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RIP John Dobson
I just learned that John Dobson passed away today. He was 98 years old. Dobson was the inventor of the Dobsonian Mount for Newtonian telescopes that revolutionized the mounting of large reflector telescopes, thus greatly reducing their price. He was also a co-founder of San Francisco’s Sidewalk Astronomers, an idea that got our society out of the NMC Observatory and on the road.
For new members of the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society he was invited here (Traverse City, MI) to give a talk at Northwestern Michigan College’s Hagarty Center in February 2007 when we were trying to raise money for our own Dobsonian telescope. That was a Saturday night, On Sunday night he came out to Northwestern Michigan College’s Joseph H. Rogers Observatory for a free get together, where he autographed some of our Dobsonian mounts. On Monday I took him out to the Leelanau School in Glen Arbor for a presentation, and he sat in on an astronomy class and an English class taught by Norm Wheeler at the school’s Lanphier Observatory.
Here are some photos from that visit.
John Dobson talking with an audience member after his talk.
John Dobson answering a question at Rogers Observatory
John Dobson with some members of the GTAS at the Rogers Observatory.
Members brought their Dobsonian telescopes to the Rogers Observatory for the event.
Update: John’s visit was 2007. I originally posted his visit was in 2008. Time flies when you’re not paying attention.
01/15/14 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, January 15th. The sun will rise at 8:15. It’ll be up for 9 hours and 12 minutes, setting at 5:28. The moon, at full today, will rise at 5:28 this evening.
Let’s take our weekly look at the planets. The giant planet Jupiter is now alone in the evening sky. It will be in the eastern sky as darkness falls tonight. It’s cruising against the stars of Gemini now. It will pass due south at 12:05 a.m., and will set at 7:42 a.m. in the west northwest. Mars will rise at 12:28 a.m. in the east. Reddish Mars is in Virgo now and to the upper right of the bright star Spica by the three-quarters of the width of your fist held at arm’s length. Saturn will rise at 3:26 a.m. in the east southeast. It’s seen against Libra the scales this year. Venus will rise at 7:18 tomorrow morning, so it may become visible around 7:45 or so very low in the east southeast. It’s sudden appearance has caused come airport tower controllers to give it permission to land.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Jupiter, the Moon with the winter stars at 9 p.m. on January 15, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
The telescopic Jupiter at 9 p.m. and January 15, 2014. The moon Europa is in front or transiting Jupiter. Created using Stellarium.
Europa, the smallest of the four Galilean satellites of Jupiter will transit the face of Jupiter tonight. It’s shadow will also cross that planet. The transit starts at 9:02 p.m. Stellarium is slightly off in that regard. Cartes du Ceil is better in that regard. Europa’s shadow starts to cross Jupiter at 9:33 p.m. Europa’s transit ends at 11:43 p.m., while it’s shadow leaves the face of Jupiter at 12:16 a.m. The source for these times is Project Pluto’s Jupiter Satellite Events page.
Mars and Saturn with the spring stars at 6:30 a.m. on January 16, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
For the adventurous, Venus at 7:45 a.m. tomorrow morning January 16, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Venus as it might appear in a telescope at 7:45 a.m. tomorrow morning January 16, 2014. You will not see its night side, just the crescent. Created using Stellarium.
Want to see Venus closer to inferior conjunction? Check out Universe Today’s Virtual Star Party for January 12, 2014.
Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog 