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A L A C H U A A S T R O N O M Y C L U B m\ —NOVEMBER 1988— THE ALACHUA ASTRONOMY CLUB MEETS THE SECOND TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH AT THE DOYLE CONNER BUILDING, S.W. 34th STREET AND 20th AVENUE AT 7 PM. EVERYONE INTERESTED IN ASTRONOMY IS INVITED TO ATTEND. CALL CHARLES TARJAN AT 377-7403, FOR MORE INFORMATION ON MEETINGS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES.

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REMEMBER!!!! This Meet.

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..so go vote and then come to the meeting....And, remember too, that the candidates will have a impact on both professional and amateur Astronomy... so pick your candidates carefully! (I wonder what effect Amendment 10 will have on us?!?, Editor)

SERIOUSLY...from streetlights to SDI, from teaching to telescopes, the people you select for public office will have some effect on our avocation (or vocation). CONSIDER who you vote for...

101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010 1 1 November Program 1 1 ASTRONOMY SOFTWARE FOR PERSONAL COMPUTERS 1 A Demonstration of Various Programs 1 by 1 Billy Cooke, University of Florida 1 Astronomy Department 1 101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010

FIRST ANNUAL FLORIDA STAR PARTY "A Starparty is probably the best way to handle a hundred scopes..."

A Starparty will teach you more in a night than in a year of messing..." anon

WHEN: November 3-6,

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COST: $20 T $5 for Family members...food, camping, 'scope power, etc contact Billy Dodd, Chiefland, 493-0835 for last minute information COME!!!

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by Charlie Tarian FIRSTLIGHT, November, 1988

DID YOU KNOW 19 "BACK TO BASICS"

A CITY DWELLER WAS WATCHING A FARMER PREPARING TO HARNESS A MULE. THE FARMER PICKED UP A 2 x 4 PLANK AND WHACKED THE ANIMAL OVER THE HEAD. THE HORRIFIED CITY DWELLER SCOLDED THE FARMER "THAT'S NO WAY TO TREAT THAT POOR MULE -- I THOUGHT YOU WANTED HIM TO WORK FOR YOU?" TO WHICH THE FARMER REPLIED "SURE I DO, BUT FIRST I'VE GOT TO GET HIS ATTENTION !"

I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU'RE MUCH LIKE ME, INTERESTED IN ASTRONOMICAL FACTS AND LITERATURE, AND OCCASIONALLY READING, OR AT LEAST BROWSING THROUGH, BOOKS AND PERIODICALS — AND, LIKE ME, NOT TOO GOOD AT RETAINING WHAT I READ FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME. SO I SPORADICALLY INDULGE IN LOOKING THROUGH PRIMERS AND BEGINNING TEXTS AS A REVIEW MECHANISM AND TO MAKE SURE THAT I CAN ANSWER SIMPLE QUESTIONS TOSSED AT ME BY PEOPLE (LIKE THOSE WHO CHANCED TO LOOK THROUGH MY TELESCOPE DURING THE RECENT MARS GAZING EXTRAVAGANZA AT THE UF OBSERVATORY).

I RECENTLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE A MULTICOLORED, FLUORESCENT INK EMBELLISHED "MAP OF THE UNIVERSE" PUT OUT BY AN OUTFIT NAMED "CELESTIAL ARTS" LOCATED IN BERKELEY, CALIF. BEFORE SHELLING OUT THE $12 IT COST, I MENTALLY DEBATED WHETHER THE EXPENDITURE WOULD BE WORTHWHILE. IT WAS!!!!. EVEN IF THE LARGE MAP MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN WORTH THE MONEY, THE 8-1/2 x 11 INCH, 15 PAGE GUIDE "SIMPLE DESCRIPTION OF CELESTIAL PHENOMENA AND NOTES AND TABLES FOR USE WITH THE MAP OF THE UNIVERSE" (DESIGNED AND COMPILED BY TOMAS J. FILSINGER) WAS A TREASURE IN ITSELF. NOT ONLY DID IT ACT AS A REVIEW BUT I LEARNED ALOT AS WELL. WHAT FOLLOWS HERE IS SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT APPEARS IN THAT INTERESTING BOOKLET, ADMITTEDLY VERY BASIC BUT STILL VERY USEFUL. SO, LETS HOPE THAT I WON'T NEED A 2 x 4 TO RETAIN YOUR ATTENTION!!!!

AS WE FACE NORTH AND LOOK ABOVE US WE SEE THE CELESTIAL SPHERE WITH THE CELESTIAL EQUATOR DIRECTLY OVERHEAD AND STRETCHING FROM EAST TO WEST. ALSO MOST IMPORTANT IS THE ECLEPTIC, WHICH IS THE GREAT CIRCLE MADE BY THE EARTH IN ITS ORBIT AROUND THE SUN. SINCE WE DON'T PERCEIVE OURSELVES AS ACTUALLY MOVING, THE ECLEPTIC IS CONVENIENTLY REGARDED AS THE APPARENT PATH OF THE SUN ACROSS THE SKY. THE SUN CROSSES THE ECLEPTIC ON MARCH 20, THE VERNAL EQUINOX, AND ON SEPTEMBER 20, THE AUTUMNAL EQUINOX. AND, WHAT HAPPENS DURING THE EQUINOXES??? NIGHTS AND DAYS ARE OF EQUAL LENGTH — 12 HOURS EACH.

JUST HOW DO WE LOCATE A CELESTIAL OBJECT??? BY THE USE OF HEAVENLY COORDINATES WHICH CONFORM TO EARTHLY LONGITUDE AND LATITUDE. THE RIGHT ASCENSION COORDINATE, OR HOUR ANGLE, READS LIKE A 24-HOUR CLOCK WITH 0 HOUR (OR HOUR 24) EXACTLY ON THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING, THE VERNAL EQUINOX. THE DECLINATION COORDINATE REVEALS JUST HOW MANY DEGREES NORTH OR SOUTH OF THE CELESTIAL EQUATOR AN OBJECT IS FOUND.

WE'VE ALL HEARD ABOUT A LIGHT YEAR AS BEING THE DISTANCE LIGHT TRAVELS IN A YEAR. BUT DID YOU KNOW THAT DISTANCE IS 6,000,000,000,000 MILES (SIX TRILLION MILES)? PERHAPS A MORE VERSATILE UNIT IS THAT WHICH IS USED BY THE ASTRONOMY WORLD — THE PARSEC, WHICH IS EQUIVALENT TO 3.26 LIGHT YEARS. FOR REALLY DISTANT OBJECTS THE KILOPARSEC (EQUAL TO 1000 PARSECS OR 32,600 LIGHT YEARS) AND THE MEGAPARSEC (EQUAL TO A MILLION PARSECS OR 3,260,000 LIGHT YEARS OR 19,560,000,000,000,000,000 MILES). HMMM, JUST HOW FAR IS FAR???

DURING OUR CLUB MEETINGS WE USUALLY DISCUSS STARS, BUT DO WE REALLY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE? THEY ARE BORN OUT OF CLOUDS OF GAS, MOSTLY HYDROGEN, WHICH IS REGARDED THE MOST ABUNDANT ELEMENT IN THE UNIVERSE. HYDROGEN IS AN ATOM CONSISTING OF A PROTON IN ITS NUCLEUS AND A SINGLE ELECTRON SPINNING AROUND THE THE NUCLEUS. THE COUNTLESS HYDROGEN ATOMS CONTINUALLY GET CLOSER AND CLOSER UNTIL THEY TRANSFORM INTO HELIUM ATOMS. IN THIS TRANSFORMATION THERE IS THE RELEASE OF TREMENDOUS ENERGY AND A SHINING STAR IS BORN.

STARS MAY BE DWARFS UP TO SUPER GIANTS IN SIZE AND THEY DIFFER IN COLORATION. A NEWLY BORN STAR WHICH IS SUPER HOT IS BLUE IN COLOR. AS IT USES ENERGY AND COOLS SLIGHTLY IT TURNS WHITE. AFTER A COUPLE OF MILLION YEARS IT BECOMES YELLOW (LIKE OUR SUN), THEN ORANGE AND FINALLY RED AS IT'S EXISTENCE COMES TO AN END. SOME STARS ARE CALLED VARIABLES BECAUSE THEY CHANGE IN APPARENT SIZE AND BRILLIANCE. STARS GROUPED IN NUMBERS OF MORE THAN A THOUSAND ARE CALLED CLUSTERS. GALACTIC CLUSTERS ARE FOUND WITHIN OUR OWN GALAXY, THE MILKY WAY WHILE GLOBULAR CLUSTERS (CONTAINING ALMOST A MILLION STARS) LIE IN HALOS AROUND THEM.

NOVAE ARE VARIABLE STARS WHICH SUDDENLY FLARE UP TO A GREAT BRILLIANCE (SOMETIMES AN INCREASE OF 70,000 TO 80,000 TIMES) AND, AFTER A WHILE, DIE DOWN TO THEIR FORMER OBSCURITY. A SUPERNOVAE SHOWS AN EXCEPTIONALLY VIOLENT BURST OF BRILLIANCE CAUSED BY THE COLLAPSE OR EXPLOSION OF A SUPER GIANT STAR. THESE ARE VERY RARE AND OCCUR IN GALAXIES OUTSIDE OUR OWN. NEBULAE ARE VAST EXTENSIONS OF FINELY DIVIDED OR GASEOUS MATTER WHEN A STAR "DIES" THE HELIUM AT ITS CORE IS COMPRESSED TO FORM CARBON WITH THE RELEASE OF ADDITIONAL ENERGY WHICH ALLOWS THE STAR TO BE "REBORN". BUT WHEN THIS ENERGY IS GONE, THE EDGES OF THE STAR PRESS IN CRUSHING THE INNER ATOMS AND TURNING THE STAR INTO A SUPER-COMPACT WHITE DWARF OR NEUTRON STAR.

BLACK HOLES ARE ASSUMED TO BE FORMED WHEN A STAR MANY TIMES THE SIZE OF OUR SUN COLLAPSES AND "DISAPPEARS". THERES NO LIGHT, NO "NOTHIN"1

THAT CAN BE SEEN OF A BLACK HOLE. THEN HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THEY EXIST?? BECAUSE THEIR GRAVITATIONAL FIELDS AFFECT OBJECTS AROUND THEM!

A STAR RISES AND SETS ABOUT 4 MINUTES EARLIER EACH DAY. AFTER A WEEK, ABOUT 1/2 HOUR EARLIER AND AFTER A MONTH ABOUT 2 HOURS EARLIER. AS WE GAZE AT A STAR WE ARE PEERING INTO THE PAST!! THE LIGHT COMING FROM THE NEAREST STAR ORIGINATED 4 YEARS EARLIER AND WE ARE NOW SEEING THAT STAR AS IT EXISTED THEN. OBJECTS MILLIONS OF LIGHT YEARS AWAY THST ARE VISIBLE TO US TODAY MAY NOT EVEN EXIST ANYMORE EVEN THOUGH THEY WILL BE VISIBLE TO STARGAZERS ON EARTH DURING FUTURE CENTURIES.

"TWINKLE, TWINKLE LITTLE STAR HOW I WONDER WHERE YOU ARE"

CLUB NOTES OF INTEREST FLORIDA STATE MUSEUM...Billy Cooke and Dan Durda, Program"JUPITER"

TELESCOPES AND TOURS...Contact Dr. Howard Cohen for information on acquiring Meade Equipment, and for advance information on Eclipse Tour.

CLUB TEE SHIRTS, ETC...George Turner can provide (for a cost) logo imprinted shirts, hats jackets...SOMEONE DESIGN A CLUB SHIRT!

ALACHUA ASTRONOMY CLUB CONSTITUTION

NAME AND PURPOSE THIS CLUB, WISHING TO SECURE FOR ITSELF THE FELLOWSHIP, PLEASURES,

AND BENEFITS OF AN ASSOCIATION WITH PERSONS COMMONLY INTERESTED IN ASTRONOMY CONSTITUTES ITSELF AS THE ALACHUA ASTRONOMY CLUB AND ENACTS THIS CONSTITUTION TO HELP GOVERN ITSELF. THE CLUB SHALL PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ITS GENERAL MEMBERSHIP TO GET TOGETHER AND PARTICIPATE IN A VARIETY OF GENERAL ASTRONOMY RELATED ACTIVITIES AT LOW COST.

MEMBERSHIP MEMBERSHIP IN THIS CLUB SHALL BE OPEN TO ANYONE WITH AN INTEREST IN

ASTRONOMY. A "MEMBER IN GOOD STANDING" IS ONE WHO IS UP TO DATE IN PAYMENT OF HIS/HER DUES. THE "GENERAL MEMBERSHIP" SHALL CONSIST OF ALL MEMBERS IN GOOD STANDING.

MANAGEMENT OF THE CLUB THE AFFAIRS AND BUSINESS OF THE CLUB SHALL BE CONDUCTED AND MANAGED

BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CLUB. THE PRESIDENT, VICE-PRESIDENT, TREASURER, NEWSLETTER EDITOR AND PROGRAM CHAIRMAN WILL CONSTITUTE THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR AUTHORIZING DISBURSEMENT OF CLUB MONIES. OFFICERS

ALL CLUB OFFICERS SHALL BE MEMBERS IN GOOD STANDING WHILE THEY HOLD OFFICE. EACH OFFICER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE DUTIES DEFINED HEREIN, EITHER PERSONALLY OR BY TEMPORARY ASSIGNMENT TO SOMEONE ELSE. ALL OFFICERS WILL COOPERATE WITH ONE ANOTHER AND WORK AS A TEAM. PRESIDENT

THE PRESIDENT SHALL PRESIDE AT ALL CLUB MEETINGS AND SHALL SEE THAT ALL CLUB BUSINESS IS CONDUCTED IN A MANNER CONSISTENT WITH THE CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS. WHENEVER NECESSARY, THE PRESIDENT SHALL CREATE COMMITTEES AND APPOINT CHAIRPERSONS WHO WILL THEREUPON RECRUIT COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO ASSIST THEM IN ADEQUATELY CONDUCTING COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES. ALL CHAIRPERSONS ARE RESPONSIBLE TO THE PRESIDENT.

VICE-PRESIDENT THE VICE-PRESIDENT SHALL ASSUME ALL DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT IN THE

PRESIDENT'S ABSENCE. HE/SHE SHALL HAVE THE DUTY OF CONDUCTING CLUB MEETINGS IN SUCH CASES.

SECRETARY THE SECRETARY SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL CORRESPONDENCE,

RECORDING OF ALL MOTIONS AND OFFICIAL ACTIONS TAKEN AT MEETINGS, CIRCULATING NOTICES OF MEETINGS WHEN NECESSARY, AND FOR KEEPING UP TO DATE MEMBERSHIP RECORDS AND ALL OTHER IMPORTANT CLUB DOCUMENTS.

TREASURER THE TREASURER SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COLLECTION AND

DISBURSEMENT OF ALL CLUB MONIES AND SHALL MAINTAIN A CLUB ACCOUNT AT A DESIGNATED BANK. HE/SHE SHALL KEEP RECORDS ACCURATE, COMPLETE AND UP-TO-DATE. BOARD OF DIRECTORS

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS HELPS WITH THE PLANNING AND COMPLETION OF ALL CLUB PROJECTS.

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BY-LAWS MEETINGS

"MEETINGS" SHALL MEAN REGULARLY SCHEDULED CLUB MEETINGS THAT SHALL BE HELD EACH MONTH AT A LOCATION APPROVED BY THE GENERAL MEMBERSHIP. THE AGENDA INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO: REPORTS FROM THE SECRETARY AND TREASURER, OLD AND NEW BUSINESS, AND A REVIEW OF ANY ACTIONS TAKEN AT THE LAST MEETING.

DUES DUES SHALL BE ESTABLISHED BY THE MEMBERSHIP PAYABLE ANNUALLY DURING

THE JANUARY MEETING. NEW MEMBER'S DUES SHALL BE PRO-RATED AT l/12th THE ANNUAL AMOUNT FOR THE MONTHS REMAINING IN THE CALENDAR YEAR.

BUSINESS CLUB BUSINESS MUST BE DECIDED ONLY AT CLUB MEETING AND SHALL BE

PRESENTED BY MEMBERS IN GOOD STANDING. VOTING ON ISSUES SHALL BE CONSIDERED VALID IF IT IS BY A QUORUM OF THE GENERAL MEMBERSHIP. A "QUORUM" SHALL CONSIST OF AT LEAST 2/3ds OF THE MEMBERSHIP PRESENT, INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE ELECTED OFFICER OF THE CLUB.

ELECTIONS ELECTIONS SHALL BE HELD ONCE A YEAR AT THE DECEMBER MEETING. THE

PRESIDENT SHALL APPOINT A NOMINATING COMMITTEE TO MEET DURING THE MONTH OF OCTOBER AND TO PROPOSE A SLATE OF NOMINEES AT THE NOVEMBER MEETING. ADDITIONAL NOMINATIONS SHALL BE ACCEPTED FROM THE FLOOR AT THAT TIME.

TERMS OF OFFICE ALL TERMS OF OFFICE SHALL BE FOR ONE YEAR. THE PROGRAM CHAIRMAN AND

THE NEWSLETTER EDITOR ARE APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT AND SERVE INDEFINITE TERMS TO BE DETERMINED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE PRESIDENT.

AMENDMENTS ANY MEMBER IN GOOD STANDING CAN PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT OR CHANGE TO

THESE BY-LAWS. THIS SHALL APPEAR IN THE FOLLOWING MONTH'S NEWSLETTER AND WILL BE VOTED ON DURING THE NEXT MEETING. ANY MOTION, IF SECONDED AND APPROVED BY A 2/3DS MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS PRESENT WILL AMEND THE BY-LAWS.

FOR SALE-FOR SALE-FOR SALE OAK DESK WALL UNIT: 6' high, 3' wide, fold-down desk, drawer...$100 TRS MODEL 100 LAPTOP COMPUTER, 3.25 in disc, DMP-105 Printer...$425 DUAL 5 IN DISC DRIVE AND MONITOR ADAPTER for above system $200 EPSON GENEVA LAPTOP COMPUTER (80 Col LCD, much software, etc)..$325 C-8 STYLE MOUNT, 180 TOOTH WORM DRIVE, also AC/DC motors,gears, etc, for projects...Please ask!!!! CALL Chuck 392-1051/475-1014

Sky & Tel and Amateur Astronomy George Russell The November issue of Sky & Telescope is a special issue devoted to

amateur astronomy. This issue gives what I think to be a very thorough review of what amateur astronomers can possibly contribute to the scienti-fic community and to social activities as well. Most libraries carry copies of this magazine and if you were thinking of subscribing, this just might be the issue to help you make up your mind.

This issue reflects upon the past, assesses the present, and pro-vides a glimpse of the future. I personally would have liked to see more coverage of amateur built telescopes but on balance I think the edi-tors did a fine job of covering those aspects of astronomy that matter to us most.

Mentioned in the lead article was the development of practical au-tomatic telescpes thus leading the way for a whole new branch or field of amateur research; an amateur showed the way.