1. TAAS Fabulous Fifty Photo Courtesy of Naoyuki Kurita Friday November 6, 2015 1900 MST (7:00 pm) All TAAS and other new and not so new astronomers are invited Cassiopeia

2. Evening Events 7:00 pm – Meet inside Dee’s house for overview of summer sky. 8.00 pm – View night sky outside. 8:30 pm – Social session inside Dee’s house. 9:00 pm – Optional additional viewing outside.

3. 1.Provide new astronomers a list of 50 night sky objects that can locate with the naked eye. 2. A list that will showcase the night sky for an entire year. 3. A list that the beginning astronomer will remember from one observing session to the next. 4. A list that once observed will be the basis for knowing the night sky well enough to perform more detailed observing. Objectives

4. 1. Divide the observing activities into the four seasons: a. winter –Jan-Feb-Mar b. spring –Apr-May-Jun c. summer – Jul-Aug-Sep d. fall –Oct-Nov-Dec 2. Begin with the bright and easy to locate and identify stars and associated constellations. 3. Add the other constellations for each season. Photo Courtesy of Naoyuki Kurita Methodology Piscis Austrinus

5. 4.Add a few naked eye Messier Objects. 5.Include planets as a separate observing activity. 6.Include the Moon as a separate observing activity. 7. Include meteor showers as separate observing activity. Methodology (cont.) M 31 Andromeda Galaxy

6. Star Charts

7. Tonight’s process 1.We will first look at a “free” Skymap. It can be downloaded at http://skymaps.com/ 2. Then we will examine each constellation and its bright star(s) in detail. 3. Observe outside.

8. The Evening Sky Map We will examine how to best use the Sky Map We begin by locating the four cardinal directions: a. South b. North c. West d. East Next we will learn how to hold or “orient” the Sky Map as we observe. It is very simple. As you observe, you hold the chart so that the direction that you are looking is at the bottom of the chart. We will now use the Evening Sky Map to find some objects in the night sky.

9. The Messier objects are a set of over 100 astronomical objects first listed by French astronomer Charles Messier in 1771. Messier was a comet hunter, and was frustrated by objects which resembled but were not comets, so he compiled a list of them in collaboration with his assistant Pierre Mechain, to avoid wasting time on observing them. The number of objects in the catalog is currently 110. The Messier objects are the first deep space objects (outside of our solar system) that amateur astronomers will attempt to observe after observing the moon and the planets. All of the Messier objects are visible in small telescopes and many are observable in binoculars. A few are visible to the naked eye. What Are the Messier Objects (M)?

10. Constellations Stars Messier Object Lyra Vega Cygnus Deneb Aquila Altair Review Summer

11. Summer Photo Courtesy of Naoyuki Kurita Constellation Lyra “the Lyre” Bright star Vega “The leaning over” parrelogram

12. Summer Cygnus “the Swan” Deneb (DEN-ebb) Albireo (double star) Photo Courtesy of Naoyuki Kurita

13. Summer Constellation Aquila Bright star Altair The “eagle” Photo Courtesy of Naoyuki Kurita

14. The Summer Sky in November Hold your Skymap with West on the bottom and view to the West. Lyra Cygnus Aquila

15. The Summer Sky in November Each constellation has a bright star. Lyra Cygnus Aquila Altair Deneb Vega

16. The Summer Sky in November These three stars form a triangle. Lyra Cygnus Aquila Altair Deneb Vega Summer Triangle

17. The Summer Triangle Is an asterism Photo Stellarium

18. An Asterism is a a prominent pattern or group of stars, typically having a popular name. The Summer Triangle is NOT a constellation it is an asterism.

19. Visible for almost 7 months. The Summer Triangle June looking EASTDecember looking WEST

20. Asterism The Big Dipper is NOT a constellation it is an asterism.

21. The constellation is called “URSA MAJOR.” The asterism is called “THE BIG DIPPER.” The constellation called URSA MAJOR

22. The Fall Sky

23. Stars Constellations Messier Schedar Cassiopeia Alpheratz Pegasus / Andromeda Alpheratz Andromeda / Pegasus Mirach Andromeda M 31 Mirfak Perseus Fomalhaut Piscis Austrinus Fall Cassiopeia Photo Courtesy of Naoyuki Kurita TAAS Fabulous 50 (cont.) Between 2 constellations

24. Fall Cassiopeia Schedar Photo Courtesy of Naoyuki Kurita

25. Fall Objects in November SkyMap Looking east Cassiopeia

26. Alpheratz Pegasus / Andromeda Alpheratz Between Pegasus and Andromeda

27. Fall Pegasus Alpheratz in Andromeda Photo Courtesy of Naoyuki Kurita

28. Fall Objects in November SkyMap Looking east Pegasus Alpheratz

29. Fall Andromeda Alpheratz Mirach M 31 Andromeda Galaxy Photo Courtesy of Naoyuki Kurita Pegasus

30. Fall Objects in November SkyMap Looking east Andromeda Alpheratz M 31

31. Fall Perseus Mirfak Photo Courtesy of Naoyuki Kurita

32. Fall Objects in November SkyMap Looking east Perseus

33. Fall Piscis Austrinus Fomalhaut Photo Courtesy of Naoyuki Kurita

34. Fall Objects in November SkyMap Looking south Piscis Austrinus Fomalhaut only bright star in southern sky this time of the year

35. Fall Objects in November SkyMap Looking east Cassiopeia Andromeda Perseus Pegasus

36. Review Cassiopeia Piscis Austrinus Perseus Pegasus Andromeda

37. A Preview of the Winter Sky

38. Auriga (or-EYE-gah) Capella 6 th brightest star 3 rd brightest in northern hemisphere Photo Courtesy of Naoyuki Kurita A Preview of the Winter Sky

39. Photo Courtesy of Naoyuki Kurita Taurus “the Bull” Aldebaran (red/orange color) M 45 Pleiades (7 sisters) A Preview of the Winter Sky

40. Looking east Auriga Taurus M 45

41. The End of Dee’s mumblings Begin to dark adapt by closing one eye before you go outside. Bring with you 1. A red light (cell phone app) 2. Sky Map

42. The constellation called URSA MAJOR The constellation is called “URSA MAJOR.” The asterism is called “THE BIG DIPPER.”