Click here to read or
download scanned copies of
Peon, one of the original Scifi FanZines.
Click on the graphic to
go to the website.
Volume 18 -- Issue 5
May 2012
Welcome to this issue of Qué tal. Here you will find useful observing information
about the visible planets, our Moon and other
moons, the Sun, as well as various 'things' celestial. Among
these web pages you will find monthly star maps for either the northern
or southern hemisphere that are suitable for printout. Animated
images are utilized to illustrate celestial motions such as orbital
motions of the planets, and other solar orbiting objects or apparent
and real motions along the ecliptic and the local horizon. Regular
features include plotting the monthly positions of the visible planets
using heliocentric coordinates; following moon phases; conjunctions; the sun's
apparent motion and the Earth's real motion along the ecliptic.
Qué tal is also available in the Adobe PDF version and may be downloaded by
clicking on the graphic to the right. This version may also be read with an e-reader that can load
PDF files.
This month planet observing opportunities start decreasing with Mercury low in the pre-dawn skies, Venus is setting earlier each evening, Mars is dimming noticeably as
the distance between Earth and Mars steadily increases, Jupiter is on the opposite side of the Sun, and Saturn is visible for
most of the night hours.
This month we will see the largest full Moon for the year, and many of us will have an opportunity to see an annular solar eclipse on May 20-21, depending on your time zone. Best viewing is
from the western half of the United States and westward.
Dark Matter Returned Fly with us to the edge of the atmosphere this month (May 18-19)! Attend a live music performance accompanied by a full dome video of two high altitude
balloon flights. Built and flown by a small group of engineering students one flight reached an altitude of 96,000 feet and landed 11 miles away,
while the second flight climbed to 86,000 feet but landed more than 240 miles away in Illinois.
This community-based project is funded in
part by a Rocket Grant from the Charlotte Street Foundation and Spencer Museum of Art.
Click here to watch some highlights from the last performance Saturday night
Click here to go to the Dark Matter web site for more information.
Click on the image to download the poster. (PDF)
---
Dark Matter participated in the world's largest Science Show, and was described as the "favorite show of the event".
Click here to watch a short video from WDAF-TV, and also to see pictures from the event.
Click here to watch a short video from our balloon release.
