News, and some things we have done lately.

Event
For Immediate Release                For More Information, Contact:
                            Rob Burgess 207-721-1970

“Astronomers – Maine Middle Schools Team on Light Pollution Project”

CUMBERLAND, Maine

Southern Maine Astronomers announced that it will be undertaking a project to measure local light pollution with a dozen Maine Middle Schools, as part of the Globe At Night program, an international effort to measure light pollution on a worldwide basis.  Students will gather under nighttime skies to count stars in the constellation Orion as a way to measure the extent of local light pollution and then will report their results via the internet to the Globe At Night website.

“We are extremely excited about this project,” said Paul Howell, President of SMA.  “Through a classroom presentation and then an actual night under the stars, students will have a very unique experience of learning about light pollution and then measuring what they learned,” Howell said.

Globe at Night (http://www.globe.gov/GaN/index.html) is a project of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory and several national and international partners providing hands-on primary and secondary school based science education about Earth and its environment.  According to Howell, SMA took the star counting idea and expanded it by adding a detailed classroom presentation about the deleterious effects of light pollution on humans and animals, and its inherent wastefulness, as well as a civic lesson on how light pollution is regulated at the local town level through zoning ordinances.  “We’ve got a multi-disciplinary project combining astronomy, environmental education and civics all rolled into one.  It’s a thing of beauty!” Howell said.

Classroom presentations will begin in late February and actual star counting will occur between February 25 and March 8.  By matching the number of stars that can be counted against star charts, students will be able to determine the “limiting magnitude” of the stars they can see, and hence the influence of local light pollution.  Participants from around the world will be counting stars in the same two-week period and then all results will be uploaded to the Globe at Night database.  Eventually a new worldwide map of light pollution will be created.  The constellation Orion was chosen because it can be seen from both the Northern and Southern hemispheres.

“We extend our sincere thanks to the Fisher Charitable Foundation of Portland, without whose help this project would not have been possible,” Howell said.

  SMA is a §501(c)(3) non-profit corporation dedicated to astronomical education, research and the fun of learning about the night sky.  For more information about the club, and directions to the meeting site, please visit www.southernmaineastronomers.org.
The Beacon, a publication of the Downeast District of the Pine Tree Council of the Boy Scout of America published this: SOUTHERN MAINE ASTRONOMERS VISIT ROUNDTABLE. Rob Burgess, Brunswick, offered a wonderful presentation on Southern Maine Astronomers club and gave leaders who attended an opportunity to obsersve the night sky in Wiscasset on December 12.  It was a cold, windy night but what fun!

You can learn more by visiting www.southernmaineastronomers.org.

Rob told us the club is more than happy to answer questions and come out and share what they know. He has a great observatory in Brunswick and encourages you to contact him re: visits with your patrol or den. Robert Burgess [rburgess@suscom-maine.net]. Rob’s Scouting history includes time spent as the Committee Chairman of Cub Pack 648, Brunswick, chartered to St. John The Baptist Parish Community. Thank You Rob for all you do

Our August meeting featured Dr. Kenneth Janes from the Institute for Astrophysical Research at Boston University.
World's first color-magnitude cake diagram. Made by Joan Chamberlin, the chart represents real data for the star cluster M67 taken and compiled by Joan. Prof. Janes pointed out the turn-off point, the red giant clump, blue stragglers and more. All stars were equally tasty.

Our Star Party at Crystal Spring Farm in Brunswick was a roaring success!

The crowd was enthusiastic and we had an estimated 300 visitors.

This was the third of five public star parties in the southern Maine area that SMA is hosting this summer and it surely was a beauty. We were blessed with a warm, clear night. Though the Persieds did not overwhelm, there was a steady supply and quite a few colorful fireballs.

We want to thank the Brunswick Topsham Land Trust for partnering with us and allowing use of their beautiful open space at Crystal Spring Farm.

Kirk Rogers and a new friend. We made lots of new friends that night!

Rob adjusts the finder on his 10" LX-200.
George passes behind Cal's 15" Obsession telescope that gave GREAT views all night long. SMA has purchased its own 15" dobsonian. We hope to take delivery in September.

A visitor sets up his scope.

Joan had her terrific 10" dob as always.
Ron helps out some folks with their Meade ETX go-to scope.
Rob explains the finer points of pointing.
Two visitors setting up their nice looking refractor.
Early birds getting ready for dark.
Your scruffy president attends to his Sky-90.
Kerry Kertes working harder than usual.