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Inside the ALPO
Feature Stories
ALPO Resources
ALPO Staff E-mail Directory
Membership Form for the Association of Lunar & Planetary Observers (the ALPO)

Journal of the

Association of Lunar &

Planetary Observers

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, Number 2, Spring 2012

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Inside this issue

• Minutes of the ALPO

Board Meeting in Las

Cruces (Finally!)

• ALCon2012 news

• Update on the June 5

transit of Venus

• Lightcurves for main belt

minor planet 27 Euterpe

• Saturn apparition report,

plus ALPO section news

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The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 1

Journal of the

Association of Lunar &

Planetary Observers

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No.2, Spring 2012

This issue published in March 2012 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.

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: For All of You Armchair

Amateur Astronomers Out There — Books! .............2

News of General Interest ...........................................3

ALCon 2012 News ..................................................3

Call for ALPO Papers ..............................................3

Venus Volcano Watch .............................................4

Astronomy News and Updates from

Beyond International Year of Astronomy 2009 .........5

ALPO Interest Section Reports ..................................5

ALPO Observing Section Reports ..............................6

Corrections/Clarifications .........................................13

Feature Stories

ALPO Board Meeting Minutes, July 21, 2011

Las Cruces, New Mexico ........................................14

Book Review: The Kaguya Lunar Atlas ...................17

The Upcoming Transit of Venus in June 2012 .........18

A Shape Model of the Main-Belt Asteroid

27 Euterpe ..............................................................23

ALPO Observations of Saturn During the

2008 - 2009 Apparition ...........................................29

ALPO Resources

Board of Directors ....................................................71

Publications Staff .....................................................71

Interest Sections ......................................................71

Observing Sections ..................................................71

ALPO Publications ...................................................72

The Monograph Series ..........................................72

ALPO Staff E-mail Directory ...................................73

ALPO Observing Section Publications ...................73

Other ALPO Publications .......................................75

Back Issues of The Strolling Astronomer ...............75

Our Advertisers

Orion Telescopes & Binoculars ....... Inside Front Cover

Announcing the ALPO Lapel Pin ................................3

Catseye Collimation Systems/

Catsperch Observing Chairs....................................4

ALCon2012 ......................................Inside Back Cover

Sky Publishing ..............................Outside Back Cover

Page 2 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

Inside the ALPO

Member, section and activity news

Point of View

For All of You Armchair Amateur

Astronomers Out There — Books!

By Robert A. Garfinkle, FRAS, ALPO Book Review editor

I have a life long love of

books and other forms of

the written word. I read a lot

and the self-taught

knowledge [trivia?] drives

my family nuts when we

watch the TV show

Jeopardy together and I

constantly get a vast

majority of the questions

right. “Dad—You should go

on the show.” I’ve been

hearing that for years.

So where does the Jeopardy stuff lead to when writing an

opinion piece for this astronomical journal. My interest in

the night sky began with my father telling me about the

stars and the Moon. The question that I kept asking my

self is what exactly am I looking at. When I hit the end of

my Dad’s knowledge base, I began checking out books

from the public library, then started my own home library of

astronomy books (about 6,000 now). I also have a great

affinity for ancient history and some of the ancient writers

wrote about astronomy. I continued to gather astronomy

books to not only read for the pleasure of gaining

knowledge, but to assist in writing my Star-Hopping: Your

Visa to Viewing the Universe and my in-process major

lunar observers’ handbook (to be published by Springer).

Even with so many resources now available on the

Internet, I still want to grab a book from my library shelf to

find the information that I need. For me, there will always

be a place for astronomy books in my home, and I hope at

your abode as well. Keep looking up and keep reading.

Association of Lunar &

Planetary Observers (ALPO)

Board of Directors

Executive Director (Chair); Julius L. Benton, Jr.

Associate Director; Ken Poshedly

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; Richard W. Schmude, Jr.

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

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

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 3

Inside the ALPO

Member, section and activity news

The ALPO Lapel Pin

ALCon 2012 News

Look to the inside back cover of this

issue for a full-page ad with the latest info

about this summer’s next astro get-

together when the ALPO joins the

Astronomical League in Chicago.

Note that the Midwest Astrophotography

and Imaging Conference (MWAIC) will be

held in conjunction with ALCon 2012 at

the Marriott Lincolnshire Resort near

Chicago. Also, one of the keynote

speakers will be our own Dr. Donald C.

Parker.

ALCon 2012 will be held Wednesday

through Saturday, July 4-7, while the

MWAIC will be held July 4-6.

Early registration deadline for the event is

June 1, but the deadline for getting the

preferred room rate ($69 per night plus

taxes) for accommodations is May 24.

Phone the Marriott directly at 1-888-

236-2427 to make your room

reservation and be sure to state that you

are with the Astronomical League to get

this special rate.

Various tours and other items are priced

separately.

alcon2012.astroleague.org/alcon-2012-2/

registration/ or print out the hard copy

registration form at http://

alcon2012.astroleague.org/wp-content/

uploads/2012/02/General-5.pdf and pay

with check by regular mail.

Visit the official ALCon2012 website for

scheduling news and paper presentation

times.

Call for ALPO Papers

Participants are encouraged to submit

research papers, presentations, and

experience reports concerning Earth-

based observational astronomy of our

solar system for presentation at the

event.

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.

News of General Interest

Announcing,

the ALPO Lapel Pin

Now you can display your affiliation with our fine organi-

zation 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

More Real Astronomy in the ‘Mainstream Media’

While lots of folks like to criticize the so-called absence of “relevant” news these days,

every so often you will find actual and accurate science. One of the latest examples is a

gentle nudge to the general public that virtually no research is being done on a topic that

could have a dire impact (pun intended) on our continued existence. This time, it’s in

“Brewster Rockit: Space Guy”, a satirical, retro-futuristic comic strip that chronicles the

(mis)adventures of the lantern-jawed, lunkheaded, and sometimes childlike Brewster

Rockit, captain of the space station R.U. Sirius, and his crew of misfits. More at http://

www.gocomics.com/brewsterrockit/

Page 4 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

Inside the ALPO

Member, section and activity news

• 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.

The preferred format is Microsoft

PowerPoint, though 35mm slides or

overhead projector slides are also

acceptable. The final presentation should

not exceed 20 minutes in length, to be

followed by no more than five (5) minutes

of questions (if any) from the audience.

May 15, 2012 is the deadline for

submitting the titles of papers to be

presented along with a four- or five-

sentence abstract of each paper and in

what format the presentation will be.

Address all ALPO materials to:

Julius L. Benton, Jr., Ph.D.

Association of Lunar and Planetary

Observers (ALPO)

c/o Associates in Astronomy

P.O. Box 30545

Wilmington Island

Savannah, GA 31410 USA

jlbaina@msn.com

Venus Volcano Watch

By Michael F. Mattei

micmattei@comcast.net

Beginning on 05 February, 2012 the

watch begins with the volcanoes on the

bright limb of the planet. Contact me

directly at the e-mail address above 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 up

lifted sun lit clouds would show on the

dark side of the terminator, and on the

sun lit side watch for bulges of circular

cloud formation like the tops of cumulus

clouds. There are three volcanoes that

are believed to be active, they are, Maat

Mons, Ozza Mons and Sapas Mons. All

three are near the equator centered near

CM 165.

From research of cloud formations and

bright clouds on the dark side of the

terminator and circular sun lit clouds on

the bright side 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.

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 5

Inside the ALPO

Member, section and activity news

I would be happy to receive observations,

drawings, sketches, CCD images. Please

be sure the time is in UT and the location

of the observer.

See JALPO51, No. 1, page 21 for an

article of the events and what they look

like. You can find the article by going to

http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/djalpo/51-1/

JALPO51-1%20-%20Free.pdf

Astronomy News and Updates

from Beyond International Year

of Astronomy 2009

By Kevin Govender, director,

Office of Astronomy for Develop-

ment, Intl Astronomical Union (IAU)

kg@astro4dev.org

www.astro4dev.org

Some news and updates from the

astronomy education and outreach

community:

• Astronomy Phone and Table Apps

(Many Free)

An annotated overview of 98

astronomy applications for smart

phones and tablets has been

published in the on-line journal

"Astronomy Education Review."

Compiled by Andrew Fraknoi

(Foothill College), the list features a

brief description and a direct URL

for each app. It may be especially

useful for everyone who got a phone

or tablet for the holidays and is

looking for something fun or

educational to do with it. You can

access the article free of charge at:

http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/AER2011036

(The link to the full text is right under

the author's name). The listing

includes a variety of apps for

displaying and explaining the sky

above you (some using the GPS

function in your device); a series of

astronomical clocks, calculators, and

calendars; sky catalogs and observing

planners; planet atlases and globes;

citizens science tools and image

displays; a directory of astronomy

clubs in the U.S.; and even a graphic

simulator for making galaxies collide.

A number of the apps are free, and

others cost just a dollar or two. A

brief list of articles featuring

astronomy app reviews is also

included.

• International Astronomical Union

General Assembly:

The IAU General Assembly takes

place every 3 years. This year the

28th General Assembly will take

place in Beijing, China. Special

sessions include SpS14

(Communicating Astronomy) and

SpS11 (Strategic Plan and OAD) as

well as many other exciting

developments in Astronomy. Early

registration and deadline for

abstracts are both 17th March 2012.

Please have a look at

www.astronomy2012.org

•Universe Awareness:

- Become a Student Ambassador for

UNAWE: http://www.unawe.org/

updates/unawe-update-1212/

- Celebrating the Transit of Venus

2012 in Timor-Leste: http://

www.unawe.org/updates/unawe-

update-1221/

- Space Scoop (astronomy news

service for kids) now available in 14

different languages: http://

www.unawe.org/kids/unawe1213/

Web Services

Larry Owens, section coordinator

Larry.Owens@alpo-astronomy.org

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.alpo-

astronomy.org

Computing Section

Larry Owens, section coordinator,

Larry.Owens@alpo-astronomy.org

Important links:

• 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, alpocs-

unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

• Visit the ALPO Computing Section

online at www.alpo-astronomy.org/

computing

Lunar & Planetary

Training Program

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

ALPO Interest

Section Reports

Page 6 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

Inside the ALPO

Member, section and activity news

Eclipse Section

Mike Reynolds, section coordinator

alpo-reynolds@comcast.net

Please visit the ALPO Eclipse Section

online at www.alpo-astronomy.org/eclipse

Meteors Section

Report by Bob Lundsford,

section coordinator

lunro.imo.usa@cox.net

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.

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, section coordinator

kronk@cometography.com

Visit the ALPO Comets Section online at

www.alpo-astronomy.org/comet

Solar Section

Kim Hay, section coordinator

kim.hay@alpo-astronomy.org

At the time this report was compiled, we

were in CR2120 (Carrington Rotation

120), which ran from February 7 to

March 4, 2012. More information and

the charts for upcoming Carrington

Rotations can be found at www.alpo-

astronomy.org/solarblog

On January 24 at about 15:00 UT, a

coronal mass ejection (CME) hit the

Earth’s magnetic field and produced

aurora’s seen all over Europe,

Greenland, Iceland, Canada and Alaska,

as well as in the upper part of the U.S.

On January 27, at 18:37 UT, an X2

class occurred, producing aurora’s as

well.

More information on this can be found at

www.spaceweather.com

February continued with auroral activity

on February 18. In mid-February,

Sunspot AR1422 was growing in size

and was expected to produce some M-

class flares. Images taken on February 20

by Theo Ramakers of Social Circle (near

Atlanta), Georgia, USA, show the C2.1

and C4.1 flares, plus dark filaments. For

more images by Theo, see http://

ceastronomy.org/tramakers

Though we are in the middle of Cycle

24, the Sun continues to produce events.

On February 17, the SDO (Solar

Dynamic Observatory http://

sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ) caught and imaged a

tornado on the sun (http://www.npr.org/

blogs/thetwo-way/2012/02/17/147071253/

video-a-tornado-on-the-

sun?ft=1&f=1001&utm_medium=referral&ut

m_source=pulsenews ). Amateurs also

caught the Tornado; Theo processed 50

images to gain this animation. http://

ceastronomy.org/tramakers/?p=1232

The ALPO Solar Section archives

sketches and images in any wavelength

of the Sun. We currently have 6

observers sending in their data for

archiving. The past CR2118 can be seen

online at www.alpo-astronomy.org/solarblog

The past CR (Carrington Rotation

Number) reports have been taken off-line

to be newly processed and will be

uploaded once more when finished.

Processing the Carrington Reports does

take some time, and I am streamlining

the process a bit to make it a bit easier to

do and get them all back online quickly.

After collecting the submitted images,

they are entered into a spreadsheet and

renamed to the filenames you see online.

The past CR’s went through many

renditions of the “ACDSee” program

and text editors in order to create the

html files, I am now using “Picasa 3” to

pull the images online and also create a

pdf file for the text information for the

observations.

“Picasa 3” is an image organizer and

image viewer for organizing and editing

digital photos, plus an integrated photo-

sharing website, originally created by a

company named Lifescape in 2002 and

is owned by Google since 2004.

If you would like to include your images

or sketches for archival purposes, please

send to kim.hay@alpo-astronomy.org.

Images/sketches should be no more than

250 kb in size, with the CR number, UT

time, date and observing information. If

you would like to talk solar stuff and

show your images online for all, join in

on the Solar-ALPO Yahoo Group.

ALPO Observing

Section Reports

Figure 2. Details of visible active regions

AR1419, 1420, 1421 and 1422 shown in

Figure 1 image by ALPO member Theo

Ramakers. This image taken February

20, 2012, at 14:56UT. All other info same

as Figure 1.

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 7

Inside the ALPO

Member, section and activity news

We are always looking for members to

submit an article to the JALPO on solar

work. Please send to myself

(kim.hay@alpo-astronomy.org) and to Ken

Poshedly (ken.poshedly@alpo-

astronomy.org)

Remember to visit the ALPO Solar

Section webpage at www.alpo-

astronomy.org/solarblog for information

and updated observations.

For information on solar observing –

including the various observing forms

and information on completing them –

go to www.alpo-astronomy.org/solar

Mercury Section

Report by Frank J. Melillo,

section coordinator

frankj12@aol.com

As we entered into 2012, hopefully we

will see more observations of Mercury

from our ALPO members. It has been

slow lately, but now we have a

MESSENGER spacecraft around

Mercury for at least another year to cover

much of the surface. The 2011

apparition report will be written up and

you can see John Boudreau continued to

take more high resolution image of the

surface of Mercury. Yes, Mercury’s

surface, not just a phase. And Carl

Roussell continues with his skilled

drawings.

You will see one example of Boudreau’s

image of September 13, 2011. This is

perhaps the best image yet. It can be

easily compared with MESSENGER’s

snapshot of the same surface. One dark

feature, Solitudo Amphrodites (formerly

known as the “Skinakas Basin”), bright

and other dark regions and especially

rayed craters are all seen in Boudreau’s

image that are detectable in the

MESSENGER snapshot. It is just

awesome!

You will see many more of Boudreau’s

images and from others during the 2011

apparition write up.

Visit the ALPO Mercury Section online

at www.alpo-astronomy.org/mercury

Venus Section

Report by Julius Benton,

section coordinator

jlbaina@msn.com

Venus is situated in the western sky after

sunset at apparent visual magnitude -4.1,

rapidly approaching Greatest Elongation

East on March 27, 2012. During the

2011-12 Eastern (Evening) Apparition,

Venus is passing through its waning

phases (a progression from fully

illuminated through crescentic phases) as

observers witness the leading hemisphere

of Venus at the time of sunset on Earth.

In mid-January, the gibbous disk of

Venus will be nearly 14” across and

80.0% illuminated.

The Table of Geocentric Phenomena in

Universal Time (UT) is presented here for

An update on the June 2012 transit of

Venus appears later in this issue.

Figure 1. Whole Sun image in hydrogen-alpha by ALPO member Theo Ramakers at Social

Circle, Georgia, USA, on February 20, 2012, at 14:47UT during CR (Carrington Rotation)

2120 with visible active regions AR1419, 1420, 1421 and 1422 shown here. Equipment

details: Coronado "SolarMax 40" 40 mm (1.6 in.) aperture solar telescope &

DMK41AU02.AS astronomy camera using "IC Capture" software; image processed with

Registax 6, then finalized in Photoshop. Transparency 4 out of 5; Seeing 4/5. Image

inverted (negative) with north at top.

Page 8 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

Inside the ALPO

Member, section and activity news

the convenience of observers for the

2011-12 Eastern (Evening) Apparition.

Observers have already begun

contributing images and drawings of

Venus, and many more will surely follow

in the months to come. 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

=1856.

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 2011-12. Since Venus has a high

surface brightness, it is potentially

observable anytime it is far enough from

the Sun to be safely observed.

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

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.alpo-astronomy.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

98 new observations from 14 observers

during the October-December quarter.

These included one Banded Crater

program observation, four Ray

observations, and two sets of elevation

measurements. Twelve contributed

articles were published.

The Focus-On series in The Lunar

Observer newsletter continued with an

article on Mare Humorum. Upcoming

Focus-On subjects include Copernicus,

Archimedes, and the Pyrenees

Mountains.

Geocentric Phenomena of the 2011-2012 Eastern (Evening) Apparition

of Venus in Universal Time (UT)

Superior Conjunction 2011 Aug 16 (angular diameter = 9.6 arc-seconds)

Greatest Elongation East 2012 Mar 27 (46º east of the Sun)

Predicted Dichotomy 2012 Mar 29.34 (exactly half-phase)

Greatest Brilliancy 2012 Apr 28 (mv = – 4.6)

Inferior Conjunction 2012 Jun 05 (angular diameter = 58.3 arc-seconds)

Digital image of the gibbous planet Venus

as imaged on January 18, 2012 at 19:38

UT by Orlando Benìtez Sànchez of the

Canary Islands. Equipment includes a

23.5 cm (9.25 in.) SCT and ultraviolet

filter S = 7.0, Tr = 6.0. Apparent diameter

of Venus is 14.2 arc-seconds, phase (k)

0.781 (78.1% illuminated), and visual

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 9

Inside the ALPO

Member, section and activity news

Visit the following online web sites for

more info:

• The Moon-Wiki: the-

moon.wikispaces.com/Introduction

• Chandrayaan-1 M3: pds-

imaging.jpl.nasa.gov/portal/

chandrayaan-1_mission.html

•LROC: lroc.sese.asu.edu/EPO/LROC/

lroc.php

• ALPO Lunar Topographical Studies

Section moon.scopesandscapes.com/

alpo-topo

• ALPO Lunar Selected Areas

Program moon.scopesandscapes.com/

alpo-sap.html

• ALPO Lunar Topographical Studies

moon.scopesandscapes.com/alpo-topo

• The Lunar Observer (current issue)

moon.scopesandscapes.com/tlo.pdf

• The Lunar Observer (back issues)

moon.scopesandscapes.com/

tlo_back.html

• Banded Craters Program:

moon.scopesandscapes.com/alpo-

bcp.html

• The Lunar Discussion Group:

tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Moon-

ALPO/

Lunar Meteoritic Impacts

Brian Cudnik,

program coordinator

cudnik@sbcglobal.net

September 2011 - February 2012 lunar

meteor activity has been rather sparse

owing to a series of not so favorable

configuration events between the Moon,

the Earth and the meteoroid streams of

the more substantial annual showers.

The Moon was at last quarter during the

recent Leonids peak of November 18,

and, as such, was too close to the radiant

to offer a significant enough part of its

Table courtesy of William Dembowski

Lunar Calendar for Second Quarter of 2012 – All Times UT

Apr. 03 22:00 Moon 8.3 degrees SSW of Mars

Apr. 06 19:19 Full Moon

Apr. 07 10:00 Moon 6.0 degrees SSW of Saturn

Apr. 07 17:00 Moon at Perigee (358,313 km – 222,645 miles)

Apr. 10 21:06 Extreme South Declination

Apr. 12 08:00 Moon 1.3 degrees SSW of Pluto

Apr. 13 10:50 Last Quarter

Apr. 16 10:00 Moon 5.7 degrees NNW of Neptune

Apr. 18 21:00 Moon 7.0 degrees NNW of Mercury

Apr. 19 03:00 Moon 5.2 degrees NNW of Uranus

Apr. 21 07:19 New Moon (Start of Lunation 1105)

Apr. 22 09:01 Moon at Apogee (406,420 km – 252,538 miles)

Apr. 22 19:00 Moon 2.5 degrees N of Jupiter

Apr. 25 05:36 Extreme North Declination

Apr. 25 02:00 Moon 5.7 degrees S of Venus

Apr. 29 09:57 First Quarter

May 01 07:00 Moon 7.3 degrees SSW of Mars

May 04 20:00 Moon 6.2 degrees S of Saturn

May 06 03:34 Moon at Perigee (356,953 km – 221,800 miles)

May 06 03:35 Full Moon

May 08 06:18 Extreme South Declination

May 09 20:00 Moon 1.5 degrees ESE of Pluto

May 12 21:47 Last Quarter

May 13 19:00 Moon 5.9 degrees NNW of Neptune

May 15 22:00 Moon 1.1 Degree ESE of asteroid 2-Pallas

May 16 13:00 Moon 5.2 degrees NNW of Uranus

May 19 16:14 Moon at Apogee (406,450 km – 252,556 miles)

May 20 04:00 Moon 2.1 degrees NNW of Mercury

May 20 14:00 Moon 1.8 degrees N of Jupiter

May 20 23:47 New Moon (Start of Lunation 1106)

May 22 11:12 Extreme North Declination

May 22 22:00 Moon 4.7 degrees S of Venus

May 28 20:15 First Quarter

May 29 05:00 Moon 6.5 degrees SSW of Mars

June 01 01:00 Moon 6.2 degrees SSW of Saturn

June 03 13:21 Moon at Perigee (358,482 km – 222,750 miles)

June 04 11:11 Full Moon (Partial Eclipse of the Moon)

June 04 17:06 Extreme South Declination

June 06 02:00 Moon 1.2 degrees SSW of Pluto

June 10 01:00 Moon 5.9 degrees NNW of Neptune

June 11 10:42 Last Quarter

June 12 18:00 Moon 1.2 Degree NNE of asteroid 2-Pallas

June 12 22:00 Moon 5.1 degrees NNW of Uranus

June 16 01:25 Moon at Apogee (405,790 km – 252,146 miles)

June 17 06:00 Moon 1.4 degrees NW of Jupiter

June 18 17:36 Extreme North Declination

June 18 00:00 Moon 2.1 degrees N of Venus

June 19 15:02 New Moon (Start of Lunation 1107)

June 21 17:00 Moon 5.5 degrees S of Mercury

June 26 11:00 Moon 5.4 degrees SSW of Mars

June 27 03:29 First Quarter

June 28 08:00 Moon 6.1 degrees SSW of Saturn

Page 10 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

Inside the ALPO

Member, section and activity news

surface area for monitoring by Earth-

based observers. That leaves only minor

showers and sporadic backgrounds to

provide the projectiles for meteoroid

impact flashes, and these are few and far

between.

As a result, I have not received any

reports during the reporting period of

successful observations of lunar

meteoroid impact candidates. The

ALPO-LMIS will continue to coordinate

observations whenever possible, focusing

primarily on the annual showers and the

upcoming LADEE (Lunar Atmosphere

and Dust Environment Explorer) mission,

scheduled to launch in May of this year,

More information about the mission itself

can be found at this website: http://

www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LADEE/main/

. I am in contact with lead publicity

officer and mission scientist Brian Day

and we are coordinating an effort to

closely monitor the Moon during the

favorable August 2013 Perseids

encounter with the Moon in support of

this mission. More information, as I

receive it, will be posted via the ALPO-

LMIS section reports, the LMIS website,

and the “yahoogroups!” list server.

Please visit the ALPO Lunar Meteoritic

Impact Search site online at www.alpo-

astronomy.org/lunar/lunimpacts.htm.

Lunar Transient Phenomena

Dr. Anthony Cook,

Program Coordinator

tony.cook@alpo-astronomy.org

Twitter LTP alerts are now available at

http://twitter.com/lunarnaut

Finally, please visit the ALPO Lunar

Transient Phenomena site online at http://

alpo-astronomy.org/lunar/ltp.html

Mars Section

Roger Venable, section coordinator

rjvmd@hughes.net

Mars is now past its March 3rd

opposition and is ideally placed for

observation in the evening. Several

observers say that aphelic apparitions

such as the present one are more

interesting than perihelic ones, and this

one has been very interesting.

Highlights have included the excellent

visibility of the albedo features of the

Northern Hemisphere, the regression of

the North Polar Hood and the North

Polar Cap (NPC,) and the very cloudy

condition of the planet. A dust streak

across the NPC was imaged by Efrain

Morales Rivera on February 11 and

again on the 12. This deposition

occurred some 30 degrees of Ls later

than the NPC dust detected in the 2009-

2010 apparition. The breakup of what is

left of the seasonal cap has been

documented by many observers, both

visually and by images (see the image.)

The image by Melillo (see the image) is

typical of the cloud-studded images that

have been received.

Some albedo features appear to have

changed from their appearances from

previous apparitions. For example,

Trivium Charontis is nearly undetectable,

while Cerberus appears merely as two

small dark spots rather than the more

typical east-west streak at the south

border of Elysium. At the northern tip of

Syrtis Major, the western side of that

dark feature appears lighter than usual,

and in some images a lighter streak

seems almost to separate it from the rest

of Syrtis Major.

What do you see? Keep sending me your

descriptions, drawings, and images -- I

am rjvmd@hughes.net . The Mars

Mars images from February 2012. South is up. Top left: The NPC showing irregularities on

its outer edge as the seasonal cap sublimates. Central meridian (CM) = 94º. RGB

composite image by Don Parker on February 20, 2012, at 06:32 UT, using a Schmidt-

Cassegrain telescope of 35 cm aperture at f/44, a DMK 21AU618.AS camera and

Astrodon filters; seeing 3 to 5, transparency 5. Top right: The NPC showing asymmetry,

with sublimation having occurred further northward on its right than on its left, and part of

the left edge seeming to have become separate from the central part of the cap. CM =

353º. RGB composite image by John Sussenbach on February 19, 2012, at 23:38 UT,

using a Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope of 28 cm aperture at f/30, a Flea3 camera, and

Astrodon filters; sky conditions not given. Bottom left: Bright clouds in Chryse at far left and

in Arcadia below center; with clouds at Olympus Mons to the upper right of Arcadia,

Pavonis Mons above Arcadia, and Tempe to the left of Arcadia; and other fainter clouds,

also. Color image by Frank Melillo on February 19, 2012, at 07:24 UT, using a Schmidt-

Cassegrain telescope of 25 cm aperture and a Toucam Pro II camera; seeing 5 to 6.

Bottom right: An explanatory, comparison image from Guide 8, matching the time of

Frank's image at bottom left.

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 11

Inside the ALPO

Member, section and activity news

Observers Group has had a stream of

pleasant interaction and discussion of

observations, and you are invited to

participate. Join us at

tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/

marsobservers . This forum also provides

a good resource for you to store your

images online.

Visit the ALPO Mars Section online at

www.alpo-astronomy.org/mars

Minor Planets Section

Frederick Pilcher,

section coordinator

pilcher@ic.edu

In Minor Planet Bulletin Vol. 39, No. 1,

2012 January - March, R. D. Stephens,

B. D. Warner, R. Megna, and D. Coley

report a spin/shape model for a

historically difficult asteroid, 27 Euterpe.

This model was further complicated

because albedo spots, rarely found on

asteroids, are evident.

Through arrangement between Minor

Planet Bulletin editor Richard Binzel and

JALPO editor Ken Poshedly, this article

is being reprinted in this issue of your

ALPO Journal.

G. Tancredi, S. Bruzzone, S. Roland, R.

Salvo, and M. Martinez have found for

5088 Tancredi a precise rotation period

and H and G parameters from their

lightcurves over a 42 day interval.

Lightcurves with derived rotation periods

are published for 54 other asteroids,

numbers 185, 414, 518, 668, 688,

903, 918, 1077, 1103, 1305, 1406,

1413, 1820, 1858, 2008, 2052, 2083,

2141, 2150, 2272, 2306, 2567, 2573,

2731, 2931, 3031, 3248, 3385, 4125,

4930, 5571, 6952, 7660, 7750, 7933,

16256, 16959, 17822, 18890, 27568,

31898, 32928, 32953, 33356, 35055,

39890, 42265, 54234, 62117, 67404,

70030, 140428, 153591, 282081.

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.

The Minor Planet Bulletin is a refereed

publication and that it is available online

at http://www.minorplanet.info/

mpbdownloads.html. Annual voluntary

contributions of $5 or more in support of

the publication are welcome.

In addition, please visit the ALPO Minor

Planets Section online at http://

www.alpo-astronomy.org/minor

Jupiter Section

Richard W. Schmude, Jr.,

section coordinator

schmude@gdn.edu

The most important development on

Jupiter has been the thin NEB. The NEB

is only about one-half as wide as normal.

In fact, the NEB is currently thinner than

it has been since at least 1994. The

NEB is so narrow, that dark barges are

outside of it. It will be interesting to see

how the NEB develops over the next few

months. Please keep imaging Jupiter.

This ALPO section coordinator is

currently reviewing the proofs of the

2010-2011 Jupiter apparition report.

He will start work on the 2011-2012

report in a few months. The writer is also

working with another scientist on a

paper about Jupiter's brightness and

color. That paper covers measurements

taken since the 1960s and has been

submitted to the professional journal

Icarus.

Please continue making images of

Jupiter. I am also interested in methane

band images and visual intensity

estimates.

Visit the ALPO Jupiter Section online at

http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/jupiter

Galilean Satellite

Eclipse Timing Program

John Westfall,

program coordinator

johnwestfall@comcast.net

If you have not yet submitted your

timings of the eclipses of the Galilean

satellites for the past apparition (2010-

2011), we would be happy to receive

them. We have placed on the ALPO

Jupiter Section webpage a schedule of

satellite eclipses for the 2011-2012

Apparition of Jupiter.

As stated in previous reports for this

ALPO observing section, three

circumstances have come together to

allow us to view something we see only

rarely – both the beginnings and endings

of the same eclipses of Europa. For the

great majority of the time, we can see

only disappearances of the satellite

before opposition, and only

reappearances after opposition (indeed,

some literature incorrectly states that this

is always the case).

The first condition that helps create this

series of events is that Jupiter is closer

than average to the Sun, having reached

perihelion on 2011 March 17 (4.9494

A report on the Main-Belt Asteroid 27

Euterpe appears later in this issue.

Completely Visible Eclipses of

Europa by Jupiter, 2012

Series 3 (18 eclipses)

TT Date Begin End

Aug 06 hh mm

07 28

hh mm

09 51

Aug 09 20 45 23 08

Aug 13 10 02 12 25

Aug 16-17 23 19 01 42

Aug 20 12 36 14 59

Aug 24 01 53 04 16

Aug 27 15 10 17 33

Aug 31 04 27 06 50

Sep 03 17 44 20 07

Sep 07 07 01 09 24

Sep 10 20 18 22 41

Sep 14 09 35 11 58

Sep 17-18 22 52 01 15

Sep 21 12 09 14 32

Sep 25 01 26 03 49

Sep 28 14 43 17 06

Oct 02 04 00 06 24

Oct 05 17 18 19 41

Page 12 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

Inside the ALPO

Member, section and activity news

AU from the Sun). The second situation

is that the Earth is well north of Jupiter’s

equator (and thus the orbital planes of

the Galilean satellites; 3.89° north on

2011 October 01). Finally, the Sun also

is north of the Jupiter’s equator (3.57°

north on 2012 March 10). This allows us

to peek past the planet and, before

opposition, see both eclipse

disappearances and reappearances; the

last very close to Jupiter’s limb. After

opposition, we have the opposite, with

the disappearances next to Jupiter’s limb

and the reappearances well away from

the planet.

There are 18 remaining occurrences

when we will be able to see these

complete (beginning and ending) eclipses

of Europa during the time period 2012

August 06 thru Oct 05.

We hope that some of our readers will

watch and time some of these events.

(Normally, we must time Europa’s eclipse

reappearances months after we time its

disappearances.) The table that

accompanies this report gives the dates

and terrestrial times (TT) of these events.

(Subtract about one minute to convert TT

to UT.)

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 e-mail 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

With an apparent visual magnitude +0.7

at the beginning of March, Saturn is

reasonably well-placed for observing later

during the evening hours. The planet's

northern hemisphere and north face of

the rings are now visible as the ring tilt

toward Earth increases throughout the

next several years, with regions south of

the rings becoming progressively less

favorable for viewing. Right now the

rings are inclined about +15.0° toward

Earth. The following geocentric

phenomena for 2011-12 apparition are

presented for the convenience of

readers:

The table of geocentric phenomena for

the 2011-12 apparition is presented for

the convenience of readers who wish to

plan their Saturn observing activities.

Observers have been submitting

impressive images of the planet in recent

weeks now that it is more favorably

placed for viewing. The emergence of a

massive storm in the region of Saturn's

North Tropical Zone (NTrZ) caught the

attention of ALPO observers during the

2010-11 apparition, appearing in early

December 2010 and regularly observed

and imaged ever since. The NTrZ white

"complex" was the brightest feature seen

on the planet in quite a few years,

showing considerable brightening over

time, then undergoing rapid evolution

and differentiation into bright and dusky

structures along its length. The storm

progressively widened in latitude and

underwent considerable longitudinal

growth, eventually encircling the globe by

the end of the last apparition. Cassini

images also dramatically showed how the

storm rapidly evolved with time.

Observations during the current

apparition clearly show the

morphologically complex remnants of

the enormous NTrZ storm. It is

important for observers to carefully

document how the appearance of this

feature changes throughout the 2011-12

apparition. Indeed, as the inclination of

Saturn's northern hemisphere toward the

Sun increases, with subsequently greater

solar insolation affecting these regions,

conditions remain favorable for activity to

develop similar to the NTrZ white storm.

Color filter techniques can be used by

visual observers to determine which

visual wavelengths produce the best

views of the NTrZ in the aftermath of the

storm as well as other similar features

that might emerge. Continued consistent

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.alpo-astronomy.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 highly

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

A report on Saturn during its 2008-2009

apparition appears later in this issue.

Geocentric Phenomena for the 2011-2012 Apparition of Saturn

in Universal Time (UT)

Conjunction 2011 Oct 13d

Opposition 2012 Apr 15d

Conjunction 2012 Oct 25d

Opposition Data:

Equatorial Diameter Globe 19.0 arc-seconds

Polar Diameter Globe 16.9 arc-seconds

Major Axis of Rings 43.0 arc-seconds

Minor Axis of Rings 28.6 arc-seconds

Visual Magnitude (mv)0.2 m

v (in Virgo)

B = +13.7º

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 13

Inside the ALPO

Member, section and activity news

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 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.alpo-astronomy.org/saturn

All are invited to also subscribe to the

Saturn e-mail discussion group at Saturn-

ALPO@yahoogroups.com

Remote Planets Section

Richard W. Schmude, Jr.,

section coordinator

schmude@gdn.edu

Jim Fox has sent in over three dozen

high-quality brightness measurements of

Uranus and Neptune. Based on Jim's

measurements, Uranus has brightened by

about one to two percent since 2010.

The planet appears to be following a

seasonal trend in brightness whereby it is

dimmest when the equator faces us and

is brightest when its polar regions face

us.

This section coordinator also measured

the brightness of Uranus in October and

December of 2011. He used the red and

infrared filters. The data show that

Uranus was several percent brighter in

December than October. One possible

explanation is the large bright cloud that

was imaged on that planet in mid-

October. Uranus, however, was not

brighter in December through the B and

V filters.

I am planning to submit the 2011-2012

remote planets report to the editor

sometime this summer. The 2010-

2011 report was published in JALPO54-

1 (Winter 2012).

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/

978-0-387-76601-0 or elsewhere (such

as www.amazon.ca/Uranus-Neptune-

Pluto-Observe-Them/dp/0387766014)

to order a copy.

Visit the ALPO Remote Planets Section

online at http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/

remote.

Correction/Clarification

By Tom Dobbins

The references cited in my recent article

“Clouds and Chimera, Self-Deception

and Serendipity” omitted two seminal

documents that I co-authored with

William Sheehan, namely William

Sheehan and Thomas A. Dobbins,

“Lowell and the Spokes of Venus,” Sky

& Telescope, July 2002, pp. 99-103 and

William Sheehan and Thomas Dobbins,

“Charles Boyer and the Clouds of

Venus,” Sky & Telescope June 1999,

56-60. My exclusion of these references

is embarrassing but quite innocent. When

I was writing the draft during the summer

of 2010, I was in the throes of moving

from Ohio to Florida. My issues of Sky &

Telescope had been boxed and were

awaiting shipment to my new home.

Unable to access the issue dates and

page numbers of these articles, I planned

to insert these references when I

completed and submitted the article.

After a lapse of a year and a half, I simply

forgot to do so. Sheehan’s contributions

to this subject matter should have been

recognized but were not, which I deeply

regret and wish to correct.

Recent digital image showing the appearance of the NTrZ region in the aftermath of the

impressive storm discovered last year. The bright storm remnants quite noticeably still

encircle the globe of Saturn at this latitude. Image was taken on February 7, 2012 at

18:08UT by Trevor Barry observing from Australia using a 40.6 cm (16.0 in.)

Newtonian in visible light (RGB) in good seeing (S = 6.5 using the standard ALPO scale).

Apparent diameter of Saturn’s globe is 17.7” with a ring tilt of +15.1º. CMI = 268.6°, CMII

= 318.1°, CMIII = 321.9°. S is at the top of the image.

Page 14 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

Minutes provided by Matt Will,

ALPO Secretary / Treasurer

Call to Order

On July 21, 2011, at 8:39 p.m. MDT

(Mountain Daylight Time), ALPO Executive

Director and Board Chairman, Richard W.

Schmude called the ALPO Board to order in

the Breakfast Room of the Comfort Inn, in

Las Cruces, New Mexico.

Attendance

ALPO Board members, Walter Haas

(Founder), Ken Poshedly, Richard Schmude

(Chairman), John Westfall, and Matthew Will

were present. Robert Garfinkle, the ALPO

Book Review Editor was invited to sit in on

the Board meeting. Board members, Julius

Benton, Don Parker, Michael Reynolds, and

Sanjay Limaye could not attend this year's

conference were therefore absent from the

meeting. No phone service was available to

tie them into by phone. Matthew Will acted as

Julius Benton's proxy and Richard Schmude

acted as Don Parker's proxy.

Issue One: Approval of the

Board Meeting Minutes of

2010 (Introduced by

Matthew Will)

Board meeting minutes for our 2010 ALPO

Board meeting were approved by all the

present Board members.

Issue Two: Location for

the ALPO to Convene in

2012 (Introduced by

Richard Schmude)

Executive Director Richard Schmude

announced that Carroll Iorg, president of the

Astronomical League had extended an

invitation to the ALPO to meet with it next

year at the 2012 ALCon, in Highland Park,

Illinois. The local host society, the Chicago

Astronomical Society will be hosting this

meeting as it celebrates its 50th Anniversary.

We haven't had a meeting in the Midwest

since 2008 or a meeting with the League in

what will be three years. So this was an easy

decision for the ALPO Board to make.

Richard Schmude made the motion for the

ALPO to meet with the Astronomical League

in Highland Park next year and Ken Poshedly

seconded. The Board vote in favor of meeting

in Highland Park, Illinois, in 2012, was 7

votes to 0 with the five present Board

members voting with Matt Will acting as Julius

Benton's proxy and Richard Schmude acting

as Don Parker's proxy.

Issue Three: Membership

and Finances (Introduced

by Matthew Will)

ALPO Secretary and Treasurer Matthew Will

reported to the ALPO Board the ALPO’s

finances for the preceding year in the annual

report submitted to the Board last February.

An interim report concerning this year’s

activities was issued earlier this month. The

ALPO has $4191.93 in the Springfield

account and $3100.15 in the Las Cruces

account as of June 30, 2011. The current

value of the ALPO Endowment is

$26,128.32.

The ALPO is spending more money than it is

taking in from the Journal. While voluntary

contributions at higher membership levels

help us shoulder the burden for production

and organizational cost, the ALPO finances

are still in a deficit. It would be wise at this

time, to consider a modest membership dues

increase to keep from posing some potential

finance problems in producing the Journal.

The membership dues increases are listed

later in the minutes as Issue Four. While

fundraising as a topic directed toward

increasing the ALPO Endowment was

discussed later in the meeting, Ken Poshedly

brought up the possibility of supplementing

funding for the Journal with grants. Ken

mentioned one possibility of seeking a grant

from NASA and other scientific governmental

or non-governmental organizations. John

Westfall commented that the National Science

Foundation might be another source for a

grant. Bob Garfinkle suggested that the

Feature Story:

ALPO Board Meeting Minutes, July 21, 2011 Las Cruces, New Mexico

Group photo at the Saturday evening dinner. Standing left to right: Ken Poshedly, Wayne Bailey, Phil Budine, Richard Schmude, John West-

fall, Roger Venable, Gene Cross and Daniel H. Harris. Seated left to right: Derald Nye, Walter Haas, Cecil Post, and Janet Stevens. Standing

in background at far right: Elizabeth Westfall and Joan Post.

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 15

private sector could contribute some funding

as well, as such companies as American

Express have done this sort of thing in the

recent past. Matthew Will said that he had

done some research involving grants for the

Endowment and cautioned that there were

complications to consider in such an

approach, but taking a fresh look at potential

income of this nature should be reviewed.

Both Ken and Matt will work together to

research the grants angle.

The ALPO membership dropped off a bit

from the start of this year where we were at

421 members to 392 members with the

release of this summer's issue of the Journal.

The ALPO Secretary is now mailing

brochures and sample copies of the Journal

to the educational community (planetariums,

science centers, and other educational

institutions) in an effort to raise our profile in

these circles and possibly attract both new

members and people that could help in

promoting our organization. ALPO materials

have been distributed to a couple of non-

ALPO meeting venues earlier this spring and

summer to attract new members.

Issue Four: Membership

Dues Increase (Introduced

by Matthew Will)

As stated above under Issue Three,

entertaining a modest dues increase now

reverses our deficit and prevents a more

dramatic increase in dues in the future. So the

time may be right to consider a modest dues

increase for calendar year 2012. Below is the

proposal from the Membership Secretary.

The Membership Secretary suggested that the

dues increase would begin on January 1,

2012. After a brief discussion, Matt Will made

the motion for the membership dues increase

and John Westfall seconded. The motion

passed 7 votes to 0. An announcement will be

made in the next two issues of the Journal

about this increase, encouraging members to

early renewal under old membership rates

before January 1st.

Issue Five: Fundraising

For the Endowment

(Introduced by Matthew

Will)

Matthew Will discussed the need for

fundraising regarding the ALPO Endowment.

The purpose of the Endowment is to provide

funding for a future central headquarters or

office for the ALPO. The ALPO Endowment

has been growing very slowly. At the same

time, there has been an interest among some

ALPO members in contributing to the ALPO

beyond the Sustaining and Sponsors

memberships. Earlier this year, Matt proposed

to the Board that memberships beyond the

Sponsor level could be created that would

encourage members to give more. This could

be set up in such a way that members would

have the option of paying at these higher

levels by check or online by credit card. A

separate web page on the ALPO Web Site

could explain in some detail our plans for

growing the Endowment and how the funds

would be utilized, since members contributing

additional funds beyond their regular dues,

would want to know the purpose for raising

these funds. Finally, as a thank you to

contributors, the ALPO would offer some free

items that are normally paid for by members

such as lapel pins and printed back issues. At

some higher level of giving, the ALPO would

leverage its notoriety in the book publishing

business by offering a free book published by

an ALPO staff member. All of this is tentative.

The Board wished to see the final product

before this effort is launched. Matt, plans to

produce most, if not all the elements for this

fundraising plan for presentation to the Board

before the end of the year. Matt is also

developing a work plan for assisting persons

that would want to contribute charitable

bequests. Corporate sponsorships are also

being looked at as well as grants, that were

discussed earlier. Matt Will made the motion

to commence with the “membership”

fundraising plan, with Board review before

this plan commences. Richard Schmude

seconded. The Board voted 7 to 0 in favor of

the motion.

Issue Six: Staff Changes

(Introduced by Richard

Schmude and

Matthew Will)

The ALPO Board reviewed acting staff

appointments for possible promotion to

permanent status. There were no acting staff

members that needed to be considered for

promotion to permanent staff. There were,

however, two staff members that had not

renewed their ALPO memberships. In

accordance with our standing rules and our

guidance to staff in the Staff Guidelines, staff

members that don't answer repeated renewal

notices are subject to automatic dismissal if

there is no response four weeks after the third

renewal notice is sent. John Sandford and

Robert Ulrich of the Publications Section have

been dropped from the ALPO Staff since

renewal notices have gone unanswered. The

Board wishes to thank John and Robert for

their past participation in the Publication

Section and in helping to edit the Journal.

Issue Seven: ALPO

Website (Introduced by

Matthew Will)

The ALPO Board wishes to express its

sincerely thanks and gratitude to Larry

Owens, the ALPO Web Master, for his work

in rejuvenating the ALPO website by updating

and reformatting all section web pages and

other related materials on our website. Larry's

work has given the ALPO web pages some

uniformity and consistency in appearance and

has given the ALPO a “professional quality”

look. However, there are still issues that have

to be resolved concerning out-of-date material

maintained on staff pages that link to section

pages on the ALPO website. After some

discussion, the consensus from the Board was

that some consideration should be given to

moving staff materials not already on the

ALPO website, to our web site. This might

help in cleaning up obviously out-of-date

material that hasn't been removed. Larry will

be consulted about the possibility of going

forward on this in the near future. Matt plans

to talk to Larry about this. Matt will also

discuss with Larry a plan for utilizing the

ALPO website as a gateway for section

archiving of observational data. Larry had

proposed a plan of sorts earlier in the year,

however, this is all subject to Larry's schedule

and what he is free to do for the ALPO, in

addition to his usual duties in supporting our

website.

Issue Eight: Section

Inactivity (Introduced by

Ken Poshedly)

Ken Poshedly discussed issues concerning the

inactivity of some sections. Earlier this spring

the ALPO Board voted to close the Lunar

Domes Survey due to inactivity with this

program and to forward any and all materials

related to this program to the Lunar

Topographical Studies Program. The Board

thanks Marvin Huddleston for coordinating

Revised Dues Structure (Effective January 1, 2012)

Type of Membership Old Rates New Rates

One Year Paper Domestic $30 $33

Two Year Paper Domestic $54 $60

One Year Paper International $37 $40

Two Year Paper International $68 $74

One Year Digital $12 Unchanged

Two Year Digital $20 Unchanged

Sustaining Member $60 $65

Sponsor $120 $130

Page 16 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

this program since 2002. Current concerns

are focused on the Meteorite Section and

activity within this section. After some

discussion, Ken Poshedly made a motion to

ask Dolores Hill, the coordinator for the

section, if this section has still active, in other

words, are members participating in

programs under this section. If so, then to ask

Robert Lunsford, coordinator of the Meteors

Section, if the Meteorites Section can be

incorporated into the Meteors Section, as a

subsection or separate program. Richard

Schmude seconded. The Board vote was 7 to

0 in favor of the motion.

Issue Nine: The Future of

the ALPO Board

(Introduced by John

Westfall)

John Westfall opened discussion about the

future of the ALPO Board. John observed the

current membership of the Board was getting

on in years. In all probability, most if not all

current Board members will not be on the

Board twenty years from now. John stated

that the ALPO Board needs to recruit new

Board members as positions open up and in a

manner that insures continuity of leadership

and in sustaining the mission of the ALPO. In

that regard, the Board should be thinking

about where the ALPO as an organization will

be in the future. Matt Will had commented

that part of the reason for the central

headquarters or office project was to

eventually entice other persons outside of the

ALPO that might have a broader range of

expertise in helping to manage and

administrate the ALPO. Both Ken and Matt

expressed concerns in finding successors if

and when either one of them had to vacate

their present positions. Although no motions

were made, John said that this is something

we have to seriously think about in the

coming years.

Issue Ten: New Officers

(Introduced by Richard

Schmude)

In accordance with a longstanding agreement

with the Board members the rotation for the

positions of Executive Director and Associate

Executive Director continue. Julius Benton

will become our new Executive Director for

the next two years and Ken Poshedly will be

the new Associate Executive Director.

Matthew Will continues on as both Secretary

and Treasurer.

Richard Schmude made a motion to affirm

the approval of these proposed officers

serving for the next two years and John

Westfall seconded the motion. The vote was

an affirmative seven to zero.

Issue Eleven: Observer's

and Service Awards

(Introduced by Richard

Schmude)

The ALPO has two awards to honor persons

providing outstanding work for our programs.

The ALPO Walter H. Haas Observer's Award

is given yearly when the ALPO meets each

summer and conferred on an amateur

astronomer for excellence in observational

Solar System astronomy. The selection of this

award is performed by an independent

committee that rotates its membership each

year, and is currently chaired by Donald C.

Parker. The award consist of an engraved

plaque and a two-year complimentary

membership in the ALPO.

This year's recipient is John Boudreau of

Saugus, Massachusetts. John is an expert

CCD imager of planetary bodies. In particular,

John is a major contributor of Mercury

observations for the ALPO Mercury Section.

John has done wonderful work with his C11

SCT telescope, taking planetary images that

have graced the pages of our Journal. Lately,

John has become a true luminary on the

subject of Mercury, co-authoring an article

about the planet with William Sheehan and

Alessandro Manara in the March 2011 issue

of Sky and Telescope magazine. Thanks for

your continued work, John, and your support

of the ALPO!

The Peggy Haas Service Award is presented

to an ALPO member for providing

outstanding service to our organization.

Selection for this award is done solely at the

discretion of the ALPO executive director.

The award is not considered to be a yearly

award, but rather when the presenter deems

it appropriate to recognize the awardee.

The recipient of the 2011 Peggy Haas

Service Award is Julius Benton at the time of

this year's conference. Julius has performed

many duties over many years as an ALPO

member. Julius has been our ALPO Saturn

Section coordinator for the past 40 years,

beginning in May of 1971, and is also our

ALPO Venus Section coordinator, serving in

that role since December of 1972. He had been serving as

Lunar Selected Areas Program coordinator for more than

20 years before that program was merged into the Lunar

Topographical Studies Program.

Julius has been an ALPO Board member since August

1994 and is now our current executive director, having

previously served for two terms in that position in the years

2000-2002 and 2005-2007.

Julius has done an exemplary job in performing the

services of all the positions he has held and has

demonstrated the best of what the ALPO has to offer

through his knowledge, keen interest, and enthusiasm that

he conveys in his apparition reports, correspondence with

other amateurs, and presentations he does for interested

individuals. Thanks Julius for making the ALPO the very

best it can be!

Adjournment

With no other business to conduct, Richard Schmude made

a motion to adjourn the Board meeting. Ken Poshedly

seconded. The motion passed with present Board

members voting in the affirmative with Board meeting

adjourning at 10:33 p.m. MDT on July 21, 2011.

Julius L. Benton, recipient of the 2011

ALPO Peggy Haas Service Award. Julius

currently serves as both the ALPO Venus

Section Coordinator and the ALPO Sat-

urn Section Coordinator, and has served

as the organization’s executive director

at various times.

John Boudreau, recipient of the 2011

ALPO Walter H. Haas Observer’s Award

for his outstanding imaging work with

Mercury and other planetary bodies.

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 17

Review by Wayne Bailey, PhD, FRAS

ALPO Lunar Topographical Studies &

Selected Areas Program Coordinator

wayne.bailey@alpo-astronomy.org

The Kaguya Lunar Atlas by Motomaro

Shirao & Charles A. Wood, 2011, pub-

lished in New York by Springer (ISBN

978-1-4419-7284-2); 173 pages, hard-

cover; list price $39.95.

The Japanese lunar orbiter Kaguya (also

known as SELENE, the SELenological

and ENgineering Explorer) began

science observations in 2007. It initially

operated at 100 km altitude, with its

altitude reduced successively to 50 km,

then 10 km until it impacted the surface

on June 10, 2009, prior to losing

attitude control. The current atlas is a

product of the High-Definition Television

(HDTV), whose primary purpose was to

engage the public in lunar science. The

HDTV viewed off-nadir, with both wide-

angle and telephoto cameras viewing

fore and aft along the orbit track, giving

an astronaut-view type of image. These

images are higher resolution than Earth-

based telescopic images and some

previous lunar orbiters, but not as high as

those of the nadir-viewing cameras

carried by Kaguya and other recent

spacecraft.

The first thing to point out is that this

atlas is not a comprehensive map of

lunar features, in the sense of Rukl’s

Atlas of the Moon. Instead, it is a

collection of 100 images of specific lunar

features (77 nearside) from a unique

viewpoint. However, global lunar

topography is presented in six small-scale

hemispheric images (East, West, Near,

Far, North & South) from the Kaguya

Laser Altimeter.

The book contains two parts. Part I

presents information about the Kaguya

spacecraft and mission, the HDTV

cameras, and a general discussion of the

lunar surface. I found the discussion in

Chapter 2 concerning the challenges and

techniques of processing the TV images

particularly interesting. Creating a

panoramic perspective view by

combining successive video frames is

challenging because the view angle

remains constant, but orbital motion

changes the camera location. We usually

view a panorama by turning our head

(i.e., changing the view direction while in

a fixed position). The method used to

create this atlas is described, as well as an

alternate technique that produces a push-

broom type, constant angle view.

Chapter 4 is a nice, very readable,

introduction to the lunar surface, but

doesn’t include anything new for those

who are already familiar with the Moon.

These four chapters are important

though, since they provide background

for the images in Part II.

Part II is a collection of 100 images,

preceded by introductory material that

describes the location and orientation

labels, and the sequencing of images in

the atlas. The image labels seemed self-

explanatory to me, but this is nice

material to have anyway. I was curious

about one thing that I didn’t find

addressed here: Why are the images

divided into three chapters? Not of any

significance, but I’m curious. Each image

includes a description of the features

visible and their interpretation.

The combination of unique viewpoint of

the images and the accompanying

discussion, make this a book that should

be on the bookshelf of every student of

the Moon.

Overall, I’d recommend this book to

anyone that is at all interested in the

Moon. Scientifically, the off-nadir view

complements the usual nadir view. For

the observer, the discussion

accompanying each image provides a

guide to interpreting your own

observations of these or other features.

And finally, the impressive images also

make it suitable as a coffee table book.

***********************

Book reviews appropriate for the

ALPO are welcome for publication in

this journal. Please send your reviews

to the ALPO Book Review Editor, Bob

Garfinkle at ragarf@earthlink.net.

Book Review

The Kaguya Lunar Atlas

Page 18 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

By John Westfall, coordinator

ALPO Mercury/Venus Transit Section

johnwestfall@comcast.net

Why the Excitement?

What, another transit of Venus? Didn’t

we have one just eight years ago?

Yes, there was a transit of Venus in June

2004, still fresh in the memories of those

who watched it. However, after the 2012

event is over we have to wait 105 years

for the next one. Thus, the June 5-6,

2012 transit is the last viewing

opportunity for all persons living today

(except for a few very young children and

those optimistic about medical

breakthroughs). They are indeed rare;

humanity has witnessed only six transits

of Venus: in 1639, 1761, 1769, 1874,

1882 and 2004.

What Will Happen When

and Where

In Universal Time (UT), the transit begins

on June 5th, 2012 and ends on June

6th. More precisely, for the imaginary

geocentric observer, Table 1 lists the

five significant events during the transit

and the times they take place.

The “shadow” of Venus moves so rapidly

over the Earth that no matter where you

are located, if you can see the transit at

all, the event times for you will differ by

no more than 7 minutes from the

geocentric times. The ALPO Mercury/

Venus Transit Section web page gives

predicted contact times for selected cities

throughout the visibility area. In addition,

to find the precise event times for your

exact location (by city or by latitude and

longitude), visit the website http://

aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/Transit.php.

Figure 1 shows the path Venus will take

as it crosses the disk of the Sun, lasting

about 6h 40m from Contact I to Contact

IV.

As with all fleeting astronomical events,

the transit will not be visible throughout

the world. In terms of area (if not

people), about a third of our planet will

see the entire event, another third will

see part of it, and the remaining third will

have to wait until 2117. Fortunately,

North and Central America, northwest

South America, most of Africa, almost all

of Europe, and all of Asia and Australasia

will have a chance (depending on

weather) – the great majority of the

human race. Figure 2 maps the zones

of the six different types of visibility. If

you choose to travel to a location where

you can see the entire transit, another

factor to consider is the probability of

clear skies (Figure 3). Remembering

that the weather on transit day may well

differ from the long-term statistics, it

appears that northern Australia (or

perhaps the leeward sides of some

Pacific islands) is the most favorable area

for those wishing to see the event from

beginning to end, while the Middle East

and the southwest United States are

promising areas for those content to see

just part of the event.

Watching Safely

While crossing the Sun’s disk, Venus will

cover only about 0.1 percent of the solar

surface. In other words, you should take

the same viewing precautions you would

were you observing sunspots or a partial

solar eclipse. To avoid injuring your

eyesight or your equipment, you have

your choice of three safe methods to do

this.

• The first method is to shield your

eyes by viewing through a specially

designed solar filter, covering your

eyes (if viewing naked-eye) or the

entire aperture of your telescope

(with the finder similarly filtered or

covered), binoculars (both lenses) or

camera (including any separate view-

finder). The point is to cut down the

visible, infrared and ultraviolet light

by a factor of at least 100 thousand

times. For naked-eye viewing,

“

eclipse glasses” can be had cheaply

or you can use a #14 welding filter.

For more than 1-power magnifica-

tion, though, you’ll need something

of better optical quality – either

metal-on-glass, metal-on-mylar or

black polymer.

• A second alternative is to view the

transit by projecting the Sun’s image

through binoculars or a telescope

onto a white surface. The farther the

image from the eyepiece, the greater

the magnification, although the

image then becomes fainter. To get

Feature Story: Venus

The Upcoming Transit of Venus in June 2012

All Readers

Your comments, questions, etc.,

about this report are appreciated.

Please send them to:

ken.poshedly@alpo-astronomy.org

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 (Inter-

net 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

IAU directions are used in all

instances.

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 19

better contrast, try to shade the pro-

jection surface as much as possible

from sunlight and skylight. This

method is a bit more dangerous than

using a full-aperture solar filter

because the beam of sunlight emerg-

ing from the eyepiece is hot enough

to damage the eyepiece, burn some-

one, start a fire, and immediately

blind anyone attempting to look

directly through the eyepiece. With

reflecting telescopes, there is the

additional risk of overheating and

damaging the secondary mirror dur-

ing prolonged viewing.

• A third alternative is to use a tele-

scope specifically designed for solar

observation. Two instruments that

project images in integrated (white)

light are the Sunspotter Solar Tele-

scope (© Learning Technologies,

Inc.) and the Solarscope (© Solar-

scope, LLC). Another approach is a

direct-viewing narrow-band telescope

like the Personal Solar Telescope

(PST), most often centered on the H-

α line (656.28 nm).

Understanding that the form of observing

must be restricted to one of the safe

methods listed above, there is

considerable choice in the type of

equipment, as proven by observers

during the 2004 transit. The most basic

approach is the safely filtered naked eye.

Many observers, along with members of

the general public, thus watched Venus

creep across the face of the Sun during

the 19th-century transits or that of 2004.

This writer used this method to view the

Venus transit of 2004.

Still, magnification helps, even if just a

pair of binoculars (safely filtered or

utilized to project an image). With a small

telescope, perhaps a 60-mm aperture

instrument or more, at 50-100X, you

can time the contacts of Venus’s limb

with that of the Sun and probably see the

notorious black drop phenomenon. To

see the elusive aureole, though, we

recommend at least 150-mm aperture

and 150X or greater.

Table 1. Schedule of Events, Transit of Venus, 2012 (Geocentric)*

Event Universal Time Position Angle†Description

Contact I June 5, 22h 09m 41s 040.7° Ingress, exterior contact

Contact II June 5, 22h 27m 29s 038.2° Ingress, interior contact

Least Angular Distance‡June 6, 01h 29m 36s ------ Venus farthest into disk

Contact III June 6, 04h 31m 43s 292.7° Egress, interior contact

Contact IV June 6, 04h 49m 31s 290.1° Egress, exterior contact

* Data are from: United States, Nautical Almanac Office (2011). The Astronomical Almanac for the Year 2012. Washington: U.S. Government

Printing Office. p. A97. Note that the values are calculated for the diameter of the solid body of Venus (57.80”), rather than that of its cloud-

tops (58.26”).

† Measured counterclockwise from celestial north. ‡ 554.4” or 0.586 solar semidiameters.

Figure 1. The path of Venus across the Sun during the June 05-06, 2012 transit. Geocentric

view – the apparent path may shift north or south by up to one-third a Venus diameter,

depending on the observer’s location. Celestial north at top.

Page 20 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

The transit will offer many photographic

opportunities, using anything from a

telephoto lens to a telescope-mounted

video or CCD camera. Remember that

even a simple camera will need a safe

solar filter to be placed over its lens and

over its viewfinder lens if there is one.

Prior to the transit, experiment with

different ISO (light sensitivity) values and

exposure times to decide on the best

combination for the event itself. For

examples of transit of Venus

photography, hundreds of photographs

of the 2004 Venus transit can be found

on the ESO website, listed under “More

Transit Information” below. The same

section lists websites and publications

about transits of Venus that provide

further observing information.

What to Watch

You can also observe one interesting

phenomenon involving the planet Venus

both before and after the actual transit

date; that is, for about two weeks on

either side of June 5-6. During that

period of time, Venus’s apparent size is

large, but it takes the form of a narrow

crescent. Unlike, for example, the

crescent Moon, Venus’s outline then

extends for more than the theoretical l80

degrees – a phenomenon called the

elongation of the horns (also known as

the “cusp extension”), caused by

scattering of light in the planet’s upper

atmosphere and one of the earliest

proofs that the planet had an

atmosphere. Figure 4 shows the

appearance of this phenomenon. During

this four-week period, Venus is within

about 20 degrees of the Sun and thus is

difficult to observe in a dark sky.

However, if you choose instead to

observe the planet during daytime, you

obviously have to exercise extreme

caution not to accidentally turn the

telescope upon the Sun itself.

A much more rare phenomenon has

sometimes been reported when Venus

displays a crescent phase – an elusive

faint illumination of the planet’s night

side, called the ashen light. During this

apparition, Venus will appear as a

narrow crescent, less than 25-percent

sunlit, from early May through early July

2012. You should report any

observations, positive or negative, of

either the elongation of the horns, or of

the ashen light, to the ALPO Venus

Section Coordinator, Dr. Julius L.

Benton, Jr., jlbaina@msn.com . Use the

Venus Visual Observation form which

follows this article.

The actual 2012 transit of Venus begins

when the planet’s limb first touches that

of the Sun, called Contact I. Venus then

takes about 17 minutes to reach Contact

II, when it has fully entered the Sun’s

disk, and the interval between the two

contacts is called ingress.

After crossing the northern portion of

the Sun’s disk, about six hours later,

Venus’s limb again touches that of the

Sun, marking Contact III. Venus’s egress

takes another 17 minutes, with the entire

event completed at Contact IV.

Of course, of the portion of the Earth

where the transit is visible, some areas

will witness all four contacts, while other

areas will see only two or even just one.

Accurately timing these contacts was an

important activity in the 18th and 19th

centuries because differences in the times

as seen from different terrestrial locations

allowed the solar parallax to be calculated

– the key to the scale of the entire solar

system. Although that particular

application is no longer needed, many

Figure 2. Visibility zones for the transit of Venus on June 05-06, 2012. In local time, in areas of partial visibility, the transit occurs on June 5th

east of the International Date Line and on June 6th to its west.

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 21

observers of the 2004 transit of Venus

made such timings as an educational

exercise and in order to investigate the

sources of error in the historic

observations. The same type of program

will be conducted in 2012; see http://

transitofvenus.nl/wp/getting-involved/

measure-the-suns-distance for further

information.

The periods of ingress and egress are the

most interesting portions of the transit,

chiefly because it is then that the

phenomenon of the planet’s aureole

(“ring of light”) takes place. This is when

the portion of Venus outside the Sun’s

disk is outlined by an extremely bright,

but extremely narrow, arc of sunlight

refracted by the planet’s atmosphere.

The aureole is quite different in nature

from the aforementioned elongation of

the horns, and is challenging to observe –

one needs good optics, good seeing

(steady atmosphere) and good

transparency (clear skies). It was

glimpsed at the two 18th century

transits, seen more clearly with the

improved telescopes used in the 19th

century transits, but never photographed

until the 2004 event (Figure 5).

At the end of ingress, near Contact II, or

near Contact III at the beginning of

egress, it is unlikely that you will see a

clean break between the limbs of Venus

and the Sun. Instead there is a blurring

between the two limbs, often forming a

filament of darkness seemingly attached

to the planet (Figure 6). Its appearance,

called the “black drop,” was a surprise

when first seen by the 18th century

observers, has been reported at every

transit since then, and seen at transits of

Mercury as well as of Venus. Although

sometimes described as mysterious, the

black drop is nothing more than a simple

blurring effect caused by imperfect optics

(no telescope has infinite resolution),

atmospheric seeing and limb darkening

at the extreme solar limb. Any blurring

due to the atmosphere of Venus is

negligible compared with the other

factors – note that airless Mercury also

exhibits a black drop during its transits.

The interval between Contact II and III is,

frankly, less interesting than during

ingress and egress, although there is an

outside chance of the planet passing near

or even over a sunspot. The Venus

Figure 3. Worldwide mean long-term probability of sunshine during daylight hours for the month of June. Sources: [1] Leemans, Rik and

Cramer, Wolfgang P. (1991). The IIASA database for mean monthly values of temperature, precipitation, and cloudiness on a global

terrestrial grid. IIASA Publication RR-91-18. Laxenburg, Austria: International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis. [2] Rudloff, Willy

(1981). World-climates: With tables of climatic data and practical suggestions. Stuttgart: Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft mbH. [3]

Ruffner, James A. and Bair, Frank E., Eds. (1987). The weather almanac. 5th ed. Detroit: Gale Research.

Figure 4. Venus 1.83° from the Sun on

June 19, 1964, showing the elongation-

of-the-horns phenomenon. Photograph

by B. A. Smith with a 12-in. (30-cm)

reflector with a red filter. North at top.

Page 22 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

transit event takes place

near solar maximum,

and the proximity of

the pitch-black disk of

Venus to a sunspot

would demonstrate

than even the umbra of

a spot is far from black.

In addition, you could

photograph the Sun at

regular intervals during

the transit to plot the

passage of the planet

across its disk. Another

possible project would

be to team up with

another observer, far

distant from your

location, in order to

take simultaneous

photographs to

illustrate the parallactic

shift of the planet;

when mounted

properly, the paired

photographs would

bring home the actual

three-dimensional

nature of the

phenomenon.

Dissemination

and

Coordination

Your observations,

whether in the form of

timings, drawings, film

photographs or digital

images, are far more

valuable when shared,

and more valuable still

when part of an

organized program.

The ALPO Mercury/

Venus Transit

Coordinator (John

Westfall.

johnwestfall@comcast.

net, P.O. Box 2447,

Antioch, CA 94531-

2447) welcomes all

forms of observation of

this coming event. In

addition, check the

several programs

described on http://

www.transitofvenus.nl .

More Transit Information

Printed Sources

Espenak, Fred and Anderson, Jay

(2012). “The June transit of Venus.” Sky

& Telescope, 123 (1; January): 70-75.

Maor, Eli (2000). June 8, 2004: Venus in

transit. Princeton: Princeton University

Press.

Maunder, Michael and Moore, Patrick

(2000). Transit: when planets cross the

sun. London: Springer-Verlag London

Ltd.

Sellers, David (2001). The transit of

Venus: the quest to find the true

distance to the sun. Leeds: MagaVelda

Press.

Sheehan, William P. and Westfall, John

E. (2004). The transits of Venus.

Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books.

Transit Websites

Association of Lunar and Planetary

Observers, Mercury/Venus Transit

Section: http://alpo-astronomy.org

Fred Espenak’s website at NASA’s

Goddard Spaceflight Center: http://

sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/transit/

venus0412.html

A useful website by Chris Bueter, http://

www.transitofvenus.org , has links to

many other transit-related websites.

European Southern Observatory (ESO),

Educational Office, website http://

www.eso.org/outreach/eduoff/vt-2004

HM Nautical Almanac Office: http://

astro.ukho.gov.uk/nao/transit/V_2012

Steven van Roode’s Transit of Venus

site: http://www.transitofvenus.nl

A U.S. Naval Observatory website that

provides local event predictions: http://

aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/Transit.php

Eclipse/transit weather expert Jay

Anderson for weather prospects: http://

home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~jander/

tov2012/tovintro.htm

Figure 5. The aureole, outlining the portion of Venus still

outside the Sun’s disk during ingress during the transit of June

08, 2004. Taken by the TRACE (Transition Region and Coronal

Explorer) spacecraft in white light. The portion of the image

outside the solar limb has been enhanced. North at top.

Figure 6. Venus near Contact III during the June 08, 2004

transit, taken in white light by the TRACE spacecraft showing

the black drop effect. North at top.

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 23

Submitted by Frederick Pilcher,

ALPO Minor Planets Section coordi-

nator

pilcher@ic.edu

Paper by:

R. Stephens, Center for Solar System

Studies / MoreData!, rste-

phens@foxandstephens.com

B. D. Warner, Palmer Divide Observa-

tory /MoreData!, brian@MinorPlantOb-

server.com

R. Megna, Center for Solar System

Studies, rmegna@planetary-

sciences.org

D. Coley, Center for Solar System

Studies, dcoley@planetarysciences.org

Abstract

We obtained dense rotational

lightcurves for the main-belt asteroid 27

Euterpe during four apparitions in 2000,

2009, 2010 and 2011. The analysis

indicates retrograde rotation and

suggests, but does not confirm, that

Euterpe has albedo features making the

determination of an unambiguous spin

vector and model shape difficult.

Euterpe’s apparent nearly spherical

shape, low inclination, and pole within

about 35 degrees of the plane of the

solar system, caused two pole and

shape solutions to be present, differing

by about 180° in longitude. We found

solutions of (83°, -39°, 10.40825 ±

0.00003 h) and (261°, -30°, 10.40818 ±

0.00003 h). The approximate error in

the pole solutions is ± 10 degrees.

Results

The main-belt asteroid 27 Euterpe has

long been an enigma to observers. Its

apparent nearly non-elongated shape

and low amplitude frustrated the

attempts of many observers to determine

a rotational period. It wasn’t until 2000

that Stephens (Stephens et al. 2001)

published an accurate period for Euterpe.

Euterpe has also been suspected of

having albedo features. Bus (Bus and

Binzel, 2002) reports disparities in

spectra and ECAS reported colors for

Euterpe.

Mostly unfiltered observations were

obtained by the authors using small

telescopes (0.30 to 0.35 m) with SBIG or

FLI CCD cameras. Processing, lightcurve

analysis, and lightcurve inversion were

done using MPO Canopus, which

incorporates the Fourier analysis

algorithm (FALC) developed by Harris

(Harris et al., 1989), and MPO LCInvert.

In our analysis, we use the dense

lightcurve data from apparitions in 2000,

2009, 2010 and 2011 to find a probable

period. Figures 1 – 3 show previously

unpublished lightcurves from 2009,

2010 and 2011. Figures 4 and 5 shows

the PAB longitude and latitude

Distributions of the dense (blue) and

sparse (red) data used to form the final

Online Readers

Left-click your mouse on the e-mail address in blue text to contact the author of

this article, and selected references also in blue text at the end of this paper for

more information there.

Feature Story: Minor Planets

A Shape Model of the Main-Belt Asteroid 27 Euterpe

This report first appeared in The

Minor Planet Bulletin, Vol. 39, No.

1. The purpose of this republication

is to demonstrate the good work

being done by the ALPO Minor

Plants Section and recruit others to

likewise participate. While five-dol-

lar contributions are most welcome,

you may access the The Minor

Planet Bulletin at no charge online

at http://www.minorplanet.info/

mpbdownloads.html. Please note

that the hardcopy version of the

Journal of the Assn. of Lunar &

Planetary Observers (JALPO) does

not allow for color in these reports.

To see this report with color

images, please visit online at

www.alpo-astronomy.org/djalpo

Finally, Euterpe 27 was discovered

by J. R. Hind on November 8,

1853, and named after Euterpe,

the Muse of music in Greek mythol-

ogy.

Figure 1: Lightcurve from 2009 March.

Page 24 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

model. We started with the synodic

periods from the dense lightcurves to find

a sidereal period using LCInvert. This

was then applied in a pole search that

generated 264 solutions using discrete,

fixed longitude-latitude pairs but allowing

the sidereal period to “float.”

The results of this initial search are

shown in Figure 7. Dark blue indicates

the lower values of log (chi-square) in the

range of solutions. Colors progress

towards bright red with increasing log

(chi-square) with the highest value

indicated by maroon (dark red). From

Figure 7, two general solutions near

latitude B = -30° are easily seen (see

Hanus and Durech, 2011, for a

discussion of guidelines to determine the

validity of the “best solution” within a

given solution set).

The two intermediate solutions where

then refined by running the search again

using one of the two solutions as a

starting point and allowing the longitude

and latitude as well as the sidereal period

to float. For final modeling, we included a

sparse data set of USNOFlagstaff to

complement the dense lightcurve data

sets, but giving a much smaller weighting

to the USNO data.

The modeling was complicated by initial

“dark facet” sizes exceeding 1%, which

can indicate the possibility of albedo

variations (Durech et al., 2009). When

the weighting was raised to 2.0 before

modeling, the final dark facet size fell well

below 1%. This leaves the issue of albedo

variations somewhat in question.

Our final results show two possible

solutions, both with retrograde rotation.

The preferred solution is (83°, -39°,

10.40825 h) with an alternate solution

of (261°, -30°, 10.40818 h). Given the

low orbital inclination (1.6°) and the

nature of the lightcurve inversion

process, it is common to find a double

solution with the two usually differing by

180° in longitude. The error for the

poles is ±10° while the period solutions

have errors on the order of 2-3 units in

the last decimal place.

Further supporting our preference for

the (83°, -39°) solution is that the derived

shape (Figure 8) is a close match to the

1993 occultation profile obtained by

Dunham (1996), when nine observed

chords yielded a 124 x 75 km (77 x 47

mile) ellipse. In order to reconcile radar

observations with the occultation profile,

Magri et al. (1998) modeled Euterpe as a

triaxial ellipsoid of a/b = 1.15 ± 0.15

and b/c = 1.3 ± 0.3, or 127 x 110 x 85

km (79 x 68 x 53 miles).

In 2011 August, we obtained

observations through standard V and R

filters to determine if any color changes

to the rotational phase could be found.

Figure 10 shows that no color variations

were detected within V-R 0.02 mag.

The dense lightcurve data from all

apparitions have been uploaded to the

ALCDEF database (see Warner et al.,

2011) on the Minor Planet Center’s web

site (http://minorplanetcenter.net/

Light_curve).

Figure 3: Lightcurve from 2011 August.

Figure 2: Lightcurve from 2010 July.

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 25

References

Bus, S., and Binzel, R. (2002). “Phase II

of the Small Main-Belt Spectroscopic

Survey.” Icarus 158, 106-145.

Dunham, D. W. 1993 October 9

occultation of 8.3-mag. SAO 128735 by

(27) Euterpe. http://

www.anomalies.com/iota/more/

euterpe,htm.

Durech, J., Kaasalainen, M., Warner, B.

D., Fauerbach, M., Marks, S. A.,

Fauvaud, S., Fauvaud, M., Vugnon, J.-

M., Pilcher, F., Bernasconi, L., and

Behrend, R. (2009). “Asteroid models

from combined sparse and dense

photometric data.” Astron. Astrophys.

493, 291-297.

Hanuš, J. and Durech, J. (2011). “New

Asteroid Models Based on Combined

Dense and Sparse Photometry.” Astron.

Astrophys., submitted.

Harris, A.W., Young, J.W., Bowell, E.,

Martin, L.J., Millis, R.L., Poutanen, M.,

Scaltriti, F., Zappala, V., Schober, H.J.,

Debehogne, H., and Zeigler, K.W.,

(1989). “Photoelectric Observations of

Asteroids 3, 24, 60, 261, and 863.”

Icarus 77, 171-186.

Magri, C., Ostro, S., Rosema, K.,

Thomas, M., Mitchell, D., Campell, d.

Chandler, J., Shapiro, I, Giorgini, J., and

Yeomans, D. (1998). “Results of Arecibo

and Goldstone Radar Observations of

37 objects during 1980-1995.” Icarus

140, 379-407.

Minor Planet Center (2011). ALCDEF

Lightcurve Database. http://

minorplanetcenter.net/light_curve.

Pravec, P., Harris, A.W., Scheirich, P.,

Kušnirák, P., Šarounová, L., and 15

colleagues. (2005). “Tumbling

Asteroids.” Icarus 173, 108-131.

Stephens, R., Malcolm, G., Koff, R.,

Brincat, S., and Warner, B. D. (2001).

“New Period Determination for 27

Euterpe: A Collaborative Project.” Minor

Planet Bul. 27, 27-28.

Warner, B.D., Stephens, R.D., and

Harris, A.W. (2011). “Save the

Lightcurves.” Minor Planet Bul. 38, 3.

Figure 4. PAB Longitude Distribution of the dense (blue) and sparse (red) data used in the model.

Page 26 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

Figure 5. PAB Latitude Distribution of the dense (blue) and sparse (red) data used in the model.

Figure 6. Phase curve of the sparse data from USNO of the Pre- (red) and Post- (blue)

Opposition Data.

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 27

Figure 7. Plot of the log (chi-square) values. Dark blue represents the lowest chi-square value.

Figure 8. The shape model with the lowest chi-square value.

Page 28 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

Figure 10. Plot of Cousins V and R observations with V observations zero point shifted 0.47

magnitude to see if any color changes due to rotational phase could be detected. None

were seen to the limit of the noise.

Figure 9. Fit of the data points vs. the model for 2011 August 25.

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 29

By Julius L. Benton, Jr.,

Coordinator, ALPO Saturn Section

E-mail: jlbaina@msn.com

Abstract

The ALPO Saturn Section received 379

visual observations and digital images

during the 2008-09 apparition (from

October 17, 2008 through August 14,

2009) which were contributed by 44

observers in the United States, Puerto

Rico, Canada, China, France, Germany,

Iran, Australia, Japan, The Netherlands,

Philippines, Portugal, Spain, and United

Kingdom. Instruments used to carry out

the observations ranged from 9.0 cm

(3.5 in.) up to 38.0 cm (15.0 in.) in

aperture. Recurring short-lived dark

features were observed or imaged

throughout much of the observing

season in the South Equatorial Belt

(SEB), as well as dusky festoons in the

EZs just after opposition, and small dark

condensations were suspected in the

North Equatorial Belt (NEB) and North

Temperate Belt (NTeB). Observers

imaged the recurring presence of small

white spots in the South Tropical Zone

(STrZ), South Equatorial Belt Zone

(SEBZ), and Equatorial Zone (EZ)

during the apparition, while a rare white

spot was also imaged in the North Polar

Region (NPR). A few recurring central

meridian (CM) transit timings were

This paper includes a gallery of Saturn

images submitted by a number of

observers.

Please note that when a visual observer

records or suspects a specific feature on

Saturn, it is important to secure future

observations quickly if we wish to obtain

the period of rotation. For this purpose

we encourage observers to use these

facts: In System I (EZ plus NEB or SEB),

7 rotations are accomplished in close to 3

Earth-days, while in System II (rest of

planet), 9 rotations require close to 4

such days.

A complete set of Saturn Observing

Forms are available for downloading at

http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/

publications/ALPO Section

Publications/SaturnReportForms -

All.pdf

See the ALPO Resources Section, ALPO

Observing Section Publications of this

Journal for hardcopy availability.

Feature Story:

ALPO Observations of Saturn

During the 2008 - 2009 Apparition

Table Geocentric Phenomena in Universal Time (UT) for Saturn

During the 2008-2009 Apparition

Conjunction 2008 Sep 04d

Opposition 2009 Mar 08d

Sun passes through Ring Plane S→N2009 Aug 10d

Earth passes through Ring Plane S→N2009 Sep 04d

Conjunction 2009 Sep 17d

Opposition Data

Visual Magnitude +0.5

Constellation Leo

B-2.6°

B’ -2.5°

Globe Equatorial Diameter 19.6”

Polar Diameter 17.6”

Rings Major Axis 44.6”

Minor Axis 2.0”

All Readers

Your comments, questions, etc.,

about this report are appreciated.

Please send them to: ken.posh-

edly@alpo-astronomy.org for publi-

cation 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 (Inter-

net 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

Ring B has been adopted (for most

apparitions) as the standard on the

numerical sequence. The outer

third is the brightest part of Ring B,

and it has been assigned a con-

stant intensity of 8.0 in integrated

light (no filter). All other features on

the globe and in the rings are esti-

mated using this standard of refer-

ence.

ALPO Scale of Seeing Conditions:

0 = Worst

10 = Perfect

Scale of Transparency Conditions:

Magnitude of the faintest star visi-

ble near Saturn when allowing for

daylight and twilight

IAU directions are used in all

instances (so that Saturn rotates

from west to east).

Page 30 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

Table 2. 2008-09 Apparition of Saturn: Contributing Observers

Observer Location No. of Observations Telescopes Used

1. Abel, Paul G. Leichester, UK 12 20.3 cm (8.0 in.) NEW

2. Adelaar, Jan Arnhem, Netherlands 9 23.5 cm (9.25 in.) SCT

3. Akutsu, Tomio Cebu City, Philippines 19 35.6 cm (14.0 in.) SCT

4. Allen, Ethan Sebastopol, CA 2 35.6 cm (14.0 in.) SCT

5. Arditti, David Middlesex, UK 12 35.6 cm (14.0 in.) SCT

6. Benton, Julius L. Wilmington Island, GA 27 15.2 cm (6.0 in.) REF

7. Bosman, Richard Enschede, Netherlands 428.0 cm (11.0 in.) SCT

8. Boucheau, John Saugus, MA 2 28.0 cm (11.0 in.) SCT

9. Brimacombe, Joseph Cairns, Australia 135.6 cm (14.0 in.) SCT

10. Casquinha, Paolo Palmela, Portugal 16 35.6 cm (14.0 in.) SCT

11. Chang, Daniel Hong Kong, China 125.4 cm (10.0 in.) SCT

12. Chavez, Rolando Powder Springs, GA 1 35.6 cm (14.0 in.) SCT

13. Chester, Geoff Alexandria, VA 4

120.3 cm (8.0 in.) SCT

30.5 cm (12.0 in.) REF

14. Delcroix, Marc Tournefeuille, France 26 25.4 cm (10.0 in.) SCT

15. Edwards, Peter West Sussex, UK 228.0 cm (11.0 in.) SCT

16. Ghomizadeh, Sadegh Tehran, Iran 2 35.6 cm (14.0 in.) SCT

17. Go, Christopher Cebu City, Philippines 27 28.0 cm (11.0 in.) SCT

18. Haas, Walter H. Las Cruces, NM 1 31.8 cm (12.5 in.) NEW

19. Haberman, Bob San Francisco, CA 325.4 cm (10.0 in.) SCT

20. Heard, Kearon Suffolk, UK 1 20.3 cm (8.0 in.) CAS

21. Hill, Rik Tucson, AZ 3

12 9.0 cm (3.5 in.) MAK

35.6 cm (14.0 in.) SCT

22. Ikemura, Toshihiko Osaka, Japan 9 38.0 cm (15.0 in.) NEW

23. Jakiel, Richard Douglasville, GA 530.5 cm (12.0 in.) SCT

24. Lawrence, Pete Selsey, UK 1 35.6 cm (14.0 in.) SCT

25. Mattei, Michael Littleton, MA 135.6 cm (14.0 in.) SCT

26. Maxson, Paul Phoenix, AZ 56 25.4 cm (10.0 in.) DAL

27. Melillo, Frank J. Holtsville, NY 225.4 cm (10.0 in.) SCT

28. Melka, Jim St. Louis, MO 6 30.5 cm (12.0 in.) SCT

29. Niechoy, Detlev Göttingen, Germany 920.3 cm (8.0 in.) SCT

30. Owens, Larry Alpharetta, GA 3 35.6 cm (14.0 in.) SCT

31. Peach, Damian Norfolk, UK 28 35.6 cm (14.0 in.) SCT

32. Pellier, Christophe Bruz, FR 7 25.4 cm (10.0 in.) CAS

33. Phillips, Jim Charleston, SC 8

320.3 cm (8.0 in.) REF

25.4 cm (10.0 in.) REF

34. Phillips, Michael A. Swift Creek, NC 5 20.3 cm (8.0 in.) SCT

35. Ramakers, Theo Social Circle, GA 15 23.5 cm (9.25 in.) SCT

36. Robbins, Sol C. Fair Lawn, NJ 2 15.2 cm (6.0 in.) REF

37. Roussell, Carl Hamilton, ON, Canada 815.2 cm (6.0 in.) REF

38. Sanchez, Jesus Cordoba, Spain 1

126.0 cm (10.2 in.) CAS

28.0 cm (11.0 in.) SCT

39. Santacana, Guido San Juan, Puerto Rico 215.2 cm (6.0 in.) REF

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 31

submitted for a few of these features.

The inclination of Saturn’s ring system

toward Earth, B, attained a maximum

value of –4.2° on May 13, 2009. The

Earth passed through the ring plane on

September 4, 2009 (B = 0.0°) marking

the first edgewise orientation of the

rings since 1995, albeit extremely

unfavorable for observers since the ring

passage occurred only about two weeks

before conjunction with the Sun.

Because of the diminished ring tilt in

2008-09, observers were able to see

and image many of Saturn’s traditional

global feature in both hemispheres. In

subsequent apparitions, until the next

edgewise orientation in March 2025, it

will be the Northern Hemisphere of the

planet and North face of the rings that

will be increasingly inclined toward

Earth for visual observations and

imaging. A summary of visual

observations and digital images of

Saturn contributed during the apparition

are discussed, including the results of

continuing efforts to image the bicolored

aspect and azimuthal brightness

asymmetries of the rings.

Accompanying the report are

references, drawings, photographs,

digital images, graphs, and tables.

Introduction

This report is a result of an analysis of

379 visual observations, descriptive

notes, and digital images contributed to

the ALPO Saturn Section by 44

observers from October 17, 2008

through August 14, 2009, referred to

hereinafter as the 2008-09 “observing

season” or apparition of Saturn. Several

drawings and images are included with

this summary, integrated as much as

feasible with topics discussed in the text,

with times and dates all given in

Universal Time (UT).

Table 1 provides geocentric data in

Universal Time (UT) for the 2008-09

apparition. The numerical value of B, or

the Saturnicentric latitude of the Earth

referred to the ring plane (+ when north),

ranged between the extremes of -4.2º

(May 13, 2009) and -1.3º (August 14,

2009). It should be pointed out that the

value of B was 0.0º on September 4,

2009, the date of edgewise presentation

of the ring plane toward Earth, but there

were no observations of the event

because Saturn was too near the Sun

(only 13 days before conjunction). The

value of B', the saturnicentric latitude of

the Sun, varied from -4.7º (October 17,

2008) to 0º.0 (August 14, 2009).

Table 2 lists the 44 individuals who all

together submitted 379 reports to the

ALPO Saturn Section this apparition,

along with their observing sites, number

of observations, telescope aperture, and

type of instrument. Figure 1 is a

histogram showing the distribution of

observations by month, where it is can be

seen that 43.5% were made prior to

opposition, 1.1% at opposition (March

8, 2009), and 55.4% thereafter.

40. Sharp, Ian West Sussex, UK 5 28.0 cm (11.0 in.) SCT

41. Viladrich, Christian Paris, France 135.6 cm (14.0 in.) SCT

42. Walker, Sean Manchester, NH 1 35.6 cm (14.0 in.) SCT

43. Warren, Joel Amarillo, TX 320.3 cm (8.0 in.) SCT

44. Wesley, Anthony Murrumbateman, Australia 9 36.8 cm (14.5 in.) NEW

TOTAL OBSERVATIONS 379

TOTAL OBSERVERS 44

Instrumentation Abbreviations:

NEW = Newtonian, CAS = Cassegrain, SCT = Schmidt-Cassegrain, MAK= Maksutov-Cassegrain

REF = Refractor, DAL = Dall-Kirkham

Table 2. 2008-09 Apparition of Saturn: Contributing Observers (Continued)

Observer Location No. of Observations Telescopes Used

Distribution of Observations by Month

The 2008-09 Apparition of Saturn

0 102030405060708090

August

July

Jun

May

Apr

Mar

Feb

2009 Jan

Dec

Nov

2008 Oct

Month of Observation

Number of Observations

Figure 1

Page 32 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

Although there usually is a tendency for

observers to view Saturn more frequently

around the date of opposition when the

planet is well-placed high in the evening

sky, coverage was more evenly

distributed throughout the 2008-09

apparition (92.6% of all observations

took place from November 2008

through May 2009). Observers are

always encouraged to begin drawing and

imaging Saturn as soon as the planet

becomes visible in the eastern sky before

sunrise right after conjunction. Our goal

is to carry out regular observational

surveillance of the planet for as much of

its mean synodic period of 378d as

possible (this period refers to the elapsed

time from one conjunction of Saturn with

the Sun to the next, which is slightly

longer than a terrestrial year).

Figure 2 and Figure 3 show the ALPO

Saturn Section observer base and the

international distribution of all

observations submitted during the

apparition. The United States accounted

for 45.5% of the participating observers

and 43.8% of the submitted

observations. With 54.5% of all

observers residing in Puerto Rico, Canada,

China, France, Germany, Iran, Australia,

Japan, The Netherlands, Philippines,

Portugal, Spain, and United Kingdom,

whose total contributions represented

56.2% of the observations, international

cooperation continued to be excellent

this observing season.

Figure 4 graphs the number of

observations this apparition by

instrument type. Roughly one-fourth

(25.6%) of all observations were made

with telescopes of classical design

(refractors, Newtonian, and Cassegrains).

Classical designs with superb optics and

precise collimation frequently produce

high-resolution images with excellent

contrast, a likely reason why they have

often been the instruments of choice for

visual studies of the Moon and planets. In

recent apparitions, however, since a

variety of adapters are readily available to

attach digital imagers to them, the

utilization of comparatively compact and

portable Schmidt-Cassegrains and

Maksutov-Cassegrains has been growing.

It has been repeatedly established that

such instruments outfitted with quality

well-collimated optics produce very fine

images of Saturn.

Telescopes with apertures of 15.2 cm

(6.0 in.) or larger accounted for 99.2% of

the observations contributed this

apparition. Even so, there are numerous

historical instances where considerably

smaller instruments of good quality

ranging from 10.2 cm (4.0 in.) to 12.7

cm (5.0 in.) have been quite useful for

many aspects of our Saturn observing

programs.

The ALPO Saturn Section appreciates all

of the data, descriptive reports, digital

images, and visual drawings submitted by

the dedicated observers listed in Table 2

for the 2008-09 apparition, without

which this report would not have been

possible. Readers desiring to participate

in the observing programs for Saturn

using visual methods (i.e., drawings,

intensity and latitude estimates, and CM

transit timings) and digital imaging

techniques are encouraged to do so in

upcoming observing seasons as we

continue our quest for maintaining

international cooperative studies of

Saturn. All methods of recording

observations are considered crucial to the

success of our programs, whether there

is a preference for sketching Saturn at

the eyepiece or simply writing descriptive

reports, making visual numerical relative

intensity or latitude estimates, or

pursuing digital imaging. It should be

noted that, in recent years, too few

experienced observers are making

routine visual numerical relative intensity

estimates, which are badly needed for a

continued comparative analysis of belt,

zone, and ring component brightness

fluctuations over many apparitions. The

Saturn Section, therefore, appeals to

observers to set aside a few enough time

while at the telescope to record intensity

estimates (visual photometry) in

integrated light and with standard color

filters. The ALPO Saturn Section is

always pleased to receive observations

from novices, and the author is always

delighted to offer assistance as one

becomes acquainted with our programs.

The Globe of Saturn

The 379 observations submitted to the

ALPO Saturn Section during 2008-09

were used in preparing this summary of

this apparition’s activities. Drawings,

digital images, tables, and graphs are

included so readers may refer to them as

they study the content of this report. For

drawings or images utilized as examples

of the more notable features or

phenomena occurring within Saturn’s

belts and zones, contributors are

identified in the text along with dates and

times of those specific observations for

easy reference back to the relevant tables

that list instrumentation employed,

seeing, transparency, CM data, and so

forth. In addition, captions associated

with illustrations provide useful

information.

Observers By Nationality

The 2008-09 Apparition of Saturn

0 5 10 15 20 25

Canada

China

France

Germany

Iran

Australia

Japan

Netherlands

Philippines

Portugal

Spain

Puerto Rico

United Kingdom

United States

Participating Observers

Figure 2

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 33

Features on the globe of Saturn are

described in south-to-north order and can

be identified by referring to the

nomenclature diagram shown in Figure

5. If no reference is made to a global

feature in our south-to-north discussion,

the area was not reported by observers

during the 2008-09 apparition. It has

been customary in past Saturn apparition

reports to compare the morphology and

brightness of atmospheric features

between observing seasons, and this

practice continues with this report so

readers are aware of very subtle, but

nonetheless recognizable, variations that

may be occurring seasonally on the

planet.

Small intensity fluctuations of Saturn’s

atmospheric features (see Table 3) may

be simply due to the varying inclination

of the planet's rotational axis relative to

the Earth and Sun, although photometric

work in the past has shown that tiny

oscillations of roughly 0.10 in the visual

magnitude of Saturn over nearly a

decade likely occur. Transient and longer-

Table 3. Visual Numerical Relative Intensity Estimates and Colors for the 2008-09 Apparition of Saturn

Globe/Ring Feature # Estimates 2008-09 Mean Intensity

& Standard Error Intensity Variance

Since 2007-08 Mean Derived Color

Zones

SPR 72.43 ± 0.16 -1.13 Dark Gray

STeZ 8 5.25 ± 0.15 +0.13 Dull Yellowish-White

STrZ 8 5.88 ± 0.12 -0.39 Yellowish-White

SEBZ 7 4.93 ± 0.07 +0.26 Dull Yellowish-Gray

EZs 97.06 ± 0.05 -0.46 Bright Yellowish-White

EZn 9 6.59 ± 0.15 -0.63 Pale Yellowish-White

NTrZ 85.75 ± 0.13 +0.37 Dull Yellowish-White

NTeZ 6 5.08 ± 0.08 — Dull Yellowish-White

NPR 25.00 ± 0.00 +0.28 Light Gray

Belts

SEB (whole) 93.89 ± 0.13 +0.30 Dark Grayish-Brown

SEBs 8 4.05 ± 0.04 +0.32 Dark Grayish-Brown

SEBn 93.52 ± 0.42 -0.47 Dark Grayish-Brown

NEBw 9 3.82 ± 0.12 -0.11 Dark Grayish-Brown

NTeB 14.00 ± 0.00 —Dark Grayish-Brown

Rings

A (whole) 86.75 ± 0.15 +0.50 Yellowish-White

A0 or B10 4 0.50 ± 0.43 -0.19 Grayish-Black

B (outer 1/3)9 8.00 ± 0.00 STD 0.00 Brilliant White

B (inner 2/3)9 7.00 ± 0.00 -0.03 Bright Yellowish-White

Crape Band 2 1.50 ± 0.35 -1.10 Very Dark Gray

Sh G or R 7 0.00 ± 0.00 -0.15 Black shadow

Sh R of G 70.00 ± 0.00 -0.36 Black shadow

Notes:

For nomenclature see text and Figure 5. A letter with a digit (e.g., A0 or B10) refers to a location in the ring specified

in terms of units of tenths of the distance from the inner edge to the outer edge. Visual numerical relative intensity

estimates (visual surface photometry) are based upon the ALPO Intensity Scale, where 0.0 denotes complete black

(shadow) and 10.0 refers to the most brilliant condition (very brightest Solar System objects). The adopted scale for

Saturn uses a reference standard of 8.0 for the outer third of Ring B, which appears to remain stable in intensity for

most ring inclinations. All other features on the Globe or in the rings are compared systematically using this scale,

described in the Saturn Handbook, which is issued by the ALPO Saturn Section. The “Intensity Variance Since 2007-08”

is in the same sense of the 2007-08 value subtracted from the 2008-09 value, “+” denoting an increase (brightening)

and “-” indicating a decrease (darkening). When the apparent change is less than about 3 times the standard error, it

is probably not statistically significant.

Page 34 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

lasting atmospheric features seen or

imaged in various belts and zones on the

globe may also play a role in subtle

apparent brightness fluctuations. Regular

photoelectric photometry of Saturn, in

conjunction with carefully-executed visual

numerical relative intensity estimates, is

encouraged.

The intensity scale routinely employed by

Saturn observers is the standard ALPO

Standard Numerical Relative Intensity

Scale, such that 0.0 denotes a total black

condition (e.g., complete shadow) and

10.0 is the maximum brightness of a

feature or phenomenon (e.g., an

unusually bright EZ or dazzling white

spot). This numerical scale is normalized

by setting the outer third of Ring B at a

“standard” intensity of 8.0. The

arithmetic sign of an intensity change is

determined by subtracting a feature's

2007-08 intensity from its 2008-09

value. Suspected variances of 0.10 mean

intensity points are usually considered

insignificant, while reported changes in

intensity that do not equal or exceed

roughly three times the standard error

are probably not important.

It is always worthwhile to evaluate digital

images of Saturn contributed by ALPO

observers using different apertures and

filter techniques. The goal is to

understand the level of detail seen and

how it compares with visual impressions

of the globe and rings, including any

correlation with spacecraft imaging and

results from professional observatories.

So, in addition to routine visual studies,

such as drawings and visual numerical

relative intensity estimates, Saturn

observers should systematically image the

planet every possible clear night to try to

document individual features on the

globe and in the rings, their motion and

morphology (including changes in

intensity and hue), to serve as input for

grouping with images taken by

professional ground-based observatories

and spacecraft monitoring Saturn at

close range. Furthermore, comparing

images taken over several apparitions for

a given hemisphere of Saturn’s globe

provides information on seasonal

changes long suspected by observers

making visual numerical relative intensity

estimates. Images and systematic visual

observations by amateurs are being used

as initial alerts of interesting large-scale

features on Saturn that professionals

may not already know about but can

subsequently examine further with

considerably larger specialized

instrumentation.

Particles in Saturn's atmosphere reflect

different wavelengths of light in very

distinct ways, which causes some belts

and zones to appear especially

prominent, while others look very dark,

so imaging the planet with a series of

Observations By Nationality

The 2008-09 Apparition of Saturn

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140

Canada

China

France

Germany

Iran

Australia

Japan

Netherlands

Philippines

Portugal

Spain

Puerto Rico

United Kingdom

United States

Number of Observations

Figure 3

Distribution of Observations by

Optical Design of Telescope

The 2008-09 Apparition of Saturn

0 50 100 150

Cassegrain

Dall-Kirkham

Schmidt-

Cassegrain

Maksutov-

Cassegrain

Newtonian

Refractor

Figure 4

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 35

color filters may help shed light on the

dynamics, structure, and composition of

its atmosphere. In the UV and IR regions

of the electromagnetic spectrum, it is

possible to determine additional

properties as well as the sizes of aerosols

present in different atmospheric layers

not otherwise accessible at visual

wavelengths, as well as useful data about

the cloud-covered satellite Titan. UV

wavelengths shorter than 320nm are

effectively blocked by the Earth’s

stratospheric ozone (O3), while H2O-

vapor and CO2 molecules absorb in the

IR region beyond 727nm, and the

human eye is insensitive to UV light short

of 320nm and can detect only about

1.0% at 690nm and 0.01% at 750nm in

the IR (beyond 750nm visual sensitivity is

essentially nil). Although most of the

reflected light from Saturn reaching

terrestrial observers is in the form of

visible light, some UV and IR

wavelengths that lie on either side and in

close proximity to the visual region

penetrate to the Earth’s surface, and

imaging Saturn in these near-IR and

near-UV bands has in the past provided

some remarkable results. The effects of

absorption and scattering of light by the

Table 4. White Spots in the STrZ During the 2008-09 Apparition of Saturn

Date

(UT) UT

Start UT

End CM Start CM End

yyyy

mm dd hh:mm hh:mm I

(°)II

(°)III

(°)I

(°)II

(°)III

(°)Obs Obs

Stn Inst

(cm) Inst

Type STrNotes

2008 12 07 6:37 6:47 1.7 333.4 292.3 7.5 339.0 297.9 Peach UK 35.6 SCT STrZ White

Spot

2008 12 07 7:13 7:24 22.8 353.7 312.6 29.2 359.9 318.8 Arditti UK 35.6 SCT STrZ White

Spot

2008 12 10 19:48 20:53 118.5 335.5 290.2 156.6 12.2 326.8 Akutsu PHIL 35.6 SCT 6.0 3.0 STrZ White

Spot in

RGB

2008 12 10 19:59 20:30 125.0 341.7 296.4 143.1 359.2 313.9 Ikemura JAP 38.0 NEW

Subtle

STrZ White

Spot in

RGB

2009 02 14 22:51 23:54 154.9 35.9 270.8 191.9 71.4 306.3 Pellier FRA 25.4 CAS 8.0 4.5

STrZ White

Spot (more

prominent

in red filter)

2009 03 02 15:10 15:21 74.8 169.3 25.3 81.2 175.5 31.5 Akutsu PHIL 35.6 SCT 6.0 3.5 STrZ White

Spot

2009 03 03 0:59 60.1 141.4 356.9 Adelaar NETH 23.5 SCT STrZ White

Spot

2009 03 03 0:33 0:50 44.9 126.8 342.3 54.9 136.4 351.9 Pellier FRA 25.4 CAS 5.0 5.0 STrZ White

Spot

2009 04 19 3:22 227.7 227.7 26.4 Maxson USA 25.4 DALL STrZ White

spot?

2009 04 23 1:40 1:58 305.0 178.2 332.1 315.6 188.3 342.3 Melka USA 30.5 NEW 6.0 5.0 STrZ White

Spot(s)

2009 05 26 20:00 9.8 232.5 345.7 Peach UK 35.6 SCT Diffuse

STrZ Wh

Spot

2009 06 03 20:26 298.6 262.3 5.9 Delcroix FRA 25.4 SCT 4.5 4.0 STrZ White

Spot

2009 06 11 20:32 215.7 280.8 14.7 Delcroix FRA 25.4 SCT 6.0 4.0 STrZ White

Spot

2009 07 08 7:57 245.6 175.7 237.7 Wesley AUST 36.8 NEW

STrZ White

Spots

Page 36 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

planet’s atmospheric gases and clouds at

various heights and with different

thicknesses are often noticeable. Indeed,

such images periodically show differential

light absorption by particles with

dissimilar hues intermixed with Saturn’s

white NH3 clouds.

Estimates of Latitude of Global

Features

Observers should try to utilize the handy

visual method developed by Haas over

60 years ago to perform estimates of

Saturnian global latitudes every

apparition. It is easy to employ.

Observers simply estimate the fraction of

the polar semidiameter of the Saturn's

globe subtended on the central meridian

(CM) between the limb and the feature

whose latitude is desired. As a control on

the accuracy of this method, observers

should include in their estimates the

position on the CM of the projected ring

edges and the shadow of the rings. The

actual latitudes can then be calculated

from the known values of B and B¢ and

the dimensions of the rings, but this test

cannot be effectively applied when B and

B¢ are near their maximum attained

numerical values. Experienced observers

have used this visual technique for many

years with very reliable results, especially

since filar micrometers are hard to find

and tend to be very expensive, not to

mention sometimes tedious to use. Few

observers submitted estimates of

Saturnian latitudes during 2008-09, and

it would be very good if more observers

would employ this simple and convenient

method in future apparitions. A detailed

description of the technique can be found

in the author’s book entitled Saturn and

How To Observe It, published by

Springer and available from booksellers

worldwide.

Southern Regions of the Globe

During the 2008-09 apparition B

attained a maximum value of only -4.2°,

and although observers could view

regions of the Southern Hemisphere of

Saturn to good advantage, visibility of

areas near the extreme South limb (e.g.,

SPR) was affected due to the decreasing

tilt of the rings toward our line of sight.

After reducing visual numerical relative

intensity estimates received this

apparition, the mean brightness of the

Southern Hemisphere features of Saturn

showed no significant change since

2007-08. Some visual observers strongly

suspected, however, that several belts

and zones in the Southern Hemisphere

showed signs of a continued subtle

decline in overall brightness over the last

several observing seasons.

From mid-November 2008 through early

July 2009, quite a few observers visually

suspected (using color filter techniques)

or digitally imaged small white spots in

the STrZ, SEBZ, and EZ that seemed to

evolve with time. Dark condensations

and various other dusky features within

the SEBs and SEBn were sketched or

imaged on several occasions from mid-

February through mid-June 2009. Wispy

festoons in the EZs were also depicted in

submitted drawings on a few occasions in

February and April 2009. These

phenomena are discussed in the

forthcoming paragraphs dealing

Figure 5. Saturn nomenclature, where A = Ring A, B = Band or Ring B or saturnicentric

latitude of Earth, C = Ring C or Cap, E = Equatorial, f = following (celestial east), G =

Globe, n = north component, N = North, p = preceding (celestial west), P = Polar, R =

Ring(s) or Region, s = south component, S = South, Te = Temperate, Tr = Tropical, Z =

Zone. The ring Ansae (not labeled) are the easternmost and westernmost protrusions of

the Ring System. Note that “Gap” is also called “Division” or “Complex.” South is at the top

in this inverted view, similar to the orientation seen through an inverting telescope in

Earth's Northern Hemisphere.

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 37

separately with each region of Saturn’s

globe. White spots, usually caused by

upward convection of NH4 (ammonia) in

Saturn’s atmosphere, showed subtle but

recognizable morphological changes over

time. The structure of zonal wind profiles

in the STrZ, SEBZ, and EZ seem to

contribute to the emergence and

behavior of such discrete features. High-

resolution imaging documented several

white spots and dark features in these

regions for a few rotations of Saturn, but

re-identification and subsequent tracking

of the same features proved difficult, thus

no CM transit timings were provided to

facilitate derivation of drift rates of these

transient phenomena.

There have been discussions over the last

several apparitions that suspected slight

increases or decreases in atmospheric

activity on Saturn could be a

consequence of the planet’s seasonal

insolation cycle, but measurements in the

past suggest only a slow thermal

response to solar heating at Saturn’s

perihelion distance of ~9.0 AU from the

Sun. So, as time elapses with succeeding

apparitions following Saturn’s perihelion

passage back in 2003, observers should

still maintain a watchful eye on the

planet’s Southern Hemisphere, since a

lag in the planet’s atmospheric thermal

response could roughly mimic what we

experience on Earth; that is, the warmest

days do not arrive on the first day of

summer but occur several weeks later.

Any similar effect on Saturn would be

extremely subtle, however, and probably

not noticed for quite a number of years.

South Polar Region (SPR)

Based on visual numerical relative

intensity estimates submitted during the

2008-09 apparition, the dark gray SPR

may have been a little darker in

appearance than in 2007-08 (by a subtle

mean visual intensity value of −1.13).

Despite the suspicion of a slight

brightening of this region back in 2004-

05, the weak darkening trend believed to

be underway every apparition since the

2001-02 observing season may have

continued in 2008-09. No drawings by

visual observers or digital images of the

SPR revealed discrete activity in this

region during the apparition. The South

Polar Cap (SPC) was not reported by

observers making visual numerical

relative intensity estimates in 2008-09,

nor was this feature easy to discern in

most digital images, likely due to of the

increasingly smaller ring tilt to our line of

sight. A dark gray South Polar Belt (SPB)

encircling the SPR was not reported by

visual observers during the apparition,

but this feature was apparent in at least a

few digital images received [refer to

Illustration No. 001].

South South Temperate Zone

(SSTeZ)

The SSTeZ was seldom reported by

visual observers during this observing

season, with no visual numerical relative

intensity estimates being contributed. Its

detection visually required the best seeing

conditions and larger apertures, but

several digital images revealed a narrow

SSTeZ devoid of any recognizable activity

[refer to Illustration No. 002].

South South Temperate Belt (SSTeB)

The very dark gray SSTeB was rarely

sighted by contributing observers during

2008-09. No one provided intensity

estimates of this always ill-defined belt,

but the narrow belt was revealed on

Figure 6. Three images furnished by Christopher Go using a 28.0 cm (11.0 in.) SCT on

November 22, 2008, March 8, 2009, and May 23, 2009, to illustrate the changing position of

the shadow of the globe of Saturn on the rings (Sh G on R) prior to and following opposition.

Page 38 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

Table 5. White Spots in the SEBZ During the 2008-09 Apparition of Saturn

Date

(UT) UT

Start UT

End CM Start CM End

yyyy mm

dd hh:mm hh:mm I

(°)II

(°)III

(°)I

(°)II

(°)III

(°)Obs Obs

Stn Inst

(cm) Inst

Type STr Notes

2008 11 16 14:14 14:19 178.9 98.7 82.6 181.8 101.5 85.4 Allen USA 35.6 SCT 4.0 4.0

SEBZ White

Spot

(especially

noticeable in

red filter)

2008 12 01 5:09 284.1 91.5 57.8 Niechoy GER 20.3 SCT SEBZ White

Spot near

2008 12 07 7:13 7:24 22.8 353.7 312.6 29.2 359.9 318.8 Arditti UK 35.6 SCT SEBZ White

Spot

2008 12 07 6:37 6:47 1.7 333.4 292.3 7.5 339.0 297.9 Peach UK 35.6 SCT SEBZ White

Spot

2008 12 13 20:40 21:26 162.0 281.0 232.0 189.0 306.9 257.9 Akutsu PHIL 35.6 SCT 6.0 3.0 SEBZ White

Spot at CM

2008 12 20 21:20 21:26 336.0 227.9 170.4 339.5 231.3 173.8 Akutsu PHIL 35.6 SCT 7.0 3.0 SEBZ White

Spot

2008 12 22 5:09 15.3 224.5 165.4 Casquinha PORT 35.6 SCT SEBZ White

Spot

2009 01 08 19:30 20:02 114.6 115.2 34.9 133.3 133.3 52.9 Akutsu PHIL 35.6 SCT 7.0 3.0 SEBZ White

Spot (RGB)

2009 01 27 18:22 18:50 278.1 26.5 283.4 294.5 42.3 299.1 Akutsu PHIL 35.6 SCT 7.5 3.0 SEBZ White

Spot

2009 01 27 18:39 19:11 288.1 36.1 292.9 306.8 54.2 311.0 Go PHIL 28.0 SCT 7.5 5.0 SEBZ White

Spot

2009 02 16 3:30 4:46 82.9 285.3 158.8 127.5 328.2 201.6 Casquinha PORT 35.6 SCT

SEBZ White

Spot and

EZn White

Spot

2009 02 19 23:46 89.1 167.3 36.2 Delcroix FRA 25.4 SCT 7.5 4.0

SEBZ White

Spot

suspected in

image

2009 02 28 0:19 0:42 23.5 202.6 61.8 37.0 215.6 74.7 Delcroix FRA 25.4 SCT 6.0 3.0

SEBZ Wh

Spot in IR

and faintly

noticeable in

RGB

2009 02 28 0:04 1:34 14.7 194.2 53.3 67.5 244.9 104.0 Pellier FRA 25.4 CAS 5.0 6.0 SEBZ Wh

Spot in IR

2009 03 02 15:10 15:21 74.8 169.3 25.3 81.2 175.5 31.5 Akutsu PHIL 35.6 SCT 6.0 3.5 SEBZ White

Spot

2009 03 03 0:59 60.1 141.4 356.9 Adelaar NETH 23.5 SCT SEBZ White

Spot

2009 03 18 22:40 168.5 96.1 292.4 Peach UK 35.6 SCT SEB White

spot

2009 04 05 13:27 13:45 282.2 0.9 175.9 292.8 186.1 Go PHIL 28.0 SCT 7.5 5.0 SEBZ White

spot

2009 05 02 20:38 21:20 290.6 207.5 439.7 315.2 231.2 13.3 Delcroix FRA 25.4 SCT 4.5 4.0

SEBZ Wh

Spot

suspected in

R+IR

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 39

Table 6. Dark Features in the SEB During the 2008-09 Apparition of Saturn

Date

(UT) UT

Start UT

End CM Start CM End

yyyy mm

dd hh:mm hh:mm I

(°)II

(°)III

(°)I

(°)II

(°)III

(°)Obs Obs

Stn Inst

(cm) Inst

Type STrNotes

2009 02 17 5:33 5:44 279.4 86.8 318.9 285.9 93.0 325.1 Roussell CAN 15.2 REF 5.0 3.0

Suspect

ed dark

elongati

ons in

SEBs

and

SEBn

2009 02 19 23:46 90.9 169.0 37.9 Delcroix FRA 25.4 SCT 7.5 4.0

SEBs

dark

spot

possible

in image

2009 03 01 4:25 4:36 292.2 73.4 291.2 298.6 79.6 297.4 Roussell CAN 15.2 REF 5.0 3.5

Suspect

ed small

dark

condens

ations in

SEBn

and

SEBs

2009 03 13 22:58 23:34 277.2 6.0 208.3 298.4 26.3 228.6 Delcroix FRA 25.4 SCT 5.0 3.0

Dark

spots

suspect

ed in

SEBn

(could

noise)

2009 03 20 23:01 69.5 292.0 125.9 Peach UK 35.6 SCT SEBn

dusky

streak

2009 03 21 0:34 124.0 344.5 178.3 Abel UK 20.3 NEW Dusky

features

in SEBn

2009 04 18 21:20 22:08 15.5 23.6 182.6 43.6 50.7 209.6 Delcroix FRA 25.4 SCT 5.0 3.0

Possible

dark

spot in

SEBn

2009 06 02 20:15 20:22 168.0 164.2 269.0 172.1 168.2 273.0 Delcroix FRA 25.4 SCT 4.5 4.0

SEBn

dark

spot or

just

noise?

2009 06 11 20:32 215.7 280.8 14.7 Delcroix FRA 25.4 SCT 6.0 4.0 SEBn

dark

spot

Page 40 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

Table 7. White Spots in the EZ During the 2008-09 Apparition of Saturn

Date (UT) UT

Start UT

End CM Start CM End

yyyy mm

dd hh:mm hh:mm I

(°)II

(°)III

(°)I

(°)II

(°)III

(°)Obs Obs

Stn Inst

(cm) Inst

Type STr Notes

2008 12 22 5:20 6:08 21.8 230.7 171.6 49.9 257.7 198.6 Delcroix FRA 25.4 SCT

EZn White

Spot most

obvious in R

+ IR

2009 01 04 2:25 4:00 96.0 248.9 174.2 151.7 302.4 227.7 Pellier FRA 25.4 CAS 8.5 5.0

EZn White

Spot most

notable in

R+IR

2009 01 07 2:10 2:14 100.3 156.6 78.4 102.7 158.9 80.7 Casquinha PORT 35.6 SCT EZn White

Spot

2009 01 08 19:30 20:02 114.6 115.2 34.9 133.3 133.3 52.9 Akutsu PHIL 35.6 SCT 7.0 3.0 EZn White

Spot (red

filter)

2009 01 17 18:13 108.9 180.5 89.5 Wesley AUST 36.8 NEW EZn White

Spot in Red

2009 01 23 17:08 18:03 97.1 336.4 238.1 129.4 7.4 269.1 Akutsu PHIL 35.6 SCT 6.0 4.0 EZn Wh Spot

2009 01 23 17:32 111.2 350.0 251.7 Go PHIL 28.0 SCT 7.0 5.0 EZn Wh Spot

2009 02 01 6:41 129.0 91.7 353.0 Owens USA 35.6 SCT EZn White

Spot

2009 02 13 5:24 5:48 136.6 73.3 310.3 150.7 86.9 323.8 Melka USA 30.5 NEW EZn White

Spot

2009 02 14 0:24 0:30 85.1 356.2 232.3 88.6 359.6 235.7 Arditti UK 35.6 SCT EZn Wh Spot

barely visible

in red image

2009 02 14 1:32 124.9 34.6 270.6 Adelaar NETH 23.5 SCT EZn Wh Spot

near CM

2009 02 14 22:51 23:54 154.9 35.9 270.8 191.9 71.4 306.3 Pellier FRA 25.4 CAS 8.0 4.5

EZn White

Spot (more

prominent in

red filter)

2009 02 16 3:30 4:46 82.9 285.3 158.8 127.5 328.2 201.6 Casquinha PORT 35.6 SCT EZn White

Spot

2009 02 19 23:46 89.1 167.3 36.2 Delcroix FRA 25.4 SCT 7.5 4.0 EZn White

Spot

2009 02 22 15:15 15:20 162.6 155.4 21.1 165.6 158.3 23.9 Akutsu PHIL 35.6 SCT 4.5 3.0 EZn White

Spot in IR

image

2009 02 28 23:52 23:57 132.1 279.5 137.5 135.0 282.3 140.3 Peach UK 35.6 SCT EZn White

Spot

2009 03 01 0:10 142.6 289.6 147.6 Peach UK 35.6 SCT

EZn White

Spot;

absolutely

superb

image RGB

2009 03 12 11:37 12:24 113.6 249.9 94.0 141.1 276.4 120.4 Akutsu PHIL 35.6 SCT 2.5 3.5 EZn white

spot at CM

2009 03 12 11:51 13:08 121.8 257.7 101.8 166.9 301.2 145.2 Go PHIL 28.0 SCT 7.5 5.0 EZn white

spot at CM

2009 03 12 23:06 23:39 157.6 278.4 121.9 176.9 297.0 140.5 Sanchez SPA 26.0 CAS EZn white

spot at CM

2009 03 15 22:48 22:55 160.1 184.4 24.4 164.2 188.4 28.3 Delcroix FRA 25.4 SCT 5.0 3.0 EZn white

spot

2009 03 18 22:23 22:47 158.5 86.5 282.8 172.6 100.0 296.3 Delcroix FRA 25.4 SCT 5.0 3.0 EZn white

spot near CM

2009 03 18 22:40 168.5 96.1 292.4 Peach UK 35.6 SCT EZn white

spots

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 41

several high-resolution digital images

[refer also to Illustration No. 002].

South Temperate Zone (STeZ)

The dull yellowish-white STeZ was

detected frequently by visual observers in

2008-09, as well as being apparent on

most digital images submitted. Compared

with the previous observing season, the

STeZ was essentially unchanged in

overall intensity this apparition (mean

factor of +0.13). The STeZ appeared

uniform in intensity as it crossed the

globe of Saturn, which was also the case

with digital images, and no white spot

activity in the STeZ was reported [refer to

Illustration No. 003]

South Temperate Belt (STeB)

The usually dull grayish-brown STeB was

detected by visual observers using larger

apertures in 2008-09, although there

were no intensity estimates submitted.

High-resolution digital images showed

this dusky feature during the apparition

as devoid of discrete activity [refer to

Illustration No. 004].

South Tropical Zone (STrZ)

Visual observers usually reported the

yellowish-white STrZ during the 2008-09

apparition. It was considered to be

perhaps a shade dimmer in mean

intensity this observing season when

compared with 2007-08 (slight variation

of -0.39), exceeded only in brightness by

the EZs and EZn, and roughly

comparable to the NTrZ. Visual

impressions suggested no variations in

overall morphology during the

apparition, but there were a considerable

number of images received of small STrZ

white spots, especially notable at red

wavelengths, between December 7,

2008 and July 8, 2009 (see Table 4).

The first image of an STrZite spot was

submitted December 7, 2008 at 6:47UT

by Damian Peach [refer to Illustration

No. 005A], while less than an hour later

David Arditti recorded a near

simultaneous image of the same feature

at 7:13UT [refer to Illustration No.

005B]. Another pair of near

simultaneous images of a white STrZ

spot were captured at 20:53UT on

2009 03 21 23:02 23:09 194.4 24.6 217.3 198.5 28.6 221.3 Delcroix FRA 25.4 SCT 4.0 3.0 EZn white

spot

2009 03 29 4:04 161.9 119.2 303.2 Maxson USA 25.4 DALL EZn white

spot

2009 04 02 21:18 185.5 350.4 168.7 Adelaar NETH 23.5 SCT EZn white

spot?

2009 04 02 20:55 21:28 172.0 337.4 155.8 191.3 356.1 174.3 Peach UK 35.6 SCT EZn white

spot

2009 04 05 20:56 21:09 185.5 254.1 68.8 193.1 261.4 76.1 Peach UK 35.6 SCT EZn white

spot

2009 04 06 20:37 21:08 298.7 335.4 148.9 316.9 352.8 166.3 Peach UK 35.6 SCT EZn white

spot

2009 04 09 5:38 6:26 144.5 104.5 275.1 172.6 131.5 302.1 Melka USA 30.5 NEW EZn white

spot

2009 04 22 22:04 178.4 56.4 210.5 Sharp UK 28.0 SCT 6.5 EZn white

spot

2009 05 19 20:05 223.3 311.9 73.6 Peach UK 35.6 SCT EZn White

Spot

2009 06 11 20:32 215.7 280.8 14.7 Delcroix FRA 25.4 SCT 6.0 4.0 EZn Wh Spot

Table 7. White Spots in the EZ During the 2008-09 Apparition of Saturn (Continued)

Date (UT) UT

Start UT

End CM Start CM End

yyyy mm

dd hh:mm hh:mm I

(°)II

(°)III

(°)I

(°)II

(°)III

(°)Obs Obs

Stn Inst

(cm) Inst

Type STr Notes

Table 8. Dark Features in the EZ During the 2008-09 Apparition of Saturn

Date (UT) UT

Start UT

End CM Start CM End

yyyy mm

dd hh:mm hh:mm I

(°)II

(°)III

(°)I

(°)II

(°)III

(°)Obs Obs

Stn Inst

(cm) Inst

Type STr Notes

2009 02 17 21:35 21:45 123.5 269.3 140.6 129.4 274.9 146.3 Niechoy GER 20.3 SCT 3.0 3.0 Festoons

in EZn

2009 04 02 19:51 20:17 134.4 301.4 119.7 149.7 316.0 134.4 Niechoy GER 20.3 SCT 3.5 3.0 Festoons

in EZn

2009 04 11 20:20 21:24 190.2 65.8 233.3 227.8 101.9 269.4 Niechoy GER 20.3 SCT 3.0 3.0 Festoons

in EZn

2009 04 21 20:06 20:28 344.9 257.8 53.3 357.8 270.3 65.7 Niechoy GER 20.3 SCT 3.0 3.0 Festoons

in EZn

Page 42 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

December 10, 2008 at by Tomio Akutsu

[refer to Illustration No. 006A] and by

Toshihiko Ikemura at 20:30UT [refer to

Illustration No. 006B]. On March 3,

2009, near simultaneous digital images

of STrZ white spots were contributed by

Christophe Pellier at 00:50UT [refer to

Illustration No. 007A] and by Jan

Adelaar at 00:59UT [refer to Illustration

No. 007B]. Subsequent images of this

feature continued to flow in to the ALPO

Saturn Section from quite a few other

observers for at least another four

months. Consider the high-resolution

image taken by Damian Peach on May

26, 2009 at 20:00UT depicting a

somewhat more diffuse white STrZ spot,

suggesting that the feature detected back

in December had slowly evolved over

time [refer to Illustration No. 008].

South Equatorial Belt (SEB)

The dark grayish-brown SEB was

routinely reported by visual observers in

2008-09, subdivided into dark grayish-

brown SEBn and SEBs components

(where n refers to the North Component

and s to the South Component), with the

SEBZ lying in between them during good

seeing conditions and with larger

apertures. Taken as a whole, the SEB

was the darkest belt of Saturn’s southern

hemisphere, appearing to visual

observers as ever so slightly lighter in

2008-09 than in 2007-08 (by +0.30

mean intensity points), and virtually the

same intensity as its counterpart in the

northern hemisphere, the NEBw. The

SEBn was usually the darker of the two

components visually. Visual observers

who made relative numerical intensity

estimates considered the SEBn a bit

darker by a mean factor of -0.47 since

2007-08, and the SEBs perhaps a shade

brighter by +0.32 mean intensity since

the immediately preceding apparition.

Most digital images of Saturn submitted

during 2008-09 showed the SEB as a

very prominent belt occasionally as a

singular feature, but most often

subdivided into SEBs and SEBn

components with the lighter SEBZ lying

in between [refer to Illustration No. 009].

The SEBn appeared slightly wider and

darker than the SEBs in most of the

contributed images, consistent with the

majority of visual impressions. The dull

yellowish-gray South Equatorial Belt

Zone (SEBZ) showed very little change in

overall intensity since 2007-08, where a

+0.26 mean intensity increase between

apparitions is considered rather

insignificant.

From mid-November 2008 through mid-

June 2009 observers imaged one or

more small, diffuse white spots within the

SEBZ that seemed to elongate somewhat

with time, but the overall appearance and

brightness of these features did not

change significantly during this period.

Ethan Allen was the first ALPO Saturn

observer to submit an image showing a

small SEBZ white spot on November 16,

2008 at 14:14UT [refer to Illustration

No. 010]. On December 1, 2008 Detlev

Niechoy submitted a sketch of what he

described as an SEBZ white spot at

225X in integrated light (no filter) and

good seeing at 05:09UT [refer to

Illustration No. 011]. Near simultaneous

images of the SEBZ white spot in red

light were submitted at 6:47UT on

December 7, 2008 by Damian Peach

[refer to Illustration No. 012A] and David

Arditti at 7:13UT [refer to Illustration No.

012B]. Similar images recorded on the

same date and virtually the same time

were furnished by Tomio Akutsu on

January 27, 2009 at 18:22UT [refer to

Illustration No. 013A] and Christopher

Go at 18:39UT [refer to Illustration No.

013B. Lastly, simultaneous images of the

SEBZ white spot were provided by

Christophe Pellier on February 28, 2009

at 00:04UT [refer to Illustration No.

014A] and Marc Delcroix at 00:19UT

[refer to Illustration No. 014B]. Table 5

gives a complete listing, with supporting

data and short comments, of the small

white spots imaged in the SEBZ during

2008-09. Other than the

aforementioned drawing submitted by

Detlev Niechoy on November 16, 2008,

visual observers rarely suspected any

white spots in the SEBZ during the

observing season. Simultaneous visual

observations concurrent with imaging

may help identify the threshold of

visibility of such features in upcoming

apparitions.

Table 9. Dark Features in the NEB During the 2008-09 Apparition of Saturn

Date (UT) UT

Start UT

End CM Start CM End

yyyy mm

dd hh:mm hh:mm I

(°)II

(°)III

(°)I

(°)II

(°)III

(°)Obs Obs

Stn Inst

(cm) Inst

Type STrNotes

2009 03 13 22:58 23:34 277.2 6.0 208.3 298.4 26.3 228.6 Delcroix FRA 25.4 SCT 5.0 3.0

Dark spot

suspected

in NEBs

(could be

noise)

Table 10. Dark Features in the NTeB During the 2008-09 Apparition of Saturn

Date (UT) UT

Start UT

End CM Start CM End

yyyy mm

dd hh:mm hh:mm I

(°)II

(°)III

(°)I

(°)II

(°)III

(°)Obs Obs

Stn Inst

(cm) Inst

Type STr Notes

2009 03 01 4:25 4:36 292.2 73.4 291.2 298.6 79.6 297.4 Roussell CAN 15.2 REF 5.0 3.5

Suspected

small dark

features in

NTeB.

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 43

Recurring visual accounts of suspected

dusky markings and festoon activity

within the SEB were received from mid-

February until mid-June 2009. Most of

these were described as dusky markings

or festoons along the northern edge of

the SEBs, sometimes extending into the

SEBZ, as well as similar dark features

protruding from the SEBn into the EZs,

or simply dark knots or disturbances

within either the SEBs or SEBn in

varying seeing conditions. For example,

consider the dark features in the SEBs

and SEBn sketched by Carl Roussell at

200-300X in fair seeing from 5:33 to

5:44UT on February 17, 2009 [refer to

Illustration No. 015]. Compare the SEBn

dark feature in the image captured by

Damian Peach at 23:01UT on March

20, 2009 [refer to Illustration No. 016A]

and the drawing made less than two

hours later on March 21st at 00:34UT by

Paul Abel at 312X in integrated light (no

filter) [refer to Illustration No. 016B].

Table 6 lists all of the reports of dark

spot activity in the SEB during 2008-09.

Equatorial Zone (EZ)

With the rings of Saturn at minimal

inclination to our line of sight during

2008-09, the southern and northern

halves of the Equatorial Zone (i.e., the

EZs and EZn, respectively), could be seen

and imaged to good advantage. Based on

intensity estimates and digital imaging

this observing season, the southern half

of the bright yellowish-white Equatorial

Zone (EZs) was slightly brighter than the

pale yellowish-white EZn by mean factor

of +0.47, and the EZs was the brightest

zone on Saturn’s globe during 2008-09.

Visual numerical relative intensity data

seems to suggest a possible diminution in

prominence of the EZs by a factor of -

0.46 and the EZn by a factor of -0.63

since 2007-08.

Starting about the third week of

December 2008 and continuing until

mid-June 2009, discrete white spot

activity was imaged regularly within the

EZn. Marc Delcroix was the first Saturn

observer to image a tiny EZn white spot

in red light on December 22, 2008 at

5:56UT [refer to Illustration No. 017].

On January 4, 2009, the EZn white spot

was quite prominent at red wavelengths

in a set of images provided by

Christophe Pellier at 02:25UT [refer to

Illustration No. 018]. Simultaneous

observations were submitted on January

23rd by Tomio Akutsu at 17:08UT [refer

to Illustration No. 019A] and by

Christopher Go at 17:32UT [refer to

Illustration No. 019B] recorded the EZn

white spot while also recording a transit

of Titan across the disk of Saturn. More

simultaneous imaging was accomplished

on February 14th by David Arditti [refer

to Illustration No. 020A] at 00:24UT and

Jan Adelaar [refer to Illustration No.

020B] at 01:32UT, and as before, the

EZn white spot was more obvious at red

wavelengths. On March 12th Tomio

Akutsu at 11:37UT [refer to Illustration

No. 021A] and Christopher Go at

11:51UT recorded simultaneous images

of the still rather compact EZn white spot

[refer to Illustration No. 021B]. A final

Table 13. Visual Observations of the Bicolored Aspect of Saturn's Rings During the 2008-09 Apparition

Filter

Observer UT Date and Time Telescope X S Tr Bl IL Rd

Roussell 2009 Mar 03 10:00 - 10:10 REF 15.2 cm (6.0 in.) 325 4.0 3.5 E = =

Notes: Telescope types are as in Table 2. Seeing is the 0-10 ALPO Scale, and Transparency is the limiting visual magnitude in the vicinity

of Saturn as described on the first page of this report. Under “Filter,” Bl refers to the blue W47 or W80A filters, IL to integrated light (no

filter), and Rd to the red W25 or W23A filters. E means the East ansa was brighter than the W, W that the West ansa was brighter, and =

means that the two ansae were equally bright. East and West directions are as noted in the text.

Table 12. The Opposition (Seeliger) Effect During the 2008-09 Apparition

Observer UT Date and Time Telescope B S Tr

Ramakers 2009 Mar 08 03:47 – 03:56 23.5 cm (9.25 in.) SCT −2.6º 4.0 6.0

Go 2009 Mar 08 15:06 – 15:53 28.0 cm (11.0 in.) SCT −2.6º 9.0 5.5

Table 11. White Spots in the NPR During the 2008-09 Apparition of Saturn

Date (UT) UT

Start UT

End CM Start CM End

yyyy mm

dd hh:mm hh:mm I

(°)II

(°)III

(°)I

(°)II

(°)III

(°)Obs Obs

Stn Inst

(cm) Inst

Type STr Notes

2009 05 02 20:38 21:20 290.6 207.5 439.7 315.2 231.2 13.3 Delcroix FRA 25.4 SCT 4.5 4.0

NPR Wh

Spot

suspected

in R+IR

Page 44 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

Table 14. Satellite Phenomena During the 2008-09 Apparition of Saturn

Date (UT) UT

Start UT

End CM Start CM End

yyyy mm

dd hh:m

mhh:m

(°)II

(°)III

(°)I

(°)II

(°)III

(°)Obs Obs

Stn Instr

(cm) Inst

Type STr NOTES

2008 12 07 7:13 7:24 22.8 353.7 312.6 29.2 359.9 318.8 Arditti UK 35.6 SCT Dione in

transit; Titan

also in image

2008 12 07 6:37 6:47 1.7 333.4 292.3 7.5 339.0 297.9 Peach UK 35.6 SCT Dione in

transit

2008 12 20 21:20 21:26 336.0 227.9 170.4 339.5 231.3 173.8 Akutsu PHIL 35.6 SCT 7.

03.

0Dione and

shadow

2008 12 24 5:26 274.0 58.2 356.7 Casquinha PORT 35.6 SCT Rhea near

ring plane in

image

2009 01 04 3:41 4:18 140.6 291.7 217.0 162.3 312.6 237.9 Casquinha PORT 35.6 SCT Tethys and

shadow

2009 01 04 3:26 131.8 283.3 208.6 Peach UK 35.6 SCT Tethys

shadow in

EZn

2009 01 04 3:31 3:45 134.7 286.1 211.4 142.9 294.0 219.3 Pellier FRA 25.4 CAS 8.

55.

0Tethys and

shadow

2009 01 07 19:50 1.9 34.4 315.3 Go PHIL 28.0 SCT 7.

04.

0Titan Transit

2009 01 09 3:34 3:59 38.4 28.2 307.5 53.0 42.3 321.5 Casquinha PORT 35.6 SCT Dione

shadow

transit

2009 01 23 17:08 18:03 97.1 336.4 238.1 129.4 7.4 269.1 Akutsu PHIL 35.6 SCT 6.

04.

0Titan in transit

2009 01 23 17:32 111.2 350.0 251.7 Go PHIL 28.0 SCT 7.

05.

0Titan in transit

2009 02 08 16:33 16:48 266.9 350.2 232.6 275.7 358.6 241.1 Akutsu PHIL 35.6 SCT 7.

53.

0Titan transit

2009 02 08 18:00 18:22 317.9 39.2 281.6 330.8 51.6 294.0 Go PHIL 28.0 SCT 7.

04.

0Titan transit

(egress)

2009 02 14 1:32 124.9 34.6 270.6 Adelaar NETH 23.5 SCT Rhea in

transit

2009 02 14 0:24 0:30 85.1 356.2 232.3 88.6 359.6 235.7 Arditti UK 35.6 SCT Rhea and

shadow in

transit

2009 02 14 3:00 3:10 176.5 84.2 320.1 182.4 89.9 325.8 Casquinha PORT 35.6 SCT Rhea in

transit

2009 02 18 14:57 15:44 14.5 136.9 7.4 42.1 163.4 33.9 Go PHIL 28.0 SCT 5.

54.

Rhea and

shadow in

transit

2009 02 24 11:19 11:42 273.0 206.5 69.9 286.5 219.5 82.9 Maxson USA 25.4 DALL Titan shadow

transit (Titan

is just off limb)

2009 02 24 14:13 15.1 304.6 167.9 Wesley AUST 36.8 NEW Titan and

Dione in

transit

2009 02 27 8:24 8:36 183.6 24.1 244.0 190.6 30.8 250.8 Maxson USA 25.4 DALL Dione and

shadow

2009 03 03 15:06 196.8 259.1 113.9 Go PHIL 28.0 SCT 5.

54.

Tethys transit

(extremely

vague)

2009 03 05 14:31 14:56 65.0 63.5 275.9 79.7 77.6 290.0 Go PHIL 28.0 SCT 5.

54.

Tethys transit

(extremely

vague)

2009 03 08 15:06 15:53 98.7 359.4 208.2 126.2 26.0 234.7 Go PHIL 28.0 SCT 9.

05.

Dione and

Enceladus in

transit

2009 03 12 11:37 12:24 113.6 249.9 94.0 141.1 276.4 120.4 Akutsu PHIL 35.6 SCT 2.

53.

Titan and

shadow

transit

2009 03 12 11:51 13:08 121.8 257.7 101.8 166.9 301.2 145.2 Go PHIL 28.0 SCT 7.

55.

Titan and

shadow

transit

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 45

2009 03 12 10:11 10:19 63.1 201.4 45.5 67.8 205.9 50.0 Maxson USA 25.4 DALL Titan and

shadow

transit

2009 03 17 13:57 14:30 97.5 69.1 267.1 116.8 87.7 285.6 Go PHIL 28.0 SCT 8.

53.

5Rhea transit

2009 03 18 13:37 13:50 210.1 149.9 346.6 217.7 157.2 354.0 Go PHIL 28.0 SCT 8.

53.

Dione and

Enceladus

transit

2009 03 20 13:41 14:19 101.1 336.2 170.6 123.4 357.7 192.0 Go PHIL 28.0 SCT 8.

53.

Titan eclipse

sequence and

Tethys Transit

2009 03 22 13:32 14:17 344.5 155.3 347.2 10.9 180.6 12.5 Akutsu PHIL 35.6 SCT 8.

53.

Tethys in

transit across

globe

2009 03 26 19:03 316.0 350.1 176.9 Ghomizadeh IRAN 35.6 SCT Rhea and

shadow in

transit

2009 04 03 23:57 43.0 172.1 349.1 Viladrich FRA 35.6 SCT Dione and

shadow

transit

2009 04 05 13:27 13:45 282.2 0.9 175.9 292.8 11.0 186.1 Go PHIL 28.0 SCT 7.

55.

0Titan eclipse

sequence

2009 04 09 5:38 6:26 144.5 104.5 275.1 172.6 131.5 302.1 Melka USA 30.5 NEW Rhea shadow

transit

2009 04 13 11:16 11:55 119.9 303.1 108.6 142.8 325.1 103.6 Go PHIL 28.0 SCT 7.

02.

5Titan shadow

transit

2009 04 14 22:11 268.2 44.4 208.2 Adelaar NETH 23.5 SCT Dione transit

2009 04 22 2:45 3:17 218.9 122.8 277.9 237.6 140.9 296.0 Maxson USA 25.4 DALL

Dione and

shadow

transiting

globe

2009 04 22 20:41 129.7 9.6 163.8 Peach UK 35.6 SCT Rhea and

shadow on

globe

2009 04 22 19:50 20:08 99.8 340.8 135.1 110.4 351.0 145.2 Sharp UK 28.0 SCT 6.

5 Rhea and

shadow on

globe

2009 04 23 2:41 340.8 212.6 6.5 Maxson USA 25.4 DALL Shadow of

Dione

2009 04 23 1:40 1:58 305.0 178.2 332.1 315.6 188.3 342.3 Melka USA 30.5 NEW 6.

05.

0Shadow of

Dione

2009 04 29 3:06 7:10 21.1 58.5 205.1 164.1 196.1 342.5 Maxson USA 25.4 DALL Titan and

shadow

transit

2009 05 15 3:18 6:06 216.0 96.4 223.7 314.5 191.1 318.3 Maxson USA 25.4 DALL Titan and

Shadow

Transit

2009 05 19 20:05 223.3 311.9 73.6 Peach UK 35.6 SCT Rhea in

transit

2009 05 19 22:01 22:59 291.3 17.3 138.9 325.3 50.0 171.5 Abel UK 20.3 NEW

Sequence of

drawings of

Rhea and

shadow in

transit

2009 05 28 20:16 267.6 65.3 176.1 Peach UK 35.6 SCT Rhea

approaching

transit

2009 05 28 20:47 285.8 82.8 193.6 Delcroix FRA 25.4 SCT 4.

54.

Rhea and

Enceladus in

transit

2009 05 28 20:57 291.6 88.4 199.2 Bosman NETH 28.0 SCT Rhea in

transit

Table 14. Satellite Phenomena During the 2008-09 Apparition of Saturn (Continued)

Date (UT) UT

Start UT

End CM Start CM End

yyyy mm

dd hh:m

mhh:m

(°)II

(°)III

(°)I

(°)II

(°)III

(°)Obs Obs

Stn Instr

(cm) Inst

Type STr NOTES

Page 46 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

pair of simultaneous images were

contributed on April 2nd by Jan Adelaar

at 21:18UT [refer to Illustration No.

022A] and Damian Peach at 21:28UT

[refer to Illustration No. 022B], showing

that the EZn white spot had expanded

slightly and seemed more longitudinally

elongated than in the past. In an image

furnished by Damian Peach on May 19th

at 20:05UT [refer to Illustration No.

023], the EZn white spot was pretty

similar to its appearance back in early

April. Based on the observational work

by the ALPO team of observers for the

span observations between December

2008 and mid-June 2009, the EZn white

spot evolved rather slowly

morphologically with perhaps a gradual

brightening trend. Visual observers did

not report white spot activity in the EZ

during 2008-09.

Drawings submitted by Detlev Niechoy in

February and April 2009 depicted

festoon activity in the EZn. Consider his

drawing made at 20:28UT on April 21st

at 290X, which shows festoons

emanating from the south edge of the

NEB in good seeing [refer to Illustration

No. 024]. There were no digital images

submitted showing dusky features in the

EZn during the observing season.

2009 05 31 3:10 5:18 38.7 122.5 230.6 113.7 194.7 302.6 Maxson USA 25.4 DALL Titan shadow

transit

2009 05 31 4:41 6:32 92.1 173.8 281.8 157.1 236.4 344.3 Hill USA 9.0 MAK 7.

0 Titan transit

sequence

Table 14. Satellite Phenomena During the 2008-09 Apparition of Saturn (Continued)

Date (UT) UT

Start UT

End CM Start CM End

yyyy mm

dd hh:m

mhh:m

(°)II

(°)III

(°)I

(°)II

(°)III

(°)Obs Obs

Stn Instr

(cm) Inst

Type STr NOTES

Figure 7. Represents graphically the circumstances of the edgewise presentation of the rings in 2008-09, showing the changing position of

the Earth and Sun relative to Saturn's ring plane throughout the apparition. The points where the Sun and Earth both cross the ring plane

headed north are shown in the diagram (i.e., the times when the rings were theoretically edgewise to each body).

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 47

The typically narrow light gray Equatorial

Band (EB) was not reported by visual

observers during the apparition, but it

was sporadically captured using digital

imagers during the observing season. It is

quite apparent in the excellent image

contributed by Christopher Go on April

10, 2009 at 12:37UT [refer to

Illustration No. 025].

Northern Portions of the Globe

With Saturn’s rings evolving toward

edgewise orientation as the 2008-09

apparition concluded, regions of the

planet’s northern hemisphere such as the

NEB, NTrZ and NPR were more

favorably exposed to observers who

made drawings and captured images.

Now that the Earth is situated north of

the rings, and will be for more than a

decade henceforth, studies of Saturn’s

northern hemisphere become

advantageous as regions of the southern

hemisphere progressively become hidden

from view by the rings. With 2008-09

technically an edgewise apparition, albeit

unfavorable for reasons stated earlier in

this report, it was nevertheless possible

to draw comparisons of analogous

features between Saturnian hemispheres.

Observers began to see and image

limited activity such as dark features in

the North Equatorial Belt (NEB) and

North Temperate Belt (NTeB) in March

2009, as well as a transient white spot in

the North Polar Region (NPR) in early

May.

North Equatorial Belt (NEB)

Unlike its counterpart in the South in

2008-09, the dark grayish-brown NEB

was reported by visual observers most of

the time as a singular feature,

undifferentiated into North and South

components. Visual numerical relative

intensity estimates were always made of

the NEB as a whole (NEBw), and it was

basically the same in overall mean

intensity since 2007-08 (a difference of -

0.11 mean intensity is insignificant).

Even though intensity estimates were not

provided, visual observers with larger

instruments sometimes described the

NEB as split into a narrower NEBs and a

wider NEBn, with a fairly broad yellowish

Northern Equatorial Belt Zone (NEBZ)

situated in between. Imaging often

revealed the NEBs and NEBn during the

observing season separated by the

NEBZ. The NEBn was virtually always

the darker and wider of the two

components [refer to Illustration No.

026]. A singular report of a dark spot

within the NEBs was received from Marc

Delcroix on March 13th at 22:58-

General Caption Note for Illustrations 1-43. B = saturnicentric latitude of the

Earth; B' = saturnicentric latitude of the Sun; CMI, CMII and CMIII = central

meridians in longitude Systems I, II and III; IL = integrated light; S = Seeing on

the Standard ALPO Scale (from 0 = worst to 10 = perfect); Tr = Transparency

(the limiting naked-eye stellar magnitude). Telescope types as in Table 2; fea-

ture abbreviations are as in Figure 5. In all figures, south is at the top and IAU

east is to the left.

Illustration 001. 2009 May 23 12:02UTUT. Digital image by Christopher Go using a 28.0 cm

(11.0 in.) SCT, with RGB + IR blocking filter. S = 7.5 Tr = 4.0. CMI = 77.0°, CMII = 47.2°,

CMIII = 164.5°, B = –4.3°, B´ = −1.5. South Polar Belt (SPB) is visible encircling the SPR in

this image.

Illustration 002. 2009 Apr 20 20:24UT. Digital image by Damian Peach employing a 35.6

cm (14.0 in.) SCT with RGB filters + IR blocker. S and Tr not specified. CMI = 231.2°, CMII

= 176.0°, CMIII = 332.7, B = –4.1°, B´ = −2.0°. SSTeB is apparent in this excellent image.

Page 48 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

23:34UT in red light (see Table 9), but

the feature was so faint it was hard to

discern on the contributed image.

North Tropical Zone (NTrZ)

Visual observers did not describe this

feature during the 2008-09 apparition,

and it was infrequently visible on even

the best submitted high resolution digital

images.

North Temperate Belt (NTeB)

The light grayish-brown NTeB was

reported by only one visual observer, Carl

Roussell, who remarked that small dark

condensations were suspected visually at

04:25UT on March 1, 2009 [refer to

Illustration No. 027]. The NTeB was

captured on many digital images

contributed during 2008-09, but there

was no activity in this belt detected on

images submitted this apparition.

North Temperate Zone (NTeZ)

This yellowish-white zone was reported

by visual observers during 2008-09,

roughly comparable to the STeZ in mean

intensity. Digital images showed this

zone generally devoid of discrete

phenomena during the apparition.

North North Temperate Belt (NNTeB)

The dull gray NNTeB was hard to detect

on even the best images taken in good

seeing conditions in 2008-09, and visual

observers did not report it.

North North Temperate Zone (NNTeZ)

During 2008-09 the dull yellowish-gray

NNTeZ was not reported visually nor was

it clearly perceptible on images taken

with larger apertures during the

observing season.

North Polar Region (NPR)

Even under the best conditions, visual

observers had trouble discerning the NPR

as a distinct region in the far North of

Saturn’s globe during 2008-09. Probably

because it was always so vague and

poorly defined at the eyepiece, there

were no intensity estimates sent to the

ALPO Saturn Section. Digital images

routinely showed what appeared to be

the dusky southernmost edge of the

NPR, but detail was seldom seen within

it. Even so, Marc Delcroix was able to

successfully image a tiny white spot at

the edge of the NPR at red wavelengths

in fair seeing conditions on May 2, 2009

at 20:38-21:20UT [refer to Illustration

No. 028].

Shadow of the Globe on the Rings

(Sh G on R)

The Sh G on R was visible to observers

as a geometrically regular black shadow

on either side of opposition during 2008-

09. Any presumed variation of this

shadow from a totally black intensity

(0.0) during a given observing season is

merely a consequence of bad seeing

conditions or the presence of extraneous

light. Digital images revealed this feature

Illustration 003. 2008 Nov 29 08:03UT. Excellent drawing by Sol Robbins with a 15.2cm

(6.0in.) REF at 350X in Integrated Light. S = 7.0, Tr = 5.0. CMI = 137.4°, CMII = 5.6°, CMIII

= 334.1°, B = –1.4°, B´ = −4.2°. STeZ is quite obvious in this drawing in good seeing.

Illustration 004. 2009 May 15 01;14UT. Digital image by Theo Ramakers with a 23.5 cm

(9.25 in.) SCT, with RGB filters. S = 6.0 and Tr = 6.0. CMI = 143.3°, CMII = 26.5°, CMIII =

153.9°, B = –4.3°, B´ = −1.6°. The STeB is visible in this very nice image; a considerable

number of S- and N-Hemisphere belts and zones are also quite obvious.

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 49

as completely black. Readers are

reminded that the globe of Saturn casts a

shadow on the ring system to the left or

IAU East prior to opposition, to the right

or IAU West after opposition, and on

neither side precisely at opposition (no

shadow) as illustrated in Figure 6 (digital

images furnished by Christopher Go

using a 28.0 cm (11.0 in.) SCT on

November 22, 2008, March 8, 2009,

and May 23, 2009).

Saturn's Ring System

The discussion in this section is based on

visual studies of Saturn's ring system with

the customary comparison of mean

intensity data between apparitions, and

impressions from digital images of the

rings are included below as well. The

rings were oriented edgewise toward

Earth near the close of the 2008-09

apparition. Since the last edge-on

orientation of the rings back in 1995, the

southern hemisphere and south face of

the rings have been inclined toward

Earth, but once the Sun and Earth

passed through the ring plane headed

northward in August and September

2009, respectively, the northern

hemisphere and north face of the rings

will become increasingly visible for over a

decade.

The southern face of the rings was still

observable during 2008-09, but only

minimally so, making it increasingly

troublesome to view major ring

components to advantage as their tilt

toward our line of sight diminished. It

was also difficult to trace divisions and

intensity minima around the

circumference of the rings. As mentioned

earlier in this report, the value of B, or

the Saturnicentric latitude of the Earth

referred to the ring plane (+ when north),

ranged between the extremes of -4.2º

(May 13, 2009) and -1.3º (August 14,

2009), and B was 0.0º on September 4,

2009 when the rings were theoretically

edge-on toward Earth, occurring roughly

13 days before conjunction. So, Earth-

based observers were unable to see or

image the actual edgewise event because

Saturn was only 11º east of the Sun and

hopelessly immersed in the

overwhelming solar glare. The value of

B', the saturnicentric latitude of the Sun,

varied from -4.7º (October 17, 2008) to

0º.0 (August 14, 2009). Figure 7

presents graphically the circumstances of

the edgewise presentation of the rings in

2008-09.

Even though the edgewise events were

not favorable in 2008-09, for the

convenience of readers, it is worthwhile

to mention a few of the facts pertaining

to edgewise ring orientations:

Saturn’s revolution period about the Sun

is 29.5y, and the angle of the rings

relative to the Sun varies by ±26.7°.

During this period the intersection of the

orbit of the Earth and the plane of the

ring system takes place only twice, at

intervals of 13.75y and 15.75y.

Since the rings are so thin (~100m thick)

when edge-on, they appear to disappear

when viewed with a small telescope.

The two periods are of unequal length

due to Saturn's elliptical orbit about the

Sun.

In the 13.75y period, Saturn’s S pole

and S ring face are inclined toward Earth;

Saturn reaches perihelion during this

span (e.g., 1996 to 2009, with

perihelion of 9.0AU occurring back in

July 2003).

In the 15.75y period, Saturn’s N pole

and N ring face are tilted toward Earth;

Saturn reaches aphelion during this time

(e.g., 2009 thru 2025, with aphelion of

10.1AU occurring in April 2018).

The last edgewise presentation of the

rings occurred in 1995-96, which was

extremely favorable and well-observed by

the ALPO Saturn Section.

Illustration 005. Simultaneous Observations (digital images)

A. 2008 Dec 08 06:47UT. Digital image by Damian Peach with a 35.6-cm (14.0-in.) SCT

and RGB filters. S and Tr not specified. CMI = 7.5°, CMII = 339.0°, CMIII = 297.9°, B =

–1.2°, B´ = −4.1°. The STrZ white spot is just W of the CM (dark spot feature North of the

rings is the shadow of Dione). SEBZ white spot is also barely visible.

B. 2008 Dec 08 07:13UT. Digital image by David Arditti with a 35.6-cm (14.0-in.) SCT, and

RGB filters. S and Tr not specified. CMI = 22.8°, CMII = 353.7°, CMIII = 312.6°, B = –1.2°,

B´ = 4.1°. The STrZ white spot is near CM. There are hints of the vague SEBZ in the image.

Page 50 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

During 2008-09, as the Earth crossed

the ring plane on September 4th, Saturn

was only 11º E of the Sun, with

conjunction only two weeks away, which

made observations very unfavorable.

The next edgewise orientation of the

rings occurs on March 23, 2025 with

Saturn just 10º W of the Sun, and Saturn

will be lost in the overwhelming solar

glare.

Unfortunately, the next favorable

edgewise apparition won’t occur until

2038-39!

The only images received by ALPO

Saturn observers as near as possible to

the theoretical edge-on orientation of the

rings was submitted by Tomio Akutsu on

August 10, 2009 at 10:32UT [refer to

Illustration No. 029] and on August 14th

at 11:00UT [refer to Illustration No.

030].

Ring A

The majority of visual observers agreed

that the yellowish-white Ring A, taken as

a whole, was perhaps marginally darker

in 2008-09 than in 2007-08 based on

visual numerical relative intensity

estimates (difference of -0.50 mean

intensity points). Visual observers usually

described Ring A as one overall

component, not being differentiated into

inner and outer halves. Most digital

images of Saturn in 2008-09, however,

depicted inner and outer halves of Ring

A, with the inner half slightly brighter

than the outer half, especially at red

wavelengths. Visual observers

occasionally reported the very dark gray

Encke’s division (A5) in 2008-09 when

the rings were near their maximum tilt

but offered no visual numerical relative

intensity estimates. It was also apparent

on the best digital images [refer to

Illustration No. 031], and there were

hints of Keeler’s gap (A8) on some

images in rare instances. The latter was

not reported by visual observers.

Ring B

The outer third of Ring B is the

established standard of reference for the

ALPO Saturn Visual Numerical Relative

Intensity Scale, with an assigned value of

8.0. Under circumstances of greater ring

tilt during the apparition, visual observers

reported that the outer third of Ring B

appeared brilliant white with no variation

in intensity, and compared with other

ring components and atmospheric

phenomena of Saturn’s globe, it was

always the brightest intrinsic feature. The

inner two-thirds of Ring B during this

apparition, which was described as bright

yellowish-white and uniform in intensity,

displayed essentially the same mean

intensity as in the immediately preceding

observing season. Digital images

confirmed most visual impressions during

2008-09 [refer to Illustration No. 026].

Cassini's Division (A0 or B10)

Despite the minimal inclination of the

rings most of 2008-09, Cassini's division

(A0 or B10) was frequently reported by

visual observers, described as grayish-

black gap at both ansae. It was seldom

noticeable all the way around Saturn’s

ring system by visual observers due to the

small numerical value of B this

apparition, also the situation with high-

resolution images [refer to Illustration No.

002]. While a black Cassini’s division was

usually apparent on many of the digital

images received during the 2008-09

observing season, a deviation from a

totally black intensity for Cassini’s

Division was a consequence of bad

seeing, scattered light, or insufficient

aperture. The general visibility of major

ring divisions and other intensity minima

across the breadth of the South face of

the rings was considerably less favorable

this apparition with the continued

shrinking toward 0° as Saturn

approached edgewise orientation toward

our line of sight.

Ring C

The very dark gray Ring C was often

visible at the ansae in 2008-09 and

apparent on most digital images,

particularly those submitted when the

rings were sufficiently inclined toward our

view during the apparition. Visual

observers did not submit visual numerical

relative intensity estimates. The Crape

Illustration 006. Simultaneous Observations (digital images)

A. 2008 Dec 10 20:53UT. Digital image by Tomio Akutsu with a 35.6-cm (14.0-in.) SCT and

RGB filters. S= 6.0 and Tr = 3.0. CMI = 156.6°, CMII = 12.2°, CMIII = 326.8°, B = –1.1°, B´

= −4.0°. The STrZ white spot is near CM.

B. 2008 Dec 10 20:30UT. Digital image by Toshihiko Ikemura with a 38.0 cm (15.0 in.) NEW

and RGB filters. S and Tr not specified. CMI = 143.1°, CMII = 359.2°, CMIII = 313.9°, B =

–1.1°, B´ = −4.0°. The STrZ white spot is near CM.

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 51

Band (merely Ring C in front of the globe

of Saturn) appeared very dark gray in

color and uniform in intensity, and was

generally visible on digital images [refer

to Illustration No. 032]. Based on very

few intensity estimates, the Crape Band

appeared -1.10 mean intensity points

dimmer since 2007-08, but observers

had rather poor confidence in their

results because of the narrow ring tilt.

Opposition Effect

During 2008-09 several observers,

despite the narrow tilt of the rings of -

2.6º toward Earth, noticed the

“opposition effect” (also known as the

Seeliger effect), which is a noticeable

brightening of Saturn’s ring system

during a very short interval on either side

of opposition, typically when the phase

angle between Sun, Saturn, and the

Earth is less than about 0.3° (see Table

13). This ring brightening is due to

coherent back-scattering of sunlight by

their constituent m-sized icy particles,

which do so far more effectively than the

particles of Saturn’s atmosphere. This

phenomenon was supposed to peak on

March 8, 2009 (date of opposition), but

observers who detected it suggested the

effect was not as pronounced the last two

apparitions because of the narrowing

ring tilt toward Earth [refer to Illustration

No. 033].

Shadow of the Rings on the Globe

(Sh R on G)

This shadow in 2008-09 was almost

always described as a completely black

feature where the rings crossed Saturn’s

globe. Reported departures from an

overall black (0.0) intensity occurs for the

same reason as previously noted in our

discussion regarding the Sh G on R.

When B and B¢ are both negative, and

the value of B is less than that of B¢, the

ring shadow is to the north of the

projected rings, which happened prior to

March 4, 2009 [refer to Illustration No.

034]. When B and B¢ are both negative,

and the value of B exceeds that of B¢,

the shadow of the rings on the globe is

cast to their south, circumstances that

occurred starting about March 7, 2009

through August 14, 2009 (the final

observation received for the apparition);

the Crape Band then is seen south of the

projected Rings A and B [refer to

Illustration No. 035]. At times when the

shadows of Ring A, Ring B, and Ring C

projection are superimposed, it is often

very challenging to distinguish between

them in ordinary apertures and seeing

conditions, and the shadow of Ring C is

a further complication.

Terby White Spot (TWS)

The TWS is an apparent brightening of

the rings immediately adjacent to the Sh

G on R. There were only a few instances

when this feature was reported by visual

observers during 2008-09. It is purely an

artificial contrast effect, not a real feature

of Saturn's rings, but it is useful to try to

find any correlation that might exist

between the visual numerical relative

intensity of the TWS and the varying tilt

of the rings, including its brightness and

visibility using variable-density polarizers,

color filters, photographs, and digital

images.

Bicolored Aspect of the Rings and

Azimuthal Brightness Asymmetries

The bicolored aspect of the rings is an

observed difference in coloration

between the East and West ansae (IAU

system) when systematically compared

with alternating W47 (where W denotes

the Wratten filter series), W38, or W80A

(all blue filters) and W25 or W23A (red

filters). There was only one visual

observation contributed during 2008-09

apparition of the bicolored aspect of the

ring ansae (see Table 13). As in the rest

of this report, directions in the table refer

to Saturnian or IAU directions, where

West is to the right and South at the top

in a normally-inverted telescope image

Illustration 007. Simultaneous Observations (digital images)

A. 2009 Mar 03 00:50UT. Digital image by Christophe Pellier with a 25.4 cm (10.0 in.) CAS

and RGB filters. S = 5.0 and Tr = 5.0. CMI = 54.9°, CMII = 136.4°, CMIII = 351.9°, B = –2.6°,

B´ = −2.7°. The STrZ white spot is near CM.

B. 2009 Mar 03 00:59UT. Digital image by Jan Adelaar with a 23.5 cm (9.25 in.) SCT and

RGB filters. S and Tr not specified. CMI = 60.1°, CMII = 141.1°, CMIII = 356.6°, B = –2.6°,

B´ = 2.7°. The STrZ white spot is near CM.

Page 52 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

(observer located in the Northern

Hemisphere of the Earth). In recent years observers have been

systematically attempting to document

the presence of the bicolored aspect of

the rings using digital imagers (there have

been rare instances when the

phenomenon was allegedly

photographed in the past, if at all

possible at the same time it is sighted

visually. In 2008-09 there were no

images submitted with any evidence of

this phenomenon, but it is hopeful that

observers will eventually be successful

imaging this curious effect at the same

time visual observers report now that

digital imaging is now quite routine.

Indeed, documenting the presence of the

bicolored aspect of the rings, especially

when it occurs independent of similar

effects on the globe of Saturn (which

would be expected if atmospheric

dispersion was a contributing factor), is of

enormous value. So, to reiterate, the

importance of simultaneous visual

observations of Saturn with imaging of

the planet cannot be stressed enough so

that more objective confirmation of the

bicolored aspect of the rings can occur.

Professional astronomers are well-

acquainted with Earth-based sightings of

azimuthal variations in the rings (initially

confirmed by Voyager spacecraft), which

is probably a result of light-scattering by

denser-than-average clumps of particles

orbiting in Ring A. ALPO Saturn

observers are encouraged to try to image

any azimuthal brightness asymmetries in

Ring A, preferably at the same date that

visual observers report it.

The Satellites of Saturn

During the 2008-09 apparition, because

the rings were at or near edgewise

orientation toward Earth, the glare from

the rings was considerably reduced,

making it easier to see and image faint

objects like satellites close to Saturn.

Many of the planet’s satellites show tiny

fluctuations in visual magnitude as a

result of their varying orbital positions

relative to the planet and due to

asymmetries in distribution of surface

markings on a few. Despite close

proximity sensing by spacecraft, the true

nature and extent of all of the observed

satellite brightness variations is not

completely understood and merits further

investigation.

Visual Magnitude Estimates and

Photometry

ALPO Saturn Section observers in 2008-

09 submitted no systematic visual

estimates of Saturn's satellites employing

recommended techniques by the ALPO

Saturn Section. Even though photometry

has largely replaced visual magnitude

estimates of Saturn’s moons, visual

Illustration 008. 2009 May 26 20:00UT. Digital image by Damian Peach employing a 35.6

cm (14.0 in.) SCT with RGB filters + IR blocker. S and Tr not specified. CMI = 9.8°, CMII =

232.5°, CMIII = 345.7°, B = –4.3°, B´ = −1.4°. Somewhat diffuse STrZ white spot is apparent

in this excellent image.

Illustration 009. 2009 Apr 21 03:27UT. Digital image by Paul Maxson using a 25.4-cm

(10.0-in.) DAL in IL + IR blocking filter. S and Tr not specified. CMI = 119.2°, CMII = 54.5°,

CMIII = 210.8°, B = –4.1°, B´ = −2.0°. SEB is divided into the darker, wider SEBn and

narrower SEBs, with SEBZ situated in between.

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 53

observers should still try to establish the

comparative brightness of a satellite

relative to reference stars of calibrated

brightness when the planet passes

through a field of stars that have

precisely known magnitudes. To do this,

observers need to employ a good star

atlas that goes faint enough and an

accompanying star catalogue that lists

reliable magnitude values. A number of

excellent computer star atlases exist that

facilitate precise plots of Saturn’s path

against background stars for comparative

magnitude estimates.

The methodology of visually estimating

satellite magnitudes is quite simple. It first

begins with selection of at least two stars

with well-established magnitudes and

those that have about the same color and

brightness as the satellite. One of the

stars chosen should be slightly fainter and

the other a little brighter than the satellite

so that the difference in brightness

between the stars is roughly 1.0

magnitude. This makes it easy to divide

the brightness difference between the

two comparison stars into equal

magnitude steps of 0.1. To estimate the

visual magnitude of the satellite, simply

place it along the scale between the

fainter and brighter comparison stars. In

the absence of suitable reference stars,

however, a last resort alternative is to use

Saturn’s brightest satellite, Titan, at

visual magnitude 8.4. It is known to

exhibit only subtle brightness fluctuations

over time compared with the other bright

satellites of Saturn that have measured

amplitudes.

Some observers have begun using digital

imagers with adequate sensitivity to

capture the satellites of Saturn together

with nearby comparison stars, thereby

providing a permanent record to

accompany visual magnitude estimates as

described above. Images of the positions

of satellites relative to Saturn on a given

date and time are worthwhile for cross-

checking against ephemeris predictions

of their locations and identities. It is

important to realize, however, that the

brightness of satellites and comparison

stars on digital images will not necessarily

be exactly the same as visual impressions

because the peak wavelength response of

the CCD chip is different than that of the

eye. Observers who have photoelectric

photometers may also contribute

measurements of Saturn's satellites, but

they are notoriously difficult to measure

owing to their faintness compared with

the planet itself. Rather sophisticated

techniques are required to correct for

scattered light surrounding Saturn and its

rings.

Spectroscopy of Titan

Since 1999 observers have been urged

to attempt spectroscopy of Titan

whenever possible as part of a

cooperative professional-amateur

project. Although Titan has been studied

by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST),

very large Earth-based instruments, and

at close range the ongoing Cassini-

Huygens mission, opportunities continue

for amateurs to contribute systematic

observations using appropriate

instrumentation. As the Cassini-

Huygens mission revealed beginning in

2004, Titan is a very dynamic world with

transient and long-term variations. From

wavelengths of 300nm to 600nm,

Titan’s hue is dominated by a reddish

methane (CH4) atmospheric haze, and

Illustration 010. 2008 Nov 16 14:14UT. Digital image by Ethan Allen using 35.6 cm (14.0 in.)

SCT with red filter. S = 4.0 and Tr = 4.0. CMI = 178.9°, CMII = 98.7°, CMIII = 82.6°, B =

–1.7°, B´ = −4.4°. SEBZ white spot is particularly noticeable in red wavelengths.

Illustration 011. 2008 Dec 01 19:26 UT. Drawing by Detlev Niechoy using a 20.3 cm (8.0-

in.) SCT in Integrated Light at 225X. S = 4.5, Tr = 4.5 (interpolated). CMI = 284.1°, CMII =

91.5°, CMIII = 57.8°, B = –1.3°, B´ = 4.2°. SEBZ is located slightly W of the CM.

Page 54 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

beyond 600nm, deeper CH4 absorption

bands appear in its spectrum. Between

these CH4 wavelengths are “portals” to

Titan's lower atmosphere and surface, so

regular monitoring in these regions with

photometers or spectrophotometers is a

useful complement to professional work.

Long-term studies of Titan’s brightness

from one apparition to the next is

meaningful in helping shed light on

Titan’s known seasonal variations.

Observers with suitable equipment are

being asked to participate in these

professional-amateur projects, and

further details can be found on the

Saturn page of the ALPO website at

http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/ as well

as directly from the ALPO Saturn

Section.

Transits of Saturnian Satellites and

Their Shadows

During the 2008-09 apparition, even

though circumstances were unfavorable

for viewing the edge-on event on

September 4th, very small inclinations of

Saturn’s ring plane to our line of sight

afforded observers unique opportunities

to witness transits and shadow transits of

satellites lying near the planet’s

equatorial plane. Apertures less than

about 20.3 cm (8.0 in.) are not usually

sufficient to produce the best views of

these phenomena for satellites other

than perhaps Titan, but observers with

digital imagers in 2008-09 submitted

some very interesting results as listed in

Table 14.

Consider for example the superb image

submitted by Tomio Akutsu of Dione and

its shadow transiting the globe of Saturn

on December 20, 2008 at 21:20UT

[refer to Illustration No. 036], as well as

an image of Tethys and its shadow in UV

light in transit across Saturn taken by

Christophe Pellier on January 4, 2009 at

03:41UT [refer to Illustration No. 037].

Another superb image of a transit of

Titan was captured by Christopher Go at

19:04UT on January 23, 2009 at

17:32UT (EZn white spot discussed

earlier in this report is also visible in the

image) [refer to Illustration No. 038].

Also, Paolo Casquinha submitted an

image of Rhea transiting Saturn’s globe

in the region of the NEBs near the East

limb at 03:00UT on February 14th [refer

to Illustration No. 039]. Later in the

same month, around 14:25UT on

February 24, 2009, observers along the

Pacific coast of North America, Hawaii,

Alaska, East Asia and Australia were

treated to a rare, extraordinarily beautiful

quadruple transit of Titan, Mimas, Dione,

Enceladus and their shadows crossing

Saturn’s globe. From those prime

locations, observers had an excellent

opportunity to capture images of the

planet with all four satellites visible at the

same time against the backdrop of

Saturn’s cloud tops! The Hubble Space

Telescope took some stunning photos of

the four moons situated in front of

Saturn [refer to Illustration No. 040].

Elsewhere on February 24th, observers

were able to witness at least some of the

events, such as the image furnished by

Paul Maxson of Titan and its shadow

transiting the globe at 11:19UT [refer to

Illustration No. 041] and the one of Titan

and Dione by Anthony Wesley at

14:13UT [refer to Illustration No. 042].

By mere coincidence, 5th magnitude

Comet Lulin (C/2007 N3) was nearing

its closest approach to Earth on February

24th and situated just 2.0° away from

Saturn, affording rather striking views of

the two objects in wide-field, low-power

eyepieces under dark skies. Observers

continued to submit images and drawings

of satellite events during the remainder of

the apparition, for which an excellent

sketch by Paul Abel of the transit of Rhea

and its shadow on May 19, 2009 at

22:53UT is a good example [refer to

Illustration No. 043].

Observations of satellite events at

minimal ring inclinations remains a

highly worthwhile and extremely

Illustration 012. Simultaneous Observations (digital images)

A. 2008 Dec 08 05:09UT. Digital image by Damian Peach with a 35.6-cm (14.0-in.) SCT

using a red filter. S and Tr not specified. CMI = 7.5°, CMII = 339.0°, CMIII = 297.9°, B =

–1.2°, B´ = −4.1°. The SEBZ white spot is visible, and the STrZ white spot is just W of the

CM (dark spot feature North of the rings is the shadow of Dione).

B. 2008 Dec 08 07:13UT. Digital image by David Arditti with a 35.6-cm (14.0-in.) SCT at red

wavelengths. S and Tr not specified. CMI = 22.8°, CMII = 353.7°, CMIII = 312.6°, B = –1.2°,

B´ = 4.1°. There are hints of the vague SEBZ in the image. The STrZ white spot is near CM.

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 55

interesting endeavor for individuals with

adequate aperture. Simultaneous visual

observations at the same time that

imaging is occurring helps establish limits

of visibility of such events using both

methods. Precise timings should be made

to the nearest second of ingress, CM

passage, and egress of a satellite or its

shadow across the globe of the planet at

or near edgewise ring orientations. Notes

should also 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.

Simultaneous Observations

Simultaneous observations, or studies of

Saturn by individuals working

independently of one another at the

same time and on the same date, offer

unparalleled chances for firm verification

of ill-defined or traditionally controversial

phenomena. The ALPO Saturn Section

has organized a simultaneous observing

team so that several individuals in

reasonable proximity to each another

can maximize the opportunities for

viewing and imaging Saturn at the same

time using similar equipment and

methodology. Joint efforts like this

significantly reinforce the level of

confidence in the data submitted for each

apparition. Examples of some

simultaneous (or near simultaneous)

observations of Saturn were cited earlier

in this report, and in forthcoming

apparitions such valuable work is strongly

encouraged.

Pro-Am Opportunities

Our cooperative involvement in

professional-amateur (Pro-Am) projects

continued this apparition. Readers of this

Journal may recall the appeal that

occurred a few apparitions ago from

NASA’s Radio and Plasma Wave Science

(RPWS) team for amateur astronomers to

monitor Saturn’s Southern Hemisphere

for bright clouds following a sudden

occurrence of radio noise caused by a

dynamic storm in the STrZ in January

2006. Amateur observers responded

right away and contributed images of the

small white spots, which apparently

corresponded with the outburst of radio

noise detected by the Cassini spacecraft.

Careful systematic imaging by ALPO

observers equivalent to the efforts in

2006 have been continuing, and our

results are now routinely being shared

with the professional community. It

should be pointed out, however, that this

was not the first concerted Pro-Am effort

in recent observing seasons. Dating back

to the time Cassini started observing

Saturn at close range in April 2004,

digital images at wavelengths ranging

from 400nm - 1m under good seeing

conditions were solicited by professionals

from amateurs. To participate in this

specific project, observers simply need to

utilize classical broadband filters (e.g.

Johnson system: B, V, R and I) with

telescope apertures of 30.5 cm (12.0 in.)

or larger, while also imaging through a

890-nm narrow band CH4 (methane)

filter. The Cassini Team requests that

observers systematically patrol the planet

every clear night for individual features,

watching their motions and morphology,

and thereby furnish input of interesting

large-scale targets for Cassini's imaging

system to begin close-up surveillance.

Visual observers with apertures ranging

upwards from 10.2 cm (4.0 in.) can play

a very meaningful role by making routine

visual numerical relative intensity

estimates and keep track of suspected

variations in belt and zone reflectivities

(i.e., intensity) and color.

The Cassini team combines ALPO

Saturn Section images with data from

the Hubble Space Telescope and from

other professional ground-based

observatories for immediate and future

study. As a means of facilitating regular

amateur-professional observational

cooperation, readers are requested to

contact the ALPO Saturn Section with

any questions they may have as to how

they can share their observational

Illustration 013. Simultaneous observations (digital images):

A. 2009 Jan 27 18:22UT Digital image by Tomio Akutsu with a 35.6-cm (14.0-in.) SCT and

RGB filters. S= 7.5 and Tr = 3.0. CMI = 278.1°, CMII = 26.5°, CMIII = 283.4°, B = –1.4°, B´

= −3.3°. The SEBZ white spot is near CM.

B. 2009 Jan 27 18:39UT Christopher Go using a 28.0 cm (11.0 in.) SCT, with RGB + IR

blocking filter. S = 7.5, Tr = 5.0. CMI = 288.1°, CMII = 36.1°, CMIII = 292.9°, B = –1.4°, B´ =

−3.3°. The SEBZ white spot is near CM.

Page 56 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

reports, drawings, and images of Saturn

and its satellites with the professional

community. The author is always

delighted to offer guidance to novices, as

well as more experienced observers. A

very meaningful resource for learning

how to observe and record data on

Saturn is the ALPO Training Program,

and it is recommended that beginners

take advantage of this valuable

educational resource.

Conclusions

Based on mean visual numerical relative

intensity estimates during 2008-09 and

comparing the results with the

immediately preceding apparition, only

very subtle fluctuations in belt and zone

intensities were suspected. It would be

difficult to conclude that atmospheric

activity on Saturn’s globe increased or

decreased substantially over the last

several apparitions. Using standard visual

observing methods and digital imaging,

however, limited atmospheric activity was

apparent in the form of recurring short-

lived dark features much of the observing

season in the South Equatorial Belt

(SEB), as well as dusky festoons in the

EZs just after opposition. Small dark

condensations were suspected in the

North Equatorial Belt (NEB) and North

Temperate Belt (NTeB). Observers

imaged the recurring presence of small

white spots in the South Tropical Zone

(STrZ), South Equatorial Belt Zone

(SEBZ), and Equatorial Zone (EZ) during

the apparition, while a rare white spot

was also imaged in the North Polar

Region (NPR).

With respect to the Ring System, apart

from routine visual observations and

digital images showing Cassini’s (A0 or

B10), Encke’s (A5), and possibly Keeler’s

(A8) divisions, several less conspicuous

intensity minima at different locations

within Ring B were recorded with digital

imagers. There was only one suspicion of

the bi-colored aspect of the rings during

the apparition, and no submitted digital

images hinted at this phenomenon in

2008-09.

Digital imaging, which now regularly

takes place along with visual studies of

Saturn, often reveals discrete detail on

the globe and in the rings often below the

normal visual threshold. The

combination of both methods greatly

improves the opportunities for detecting

changes on Saturn during any given

observing season, and monitoring

different regions of Saturn with digital

imagers may signal outbursts of activity

that visual observers may eventually be

able to study with their telescopes,

including establishing limits of visibility of

such features. In addition, during the

2008-09 apparition, Saturn’s very small

ring inclinations leading up to the edge-

on orientation of the rings, albeit

unobservable this apparition, observers

were able to witness and image transits

of satellites lying near the planet’s

equatorial plane and their shadows, such

as Mimas, Rhea, Dione, Enceladus,

Tethys, and Titan.

The author is very grateful for the efforts

of all the individuals mentioned in this

report who submitted drawings, digital

images, descriptive reports, and visual

numerical relative intensity estimates

during the 2008-09 apparition. It was

also quite pleasing to see increased

simultaneous observations this

apparition. Dedicated systematic

observational work makes our programs

a success and helps amateur and

professional astronomers alike to obtain

a better understanding of Saturn and its

dynamic ring system. Observers

everywhere are encouraged to

participate in our programs in future

apparitions.

References

Alexander, A.F. O'D. (1962). The Planet

Saturn. London: Faber and Faber.

Benton, J.L., Jr. (2005). Saturn and How

to Observe It. London: Springer-Verlag.

Illustration 014. Simultaneous observations (digital images):

A. 2009 Feb 28 00:04UT Digital image by Christophe Pellier with a 25.4 cm (10.0 in.) CAS

and IR filter. S= 5.0 and Tr = 6.0. CMI = 14.7°, CMII = 194.2°, CMIII = 53.3°, B = –2.5°, B´

= −2.8°. SEBZ white spot is most readily detected in IR.

B. 2009 Feb 28 00:19UT Digital image by Marc Delcroix using a 25.4 cm (10.0 in.) SCT

with IR and RGB filters. S = 6.0, Tr = 3.0. CMI = 23.5°, CMII = 202.6°, CMIII = 61.8°, B =

–2.5°, B´ = 2.8°. SEBZ white spot is more pronounced in IR but only faintly noticeable in

RGB.

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 57

________ (1996). Visual Observations

of the Planet Saturn: Theory and

Methods (The Saturn Handbook).

Savannah, GA: Review Publishing

Company, 1996 (8th Revised Edition -

now available also in pdf format).

________ (1999). The 1995-96

Apparition of Saturn and Edgewise

Presentation of the Rings: Visual and

Other Observations, Journal of the Assn

of Lunar & Planetary Observers, 41, 1:

1-23.

________ (2006). ALPO Observations

of Saturn During the 2002-2003,

Apparition, Journal of the Assn of Lunar

& Planetary Observers, 48, 2: 24-40.

________ (2007). ALPO Observations

of Saturn During the 2003-2004

Apparition, Journal of the Assn of Lunar

& Planetary Observers, 49, 2: 32-55.

________ (2008a). ALPO Observations

of Saturn During the 2004-2005

Apparition, Journal of the Assn of Lunar

& Planetary Observers, 50, 1: 30-54.

________(2008b). ALPO Observations

of Saturn During the 2005-2006

Apparition, Journal of the Assn of Lunar

& Planetary Observers, 51, 1: 32-62.

________ (2010). ALPO Observations

of Saturn During the 2006-2007

Apparition, Journal of the Assn of Lunar

& Planetary Observers, 52, 1: 20-50.

---------------, 2010, ALPO Observations

of Saturn During the 2007-2008

Apparition, Journal of the Assn of Lunar

& Planetary Observers, 52, 3: 29-58.

Gehrels, T. and Matthews, M.S. (1984).

Saturn. Tucson: University of Arizona

Press.

Kozyrev, N.A. (1974). East-West

Asymmetry of Saturn’s Ring,

Astrophysics and Space Science, 27, 1:

111-116.

Lukkari, J. and Piironen, J.O. (1981).

The East-West Asymmetry of Saturn’s

Rings: New Measurements?, The Moon

and Planets, 25, 133-136.

Morrison, D. (1982). Voyages to Saturn

(NASA SP-451). Washington: U.S.

Government Printing Office.

Smith, B. A., et al. (1981). Encounter

with Saturn: Voyager 1 Imaging Science

Results, Science, 212, 163-191.

Spilker, Linda J., Editor. (1997).

Passage to A Ringed World: The

Cassini-Huygens Mission to Saturn and

Titan (NASA SP-533). Washington: U.S.

Government Printing Office.

United States Naval Observatory, The

Astronomical Almanac. Washington:

U.S. Government Printing Office.

(Annual Publication; the 2008 and 2009

editions, which were published in 2007

and 2008, respectively, were used for

this report).

Illustration 015. 2009 Feb 17 05:33UT. Drawing by Carl Roussell using a 15.2-cm (6.0-in.)

REF at 200-300X in IL and W23A (light red), W58 (green), and W38A (light blue) filters. S =

5.0, Tr = 3.0. CMI = 279.4°, CMII = 86.8°, CMIII = 318.9°, B = –2.1°, B´ = –3.0°. Suspected

dark elongations in SEBs and SEBn.

Page 58 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

Illustration 016. Simultaneous Observations (digital image

and drawing):

A. 2009 Mar 20 23:01UT. Digital image by Damian Peach

with a 35.6-cm (14.0-in.) SCT using RGB filters. S and Tr

not specified. CMI = 69.5°, CMII = 292.0°, CMIII = 125.9°,

B = –3.3°, B´ = −2.5°. SEBn dusky streak W of CM.

B. 2009 Mar 21 00:34UT. Drawing by Paul G. Abel using a

20.3 cm (8.0 in.) NEW at 312X in IL (no filter). S = 4.0

(interpolated), Tr not specified other than hazy sky

conditions. CMI = 124.0°, CMII = 344.5°, CMIII = 178.3°, B

= –3.3°, B´ = –2.5°. Dark elongation in SEBn near CM.

Illustration 017. 2008 Dec 22 05:56UT. Digital image by Mark Delcroix using a 28.0-cm

(11.0-in.) SCT with R + IR filters. S and TR not specified. CMI = 42.9°, CMII = 251.0°, CMIII

= 191.9°, B = –1.0°, B´ = −3.8°. EZn white spot most obvious in red wavelengths.

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 59

Illustration 018. 2009 Jan 04 02:25UT. Digital image by Christophe Pellier using a 25.4-cm

(10.0-in.) CAS with R + IR filters. S = 8.5, Tr = 5.0. CMI = 96.0°, CMII = 248.9°, CMIII =

174.2°, B = –1.1°, B´ = −3.6°. EZn white spot most obvious in red light.

Illustration 019. Simultaneous

Observations (digital images):

A. 2009 Jan 23 17:08UT. Digital image by

Tomio Akutsu with a 35.6-cm (14.0-in.)

SCT and RGB filters. S = 6.0, Tr = 4.0.

CMI = 97.1°, CMII = 336.4°, CMIII =

238.1°, B = –1.3°, B´ = −3.3°. EZn white

spot near CM (Titan is seen also in transit

across disk).

B. 2009 Jan 23 17:32UT. Christopher Go

using a 28.0 cm (11.0 in.) SCT, with RGB

+ IR blocking filter. S = 7.0, Tr = 5.0. CMI

= 111.2°, CMII = 350.0°, CMIII = 251.7°,

B = –1.3°, B´ = −3.3°. EZn white spot

near CM (Titan is seen also in transit

across disk).

Page 60 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

Illustration 020. Simultaneous Observations (digital images):

A. 2009 Feb 14 00:24UT. Digital image by David Arditti with a

35.6-cm (14.0-in.) SCT at red wavelengths. S and Tr not

specified. CMI = 85.1°, CMII = 356.2°, CMIII = 232.3°, B =

–2.0°, B´ = −3.0°. EZn white spot barely visible in red image.

Rhea is in transit.

B. 2009 Feb 14 01:32UT. Digital image by Jan Adelaar with a

23.5 cm (9.25 in.) SCT and RGB filters. S and Tr not

specified. CMI = 124.9°, CMII = 34.6°, CMIII = 270.6°, B =

–2.0°, B´ = −3.0°. EZn white spot is near CM. Rhea is in

transit.

Illustration 021. Simultaneous Observations (digital

images):

A. 2009 Mar 12 11:37UT. Digital image by Tomio Akutsu

with a 35.6-cm (14.0-in.) SCT and RGB filters. S = 2.5, Tr =

3.5. CMI = 113.6°, CMII = 249.9°, CMIII = 94.0°, B = –2.9°,

B´ = -2.6°. EZn white spot near CM (Titan shadow in transit

across disk).

B. 2009 Mar 12 11:51UT. Christopher Go using a 28.0 cm

(11.0 in.) SCT, with RGB + IR blocking filter. S = 7.5, Tr =

5.1. CMI = 121.8°, CMII = 257.7°, CMIII = 101.8°, B = –2.9°,

B´ = -2.6°. EZn white spot near CM (Titan shadow in transit

across disk).

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 61

Illustration 022. Simultaneous Observations

(digital images):

A. 2009 Apr 02 21:18UT. Digital image by Jan

Adelaar with a 23.5 cm (9.25 in.) SCT and

RGB filters. S and Tr not specified. CMI

=185.5°, CMII = 350.4°, CMIII = 168.7°, B =

–3.7°, B´ = -2.3°. EZn white spot is near CM.

B. 2009 Apr 02 21:28UT. Digital image by

Damian Peach with a 35.6-cm (14.0-in.) SCT

using RGB filters. S and Tr not specified. CMI =

191.3°, CMII = 356.1°, CMIII = 174.3°, B =

–3.7°, B´ = -2.3°. EZn white spot is near CM.

Illustration 023. 2009 May 19 20:05UT. Digital image by Damian Peach employing a 35.6

cm (14.0 in.) SCT with RGB filters + IR blocker. S and Tr not specified. CMI = 223.3°, CMII

= 311.9°, CMIII = 73.6°, B = –4.3°, B´ = −1.5°. EZn white spot is apparent near CM. Rhea is

in transit across globe farther North.

Page 62 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

Illustration 024. 2009 Apr 21 20:28UT. Drawing by Detlev Niechoy using a 20.3-cm (8.0-in.)

SCT at 225X in IL. S = 3.0, Tr = 3.0. CMI = 357.8°, CMII = 270.3°, CMIII = 65.7°, B = –4.1°,

B´ = −2.0°. Festoons projecting into EZn from south edge of NEB.

Illustration 025. 2009 Apr 10 12:37UT. Digital image by Christopher Go using a 28.0-cm

(11.0-in.) SCT in RBG + IR blocking filter. S = 7.0, Tr = 4.0. CMI = 30.2°, CMII = 340.7°,

CMIII = 151.0°, B = –3.9°, B´ = −2.2°. Narrow EB extends across the disk of Saturn in this

excellent image.

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 63

Illustration 026. 2009 Apr 01 22:09UT. Digital image by Damian Peach employing a 35.6

cm (14.0 in.) SCT with RGB filters + IR blocker. S and Tr not specified. CMI = 91.0°, CMII

= 287.2°, CMIII = 106.6°, B = –3.7°, B´ = −2.3°. NEBn is clearly darker than the NEBs in

this image. Outer third of Ring B is more prominent than the inner two-thirds.

Illustration 027. 2009 Mar 01 04:25UT. Drawing by Carl Roussell using a 15.2-cm (6.0-in.)

REF at 200-300X in IL and W23A (light red), W58 (green), and W38A (light blue) filters. S =

5.0, Tr = 3.5. CMI =292.2°, CMII = 73.4°, CMIII = 291.2°, B = –2.5°, B´ = –2.8°. Suspected

dark features in NTeB.

Page 64 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

Illustration 028. 2009 May 02 20:38UT. Digital image by Mark Delcroix using a 28.0-cm

(11.0-in.) SCT with R + IR filters. S = 4.5, Tr = 4.0. CMI = 290.6°, CMII = 207.5°, CMIII =

349.7°, B = –4.3°, B´ = −1.8°. Tiny white spot appears at the edge of the NPR at red

wavelengths in fair seeing conditions.

Illustration 029. 2009 Aug 10 10:32UT. Digital image by Tomio Akutsu with a 35.6-cm

(14.0-in.) SCT and RGB filters. S = 3.5, Tr = 2.0. CMI = 113.6°, CMII = 249.9°, CMIII =

94.0°, B = –1.6°, B´ = −0.2°. Rings are nearly edge-on in this image less than a month

away from the unfavorable theoretical edgewise orientation on September 4, 2009.

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 65

Illustration 030. 2009 Aug 14 11:00UT. Digital image by Tomio Akutsu with a 35.6-cm (14.0-

in.) SCT and RGB filters. S = 4.0, Tr = 3.0. CMI = 266.6°, CMII = 77.6°, CMIII = 94.8°, B =

–1.3°, B´ = −0.2°. Rings are nearly edge-on in this image less than a month away from the

unfavorable theoretical edgewise orientation on September 4, 2009.

Illustration 031. 2009 Apr 09 01:09UT. Digital image by Paolo Casquinha employing a 35.6-

cm (14.0-in.) SCT with RGB + IR blocking filter. S and Tr not specified. CMI = 346.8°, CMII

= 312.8°, CMIII = 123.6°, B = –3.9°, B´ = −2.2°. Encke’s division (A5) is apparent at the

ansae.

Page 66 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

Illustration 032. 2009 Mar 29 23:31UT. Digital image by Damian Peach employing a 35.6

cm (14.0 in.) SCT with RGB filters + IR blocker. S and Tr not specified. CMI = 126.1°, CMII

= 57.3°, CMIII = 240.3°, B = –3.6°, B´ = −2.3°. Dusky Ring C is apparent at the ansae in

this superb image.

Illustration 033. 2009 Mar 08 15:06UT. Digital image by Christopher Go using a 28.0-cm

(11.0-in.) SCT in RBG + IR blocking filter. S = 9.0, Tr = 5.0. CMI = 98.7°, CMII = 359.4°,

CMIII = 208.2°, B = –2.8°, B´ = −2.6°. Opposition effect (aka Seeliger effect) is obvious in

this image.

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 67

Illustration 034. 2009 Jan 27 18:39UT. Digital image by Christopher Go using a 28.0-cm

(11.0-in.) SCT in RBG + IR blocking filter. S = 7.5, Tr = 5.0. CMI = 288.1°, CMII = 36.1°,

CMIII = 292.9°, B = –1.4°, B´ = −3.3°. When B and B′ are both negative, and B < B′, the

ring shadow is to the north of the projected rings, as shown in this image.

Illustration 035. 2009 May 23 12:02UT. Digital image by Christopher Go using a 28.0-cm

(11.0-in.) SCT in RBG + IR blocking filter. S = 7.5, Tr = 4.5. CMI = 77.0°, CMII = 47.2°,

CMIII = 164.5°, B = –4.3°, B´ = −1.5°. When B and B′ are both negative, and the value of B

> B′, the shadow of the rings on the globe is cast to their south, as depicted in this image.

Illustration 036. 2008 Dec 20 21:20UT. Digital image by Tomio Akutsu with a 35.6-cm

(14.0-in.) SCT and RGB filters. S = 7.0, Tr = 3.0. CMI = 336.0°, CMII = 227.9°, CMIII =

170.4°, B = –1.0°, B´ = −3.9°. Dione is visible in this image off the globe and its shadow in

transit.

Page 68 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

Illustration 038. 2009 Jan 23 17:32UT.

Digital image by Christopher Go using a

28.0-cm (11.0-in.) SCT in RBG + IR

blocking filter. S = 7.0, Tr = 5.0. CMI =

111.2°, CMII = 350.0°, CMIII = 251.7°, B =

–1.3°, B´ = −3.3°. Titan is in transit across

Saturn’s disk.

Illustration 037. 2009 Jan 04 03:41UT.

Digital image by Christophe Pellier using a

25.4-cm (10.0-in.) CAS with UV filter. S =

8.5, Tr = 5.0. CMI = 140.6, CMII = 291.7°,

CMIII = 217.0°, B = –1.1°, B´ = −3.6°.

Tethys and its shadow are in transit across

Saturn (imaged in UV light).

Illustration 039. 2009 Feb 14 03:00UT.

Digital image by Paolo Casquinha

employing a 35.6-cm (14.0-in.) SCT with

RGB + IR blocking filter. S and Tr not

specified. CMI = 176.5°, CMII = 84.2°,

CMIII = 320.1°, B = –2.0°, B´ = −3.0°.

Transit of Rhea across Saturn.

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 69

Illustration 040. 2009 Feb 24 14:25UT.

Hubble Space Telescope (HST) image of

quadruple transit of Titan, Mimas, Dione,

Enceladus and their shadows crossing

Saturn’s globe. Image courtesy of

Science@NASA and Hubble Space

Telescope Team.

Illustration 041. 2009 Feb 24 11:19UT. Digital image by Paul

Maxson using a 25.4-cm (10.0-in.) DAL in IL + IR blocking

filter. S and Tr not specified. CMI = 273.0°, CMII = 206.5°,

CMIII = 69.9°, B = –2.3°, B´ = 2.8°. Titan and its shadow

transiting the globe near northern limb prior to quadruple

event.

Page 70 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

Illustration 042. 2009 Feb 24 14:13UT. Digital image by Anthony Wesley using a 36.8 cm

(14.5 in.) NEW in IL + IR blocking filter. S and Tr not specified. CMI = 15.1°, CMII = 304.6°,

CMIII = 167.9°, B = –2.3°, B´ = -2.8°. Titan and Dione in transit across the Saturn’s globe.

Illustration 043. 2009 May 19 22:53UT. Drawing by Paul G. Abel using a 20.3 cm (8.0 in.)

NEW at 312X in IL (no filter). S = 4.0 (interpolated), Tr not specified. CMI = 321.8°, CMII =

46.6°, CMIII = 168.1°, B = -4.3°, B´ = -1.5°. Rhea off globe with shadow in transit.

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 71

ALPO Resources

People, publications, etc., to help our members

Board of Directors

http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/main/

board.html

•Executive 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

• Member of the Board; Donald C. Parker,

12911 Lerida Street, Coral Gables, FL

33156

• Associate Director; 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; Richard W.

Schmude, Jr., 109 Tyus St., Barnesville,

GA 30204

• 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

• Klaus R. Brasch; 10915 Sage Rd,

Flagstaff, AZ, 86004

• Richard Jakiel; 8620 East Hickory Lane,

Lithia Springs, GA 30122

• 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

Monrovia St., Union City, CA 94587-

5433

***********************

Interest Sections

Computing Section

http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/computing

•Coordinator; Larry Owens, 4225 Park

Brooke Trace, Alpharetta, GA 30022

Historical Section

http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/main/

hist.html

• Coordinator; Richard Baum, 25

Whitchurch Rd., Chester, CH3 5QA,

United Kingdom

• Assistant Coordinator; Thomas A.

Dobbins, 10029 Colonial Country Club

Blvd., Fort Myers, FL 33919

Lunar & Planetary Training

Section

http://www.alpo-astronomy/training

• Coordinator; Timothy J. Robertson, 195

Tierra Rejada Rd., #148, Simi Valley,

CA 93065

Website

http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/

•Webmaster; Larry Owens, 4225 Park

Brooke Trace, Alpharetta, GA 30022

• Assistant Webmaster; Jonathan D.

Slaton, P. O. Box 496, Mansfield, MO.

65704

Youth Section

http://www.cometman.net/youth

• Coordinator; Timothy J. Robertson,195

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

• Assistant Coordinator; Brad Timerson

(e-mail contact only; see listing in ALPO

Staff E-mail Directory on page 73)

• 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 Glen-

Hollow 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/alpo-

topo

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/alpo-

sap.html

Banded Craters Program

http://moon.scopesandscapes.com/alpo-

bcp.htm

•Coordinator; Wayne Bailey, 17 Autumn

Lane, Sewell, NJ 08080

• Assistant Coordinator; William

Dembowski, 219 Old Bedford Pike,

Windber, PA 15963

Lunar Meteoritic Impacts Search

Program

http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/lunar/

lunimpacts.htm

Page 72 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

ALPO Resources

People, publications, etc., to help our members

•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

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

•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. Sanchez-

Lavega, Dpto. Fisica Aplicada I, E.T.S.

Ingenieros, Alda. Urquijo

s/n, 48013, Bilbao, Spain

wupsalaa@bicc00.bi.ehu.es

Saturn Section

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

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 mb.

•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

mb.

•Monograph No. 3. H.P. Wilkins 300-

inch 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 mb)

•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 mb.

•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 mb.

•Monograph No. 6. Proceedings of the

47th Convention of the Association of

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 73

ALPO Resources

People, publications, etc., to help our members

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@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

Venable, R.J..........................................rjvmd@hughes.net

Westfall, J.E.............................. johnwestfall@comcast.net

Will, M. ..............................matt.will@alpo-astronomy.org

ALPO Staff E-mail Directory

Online readers please note: 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. Your

Internet connection MUST be ON for this feature to work.

Lunar and Planetary Observers,

Tucson, Arizona, October 19-21,

1996.20 pages. Hard copy $3 for the

United States, Canada, and Mexico; $4

elsewhere.File size approx. 2.6 mb.

•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 mb.

•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,

Canada, and Mexico; $26

elsewhere.File size approx. 2.6 mb.

•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 mb.

•Monograph Number 10. Observing

and Understanding Uranus, Neptune

and Pluto. By Richard W. Schmude, Jr.

31 pages. File size approx. 2.6 mb.

•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: Guidelines for the Observation of

White Light Solar Phenomena,

Guidelines for the Observing

Monochromatic Solar Phenomena plus

various drawing and report forms

available for free as pdf file downloads

at http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/

solarblog.

•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

Page 74 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

ALPO Resources

People, publications, etc., to help our members

file via e-mail or send check or money

order payable to Timothy J. Robertson,

195 Tierra Rejada Rd., #148, Simi

Valley, CA 93065; e-mail

cometman@cometman.net.

•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/alpo-

sap.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

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

•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 816-

DEEP-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”).

•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.

•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);

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.alpo-

astronomy.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); 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.

The Strolling Astronomer

Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012 Page 75

ALPO Resources

People, publications, etc., to help our members

•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 (816-

333-7759); 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.

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 self-

addressed stamped envelope with

request to current ALPO Membership

Secretary (Matt Will).

•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 the latest

current issue as a pdf file from the

ALPO website at http://www.alpo-

astronomy.org/djalpo (free; most recent

issues are password-protected, 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, first-

served 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,”):

$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), Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Vol. 54 (2012), No. 1

$5 ea4h:

Vol. 54 (2012), No. 2 (current issue)

Page 76 Volume 54, No. 2, Spring 2012

The Strolling Astronomer

ALPO Resources

People, publications, etc., to help our members

THE ASSOCIATION

OF LUNAR & PLANETARY OBSERVERS (ALPO)

The Association of Lunar & Planetary Observers (ALPO) was founded by Walter H. Haas in 1947, and incorporated in 1990, as

a medium for advancing and conducting astronomical work by both professional and amateur astronomers who share an interest in

Solar System observations. We 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 com-

ets. 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 tele-

scopic 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 inter-

ested 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 consid-

erably reduced cost.

Subscription rates and terms are listed below (effective January 1, 2012).

We heartily invite you to join the ALPO and look forward to hearing from you.

•..$US12 – 4 issues of the digital Journal only, all countries, e-mail address required

•..$US20 – 8 issues of the digital Journal only, all countries, e-mail address required

•..$US33 – 4 issues of the paper Journal only, US, Mexico and Canada

•..$US60 – 8 issues of the paper Journal only, US, Mexico and Canada

•..$US40 – 4 issues of the paper Journal only, all other countries

•..$US74 – 8 issues of the paper Journal only, all other countries

•..$US65 – Sustaining Member level, 4 issues of the digital and paper Journal, all countries

•..$US130 – Sponsoring Member level, 4 issues of the digital and paper Journal, all countries

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, simply left-click on this Astronomical League web page:

http://www.astroleague.org/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=10&products_id=39

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_______________________________________________________________________________________

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 Software T = Tutoring & Training Program (including Youth)

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