The
Syzygy
No. 476 July 2013
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Friday July 5th, 2013 @ Round Table Pizza
4200 Gosford Rd Bakersfield 93313
Dinner & Fellowship: 6:30 pm
Meeting & Program: 7:30 pm
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Next Open KAS Meeting
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Linda Spilker, Cassini, NASA
One of the most exciting Cassini
events in 2013 will be the unusual
opportunity on July 19 to image the
EARTH
whole Saturn system as it is backlit by
the sun. With Saturn covering the
Simulated view from Cassini
harsh light of the sun, we will be gathering unique ring science and also catching a glimpse of our very own home planet...
The main science goal for the mosaic we are making of the Saturn system is to look at the more
diffuse rings that encircle Saturn and check for change over time...
One of the best parts of the mosaic we're making on July 19 is that we'll be able to take a picture of
Earth – and all of you -- from about 898 million miles (1.44 billion kilometers) away...
Opportunities to image Earth from the outer solar system are few and far between and special care
must be taken so we don't blind our cameras by looking in the direction of the sun, where Earth is.
There have been only two images of Earth from the outer solar system in all the time humankind has
been venturing out into space. The first and most distant was one was taken 23 years ago by NASA's
Voyager 1 spacecraft from 4 billion miles (6 billion kilometers away), showing Earth a “pale blue dot”.
continue reading at NASA here
www.KernAstro.org
The Kern Astronomical Society
The Syzygy
No. 476
July page 1/5
The Kern Astronomical Society InfoShare
Who We Are
Club Star Parties
Since 1956, The Kern Astronomical Society has
promoted community awareness of current
events in astronomy, and provides a forum for
sharing of knowledge and experiences among
amateur astronomers.
Annual membership is $20.00 which also provides “Sky and Telescope” and / or Astronomy
magazines at reduced rates. More information on
our web site.The KAS will e-mail The Syzygy free
of charge to any educator; just contact the editor.
Next Meeting
The Kern Astronomical Society usually has
2 Club-Star Parties per month depending
on the weather. We also host public Star
parties upon request.
Our Star Parties are held on Saturdays.
The primary date is the weekend of new
moon with the secondary date being before
or after new moon. You may get current
Star Party information from
our coordinator, Darren Bly.
KAS Club Telescopes
The KAS holds their Monthly meeting the
1st Friday of every month.
Round Table Pizza in the “Meeting Room”
Diner & Fellowship: 6:30 pm; Meeting: 7:30 pm
4200 Gosford Rd. #101, Bakersfield 93313, (661) 397-1111
N
White Lane
Gosford Rd
Mc Nair Lane
District Blvd
The Kern Astronomical Society has
telescopes and accessories (listed
below) available for loan to Club
members in good standing. Members
are encouraged to borrow the different
types of scopes in stock (especially if
you are considering purchasing onechecking out and trying different types
will help you make an informed
purchase decision). If you have a Club
scope in your possession, the KAS
expects you to use it by participating in
at least one Star party.
6” f/6, 8”f/6, 10” f/5.6, 13” f/4.5
Dobsonian scopes
Parks Jovian 90, 3-1/2" F-13
Maksukov-Cassegrain
4" f/15 Unitron Refractor
8” solar filter
Eyepieces up to 2” wide
KAS Contacts
Star Parties Darren Bly
President Diane Franco
Vice President Cathy Jones
Treasurer Ken Powers
Secretary Carrol Powers
The Syzygy Florencio A. Ortiz
www.KernAstro.org
661-832-0712
661-487-2519
661-319-4424
661-393-6379
661-393-6379
661-378-7391
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
The Kern Astronomical Society
The Syzygy
Kern Astronomical Society
on FaceBook
facebook.com/groups/syzygy/
No. 476
July page 2/5
July Star Parties
Darren Bly
Due to the way the moon phases fall this month, KAS will hold only one club star party for July.
It will be held at our Lockwood Valley site on July 6th. We'll plan to meet at the site about 7pm.
Our public star party at Russo's Bookstore in the MarketPlace will be on July 20th from 8 to
10pm. Setup time is 7:30.
Our club star party site is 50 miles south of the Hwy 99 and Rosedale Hwy. Take Hwy 99 south
to I 5 exiting at Frazier Park (exit #205) turning right on to Frazier Mountain Park Rd (going
west). 3.7 miles west on Frazier Mountain Park Rd to the four way flashing stop.
At this point you have a choice:
If you are going to Caveman's Pizza: At the flashing light turn right on to Monterey Way for .1
miles then left on Mt. Pinos Way for about 300 feet. Caveman Cavey's Pizza is on the left. To
get to the star party site from Caveman's go west on Mt Pinos Way for 1.4 miles and turn right
back on to Frazier Mountain Park Rd. Go west on Frazier Mountain Park Rd for 1.9 miles and
turn left on to Lockwood Valley Rd. Drive down Lockwood Valley Rd. for .9 miles and turn left
on to Frazier Mountain Rd and in to the Chuchupate Ranger station. Drive up Frazier Mountain Rd, thru the ranger station, about .5 miles the star party site is on the right.
If you are going directly to the star party site:
At the flashing light continue west on Frazier Mountain Park Rd 3.3 miles and turn left on to
Lockwood Valley Rd. Drive down Lockwood Valley Rd. for .9 miles and turn left on to Frazier
Mountain Rd and in to the Chuchupate Ranger Station. Drive up Frazier Mountain Rd, thru the
ranger station, about .5 miles the star party site is on the right.
Birthdays within KAS
Carol Powers
July 3
These are some current birthdays for KAS
members. Eventhough we are all about 13.7
billion years old, we’ll do everyone a shallow
favor and only count our human years. Help us
wish them a Happy Birthday.
www.KernAstro.org
The Kern Astronomical Society
Jim Wood
The Syzygy
No. 476
July page 3/5
Star Party Calendar
Sun
Mon
30
moon
moon
sun
Wed
Thur
3
2
1
Fri
4th of
July
Sat
5
4
6
Lockwood
7:00p
KAS
Meeting
12:15 am
8
9
10
11
12
8:19 pm
15
16
17
18
19
11:16 am
22
23
24
25
26
27
30
31
1
2
3
Star Party Coordinator
Darren Bly
13
5:26 am
7:44 pm
8:14
14
moon 11:58 am
moon 11:43 pm
sun 8:11
21
moon
moon
sun
Tue
12:35 pm
1:44 pm
8:15
7
moon
moon
sun
July 2013
7:12 pm
4:47 am
8:08
28
20
Russo’s
Bookstore
8:00p
(7:30p set-up)
“Super” Moon
Mars/Jupiter
Conjunction
10:44 am
29
moon 11:45 pm
moon 12:32 am
sun 8:03
661-832-0712 [email protected]
“A Splendor Seldom Seen”
info
“Huygens: Titan
Descent Movie”
www.KernAstro.org
view
“Saturn's Hyperion:
A Moon with Odd Craters”
“A Tectonic Feast”
info
info
The Kern Astronomical Society
The Syzygy
No. 476
July page 4/5
for 2013:
July 20
8:00-10:00 pm
AT
IONAL
MOON
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BS
May 18
Aug 17
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William M.
Thomas
Planetarium
Nov 09
Oct 12
Sept 14
International Observe
moon night
June 15
Free Public “Star Party”
Hosted By:
Russo’s Books
Celebrating 23 Years as Bakersfield’s Bookstore
Join us at Russo’s in
The Market Place
9000 Ming Ave, Bakersfield
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