(Directions to these observatories can be found below on this page)
February 3, 2012 - Public planetarium show at UNK at 7:00 PM. Go to www.unk.edu/planetariumschedule for more information.
February 11, 2012 - Public observing at Sachtleben Observatory in Hastings at 7:30 PM. Go to the observatory link below for more information.
February 12, 2012 - Public observing at Seven Hills Observatory at 7:30 PM. Cancelled if cloudy or too windy. Call 308-293-5776 before coming out. Event will be cancelled if no reservations are made at least 24 hours in advance. Directions can be found lower on this page. Go to www.7hillsobs.org for more information.
February 17, 2012 - Public planetarium show at UNK at 7:00 PM. Go to www.unk.edu/planetariumschedule for more information.
February 19, 2012 - Public observing at Seven Hills Observatory at 7:30 PM. Cancelled if cloudy or too windy. Call 308-293-5776 before coming out. Event will be cancelled if no reservations are made at least 24 hours in advance. Directions can be found lower on this page. Go to www.7hillsobs.org for more information.
February 23, 2012 - General meeting of the PVAO at the Crane Trust Nature and Visitors Center at the I-80 Alda exit at 7:30 PM. See below for more information.
February 25, 2012 - Public observing at Sachtleben Observatory in Hastings at 7:30 PM. Go to the observatory link below for more information.
Most general meetings of the PVAO are now being held at the Crane Trust Nature and Visitors Center at 7:30 PM on the 4th Thursday of the month. . Click here for directions. We will observe if weather permits. Otherwise we will talk "shop" or entertain visitors with a video. The public is welcome!
The Nerdiest Video Game Ever
By Dr. Tony Phillips
NASA has a job opening. Wanted: People of all ages to sort, stack, and catalogue terabytes of simulated data from a satellite that launches in 2015. Agile thumbs required.
Sorting terabytes of data? It's more fun than it sounds.
In fact it's a game: Satellite Insight. The Space Place Team at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory created the entertaining app for iPhones to get the word out about GOES-R, an advanced Earth science satellite built by NOAA and NASA.
Described by the Los Angeles Times as possibly "the nerdiest game ever," Satellite Insight may be downloaded for free from Apple's app store. Be careful, though, once you start playing it's hard to stop. Some reviewers have likened it to Tetris, one of the most popular video games of all time.
GOES, short for "Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite," is the workhorse spacecraft for weather forecasters. NOAA operates two (at a time) in geosynchronous orbit, one above the west coast of N. America and one above the east coast. They monitor clouds, wind, rain, hurricanes, tornadoes and even solar flares. The GOES program has been in action since 1975.
GOES-R is the next-generation satellite with advanced technologies far beyond those of the older GOES satellites. It has sensors for lightning detection, wildfire mapping, storm tracking, search and rescue, solar imaging, and more. Many of the sensors are trailblazers. For example, the Advanced Baseline Imager has 60 times the capability of the current image--16 channels instead of 5. It has twice the spatial resolution and five times the temporal refresh rate, including the 30-second imaging of weather systems over a region of 1000 km x 1000 km. Also, the Geostationary Lightning Mapper can count and pinpoint lightning bolts over the Americas 24/7. It's the first such detector to fly on a geosynchronous satellite, and it could lead to transformative advances in severe storm warning capability.
All in all, GOES-R represents a "huge technological leap from the current GOES." We know this because Satellite Insight tells us so. The app has an informative "Learn More" feature where players can find out about the satellite and the data they have been sorting.
Which brings us back to sorting data. It's a bit like eating Cheerios; just don’t tell the kids it's nutritious, and they love it. Helping GOES-R gather and stash data from all those advanced sensors is just as satisfying, too--a dose of Earth science wrapped in thumb-flying fun.
More information about Satellite Insight may be found on the web at http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/satellite-insight/id463588902?mt=8. The game also available in web form (flying thumbs optional) at spaceplace.nasa.gov/satellite-insight.
Caption:
New iPhone game is first NOAA app and only the second NASA game app. Just as with the real GOES-R, the challenge with Satellite Insight is to keep up with the massive influx of weather and other environmental data.
This article was provided by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Simple and fun learning activities to share with children.
Paint by Pixels--Make a picture using a technique similar to that used by many NASA spacecraft to record and send pictures back to Earth.
The PVAO is blessed with some telescope parts and only needed a mount and some assembly to create at least one working telescope. This project was completed primarily by Richard Karohl. (Thanks Richard!) The scope will be available for loan to members who may not own a telescope or other educational purposes. If you are a prospective member and would like to borrow it , please contact us!
The PVAO will now be meeting at the Nebraska Nature and Visitors Center at the Alda exit of I-80 - west of Grand Island. It is a wonderful facility with plenty of room for guests and dark enough skies to allow observing right from the center when weather conditions allow. You can find out more about our new location by clicking here We will also be conducting occasional observing sessions in the cities of Kearney, Grand Island, and Hastings. Our meetings are novice friendly. Come on, check us out!
Jay Rasmussen has created a newly revised telescope primer. It's highly suggested reading for anyone interested in information on buying their first telescope. Click on the link below! If after reading this you have further questions, please contact us! You will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader available free from www.adobe.com
This is sometimes used to be our meeting location. Since we may do some special events at Rowe, the directions will remain here.
Exit I-80 at Gibbon Nebraska and turn south. Keep going until you cross both channels (both bridges) of the Platte River - this is a couple of miles. Just after passing the second bridge, you will see a dirt road which goes east - Elm Island Road. Go past it! The next road to the south will again be Elm Island Road. This time it only goes west - you will also see the Audubon sign. Take this one west! Take this road west until it turns south - a couple miles. Right at the turn to the south you will see the Audubon Center on the north side. You are there! You can reach the center by phone at (308) 468-5282.
The facility is located on Wabash Avenue three miles south of U.S. Highway 6. The Wabash Avenue turnoff is about one mile east of the Hwy 6/Hwy 281 intersection and is marked with signs to the observatory. If you're coming into Hastings from the north on 281, just go through town and take a left when you reach Hwy 6. The observatory is found on the left side of the street exactly three miles south of Hwy 6, just before the pavement ends. If you hit gravel road, you've gone too far!
For this year's complete observatory schedule of public viewings in adobe acrobat format (.pdf), click below. You can also view contact information in case the weather is doubtful. You will need the free Adobe Acrobat Viewer for this. You can download it at: adobe.com
To get to the observatory, proceed on I-80 to the Kearney interchange. Turn north - you will now be on 2nd Avenue. Take this all the way over the viaduct to Highway 30 (25th street). Turn west (left) - keep going past the university - all the way out of town where the road will narrow to 2 lanes. Once you have reached this point, go about 1 mile further to the Cottonmill Recreation Area Turnoff. Once there turn Right (it's the only way you can turn). Keep going past the lake entrance, the road will curve around, keep going. You will come down a large hill - keep going. You will PASS Cottonmill Estates. You will PASS the Cedar Hills sign. From this point go about 0.4 miles further until you see the green sign saying Ridge Line. Turn right there (it's the only way you can turn). Almost immediately the road will split. You will have a choice to go straight or break to the left. Break to the left! The observatory headquarters is the first house you will come to at the top of the hill. If you need further assistance, call 308-293-5776 or e-mail.
All current members are already subscribed. If you would like to join the club and wish to subscribe to the list or you are a current member, you can post messages to:
If you would like to subscribe to our listserv, all you really need to do is provide your e-mail address and click a submit button. You will be e-mailed a subscription confirmation request from "astronomy". When you are ready - click here.
Actually this listserv serves the needs for both the PVAO and the Kearney High School Physics II/Astronomy class. It will be good for both groups to share questions and information.
Feel free to use this listserv for any conversation involving club activities, astronomical discussion etc. It's there for you - use it!
Send comments to:
mark.urwiller@gmail.comMark Urwiller - Web Page Administrator
Home Club News Photos Bob Runyan Photos Links Membership Seven HillsObservatory