32 inch Cassegrain Project

Planets for June 2022

By Erich Karkoschka

Saturn is the first planet to rise at night, first at midnight and almost at 10 pm by the end of June.

Jupiter is the second planet to rise, two hours after Saturn. It is up 45 degrees by sunrise.

Mars is the third planet to rise, only 2 degrees from Jupiter at the beginning of June, increasing to 19 degrees by the end of June.

Venus is the fourth planet to rise at 3:20 am. It displays the same phase as Mars in a telescope but is 50 times brighter.

Mercury is the last planet to rise at 4 am. It is just visible with naked eyes starting on the 11th and better visible between the 20th and the 30th.

Neptune is visible in binoculars about 10 degrees west of Jupiter.

Uranus is too close to the Sun at the beginning of June. On the 11th it can be found 1.5 degrees above Venus.

The Moon occults eta Leonis on June 5th between 8:05 and 9:06 pm. It is a 3rd magnitude star just above Regulus. The moon then passes the five bright planets, Saturn on the 18th, Jupiter on the 21st, Mars on the 22nd, Venus on the 26th, and Mercury on the 27th. Note that the order of the five bright planets is in the same order as their distance from the Sun. On the 23rd, 24th, and 25th, this is valid even if you include the Moon. The only day one cannot see the Moon is the 28th, although a sighting on the 29th around 8 pm is challenging at it is only 24 hours after New Moon.

Vesta is an easy binocular object at 7th magnitude, between Jupiter and Saturn. Thus the morning parade of all planets even extends to the brightest asteroid.

32 inch Cassegrain Project

DOUG SMITH (VICE PRESIDENT)

I have been into Astronomy for most of my life. Started when I was 5 with a 3 inch Tasco refractor. Have been into Amateur Astronomy ever since. More than 50 years.

Several clubs. First club was the Warren Astronomical Society which meets at the Cranbrook Institute of Science in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. This is where the Astronomical League started. I have always been involved in the AL.

I am currently the ALCOR for TAAA. Second time at that position. I have been ALCOR for other clubs also. Also Program Coordinator for the AL Analemma Observing Program. I have my AL Master Observing Award.

I have several undergraduate and graduate degrees, including MS in Physics. I did several years of undergraduate and graduate studies in Astrophysics.

I am an Engineer at Raytheon with 37+ years’ experience.

32 inch Cassegrain Project

David Rossetter (Member At Large)

● From Chicago area. BS Business U of Montana, MS Computer Information
Systems, Regis University. Two adult kids, two step kids. Married to Pam. Live on far northeast side of Tucson.
● Airline Pilot: People Express Airlines, Continental Airlines, United Airlines
(mergers). Retired in 2016 on international 767 from Washington Dulles.
● Chair of the TAAA Nominations and Volunteer Resource Committee (four years).
● MemberPlanet Manager. Editor Desert Skies Bulletin.
●2 5 years of astronomy public outreach including teaching LLI astronomy classes.
● Currently have 25″ dob and 7″ refractor in my private observatory.
● Docent at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. Folk and bluegrass musician. Hiking. Skiing.

32 inch Cassegrain Project

John Kalas (Member At Large)

●Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Penn State, Married with 2 grown children, Tucson resident for 28 years. TAAA awards: Bok Award 2004 & Service Award 2006.
●Various levels of engineering responsibilities including management with GTE Sylvania for 23 years and Rain Bird for 13 years.
● TAAA positions: MAL, Vice-President and President (1998 – 2001). Developed and ran Astronomy Services program (paid star parties) for 17 years. Supported development of the TIMPA observing site.
● Chiricahua Astronomy Complex: One of the four Perseus Group members who donated the property, CAC Site Construction Coordinator from 2008 – 2018 (Phases 1 – 6), CAC Site Director from 2010 – 2017, currently construction Coordinator for Member Observatories project. TAAA member for 28 years

32 inch Cassegrain Project

Barbara Whitehead (Treasurer)

● BS & BA in Accounting University of Alabama, CPA (licensed in Virginia),
● CRFAC (Certified Forensic Accountant).
●Bank CFO, Banking Regulator, Banking Consultant.
● Financial Managers Society, Inst Management Accountants, CPA Society,
Technology Club.
● Treasurer, Northern Virginia Astronomy Club (1,000+ members), various
positions including President, VP and Treasurer in the non-profits listed above.
● Experience includes Quickbooks, PayPal, Club Express and GroupWorks.
● Disaster Responder for American Red Cross, teaching classes for Technology Club where I am also the Treasurer.
● Other interests include MahJongg, Book Club, travel and my puppy, Pippa.

32 inch Cassegrain Project

Planets of the Month: May 2022

by Erich Karkoschka

Mercury is the only evening planet, but only visible during the first week of May. It sets around the end of astronomical twilight. It shows as a crescent in a telescope.

Saturn rises soon after Midnight and is 30 degrees up at dawn.

Mars follows Saturn an hour later. It is as bright as Saturn. Mars approaches Jupiter and passes it half a degree south on May 29th.

Venus and Jupiter are only half a degree apart from each other at the beginning of the month. Venus moves so fast that their separation increases to 30 degrees by months end.

Venus shows a small disk getting fuller while Jupiter gets high enough so that its bands and other features show up in telescopes.

On the 17th and `18th, Neptune is relatively easy to find in binoculars since it is less than a degree north of Mars.

The Moon is very hard to see on May 1st since it is such a thin crescent, one of the thinnest ones you have seen in your life. The following evening, it sits just above Mercury. By the 6th, the Moon is next to Pollux. The Full Moon the day after the Lunar Eclipse rises only 2 degrees from Aldebaran. On the 26th and 27th, it is in the vicinity of Venus.

The important event this month is the Total Lunar Eclipse on the evening of May 15th. The moon rises at 7:06 pm (Tucson Time/UTC-7). Sunset is at 7:15 pm. The partial phase starts at 7:28. Totality lasts from 8:29-9:54 pm. The partial phase ends at 10:56 pm. This is a deep total eclipse since the northern part of the Moon is at the center of the Umbra, right at 9:12 pm. In Tucson, TAAA will have a viewing party with telescopes on the University of Arizona Mall near Flandrau from 7:30-10 pm.