inhabitants (the Selenites).
These features lie north of the crater
Schröter and south of Sinus Aestuum
and, based on their size, they should be
easily seen in modest telescopes when
the Moon is 8-1/2 and 23 days old.
However, many observers find it
difficult to separate them from the
jumbled terrain of the region (Figure
2).
Gruithuisen defended his belief in lunar
life by noting and confirming Johann
Schröter’s observation of an extension
of the Moon’s horns when in a crescent
phase. This “twilight” extension was
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this article, and selected references also in blue text at the end of this paper for
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taken to prove that the Moon had an
appreciable atmosphere. Gruithuisen
attributed hints of brown and yellow
patches on the maria to the existence of
plant life and even believed that
meandering rilles were created by herds
of lunar animals. Smaller, straighter
rilles could, in his mind, only be roads.
“Such an extensive transportation
system” he wrote “could be completed
only with shrewd planning and
concerted effort, and would be
inconceivable without a
civilization of Selenites.”
Good Hope”. Herschel, it said, was
using a “telescope of vast dimensions
and an entirely new principle.” And that
his most stunning discovery was life on
the Moon.
Herschel was, in fact, making
astronomical observations in Africa at
the time, but had no connection with,
nor even knowledge of, the New York
Sun articles. They were a complete
hoax, probably perpetrated by a
At first Gruithuisen’s
“discoveries” were embraced
by many prominent
astronomers of the day. He
was offered — but declined
— professorships at several
universities, and in 1826 was
appointed Professor of
Astronomy at the University
of Munich. But eventually the
scientific community tired of
Gruithuisen’s “mad chatter”
and astronomy journals
refused to accept any more of
his submissions. Finally, in
1828, his announcement of
the discovery of another
“Wallwerk” went virtually
unnoticed.
Sir John Herschel
Although belief in
Gruithuisen’s Selenites
quickly subsided, the desire to
believe in lunar life did not. A
series of six articles in the
New York Sun newspaper in
August 1835 claimed to be
“great astronomical
discoveries lately made by Sir
John Herschel at the Cape of
Figure 1. Baron von Gruithuisen’s drawing of his
Wallwerk.
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
Page 15
The Strolling Astronomer
Cambridge-educated journalist, Richard
Adams Locke, although the identity of
the author has never been absolutely
proven. I include reference to the
articles here because of the level of
acceptance by what some have called a
“gullible generation”.
The articles, supposedly composed of
excerpts from The Edinburgh Journal of
Science (a non-existent publication),
began by describing herds of
quadrupeds similar to bison and goats.
Then came reports of bipedal beavers
which lived in huts and intelligent batwinged humans. Each installment was
more fanciful than the last, finally
culminating with accounts of superior,
angel-like creatures living near a
mysterious sapphire temple (Figure 3).
As farfetched as the reports were, they
were accepted as genuine because the
thought of the great Herschel lying was
even more ridiculous than the
discoveries themselves. Even a group of
prominent scientists at Yale University
breathlessly awaited each daily
installment, eager to learn what
Herschel had discovered next.
Figure 2. Vicinity of Wallwerk with crater Schröter near bottom of box. (Consolidated Lunar
Atlas, Lunar & Planetary Institute)
But the impossibility of a telescope
powerful enough to reveal individual
plants and animals on the Moon finally
became apparent; and the slow
communication networks of the day,
which had worked to the advantage of
the six-day hoax, eventually bridged the
time gap. Herschel denied everything in
the reports and the hoax fell apart. Even
so, the concept of lunar life would
survive.
William C. Pickering
By the end of the 19th century, a
majority of astronomers were convinced
that life on the Moon was impossible;
but William C. Pickering was not among
them. In the autumn of 1891, Pickering
announced his “discovery” of an
erupting geyser at the mouth of
SchrÖter’s Valley (Vallis SchrÖteri – 26°
N - 51° W; Figure 4). He described the
eruption as, “Dense clouds of white
vapor apparently arising from its bottom
and pouring over its southeastern wall
in the direction of Herodotus.”
Figure 3. Lithograph of William Herschel’s supposed discoveries, New York Sun, August
1835.
Page 16
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
Pickering proceeded to make a series of
drawings of the region and determined
that there were variations in the apparent
vapor column. He came to the following
conclusion: “The most marked of these
changes depend for their existence upon
the altitude of the Sun, for apparently no
volcanic activity whatever is exhibited
The Strolling Astronomer
until about one day after sunrise. The
activity then increases to maximum,
diminishes, and finally ceases a few days
after sunset.” This is, of course, precisely
what one would expect to see when
observing any amorphous patch of lunar
soil that is significantly brighter than its
surroundings. Pickering, however, offered
his finding as proof of the existence of
carbon dioxide and water vapor in the
lunar atmosphere.
Encouraged by this discovery, Pickering
turned to the “variable spots” and
“pseudo-shadows” he found on the floors
of several craters, most notably Alphonsus
(13° S - 3° W; Figure 5). These, too,
appeared to change in darkness and
shape which he considered to be the
growth patterns of “some form of organic
life resembling vegetation” sustained, of
course, by the carbon dioxide and water
vapor seeping from volcanic vents. He
surmised that his failure to find any dark
variable spots beyond the latitudes of 55°
N and 60° S was evidence that it was too
cold there for even the hardiest of
organisms.
These dark spots are now known to be
halos of volcanic ash surrounding
craterlets and pits on the crater floors. As
with Pickering’s vapor column, the
apparent variability of these features is
merely an illusion caused by the changing
angle of the sunlight as the lunar day
progresses.
Figure 4. Vallis Schröteri. (Consolidated Lunar Atlas, Lunar & Planetary Institute)
In 1924, Pickering published his final
paper on the subject of lunar life. Still
fascinated with dark variable spots, he
conducted an intensive five-year study of
the crater Eratosthenes (15° N - 11° W).
He felt that the dark spots within
Eratosthenes (Figure 6) were not like
those in Alphonsus (Figure 5), but
instead moved about in a manner similar
to that of animal herds. Estimating their
speed to be only a few feet per minute, he
deduced that they could not be composed
of individual animals as large as bison and
would most likely be insects. William
Pickering died in 1938, never having
relinquishing his belief that life existed on
the Moon.
Bacteria On the Moon
It might be said that for a few days
between 1969 and 1972, there really was
life on the Moon as 12 Apollo astronauts
spent time on the lunar surface; but they
could not have survived without artificial
life support systems. Astronauts, in this
author’s opinion, do not qualify as lunar
life; not because they were of Earthly
origin but because of the aforementioned
need for life support systems. Humans,
however, were not the only Earth
creatures to visit the Moon. In April 1967,
an unmanned lunar lander, Surveyor 3,
touched down on the southern portion of
Oceanus Procellarum. Thirty-one months
later, Pete Conrad of the Apollo 12 crew
retrieved a camera from Surveyor 3
(Figure 7) and returned it to Earth.
Figure 5. Dark spots within crater Alphonsus. (Consolidated Lunar Atlas, Lunar & Planetary
Institute)
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
Microscopic examination of the
polyurethane foam insulation covering the
circuit boards of the camera revealed the
presence of common bacteria,
Page 17
The Strolling Astronomer
Streptococcus mitis. One of the
construction crew probably had a cold
and sneezed near the camera. For nearly
three years, the microbes had been
exposed to the vacuum of space without
nutrients, water, or protection from
intense radiation; they were apparently
dead. Incredibly, a culture of the Surveyor
3 bacteria successfully reanimated the
microbes.
Does this mean that there might be lunar
bacteria living in the regolith? Hardly.
Many other types of bacteria, some
protozoa, and perhaps even more
complex organisms such as the tardigrade
could have survived the harsh
environment of the Moon, but only by
going into a state of suspended
animation. That is a far cry from living
and thriving under the same conditions.
Of all the necessities for life as we know it,
none is more critical than liquid water.
Even organisms found living in ice, rock,
or salt crystals on Earth are actually living
in thin layers of liquid water within those
substances. The thickness of such a water
layer need only be incredibly small; only
enough to cover a small bacterium, 0.3
m (0.0003 mm or 1/100000 in.) in
diameter. But, even at that remarkably
tiny scale, the Moon is devoid of liquid
water. And so, on this single factor alone,
even lunar bacterial life would be
impossible.
Figure 6. Crater Eratosthenes. (Consolidated Lunar Atlas, Lunar & Planetary Institute)
Some of the above stories don’t sound as
farfetched when they are viewed in the
light of the limited knowledge of their day.
And it makes one wonder how much our
presumptions about extra terrestrial life
are also being influenced by the limited
knowledge of our day.
References
Boese, Alex, 2008. “Great Moon Hoax
of 1835”, http://www.museumofhoaxes.
com/moonhoax.html
Dobbins, Thomas & Baum Richard,
“Observing a Fictional Moon”, Sky &
Telescope Magazine, June 1998.
Lunine, Jonathan, 2005. “Astrobiology:
A Multidisciplinary Approach”, Pearson
Education Inc.
MacRobert, Alan - “The Fabled City on
the Moon”, Sky & Telescope Magazine,
October 1992.
Moore, Patrick, 2001.“Patrick Moore on
the Moon”, Cassell & Co., 2001
Figure 7. Astronaut Pete Conrad and Surveyor 3 with Apollo 12 lunar lander in the
background. (NASA)
Page 18
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
Noever, David, 1998. “Earth Microbes
on the Moon”, http://science.nasa.gov/
science-news/science-at-nasa/1998/
ast01sep98_1/
The Strolling Astronomer
A.L.P.O. Lunar Section: Selected Areas Program
Albedo and Supporting Data for Lunar Drawings
Lunar Feature Observed : ______________________________
(use Drawing Outline Chart for making drawings and attach to this form)
Observer: _________________________________________________ Observing Station: ______________________________________________
Mailing Address: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
street
city
state
zip
Telescope: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
instrument type
aperture (cm.)
focal ratio
Magnification(s): _____________X _____________X _____________X Filter(s): F1 ___________ F2 ___________
Seeing: __________________________ [A.L.P.O. Scale = 0.0 (worst) to 10.0 (perfect)]
Transparency: ______________________________ [Faintest star visible to unaided eye]
Date (UT): _____________________________ Time (UT): ______________ _______________
year
month
day
start
Colongitude: _____________________
°
end
°
_____________________
start
end
Albedo Data
(refer to Albedo Reference Chart which shows "Assigned Albedo Indices" for feature and attach to this form)
Assigned Albedo
Index
Albedo IL
Albedo F1
Albedo F2
Assigned Albedo
Index
A
J
B
K
C
L
D
M
E
N
F
O
G
P
H
Q
I
R
Albedo IL
Albedo F1
Albedo F2
NOTES:
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
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The Strolling Astronomer
S
E
A.L.P.O. Lunar Selected Areas
Program
B
B
I
J N
C
K
M G
K
F
B
H
R
O N G
Q
J
C
M
D L
E
G
C
H
A
K
LJ
I
D
F
Alphonsus
Atlas
A
E
B F J IH D
G
C
A
E
D
F HG
C
Tycho
Copernicus
A
B
J
J
A
B ED
F
C
G K NM
L
H
I
Aristarchus
Page 20
I
C
H
P
O G
Q
K
N
L
M
D
E
Plato
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
F
E
E
Theophilus
B
N
I P
H
L
D
(IAU)
A
A
page 1 of 2
W
F
The Strolling Astronomer
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
Page 21
The Strolling Astronomer
Feature Story: Jupiter
Jupiter’s Deepest Mystery: The ALPO Connection
By: Tom Dobbins
tomdobbins@gmail.com
The following article serves to
underscore the importance of amateur
contributions to astronomy and to
honor the memory of the late Elmer J.
Reese, a founding member of the ALPO
who headed the Jupiter Section at
various times.
The British physicist Sir Arthur
Eddington once remarked that
practically all of the matter in the
universe is tucked away and forever
hidden behind impenetrable barriers.
Eddington was thinking principally of
stars, which are only observed by the
light that emanates from the rarefied
layers of their outermost surfaces, but
the same insight applies to planets as
well.1 This is why astronomy is
essentially a theoretical science, for it is
only by theoretical means that the
structure and properties of the huge
invisible fraction of the matter in the
universe can be inferred from the
radiation that is emitted or reflected by
the miniscule portion that is accessible
to human eyes and instruments.
Astrophysicists estimate the depth of
Jupiter's hydrogen-rich atmosphere at
about 1,000 kilometers. At greater
depths, the crushing pressure of the
overlying atmosphere causes hydrogen
to behave more like a liquid than a gas.
The transition from highly compressed
gases to a deep, hot ocean must be
almost imperceptibly gradual. Another
change in phase occurs at a depth of
about 20,000 kilometers, where
pressures exceed 2 million atmospheres
and hydrogen is compressed to a
viscous, syrupy consistency, an exotic
state known as "metallic hydrogen."
This fluid, which would probably look
like mercury if we could see it, is a
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conductor of electricity. The very center
of the planet is probably occupied by a
dense core of metal and silicate rock
Figure 1. Jupiter with and without SEB. Source: http://gizmodo.com/5537697/the-before-and-after-of-jupiters-belts
Page 22
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
The Strolling Astronomer
five to ten times more massive than the
Earth.
The telescopic observer sees only an
impenetrable canopy of clouds floating
in the uppermost layers of Jupiter's
atmosphere, a churning, roiling chaos
of alternating dark belts and bright
zones, where winds howl at half the
speed of sound. Despite being limited to
superficial views of this thin veneer of
gases and aerosols, one observer of the
planet did manage to piece together
intriguing evidence of mysterious
structures far below the visible clouds.
The tantalizing clues emerged from his
studies of the phenomenon known as a
"South Equatorial Belt Revival."
All of Jupiter's atmospheric belts vary in
hue and intensity, but these changes are
usually so subtle and gradual that they
escape the notice of casual observers.
The South Equatorial Belt is a notable
exception to this rule. Girdling Jupiter's
southern latitudes of 7 degrees to 20
degrees, the SEB is normally a
prominent reddish- or grayish-brown
feature that is often divided into discrete
northern and southern components (the
SEBn and SEBs) by a lighter zone (the
SEBZ). At irregular intervals, the SEB
fades over a period of several months,
often to the point that hardly a trace
remains to be seen. Following a virtual
absence of several months to as much
as two years, it is suddenly restored to
its former prominence by a dramatic
revival that is one of the most
spectacular phenomena visible through
a telescope.
The first well-recorded SEB revival
occurred in 1919, although astronomer
Thomas Hockey of the University of
Northern Iowa has amassed convincing
evidence that 19th century observers
witnessed the phenomenon in 1859,
1871, and 1882. 2 The restored SEB
remained in a "normal" state until 1928,
when a sequence of events eerily similar
to those of 1919 was repeated. Another
SEB revival occurred in 1937, followed
by a series of six events at three-year
intervals that began in 1943 and ended
in 1958. A closely spaced pair occurred
in 1962 and 1964, followed by a
second pair in 1971 and 1975. After a
long hiatus in the 1980s, two SEB
revivals occurred in the last decade of
the 20th century, one in 1990 and a
second in 1993. A fading of the SEB in
2007 seemed to end prematurely and
was not followed by a revival, but a
vigorous revival is currently underway
as this article goes to press.
Although the 15 SEB revivals observed
during the 20th century varied in vigor,
they all shared a common plot. The
harbinger of an SEB revival is the fading
of the SEB over a period of several
months as it is veiled by a thickening
deck of cirrus clouds composed of tiny
crystals of frozen ammonia. The SEBs
invariably all but disappears, but the
SEBn is usually more persistent,
growing narrower and losing its ruddy
tint to take on a steel grey hue. The
adjacent creamy Equatorial Zone often
develops a yellow or orange cast while
the Great Red Spot grows darker and
more prominent. These events
constitute the proverbial calm before the
storm.
Several months to as much as two years
after the SEB fades, an extremely dark
spot will suddenly appear near the
southern edge of the SEBn. On several
occasions observers have noticed a very
compact white spot with the
appearance of a brilliant pearl in the
precise location where the dark spot
materializes a few days later.
According to Augustin Sánchez-Lavega
of the University of the Basque Country
in Bilbao, Spain, a leading authority on
planetary atmospheres, these compact
white spots are intense convective
storms that generate turbulence that
propagates in a wave-like fashion along
the SEB, clearing the veil of ammonia
cirrus. 3
The dark material welling up from this
eruptive point source encounters a
tremendous gradient of opposing
currents in the Jovian atmosphere. The
winds along the northern edge of the
SEB in the South Equatorial Jet Stream
blow at over 90 meters per second (201
miles per hour) in the direction of
Jupiter's preceding limb, while the
prevailing winds along the southern
edge of the SEB in the SEBs Jet Stream
blow toward the planet's following (or
trailing) limb at speeds that can exceed
150 meters per second (336 miles per
hour). Subjected to this violent wind
shear, erupting material rapidly takes on
the form of an elongated filament or
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
streak that soon smears out into a
shallow, ever-lengthening letter "S."
For several weeks, additional dark spots
clustered around the site of the original
outbreak continue to tunnel through the
cloud canopy. Most SEB revivals feature
subsequent eruptions from secondary
or even tertiary sites. The exceptionally
vigorous 1975 revival featured an
unprecedented four discrete eruption
sites. Changes can unfold at such a
dizzying pace that even seasoned
observers find it difficult to recognize
individual markings on successive
nights.
Upwelling dark material spreads out at a
rate of several degrees of longitude per
day, principally in the direction of
decreasing longitude. After two to three
months, this "wave of darkening"
completely encircles Jupiter, restoring
the SEB to a feature that rivals or even
surpasses its northern counterpart in
prominence. As the SEB darkens, the
Great Red Spot fades as it is obscured
by a layer of haze until it is reduced to a
muted oval that is often surrounded by
a dark ring of SEB material.4
SEB revivals provide a glimpse of
violent upheavals deep in Jupiter's
interior, a realm that remains every bit
as mysterious today as the abyssal
depths of this planet's oceans were to
our forebears two centuries ago.
Surprisingly, the most profound insight
into the mechanism of SEB revivals is
not the brainchild of a theoretical
astrophysicist, but instead of an
amateur astronomer, Elmer J. Reese.
The story is a remarkable exception to
the role of the amateur in astronomical
research that had emerged by the
middle of the 20th century.
The Industrial Revolution had
engendered unprecedented wealth for
members of the middle and upper
classes in Europe and the United States,
who were suddenly able to convert
leisurely pursuits like science and travel
into full-time hobbies. Tension soon
arose between the academic
professionals and the amateur
dilettantes, who were often regarded as
little more than "butterfly collectors."
Reprimanding an African explorer
whose report contained speculations
about the origins of the geological
Page 23
The Strolling Astronomer
formations he had encountered in his
travels, one official of the Royal
Geographical Society wrote: "What you
can do is state accurately what you saw,
leaving it to the stay-at-home men of
science to collate the data of many
travelers in order to form a theory." 5
This remark certainly typified the
prevailing attitude in the astronomical
community by the middle of the 20th
century as well, although the African
explorer John Hanning Speke's
denunciation of geographers "who sit in
carpet slippers and criticize those who
labor in the field" 6 would no doubt
have resonated with amateur
astronomers of Elmer Reese's caliber.
The son of a Uniontown, Pennsylvania,
grocer, Reese was a founding member
of the Association of Lunar and
Planetary Observers in 1947. During
the heyday of amateur planetary studies
in the 1950s and early 1960s, he was a
prolific contributor of Jupiter
observations and occasionally served as
the organization's Jupiter Section
Recorder. ALPO founder and Director
Emeritus Walter Haas remembers Reese
as "modest and unassuming, but
arguably the most talented of the
thousands who have submitted
observations to the ALPO over the last
50 years, the very rare combination of a
doggedly persistent observer who not
only records his observations with great
accuracy and aesthetic appeal, but who
is also capable of gleaning original and
valuable inferences from the masses of
data that he accumulates." 7
Despite the fact that most of Reese's
observations were made with a humble
6-inch Newtonian reflector, his work
was of such high quality that he
eventually made the transition from
amateur to professional astronomer. In
1963, he was invited to join the staff of
the New Mexico State University
Observatory, where he played a pivotal
role in establishing the Planetary Patrol
and Study Project founded by another
amateur-turned-professional, Pluto
discoverer Clyde Tombaugh. Notable
among the project's many
accomplishments was the 1968
discovery by Reese and his colleagues
Bradford Smith and Gordon Solberg
that the Great Red Spot is a vortex that
rotates once every 6 days, a finding that
was confirmed by the Voyager space
Page 24
probes 21 years later.8 Today the
NMSU archives include more than a
million photographs of the planets,
almost half of them of Jupiter.
Reese published his first musings on the
subject of SEB revivals in 1953. He
reasoned that because these
phenomena "invariably begin with the
sudden appearance of a small dark spot
near the latitude of the middle of the
South Equatorial Belt, we might infer
that material reaches the visible surface
from an eruption of some kind. Then it
is scattered longitudinally by prevailing
atmospheric winds." 9
Eruptions so localized and energetic
might not be from merely ephemeral
sources. To Reese, this line of inquiry
promised to reveal nothing less than the
rotation period of Jupiter's surface far
beneath the visible cloud canopy: "If the
source of these eruptions is fixed in
position on the solid core of the planet,
or is at a suitable depth for fluid friction
to be a dominating factor, the observed
longitudes of the initial outbreak should
fit a constant rotation period."10
In his classic tome The Planet Jupiter,
written at the very dawn of the Space
Age, Bertrand Peek explained Reese's
approach by means of a clever analogy:
Let us imagine for a moment the
Earth's atmosphere to be so opaque
that no terrestrial landmarks can be
seen by an observer on the Moon;
also that a volcano, by intermittent
eruptions, projects vast clouds of
dust into the upper atmosphere,
where the lunar observer can see
them and note their times of transit
across the central meridian [an
imaginary line running from one
pole of rotation through the center
of a planet's disc to the opposite
pole]. If now the earliest observations only of each new cloud are
reduced, its subsequent atmospheric drift being irrelevant, a uniformly rotating system can be found
in which the derived longitudes are
constant, being that of the volcano,
and of which the period is equal to
the rotation period of the Earth.11
After a painstaking review of the
observational record, Reese proposed
that the eruptive dark spots that
signaled the onset of SEB revivals might
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
be attributable to a pair of "volcanoes"
located beneath the southern edge of
the SEBn at approximately the same
latitude but separated by 88 degrees of
longitude, both rotating about five
minutes slower than the features in the
overlying cloudscape.12 However,
Reese cautioned that the fit with the
observational data was less than
perfect. He added that it was difficult to
imagine why any volcano would
become active only when superficial
atmospheric features far above it
assume a particular aspect (like a faded
SEB), but he did propose a possible
explanation:
I suggest that continuous volcanic
activity maintained the dark aspect
of the SEB prior to 1918. Since the
volcanic vent was open during
those years, no unusually great
internal pressure could build up.
However, beginning around 1918,
the volcanic vent became sealed
from time to time. When this happened, the SEB would fade away
while internal pressure would
mount. When a certain critical pressure was attained, an explosion
would reopen the vent and a disturbance in the SEB would be the visible result.13
In 1955, intermittent bursts of radio
waves generated deep in the interior of
Jupiter were detected that suggested a
rotation period for the planet's core of 9
hours 55 minutes 29.4 seconds. When
Reese turned his attention to the subject
of SEB revivals again in the early
1970s, he began by tentatively
assigning this radio-derived rotation
period to the sites of his volcanoes. This
time, three loci of activity began to
emerge from the data. When Reese
introduced a very slow drift
corresponding to a rotation period of 9
hours 55 minutes 30.1 seconds, the fit
with the observational data became
uncannily precise. Reese designated
these sites simple as sources A, B, and
C.
Reese's hypothesis of permanent vents
beneath the SEB first demonstrated its
predictive power during the SEB revival
of 1975, when eruptions appeared
within 2 degrees of longitude of sources
A and C. The eruptions during the 1990
and 1993 revivals coincided closely with
Source B.14 Source A seems to be the
locus of the most vigorous revivals
The Strolling Astronomer
(1919, 1928, 1971, and 1975), while
Source C is responsible for the weakest
episodes. Curiously, when SEB revivals
have featured multiple eruptions, the
successive outbreaks of spots have
occurred sequentially, first from Source
A, followed by Source B, and finally
from Source C.
Given our present knowledge of Jupiter's
internal structure, Reese's sources cannot
literally be volcanoes in any form
resembling the topographic features found
on the small, rocky planets. As early as
1957, Walter Haas cautioned that "the
term 'volcano' should probably not be
taken too literally here; we have in mind
sources of activity below the visible
surface of the Giant Planet and capable of
affecting the surface markings."15
According to John Rogers, the current
Director of the Jupiter Section of the
British Astronomical Association, these
features may be "long-lived circulations or
waves or even floating objects at a deep
level… Whatever the Reese sources may
be, the instability always breaks first over
them, just as clouds on Earth first form
over mountains."16
The author has a hunch that the most
inspired guess about nature of Reese's
"volcanoes" is a notion advanced decades
ago by Valdemar Axel Firsoff, a versatile
polymath who frequently championed
contrarian viewpoints. Rather than a
homogeneous "spinning ball of liquid
hydrogen," Firsoff suggested that Jupiter
may be a "world of worlds" dotted with
aggregations of material floating at
various levels depending on their density.
"The dense layer of stratified gas beneath
the convection zone," he speculated, "may
be full of solid and liquid bodies of
considerable size, forming as it were
minor tributary worlds of their own and
held together by the force of their own
gravitation."17
At a depth of about a thousand kilometers
beneath Jupiter's cloud tops, condensed
silicate minerals would float in the hot sea
of liquefied gases. The spectroscope has
revealed that cool red giant stars are
enveloped in a thick smoke of metal
silicates, oxides, carbides, nitrides, and
other refractory compounds that form an
opaque layer, doubly compressed by the
pressure of radiation from within and
gravitation from without. On Jupiter, aptly
characterized by Firsoff as a "potted star,"
he conjectured that "local hot spots (flares)
may form beneath the opaque envelope,
and occasionally break through in a great
eruption, vast amounts of incandescent
gas pouring out into the overlying cooler
regions. The erupting mass may be
compared to a laccolith [an intrusion of
magma between two layers of
sedimentary rock that forces the overlying
strata upward to form a characteristic
dome] and may eventually set into a kind
of floating island at a level corresponding
to its specific gravity."18
Our present knowledge of Jupiter's
interior does not permit more than
intuitive guesswork like Firsoff's. The
mechanism which causes SEB fadings
and revivals is still poorly understood. Will
future SEB revivals continue to emanate
from the sites of Reese's mysterious
"volcanoes"? Will the regular cycle of SEB
revivals at three-year intervals that
occurred between 1943 and 1958 prove
to be the norm or the exception?
It is also quite puzzling that the South
Equatorial Belt was subject to revivals
throughout the 20th century, but its
northern counterpart was not. Between
1893 and 1915, the North Equatorial Belt
(NEB) experienced gradual fadings and
sudden revivals at three-year intervals,
just like the SEB during the 1950s. By
poring over older sketches and verbal
descriptions of Jupiter, John Rogers has
uncovered evidence of earlier NEB
revivals in 1837, 1856, 1861, and
187219. These events all mimicked the
SEB phenomena that have been
occurring since 1919. The last NEB
revival occurred in 1915. What has
become of any vents beneath the NEB?
What caused the pattern of activity to
switch hemispheres? Will it switch
hemispheres again? It's a safe bet that
observations by amateur astronomers
following in the footsteps of Elmer Reese
will play a vital role in solving these
mysteries.
4 John Rogers, The Giant Planet
Jupiter, (Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 1995), p. 171.
5 Cited in David Grann, The Lost City of
Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the
Amazon (New York: Doubleday, 2009),
pp. 60-61.
6 Ibid.
7 Walter Haas to Thomas Dobbins,
August 25, 1999. Personal
communication.
8 E.J. Reese and B.A. Smith, “Evidence
of Vorticity in the Great Red Spot of
Jupiter” Icarus, 9, 1968. pp. 474-486.
9 Elmer J. Reese, “Observing Jupiter”
Sky & Telescope, August, 1962. pp.
70-74.
10 Ibid.
11 Bertrand M. Peek, The Planet Jupiter
(New York: Macmillan Company, 1958),
p. 222.
12 E.J. Reese, “A Possible Clue to the
Rotation Period of the Solid Nucleus of
Jupiter” Journal of the British
Astronomical Association, 63, 1953.
pp. 219-222.
13 Walter Haas, “A Note on the SEB
Disturbances of Jupiter” Journal of the
Association of Lunar and Planetary
Observers, 10, 9&10, 1956. pp. 114115.
References Cited
14 E. Moreno, A. Molina, and J.L. Ortiz,
“The 1993 South Equatorial Belt Revival
and Other Features in the Jovian
Atmosphere: An Observational
Perspective” Astronomy and
Astrophysics, 327, 1997. pp. 12531261.
1 Cited in R.A. Lyttleton, Mysteries of the
15 Haas, Op. Cit.
Solar System (Oxford: Clarendon Press,
1968), p. 45.
16 Rogers, Op. Cit. p. 183.
2 Thomas Hockey, Galileo’s Planet:
Observing Jupiter Before Photography
(Bristol: Institute of Physics Publishing,
1998), pp. 195-196.
17 V.A. Firsoff, Our Neighbour Worlds,
(New York: Philosophical Library, 1953),
p. 263.
3 Augustin Sánchez-Lavega to Donald
C. Parker, November 28, 2010.
Personal communication.
18 V.A. Firsoff, The Solar Planets, (New
York: Crane, Russak & Company,
1977), pp. 162-163.
19 Rogers, Op. Cit. pp. 127-128.
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
Page 25
The Strolling
Astronomer
ALPO Jupiter Section
Observation
Form No. _____
Date (UT): _____________________________________
Name: _____________________________________
Time (UT): ____________________________________
Address: _____________________________________
__________________________________________
CM I _____ CM II ____ CM III _______
Begin (UT): _____________ End (UT) ____________
City, State, ZIP: ______________________________
Telescope: f/ ___ Size: __________ (in./cm.; RL/RR/SC)
__________________________________________
Magnification: _______x
Observing Site: ______________________________
________x
________x
Filters: _________________________________(W / S)
__________________________________________
Trnasparency (1 - 5): ____ (Clear / Hazy / Int. Clouds)
E-mail: _____________________________________
Seeing (1 - 10): _________ Antoniadi (I - V): _________
No.
Page 26
Time (UT)
S I (°)
S II (°)
S III (°)
Remarks
Notes
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
The Strolling
Astronomer
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Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
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Page 27
The Strolling Astronomer
Feature Story: Jupiter
Observations During the 2008 Apparition
By: Richard W. Schmude, Jr.,
coordinator, ALPO Jupiter Section
schmude@gdn.edu
This paper includes Jupiter images
submitted by a number of observers.
Abstract
Drift rates of 110 different features in
over a dozen currents on Jupiter are
reported. Two small spots followed the
elusive S3TC jetstream and had an
average system II drift rate of -95.3°/30
days. Drift rates of other currents were
consistent with historical values. The
selected normalized magnitudes are:
B(1,0) = -8.53±0.03, V(1,0) = 9.43±0.02, R(1,0) = -9.89±0.02 and
I(1,0) = -9.72±0.02. The purpose of this
paper is to present observed drift rates
and brightness measurements. Drift
rates were computed by measuring longitudes from images. An analysis of
multi-year trends in drift rates and
brightness will be carried out in a future
study.
Introduction
The characteristics of Jupiter for 2008 are
listed in Table 1. Abbreviations are used
throughout this report.
Two significant developments in 2008
were the darkening of the NTB and the
observation of the rarely observed S3TC
jetstream. In addition to this, four ovalshaped features developed along the
northern edge of the STrZ. One of these
features (D1) was destroyed by the GRS
in mid-April. Rogers (2008a, 242-244)
gives an overview of the first half of the
2008 apparition. Rogers (2008b-g) has
also posted six Jupiter reports
summarizing major events that occurred
during the 2008 apparition at: http://
www.britastro.org/jupiter/
2008reports.htm.
The people who submitted observations,
images or measurements of Jupiter during
the 2008 apparition are listed in Table 2.
Belt and zone names and their
abbreviations are listed in Table 3.
This paper will follow certain conventions.
The planetographic latitude is always
used. “West” refers to the direction of
increasing longitude. Longitude is
designated with the Greek letter ,
followed by a subscript Roman numeral
Table 1: Characteristics of the 2008 Apparition of Jupitera
First conjunction date
2007 Dec 23
Opposition date
2008 Jul 09
Second conjunction date
2009 Jan 24
Brightness at opposition (stellar magnitude)
-2.7
Equatorial angular diameter at opposition
47.0 arc-seconds
Right Ascension at opposition
19h 16m
Declination at opposition
22.5º S
Planetocentric latitude of the Earth at opposition
1.7° S
Planetocentric latitude of the Sun at opposition
1.8° S
aData
are from the Astronomical Almanac (2005, 2006, 2007)
Page 28
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
All Readers
Your comments, questions, etc., about
this report are appreciated. Please
send them to: poshedly@
bellsouth.net for publication in the next
Journal.
Online Features
Left-click your mouse on:
•The author’s e-mail address in blue
text to contact the author of this article.
•The references in blue text to jump to
source material or information about
that source material (Internet connection must be ON).
Observing Scales
Standard ALPO Scale of Intensity:
• 0.0 = Completely black
• 10.0 = Very brightest features
• Intermediate values are assigned
along the scale to account for
observed intensity of features
ALPO Scale of Seeing Conditions:
• 0 = Worst
• 10 = Perfect
Scale of Transparency Conditions:
• Magnitude of the faintest star visible
near Jupiter when allowing for moonlight and twilight
IAU directions are used in all instances
(so that Jupiter rotates from west to
east).
that is the longitude system. For example,
I = 54° means that the system I
longitude equals 54° W. The three
longitude systems are described in
(Rogers, 1995, 11; 2006, 334),
(Astronomical Almanac, 2003, L9). All
dates and times are in Universal Time
(UT). Belts and currents are abbreviated.
Unless stated otherwise, all data are based
on visible light images. All methane band
images were made in light with a
wavelength near 0.89 m. All currents,
except where noted, are named in
accordance with Rogers (1990, 88).
The Strolling Astronomer
Table 2: Contributors to the 2008 Jupiter Apparition Report.a, b, c
Name; Location
(Type of Observation)
Name; Location
(Type of Observation)
Name; Location
(Type of Observation)
P. Abel, UK (I)
C. Hernandez, USA (D, DN)
M. Phillips, USA (I)
M. Adachi, Japan (D)
R. Hill, USA (I)
J. Poupeau, France (I)
G. Adamoli, Italy (D, DN)
C. Hsuan-Hsiao, Taiwan (I)
D. Pretorius, Australia (I)
J. Adelaar; The Netherlands (I)
I. Hwang, Korea (I)
J.-P. Prost, France (I)
T. Akutsu; Philippines (I)
Y. Iga, Japan (DN)
Z. Pujic, Australia (I)
E. Allen, USA (I)
T. Ikemura, Japan (I)
D. Pye, Canada (I)
A. Alonso, Spain (I)
M. Jacquesson (DN)
K. Quin, USA (I)
V. Amadori, Italy (I)
R. Jakiel, USA (I)
T. Ramakers, USA (I)
K. Ando; Japan (I)
S. Kanno, Japan (I)
E. Rivera, USA (I)
T. Arakawa, Japan (I)
M. Kardasis, Greece (I)
S. Robbins, USA (D)
D. Arditti; UK (I)
J. Kazanas, Australia (I)
J. Rogers, UK (DN)
T. Ashcraft, USA (R)
A. Kazemoto, Japan (I)
C. Roussell, Canada (D, DN)
L. Azorin, Spain (I)
B. Kendrick, USA (I)
N. Ryan, UK (I)
G. Bailey, USA (I)
T. Kumamori, Japan (I)
J. Sabia, USA (I)
G. Bertrand; France (I)
L. Lauri, Italy (D)
T. Saitou, Japan (I)
K. Bhattacharya, UK (I)
P. Lazzarotti, Italy (I)
S. Saltamonti, Italy (I)
R. Bosman; The Netherlands (I)
E. Lomeli, USA (I)
M. Salway, Australia (I)
A. Carbognani, Italy (I)
C. Lopez, Spain (I)
J. Sanchez; Spain (I)
F. Carvalho; Brazil (I)
O. Lopez (I)
J. Sandel, USA (D, DN, TT)
P. Casquinha; Portugal (I)
R. Mackintosh, Argentina (I)
J. Sanford, USA (I)
C. Cellini, Italy (I)
I. Marios-Strikis, Greece (D)
G. Santacana, USA (D, I)
D. Chang; Hong Kong, China (I)
M. Mattei, USA (I)
R. Schmude, Jr.; USA (D, DN, PP)
G. Chester; USA (I)
U. Maurer, Germany (I)
J. Soldevilla, Spain (I)
A. Cidadao, Portugal (I)
P. Maxson, USA (I)
A. Sonka, Romania (I)
B. Colville, Canada (I)
G. Medina, Spain (I)
N. Sotera, Italy (I)
E. Crandall, USA (I)
A. Medugno, Italy (I)
S. Spampinato, Italy (I)
B. Cudnik, USA (D, DN)
F. Melillo, USA (I)
J. Sussenbach, The Netherlands (I)
V. da Silva, Jr., Brazil (I)
T. Mishina, Japan (I)
I. Takimoto, Japan (I)
M. Delcroix, France (I)
I. Miyazaki, Japan (I)
G. Tarsoudis, Greece (I)
X. Dupont, France (I)
D. Moore, USA (I)
A. Tasselli, UK (DN)
P. Edwards, UK (I)
E. Morales, USA (I)
R. Tatum, USA (I)
H. Einaga, Japan (I)
R. Mykytyuki, Argentina (I)
K. Tokujiro, Japan (I)
C. Fattinnanzi, Italy (I)
K. Nakai (I)
Y. Tomita, Japan (I)
J. Ferreira, USA (I)
J. Nakamura, Japan (I)
D. Tyler, UK (I)
H. Fukui, Japan (I)
M. Neichi, Japan (I)
T. Usude, Japan (I)
S. Ghomizadeh, Iran (I)
D. Niechoy, Germany (D)
M. Valimberti, Australia (I)
T. Ghouchkanlu, Iran (I)
T. Nonoguchi, Japan (I)
S. Walker, USA (I)
C. Go, Philippines (I)
Y. Okamoto, Japan (D)
R. Walls, USA (I)
G. Grassmann, Brazil (I)
T. Olivetti, Thailand (I)
J. Warren, USA (I)
B. Haberman, USA (I)
L. Owens, USA (I)
A. Wesley, Australia (I)
P. Haese, Australia (I)
K. Ozaki, Japan (I)
R. Wheeler (I)
T. Hansen, Germany (I)
D. Parker, USA (I)
B. Worsley, USA (I)
A. Hatanaka, Japan (I)
D. Peach, Barbados and UK (I)
M. Yamamoto, Japan (I)
T. Hayashi, Japan (I)
C. Pellier, France (I)
S. Yoneyama, Japan (I)
R. Heffner, Japan (I)
J. Phillips, USA (I)
K. Yunoki, Japan (I)
a
Type of observation: D = drawing, DN = descriptive notes, I = image, PP = photoelectric photometry,
R = radio studies and TT = transit times
bAll people who submitted images to http://www.arksky.org in the ALPO Jupiter archive and in the ALPO Japan
Latest website in the Jupiter archive are acknowledged in this table.
c
The writer would also like to acknowledge the Asociacion Amigos de la Astronomia for their contributions.
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
Page 29
The Strolling Astronomer
Table 3: Names and Abbreviations of Belts and Zones on Jupiter
Belt and Zone Name
Abbreviation
Belt and Zone Name
Abbreviation
South Polar Region
SPR
North Equatorial Belt
NEB
South Polar Belt
SPB
North Tropical Zone
NTrZ
South Temperate Zone
STZ
North Temperate Belt
NTB
South Tropical Zone
STrZ
North Temperate Zone
South Equatorial Belt
SEB
North North Temperate Belt
NTZ
NNTB
Equatorial Zone
EZ
North Polar Region
NPR
Equatorial Band
EB
Great Red Spot
GRS
Disk Appearance
Cudnik, Roussell and the writer made
over 200 intensity estimates of Jupiter’s
features. These estimates were made
between January and December of 2008.
The average light intensities based on the
ALPO scale (10 = white and 0 = black)
are: SPR (6.1), STrZ (9.5), SEB (4.5), EZ
(8.6), EB (7.5), NEB (3.4), NTrZ (8.9),
NTB (6.1), NTZ (8.1), NNTB (6.2), GRS
(6.4) and NPR (6.1). The STrZ, EZ, NTrZ
and NTZ were much brighter in 2008
than in 2006-07. The NEB and SEB,
however, were a little darker in 2008 than
in the previous apparition (Schmude,
2010, 31).
The writer measured latitudes of Jovian
belts from images made in July 2008.
Latitudes were measured using the
procedure described in Peek (1981, 49).
Latitudes were measured from images in
each of the six 60°–longitude intervals
(system II) starting with the 0° to 60°
interval. Average latitudes were then
computed and are listed in Table 4 (visible
wavelengths) and Table 5 (methane-band
wavelength).
Tables 6 through 8 list the planetograhic
latitudes and drift rates of features on
Jupiter. Table 9 summarizes wind speeds
for over a dozen currents. Tables 10 and
11 summarize whole-disk photometric
magnitude measurements of Jupiter.
Figure 1 shows a selection of images
made of Jupiter. Figures 2 and 3 show
several graphs of the longitude versus
date for features on Jupiter during the
2008 apparition.
Region I: Great Red Spot
Table 4: Planetographic Latitudes of Belts on Jupiter
(All Latitudes are Based on Images Made in Visible Wavelengths in July 2008)
Feature
South Edge
North Edge
South Polar Belt
69.0° S ± 1°
64.3° S ± 0.5°
South Equatorial Belt
23.5 ± 0.5°
7.5° S ± 0.5°
North Equatorial Belt
7.4° N ± 0.5°
16.7° N ± 0.5°
North Temperate Belt
23.3° N ± 0.5°
31.4° N ± 0.5°
North North Temperate Belt
35.5° N ± 0.5°
40.1° N ± 1°
Table 5: Planetographic Latitudes of Belts on Jupiter
(All Latitudes Based on Methane-Band Images Made at a Wavelength of 0.889 M
in July 2008)
Feature
Latitude
Feature
South Polar Cap
---
65.6° S ± 0.5°
South Equatorial Belt
21.1° S ± 1°
3.6° S ± 1°
North Equatorial Belt
7.9° N ± 1°
17.2° N ± 0.5°
North Temperate Belt
25.5° N ± 0.5°
30.6° N ± 0.5°
North North Temperate Belt
34.6° N ± 0.5°
37.8° N ± 0.5°
North Polar Cap
66.2° N ± 1°
---
Page 30
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
Most feature names in this report have a
letter followed by a number. Names follow
the convention described in Schmude
(2010, 33).
Images of the GRS are shown in Figures
1C and 1D. In methane band light (889
nm), the GRS appeared as a white oval
(Figure 1E). Cudnik described the GRS as
having a “brownish-salmon” color on July
4. Hernandez described the GRS as
having a “salmon-pink” color on August
3. Adamoli selected an orange-red color
for it based on several observations.
The system II drift rate of the GRS was
1.0°/30 days. This is lower than in the
previous apparition but is more consistent
with historical values (Peek, 1981, 144),
(Rogers, 1995, 192).
Between June 24 and July 24, 2008 the
average system II longitude of the GRS
was 125.8° ± 0.3°. This is 5.8° further
west than 13 months ago.
Region II: South Polar
Region to the South
Tropical Zone
The NPR and SPR had the same light
intensity (6.1) in 2008. The SPR had a
dark belt (the SPB). A similar belt was
observed in the previous apparition
(Schmude, 2010, 34). Latitudes for this
belt are listed in Table 4 and it is shown in
Figures 1C and 1D. The writer suspected
The Strolling Astronomer
Table 6: Planetographic Latitudes and Drift Rates of Features South of the Equatorial Zone; 2008 Jupiter
Feature
Number
of Points
Planetographic
Latitude
South Polar Current at 60° S (SPC at 60° S)
A1
76
60.1° S
A4
20
60.5° S
Average
60.4°S
Drift Rate
Deg./30
days
System II
-4.5
-11.9
-11.4
Feature
Number
of Points
Planetographic
Latitude
Drift Rate
Deg./30
days
System II
A2
76
60.7° S
-17.7
A13
13
44.6
-97.7
B2
B4
B6
B8
B10
52
53
61
31
43
42.1° S
41.7° S
41.9° S
40.0° S
41.1° S
-28.3
-27.7
-29.4
-26.9
-25.0
C2
C4
C6
C8
C10
7
13
9
23
8
30.3° S
34.4° S
30.3° S
31.6° S
32.5° S
-18.9
-11.7
-15.2
-15.3
0.5
D2
D8
D14
40
13
13
24.4
23.0
23.9
-8.2
21.1
-8.8
D5
D10
D12
39
24
6
17.0° S
17.4° S
16.8° S
6.6
9.7
7.0
South South South South Temperate Current (S4TC)
A5
16
54.8° S
-22.1
South South South Temperate Current (S3TC)
A3
62
51.6° S
-18.5
(S3TC
South South South Temperate Current Jetstream
jetstream)
A12
5
44.8° S
-93.0
Average
44.7°S
-95.3
South South Temperate Current (SSTC)
B1
37
41.4° S
-27.2
B3
49
41.0° S
-26.9
B5
46
42.1° S
-27.1
B7
44
42.0° S
-29.5
B9
36
42.1° S
-30.7
B11
10
40.8° S
-30.2
Average
41.5°S
-28.1
South Temperate Current (STC)
C1
47
34.9° S
-12.1
C3
13
34.5° S
-12.2
C5
10
33.3° S
-8.9
C7
18
34.8° S
-28.6
C9
12
33.5° S
-1.0
BA
92
33.7° S
-11.4
Average
33.1°S
-12.3
South Tropical Current (STrC)
D1
16
23.1
30.9
D3
36
24.4
-11.5
D9
6
24.0
9.2
GRS
103
23.3
1.0
Average
23.7°S
4.8
South Equatorial Belt Current barges (SEBC barges)
D4
6
17.7° S
6.9
D7
8
16.5° S
6.4
D11
7
17.1° S
12.2
Average
17.1°S
8.1
South Equatorial Belt Current oval (SEBC oval)
D6
8
14.7° S
-22.8
a second polar belt at latitudes of between
78° S (south edge) to 74° S (north edge).
Parts of this belt are visible in Wesley’s
July 5, 2008, image along with
Christopher Go’s April 3 and 9 images; all
three images are on the ALPO Japan
Latest Website: http://alpo-j.asahikawa-
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
med.ac.jp/Latest/
Jupiter2008Apparition.htm.
Page 31
The Strolling Astronomer
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
Figure 1: Images of Jupiter made in 2008. In all cases, south is at the top and the preceding limb is on the left. All images except where
noted were made in visible light. A: March 14 (17:55 UT) by Anthony Wesley, I = 16°, II = 179°; B: April 3 (21:18 UT) by Tomio Akutsu, I
= 57°, II = 66°; C: May 12 (10:18 UT) by Don Parker and Sean Walker, I = 54°, II = 129°; D: June 3 (8:55 UT) by Don Parker, I = 239°,
II = 147°; E: June 3 (8:36 UT) by Don Parker in methane band light, I = 228°, II = 135°; F: July 14 (18:48 UT) by Sadegh Ghomizadeh,
I = 240°, II = 192°; G: Aug. 4 (13:54 UT) by Christopher Go, I = 139°, II = 292°; H: Sept. 2 (23:59 UT) by Randy Tatum, I = 48°, II =
336°; I: Oct. 18 (10:34 UT) by Tomio Akutsu, I = 334°, II = 276°.
Page 32
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
The Strolling Astronomer
Three white ovals (A1, A2 and A4) were
near 60° S. These features followed the
SPC. The average system II drift rate for
this current is -11.4°/30 days. This is close
to the corresponding value for the SPC
(61° S) in the previous apparition
(Schmude, 2010, 35).
One dark bar (A5) at 54.8° S followed the
S4TC. This feature was about 14° long
between August 9 and September 17. Its
length increased to 23° by September 24.
The center of this feature had a system II
drift rate of -22.1°/30 days. A close
inspection of Figure 2A, however, shows
that the longitude of the center of A5 was
a bit further west than expected on
September 24. This may be due to the
westward expansion of A5 between
September 17 and 24. The drift rate of A5
is a bit more negative than the three
features at 55° S listed in Rogers (1995,
240).
The white oval (A3) in the S3TC oscillated
(see Figure 2A). The amplitude (defined
as half of the peak-to-peak change) was
about 7° in longitude and the period was
105 days. The average drift rate of A3 is 18.5°/30 days. This rate is similar to the
average drift for the S3TC in the previous
apparition (Schmude, 2010, 35).
The two white ovals A12 and A13 were
only about one-fourth the area of the
white ovals in the SSTC. These two ovals
were just south of the SSTC at 44.7° S
and had an average system II drift rate of 95.3°/30 days. Features A12 and A13 are
placed in a special S3TC Jetstream.
Rogers (2008g, 12) reports that four
features followed this current with an
average system II drift rate of -100°/30
days; this result is consistent with the
results in this paper.
This rate is consistent with historical rates
(Rogers, 1995, 164-165) for the STrC.
The 11 white ovals (B1-B11) followed the
SSTC. The average system II drift rate of
these ovals is -28.1°/30 days. This value is
similar to what it was in the previous
apparition (Schmude 2010, 35). It is also
similar to historical values (Rogers, 1995,
238-239) for the SSTC.
Feature D2 is shown in Figure 1D as a
bump on the south edge of the SEB. This
same feature shows up in Figure 1E
(methane band image) as a small bright
spot. Rogers calls this spot the “Little Red
Spot”. He also describes its encounter
with the GRS (Rogers 2008e, 2; 2008f, 1).
Five white ovals (C1-C2, C5-C7) and five
dark spots (C3-C4, C8-C10) and Oval BA
followed the STC. The average system II
drift rate of these features is -12.3°/30
days. This is a bit more negative than the
corresponding value for the STC in the
previous apparition (-7.3°/30 days). Peek
reports a rotation rate of 9h 55m 20s for
this current which is consistent with a
system II drift rate of -15°/30 days. Rogers
(1995, 222) reports a similar drift rate for
the STC between 1900 and 1940. Hence,
the 2008 drift rate is close to historical
values.
Region III: South Equatorial Belt
There appears to have been three groups
of features in the latitude band
corresponding to the STrC in 2008. These
groups are based on drift rate. White ovals
D1, D8 and D9 were east of the GRS and
constitute the first group. White oval D14
and festoons D2 and D3 were all west of
the GRS and constitute the second group.
The third group is the GRS. The average
system II drift rate of the first, second and
third groups (in degrees per 30 days) are
20.4, -9.5 and 1.0, respectively. The GRS
is believed to affect the drift rates of the
other features. Essentially features east of
the GRS had more positive drift rates than
features west of this feature. The average
drift rate of all seven features (D1-D3, D8D9, D14 and the GRS) is 4.8°/30 days.
Cudnik observed that the SEB had an
orange-brown color on July 4. Hernandez
reported that the SEB “appeared dark to
dusky” on August 3 and 9. Adamoli
reported a gray-brown color for the SEB
based on several observations. The
general appearance of the SEB is shown
in Figure 1.
Six dark spots or barges (D4-D5, D7,
D10-D12) were within the SEB. These
features followed the SEBC. Feature D10
is the small dark bar just right of the
central meridian in Figure 1G. The
average system II drift rate of these
features is 8.1°/30 days. Rogers (1995,
399) reports an average latitude of 16.7°
S for dark spots in the SEB(S) between
1979 and 1992. This latitude is similar to
those of the six barges in 2008.
One large white oval (D6) was near the
center of the SEB during early March. It
faded after March 18. Its system II drift
rate was -22.8°/30 days. This drift rate is
similar to spots in the middle of the SEB
as reported in Peek (1981, 111).
Table 7. Planetographic Latitudes and Drift Rates of Festoons in the North Equatorial Current (NEC; 2008 Apparition)
Drift rate
Deg./30 days
System I
Feature
Number
of Points
7.4 ° N
9.4
E2
13
7.4 ° N
1.1
7.4 ° N
-14.4
E4
8
7.4 ° N
4.1
64
7.4 ° N
5.2
E6
60
7.4 ° N
7.5
22
7.4 ° N
9.4
E8
9
7.4 ° N
11.1
Feature
Number
of Points
Planetographic
Latitude
E1
12
E3
9
E5
E7
Planetographic
Latitude
Drift rate
Deg./30 days
System I
E9
6
7.4 ° N
0.4
E10
12
7.4 ° N
-2.4
E11
8
7.4 ° N
3.5
E14
19
7.4 ° N
-8.6
E15
28
7.4 ° N
-7.1
E17
9
7.4 ° N
2.9
E18
26
7.4 ° N
6.3
7.4° N
1.9
Average
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
Page 33
The Strolling Astronomer
Table 8: Planetographic Latitudes and Drift Rates of Features North of the Equatorial Zone; Jupiter 2008
Feature
N1
N3
N5
N7
N9
N11
N20
N22
Average
N12
N15
N17
N24
Average
N19
F1
F3
F5
F7
Average
H1
H3
Average
G1
G4
G9
G11
Average
G2
G7
G13
G15
Average
I1
Average
Page 34
Number
of Points
Planetographic
Latitude
Drift rate
Deg./30 days
System II
15.3° N
14.9° N
15.7° N
14.3° N
14.3° N
15.6° N
15.6° N
15.2° N
1.9
-2.1
2.6
-4.0
-15.3
0.5
-8.6
-12.6
17.5° N
17.9° N
17.4° N
2.2
-4.9
9.6
31.7° N
31.6° N
30.6° N
25.4
29.0
28.6
34.9° N
-83.5
40.7° N
42.1° N
42.5° N
42.7° N
-9.4
-4.4
-4.7
9.7
43.9° N
45.6° N
46.0° N
46.4° N
45.4° N
North North North Temperate Current (N3TC)
-15.4
G5
11
-17.9
G8
11
-16.1
G14
54
-24.9
G16
9
-19.6
44.5° N
45.4° N
46.0° N
45.7° N
-21.6
-23.4
-17.7
-19.5
51.8° N
51.6° N
North North North North Temperate Current (N4TC)
7.4
I3
34
7.8
51.3° N
8.2
Planetographic
Latitude
Drift rate
Deg./30 days
System II
Feature
Number
of Points
North Tropical Current barges (NTrC barges)
-7.8
N2
94
2.0
N4
9
-2.9
N6
90
8.1
N8
5
-1.7
N10
17
-10.3
N14
30
-6.1
N21
7
-10.3
N23
56
-4.2
North Tropical Current ovals (NTrC ovals)
86
17.8° N
1.0
N13
69
7
17.5° N
6.3
N16
7
51
17.8° N
-10.0
N18
12
12
15.0° N
7.2
17.3° N
1.62
North Tropical Current festoon (NTrC festoon)
31
19.8° N
-3.9
North Temperate Current (NTC)
22
31.4° N
26.1
F2
17
13
32.2° N
12.9
F4
5
5
31.7° N
19.6
F6
8
39
31.2° N
25.2
31.5° N
23.8
North North Temperate Current B (NNTBs Jetstream)
24
34.7° N
-82.0
H2
19
14
35.2° N
-88.3
39.4° N
-84.6
North North Temperate Current (NNTC)
82
40.9° N
-0.8
G3
15
90
40.7° N
-5.6
G6
14
53
41.3° N
0.9
G10
52
12
39.2° N
10.8
G12
22
41.3° N
-0.4
4
55
106
36
21
29
7
56
24
14
8
12
15
16.2° N
15.1° N
15.7° N
17.2° N
15.2° N
14.4° N
13.9° N
15.0° N
15.2° N
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
The Strolling Astronomer
Table 9: Average Drift Rates, Rotation Periods and Wind Speedsa for Several Currents on Jupiter (2008 Apparition)
Drift Rate (degrees/30 days)
Current
Sys. I
Sys. II
Sys. III
Rotation
Rate
Feature(s)
Wind
Speed
(m/s)
SPC at 60° S
A1-A2, A4
217.5
-11.4
-3.4
9h 55m 25s
0.8 ± 0.4
S4TC
A5
206.8
-22.1
-14.1
9h 55m 11s
4.1 ± 2b
S3TC
A3
210.4
-18.5
-10.5
9h 55m 15s
3.3 ± 2b
S3TC jetstream
A12-A13
133.6
-95.3
-87.3
9h 53m 31s
30.8 ± 0.5
SSTC
B1-B11
200.8
-28.1
-20.1
9h 55m 02s
7.4 ± 0.2
STC
C1-C10, Oval BA
216.6
-12.3
-4.3
9h 55m 24s
1.8 ± 0.4
STrC
D1-D3, D8-D9, D14, GRS
233.7
4.8
12.8
9h 55m 47s
-5.7 ± 1.0
SEBC barges
D4-D5, D7, D10-D12
237.0
8.1
16.1
9h 55m 52s
-7.4 ± 0.3
SEBC oval
D6
206.1
-22.8
-14.8
9h 55m 10s
6.9 ± 2b
NEC
E1-E11, E14-E15, E17-E18
1.9
-227.0
-219.0
9h 50m 27s
104.5 ± 0.3
NTrC barges
N1-N11, N14, N20-N23
224.7
-4.2
3.8
9h 55m 35s
-1.8 ± 0.3
NTrC ovals
N12-N13, N15-N18, N24
230.5
1.6
9.6
9h 55m 43s
-4.4 ± 0.5
NTrC festoon
N19
225.0
-3.9
4.1
9h 55m 35s
-1.9 ± 2b
NTC
F1-F7
252.7
23.8
31.8
9h 56m 13s
-13.3 ± 0.4
NNTBs
jetstream
H1-H3
144.3
-84.6
-76.6
9h 53m 45s
30.8 ± 0.4
NNTC
G1, G3-G4, G6, G9-G12
228.5
-0.4
7.6
9h 55m 40s
-2.8 ± 0.4
N3TC
G2, G5, G7-G8, G13-G16
209.3
-19.6
-11.6
9h 55m 14s
4.0 ± 0.2
N4TC
I1, I3
236.7
7.8
15.8
9h 55m 51s
-4.9 ± 0.2
aThe
wind speed is the speed that a current moves with respect to the system III longitude; it is computed from the equation in
Table A1.2 (Rogers, 1995, 392).
bEstimated
uncertainty
cCirculating
Region IV: Equatorial Zone
This area was brighter than in the
previous apparition. Adamoli reported a
yellow-white color for this area in 2008
based on several observations.
Hernandez reported that the EZ appeared
“shaded to bright” on August 3 and 9.
Fifteen festoons (E1-E11, E14-E15, E17E18) followed the NEC. The average
system I drift rate for these features is 1.9/
30 days. This is similar to the
corresponding rate in the previous
apparition (Schmude, 2010, 38).
Region V: North Equatorial
Belt
Adamoli reports that the NEB had a
brownish-red color. Hernandez described
the NEB as “dark” on August 3 and “dark
Current south end
dCirculating
Current north end
to dusky” on August 9. Cudnik reports
that the NEB had an orange-brown color
on July 4. The general appearance of the
NEB is shown in Figure 1.
The NEB had several rifts in it during
2008. Figures 1C and 1I show two of
these. These two rifts changed from one
day to the next and as a result, it was
difficult to measure drift rates. In Figure
2G, the writer plotted the system II
longitudes of the following end (E12) and
preceding end (E13) of a rift that
appeared in May and the following end
(E16) of a second rift that appeared in
August.
The NEB had up to 12 different barges.
Figures 1A, 1B, 1C and 1G show a few of
them. Barges N9 and N10 merged to
form Barge N21. Barges N11 and N20
merged to form Barge N22. Barges N14
and N21 merged to form Barge N23.
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
There may have been other merges as
well. The latitudes of the NEB barges
ranged from 13.9° N to 17.2° N. These
latitudes are consistent with historical
values (Rogers, 1995, 399). The average
system II drift rate of the NEB barges is 4.2°/30 days. This rate is similar to barges
imaged in 1979 (Rogers, 1995, 121).
Seven white ovals (N12-N13, N15-N18,
N24) were at the southern edge of the
NEB. Figure 1C shows N12 near the
central meridian and N13 about 30° west
(or right) of the central meridian. These
features were often difficult to detect on
computer printouts, but were easier to
spot from a computer monitor. The
average latitude and system II drift rate for
these features are 17.3° N and 1.6°/30
days, respectively. These values are close
to those in the previous apparition
(Schmude, 2010, 40).
Page 35
The Strolling Astronomer
Figure 2: Drift rates for various features in Jupiter’ southern hemisphere and in the North Equatorial Belt Current during the 2008
apparition.
Page 36
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
The Strolling Astronomer
Table 10: Photometric Magnitude Measurements of Jupiter (2008 Apparition)
Filter
(deg.)
Measured
Magnitude
X(1,)
Date
(2008)
Filter
a
(deg.)
Measured
Magnitude
X(1,)
Apr. 9.426
V
11.1
-2.21
-9.36
May 13.386
I
9.6
-2.79
-9.70
Apr. 14.400
V
11.1
-2.23
-9.34
June 8.307
V
6.2
-2.66
-9.41
Apr. 14.420
B
11.1
-1.35
-8.46
June 8.342
B
6.2
-1.78
-8.53
Date
(2008)
Apr. 16.399
R
11.1
-2.77
-9.86
June 8.370
R
6.2
-3.11
-9.86
Apr. 16.415
I
11.1
-2.62
-9.72
June 8.390
I
6.2
-2.90
-9.65
Apr. 22.361
R
10.9
-2.78
-9.83
July 1.240
V
1.7
-2.76
-9.44
Apr. 22.375
I
10.9
-2.64
-9.70
July 1.267
B
1.7
-1.85
-8.53
Apr. 22.390
V
10.9
-2.28
-9.34
July 1.294
R
1.7
-3.21
-9.89
Apr. 22.407
B
10.9
-1.34
-8.39
July 2.224
I
1.5
-3.06
-9.74
Apr. 30.358
R
10.6
-2.78
-9.77
July 2.269
V
1.5
-2.76
-9.43
Apr. 30.374
I
10.6
-2.67
-9.67
July 3.224
V
1.3
-2.76
-9.43
Apr. 30.388
V
10.6
-2.30
-9.30
July 3.249
B
1.3
-1.81
-8.48
Apr. 30.404
B
10.6
-1.39
-8.39
July 3.274
R
1.3
-3.20
-9.87
May 13.338
V
9.6
-2.42
-9.33
July 3.299
I
1.3
-3.05
-9.72
May 13.355
B
9.6
-1.54
-8.45
July 8.263
V
0.2
-2.73
-9.39
May 13.372
R
9.6
-2.92
-9.82
Region VI: North Tropical
Zone to the North Polar
Region
The general appearance of the NTB is
shown in Figure 1. The NTB was wide
and often appeared as a double belt
separated by a thin, white zone.
Hernandez reported that it was “dark to
dusky” and was “divided by a thin bright”
zone on August 9. On July 4, Cudnik
drew the NTB as two thin belts separated
by a thin and bright zone.
Seven features were tracked along the
northern edge of the north component of
the NTB. Four of these features (F1, F3F5) were north-pointing projections and
the other three (F2, F6-F7) were barges.
The average system II drift rate for these
seven features is 23.8°/30 days. This rate
is consistent with historical values of the
NTC (Peek, 1981, 84), (Rogers, 1995,
102-103).
Three small dark spots (H1-H3) followed
the NNTCs jetstream or the North North
Temperate Current B. The average
latitude and average system II drift rate for
these three features are 34.9° N and 84.6°/30 days. These values are consistent
with those in the previous apparition
(Schmude, 2010, 40). They are also
consistent with the historical record (Peek,
1981, 78), (Rogers, 1995, 97).
Uncertainties were computed in the same
way as in Schmude (2003, 50).
Six white ovals G1, G3-G4, G6, G10,
G12), one red oval (G9) and one dark
oval (G11) followed the NNTC. The
average system II drift rate of the eight
features is -0.4°/30 days. This value is
somewhat different from the
corresponding value in the previous
apparition (Schmude, 2010). The average
drift rate in 2008, however, is close to
historical values (Rogers, 1995, 88-89).
Satellite Observations
Eight white ovals (G2, G5, G7-G8, G13G16) followed the N3TC. The average
system II drift rate of these ovals is -19.6°/
30 days. This rate is close to the historical
record (Rogers, 1995, 90).
Einaga captured an image of Ganymede
as it was transiting Jupiter on July 7. That
moon was darker than the SEB and NEB.
It was also darker than the dark spot C8.
In Yunoki’s July 14 image, Ganymede is
Two white ovals (I1 and I3) followed the
N4TC. The average drift rate of these
ovals is 7.8°/30 days. This rate is close to
the rate in the previous apparition
(Schmude, 2010, 40) and is close to
values in previous years (Rogers, 1995,
90).
Ikemura imaged both Callisto and its
shadow transit Jupiter on July 19 at 14:55
UT. In this image, the shadow diameter
was about 25% larger than the diameter
of Callisto. The shadow also appeared a
bit darker than Callisto. Callisto appeared
much lighter when it was near Jupiter’s
edge.
Table 11: Photometric Constants of
Jupiter (2008 Apparition)
Filter
X(1,0)
cx
(magnitude/
degree)
Wind Speeds
B
-8.53 ± 0.03
0.010 ± 0.006
Table 9 summarizes wind speeds. The
wind speeds are with respect to the system
III longitude. They were computed in the
same way as in Rogers (1995, 392).
V
-9.43 ± 0.02
0.009 ± 0.003
R
-9.89 ± 0.02
0.0006 ± 0.004
I
-9.72 ± 0.02
-0.003 ± 0.004
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
Page 37
The Strolling Astronomer
Figure 3: Drift rates for various features in Jupiter’s northern hemisphere during the 2008 apparition.
Page 38
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
The Strolling Astronomer
about 20% smaller than its shadow.
Ganymede is darker than all features on
Jupiter except for areas pole ward of
about 60°. Ganymede had a grayish color
which was much different than the colors
of the SEB, NEB and NTB.
Photoelectric Photometry
The writer used an SSP-3 solid-state
photometer along with a 0.09 m (3.5
inch) Maksutov telescope and color filters
transformed to the Johnson B, V, R and I
system in making all photometric
magnitude measurements in Table 10.
The method and equipment are described
elsewhere (Schmude, 1992, 20; 2008,
161-167), (Optec, 1997, 1-26). All
measurements were corrected for both
atmospheric extinction and color
transformation in the same way as in Hall
and Genet (1988, 189-201). The
comparison star for all measurements was
Xi-2-Sagittarii. Its brightness values are
from (Irairte et al, 1965, 30).
Normalized magnitudes, X(1,), were
computed in the same way as in Schmude
and Lesser (2000, 68-69); X represents
the B, V, R or I filter. The X(1,) and
values were fitted to linear equations
using a least squares routine (Schmude
and Lesser, 2000, 68-69). The resulting
solar phase angle coefficients cX and
normalized magnitudes X(1,0) are
summarized in Table 11. Uncertainties for
the values in Table 11 were computed in
the same way as in Schmude (1998, 178179).
References
Astronomical Almanac for the Year 2007,
Washington DC, US Govt. Printing Office,
2005.
Astronomical Almanac for the Year 2008,
Washington DC, US Govt. Printing Office,
2006.
Astronomical Almanac for the Year 2009,
Washington DC, US Govt. Printing Office,
2007.
Hall, D. S. and Genet, R. M. “Photoelectric
Photometry of Variable Stars” Second
edition, Willmann-Bell Inc: Richmond, VA,
1988.
Iriarte, B, Johnson, H. L., Mitchell, R. I,
and Wisniewski, W. K. “Five-Color
Photometry of Bright Stars” Sky &
Telescope, Vol. 30 (July) pp. 21-31, 1965.
Optec, Inc. Model SSP-3 “Solid-State
Stellar Photometer Technical Manual for
Theory of Operation and Operating
Procedures” Lowell, MI: Optec, Inc., 1997.
Peek, B. M. “The Planet Jupiter, the
Observer's Handbook” Revised by Patrick
Moore, Faber and Faber: London, 1981.
Rogers, J. H. “The pattern of jet streams
on Jupiter: correlation with Earth-based
observations and consequences for belt
nomenclature.” Journal of the British
Astronomical Assn, Vol. 100, No. 2, pp.
88-90, 1990.
The normalized magnitude or V(1,0)
value of Jupiter was -9.43 ± 0.02. This is
a bit brighter than the corresponding
value for the previous apparition
(Schmude, 2010, 42). Much of this
difference is believed to be due to the
brightening of the STrZ, EZ, NTrZ and
NTZ.
Rogers, J. H. The Giant Planet Jupiter,
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,
1995.
Acknowledgements
Rogers, J. H. “Jupiter in 2008: Aftermath
of the global upheaval” Journal of the
British Astronomical Association, Vol. 118,
No. 5 (October) pp. 242-244, 2008a.
The writer is grateful to everyone who
submitted observations during the 2008
apparition including those people who
submitted images to the ALPO Japan
latest website (http://www.kk-system.co.jp/
Alpo/Latest/Jupiter.htm). He is also
grateful to Sue Gilpin for her assistance, to
Truman Boyle for his help and to Brian
Sherrod who maintains the website http://
www.arksky.org/.
Rogers, J. H. “Longitudes of the central
meridians of Jupiter and Saturn.” Journal
of the British Astronomical Assn., Vol. 116,
No. 6 (December) p. 334, 2006.
Rogers, J. H. “The NTBs jet in 2007 &
2008: Evidence on the structure of the jet
and the nature of global upheavals.”
Published on the website http://
www.britastro.org/jupiter/2008reports.htm,
2008d.
Rogers, J. H. “The Aftermath of the GRSLRS Encounter, 2008 July.” Published on
the website http://www.britastro.org/
jupiter/2008reports.htm, 2008e.
Rogers, J. H. “The collision of the Little
Red Spot and Great Red Spot: Part 2.”
Published on the website http://
www.britastro.org/jupiter/2008reports.htm,
2008f.
Rogers, J. “Jupiter in 2008: Full Interim
Report. 2008 August.” Published on the
website http://www.britastro.org/jupiter/
2008reports.htm, 2008g.
Schmude, R. W. Jr. (1992) “The 1991
Apparition of Uranus” Journal of the Assn.
of Lunar & Planetary Observers, Vol. 36,
No. 1 (March) pp. 20-22, 1992.
Schmude, R. W. Jr. (1998) “Photoelectric
Magnitudes of Saturn in 1996.” Georgia
Journal of Science, Vol. 56, No. 3, pp.
175-181, 1998.
Schmude, R. W. Jr. “Jupiter: A Report on
the 2001-02 Apparition.” Journal of the
Assn of Lunar & Planetary Observers, Vol.
45, No. 2 (Spring) pp. 41-62, 2003.
Schmude, R. W. Jr. The 2006-07
Apparition of Jupiter. Journal of the Assn
of Lunar & Planetary Observers, Vol. 52,
No. 4 (Autumn) pp. 29-44, 2010.
Schmude, R. W. Jr. “Uranus, Neptune and
Pluto and How to Observe Them” Springer
Science + Business Media, LLC: New
York, 2008b.
Schmude, R. W. Jr. and Lesser, H. (2000)
“Wideband Photometry of Jupiter: 19992000.” Journal of the Assn of Lunar &
Planetary Observers, Vol. 42, No. 2, pp.
67-72.
Rogers, J. H. “General comments and
Map. May 20th, 2008.” Published on the
website http://www.britastro.org/jupiter/
2008reports.htm, 2008b.
Rogers, J. H. “Detailed Interim Report.
May 20th, 2008.” Published on the website
http://www.britastro.org/jupiter/
2008reports.htm, 2008c.
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
Page 39
The Strolling
Astronomer
ALPO Jupiter Section
Observation
Form No. _____
Date (UT): _____________________________________
Name: _____________________________________
Time (UT): ____________________________________
Address: _____________________________________
__________________________________________
CM I _____ CM II ____ CM III _______
Begin (UT): _____________ End (UT) ____________
City, State, ZIP: ______________________________
Telescope: f/ ___ Size: __________ (in./cm.; RL/RR/SC)
__________________________________________
Magnification: _______x
Observing Site: ______________________________
________x
________x
Filters: _________________________________(W / S)
__________________________________________
Trnasparency (1 - 5): ____ (Clear / Hazy / Int. Clouds)
E-mail: _____________________________________
Seeing (1 - 10): _________ Antoniadi (I - V): _________
No.
Page 40
Time (UT)
S I (°)
S II (°)
S III (°)
Remarks
Notes
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
The Strolling
Astronomer
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Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
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Page 41
ALPO Galilean Satellite Eclipse
Strolling Astronomer
Visual The
Timing
Report Form
Describe your time source(s) and estimated accuracy
Observer Name:
Apparition: 20_____-20_____
(conjunction to conjunction)
Telescope Data
(e)
Predicted UT
Event
Type
(a)
Date
(b)
Time
(c)
Observed
UT Time
(9d)
Sky Conditions
(0-2 scale) (f)
Notes (g)
Type
Aperture
(cm)
Mag.
Seeing
Transparency
Field
Brightness
(a) 1 = Io, 2 = Europa, 3 = Ganymede, 4 = Callisto; D = Disappearance, R = Reappearance
(b) Month and Day
(c) Predicted UT to 1 minute
(d) Observed UT to 1 second; corrected to watch error if applicable; indicate in “Notes” if Observed UT date differs from Predicted UT date
(e) R = Refractor, N = Newtonian Reflector, C = Cassegrain Reflector, X = Compound/Catadioptric System; indicate in “Notes” if other type.
(f) These conditions, including field brightness (due to moonlight, twilight, etc.), should be described as they apply to the actual field of view,
rather than to general sky conditions. Use whole numbers only, as follows:
0 = Condition not perceptible; no effect on timing accuracy
1 = Condition perceptible; possible minor effect on timing accuracy
2 = Condition serious; definite effect on timing accuracy
(g) Include here such factors as wind, drifting cloud(s), satellite near Jupiter’s limb, moonlight interference, etc.
At the end of the apparition, return this form to:
John E. Westfall, ALPO Assistant Jupiter Coordinator, P.O. Box 2447, Antioch, CA 94531-2447 USA
E-mail to: johnwestfall@comcast.net
Page 42
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
The Strolling Astronomer
ALPO Resources
People, publications, etc., to help our members
Board of Directors
http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/main/
board.html
•
Executive Director; Richard W.
Schmude, Jr., 109 Tyus St., Barnesville,
GA 30204
•
Associate Director; Julius L. Benton, Jr.,
Associates in Astronomy, P.O. Box
30545, Wilmington Island, Savannah,
GA 31410
•
Member of the Board; Sanjay Limaye,
University of Wisconsin, Space Science
and Engineering Center, Atmospheric
Oceanic and Space Science Bldg. 1017,
1225 W. Dayton St., Madison, WI 53706
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Member of the Board; Donald C. Parker,
12911 Lerida Street, Coral Gables, FL
33156
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Member of the Board; Ken Poshedly,
1741 Bruckner Ct., Snellville, GA
30078-2784
•
Member of the Board; Mike D.
Reynolds, Dean of Mathematics &
Natural Sciences, Florida State College,
3939 Roosevelt Blvd, F-112b,
Jacksonville, FL 32205
•
Member of the Board; John E. Westfall,
P.O. Box 2447, Antioch, CA 94531-2447
•
Member of the Board, Secretary/
Treasurer; Matthew Will, P.O. Box
13456, Springfield, IL 62791-3456
•
Founder/Director Emeritus; Walter H.
Haas, 2225 Thomas Drive, Las Cruces,
NM 88001
***********************
Publications Staff
http://www.alpo-astronomy.org
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
•
Ken Poshedly (all papers, submissions,
etc); 1741 Bruckner Ct., Snellville, GA
30078-2784
Science / Peer Reviewers
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•
•
•
Klaus R. Brasch; 10915 Sage Rd,
Flagstaff, AZ, 86004
Richard Jakiel; 8620 East Hickory Lane,
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Richard K. Ulrich, Professor, Dept. of
Chemical Engineering, 3202 Bell
Engineering Center, University of
Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701
Roger J. Venable, MD, P.O. Box 117,
Chester, GA 31012
•
John E. Westfall, P.O. Box 2447,
Antioch, CA 94531-2447
Book Review Editor
•
Robert A. Garfinkle, F.R.A.S., 32924
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***********************
Interest Sections
Computing Section
http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/computing
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Coordinator; Larry Owens, 4225 Park
Brooke Trace, Alpharetta, GA 30022
Historical Section
http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/main/
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Coordinator; Richard Baum, 25
Whitchurch Rd., Chester, CH3 5QA,
United Kingdom
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Section
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Website
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65704
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http://www.cometman.net/youth
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Tierra Rejada Rd., #148, Simi Valley,
CA 93065
***********************
Observing Sections
Solar Section
http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/solar
•
Coordinator (including all submissions,
photo, sketches, filtergrams); Kim Hay,
76 Colebrook Rd, RR #1,Yarker, ON,
K0K 3N0 Canada
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
•
•
•
Assistant Coordinator; Brad Timerson
(e-mail contact only; see listing in ALPO
Staff E-mail Directory on page 45)
Assistant Coordinator & Archivist;
Jamey Jenkins, 308 West First Street,
Homer, Illinois 61849
Scientific Advisor; Richard Hill, Lunar
and Planetary Laboratory, University of
Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721
Mercury Section
http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/Mercury
•
Coordinator; Frank J. Melillo, 14 GlenHollow Dr., E-#16, Holtsville, NY 11742
Venus Section
http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/venus
•
Coordinator; Julius L. Benton, Jr.,
Associates in Astronomy, P.O. Box
30545, Wilmington Island, Savannah,
GA 31410
Mercury/Venus Transit Section
http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/transit
Coordinator; John E. Westfall, P.O. Box
2447, Antioch, CA 94531-2447
Lunar Section
Lunar Topographical Studies
Program
http://moon.scopesandscapes.com/alpotopo
Smart-Impact Webpage
http://www.zone-vx.com/alpo
-smartimpact.html
The Lunar Observer
http://moon.scopesandscapes.com/tlo.pdf
Lunar Selected Areas Program
http://moon.scopesandscapes.com/alposap.html
Banded Craters Program
http://moon.scopesandscapes.com/alpobcp.htm
•
Coordinator; Wayne Bailey, 17 Autumn
Lane, Sewell, NJ 08080
•
Assistant Coordinator; William
Dembowski, 219 Old Bedford Pike,
Windber, PA 15963
Page 43
The Strolling Astronomer
ALPO Resources
People, publications, etc., to help our members
Lunar Meteoritic Impacts Search
Program
•
http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/lunar/
lunimpacts.htm
•
Coordinator; Brian Cudnik, 11851 Leaf
Oak Drive, Houston, TX 77065
•
•
Lunar Transient Phenomena
http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/lunar/
LTP.html; also http://www.LTPresearch.org
•
Coordinator; Dr. Anthony Charles Cook,
Institute of Mathematical and Physical
Sciences, University of Aberystwyth,
Penglais, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion.
SY23 3BZ, United Kingdom
•
Assistant Coordinator; David O. Darling,
416 West Wilson St., Sun Prairie, WI
53590-2114
Lunar Dome Survey Program
•
Coordinator; Marvin W. Huddleston,
2621 Spiceberry Lane, Mesquite, TX
75149
Mars Section
http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/Mars
•
Coordinator; Roger J. Venable, MD,
3405 Woodstone Pl., Augusta, GA
30909-1844
•
Assistant Coordinator (CCD/Video
imaging and specific correspondence
with CCD/Video imaging); Donald C.
Parker, 12911 Lerida Street, Coral
Gables, FL 33156
•
Assistant Coordinator (photometry and
polarimetry); Richard W. Schmude, Jr.,
109 Tyus St., Barnesville, GA 30204
•
Assistant Coordinator; Jim Melka,
14176 Trailtop Dr., Chesterfield, MO
63017
Minor Planets Section
http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/minor
•
Coordinator; Frederick Pilcher, 4438
Organ Mesa Loop, Las Cruces, NM
88011
•
Assistant Coordinator; Lawrence S.
Garrett, 206 River Road, Fairfax, VT
05454
•
Scientific Advisor; Steve Larson, Lunar
& Planetary Lab, University of Arizona,
Tuscon, AZ 85721
Jupiter Section
http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/jupiter
Page 44
•
•
•
•
Coordinator (Section); Richard W.
Schmude Jr., 109 Tyus St., Barnesville,
GA 30204
Assistant Coordinator (Section); Ed
Grafton, 15411 Greenleaf Lane,
Houston, TX 77062
Assistant Coordinator & Scientific
Advisor; Sanjay Limaye, University of
Wisconsin, Space Science and
Engineering Center, Atmospheric
Oceanic and Space Science Bldg. 1017,
1225 W. Dayton St., Madison, WI 53706
Assistant Coordinator, Transit Timings;
John McAnally, 2124 Wooded Acres,
Waco, TX 76710
Assistant Coordinator, Newsletter; Craig
MacDougal, 821 Settlers Road, Tampa,
FL 33613
Assistant Coordinator, Eclipses of
Galilean Satellites; John E. Westfall,
P.O. Box 2447, Antioch, CA 94531-2447
Scientific Advisor; Prof. A. SanchezLavega, Dpto. Fisica Aplicada I, E.T.S.
Ingenieros, Alda. Urquijo
s/n, 48013, Bilbao, Spain
wupsalaa@bicc00.bi.ehu.es
Saturn Section
Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721
Eclipse Section
http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/eclipse
•
Coordinator; Mike D. Reynolds, Dean of
Mathematics & Natural Sciences,
Florida State College, 3939 Roosevelt
Blvd, F-112b, Jacksonville, FL 32205
***********************
ALPO Publications
The Monograph Series
http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/publications/
Monographs page.html
ALPO monographs are publications that
we believe will appeal to our members,
but which are too lengthy for publication
in The Strolling Astronomer. All are
available online as a pdf files. NONE are
available any longer in hard copy format.
There is NO CHARGE for any of the
ALPO monographs.
•
Monograph No. 1. Proceedings of the
43rd Convention of the Association of
Lunar and Planetary Observers. Las
Cruces, New Mexico, August 4-7, 1993.
77 pages. File size approx. 5.2
megabytes.
•
Monograph No. 2. Proceedings of the
44th Convention of the Association of
Lunar and Planetary Observers.
Greenville, South Carolina, June 15-18,
1994. 52 pages. File size approx. 6.0
megabytes.
•
Monograph No. 3. H.P. Wilkins 300inch Moon Map. 3rd Edition (1951).
Available as one comprehensive file
(approx. 48 megabytes) or five section
files (Part 1, 11.6 megabytes; Part 2,
11.7 megabytes; Part 3, 10.2
megabytes; Part 4, 7.8 megabytes; Part
5, 6.5 megabytes)
•
Monograph No. 4. Proceedings of the
45th Convention of the Association of
Lunar and Planetary Observers.
Wichita, Kansas, August 1-5, 1995.127
pages. Hard copy $17 for the United
States, Canada, and Mexico; $26
elsewhere. File size approx. 2.6
megabytes.
http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/saturn
•
Coordinator; Julius L. Benton, Jr.,
Associates in Astronomy, P.O. Box
30545, Wilmington Island, Savannah,
GA 31410
Remote Planets Section
http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/remote
•
Coordinator; Richard W. Schmude, Jr.,
109 Tyus St., Barnesville, GA 30204
Comets Section
http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/comet
•
Coordinator; Gary Kronk, 132 Jessica
Dr, St. Jacob, IL 62281-1246
Meteors Section
http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/meteor
•
Coordinator; Robert D. Lunsford, 1828
Cobblecreek St., Chula Vista, CA
91913-3917
•
Assistant Coordinator; Robin Gray, P.O.
Box 547, Winnemuca, NV 89446
Meteorites Section
http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/meteorite
•
Coordinator; Dolores Hill, Lunar and
Planetary Laboratory, University of
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
The Strolling Astronomer
ALPO Resources
People, publications, etc., to help our members
•
•
Monograph No. 5. Astronomical and
Physical Observations of the Axis of
Rotation and the Topography of the
Planet Mars. First Memoir; 1877-1878.
By Giovanni Virginio Schiaparelli,
translated by William Sheehan. 59
pages. Hard copy $10 for the United
States, Canada, and Mexico; $15
elsewhere. File size approx. 2.6
megabytes.
Monograph No. 6. Proceedings of the
47th Convention of the Association of
Lunar and Planetary Observers,
Tucson, Arizona, October 19-21,
1996.20 pages. Hard copy $3 for the
United States, Canada, and Mexico; $4
Canada, and Mexico; $26
elsewhere.File size approx. 2.6
megabytes.
elsewhere.File size approx. 2.6
megabytes.
•
•
Monograph No. 7. Proceedings of the
48th Convention of the Association of
Lunar and Planetary Observers. Las
Cruces, New Mexico, June 25-29,
1997.76 pages. Hard copy $12 for the
United States, Canada, and Mexico; $16
elsewhere.File size approx. 2.6
megabytes.
Monograph No. 8. Proceedings of the
49th Convention of the Association of
Lunar and Planetary Observers. Atlanta,
Georgia, July 9-11,1998.122 pages.
Hard copy $17 for the United States,
•
Monograph Number 9. Does Anything
Ever Happen on the Moon? By Walter
H. Haas. Reprint of 1942 article. 54
pages.Hard copy $6 for the United
States, Canada, and Mexico; $8
elsewhere.File size approx. 2.6
megabytes.
•
Monograph Number 10. Observing
and Understanding Uranus, Neptune
and Pluto. By Richard W. Schmude, Jr.
31 pages. File size approx. 2.6
ALPO Staff E-mail Directory
Bailey, W ....................wayne.bailey@alpo-astronomy.org
Benton, J.L. .......................................... jlbaina@msn.com
Benton, J.L. ..........................................jlbaina@gmail.com
Brasch, K.R. ............................... m_brasch@earthlink.net
Baum, R. ......................................... richard@take27.co.uk
Cook, A............................ tony.cook@alpo-astronomy.org
Cudnik, B. .......................................cudnik@sbcglobal.net
Darling, D.O. ..................................DOD121252@aol.com
Dembowski, W.......................... dembowski@zone-vx.com
Dobbins, Tom .............................. tomdobbins@gmail.com
Garfinkle, R.A. .................................. ragarf@earthlink.net
Garrett, L.S......................................atticaowl@yahoo.com
Grafton, E.............................................. ed@egrafton.com
Gray, R................................ sevenvalleysent@yahoo.com
Haas, W.H. ......................... haasw@haasw@agavue.com
Hay, K. ...........................................kim@starlightcascade.ca
Hill, D...............................................dhill@lpl.arizona.edu
Hill, R ............................................... rhill@lpl.arizona.edu
Jakiel, R ............................................ rjakiel@earthlink.net
Jenkins, J. ......................................... jenkinsjl@yahoo.com
Kronk, G ................................. kronk@cometography.com
Larson, S. .................................... slarson@lpl.arizona.edu
Limaye, S. .................................... sanjayl@ssec.wisc.edu
Lunsford, R.D. ............................... lunro.imo.usa@cox.net
MacDougal, C. ................................ macdouc@verizon.net
McAnally, J.......................................CPAJohnM@aol.com
Melillo, F. ..............................................frankj12@aol.com
Melka, J............................................. jtmelka@yahoo.com
Owens, L. ...................... larry.owens@alpo-astronomy.org
Parker, D.C. .................................park3232@bellsouth.net
Pilcher, F.....................................................pilcher@ic.edu
Poshedly, K................. ken.poshedly@alpo-astronomy.org
Reynolds, M......................................... mreynold@fscj.edu
Robertson, T.J. ........................ cometman@cometman.net
Sanchez-Lavega, A. ................ wupsalaa@bicc00.bi.ehu.es
Schmude, R.W..................................... schmude@gdn.edu
Slaton, J.D. ............................................. jd@justfurfun.org
Timerson, B..............................btimerson@rochester.rr.com
Ulrich, R.K. ............................................ rulrich@uark.edu
Venable, R.J. ........................................ rjvmd@hughes.net
Westfall, J.E. ............................. johnwestfall@comcast.net
Will, M............................... matt.will@alpo-astronomy.org
Online Readers
Items in blue text in the ALPO Staff E-mail Directory above are links to e-mail addresses. Left-click your
mouse on the names in blue text to open your own e-mail program with a blank e-mail preaddressed to
the person you chose. NOTE: Your Internet connection MUST be ON for this feature to work.
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
Page 45
The Strolling Astronomer
ALPO Resources
People, publications, etc., to help our members
•
Monograph No. 11. The Charte des
Gebirge des Mondes (Chart of the
Mountains of the Moon) by J. F. Julius
Schmidt, this monograph edited by John
Westfall. Nine files including an
accompanying guidebook in German.
Note files sizes: Schmidt0001.pdf,
approx. 20.1 mb; Schmidt0204.pdf,
approx. 32.6 mb; Schmidt0507.pdf,
approx. 32.1 mb; Schmidt0810.pdf,
approx. 31.1 mb; Schmidt1113.pdf,
approx. 22.7 mb; Schmidt1416.pdf,
approx. 28.2 mb; Schmidt1719.pdf,
approx. 22.2 mb; Schmidt2022.pdf,
approx. 21.1 mb; Schmidt2325.pdf,
approx. 22.9 mb; SchmidtGuide.pdf,
approx. 10.2 mb
•
ALPO Observing Section
Publications
Order the following directly from the
appropriate ALPO section coordinators;
use the address in the listings pages
which appeared earlier in this booklet
unless another address is given.
•
•
Solar: Totally revised Guidelines for the
Observation and Reporting of Solar
Phenomena, $10 USD; includes CD
with 100 page-manual in pdf with up-todate techniques, images, and links to
many solar references. Produced by
ALPO Solar Section Assistant
Coordinator and Archivist Jamey
Jenkins, this publication replaces
Observe and Understand the Sun and
its predecessor, The Association of
Lunar& Planetary Observer's Solar
Section Handbook for the White Light
Observation of Solar Phenomena, both
by the ALPO’s own Rik Hill. To order,
send check or US money order made
payable to Jamey Jenkins, 308 West
First Street, Homer, Illinois 61849; email to
jenkinsjl@yahoo.com
Lunar & Planetary Training Section:
The Novice Observers Handbook $15.
An introductory text to the training
program. Includes directions for
recording lunar and planetary
observations, useful exercises for
determining observational parameters,
and observing forms. Available as pdf
file via e-mail or send check or money
order payable to Timothy J. Robertson,
Page 46
options include predicting when a lunar
feature will be illuminated in a certain
way, what features from a collection of
features will be under a given range of
illumination, physical ephemeris
information, mountain height
computation, coordinate conversion,
and browsing of the software's included
database of over 6,000 lunar features.
Contact
harry@persoftware.com
195 Tierra Rejada Rd., #148, Simi
Valley, CA 93065; e-mail
cometman@cometman.net.
megabytes.
Lunar (Bailey): (1) The ALPO Lunar
Selected Areas Program ($17.50).
Includes full set of observing forms for
the assigned or chosen lunar area or
feature, along with a copy of the Lunar
Selected Areas Program Manual. (2)
observing forms, free at http://
moon.scopesandscapes.com/alposap.html, or $10 for a packet of forms by
regular mail. Specify Lunar Forms.
NOTE: Observers who wish to make
copies of the observing forms may
instead send a SASE for a copy of
forms available for each program.
Authorization to duplicate forms is given
only for the purpose of recording and
submitting observations to the ALPO
lunar SAP section. Observers should
make copies using high-quality paper.
•
Lunar: The Lunar Observer, official
newsletter of the ALPO Lunar Section,
published monthly. Free at http://
moon.scopesandscapes.com/tlo.pdf or
$1.25 per hard copy: send SASE with
payment (check or money order) to:
Wayne Bailey, 17 Autumn Lane, Sewell,
NJ 08080.
•
Lunar (Jamieson): Lunar Observer's
Tool Kit, price $50, is a computer
program designed to aid lunar
observers at all levels to plan, make,
and record their observations. This
popular program was first written in
1985 for the Commodore 64 and ported
to DOS around 1990. Those familiar
with the old DOS version will find most
of the same tools in this new Windows
version, plus many new ones. A
complete list of these tools includes
Dome Table View and Maintenance,
Dome Observation Scheduling,
Archiving Your Dome Observations,
Lunar Feature Table View and
Maintenance, Schedule General Lunar
Observations, Lunar Heights and
Depths, Solar Altitude and Azimuth,
Lunar Ephemeris, Lunar Longitude and
Latitude to Xi and Eta, Lunar Xi and Eta
to Longitude and Latitude, Lunar Atlas
Referencing, JALPO and Selenology
Bibliography, Minimum System
Requirements, Lunar and Planetary
Links, and Lunar Observer's ToolKit
Help and Library. Some of the program's
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
•
Venus (Benton): Introductory
information for observing Venus,
including observing forms, can be
downloaded for free as pdf files at http://
www.alpo-astronomy.org/venus. The
ALPO Venus Handbook with observing
forms included is available as the ALPO
Venus Kit for $17.50 U.S., and may be
obtained by sending a check or money
order made payable to “Julius L.
Benton” for delivery in approximately 7
to 10 days for U.S. mailings. The ALPO
Venus Handbook may also be obtained
for $10 as a pdf file by contacting the
ALPO Venus Section. All foreign orders
should include $5 additional for postage
and handling; p/h is included in price for
domestic orders. NOTE: Observers who
wish to make copies of the observing
forms may instead send a SASE for a
copy of forms available for each
program. Authorization to duplicate
forms is given only for the purpose of
recording and submitting observations
to the ALPO Venus section. Observers
should make copies using high-quality
paper.
•
Mars: (1) ALPO Mars Observers
Handbook, send check or money order
for $15 per book (postage and handling
included) to Astronomical League
Sales, 9201 Ward Parkway, Suite 100,
Kansas City, MO 64114; phone 816DEEP-SKY (816-333-7759); e-mail
leaguesales@astroleague.org. (2)
Observing Forms; send SASE to obtain
one form for you to copy; otherwise
send $3.60 to obtain 25 copies (send
and make checks payable to “Deborah
Hines”, see address under “Mars
Section”).
•
Jupiter: (1) Jupiter Observer’s
Handbook, $15 from the Astronomical
League Sales, 9201 Ward Parkway,
Suite 100, Kansas City, MO 64114;
phone 816-DEEP-SKY (816-333-7759);
The Strolling Astronomer
ALPO Resources
People, publications, etc., to help our members
e-mail leaguesales@astroleague.org.
(2) Jupiter, the ALPO section newsletter,
available online only via the ALPO
website at http://mysite.verizon.net/
macdouc/alpo/jovenews.htm; (3) J-Net,
the ALPO Jupiter Section e-mail
network; send an e-mail message to
Craig MacDougal. (4) Timing the
Eclipses of Jupiter’s Galilean Satellites
free at http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/
jupiter/GaliInstr.pdf, report form online at
http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/jupiter/
GaliForm.pdf; send SASE to John
Westfall for observing kit and report
form via regular mail. (5) Jupiter
Observer’s Startup Kit, $3 from Richard
Schmude, Jupiter Section coordinator.
•
•
Saturn (Benton): Introductory
information for observing Saturn,
including observing forms and
ephemerides, can be downloaded for
free as pdf files at http://www.alpoastronomy.org/saturn; or if printed
material is preferred, the ALPO Saturn
Kit (introductory brochure and a set of
observing forms) is available for $10
U.S. by sending a check or money order
made payable to “Julius L. Benton” for
delivery in approximately 7 to 10 days
for U.S. mailings. The former ALPO
Saturn Handbook was replaced in 2006
by Saturn and How to Observe It (by J.
Benton), and it can be obtained from
book sellers such as Amazon.com.
NOTE: Observers who wish to make
copies of the observing forms may
instead send a SASE for a copy of
forms available for each program.
Authorization to duplicate forms is given
only for the purpose of recording and
submitting observations to the ALPO
Saturn Section.
Meteors: (1) The ALPO Guide to
Watching Meteors (pamphlet). $4 per
copy (includes postage & handling);
send check or money order to
Astronomical League Sales, 9201 Ward
Parkway, Suite 100, Kansas City, MO
64114; phone 816-DEEP-SKY (816333-7759); e-mail leaguesales@
astroleague.org. (2) The ALPO Meteors
Section Newsletter, free (except
postage), published quarterly (March,
June, September, and December).
Send check or money order for first
class postage to cover desired number
of issues to Robert D. Lunsford, 1828
Cobblecreek St., Chula Vista, CA
91913-3917.
•
Minor Planets (Derald D. Nye): The
Minor Planet Bulletin. Published
quarterly; free at http://
www.minorplanetobserver.com/mpb/
default.htm. Paper copies available only
to libraries and special institutions at
$24 per year via regular mail in the U.S.,
Mexico and Canada, and $34 per year
elsewhere (airmail only). Send check or
money order payable to “Minor Planet
Bulletin”, c/o Derald D. Nye, 10385 East
Observatory Dr., Corona de Tucson, AZ
8564I-2309.
Other ALPO Publications
Checks must be in U.S. funds, payable
to an American bank with bank routing
number.
•
•
An Introductory Bibliography for
Solar System Observers. No charge.
Four-page list of books and magazines
about Solar System objects and how to
observe them. The current edition was
updated in October 1998. Send selfaddressed stamped envelope with
request to current ALPO Membership
Secretary (Matt Will).
$4 each:
Vol. 7 (1953), No.10
Vol. 8 (1954), Nos. 7-8
Vol. 11 (1957), Nos. 11-12
Vol. 21 (1968-69), Nos. 3-4 and 7-8
Vol. 23 (1971-72), Nos. 7-8 and 9-10
Vol. 25 (1974-76), Nos. 1-2, 3-4, and 11-12
Vol. 26 (1976-77), Nos. 3-4 and 11-12
Vol. 27 (1977-79), Nos. 3-4 and 7-8
Vol. 31 (1985-86), Nos. 9-10
Vol. 32 (1987-88), Nos. 11-12
Vol. 33 (1989), Nos. 7-9
Vol. 34 (1990), No. 2
Vol. 37 (1993-94), No. 1
Vol. 38 (1994-96), Nos. 1 and 3
Vol. 39 (1996-97), No. 1
Vol. 42 (2000-01), Nos. 1, 3 and 4
Vol. 43 (2001-02), Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Vol. 44 (2002), Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Vol. 45 (2003), Nos. 1, 2 and 3 (no issue 4)
Vol. 46 (2004), Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Vol. 47 (2005), Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Vol. 48 (2006), Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Vol. 49 (2007), Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Vol. 50 (2008), Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Vol. 51 (2009), Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Vol. 52 (2010), Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Vol. 53 (2011), No. 1
$5 each:
Vol. 53 (2011), No. 2 (current issue)
ALPO Membership Directory.
Provided only to ALPO board and staff
members. Contact current ALPO
membership secretary/treasurer (Matt
Will).
Back Issues of
The Strolling Astronomer
•
Download JALPO43-1 thru current
issue as pdf file from the ALPO website
at http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/djalpo
(free; most recent issues are passwordprotected, contact ALPO membership
secretary Matt Will for password info).
Many of the hard-copy back issues
listed below are almost out of stock and
there is no guarantee of availability.
Issues will be sold on a first-come, firstserved basis. Back issues are $4 each,
and $5 for the current issue. We can
arrange discounts on orders of more
than $30. Order directly from and make
payment to “Walter H. Haas” (see
address under “Board of Directors,”):
Volume 53, No. 2, Spring 2011
Page 47
TheASSOCIATION
Strolling Astronomer
THE
OF LUNAR & PLANETARY OBSERVERS (ALPO)
The Resources
Association of Lunar & Planetary Observers (ALPO) was founded by Walter H. Haas in 1947, and incorporated in
ALPO
1990, as a medium for advancing and conducting astronomical work by both professional and amateur astronomers who
People,
publications,
toobservations.
help ourWe
members
share
an interest in Solaretc.,
System
welcome and provide services for all individuals interested in lunar and
planetary astronomy. For the novice observer, the ALPO is a place to learn and to enhance observational techniques. For
the advanced amateur astronomer, it is a place where one's work will count and be used for future research purposes. For
the professional astronomer, it is a resource where group studies or systematic observing patrols add to the advancement of
astronomy.
Our Association is an international group of students that study the Sun, Moon, planets, asteroids, meteors, meteorites and
comets. Our goals are to stimulate, coordinate, and generally promote the study of these bodies using methods and instruments that are available within the communities of both amateur and professional astronomers. We hold a conference each
summer, usually in conjunction with other astronomical groups.
We have “sections” for the observation of all the types of bodies found in our Solar System. Section coordinators collect
and study submitted observations, correspond with observers, encourage beginners, and contribute reports to our quarterly
Journal at appropriate intervals. Each section coordinator can supply observing forms and other instructional material to
assist in your telescopic work. You are encouraged to correspond with the coordinators in whose projects you are interested.
Coordinators can be contacted either via e-mail (available on our website) or at their postal mail addresses listed in our
Journal. Members and all interested persons are encouraged to visit our website at http://www.alpo-astronomy.org. Our
activities are on a volunteer basis, and each member can do as much or as little as he or she wishes. Of course, the ALPO
gains in stature and in importance in proportion to how much and also how well each member contributes through his or
her participation.
Our work is coordinated by means of our periodical, The Strolling Astronomer, also called the Journal of the Assn. of
Lunar & Planetary Observers, which is published seasonally. Membership dues include a subscription to our Journal. Two
versions of our ALPO are distributed — a hardcopy (paper) version and an online (digital) version in “portable document
format” (pdf) at considerably reduced cost.
Subscription rates and terms are listed below (effective January 1, 2009).
We heartily invite you to join the ALPO and look forward to hearing from you.
• $US120 – Sponsoring Member level, 4 issues of the digital and paper Journal, all countries
• $US60 – Sustaining Member level, 4 issues of the digital and paper Journal, all countries
• $US54 – 8 issues of the paper Journal only, US, Mexico and Canada
• $US30 – 4 issues of the paper Journal only, US, Mexico and Canada
• $US68 – 8 issues of the paper Journal only, all other countries
• $US37 – 4 issues of the paper Journal only, all other countries
• $US20 – 8 issues of the digital Journal only, all countries, e-mail address required
• $US12 – 4 issues of the digital Journal only, all countries, e-mail address required
For your convenience, you may join online via the via the Internet or by completing the form at the bottom of this page.
To join or renew online, go to the ALPO membership web page hosted by Telescopes by Galileo at http://www.
galileosplace.com/ALPO/ Afterwards, e-mail the ALPO membership secretary at will008@attglobal.net with your name,
address, the type of membership and amount paid.
If using the form below, please make payment by check or money order, payable (through a U.S. bank and encoded with
U.S. standard banking numbers) to “ALPO” There is a 20-percent surcharge on all memberships obtained through subscription agencies or which require an invoice. Send to: ALPO Membership Secretary, P.O. Box 13456, Springfield, Illinois
62791-3456 USA.
Please Print:
Name________________________________________________________________________________________
Street Address________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
City, State, ZIP _______________________________________________________________________________
E-mail Address________________________________________________________________________________
Phone Number________________________________________________________________________________
Please share your observing interests with the ALPO by entering the appropriate codes on the blank line below.
Interest_______________________________________________________________________________________
Page 48
Interest Abbreviations
0 = Sun 1 = Mercury 2 = Venus 3 = Moon 4 = Mars 5 = Jupiter 6 = Saturn 7 = Uranus 8 = Neptune 9 = Pluto A = Asteroids C
= Comets D = CCD Imaging E = Eclipses & Transits H = History I = Instruments M = Meteors & Meteorites P = Photography R =
Radio Astronomy S = Computing & Astronomical
Software53,
T =No.
Tutoring
& Training
Program (including Youth)
Volume
2, Spring
2011
Inside Saturn’s Cassini Division p. 50
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