Welcome to the WDAS monthly newsletter for December 2015: a digest of the month's latest contributions to our website. Below you'll find Society News, Sky Notes and In-Focus articles printed in full. There's also future events, and trailers for other articles which appear in full on the website - just a click away!
On the website you'll also be able to comment on articles, and if you'd like to play an editorial role in creating new content, just let us know!
Quick Summary for December:
- WDAS Christmas Dinner on Saturday 5th December from 19:00h at the Hare & Hounds in Hawsker. Note date change. If the new date means your available, today (1st Dec) is the very last chance to book a place.
- WDAS Society Meeting on Tuesday 1st December from 19:30h.
Society News
Four members (Andi, Keith, Lee and Mark) journeyed over to Leeds on a foul morning for this year’s Astromeet. Indeed even though Andi managed drop us off within just a few metres of the entrance, such was the intensity of the cloudburst at the time, we still got soaked. Once inside the venue we had just enough time to dry off and quickly peruse the two vendor’s rooms, meeting Mark’s friend Mike who lives in Melsonby in one of them.
A full account of the lectures will feature in next month’s notes.
During the first interval Mark bagged a 21mm eyepiece for the society – the same type and brand as the previous ones purchased in past years. We now have a set of 21mm, 18mm, 12.5mm and 7.5mm. This was actually the only purchase of the day.
Our usual dinner time ritual of dining in the Terrace bar at the students union was scuppered this year thanks to Rag week festivities (live music: passes and door guards) Although Andi managed to blag his way in (we all reckon they thought he was in the band) For the rest the local Tesco Express provided sustenance, before all too soon the afternoon lectures started.
Before the final lecture, delivered in customary fashion by Dr Alan Chapman, the raffle was drawn. Mark managed to lose his tickets (which was a shame as all were winners... at least that’s what he maintained). But we did manage a genuine win, bagging an oversized 2016 calendar/almanac from the items still on the table.
And so another Astromeet was over, with talk of the day’s events passing the time on the journey home.
After last year’s successful Christmas meal at the The society Christmas meal has now been booked. The venue is the Hare and Hounds in Hawsker, on Saturday December 5th for 7:30pm. Details of the menu are on our website.
As of going to press, 10 people have booked for the meal. The menu choices have been passed on, so if anyone wishes to come along Tuesday 1st is the cut off date.
Travelling arrangements will be finalised at the December meeting (on the 1st) including picking up points and times. Andi and Mark usually act as the Taxi service, although we may book a taxi.
For the final day of October you would be forgiven in thinking that summer had made an unscheduled return, such were the balmy conditions which coincided with both Goth weekend and the ‘Creatures of the Night’ event held at the Danby Moors Centre.
Warren's distributed-beam
laser torch was a hit: instant
Christmas tree lights!
(Click for full-sized image)
Organised by Emma McKenzie, assistant events co-ordinator for NYM parks authority, they could not have wished for a better day weather wise. Four members (Andi, Keith, Mark & Warren) journeyed over to Danby, utilising various scenic routes, apparently some more scenic than others! On arrival it was pleasing to meet up again with Marcus from Grovers Optics, who had been pitched in front of the Centre since early afternoon; however our slot was from 17:30 to 19:30h.
Luckily we were able to drive onto the field, and scope deployment was far easier than we had being anticipating. First on the agenda was to terrify all and sundry with tales of impending doom (well it was Halloween). This time, of course, the ‘unseen terror’ also known as asteroid TB145t, (christened ‘Spooky’ by Nasa) hurtled passed Earth at 17.05h, approximately 300,000 miles (483,000km) distant. A chilling reminder that ‘things can still go bump in the night’ and given enough time probably will one day.
As darkness fell observing began in earnest with children and parents coming over to look at some of the autumn wonders on show. The only slight negative was the absence of the Moon and a bright planet to view, but with transparent skies and pretty dark conditions, deep sky objects appeared very satisfactory, so we shouldn’t grumble.
By 19:30 the event drew to a close and we packed up. One final spectacular sight greeted us on the way home: a fabulous last-quarter moon, just rising and veiled in a little mist, very ‘Gothic Romantica’, a fitting finale to Halloween.
The November meeting proved most educational and entertaining. After our usual look at the comings and goings in the heavens, society news and business etc, our attention turned to the more exotic and intoxicating. Andi had prepared a presentation on Comets, to commemorate the 1st year anniversary of Philea landing on comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko (67P).
Comet building in progress. Lots more pictures in the Gallery.
In particular Andi thought it would be informative and fun to make a comet in the classroom using ingredients that are now known to be found in comets. He had furnished everyone with a bucket, a bag, gloves and then the ingredients:
- Cinders from an open fire, and sand from the beach (representing carbon and silicates which form much of a comet's core)
- Lighter gas, representing simple hydrocarbons (methane, methane, propane, butane, etc)
- Scotch Whisky - single malt, no less! (representing alcohols: methanol, ethanol "the drinking alcohol" found on Comet Lovejoy, propanol and butanol)
- Smelly Ammonia and Formaldehyde (although the latter being a carcenogenic, among its other attributes, we used a homeopathic substitute!)
- Nail varnish remover (which is 'Acetone') courtesy of Mark's wife)
- Salt (sodium was found in Hale Bopp's tail)
- Sugar (representing Glycolaldehyde, a simple sugar found on Comet Lovejoy)
... and then the frozen carbon dioxide (dry ice) was added and the class was filled with ‘ smoking bags’ all being squished and moulded into various shapes. It was like a scene from a Hogwarts witch’s home brew class. But what a transformation! Comets! They actually looked like miniatures of the real thing: dirty snowballs of various constituents. It was a fantastic demonstration of how these building blocks come together. We all thought it magnificent; Andi had clearly put a great deal of effort in it.
So, November: comets; December ...? Black Holes? Who knows, but there’s only one way to find out – Dec 1st hope to see you.
Events
Observe the night sky with us at the Bruce Observatory, Caedmaon College - Normanby campus (formally Whitby College).
Observing Nights are held weather permitting: check for a relatively clear sky before leaving home. If in doubt, Mark can be reached on tel 01947 605516.
Please note the college drive gate is now operated via a electronic key code - so anyone wishing to attend must be at the car park at the top of the drive by 19:00hrs, unless an arrival time has been arranged with Mark/Keith after 19:30hrs. Otherwise shout or bip car horn - we'll hear.
