Next Astronomy Event
HE ZANESVILLE ASTRONOMY CLUB, an Affiliate of the NASA Night Sky Network, was founded by Irene Baron in 2013. The NSN reports we currently have over 400 participants.
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Our 9 March 2024 FREE open night sky viewing EVENT begins at 8:30 PM EDT at the Lewis Observatory on OUZ campus in Zanesville, OH. Come join us with your friends and/or families for a fun and educational adventure.
TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE EVENT OF 8 APRIL 2024:
Our club will host a safe FREE local viewing event at the Lewis Observatory on the OUZ campus 1:45-3:30 pm. Anyone not able to drive to a total eclipse event site is welcome to view the event through our safe solar viewing telescopes. In Zanesville, the Sun will be 98.3% covered. You will not be able to see the corona as in a total eclipse, but will see the Moon pass in front of the Sun creating the eclipse. Anyone with a protective solar lens for their telescope is invited to bring their instrument to share at that time. John Bolen and Irene Baron will host the event. Bring a folding chair and wear a brimmed hat to protect your face from the Sun if staying a long time
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ZANESVILLE TOTAL ECLIPSE TIME SCHEDULE:
The Partial Solar Eclipse in Zanesville begins at 1:55 PM EDT as the edge of the Moon first touches the edge of the Sun, called “first contact.”
The Total Solar Eclipse begins at 3:08 PM EDT.
The Maximum Total Solar Eclipse when the Sun is most hidden is at 3:12 PM EDT.
The end of the maximum in northern Ohio as the Moon's shadow leaves the state of Ohio is at 3:19 PM EDT.
The edge of the Moon leaves the edge of the Sun at 4:27 PM DST.
APRIL CELESTIAL EVENTS
A guide to find to find objects in our sky
April is the month of the Lyrids meteor shower: April 16-30, 2024.
Maybe 10 meteors per hour, but they do produce fireballs. A nearly full Moon will interfere with all but the brightest ones. They originate from Comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher).
PEAK NIGHT IS APRIL 21-22.
Hercules is now rising in the northeast, marked by its familIar “keystone," which is home to one of the most beautiful globular clusters in the Northern Hemisphere, Messier 13. It contains roughly 100,000 stars which can be seen without binoculars under perfect conditions. It was discovered by Sir Edmund Halley who discovered Halley's Comet. Nearby if Messier 92, another cluster viewed via binoculars or telescope.
If it's galaxies you like, this is a great time to turn your eyes high overhead to Ursa Major (the Great Bear), where you can spot Messier 81 (Bode's Galaxy) and Messier 82 (the Cigar Galaxy).
Meanwhile, in Canes Venatici (the hunting dogs), you can find the Whirlpool Galaxy (Messier 51) another favorite of amateur astronomers and photographers. This galaxy is about 23 million light-years away from Earth.
On 8 April, sky watchers in North America will be treated to a total solar eclipse. It begin in the Pacific Ocean and crosses Mexico, the United States, Canada and finally the North Atlantic Ocean.
SAFETY FIRST: Only watch the eclipse with authorized safety equipment. The only time you can safely look at a total solar eclipse is when totality takes place when the Sun is totally covered by the Moon. Meet with Irene & John at OUZ to view it through telescopes 1:45-3:30 PM.
April Sky Map is at: https://i.imgur.com/La3HyeC.jpeg
NIGHTLY EVENTS:
02 LAST QUARTER MOON
06 Mars 2 degrees N of Moon, Saturn 1.2 degrees N of Moon
07 Venus 0.4 degrees S of Moon which is at perigee (222,948 miles)
08 Total solar eclipse, NEW MOON
10 Saturn 0.4 degrees N of Mars, Jupiter 4 degrees S of Moon
15 Pollux 1.6 degrees N of moon, FIRST QUARTER MOON
20 Moon at apogee (252,028 miles)
22 Lyrid meteor shower peak
23 FULL MOON
Data from 2024 Night Sky Almanac by Nicolel Mortillaro
If you have been loaned a telescope by our astronomy club to use at our events, we would appreciate seeing you and the telescope to share with others on clear nights.
If you borrowed a telescope with a solar lens, let Irene know if you can bring it to the observatory for public viewing during the 8 April 2024 total solar eclipse. Members not driving to a location of totality are invited to join us at the observatory to see 90% of the Sun eclipsed by the Moon.
If you would like to borrow a telescope to bring and share with others during our events, please let Irene Baron know to be placed on the waiting list. Thanks to all who are bringing and sharing telescopes! Please be aware you can check telescopes out of our local John McIntire Public Library as easy as checking out a book.
If you wish to receive the Zanesville Astronomy Club newsletter, send an email to: irenebaron@irenebaron.com. Enter the word ASTRONOMY as the subject matter. In the message include your full name, street address, city & state. Anyone may bring a telescope to learn how to use it and to share.
Please share this information and URL link with family and friends who may be interested in learning more about astronomy.
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THE CHRISTMAS STAR HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED
Unraveling the Christmas Star Mystery
by Irene Baron
The Zanesville Astronomy Club founder was sent 68 unannounced astronomy programs by NASA JPL. She used these programs to identify the Christmas star. Her book explains the research that took place daily over several years. Note the gold medal on the lower left of the cover. The historical nonfiction book was awarded the First Place Gold Medal as The Exemplary Christian Education Book in 2013 or the best Christian Education book the year. Http://cutt.ly/we5mqvt
Bring your book to any club event to have it autographed by the author.
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The Zanesville Astronomy Club is an affiliate member of the NASA Night Sky Network!
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Coordinator John Bolen w/Lewis Telescope
Aligning telescope to nebula
John Bolen is a ZAC Coordinator who, with Chuck Bruckelmeyer, will be hosting your viewing through the Lewis Telescope. In this image, John is setting up the telescope for a distant object through the dome opening of the observatory. John brings his Dobsonian telescope to monthly events. For viewing the Sun anytime, solar eclipses, and sunspots, he has protective solar filters. It is astonishing to safely look at the sun through his telescope. John Bolen has volunteered at almost every meeting and workshop during the last ten years. Thank you John for all your work with our organization.
MIRROR GRINDING INSTRUCTION
One of numerous workshops
Coordinator Chuck Bruckelmeyer, former President of the Columbus Astronomical Society, presented a workshop at OUZ about making a telescope. He has constructed several by grinding his own concave mirror surfaces by hand. He is an expert at helping club members put together their new telescopes, helps in repairing them and using his laser calibration system to align the mirrors correctly. Discuss your needs with him at monthly events. In this photo, Chuck holds one of the mirrors on which he is currently working. We are very fortunate to have him as a member and active coordinator.