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Outreach: No current activity

Since there is no July indoor meeting, there was no July constellation of the month.  I took the liberty of including the write up of Steve Long’s May presentation of Draco, which we were unable to squeeze into the June newsletter.
The Constellation Draco (The Dragon)
Mythology and History
Today Polaris is the pole star; but 4,000 years ago Thuban (alpha Draconis) held this position. In ancient times the heavens appeared to revolve around this constellation instead of Ursa Minor.
The great Egyptian pyramid of Khufu, located at Gizeh, seems to have been planned and built with Thuban as a guide, when Thuban was the Pole Star around 3000 B.C.   The pyramid was built in such a way that Thuban was visible day and night from the bottom of one of the pyramid's deep air shafts. (Orion's belt was visible from another.) Other pyramids also seem to
have been planned and built with the then Pole Star as a focal point.
The origin of the constellation, Draco, and of most dragon lore as well, was probably the Chaldean dragon Tiamat, the sea serpent who existed even before the sea and sky had been divided from each other, the dragon of chaos.   Tiamat was a monster of primeval darkness, just such a monster as exists in almost every mythology and must be overcome by the powers of
sunlight before the creation of the world can take place. Early Greek myths tell of a great battle between the young gods and the older ones who had ruled for so long. The new gods included Zeus and his brothers Poseidon and Hades, Hera,
Demeter, and Athena, the Goddess of Arts, Crafts and War.
They fought against monsters known as Titans, who represented the universal forces of evil and were cast up out of the volcanic fires from the center of the Earth.
During the battle, one the Titans hurled a fierce dragon at Athena. She caught the dragon and swung him high into the heavens. Up he soared, coming to rest in the northern sky, and becoming fixed to that region around which the northern stars circle. Today we see him as the twisted constellation Draco.
The Persians regarded Draco as a man-eating serpent called Azhdeha.
In early Hindu worship, Draco was given the form of an alligator known as Shi-shu-mara.
Another legend about Draco is the eleventh labor of Hercules. Hercules was asked to obtain fruit from the golden apple tree that was planted in Hera's garden and guarded by the dragon Ladon. In accomplishing the task, Hercules killed the dragon. Hera wept for Ladon and set his image in the stars.

Telescopic Objects of Interest
Two of the most  interesting objects in the constellation Draco for the deep-space observer are a bright planetary nebula and a missing Messier object.
The "Cat's Eye Nebula" (NGC 6543) lies in Draco near the star Gamma Draconis, at RA 17:58 and declination 66:38.  It was missed by Messier, and later discovered by Herschel in 1786. Though photographically its surrounding shell of luminous gas can be seen to extend almost six arc-minutes, its brighter center is only about 1/3 arc-minute across in ordinary telescopes. Its
visual brightness is 8.3; thus its small size should make it easy to locate. Interestingly, this nebula lies almost along
the North Ecliptic Pole, perpendicular to the plane of rotation of our planetary system.
There has been a controversy surrounding M102 since its discovery in 1784 by Messier as an object between Bootes and Draco. The sighting was later recanted, and was claimed to be a duplicate sighting of M101. Many astronomers (including Stepeh O'Meara) and Messier observers count the two objects as one and the same. However, there are those who do not, citing a plethora of evidence both objective and assumed.  Whatever Messier did or did not do, there IS an interesting object located approximately where he said M102 could be found, and it is an intriguing sight.
The edge-on galaxy NGC5866 is the most likely candidate for the missing
M102, lying in the correct direction (assuming an identification error by Messier), and even
having a bright star of the proper magnitude nearby. This galaxy is pretty bright, mag 9.9, and is
spindle-shaped. Smaller telescopes should find the galaxy without difficulty, and larger optics
might be able to discern the threadlike dust lane that bisects it.  M102's location is RA 15:7, DEC
55:46, almost exactly one hour east of M101.
There are many other deep space objects in Draco, most of them galaxies of varying brightness. Draco also contains a fair number of double stars with separations of from 2 to 60 arc-seconds. So this constellation should interest any amateur
astronomer.
Information about deep space objects in Draco has been gathered from the
following three Web sites:
http://www.seds.org/
http://www.virtualcolony.com/sac/
The Mythology and History information for the constellation Draco was obtained primarily from
the planetarium Web site of the Legg Middle School in Coldwater, Michigan. Its Web address is:
http://www.coldwater.k12.mi.us/lms/planetarium/index.html
Steve Long
 

Program- Upgrading and your Old Scope Presented by Lyle Jones
What is wrong???
You can not see anything---- perhaps it’s your eyes!
How long have you been into astronomy?  How many pair of eyeglasses have you had?
I rest my point. It is your eyes.
When was your scope last collimated?   Get your buddy to help you collimate it before
you have any drinks. Borrow the Club’s  Howie Glatter or Orion’s laser collimator. Be
sure to check your diagonal!!  Is it located properly or has it moved!!!   How do you
collimate a telescope?
Collimation is the process by which an instruments optical components are brought into
precise alignment with its optical axis and mechanical axis.  Any sharp jolt will knock a
reflector or Schmidt-Cassegrain out of collimation.
The astronomy magazines have a lot of good information to help you with collimation:
Sky & Telescope
Aug. 2002—“How to Collimate Your Newtonian Reflector
Aug.2000—“Sizing Up the Newtonian Secondary”
Sept. 2000—“Understanding Thermal behavior of Newtonian Reflectors”
Jan. 2003 –Collimation with Barlowed Laser,
Astronomy
March 2002 Star-Test your Telescope -----   Star test!!!!!!

My images are still not right---- Does your mirror need recoating? Can you see light through your mirror, when you hold it up to light and look through the back of mirror?   Or is your mirror under stress in the mirror mount?

How long ago have you cleaned your optics? Even Refractors and Schmidt-Cassegrain
will get dirty.
Optics including mirrors should only be cleaned when dirty.   Everyone will tell you how
but go to a good reference!!!

My focuser won’t hold my five inch Nagler?!!!!!  It is hard to hold the kitchen sink still?!
Have you cleaned your focuser?
What about replacing the stiff grease? What the hell is
this “stuff”?  The “stuff” is silicone grease with graphite called Kilopoise grease by a firm called “Rocol”

You can not find anything with your finder??    You do not know what you’re looking
for?!
  What is NGC 3665?
Check to see if the finder scope is in focus. Is the finder aligned with your scope optical path?   Is
it covered with insect repellant or dirty finger prints?  You can buy a new one but throw it away! Buy a Telrad instead!!!! All telescopes should come with a TELRAD!!!!
The mount won’t track? You got too much stuff on it!!!! How many pounds of equipment is the mount carrying?
Did you know that a DOB would track?  A Poncet Mount is a platform for a DOB that allows the DOB to track RA for short periods of time. See this web site for more information--http://homepage.ntlworld.com/molyned/the_equatorial_platform.htm#THE%20DESIGN

Is the mount right for your telescope?   Does it have back lash! Your CG-5 can be rebuilt in nine hours.   Disassemble the equatorial head, and remove the old grease. Polish internal bearings. Refill with synthetic grease and carefully adjust the worm gear and other components.
See (CG-5 Equatorial Mount---Robert Burns’ Souped up CG-5)  http://overtontamu.edu/rdb/CG5/
Some other solutions a for CG-5 mount:
1. R. A. Locking lever  interferes with D.E.C motor---file it down
2. D.E.C. motor plug is a phone plug connection and can break off.   Attach a small brass plate and replace the circuit board mounted receptacle with a mini phone cord union.
3. Handle Paddle Power connection will snag the power cord on battery pack or hand paddles and may become unplugged. Attach with Velcro
4. SLO-MO Knobs make the knob bigger.
5. Replace the aluminum legs with wooden legs.
My DOB is not smooth!!!   Was it ever?
Replace the Teflon and/or ruff it up. Is it in the proper position (120 degrees apart--- can it be moved????  Is the Formica Ebony star or is it a type that is too smooth.   Have your screws or nails loosened-up on the Teflon pads and are they scratching your Formica?
My motors won’t work my drive!!!!!
It said use only 12 volts not 110 volts- stupid!   Check that awful grease!   Have your connections corroded and are your battery terminals clean or corroded. Maybe your circuit broad
is bad??  Talk to some one about the electronics. Not me!
My scope’s not  pretty any more.   In other words you want to spend some money!!!
Consider remaking your mount or buy an already made one.  Check out Teeter’s Telescope Dobsonian Conversions. http://www.teeterstelescopes.com/
 They are very nice.
 I want more aperture!!!   Your viewing site is only magnitude 2!!!
 THIS ONE IS YOUR PROBLEM!!!!

NOW MY PROJECT---- My ORGINAL SCOPE--- MY  FIRST SCOPE !!!!   ---an 8 inch 5.7 F.L.
Dobsonian Reflector:   The mirror was from Coulter Optical Co. and was the last 8 inch F6 they had in stock. They had plenty of larger mirrors but not any 8  inchers. The tube was a Parks’fiberglass tube. The mirror mount, spider, and diagonal came from Novak in Lady Smyth,Wisconsin.
In 1976, I built the scope with help from my chemistry professor at the University of Arkansas and then built an equatorial mount for it, based upon on an astronomy book that I had. But the scope was too big for the mount. When I looked at a star, I saw a sine wave in the eyepiece!!  So a friend and member of the Northwest Arkansas Astronomy Club and I built, a Dobsonian mount. It was the first big DOB in the Arkansas Club.  The Teflon came from the first automated chicken catcher, which did not work because it broke too many chicken legs!  That is why I got the Teflon.
The scope and mount were 27 years old and needed repair, but it was not broken! The mirror needed to be recoated since the aluminum coating was very thin.  After stripping the coating off the mirror at our Mirror Making Forum,   I decided to rebuild the entire scope.
 Over time I drilled holes and holes in the tube.  The outside coating on the fiberglass was checking badly and a large clip had popped off the tube near the base. The DOB mount was beginning to fall apart and the altitude bearing was too small!!!  Originally, I used two plumbing flanges.  I now built a new Dobsonian mount and used Velcro (Hooks) for the altitude bearing
(10 inchesin diameter) instead of Formica. Velcro works well.   I used a non-smooth Formica for the bottom bearing.
Now to the fiberglass tube, my down fall.    I bought some photo- sensitive fiberglass;   It  bubbled!  Now the tube had small poxes. After 6 months of sanding , the poxes were gone.  Then I covered the tube with an exterior auto body resin which worked well. My tube was finally repaired with no extra holes or bubbles.
 
 From the President’s Desk....
June 14, 2003  And the rains continued for forty days and forty nights.  Do you feel like Noah?  Are you a descendent of the 2 AA’s on board the ark?  When will the skies clear and rains return to “normal”?  When will the cloud filter be perfected?  I guess we should be content because somewhere in this world there are people suffering through terrible droughts and pestilence but I am willing to share some of our rain.
Believe it or not we, Delmarva Star Gazers, have been doing some amateur astronomy all during this monsoon.  For example, Joe Morris is working with the Mountain Institute near Spruce Knob, West Virginia, to produce a week of amateur astronomy for some deserving high school students.  The week begins June 22.  I understand several Star Gazers will participate in the
adventure.  And we have been making plans for our coming year.
Here is a recap of our June 7 meeting at Kathy and Frank Sheldon’s home. Kathy and Frank hosted approximately fifteen Star Gazers on Saturday afternoon June 7, for what was supposed to be an afternoon of sitting outside, under sunny skies, cooking some fish and corn-on-the-cob, consuming some bottled liquid refreshments, and in the process, planning for our coming year of AA.
Mother Nature delivered another scenario.  She dumped a monsoon on us so we retreated to the interiors of the Sheldon’s home for our social hours and planning.  Frank’s studio did double duty as a place to cook our fish and hushpuppies.  We didn’t fish or boat or swim in the lake but we did get wet and we did eat well so all in all we had a great time as we always manage to do when Star Gazers get together.
And here is a skinnied down version of our plans for next year.  We will have ten monthly meetings, September 2003 through June 2004, the first Tuesday of each month in First Presbyterian Church, Smyrna, DE.  We will continue to observe on the baseball field at Tuckahoe State Park the weekend nearest the new moon.  We will host two regional starparties (April and September), the Mid-Atlantic Mirror maker’s weekend, and a weekend retreat for regional amateur astronomy club leadership.  We value the camaraderie and friendliness of our organization and we will renew our efforts to improve these qualities.  We will emphasize bringing astronomy to the young people who attend our star parties and to those we reach
through our community events specifically we will have equipment and activities aimed at young people.
 Ron Zink will lead our efforts to participate in and to promote Science Saturdays.  We will purchase equipment, literature, and other materials as necessary.  We will purchase Delmarva Star gazers hats for resale to members and others in lots of 1 dozen.  We will take orders for Delmarva Star Gazers shirts and have them made in small lots on an “I just gotta have one” basis, ie, we do not intend to have a hat and shirt inventory.  For info, we have located the vendor who made the original DSG hats and shirts and she assures us she can repeat the process. The monthly meeting format will consist of 5-10 minutes segments for  equipment review, software review, book review, a Southern constellation review, and of course the main monthly
program will be a longer segment.  Everyone seems to be excited about the emphasizing the Southern constellations.
We will actively seek to involve more members in the Club’s activities.  The intent is to increase the amount of activities as well as disperse the responsibilities for our events.  And in the process maybe we will create an interest for future Club leadership.
Now, let’s focus on our next event:  the Fourth of July Picnic.  We were unable to secure the pavilion at Tuckahoe for Saturday, July 5th.  And the date of Saturday, June 28, has proved to be an inconvenient day for most of the folks who would normally attend our picnic (most of them have other engagements).  So, we have secured the Pavilion at Blackbird State Forest for Saturday, July 5, from 4:00 PM to 11:00 PM for our picnic.
Here are directions: From Hwy 13 coming from the south of Smyrna proceed thru Smyrna to the first traffic light north of Smyrna (there is a Citgo station on your left) - turn left on Road 487 for .5 miles - turn right onto Duck Creek Road for ¼ mile - turn left onto Van Dyke/Greenspring Road.  You will cross a railroad and in approx 2 miles you will turn right onto Blackbird Forest Road for approx 1.2 miles.  Blackbird Forest (Tybouts Tract) entrance is on your right  - follow
the main path to the picnic area.
For those coming from the north on Hwy 13 you will turn right at the first traffic light past Ronny’s Market (this is Road 487) - then follow the instructions above for the remainder of your pilgrimage.
For those coming from the west - follow route 300 E to Hwy 13 - turn left on Hyw 13 to the fisrt
traffic light north of Smyrna and follow the instructions above from Road 487.
If you are coming from the east you don’t need any instructions!
A word of caution: there are many paths to and from Blackbird State Forest but they all look alike; please follow my instructions and you will not become lost in the Forest.
FYI, the Club will supply hotdogs, hamburgers, fixin’s, sodas, corn-on-the-cob, and BBSF
mosquitoes.  Please contact Kathy for other details. There is a small open area for scope setup at the picnic area.
See you at Blackbird State Forest on July 5 at 4:00 PM.   Don...

Club Activities...

Club Meetings- We meet in the First Presbyterian Church in Smyrna, DE (653-8000) on the first
Tuesday of each month from 7-9 PM.  From US 13, turn west at Wendy's and go one stoplight on
Commerce Street; the church is on the right directly across from the Fire Hall.
Future Meetings...The remaining meeting dates for 2003 will be:   July 05 (Picnic at BBSF ),
August 05 (No meeting at church - schedule special event) September 02, October 07, November
04 and December 02 The regular meeting format includes discussion of club activities, observing
highlights and an advertised presentation. We solicit suggestions for topics and presenters.

Club Observing... Observing is (usually) scheduled for the Friday nearest the New  Moon to
maximize the hours of  deepnight  without the moon in the sky.   Unless otherwise stated,  the
monthly observing site will be at the baseball field in the camping  area at Tuckahoe State Park.
The remaining observing days for the year 2003 will be: June 27, July 25, August 1, August 29,
September 24 - 28 (No-Frills VII) October 24, November 21, December 19.   The cloud or rain
date for the monthly Friday observing will be the following Saturday, but don't trust the weather
man!  Go outside and look for yourself or check the CNN weather link on our web page.   If  you
still can't decide, Call Don Surles (302) 653-9445 or Lyle Jones (302) 736-9842.