Viewing the Aurora from Wagman

 Chances are that you have heard numerous reports, seen hundreds of photographs and even listened to and watched news reports about Friday night’s auroras. Well, let me add one more to your pile.

    The sun is currently at what is called solar maximum, the peak of an eleven year cycle. A massive coronal mass ejection from the sun was due to hit the earth causing a huge geomagnetic storm. The particles expelled from the sun interact with the earth’s magnetic fields and causes what is known as Aurora Borealis or the Northern Lights. (In the southern hemisphere, they are called Aurora Australis or the Southern Lights.) Solar observers gave notice a few days ago and rapidly the word spread. Astronomers passed the word via the internet and before long TV newscasters were mentioned it along with how and where the aurora could be viewed.

    The convergence of any astronomical event and bad weather is a well known coincidence. In astronomy clubs a common joke is that by simply buying a new telescope or eye piece you will be bringing bad weather into your hometown. Astronomical events such as conjunctions, occultations and eclipses can bring on this phenomenon also. It was because of this that I reigned in my enthusiasm a bit!

    The Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh (AAAP) had its monthly meeting on Friday night. Attendance was in person or via Zoom, I chose to attend by way of my computer. Sitting beside the window my attention drifted between the meeting, the NOAA Aurora Prediction page (it was looking good!) and the sky outside. I left when the meeting was half over; the chance that something might occur in the sky overrode the meeting’s presentation.

    The clouds in the sky were very dramatic looking, tinged with oranges and reds. I was hoping that the sky would clear as I drove towards the club’s observatory. As the sky darkened there seemed to be a brighter patch in the north and while I didn’t think it was an aurora, the thought did cross my mind more than once. My hopes were rising.

    Pulling up to the gate at the Wagman Observatory, I found that the small parking lot was filled and cars were parked alongside the narrow road. Someone had parked directly in front of the gates and I had to search them out in able to open them.  There were about 20 or more people scattered across the field. Once the gate was opened cars flooded into the field, coming and going for the rest of the evening.

    At 9 o’clock the sky was still rather bright. The crescent moon in the west was all that was visible. Slowly more and more stars appeared. A large cloud was situated in the north but still everyone there was hopeful and excited. People stood alone and in groups, all facing the north. A TV camera man had his camera set up, patiently waiting along with the rest of us. Cameras were set up on tripods and nearly everyone had phones in their hands, quietly talking among themselves. During the evening, at least 10 members of the AAAP arrived along with a crowd possibly numbering 100 or more.

    The first noticeable burst came right after 10. I heard someone say “I can see it!” and then, there was no doubt that we were seeing an aurora. A big one!

    Batches of colors, mainly red and pink (to my aging eyes) appeared in the sky. Fainter colors appeared, looking more like rays or curtains. They would appear and then fade off only to reappear elsewhere, different shapes and colors. Grays and whites along with yellows seemed more prominent behind the observatory while the blobs or larger batches of colors seemed to be mostly off to the left, in the NW. The aurora grew in size, eventually extending past the zenith and into the southern skies. It was spectacular!

    About 15 minutes into this show, the International Space Station made a pass almost directly overhead. Its pass made it appear to slice through both the Big Dipper and the aurora. We couldn’t have asked for more. Everyone in the field was excited.

    It was fun being in a group while experiencing this event. The feelings of happiness and wonder were contagious. I couldn’t help but compare it to last month’s total solar eclipse, both events showcased the wonders of our world and the beauty of the skies, presents that were given to us to enjoy.

    The show continued for about an hour before fading down after 11. The TV man provided footage for the Channel 2 news.  Thousands of pictures were taken. The glow of smart phones was seen everywhere I looked. The pictures taken by them were dramatic, providing more colors than what we saw by eye. I was envious; my camera exposures were in the 20-25 second range while theirs were just a second or two, but I still enjoyed the process of photographing the aurora. It’s interesting how different cameras and phones produced different colors in their pictures.

    The club members started packing up to go a bit after 11 and I was getting tired also. Before we could leave we had to get all of the cars out of the field. Thankfully there were only 6 or 7 left. We told the owners that they could stay on the hilltop; they just couldn’t leave their cars there. There was one driver we couldn’t locate, after a brief search, I finally found him over the hillside below the observatory.

    While locking the gate, a County Policeman arrived with lights flashing. There were cars lining both sides of the road, some had actually parked on the road rather than off to the side. I can only imagine that some tickets were issued after I left. People were still arriving as I drove away.

   The last time I had seen an aurora, the only other time I might add, was at the same place, Wagman Observatory, on June 13^th, 1991.

     I drove home through a thick fog and when I got home, nothing was visible in the sky at all. I was extremely happy to have taken the drive up to the observatory!

    During the event, I couldn’t help but think; last month we had a total solar eclipse and this month we were treated to a fantastic aurora. What in the world will June bring us?

Searching For Satellites

The Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh, (AAAP) had scheduled a club event for the 29^th and 30^th of July. It wasn’t a star party; it was a club get-together to see how many satellites we could spot in the course of a night. There had been a previous record of 62 set by two club members many years ago, it was time to try and break the record.

    As so many of our clubs' events go, the weather on Friday was rather “iffy”. An e-mail was sent out cancelling that night's event. Four of us showed up anyway.

    A beautiful sunset appeared as I drove up to the observatory. It was that time of the day where the colors seem more intense. The tiny crescent moon was located a short while after the sun set, a mere 2% illuminated. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a moon as thin as this before! That was the highpoint of my night, but the rest didn’t let me down either.

    We sat on the concrete pad beside the observatory and watched as the sky darkened. The brightest satellite we saw was the International Space Station, (ISS) making a 5-minute pass. It skimmed stars in Ursa Major (The Big Dipper) and Ursa Minor (The Little Dipper) before cruising through Cygnus and then disappearing in the earths’ shadow and the clouds.

    In the couple hours of darkness that I was there, I saw 8 satellites, 9 if you wanted to count the moon! I went home a happy sky gazer.

    Saturday delivered another nice night sky. The moon, a little bit larger than the night before was located around 8:30. As the sky darkened, (sunset was at 8:37) it became much easier to see.

    I took a walk over the hill to get some pictures of the moon and the observatory. While I was playing with my camera, I missed the first sighting, the ISS. I was watching for it but between the lower position on the hill and the bright sky, I missed it. (I know…excuses, excuses) I did see it on its second pass 90 minutes later.

    There was at least 14 people that showed up on Saturday. It is hard to say since it was dark when some arrived. By the time I returned to the top of the hill, they were well on their way accumulating their numbers.

    The rules are pretty simple. It has to be an artificial satellite; the moon doesn’t count. There also has to be at least two people that see it, it needs confirmed. That was it, nice and simple.

    Thank heavens for the members with good eyesight, that and laser pointers. They would see a satellite and then point to it with their pointers, enabling me to find the satellites with my binoculars. I was able to see the brighter ones by eye, but most of the ones I saw were seen with optical aid.

    We saw Saturn rise and we saw some falling stars. In-between sightings I browsed around the constellations, checking out things I normally only observed with telescopes.

    I left a little after 11, there were some clouds moving in and I had to get up early the next morning. I saw one final satellite as I was getting into my car bringing my total to 30. I had watched a couple satellites that appeared to be crossing each other’s paths, which was pretty cool. I saw three in the sky at the same time, though I’m sure there were probably more up there, I just didn’t see them. 

    The most satellites I’ve seen in the sky at one time was well over 15 or 20. It was right after a Starlink dump. They stretched across the sky, coming from behind a cloud and disappearing near the horizon. It was a morning I’ll always remember. There were over 30 satellites in the parade passing overhead.

    Sadly, the official grand total for Saturday as computed by our esteemed official, Eric Fischer, was 42. That is 20 less than the current club record. Cirrus clouds moved in and hid the fainter satellites from view as the night progressed. Since we are moving into August the angle of the sun isn’t favorable for long nights of satellite viewing. We will try again next year, maybe the Pittsburgh weather will co-operate with us for a change.

    I believe we all enjoyed ourselves though, we talked, we laughed, we visited with each other unlike at star parties where we tend to our telescopes and only talk with the public and the members parked beside us. We relaxed and had a good time, sitting under the stars and the satellites.

A Special Day

Today has always been special to me. I’ve always looked forward to it! This morning, it started out around 3:45 as my alarm rudely awakened me from a great dream. Looking out the window, I saw darkness. Opening the door and stepping outside, I was treated to a view of numerous stars in a cloud free sky.

    Oh Yes!!

    I could’ve set up the telescope but I thought watching the planets come up over the horizon might be a better, and easier, way to go. I opted for a short drive to the near-by hill top with the camera, tripod and my binoculars. The view there is always superior to my front yard.

    About 20 minutes later with a warm drink in hand I was parking the car. It was quiet and there were stars everywhere. My observing spot is fairly light free. I could see stars pretty low to the horizon and that’s tough here in Shaler!

    I set up the camera and took a couple test shots and then scanned the stars with my binoculars. The moon had set about an hour before I arrived so there were no problems with it hiding the stars.

    Jupiter had just risen above the horizon when I arrived and Venus would soon be breaking out so I concentrated on that section of the hillside. It was easy to see where it would be rising, the other three planets, Saturn, Mars and Jupiter made a straight line right to where it would be showing up.

    Venus showed up a couple minutes after its predicted time of arrival. Suddenly…there it was behind the trees and then it was shining free. It is amazing how quickly they rise when you have a reference point to compare them to! I snapped a few shots and then went back to exploring the sky with the binoculars

    As the sky brightened, the International Space Station passed off in the north. I had hoped it would be close enough to Venus to get a picture but by then the sky was too bright. Watching it in binoculars would just have to do.

    The birds were starting to wake up, soon joggers would be out and I was ready to refill my coffee cup. I made it home in time to see the sunrise.

    I said this day was special to me. It isn’t because of the stars or the planets. Not even the ISS made it special. It’s because on this day my daughter Chelsey was born!

    She just had a new son, Nico, who arrived a couple days before Mothers Day and her birthday. Yes, I’d have to say that our lives are truly blessed. It’s going to be a great day. This day always is!

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Watching Shadows

     Watching the birds on the feeder outside the window, their colors become so much brighter as the shadows move away from them. The details of the feathers become more noticeable. The red hood on the woodpecker “pops” and the bright blues of the Blue Jay's feathers stand out against the brown of the trees. You can easily distinguish between individual birds!

    Whenever a photograph is taken, shadows and light make up what we see on the paper. (or on the screen) The composition of a good shot involves positioning the lights and darks in a pleasing way.

    The earth’s rotation as it orbits around the sun brings us into the earth’s shadow every night. Day and night depend on where the sun is in relation to us. When we see a Lunar Eclipse, we are watching as the earth’s shadow moves across the surface of the moon. When we see a Solar Eclipse, we are watching as the shadow of the moon passes across the earth’s surface.  The sun is being hidden by the moon.

    On a separate note, isn’t it amazing that the orbit of the moon and the size of the moon is just right to completely cover the sun? If the moons orbit was further away from the planet, we wouldn’t get complete coverage. For that matter, isn’t it neat that the orbits coincide with each other to properly line up to provide these events!

    Here’s another note for you…On April 8^th, 2024, we here in the Pittsburgh area will be treated to a nearly complete solar eclipse. (Approximately 95% of the sun will be covered from here) By driving north to the area around Erie, we will be able to see a complete solar eclipse! 100%!!! The shadows path cuts across more than just the Erie area, there are plenty of places you can go to see this event! If you can do it, I’d suggest making that drive! You will be inside the shadow of the moon! The surrounding area will be dark even though it will be the middle of the day! Mark your calendars! Don’t miss it!

The Chinese S.S. (Tiangong) going from west to east (R to L) at top of picture

(Click to enlarge)

Tiangong disappearing as it passes over the Pleiades

    I experienced another example of the earth’s shadow a couple nights ago. There was a pass of the Chinese Space Station (Tiangong) going over Pittsburgh. After it passed overhead, it started to fade and then disappeared from view. It had just passed into the earth’s shadow. While it was visible, about 250 miles above us, the sun was shining on it and illuminating it. Since it is so far away, no details could be seen, just a bright star like point of light traveling across the sky. When its orbit took it into the shadow, it appeared to disappear.  There one minute and gone the next!

    There are lots of satellites which orbit the earth, many which can be seen without any optical aid. Two of them, Tiangong and the ISS (The International Space Station) have crew members living on them! You can get an idea of when they will be passing over your area by checking various apps and web sites.

 I use Heavens-above.com to see what’s going over my house.

    You know that it doesn’t take a lot to excite me. I find that something to be proud of! Things like watching shadows of Jupiter’s moons crossing the planet’s surface. Seeing the peaks of mountains on the moon being illuminated by the sun while their bases wait in the shadows for the sunshine to reach them is always cool to see. Simply watching the shadows on the hillside across the valley slowly rise up the hill as the sun gets lower and lower can be exciting.

    Watching the shadows move across the snow in the back yard, I can’t help but think, it is such a neat world we live in! There are so many interesting things we see every day. So, keep your eyes open, who knows what we might see next?

Watching for The Space Stations

    It was the morning of the 4^th, a little after 6 oclock, the light of dawn hadn’t arrived yet. For the most part, the neighborhood was dark and quiet. My neighbor’s porch light did intrude a bit but I could work around it. There was no moon in the sky making it appear even darker.

    I had gotten up early to watch two space stations pass over my house. Who would have imagined doing this 50 or 60 years ago? Science fiction HAS come true!

(No comment needed!)

    Finding a spot that was shielded from the obtrusive porch light next door, I familiarized myself with the stars above. The camera was set up with hopes of getting a couple shots as the stations passed bright stars. Then, all that needed to be done was to wait and enjoy the silence.

Tiangong passing towards the left (East) under Arctures

    The first to appear was the Chinese space station Tiangong, or “Heavenly Palace”. It came over the trees right at the scheduled time. Presently there are three astronauts on board this structure. Watching as it got higher in the sky, I was startled by a woman walking her dog. I pointed to the satellite and told her what it was, she simply said “cool” and continued her walk. I'm guessing she wasn't impressed.

    Nearing the end of its passage across the sky, off in a different direction the International Space Station (ISS) had appeared behind some other trees. For a brief while I could see both space stations in the sky at the same time! While it might not excite others, I found this fascinating!

    I swiveled my camera around to catch the ISS and when I looked up, I saw a bright object beside Polaris. (The North Star) As I watched, it proceeded to get brighter. I pushed the shutter on the camera and when I looked back up, the object had disappeared. 

The ISS passing over Polaris, heading towards the right (East)

    Once the ISS had completed its pass, I went inside (into the warmth!) to see if I had caught the flare. The pictures came out nicely, the ISS appearing much brighter than Tiangong since it is a bigger structure. (There are seven crewmen from different countries on the ISS presently.) Someday I'll get a picture with both of them in the same shot!

    As far as the flare goes, I can only guess to what it was. It reminded me of an Iridium Flare. Years ago, there was a fleet of satellites that were shaped in a way that caused bright flares to appear as the sunlight shined on them. If you happened to be in the proper spot at the proper time, you could see them. They were fun to point out to people at star parties.

    There had also been a meteor shower that peaked the day before. It could’ve been one of them. I failed to notice which direction it was coming from, it appeared to be coming straight towards me.  There was also a report of a possible meteor exploding over the Western Pennsylvania area on New Year’s Day…could it have been something related to that?

    Whatever it was, it made for an exciting morning! I always find it rewarding to see things in the sky, or elsewhere, that I wasn’t expecting.

    I had planned on going back inside and slipping back under the covers but this changed everything. I had to see how the pictures came out and to check a few web sites to see if any other bright satellites were in the sky at that time. I found nothing on-line, so I’m leaning towards a flare from a random satellite. There are thousands of objects floating around up there…who knows?

ISS to the left in the trees, the flare and Polaris, all in line

(6:30:42AM EST)

    A couple of satellites, a flare, a good cup of coffee and a bit of research, yup, this day was off to a great start!

Prepping for a Star Party

 

               I’m excited! The AAAP will be holding star parties once again. With the majority of the population in Pennsylvania being vaccinated, the mask requirements have been dropped.

               This will be the first star party in 20 months. Since my retirement is nearing, I am no longer working Friday nights. This will free me up for both nights (July 16 & 17^th) at the Wagman Observatory in Deer Lakes Park.

               The general idea behind a star party is to show the public the wonders of the night sky. Club members bring their telescopes and set them up so that visitors can use them. Guests are welcome to bring their own scopes or just look through the member’s scopes. All the telescopes are there for you to look through, including the two large scopes mounted in the observatory. 

                  I can’t remember the last time I took a telescope to a star party. I do know it has been a long time! I used to go to lots of them. I had possession of one of the clubs better refractors and would set it up near the observatory. I remember fondly people saying that the refractor showed better images than the two mounted telescopes inside the building. Ahh, those were the days. It is always enjoyable showing people the stars!

               Since it has been such a long time since I went to one and dealt with the public, I figured I needed to make up a checklist to make sure I didn’t forget anything I would need.  I also made a list of possible objects to view during the night.

               Forgetting things is something I tend to do very well. There is nothing worse than driving 10-15 miles only to discover that I’ve forgotten the box of eyepieces or the weights used to balance the scope.

               There are approximately 20 days until the first star party. (Depending on when I post this or when you read it) I’ve made up my “to take” list and my “to view” list. Both are subject to change as the dates near. Here is what I’ve included so far:

To Take:

The Refractor

Tripod

Weights

Eyepieces

Binoculars

Flashlight (red)

Log book/ pens

Star Atlas, Observers Handbook & the current Astronomy magazine

Drinks / Snacks

Jacket

Hat

Bug spray

 

To Observe:

    Venus (west) sets around 10

    Mars (west)

    Moon- sets after midnight

    Jupiter (east) rises around 10:30-11

    Saturn (east) rises around 9:30- 10

    Any satellite passes worth noting

    Mizar and Alcor (Ursa Major)

    M81 & 82 (Ursa Major)

    M-31 Andromeda Galaxy

    M-57 Ring Nebula (Lyra)

    Double Double (Lyra) Epsilon Lyrae     

    Double cluster (Persius) after midnight ?

    Coat Hanger Cluster  (in line with Alberio)

    Alberio Double star in Cygnus 

With my list of objects to observe, I try to go for things which will be exciting for novices to see. It is also important to list things which will be visible during the night of the party! No sense listing the Orion Nebula if Orion won’t be in the sky that night.

               Venus and Mars will be in the western sky, setting shortly after dark falls. The moon will be in the sky until around midnight, being about 40% illuminated, it will be a good object to observe. The mountains along the terminator are always fun to look at.

               The planets Jupiter and Saturn are always crowd pleasers, they will be showing up in the east as the night progresses. The moons of Jupiter can be seen to move over an hour or so and the rings of Saturn are always memorable.

I have included a couple double stars and a few other things such as clusters and asterisms. I also included M-57, the Ring Nebula. This can be a difficult object for some to discern since it is rather faint, I’ll save it for later in the night, after the moon sets.

Before the event, I’ll go out in the yard and try to locate these objects. I haven’t done a lot of observing lately and I need to be able to quickly locate these things. It is always tough when someone is standing there, waiting to see what you have in your scope!

I’m anxiously looking forward to these dates. It will be great to spend a night under the stars. This though, brings up another subject, the possibility of bad weather. We live in Pittsburgh and it has a terrible history of bad weather conditions. I always say, “If there is something astronomical planned, the chances are it will rain!” (The picture above was taken during a VERY close conjunction between Saturn and Jupiter. The weather gods laughed at us…) I might have a cramp or two on July 16^th and 17^th, because I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed until then!

If you’re in the area, I hope to see you there!  Mark these dates...July 16 & 17, 2021! Find out more at The Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh web site:

3AP.ORG

I went outside for awhile last night and located a couple of the items on my list. It was a beautiful night, the temperature was perfect for observing. A pair of shorts and an open shirt was all I needed. (That and some bug spray) The stars competed with the fireflies. I saw a couple shooting stars and then got stuck on the items I was observing.  I wanted to just find them and then go to the next but I found I couldn’t help but stick with them for awhile, enjoying the beauty of the night. I saw LOTS of satellites; it seems as if no matter where I’m looking, one will drift through the field of view. Just before I tore things down, I saw a great shooting star, it was slow and bright and right where I was looking. How can you beat that?

Speaking of satellites, I woke up a little before 5 the next morning and watched the Chinese space station, Tianhe-1, go over and then a short while later, the International Space Station following a slightly different path. I watched both until they were lost in the brightness of the eastern sky.

The birds were chirping away, singing their morning songs and I, went back to bed where my dreams were waiting for me.

A Wonderful Week

               Like the rest of the country, we have been restricted from visiting family and friends for the past year or so. One of the things I missed most was my grandson who was only around 5 months old when I saw him last. This was a constant ache in my side!

                Zoom meetings are great but as I’m sure you know, IT JUST AIN’T THE SAME!

                Ann Marie and I were both vaccinated and so were his parents, Chelsey and Jaime. After our two week safety period had passed, AMB and I were on the road. Heading across the state to see Mateo! (and his parents…)

                I wasn’t sure how he would react to me, a flat face he had been seeing on a smart phone or lap top. I shouldn’t have worried. He was open to us as soon as he saw us! I imagine he was just as starved for human contact as everyone else!

                We played with my notebook and pen first. I let him draw in it and both of us were happy! Then he discovered my watch. When he pushed the stem, the dial would illuminate. (Plus I made a funny (?) sound…well, he thought it was funny and that’s what’s important!)

I showed him my camera and how it worked. (You’re never too young to learn old technologies!) He looked a little puzzled, “Don’t pictures come from your phone?”

                Over the next couple days we read books and we told each other stories. We built things with his blocks and played with his stuffed animals. He showed me how to cut the grass. We laughed a lot!

We explored the near-by cement overflow structure and discovered if you bang on the grates with a rock, it makes a ringing sound. (Won’t Mom be proud?)

We watched movies, he helped his Mom cook lunch and I took lots of pictures. The days sped by!

                I don’t want you to think that we ignored Chelsey and Jaime while we were there, far from it. I missed seeing them also. It did my heart good to sit and talk with them, to catch up on all the things that have changed in their lives since we last were together. It made me so proud to see what great parents they are and how well they are raising their child.

Before long it was time to go and we packed the car and said our good-byes. With every fantastic memory there always seems to be something sad included. I hated to leave! It is tough leaving the ones you love!

                We left Sunday morning and spent the day driving to New Hampshire to visit with Jim Clark. It was a long drive but it was worth it! Sitting in Jim’s living room we talked about “the good old days” and our thoughts about the future. We talked about Pam, his wife who had recently died. Even though she wasn’t there bodily, she was definitely there in spirit. She is a part of Jim; I’ve only known the two of them as a pair, a couple. I really miss her.

Jim was watching the neighbor’s chickens while they were away.  We picked eggs after we fed them. Do you have any idea how many eggs 26 chickens lay a day? (LOTS!) Do you have any idea how difficult it is to count 26 moving hens? The morning count was easy; I’d count them as they walked up the ramp and out the door. It wasn’t as easy when they were rushing to get back in or scattered around the feeding trough.

 I made friends with ZoZo, the farm dog. He has to be the friendliest dog I’ve ever met. I took a walk around the pasture and into the woods, he would follow close by, coming at a run any time I’d call him. He was happy to be outside and running around but still he stayed near-by. Oh, how I wish Red had been like that!

                All too soon it was time to get ready for our return journey. I got up early and went outside to watch the International Space Station pass almost directly overhead. It started its flight in the west beside the full moon and disappeared into the brightening dawn behind me.

                Even though the moon was full, a Super Moon no less, I could still see more stars than a dark night in Glenshaw. The weather and the scenery in New Hampshire and Vermont were spectacular, but the best thing about this part of the trip was seeing Jim again. You just can’t beat the feelings you get with close friends!

                It was a long trip back, a little over 11 hours total. Surprisingly it was one of the fastest trips I’ve taken there or back! The weather was wonderful, the temperatures were in the 80’s and almost all the way across the mountains of Vermont, we chased a rainbow! It was just that kinda trip!

                Now we are back, the “real” life begins again. But we are both renewed. Refueled, ready to tackle the world and anything it might toss our way. Perfect weeks have a way of doing that!