Prime FocusPrime FocusPrime Focus A Publication of the Kalamazoo Astronomical SocietyA Publication of the Kalamazoo Astronomical SocietyA Publication of the Kalamazoo Astronomical Society

General Meeting Friday October 1 700 pm

Kalamazoo Area Math amp Science Center - See Page 8 for Details

Observing Session Saturday October 9 700 pm

Moon Jupiter amp Galaxies- Kalamazoo Nature Center

Board Meeting Sunday October 17 500 pm

Sunnyside Church - 2800 Gull Road - All Members Welcome

Observing Session Saturday October 30 700 pm

Jupiter amp The Great Square- Kalamazoo Nature Center

This Months This Months KAS EventsEvents

October 2010

Highlights of theHighlights of the

October SkyOctober Sky

-- -- -- 44thth -- -- -- AM Regulus is about 6ordm to AM Regulus is about 6ordm to lower left of the Waning lower left of the Waning Crescent MoonCrescent Moon

-- -- -- 66thth -- -- -- Dawn Very thin crescent Dawn Very thin crescent Moon visible about 8ordm Moon visible about 8ordm above eastern horizonabove eastern horizon

-- -- -- 77thth -- -- -- New MoonNew Moon

-- -- -- 88thth -- -- -- Draconid meteor shower Draconid meteor shower peaks (10 meteorshour)peaks (10 meteorshour)

-- -- -- 99thth -- -- -- Dusk Venus Moon and Dusk Venus Moon and Mars just above SW Mars just above SW horizon Use binocularshorizon Use binoculars

-- -- -- 1010thth -- -- -- Dusk Moon is lower right Dusk Moon is lower right of Antaresof Antares

-- -- -- 1111thth -- -- -- Dusk Moon is upper left Dusk Moon is upper left of Antaresof Antares

-- -- -- 1414thth -- -- -- First Quarter MoonFirst Quarter Moon

-- -- -- 1919thth -- -- -- PM Jupiter is about 6ordm PM Jupiter is about 6ordm below the Moonbelow the Moon

-- -- -- 2222ndnd -- -- -- Full MoonFull Moon

-- -- -- 2323rdrd -- -- -- PM Shadows of Europa PM Shadows of Europa and Ganymede fall on and Ganymede fall on Jupiter from 940 Jupiter from 940 -- 1104 1104 pmpm

-- -- -- 2525thth -- -- -- AM Pleiades are 2ordm above AM Pleiades are 2ordm above the Waning Gibbous Moonthe Waning Gibbous Moon

-- -- -- 3030thth -- -- -- Last Quarter MoonLast Quarter Moon

-- -- -- 3131stst -- -- -- PM Shadows of Europa PM Shadows of Europa and Ganymede fall on and Ganymede fall on Jupiter from 1216 Jupiter from 1216 -- 259 259 amam

wwwkasonlineorg

Inside the Newsletter Inside the Newsletter September Meeting Minutes p 2

Board Meeting Minutes p 2

Johannes Kepler p 3

NASA Space Place p 5

October Night Sky p 6

KAS Officers amp Announcements p 7

General Meeting Preview p 8

October 2010 Prime Focus Page 2

Board Meeting MinutesBoard Meeting MinutesBoard Meeting Minutes

The KAS Board met on September 12 2010 at Sunnyside Church President Jack Price called the meeting to order at 510 pm Board members in attendance were Richard Bell Jean DeMott Jason Hanflik Rich Mather Don Stilwell and Roger Williams The meeting began with a Treasurerrsquos report from Rich showing a healthy balance Income during the last month included receipts from the sale of 7 Galileoscopes and $72 in membership dues Rich reported about a learning experience with a different non-profit that had undergone an audit with the result that some changes will be made in how he categorizes funds This would make things more efficient if we should need to do an audit The Robotic Telescope project report had nothing new beyond the modifications in the draft agreement approved last month and submitted to the Board by e-mail Following a motion by Don and second by Jason the Board voted unanimously to accept this draft Richard agreed to run it past Mike Patton The newly-purchased set of Sky amp Telescope DVDrsquos was exhibited to the Board and Don and Rich gave reviews of how the search function worked It was judged acceptable and potentially very useful in researching KAS history before next yearrsquos 75th anniversary celebration The Board voted unanimously to keep the set Other discussion was devoted to fund-raising ideas for the Robotic Telescope project Don had researched a calendar sales project that had been successful in a public school The minimum number for a printing was 250 and there was some concern about our ability to sell the ad space and this number of calendars Jean suggested as an alternative that we consider a drawing with astronomy-related prizes She suggested that we ask in the newsletter for a coordinator willing to be responsible for such a project (see page 7 for more information) Meanwhile Jean also suggested 50-50 drawings at the general meetings as a beginning of fundraising efforts An e-mail poll of membersrsquo opinions on this was proposed A survey of upcoming events included Public Observing Sessions on October 9th and October 30th Crane Fest from October 9th-10th Spooky Science Saturday at Kingman Museum on October 23rd and WMU Education Day October 30th Some of these may need more helpers especially since Richard and Jean will be gone during some of this time to the Okie-Tex Star Party The only news about planning for next yearrsquos 75th anniversary celebration was that the appearance fee for Steve Squires is $15000 which would clearly require serious grant money The next meeting was set for October 17th same time and place The meeting was adjourned at 700 pm

The general meeting of the Kalamazoo Astronomical Society was brought to order by President Jack Price on Friday September 10 2010 at 713 pm EDT Approximately 38 members and guests were in attendance at the Kalamazoo Area Math amp Science Center (KAMSC) Our special guest speaker was Dr Heather Jacobson a National Science Foundation Astronomy amp Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellow at Michigan State University The topic of her presentation to the KAS was Our Dusty Universe Dr Jacobson says dust is everywhere in the universe Meteor showers the zodiacal light and dark lanes in the Milky Way are made from tiny dust particles Even the dust devils on Mars and the newly discovered dust ring around Saturn are excellent examples of the very small playing a larger roll Household dust quite a bit different than the cosmic variety Household dust is mostly fabric particles and skin flakes Cosmic dust is quite a bit smaller (10-5 meters) and mostly made of silicate and carbon compounds Dark dusty cosmic clouds cause interstellar extinction Stars can look redder than they really do since shorter wavelength blue light is absorbed while longer wavelength red light passes on through These can also trick astronomers into thinking stars are smaller or further away than they really are Dust has played in important roll in our evolving understanding of the universe Harlow Shapely overestimated the size of the Milky Way partly because of intergalactic dust between us and globular clusters around the halo of the Galaxy A groundbreaking article was published by Robert J Trumpler in 1930 called Absorption of Light in the Galactic System that helped astronomers understand the effect of dust In 2008 the Universe doubled in brightness thanks to new models of dust absorption Dr Jacobson then discussed the effects dust plays on how we see Active Galactic Nuclei Dust also plays a crucial roll in the formation of stars Dust is composed of material formed inside stars expelled during their deaths and mixed into the surrounding medium Dust also explains how the Universe became so uniformly enriched Dr Jacobson concluded her presentation on ways dust is being studied The business meeting was held after the snack break Jack had nothing to say in his Presidentrsquos Report so he moved right into observing reports Roger Williams has been tracking and imaging Comet Hartley which will be in prime viewing in early October (see the October issue of Sky amp Telescope p 56) Bill Nigg mentioned the Winter Star Party begins two days after the last shuttle launch The meeting concluded at 839 pm after Jack covered upcoming KAS events

September Meeting MinutesSeptember Meeting Minutes

October 2010 Prime Focus Page 2

Board Meeting MinutesBoard Meeting MinutesBoard Meeting Minutes

The KAS Board met on September 12 2010 at Sunnyside Church President Jack Price called the meeting to order at 510 pm Board members in attendance were Richard Bell Jean DeMott Jason Hanflik Rich Mather Don Stilwell and Roger Williams The meeting began with a Treasurerrsquos report from Rich showing a healthy balance Income during the last month included receipts from the sale of 7 Galileoscopes and $72 in membership dues Rich reported about a learning experience with a different non-profit that had undergone an audit with the result that some changes will be made in how he categorizes funds This would make things more efficient if we should need to do an audit The Robotic Telescope project report had nothing new beyond the modifications in the draft agreement approved last month and submitted to the Board by e-mail Following a motion by Don and second by Jason the Board voted unanimously to accept this draft Richard agreed to run it past Mike Patton The newly-purchased set of Sky amp Telescope DVDrsquos was exhibited to the Board and Don and Rich gave reviews of how the search function worked It was judged acceptable and potentially very useful in researching KAS history before next yearrsquos 75th anniversary celebration The Board voted unanimously to keep the set Other discussion was devoted to fund-raising ideas for the Robotic Telescope project Don had researched a calendar sales project that had been successful in a public school The minimum number for a printing was 250 and there was some concern about our ability to sell the ad space and this number of calendars Jean suggested as an alternative that we consider a drawing with astronomy-related prizes She suggested that we ask in the newsletter for a coordinator willing to be responsible for such a project (see page 7 for more information) Meanwhile Jean also suggested 50-50 drawings at the general meetings as a beginning of fundraising efforts An e-mail poll of membersrsquo opinions on this was proposed A survey of upcoming events included Public Observing Sessions on October 9th and October 30th Crane Fest from October 9th-10th Spooky Science Saturday at Kingman Museum on October 23rd and WMU Education Day October 30th Some of these may need more helpers especially since Richard and Jean will be gone during some of this time to the Okie-Tex Star Party The only news about planning for next yearrsquos 75th anniversary celebration was that the appearance fee for Steve Squires is $15000 which would clearly require serious grant money The next meeting was set for October 17th same time and place The meeting was adjourned at 700 pm

The general meeting of the Kalamazoo Astronomical Society was brought to order by President Jack Price on Friday September 10 2010 at 713 pm EDT Approximately 38 members and guests were in attendance at the Kalamazoo Area Math amp Science Center (KAMSC) Our special guest speaker was Dr Heather Jacobson a National Science Foundation Astronomy amp Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellow at Michigan State University The topic of her presentation to the KAS was Our Dusty Universe Dr Jacobson says dust is everywhere in the universe Meteor showers the zodiacal light and dark lanes in the Milky Way are made from tiny dust particles Even the dust devils on Mars and the newly discovered dust ring around Saturn are excellent examples of the very small playing a larger roll Household dust quite a bit different than the cosmic variety Household dust is mostly fabric particles and skin flakes Cosmic dust is quite a bit smaller (10-5 meters) and mostly made of silicate and carbon compounds Dark dusty cosmic clouds cause interstellar extinction Stars can look redder than they really do since shorter wavelength blue light is absorbed while longer wavelength red light passes on through These can also trick astronomers into thinking stars are smaller or further away than they really are Dust has played in important roll in our evolving understanding of the universe Harlow Shapely overestimated the size of the Milky Way partly because of intergalactic dust between us and globular clusters around the halo of the Galaxy A groundbreaking article was published by Robert J Trumpler in 1930 called Absorption of Light in the Galactic System that helped astronomers understand the effect of dust In 2008 the Universe doubled in brightness thanks to new models of dust absorption Dr Jacobson then discussed the effects dust plays on how we see Active Galactic Nuclei Dust also plays a crucial roll in the formation of stars Dust is composed of material formed inside stars expelled during their deaths and mixed into the surrounding medium Dust also explains how the Universe became so uniformly enriched Dr Jacobson concluded her presentation on ways dust is being studied The business meeting was held after the snack break Jack had nothing to say in his Presidentrsquos Report so he moved right into observing reports Roger Williams has been tracking and imaging Comet Hartley which will be in prime viewing in early October (see the October issue of Sky amp Telescope p 56) Bill Nigg mentioned the Winter Star Party begins two days after the last shuttle launch The meeting concluded at 839 pm after Jack covered upcoming KAS events

September Meeting MinutesSeptember Meeting Minutes

October 2010

Johannes Kepler (1571 ndash 1630) was not a rich man nor lived a life of comfort and prestige - but his life story is a movie producerrsquos dream an epic drama to be sure I see the opening scene fading-in from black while the sound of yelling kids swells until you make out a rustling mob of boys kicking a sickly boy huddled up in the mud just outside school The young Kepler used to such treatment knows to protect his vitals while peeking out for a break between their legs to shoot through The break comes and he scrambles out running home to be welcomed by a rage-filled father stomping out the door and a screaming mother throwing curses at his silhouette dissolving into the morning fog never to be seen again Jumping ahead to his thirties I see the scene opening with him successfully arguing to the church counsel for the release of his mother accused of witchcraft and burned at the stake like his grandmother From here moving ahead again to the death of both his wives and two-thirds of his many children from diseases leaving him gutted to the core Jump ahead again to his beloved Lutheran Church ex-communicating him while the Catholic Church forces him to flee or die all the while being hailed a prophet by the locals due to his uncanny accuracy with astrological predictions a practice he abhors once complaining ldquoastrology is the ugly step-sister of astronomyrdquo yet finds himself forced to do for the quick cash it brings throughout his life And all this to serve only as prologue to the infamous working relationship he endured under Tycho Brahe (1546 ndash 1601)

Brahe and Kepler might as well be lsquoArsquo and lsquoZrsquo or lsquoNorthrsquo and lsquoSouthrsquo - polar opposites in nearly every way the boisterous Brahe and the quiet Kepler the elitist Brahe and the boy from little means the Catholic and the Protestant the Ptolemaic Brahe with the Earth at the center of the Universe and the Copernican Kepler with Earth orbiting the Sun No matter the topic Oppositeswith but two exceptions - equal life obsessions in understanding the motions of the heavens matched only by their equal desires for immortality in history A tumultuous working relationship filled with

mistrust fits of rage culminating in the untimely death of Brahe Kepler was born to Katherine and Heinrich Kepler on December 27 1571 in the small town of Weil der Stadt Wuumlrttenburg (todays Germany) Katherine was heavily involved in witchcraft as was her mother while Heinrich was a mercenary soldier dying somewhere in another country to this day a mystery Kepler was close to his mother and being a sickly boy stayed home reading books instead of playing with other kids He was picked on for his big head atop a short wiry frame Early in his school years

he was recognized in the public school for his genius and received a scholarship to the prestigious all boys private school He ultimately accomplished degrees in theology philosophy and math at Tuumlbingen University in 1587 with a much sought after invitation to Seminary in hopes of teaching theology - until life hit handing him a hard-left turn His tutor trusted friend and math mentor at Tuumlbingen Michael Maestlin pressured him to accept a post as head Math and Astronomy Instructor at a tiny upstart university in the Austrian Alps of Graz His hopes of enjoying a life of prestige and position in the large academic city of Tuumlbingen were crushed While in Graz Kepler had ample time to study astronomy and math writing his first work on the idea that the Genesis account of Creation could be revealed in the study of the Cosmos titled

Mystery of the Cosmos (1597) using mathematical proofs specifically Geometry and mysticism as his mediums of communication He sent a copy to the yet unknown Galileo Galilei whom dismissed it as lacking proof but was not dismissed by a wealthy Dutch nobleman impressed with Keplerrsquos math Tycho Brahe

Kepler was quick to accept Brahersquos offer as he and his family had to flee the year before from Graz under threat of death due to unrest between the Catholic and Protestants leaving them homeless As an assistant he worked in the newly furnished castle in Prague where Brahe having

Prime Focus Page 3

Johannes Kepler Exoplanets and NASArsquos Faux PasJohannes Kepler Exoplanets and NASArsquos Faux Pas by Kenneth Paul Dykstra Kenneth Paul Dykstra

October 2010 Prime Focus Page 4

himself been exiled from his homeland carried out his state-of-the-art naked-eye observations meticulously cataloging the motion of the planets specifically Mars Brahe demanded precision Those who failed were scolded or jailed and some tortured Brahersquos Rudolphine Tablets logged the planetary motions to an unprecedented accuracy of 2 arc minutes though Brahe commonly bragged of an accuracy within 1 arcminute (160th of a degree) Even so it was the most precise measurements of the heavens in the world at the time

Their relationship from the outset was filled with mistrust on many levels but mainly Brahe suspected Kepler of trying to steal his lifersquos work while Kepler suspected Brahe would only use him to make a name for himself Kepler knew Brahe needed him - and so did Brahe Brahe needed Kepler to develop the geometrical math models from his data to prove the long held Ptolemaic belief that the Earth was at the center of the Universe Kepler however was an ardent believer in the Copernican model where all the planets (Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter and Saturn) all orbit the Sun Kepler confessed in a letter to his closest friend and mentor Michael Maestlin that Brahersquos unwillingness to give him access to his data and the foolish pursuit of the Ptolemaic model was driving him nearly mad

Let all keep silence and hark to Tycho who has devoted thirty-five years to his observations For Tycho alone do I wait he shall explain to me the order and arrangement of the orbits Then I hope I shall one day if God keeps me alive erect a wonderful edifice He continues later Brahe may discourage me from Copernicus (or even from the five perfect solids) but rather I think about striking Tycho himself with a sword I think thus about Tycho he abounds in riches which like most rich people he does not rightly use Therefore great effort has to be given that we may wrest his riches away from him We will have to go begging of course so that he may sincerely spread his observations around

Without these crucial observations Kepler would be nothing more than an astrologer and math teacher and long forgotten Less than two years into their tumultuous working relationship the healthy Brahe became suddenly ill with

abdominal pains and died two days later Within a year and with the help of Brahes coveted 20 volumes of planetary data Kepler discovered the first two laws of planetary motion and published them two years after that titled New Astronomy (1609) This book and Brahersquos death positioned him as the Imperial Mathematician in Prague and even Galileo sought out advice from him His third and final law of planetary motion came out nine years later in his series of five books combining astronomy theology philosophy and mysticism titled Harmonies of the World (1618) It was this third and final law that inspired Sir Isaac Newton sixty years later to discover gravity and establish the Law of Gravity Upon establishing these laws filled with emotion and great satisfaction near the end of his life Kepler wrote

I dare frankly to confess that I have stolen the golden vessels of the Egyptians to build a tabernacle for my God far from the bounds of Egypt If you pardon me I shall rejoice if you reproach me I shall endure The die is cast and I am writing the book to be read either now or by posterity it matters not It can wait a century for a reader as God himself has waited six thousand years for a witness Kepler knew he had unlocked one of manrsquos great mysteries ndash planetary motion making his place in history secure Whether or not Kepler is involved in Brahersquos death is still debated to this day Both in 1901 and again in 2010 Brahersquos body has been exhumed and once again awaiting Forensics on Brahersquos hair which showed at the turn of the 20th century high levels of calcium and

mercury Milk was a common medium for poisoning by drink in that era and Kepler had complete access to Brahersquos alchemy lab and self-educated in it It seemed Kepler had the motive and means but one may never really know Today as verified by hundreds of exoplanets discovered Keplerrsquos three laws have proven accurate ndash thus the name of NASArsquos spacecraft to discover other Earths by 2013 Perhaps though NASA should have named it the Tycho-Kepler Spacecraft

Kenneth Paul Dykstra is a member of the Grand Rapids Amateur Astronomical Association

October 2010

The world of astronomy was given new direction on August 13 2010 with the publication of the Astro2010 Decadal Survey Astro2010 is the latest in a series of surveys produced every 10 years by the National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academy of Sciences This council is a team of senior astronomers who recommend priorities for the most important topics and missions for the next decade Up near the top of their list this decade is the search for Earth-like planets around other stars mdash called ldquoextrasolar planetsrdquo or ldquoexoplanetsrdquo mdash which has become one of the hottest topics in astronomy The first planet to be found orbiting a star like our Sun was discovered in 1995 The planet called ldquo51 Pegasi brdquo is a ldquoHot Jupiterrdquo It is about 160 times the mass of Earth and orbits so close to its parent star that its gaseous ldquosurfacerdquo is seared by its blazing sun With no solid surface and temperatures of about 1000ordm Celsius (1700ordm Fahrenheit) there was no chance of finding life on this distant world Since that discovery astronomers have been on the hunt for smaller and more Earth-like planets and today we know of around 470 extrasolar planets ranging from about 4 times to 8000 times the mass of Earth This explosion in extrasolar planet discoveries is only set to get bigger with a NASA mission called Kepler that was

launched last year After staring at a single small patch of sky for 43 days Kepler has detected the definite signatures of seven new exoplanets plus 706 ldquoplanetary candidatesrdquo that are unconfirmed and in need of further investigation Kepler is likely to revolutionize our understanding of Earths place in the Universe We dont yet have the technology to search for life on exoplanets However the infrared Spitzer Space Telescope has detected molecules that are the basic building blocks of life in two exoplanet atmospheres Most extrasolar planets appear unsuitable for supporting life but at least two lie within the ldquohabitable zonerdquo of their stars where conditions are theoretically right for life to gain a foothold We are still a long way from detecting life on other worlds but in the last 20 years the number of known planets in our Universe has gone from the 8 in our own Solar System to almost 500 Its clear to everyone including the Astro2010 decadal survey team that the hunt for exoplanets is only just beginning and the search for life is finally underway in earnest Explore Spitzerrsquos latest findings at

httpwwwspitzercaltechedu Kids can dream about finding other Earths as they read ldquoLucyrsquos Planet Huntrdquo at

httpspaceplacenasagovenkidsstorybookslucy This article was provided by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory California Institute of Technology under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Prime Focus Page 5

The Hunt is OnThe Hunt is On by Carolyn BrinkworthCarolyn Brinkworth

Artistrsquos rendering of hot gas planet HD209458b Both the Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes have detected carbon dioxide methane and water vapor mdash in other words the basic chemistry for life mdash in the atmosphere of this planet although since it is a hot ball of gas it would be unlikely to harbor life

The Kepler Space Telescope

October Night SkyOctober Night Sky

NORTH

EAST W

EST

AA great binocular challenge takes place just after sunset on October 9th A thin Waxing

Crescent Moon will be almost directly between Venus and Mars Venus will 4ordm to the Moonrsquos lower right while Mars will be 45ordm above the Moon Yoursquoll

need an unobstructed view of the southwestern horizon since Venus is almost at inferior conjunction (1029) Galilean moons Europa and Ganymede cast simultaneous shadows on Jupiter on October 23rd and October 31st The

October 23rd event takes place from 940 - 1104 pm EDT while the October 31st event occurs from 1216 - 259 am EDT Naturally a telescope is required Look for the Waning Gibbous Moon 2ordm below the Pleiades on October 25th

SOUTH

This star map is property of the Kalamazoo Astronomical Society However you may make as many copies as you wish free-of-charge so long as it is for non-profit educational purposes and full credit is given to the KAS

wwwkasonlineorg

Early September 11 pm

Late September 10 pm

Early October 9 pm

Late October Dusk

This map represents the sky at the following local standard times

PRESIDENT

Jack Price 343-3193

VICE PRESIDENT

Richard Bell 373-8942

TREASURER

Rich Mather 629-5312

SECRETARYALCOR

Roger Williams 375-4867

MEMBERS-AT-LARGE

Jean DeMott 381-1406 Dick Gillespie 966-9653 Jason Hanflik 810-444-4145 Don Stilwell 963-5856

E-MAIL a BOARD MEMBER

KAS BOARDKAS BOARD October 2010 Page 7

Planetarium admission is $300 per person The Kalamazoo Valley Museum is located at 230 North Rose Street in downtown Kalamazoo For more information please call (269) 373-7990 or visit us on the web at wwwkalamazoomuseumorg

Mystery of the Missing MoonMystery of the Missing Moon Weekdays 11am Saturdays 1pm Sundays 2pm

Starry MessengerStarry Messenger Saturdays at 200 pm

New HorizonsNew Horizons Everyday at 300 pm

Order Your Copy TodayOrder Your Copy Today Bill Nigg will group-order the ldquoindispensablerdquo annual observing guide from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada for the well informed KAS members who givesend him $20 each by the October 1st general meeting

This discounted price and timing will allow you to plan ahead for the whole year The normal price is $34 and Sky amp Telescope will have them later for about $30

Please make checks out to Bill Nigg Phone inquiries and sincere financial commitments may be made to 665-7545

WANTED Fund-raising Volunteer The Facility Use Agreement with Mike Patton is nearly complete and will likely be signed at the November General Meeting One of the next major phases of the Robotic Telescope Project is fund-raising

Many different types of fund-raising will no doubt be required One plan is to sell tickets for a prize drawing during our 75th anniversary next year

The KAS Board is seeking a volunteer to spearhead this effort Past experience in fund-raising is a plus but not necessary Please contact Jean DeMott for more information

October 2010 Prime Focus Page 4

himself been exiled from his homeland carried out his state-of-the-art naked-eye observations meticulously cataloging the motion of the planets specifically Mars Brahe demanded precision Those who failed were scolded or jailed and some tortured Brahersquos Rudolphine Tablets logged the planetary motions to an unprecedented accuracy of 2 arc minutes though Brahe commonly bragged of an accuracy within 1 arcminute (160th of a degree) Even so it was the most precise measurements of the heavens in the world at the time

Their relationship from the outset was filled with mistrust on many levels but mainly Brahe suspected Kepler of trying to steal his lifersquos work while Kepler suspected Brahe would only use him to make a name for himself Kepler knew Brahe needed him - and so did Brahe Brahe needed Kepler to develop the geometrical math models from his data to prove the long held Ptolemaic belief that the Earth was at the center of the Universe Kepler however was an ardent believer in the Copernican model where all the planets (Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter and Saturn) all orbit the Sun Kepler confessed in a letter to his closest friend and mentor Michael Maestlin that Brahersquos unwillingness to give him access to his data and the foolish pursuit of the Ptolemaic model was driving him nearly mad

Let all keep silence and hark to Tycho who has devoted thirty-five years to his observations For Tycho alone do I wait he shall explain to me the order and arrangement of the orbits Then I hope I shall one day if God keeps me alive erect a wonderful edifice He continues later Brahe may discourage me from Copernicus (or even from the five perfect solids) but rather I think about striking Tycho himself with a sword I think thus about Tycho he abounds in riches which like most rich people he does not rightly use Therefore great effort has to be given that we may wrest his riches away from him We will have to go begging of course so that he may sincerely spread his observations around

Without these crucial observations Kepler would be nothing more than an astrologer and math teacher and long forgotten Less than two years into their tumultuous working relationship the healthy Brahe became suddenly ill with

abdominal pains and died two days later Within a year and with the help of Brahes coveted 20 volumes of planetary data Kepler discovered the first two laws of planetary motion and published them two years after that titled New Astronomy (1609) This book and Brahersquos death positioned him as the Imperial Mathematician in Prague and even Galileo sought out advice from him His third and final law of planetary motion came out nine years later in his series of five books combining astronomy theology philosophy and mysticism titled Harmonies of the World (1618) It was this third and final law that inspired Sir Isaac Newton sixty years later to discover gravity and establish the Law of Gravity Upon establishing these laws filled with emotion and great satisfaction near the end of his life Kepler wrote

I dare frankly to confess that I have stolen the golden vessels of the Egyptians to build a tabernacle for my God far from the bounds of Egypt If you pardon me I shall rejoice if you reproach me I shall endure The die is cast and I am writing the book to be read either now or by posterity it matters not It can wait a century for a reader as God himself has waited six thousand years for a witness Kepler knew he had unlocked one of manrsquos great mysteries ndash planetary motion making his place in history secure Whether or not Kepler is involved in Brahersquos death is still debated to this day Both in 1901 and again in 2010 Brahersquos body has been exhumed and once again awaiting Forensics on Brahersquos hair which showed at the turn of the 20th century high levels of calcium and

mercury Milk was a common medium for poisoning by drink in that era and Kepler had complete access to Brahersquos alchemy lab and self-educated in it It seemed Kepler had the motive and means but one may never really know Today as verified by hundreds of exoplanets discovered Keplerrsquos three laws have proven accurate ndash thus the name of NASArsquos spacecraft to discover other Earths by 2013 Perhaps though NASA should have named it the Tycho-Kepler Spacecraft

Kenneth Paul Dykstra is a member of the Grand Rapids Amateur Astronomical Association

October 2010

The world of astronomy was given new direction on August 13 2010 with the publication of the Astro2010 Decadal Survey Astro2010 is the latest in a series of surveys produced every 10 years by the National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academy of Sciences This council is a team of senior astronomers who recommend priorities for the most important topics and missions for the next decade Up near the top of their list this decade is the search for Earth-like planets around other stars mdash called ldquoextrasolar planetsrdquo or ldquoexoplanetsrdquo mdash which has become one of the hottest topics in astronomy The first planet to be found orbiting a star like our Sun was discovered in 1995 The planet called ldquo51 Pegasi brdquo is a ldquoHot Jupiterrdquo It is about 160 times the mass of Earth and orbits so close to its parent star that its gaseous ldquosurfacerdquo is seared by its blazing sun With no solid surface and temperatures of about 1000ordm Celsius (1700ordm Fahrenheit) there was no chance of finding life on this distant world Since that discovery astronomers have been on the hunt for smaller and more Earth-like planets and today we know of around 470 extrasolar planets ranging from about 4 times to 8000 times the mass of Earth This explosion in extrasolar planet discoveries is only set to get bigger with a NASA mission called Kepler that was

launched last year After staring at a single small patch of sky for 43 days Kepler has detected the definite signatures of seven new exoplanets plus 706 ldquoplanetary candidatesrdquo that are unconfirmed and in need of further investigation Kepler is likely to revolutionize our understanding of Earths place in the Universe We dont yet have the technology to search for life on exoplanets However the infrared Spitzer Space Telescope has detected molecules that are the basic building blocks of life in two exoplanet atmospheres Most extrasolar planets appear unsuitable for supporting life but at least two lie within the ldquohabitable zonerdquo of their stars where conditions are theoretically right for life to gain a foothold We are still a long way from detecting life on other worlds but in the last 20 years the number of known planets in our Universe has gone from the 8 in our own Solar System to almost 500 Its clear to everyone including the Astro2010 decadal survey team that the hunt for exoplanets is only just beginning and the search for life is finally underway in earnest Explore Spitzerrsquos latest findings at

httpwwwspitzercaltechedu Kids can dream about finding other Earths as they read ldquoLucyrsquos Planet Huntrdquo at

httpspaceplacenasagovenkidsstorybookslucy This article was provided by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory California Institute of Technology under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Prime Focus Page 5

The Hunt is OnThe Hunt is On by Carolyn BrinkworthCarolyn Brinkworth

Artistrsquos rendering of hot gas planet HD209458b Both the Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes have detected carbon dioxide methane and water vapor mdash in other words the basic chemistry for life mdash in the atmosphere of this planet although since it is a hot ball of gas it would be unlikely to harbor life

The Kepler Space Telescope

October Night SkyOctober Night Sky

NORTH

EAST W

EST

AA great binocular challenge takes place just after sunset on October 9th A thin Waxing

Crescent Moon will be almost directly between Venus and Mars Venus will 4ordm to the Moonrsquos lower right while Mars will be 45ordm above the Moon Yoursquoll

need an unobstructed view of the southwestern horizon since Venus is almost at inferior conjunction (1029) Galilean moons Europa and Ganymede cast simultaneous shadows on Jupiter on October 23rd and October 31st The

October 23rd event takes place from 940 - 1104 pm EDT while the October 31st event occurs from 1216 - 259 am EDT Naturally a telescope is required Look for the Waning Gibbous Moon 2ordm below the Pleiades on October 25th

SOUTH

This star map is property of the Kalamazoo Astronomical Society However you may make as many copies as you wish free-of-charge so long as it is for non-profit educational purposes and full credit is given to the KAS

wwwkasonlineorg

Early September 11 pm

Late September 10 pm

Early October 9 pm

Late October Dusk

This map represents the sky at the following local standard times

PRESIDENT

Jack Price 343-3193

VICE PRESIDENT

Richard Bell 373-8942

TREASURER

Rich Mather 629-5312

SECRETARYALCOR

Roger Williams 375-4867

MEMBERS-AT-LARGE

Jean DeMott 381-1406 Dick Gillespie 966-9653 Jason Hanflik 810-444-4145 Don Stilwell 963-5856

E-MAIL a BOARD MEMBER

KAS BOARDKAS BOARD October 2010 Page 7

Planetarium admission is $300 per person The Kalamazoo Valley Museum is located at 230 North Rose Street in downtown Kalamazoo For more information please call (269) 373-7990 or visit us on the web at wwwkalamazoomuseumorg

Mystery of the Missing MoonMystery of the Missing Moon Weekdays 11am Saturdays 1pm Sundays 2pm

Starry MessengerStarry Messenger Saturdays at 200 pm

New HorizonsNew Horizons Everyday at 300 pm

Order Your Copy TodayOrder Your Copy Today Bill Nigg will group-order the ldquoindispensablerdquo annual observing guide from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada for the well informed KAS members who givesend him $20 each by the October 1st general meeting

This discounted price and timing will allow you to plan ahead for the whole year The normal price is $34 and Sky amp Telescope will have them later for about $30

Please make checks out to Bill Nigg Phone inquiries and sincere financial commitments may be made to 665-7545

WANTED Fund-raising Volunteer The Facility Use Agreement with Mike Patton is nearly complete and will likely be signed at the November General Meeting One of the next major phases of the Robotic Telescope Project is fund-raising

Many different types of fund-raising will no doubt be required One plan is to sell tickets for a prize drawing during our 75th anniversary next year

The KAS Board is seeking a volunteer to spearhead this effort Past experience in fund-raising is a plus but not necessary Please contact Jean DeMott for more information

October 2010

The world of astronomy was given new direction on August 13 2010 with the publication of the Astro2010 Decadal Survey Astro2010 is the latest in a series of surveys produced every 10 years by the National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academy of Sciences This council is a team of senior astronomers who recommend priorities for the most important topics and missions for the next decade Up near the top of their list this decade is the search for Earth-like planets around other stars mdash called ldquoextrasolar planetsrdquo or ldquoexoplanetsrdquo mdash which has become one of the hottest topics in astronomy The first planet to be found orbiting a star like our Sun was discovered in 1995 The planet called ldquo51 Pegasi brdquo is a ldquoHot Jupiterrdquo It is about 160 times the mass of Earth and orbits so close to its parent star that its gaseous ldquosurfacerdquo is seared by its blazing sun With no solid surface and temperatures of about 1000ordm Celsius (1700ordm Fahrenheit) there was no chance of finding life on this distant world Since that discovery astronomers have been on the hunt for smaller and more Earth-like planets and today we know of around 470 extrasolar planets ranging from about 4 times to 8000 times the mass of Earth This explosion in extrasolar planet discoveries is only set to get bigger with a NASA mission called Kepler that was

launched last year After staring at a single small patch of sky for 43 days Kepler has detected the definite signatures of seven new exoplanets plus 706 ldquoplanetary candidatesrdquo that are unconfirmed and in need of further investigation Kepler is likely to revolutionize our understanding of Earths place in the Universe We dont yet have the technology to search for life on exoplanets However the infrared Spitzer Space Telescope has detected molecules that are the basic building blocks of life in two exoplanet atmospheres Most extrasolar planets appear unsuitable for supporting life but at least two lie within the ldquohabitable zonerdquo of their stars where conditions are theoretically right for life to gain a foothold We are still a long way from detecting life on other worlds but in the last 20 years the number of known planets in our Universe has gone from the 8 in our own Solar System to almost 500 Its clear to everyone including the Astro2010 decadal survey team that the hunt for exoplanets is only just beginning and the search for life is finally underway in earnest Explore Spitzerrsquos latest findings at

httpwwwspitzercaltechedu Kids can dream about finding other Earths as they read ldquoLucyrsquos Planet Huntrdquo at

httpspaceplacenasagovenkidsstorybookslucy This article was provided by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory California Institute of Technology under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Prime Focus Page 5

The Hunt is OnThe Hunt is On by Carolyn BrinkworthCarolyn Brinkworth

Artistrsquos rendering of hot gas planet HD209458b Both the Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes have detected carbon dioxide methane and water vapor mdash in other words the basic chemistry for life mdash in the atmosphere of this planet although since it is a hot ball of gas it would be unlikely to harbor life

The Kepler Space Telescope

October Night SkyOctober Night Sky

NORTH

EAST W

EST

AA great binocular challenge takes place just after sunset on October 9th A thin Waxing

Crescent Moon will be almost directly between Venus and Mars Venus will 4ordm to the Moonrsquos lower right while Mars will be 45ordm above the Moon Yoursquoll

need an unobstructed view of the southwestern horizon since Venus is almost at inferior conjunction (1029) Galilean moons Europa and Ganymede cast simultaneous shadows on Jupiter on October 23rd and October 31st The

October 23rd event takes place from 940 - 1104 pm EDT while the October 31st event occurs from 1216 - 259 am EDT Naturally a telescope is required Look for the Waning Gibbous Moon 2ordm below the Pleiades on October 25th

SOUTH

This star map is property of the Kalamazoo Astronomical Society However you may make as many copies as you wish free-of-charge so long as it is for non-profit educational purposes and full credit is given to the KAS

wwwkasonlineorg

Early September 11 pm

Late September 10 pm

Early October 9 pm

Late October Dusk

This map represents the sky at the following local standard times

PRESIDENT

Jack Price 343-3193

VICE PRESIDENT

Richard Bell 373-8942

TREASURER

Rich Mather 629-5312

SECRETARYALCOR

Roger Williams 375-4867

MEMBERS-AT-LARGE

Jean DeMott 381-1406 Dick Gillespie 966-9653 Jason Hanflik 810-444-4145 Don Stilwell 963-5856

E-MAIL a BOARD MEMBER

KAS BOARDKAS BOARD October 2010 Page 7

Planetarium admission is $300 per person The Kalamazoo Valley Museum is located at 230 North Rose Street in downtown Kalamazoo For more information please call (269) 373-7990 or visit us on the web at wwwkalamazoomuseumorg

Mystery of the Missing MoonMystery of the Missing Moon Weekdays 11am Saturdays 1pm Sundays 2pm

Starry MessengerStarry Messenger Saturdays at 200 pm

New HorizonsNew Horizons Everyday at 300 pm

Order Your Copy TodayOrder Your Copy Today Bill Nigg will group-order the ldquoindispensablerdquo annual observing guide from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada for the well informed KAS members who givesend him $20 each by the October 1st general meeting

This discounted price and timing will allow you to plan ahead for the whole year The normal price is $34 and Sky amp Telescope will have them later for about $30

Please make checks out to Bill Nigg Phone inquiries and sincere financial commitments may be made to 665-7545

WANTED Fund-raising Volunteer The Facility Use Agreement with Mike Patton is nearly complete and will likely be signed at the November General Meeting One of the next major phases of the Robotic Telescope Project is fund-raising

Many different types of fund-raising will no doubt be required One plan is to sell tickets for a prize drawing during our 75th anniversary next year

The KAS Board is seeking a volunteer to spearhead this effort Past experience in fund-raising is a plus but not necessary Please contact Jean DeMott for more information

October Night SkyOctober Night Sky

NORTH

EAST W

EST

AA great binocular challenge takes place just after sunset on October 9th A thin Waxing

Crescent Moon will be almost directly between Venus and Mars Venus will 4ordm to the Moonrsquos lower right while Mars will be 45ordm above the Moon Yoursquoll

need an unobstructed view of the southwestern horizon since Venus is almost at inferior conjunction (1029) Galilean moons Europa and Ganymede cast simultaneous shadows on Jupiter on October 23rd and October 31st The

October 23rd event takes place from 940 - 1104 pm EDT while the October 31st event occurs from 1216 - 259 am EDT Naturally a telescope is required Look for the Waning Gibbous Moon 2ordm below the Pleiades on October 25th

SOUTH

This star map is property of the Kalamazoo Astronomical Society However you may make as many copies as you wish free-of-charge so long as it is for non-profit educational purposes and full credit is given to the KAS

wwwkasonlineorg

Early September 11 pm

Late September 10 pm

Early October 9 pm

Late October Dusk

This map represents the sky at the following local standard times

PRESIDENT

Jack Price 343-3193

VICE PRESIDENT

Richard Bell 373-8942

TREASURER

Rich Mather 629-5312

SECRETARYALCOR

Roger Williams 375-4867

MEMBERS-AT-LARGE

Jean DeMott 381-1406 Dick Gillespie 966-9653 Jason Hanflik 810-444-4145 Don Stilwell 963-5856

E-MAIL a BOARD MEMBER

KAS BOARDKAS BOARD October 2010 Page 7

Planetarium admission is $300 per person The Kalamazoo Valley Museum is located at 230 North Rose Street in downtown Kalamazoo For more information please call (269) 373-7990 or visit us on the web at wwwkalamazoomuseumorg

Mystery of the Missing MoonMystery of the Missing Moon Weekdays 11am Saturdays 1pm Sundays 2pm

Starry MessengerStarry Messenger Saturdays at 200 pm

New HorizonsNew Horizons Everyday at 300 pm

Order Your Copy TodayOrder Your Copy Today Bill Nigg will group-order the ldquoindispensablerdquo annual observing guide from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada for the well informed KAS members who givesend him $20 each by the October 1st general meeting

This discounted price and timing will allow you to plan ahead for the whole year The normal price is $34 and Sky amp Telescope will have them later for about $30

Please make checks out to Bill Nigg Phone inquiries and sincere financial commitments may be made to 665-7545

WANTED Fund-raising Volunteer The Facility Use Agreement with Mike Patton is nearly complete and will likely be signed at the November General Meeting One of the next major phases of the Robotic Telescope Project is fund-raising

Many different types of fund-raising will no doubt be required One plan is to sell tickets for a prize drawing during our 75th anniversary next year

The KAS Board is seeking a volunteer to spearhead this effort Past experience in fund-raising is a plus but not necessary Please contact Jean DeMott for more information

PRESIDENT

Jack Price 343-3193

VICE PRESIDENT

Richard Bell 373-8942

TREASURER

Rich Mather 629-5312

SECRETARYALCOR

Roger Williams 375-4867

MEMBERS-AT-LARGE

Jean DeMott 381-1406 Dick Gillespie 966-9653 Jason Hanflik 810-444-4145 Don Stilwell 963-5856

E-MAIL a BOARD MEMBER

KAS BOARDKAS BOARD October 2010 Page 7

Planetarium admission is $300 per person The Kalamazoo Valley Museum is located at 230 North Rose Street in downtown Kalamazoo For more information please call (269) 373-7990 or visit us on the web at wwwkalamazoomuseumorg

Mystery of the Missing MoonMystery of the Missing Moon Weekdays 11am Saturdays 1pm Sundays 2pm

Starry MessengerStarry Messenger Saturdays at 200 pm

New HorizonsNew Horizons Everyday at 300 pm

Order Your Copy TodayOrder Your Copy Today Bill Nigg will group-order the ldquoindispensablerdquo annual observing guide from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada for the well informed KAS members who givesend him $20 each by the October 1st general meeting

This discounted price and timing will allow you to plan ahead for the whole year The normal price is $34 and Sky amp Telescope will have them later for about $30

Please make checks out to Bill Nigg Phone inquiries and sincere financial commitments may be made to 665-7545

WANTED Fund-raising Volunteer The Facility Use Agreement with Mike Patton is nearly complete and will likely be signed at the November General Meeting One of the next major phases of the Robotic Telescope Project is fund-raising

Many different types of fund-raising will no doubt be required One plan is to sell tickets for a prize drawing during our 75th anniversary next year

The KAS Board is seeking a volunteer to spearhead this effort Past experience in fund-raising is a plus but not necessary Please contact Jean DeMott for more information

copy October 2010 Stargazer Productions

Kalamazoo Astronomical Society co KAMSC 600 West Vine Suite 400 Kalamazoo MI 49008

STAMP

General Meeting Preview

Simple Astrophotography for EveryoneSimple Astrophotography for Everyone Presented by Clay KesslerClay Kessler

In this Astrophotography Night special presentation veteran sky shooter Clay Kessler will tell you how to capture your own stunning portraits of the night sky Hersquoll start with the basics like using a stationary photographic tripod to take images of the constellations photographing the Moon through a telescope and simple wide-field tracked exposures Hell also cover more complex shots along with the necessary equipment to take them and display some of his best work from the last few years

FridayOctober1700pm

Kalamazoo Area Math amp Science Center 600 West Vine Suite 400 bull Use Dutton St Entrance

- Dutton Entrance Locked by 715 pm -