tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364793722647000692012-01-24T12:11:51.195-05:00The unofficial journal of the <a href="http://public.gettysburg.edu/~iclarke/hatter/index.html">Hatter Planetarium</a>, containing planetarium news and notes on current shows as well as astronomical information with a slant toward the local skies and the environment around them.Ian Clarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483364333105367745noreply@blogger.comBlogger211100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336479372264700069.post-62407120548077488192012-01-24T12:09:00.000-05:002012-01-24T12:10:41.710-05:00

The spring schedule is up on the website, or it can be accessed directly as a Google calendar here http://goo.gl/UEZbj A couple notes about the schedule. Classes at the College did not start until Jan 23, so we will be doing the new year show the last Sunday and Monday of January. That works out well with our February sky show, which will be a week later than usual to avoid the superbowl. Other

Ian Clarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483364333105367745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336479372264700069.post-17973727607333899052012-01-24T11:47:00.001-05:002012-01-24T11:48:24.036-05:00

You can follow the planetarium on twitter @GCPlanetarium.

Ian Clarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483364333105367745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336479372264700069.post-65739370369691476482011-12-02T09:27:00.001-05:002011-12-02T09:35:14.102-05:00

 We got the CCD cameras out at our second session. Here are photos of M13 (globular cluster) and M27 (planetary nebula): And finally, another shot of the Int'l Space Station. It's the short trail; longer trail is an airplane.

Ian Clarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483364333105367745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336479372264700069.post-20865990294516565122011-10-18T09:15:00.002-04:002011-10-18T09:31:06.274-04:00

Here are some photos taken on and around the observing deck at our session Monday night. The first two show the International Space Station, which passed over just before our first session. First shot is of the ISS appearing and moving up in the southwest, the next is shows it at max altitude and brightness (mag -3.3). Both are 15 sec exposures. The last shows Jupiter rising over the GC

Ian Clarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483364333105367745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336479372264700069.post-81382710622743138552011-09-30T11:58:00.000-04:002011-09-30T11:58:25.923-04:00

Here are some photos of the young (about 59 hours) waxing crescent moon I took outside the Gettysburg College Observatory 9/29/11 between 7:00 and 7:30 PM EDT, while waiting for students to arrive for an Astro 101 lab.

Ian Clarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483364333105367745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336479372264700069.post-60793073395854116472011-09-07T13:43:00.000-04:002011-09-07T13:43:18.507-04:00

Gettysburg College Observatory image Our monthly skyshow series returns for the 2011-12 academic year this Sunday, Sept. 11, at 4 PM and Monday at noon. Full calendar is available on the planetarium web site. Topics will be the September skies as well as astronomy news, including the unusual supernova pictured here.

Ian Clarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483364333105367745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336479372264700069.post-63596366553477580622011-03-06T10:44:00.000-05:002011-03-06T10:44:47.886-05:00

At left is a photo I took of the waning crescent moon and Venus at 6:16 AM on March 1. Upcoming moon-planet meetings include one with Jupiter tonight, visible if the clouds clear in time. In that case, it would be a waxing crescent moon in the west after sunset. Another moon-Venus morning conjunction will occur on March 31, a little lower in the east than the one pictured here. Hear about these

Ian Clarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483364333105367745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336479372264700069.post-33512653801541184612011-02-02T11:16:00.000-05:002011-02-02T11:16:24.863-05:00

Our goal is to do the "Sky this Month" shows on the first Sunday and Monday of the month, except where outside factors interfere. Since its move to February, we have learned not to fight the NFL Superbowl. That's why there will be no show this Sunday, Feb. 6. Instead, the February sky-shows are Monday Feb. 7 at 12 noon and Sunday, February 13 at 4:00 PM. These shows, and the rest of the Spring

Ian Clarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483364333105367745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336479372264700069.post-23004772666445527772011-01-19T22:11:00.001-05:002011-01-19T22:20:35.736-05:00

Here's a Google Trends graph showing searches for "Ophiuchus" over the last 30 days. The spike comes after a Minnesota astronomy instructor, Parke Kunkle, mentioned in an interview that the sun glides through the constellations of the zodiac on a different schedule than it did a few thousand years ago, and therefore the dates for the zodiacal signs used in astrology no longer match up with the

Ian Clarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483364333105367745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336479372264700069.post-33979020689775637532011-01-17T18:02:00.000-05:002011-01-17T18:02:09.355-05:00

I'm now writing a monthly column on the night sky for the Gettysburg Times. Look for it on the third Monday of the month (starting today) in the "Living" section. (It's not available on the web site, so far as I know).

Ian Clarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483364333105367745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336479372264700069.post-59911309987448433282010-12-05T09:41:00.002-05:002010-12-05T09:56:33.512-05:00

I haven't posted here this fall, so perhaps an early New Year's resolution is in order.Today and tomorrow we present our final shows of the fall semester. We'll be featuring some research news from the Gettysburg College Observatory as we'll as a total lunar eclipse viewable from our region in the early AM hours of Dec 21. It's the last favorable for eastern North America until 2015, so let's

Ian Clarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483364333105367745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336479372264700069.post-79000915200534212682010-03-25T19:23:00.002-04:002010-03-25T19:26:43.373-04:00

SORRY!We inadvertently scheduled shows over the Easter Break.The April 4 & 5 shows have been moved toApril 11 & 12.See the schedule on our website.

Ian Clarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483364333105367745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336479372264700069.post-73898299483008540122010-03-03T19:21:00.002-05:002010-03-03T19:33:34.944-05:00

Venus and Mercury will appear together in the evening sky in late March and early April. Look very low in the west about 20 minutes after sunset. It's a difficult sight, for which you'll need clear skies and an unobstructed western horizon. Mercury is a greatest elongation on April 8 and will rapidly descend toward the sunset afterward. Venus, by contrast, will be setting later and later over the

Ian Clarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483364333105367745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336479372264700069.post-77157195985900670562010-03-03T12:47:00.001-05:002010-03-03T12:48:59.317-05:00

Press release from ESO highlighted in the March skyshow.

Ian Clarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483364333105367745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336479372264700069.post-21951382937201829972010-03-03T12:40:00.000-05:002010-03-03T12:40:25.472-05:00

Ian Clarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483364333105367745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336479372264700069.post-35784069606688364642009-11-17T19:08:00.002-05:002009-11-17T19:21:37.140-05:00

Some unpredicted (at least according to the forecast I read) clouds moved in in the early AM of the 17th, interfering with local views of the shower. Some people reported seeing a few meteors earlier in the evening. Further summary at the December skyshow. If you have a Leonid story to share, send me an e-mail.

Ian Clarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483364333105367745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336479372264700069.post-80419271149755660402009-11-16T14:48:00.002-05:002009-11-16T14:50:21.972-05:00

Should be clear tonight. Read the following message forwarded by Larry Marschall, if you are still looking for more info:LEONID METEOR SHOWER TO PERFORM LATE TONIGHTThe annual Leonid meteor shower should be reaching its climax latetonight in the U.S., from about 1 a.m. your local time to dawn Tuesdaymorning November 17th. “Viewing conditions will be excellent, becausethe Moon won’t be lighting

Ian Clarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483364333105367745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336479372264700069.post-11438347038832548372009-11-10T12:54:00.002-05:002009-11-10T12:59:05.838-05:00

We began work this morning on calibrating the moon and planets on our 1966 Spitz A3P. They are controlled by the analogs (little mechanical models) seen here. Each analog models the motion of the earth, sun, and its respective planet. That motion is transferred to the diagonal mirror that reflects a dot for that planet onto the planetarium dome.

Ian Clarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483364333105367745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336479372264700069.post-15081614367475865202009-11-03T13:17:00.002-05:002009-11-03T13:20:31.239-05:00

Removing an unused panorama array.

Ian Clarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483364333105367745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336479372264700069.post-11936567875457947622009-11-01T17:05:00.005-05:002009-11-02T07:55:20.058-05:00

Leonid MeteorsEarly AM on Nov 17th + after dark on that nightLeonid Links!Space.comIMO.net (More technical)Planet Wrap-upJupiter: Bright in the South after sunsetMars: rises by 11 PM early in the month, by 8:30 at the endCrosses the Praesepe (M44) star cluster in Cancer Oct 31-Nov 2Saturn and Venus: Before sunrise Saturn rising, Venus sinkingYoung/Old Moon * Waning crescent Nov 14 (-55.5 hr),

Ian Clarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483364333105367745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336479372264700069.post-56479824401068488372009-10-29T00:50:00.002-04:002009-10-29T01:08:21.728-04:00

The new planetarium web site is ready to go. I hope it's helpful to our audience as they learn about astronomy and to us as we try to get the word out about our planetarium. This blog is intended in part to accompany the offical web site and replace the old e-mail newsletters, but it will also serve as a place for me to post more frequent notes on astronomical events without cluttering up

Ian Clarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483364333105367745noreply@blogger.com0