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BACK BAY AMATEUR ASTRONOMERS |
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BACK BAY AMATEUR ASTRONOMERS |
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The Planetary Nebula Club is administered by Ted Forte. Georgie June is an alternate PNe Club coordinator.
The pin design shown above which features an original image of the Dumbbell Nebula taken by BBAA member Richard Dickson adorns a 1-1/8" lapel pin awarded for the completion of the program. Both the selection of M27 as the subject of the pin/logo and selection of Richard’s image for the pin was accomplished by popular vote of “backbayastro” (our Yahoo e-group) members.
The program was officially announced in the December 2005 reflector, the AL Webpage was launched at the same time.
The 86-page observing guide by Ted Forte contains the catalog of objects, guidelines for completing the project and a number of articles about planetary nebulae and how to observe them. Richard Dickson is the major provider of PN images to the guide. A color image of M57 by BBAA member Stu Beaber was selected to adorn the cover of the Observing Guide. Members Joe Piotrowski, George Reynolds and Ron Robisch contributed sections to the observing guide and Georgie June helped design the observing log for the program and proofread the guide. Halina Forte helped organize the data, created the catalog tables and proofread the draft manuscript. Sale of the observing guide will finance the program; it pays for the pins, certificates, stationery, and postage costs.
The Planetary Nebula Club observing program has been a BBAA effort from its inception. After several members including Bill Dickinson, Richard Dickson, Kent Blackwell and Ron Robisch, made recommendations about objects, Ron chaired a committee to select the 110 PNe on our list. His committee included Bruce Bodner, Larry Channel, Richard Dickson, Brian Murphy and Richard Smith. Then a second committee chaired by Georgie June worked out the rules of the program. Her committee included Lelane Arneson, Rick Bish, Cliff Hedgepeth, Chuck Jagow and Brian Murphy. Georgie June has volunteered as an alternate coordinator.
The Astronomical League Council approved the creation of the program at their annual meeting in Kansas City in August 2005.
As a member organization of the Astronomical League, the Back Bay Amateur Astronomers participates in the AL’s "observing club” programs. Our members are encouraged to complete these observing projects and earn certificates of accomplishment from the league.
The most popular observing program is certainly the “Messier Club”. Named after Charles Messier (1730-1817), a comet hunter who, along with his assistant Pierre Mechain, compiled a list of more than a hundred nebulae and star clusters ... “faint fuzzies” ... that he hoped to make known to other comet hunters so that they would not confuse them with suspected comets. Today, this list of 110 objects is generally considered to contain many of the sky’s best showpieces. To earn a “Regular Messier Certificate” you have to independently observe 70 of them. Get all 110, and you earn an “Honorary” certificate.
Most of the programs require that you independently locate and observe the objects on the list. You must keep good logs, with the date, time, location, conditions, instrument, magnification, and any special filters used. ”GO-TO” scopes are not to be used in any automatic mode for the Messier clubs, you must ”star hop” to the objects on the list. The Herschel lists allow finding the object by any means you want. Some of the programs will require you to make sketches of what you see, but artistic ability is not required.
Young members can compete for the "Sky Puppy Certificate". A very special congratulations to BBAA member Taylor Christy for being just the second person ever to complete this observing program!
And now there's a new "Outreach Award" for astronomers that offer their time to "bring astronomy to the people".
Click on the Astronomical League link above, and then select the “Observing Clubs” link to get the rules for all the observing clubs.
There are many programs to consider ...
BBAA members that complete an observing program should submit their observing logs, drawings or other required evidence of completion to our Astronomical League Coordinator, Bill McLean. He will double-check your logs and then notify the appropriate club coordinator. The league will then forward your certificate and pin.
Here are some BBAA members that have completed observing club programs:
Local Galaxy Club
Cliff Hedgepeth
