Astral Projections Online July 2021
ASTRA held its virtual club meeting on June 11, 2021. We will continue the virtual meetings via Zoom during COVID. If you can’t participate because of issues with Zoom please contact us.
Club dues and 2021 membership. Returning members should have renewed by now. If you renew after March 31 you will be renewed as a new member. NOTE: Those members that paid for 2020 will be carried over to 2021 and should have already been notified.
Please check our Website for updated content at www.astra-nj.com
Club Presentations Wanted:
Anyone has any astronomy items of interest to share with the membership?
Please let us know at Club Contacts.
ASTRAL PROJECTIONS ONLINE (APO for short) is an email-linked publication for members only. If you exit APO to the club website or other resources you will need to use the emailed link again to get back to it. If you wish to retain a copy please bookmark or refer back to the email. We will make all efforts to post by the first week of the month.
Submissions Welcome: Members are invited to submit articles, photos, news, or stories for inclusion with Astral Projections Online. Please contact the ASTRA Webmaster.
Event Calendar
ASTRA’s next virtual meeting is on Friday, July 9, 2021, at 7 PM.
Some in-person events are starting up, please check the club calendar. Club virtual meetings will continue.
EVENT Cancellations: Members will receive email notification of an event cancellation, or call the ASTRA Hotline: 609-971-3331
Website Updates …
Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know.
"There are times in life when you just have to give up on a few hours sleep and take time to see God’s universe doing its dance"
- June 10 2021, Solar Eclipse - Rosemarie Lahosky Spedaliere, ASTRA Astronomer
Robert J. Novins Planetarium Announcement
The Novins Planetarium is pleased to announce that they will begin a phased reopening of in-person events beginning this June.
To show our appreciation for their support of ASTRA please visit the planetarium website and purchase some show tickets.
ASTRA Club Meetings: We will be reviewing with the Planetarium staff our ability to hold in-person club meetings again and will update the membership as soon as we can. Until then, club meetings will continue to be held virtually via Zoom.
June 10 Solar Eclipse
On June 10 2021, some of our ASTRA members and staff of the Novins Planetarium met at Seaside Park for our first event since COVID for the solar eclipse. We all had a great time getting together again doing what we love. It is safe to say we are all looking forward to getting out there as the shackles of COVID are loosen up further. Many photos were already posted to the club’s Facebook page. Some solar eclipse images will be posted in APO Astrophotography section.
Asteroids
Our June club presentation was by ASTRA member Jim Webster on Asteroids. In the 1960s and ’70s as a kid learning about our solar system, I was taught that asteroids were nothing more than broken up rocks in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. In Jim’s research for this presentation, it has proven to be so much more. Below are some highlights from our June presentation.
What started out as a project on just Trojan asteroids morphed into a much larger presentation on many aspects of asteroids. Sometimes called minor planets, asteroids are rocky remnants left over from the formation of the solar system about 4.6 billion years ago. Most asteroids orbit the sun in a belt between Mars and Jupiter. Scientists think there are probably millions of asteroids, ranging widely in size.
The three broad composition classes of asteroids are C-, S-, and M-types.
•The C-type (chondrite) asteroids are most common, probably consist of clay and silicate rocks, and are dark in appearance. They are among the most ancient objects in the solar system.
•The S-types ("stony") are made up of silicate materials and nickel-iron.
•The M-types are metallic (nickel-iron). The asteroids' compositional differences are related to how far from the sun they formed. Some experienced high temperatures after they formed and partly melted, with iron sinking to the center and forcing basaltic (volcanic) lava to the surface.
Trojans: These asteroids share an orbit with a larger planet, but do not collide with it because they gather around two special places in the orbit (called the L4 and L5 Lagrangian points). There, the gravitational pull from the sun and the planet are balanced by a trojan's tendency to otherwise fly out of orbit.
The Jupiter trojans form the most significant population of trojan asteroids. It is thought that they are as numerous as the asteroids in the asteroid belt. There are Mars and Neptune trojans, and NASA announced the discovery of an Earth trojan in 2011.
Lucy will be the first space mission to study the Trojans. The mission takes its name from the fossilized human ancestor (called “Lucy” by her discoverers) whose skeleton provided unique insight into humanity's evolution.
Lucy will launch in October 2021 and, with boosts from Earth's gravity, will complete a 12-year journey to eight different asteroids. No other space mission in history has been launched to as many different destinations in independent orbits around our sun. Lucy will be the first.
Near-Earth Asteroids
Near-Earth Asteroids, NEA are also referred to as NEO or Near-Earth Objects. Are asteroids that have orbits that intersect with Earth’s orbit. Near-Earth Asteroids that approach Earth's orbital distance to within about 45 million kilometers (28 million miles) and may pose an impact danger.
Radar is a valuable tool in detecting and monitoring potential impact hazards. By reflecting transmitted signals off objects, images and other information can be derived from the echoes. Scientists can learn a great deal about an asteroid's orbit, rotation, size, shape, and metal concentration.
The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) – NASA’s first mission to demonstrate a planetary defense technique – will get one chance to hit its target, the small moonlet in the binary asteroid system Didymos scheduled for 2022.
Work is ramping up at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, and other locations across the country, as the mission heads toward its summer 2021 launch.
More than 300 asteroids have their own moons, including quite a few with two moons, and a few that have three moons.
The image to the left is of 243 Ida, and its moon Dactyl at 3 o'clock.
Discovered by Johann Palisa at the Vienna Observatory
243 Ida was discovered September 29, 1884.
It’s moon discovery was in 1993.
10199 Chariklo found in 1997, was the first ringed asteroid. Its rings were discovered in 2013.
Dwarf planet Ceres is the largest object in the asteroid belt and the only dwarf planet located in the inner solar system. It was the first member of the asteroid belt to be discovered when Giuseppe Piazzi spotted it in 1801.
An asteroid for many years, Ceres is so much bigger and so different from its’ rocky neighbors that scientists classified it as a dwarf planet in 2006.
More on this presentation can be found on our club YouTube page.
Lucy: Surveying the Diversity of Trojans
Credit: NASA
Dr. Hal Levison joined the NASA Night Sky Network on July 25, 2019, to share with us the plans for the Lucy mission to study the Trojan asteroids.
Jupiter's swarms of Trojan asteroids may be remnants of the primordial material that formed the outer planets and serve as time capsules from the birth of our Solar System more than 4 billion years ago.
The Trojans orbit in two loose groups that orbit the Sun, with one group always ahead of Jupiter in its path, the other always behind. At these two Lagrange points the bodies are stabilized by the Sun and Jupiter in a gravitational balancing act.
These primitive bodies hold vital clues to deciphering the history of the solar system, and perhaps even the origins of life and organic material on Earth.
Lucy will be the first space mission to study the Trojans. The mission takes its name from the fossilized human ancestor (called “Lucy” by her discoverers) whose skeleton provided unique insight into humanity's evolution. Likewise, the Lucy mission will revolutionize our knowledge of planetary origins and the formation of the solar system.
Lucy will launch in October 2021 and, with boosts from Earth's gravity, will complete a 12-year journey to seven different asteroids — a Main Belt asteroid and six Trojans, the last two members of a “two-for-the-price-of-one” binary system. Lucy’s complex path will take it to both clusters of Trojans and give us our first close-up view of all three major types of bodies in the swarms (so-called C-, P- and D-types).
No other space mission in history has been launched to as many different destinations in independent orbits around our sun. Lucy will show us, for the first time, the diversity of the primordial bodies that built the planets. Lucy’s discoveries will open new insights into the origins of our Earth and ourselves.
About Dr. Hal Levison
Dr. Levison is an Institute Scientist at the Southwest Research Insitute. He holds an A.B. in Physics, from Franklin and Marshall College, an M.S. in Astronomy from the University of Michigan, and a Ph.D. in Astronomy from the University of Michigan.
Dr. Levison's principal research interests lie in the area of the dynamics of astronomical objects. In particular, he focuses on the formation and long-term behavior of solar system bodies. Dr. Levison's work includes studies of the formation of both giant and terrestrial planets, the long-term dynamical behavior of comets, the dynamics of objects in the Kuiper belt, the origin and stability of Trojan asteroids, and the formation of satellites. In 1997, he, with Martin Duncan, predicted the existence of the Scattered Comet Disk. He is perhaps best known, however, for his work on the early dynamical evolution of the outer Solar System, and is an author of the most comprehensive model to date.
Dr. Levison is also the co-author of SWIFT , which is a software package for integrating orbits of solar system bodies. SWIFT is freely available and will run on most UNIX workstations.
The above article is from the Night Sky Network webinar and was last updated on July 7, 2019. The YouTube presentation is also available and can be viewed here.
Lucy Mission Home Page
NASA’s Lucy Mission Page
Lucy Mission Facebook Page
Asteroid 16 Psyche
A new study of asteroid 16 Psyche suggests that ancient ferrovolcanism, volcanoes that spewed molten iron, might have been present on this solar system object. Check out the June 17 article by Lauren Sgro in Sky & Telescope.
Artist's illustration, asteroid 16 Psyche, is the subject of a new study by Michael Shepard.
Courtesy of Maxar / ASU / P. Rubin / NASA / JPL-Caltech
Meet NASA’s Psyche Team who will measure the Asteroid’s magnetic field on NASA YouTube.
NASA’s Psyche Mission Page
Arizona State University Psyche Mission Page
Mission to Psyche Facebook Page
June 30 was Asteroid Day and you can see the video here from NASA YouTube.
This Month-Member Show and Tell
On June 10, 2021, ASTRA Member Sam Granovsky was with the other ASTRA members at Seaside Park. He did not hold back on working on getting the best images possible for the solar eclipse.
Sam has some of the best astrophotography gear around and knows how to use it to its fullest. Pictured are the following:
Canon Rebel T6
Explore Scientific ED102 FCD 100
iOptron Cem 70
Celestron Power Tank Lithium Pro
For the eclipse, Sam also used a homemade solar filter from Thousand Oaks Optical film.
Below are the specifications for the Explore Scientific ED102 FCD 100 and iOptron CEM70 Mount.
Explore Scientific Refractor Telescope Specifications
The ED102 102mm f/7 Essential Apochromatic FCD100 ED Triplet Refractor Telescope from Explore Scientific features a triplet apochromatic lens system with Hoya's exceptionally engineered and crafted FCD100 extra-low dispersion (ED) glass and Explore Scientific's proprietary anti-reflection EMD fully multi-coated optics. This combination of glass, lenses, and coatings virtually eliminates chromatic and spherical aberrations for clear and bright images without distortion across the entire field of view, with true color rendition. This is a versatile optical tube assembly (OTA) that is powerful enough to clearly see the planets and bright deep-sky objects. It has a relatively small form factor that makes it perfect as a portable grab-and-go option, or set up on a dual-mount rig for astrophotography/astroimaging.
Focal Length 714mm
Focal Ratio f/7
Limiting Magnitude 12.5
Optical Design Apochromatic Triplet Refractor
Aperture 4"
Eyepiece Barrel Diameter 2" (50.80mm), 1.25" (31.75mm) with included adapter
Diagonal 90 deg.
Resolution 1.14 arcsec
Tube Length with Dew Shield 30.5" (774.70mm)
Tube Length without Dew Shield 23.75" (603.25mm)
Diameter 119mm (4.69")
Dovetail Vixen
Weight 12lbs (5.44kg)
iOptron CEM70 Specifications
The CEM70 is the newest member of the iOptron center-balance mount series, and boy, is it packed with features serious amateur astronomers will love! This medium-payload computerized equatorial mount can handle up to a 70 lb. payload, but is still portable enough (the CEM70 weighs just 30 lb. without counterweights) to take to dark-sky observing sites or set up in your back yard. An optional LiteRoc tripod is available for the iOptron CEM70, or you can mount it on the pier of your choice.
iOptron took great care to make sure the CEM70 has very precise pointing and tracking. It comes with 151 mm RA and Dec worm wheels with 248 teeth each, a 21.2 mm worm, and a 1.8-degree stepper motor with 128 micro-step capacity. Tracking accuracy is <+/-3.5 arc seconds.
The iOptron CEM70 comes with the Go2Nova 8407+ hand controller that sports a HUGE database of over 200,000 objects! It also comes with an internal iPolar electronic polar scope for super easy polar alignment and an advanced cable management system to keep everything tidy without hang-ups. There are two DC12V (3A) ports, three USB2.0 ports, one DC in and one DC out, & one iPort.
Mount Type: Center Balanced Equatorial Mount, or CEM
Weight Capacity w/o Counterweights: 70 lb.
Mount Weight: 30 lb.
Payload/Mount Weight Ratio: 2.33
Latitude Adjustment Range: 0 - 65 degrees
Azimuth Adjustment Range: +/-4 degrees
Tracking Accuracy (PE): <+/-3.5 arcsec
Period: 348 seconds
Right Ascension Worm Wheel: 248 teeth M=0.6 diameter 151 mm
Declination Worm Wheel: 248 teeth M=0.6 diameter 151 mm
Worm:21.1 mm diameter
Right Ascension Axle: 55 mm diameter, steel
Declination Axle: 55 mm diameter, steel
Right Ascension Bearings: 80 mm diameter
Declination Bearings: 80 mm diameter
Counterweight Shaft: 28mm diameter, 415 mm long
Counterweight: 20 lb.
Mounting Base Diameter: 152 mm
Motor: 1.8-degree stepper motor with 128 micro-steps
Resolution: 0.07 arc seconds
Transmission: Synchronous belt
Hand Controller: Go2Nova 8407+ with an 8 line, 21 character LCD screen
Power: DC 12V, 5A
Power Consumption: 0.6A tracking, 0.8A during GoTo
Polar Scope: Internal electronic polar scope (iPolar)
Meridian Treatment: Stop (0-10-degree pass), flip
Zero Position: Automatic zero search
Park Position: horizontal, vertical, current, alt/azi input
Dovetail Saddle: 8" Losmandy D & Vixen
Level Indicator: Yes
Slew Speed: 3.75-degrees per second, 900X max
PEC: PPEC
Guiding Port: ST-4
Communication Port: USB2.0
GPS: Yes
Cable Management: 2xDC12V (3A), 3xUSB2.0, 1xDC In/1x DC out, iPort, iX USB input for mount, iPolar & accessories
Operation Temperature Range: -20 Degrees C to +45 Degrees C
Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach.
Upcoming Island Beach State Park Events
Island Beach State Park has started hosting its Moonlight Stroll events now called IBSP After Dark. They will be running on Fridays promptly at 7 PM EST, from June 25 until August 20 at Parking Lot 13 and the cost is $10.00. Those wishing to participate in this IBSP event should register online with Island Beach State Park at the links below.
IBSP General Event Calendar Listing
July 2 - July 9 - July 16 - July 23 - July 30
August 6 - August 13 - August 20
This event is not run by ASTRA, we are there as volunteers with our telescopes. As in the past, we will be there, weather permitting, as long as we have volunteers. Members wishing to volunteer should let John, Rosemarie, or Jim know.
Upcoming County Park Presentations Fall/Winter 2021
Public Outreach Presentations are being planned. If any member wishes to support ASTRA outreach efforts with the public, please let John, Ro, or Jim know of any interest. Currently, we have four planned with the county parks. The dates and times below are being planned now, so it is possible for some changes. The descriptions below will be posted in the county park Fall/Winter catalog. As the COVID restrictions are starting to loosen up the prospect of large turnouts is possible, so any support would be appreciated.
Note: The County Park events below will require an entry fee.
·Sept 14 – 8 to 9:30 PM - Cloverdale: Astronomy with Binoculars
Description: Ever wonder what it takes to get started stargazing? Join Jim Webster from the Astronomical Society of the Toms River Area and learn about binoculars that can take your night viewing to a whole new level without a telescope.
·Oct 21 - 6 to 7 PM - Jakes Branch: Light Pollution
Description: Light pollution and its impact. Join Jim Webster from Astronomical Society of the Toms River Area and International Darksky Association Advocate to learn about the impact of light pollution on stargazing, nature, and yourself.
·Nov 9 – 6 to 7:30 PM - Catus Island: Beginner Astronomy.
Description: Ever wonder what it takes to get started stargazing? Join Jim Webster from the Astronomical Society of the Toms River Area and learn about telescopes that can take your night viewing to a whole new level.
·Nov 16 – 6 to 7:30 PM - Catus Island: Milkyway Photography and Beyond
Description: A beginner-level discussion on Milkyway Photography and what is needed with Jim Webster from the Astronomical Society of the Toms River Area.
January 25 - 6 to 7 PM - Cloverdale Farm County Park: Milkyway Photography and Beyond
Description: Join us as Jim Webster from the Astronomical Society of the Toms River Area discusses how to capture the beauty of the night sky and the Milkyway galaxy through photography.
Let’s Explore Space - What’s in the Sky July 2021?
NGC 7000 North America Nebula
CONSTELLATION: Cygnus
DISTANCE: 25 million light-years
MAGNITUDE: 4
APPARENT DIAMETER: 120 x 100 arcmin * Depending on the resource used, this measurement can be different.
Credits: Sam Granovsky
NGC 7000 or Caldwell 20, is a giant emission nebula in the constellation of Cygnus, close to Deneb (the tail of the swan and its brightest star), spans 120 x 100 arc minutes of apparent sky. It's one of a number of low surface brightness nebulae surrounding first magnitude star, Deneb (α Cyg - mag. +1.25). Under dark skies this object can be spotted with the naked eye, appearing as a faint hazy patch of light although even the smallest amount of light pollution renders it invisible.
The integrated magnitude of NGC 7000 is probably about +4.5. However, this is misleading due to its large size, and some parts of the nebula shine no brighter than 12th magnitude. When photographed or imaged, NGC 7000 bears a striking resemblance to the North American continent, hence its nickname "the North America Nebula".
NGC 7000 was discovered by William Herschel on October 24, 1786, and first photographed by Max Wolf on December 12, 1890. It is 1,600 light-years away and best seen from northern latitudes during the months of July, August, and September.
On the lighter side of astronomy …
APO Editor favorite, thanks Sam.
ASTRA Member Astrophotos
June 10 - ASTRA Member photos of the Solar Eclipse from Seaside Park.
Note: Phil Zollner photos will be found as a Members Submitted Article & Items of APO.
Moon
By Ron Bernknophf - June 16
Ron shot this image with just his Canon T6 DSLR and 70 - 250mm Canon EF Zoom lens. Single image cropped and processed in Gimp Software.
Cygnus Region
By Sam Granovsky - June 17
Canon 80D
Sigma 50mm f/1.4 @ f/3.2
iOptron CEM70
Optlong L-Extreme
At Island Beach State Park
Sam shot this wide-field image on our membership first night back into Island Beach State Park. There is quite a bit in here and would be a great exercise of learning to navigate some of the planetarium programs. But to get a head start check out this astrophotography article by Trevor Jones of Astrobackyard.
Milkyway
By Jim Webster - June 17
Jim shot this image of the Milkyway at Island Beach State Park with Canon 80D and Rokinon 14mm. It’s a single 20 second image.
Milkyway
By Jim Webster - June 17
Jim shot this image of the Milkway at Island Beach State Park with an astro modified Canon T6S and Rokinon 14mm. It’s a single 20 second image.
Western Veil Nebula
By Matthew Michota - June 18
Matthew took this image of the Western Veil Nebula a few nights before posted date from his driveway within two hours of integration.
Redcat51 APO
ZWO Asi533mc pro w/ ZWO duo band filter
Ioptron skyguider pro
Guided.
Captured w/ asiair
40x180s lights / 20x darks / 20x bias / No flats.
OPT Telescopes Video
Summer is here, and that means Milky Way season is among us. Watch as Mack Murdoc breaks down the top 15 Summer targets you can shoot during Milky Way season, along with fun facts, what focal lengths, filters, and much more to shoot them with. Don't forget to support the channel by smashing that like button! … Top 15 Summer Targets
This notification was distributed by NASA Night Sky Network
The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach.
Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more!
Astronomers: Exoplanet Watch Needs You!
From NASA's Exoplanet Watch Team:
Dear Astronomers,
We are writing to invite you to participate in Exoplanet Watch, a new exoplanet citizen science project funded by NASA’s Universe of Learning and led by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Exoplanet Watch relies on university astronomy students and amateur astronomers using ground-based telescopes to make observations of transiting exoplanets. This will help keep mid-transit times fresh. With more accurate timing, large observatories and space-based telescopes can make efficient use of valuable telescope time.
The Exoplanet Watch website lists nightly observation targets, but any exoplanet transit observations will work.
Light curves generated by Exoplanet Watch are shared with the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) and observers and data analysts are given credit for their work in any scientific papers resulting from their contributions.
For more information about Exoplanet Watch, visit our website at https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/exoplanet-watch/about-exoplanet-watch/overview/
Join our Slack Workspace to meet our team and ask questions.
http://uol-ets.slack.com
We look forward to studying exoplanets with you!
Sincerely,
Dr. Rob Zellem and Rachel Zimmerman Brachman
On behalf of the Exoplanet Watch team
exoplanetwatch@jpl.nasa.gov
https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/exoplanet-watch
Members Submitted Articles & Items
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Philip Zollner - June 10 Eclipse
The June 10th sunrise eclipse was really quite unique in several ways The geometry of it was influenced by its sunrise view from North America, and the fact that it happened so far north and so near the Summer Solstice. That meant the track on the ground started northeast and then looped back toward the northwest before leaving the Earth.
Phil viewed the eclipse from the boardwalk at Avon, about 25 or so miles farther north from the Seaside Park site where the other Astra members were located. According to Vic Palmieri the Sun’s crescent tips were tilted about 45º from horizontal, whereas the tips were almost horizontal from Avon. Phil said the tips appeared on the horizon about 5 seconds apart. He estimates he got to view the eclipse a minute or two before the viewers at Seaside Park.
Interestingly, Phil’s fellow eclipse chaser, Howie Simkover, up in Ottawa actually saw the crescent horns reversed at sunrise (see Simkover photo). That’s because he was about 250 miles closer to the eclipse track, and (being farther north) had an earlier sunrise. The partial eclipse he saw as it cleared his horizon was about 20 minutes before the maximum eclipse and 20 or so minutes before we saw it in NJ. He did not have a clear horizon, so his photo is partially blocked, but it clearly shows a view much earlier view than we had in NJ.
Howie Simkover submitted to Phil Zollner.
The last image is from Schirra-Speare in Northeastern PA.
For this last photo in PA, they did not have a very flat horizon and had to wait a few minutes before seeing the whole crescent. That meant their view was much the same as ours.
Photo submitted to Phil Zollner.
What’s Up: July 2021
Sky Watching Tips from NASA
Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
For more go to NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory webpage: What’s Up: Skywatching Tips From NASA
This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network
The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach.
Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more!
Observe the Milky Way and Great Rift
David Prosper
Summer skies bring glorious views of our own Milky Way galaxy to observers blessed with dark skies. For many city dwellers, their first sight of the Milky Way comes during trips to rural areas - so if you are traveling away from city lights, do yourself a favor and look up!
To observe the Milky Way, you need clear, dark skies, and enough time to adapt your eyes to the dark. Photos of the Milky Way are breathtaking, but they usually show far more detail and color than the human eye can see – that’s the beauty and quietly deceptive nature of long-exposure photography.
The Great Rift is shown in more detail in this photo of a portion of the Milky Way along with the bright stars of the Summer Triangle. You can see why it is also called the “Dark Rift.” Credit: NASA / A.Fujii
For Northern Hemisphere observers, the most prominent portion of the Milky Way rises in the southeast as marked by the constellations Scorpius and Sagittarius. Take note that, even in dark skies, the Milky Way isn’t easily visible until it rises a bit above the horizon and the thick, turbulent air obscures the view. The Milky Way is huge but is also rather faint, and our eyes need time to truly adjust to the dark and see it in any detail. Try not to check your phone while you wait, as its light will reset your night vision. It’s best to attempt to view the Milky Way when the Moon is at a new or crescent phase; you don’t want the Moon’s brilliant light washing out any potential views, especially since a full Moon is up all night.
Keeping your eyes dark adapted is especially important if you want to not only see the haze of the Milky Way, but also the dark lane cutting into that haze, stretching from the Summer Triangle to Sagittarius. This dark detail is known as the Great Rift and is seen more readily in very dark skies, especially dark, dry skies found in high desert regions. What exactly is the Great Rift? You are looking at massive clouds of galactic dust lying between Earth and the interior of the Milky Way. Other “dark nebulae” of cosmic clouds pepper the Milky Way, including the famed Coalsack, found in the Southern Hemisphere constellation of Crux. Many cultures celebrate these dark clouds in their traditional stories along with the constellations and Milky Way. Where exactly is our solar system within the Milky Way? Is there a way to get a sense of scale? The “Our Place in Our Galaxy” activity can help you do just that, with only birdseed, a coin, and your imagination: bit.ly/galaxyplace. You can also discover the amazing science NASA is doing to understand our galaxy – and our place in it - at nasa.gov.
If the Milky Way was shrunk down to the size of North America, our entire Solar System would be about the size of a quarter. At that scale, the North Star, Polaris - which is about 433 light years distant from us - would be 11 miles away! Find more ways to visualize these immense sizes with the Our Place in Our Galaxy activity: bit.ly/galaxyplace
Local Milky Way Locations
As most of us know to view the Milky Way isn’t easy. You must take into account the hour and time of year. Another big issue for us is light pollution and the phases of the moon. Here in New Jersey, the viewing is an issue unless you know where to look.
Island Beach State Park
Island Beach State Park is one of our main locations where we have club observations and can usually see the Milky Way. IBSP is available to members in good standing, with the proper permits that the club has with agreement from IBSP.
To see what is possible, Jim Webster had created a short timelapse video capturing the Milky Way from Island Beach State Park. It can be found on our club's YouTube channel. ASTRA YouTube
Barnegat Lighthouse
Another location not visited too often by our membership is at the Barnegat Lighthouse. This location does not afford us the ability to have our telescopes on-site but is great for doing photos. This is definitely a location that requires some hiking. Summertime does make some challenges as this is a prime area for summer houses and vacationers. So the best time is before or after the summer vacation season.
The best dates and times to see or photography the Milky Way in New Jersey can be found on njspots.com.
Here you can find a pdf chart for the US East Coast from capturetheatlas.com. This chart is based on Cherry Springs State Park in Pennsylvania.
For photographers, a great app for finding the Milky Way and plan out location photoshoots is from photopills.com and they have many other worthwhile guides.
The Best Times to Spot the Milky Way chart image in this APO article is from starcircleacademy.com.
Cherry Springs State Park
Milky-way time-lapse video from just outside of Cherry Springs can be found on ASTRA YouTube.
Cherry Springs State Park is roughly a six-hour ride from the Toms River New Jersey area but is well worth the trip.
Cherry Springs calls to everyone from amateur stargazers to professional astronomy students, as well as those who have heard the stories of the “old-time sky” (before the age of light pollution) from their grandparents.
One of the top dark sky destinations in the world, designated by the International Dark-Sky Association, Cherry Springs presents skies for studying, gazing, or gaining a better understanding of our place in the universe.
Cherry Springs State Park near Coudersport, PA is an 82-acre Pennsylvania state park in Potter County, Pennsylvania, United States. The park was created from land within the Susquehannock State Forest and is on Pennsylvania Route 44 in West Branch Township. For more information go to cherryspringsstatepark.com as well as the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources at dcnr.pa.gov.
Video reviews:
Official Video - The Dark Skies of Cherry Springs State Park - Know Before You Go
Recommended viewing - Visit Cherry Springs? Everything You Need to Know
The Weather Channel - The most beautiful stargazing location on Earth
Tonight’s Sky: July
Find the Scorpius constellation to identify the reddish supergiant Antares, which will lead you to discover a trio of globular star clusters. Keep watching for space-based views of these densely packed, spherical collections of ancient stars, as well as three nebulas: the Swan Nebula, the Lagoon Nebula, and the Trifid Nebula.
Other Calendar Items of Interest
APO Editor’s Note:
Removed previous months “What’s Up” and “Tonight’s Sky” since APO links to prior months postings of APO.
Added Skymaps.com “The Evening Sky Map” and will be posted with each new issue of APO.
Skymaps.com - The Evening Sky Map - Select the current month and download the Northern Edition.
Sky-Watcher USA
Has several articles that may be interesting for you to explore. Go to Sky-Watcher USA Blog.
Submissions Welcome
Members are invited to submit articles, photos, news, or stories for inclusion with Astral Projections Online. Please contact the ASTRA Webmaster.