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NBAC NEWS LETTER
MAY ISSUE 042
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Meetings at SILVER BIRCHES PUBLIC SCHOOL 65 Marshall Ave. E, North Bay every 3 Wednesday from September to
June. Full details and directions are posted on our web page, www.gatewaytotheuniverse.org
Welcome to any newcomers enjoy our great astronomy of
space news and views!!
Public Viewing (Friday or Saturdays)
Join us at The Old Chief Commanda down at the Waterfront. Viewing Friday night, weather
permitting, if not Friday then Saturday night, weather permitting. Check our Website or Facebook
Group for updates for Viewing.
Venus
brightest planet, lost in the sunrise. From all over the world, Venus sinks closer to the glare of
sunrise all month long. Exactly four years previous to Venus passing directly behind the sun on June 6,
2016, Venus swung directly in front of the sun on June 6, 2012, to present the last transit of Venus until
December 11, 2117.
Mars early evening until dawn, reaches opposition this month Mars is not as bright as Jupiter
when the month begins, but this is Mars’ month, the best month in two years to watch the red
planet! Mars will brighten throughout May until its opposition on May 22.
Saturn early evening until dawn, shines near Mars. And both Mars and Saturn are near a fainter
object – still one of the sky’s brightest stars – Antares in the constellation Scorpius.
Mercury transits the sun on May 9, 2016. Usually, you can’t see Mercury at this juncture
because it swings to the north or south of the solar disk, so is lost in the sun’s glare. This time
around, however, the planet Mercury in its orbit will swing directly in between the Earth and sun on
May 9, 2016. Mercury will appear as a small black dot in front of the sun.
Jupiter brightest “star” in early May. Jupiter lights up the sky almost immediately after sunset.
From mid-northern latitudes, it shines in the southern sky at nightfall.
 Don’t forget to pick up your local Community Voices.
Lynn Chetwynd explains astronomy in a fun and entertaining way.
 Check out our WEBSITE at www.gatewaytotheuniverse.org

Also check out our new Facebook Group as our up-to-date source for info.
CONGRATS, to our 50/50 winner Lynn Chetwynd woohoo!!
Ongoing Business
Joint project with the Canadian Ecology Centre:
The club’s 16” LX200 now has a home at the Ecology Centre.
Moon Phases, May 2016
Full Moon – May 21 5:14 PM
Last Quarter – May 29 8:11 AM
Moon Phases, June 2016
New Moon – Jun 4 10:59 PM
First Quarter – Jun 12 4:09 AM
NBAC NEWS LETTER
page 2
MAY ISSUE 042
Question of the month
What is the farthest space object that we can see with only our eyes?
Answer in next month’s issue
Answer to last month’s question.
Did Galileo invent the telescope?
ANSWER:
Many people believe that Galileo invented the telescope, but they are wrong. It was
actually a man named Hans Lippershe from Holland who assembled the first telescope. Several
years later, Galileo became the first person to use a telescope for astronomical observation. With
his early telescope, Galileo observed the craters on the moon, the rings of Saturn, and the moons
of Jupiter.
Word of the Month: NEBULAE
A nebula is a huge, diffuse cloud of gas and dust in intergalactic space. The gas in nebulae (the
plural of nebula) is mostly hydrogen gas (H2).
LYNN CHETWYND has logged 33 of the 100 objects from the Arp Peculiar Galaxies
BOB CHAPMAN has completed the Hubble Atlas of Galaxies CONGRATULATIONS!!
Congrats to everyone taking part in your beginners certificate or messier list or other list.
I encourage more people to take part in these activity for certificates and lists and give purpose to
stargazing and to enjoy the star-lit skies.
On-going Progress with Certs and Lists
I encourage everyone to go out and enjoy some stargazing. E-mail me your status, (eg. If you’re doing the
messier list, your current progress could be 12 of 110 objects) I’ll print it in the NBAC News Letter.
For any inquiries or to update me with your progress my e-mail is: [email protected]
The 2016 Harold Healy Frozen Banana SP was a success. There were Lots of People, lots of Cheers, lots of Food, Great viewing
of the starlit skies and great storytelling around the Campfire. Check out our website for some pics that were taken.
Harold Healy Frozen Banana SP May 5-8, 2016
Mew Lake Campground Reserve December 5, 2015
New Moon in June June 2-5, 2016
Grundy Lake Provincial Park Reserve Jan 2, 2016
Gateway to the Universe July 7-10, 2016
Marten River Provincial Park Reservations not required
The August Star Party August 4-7, 2016
Marten River Provincial Park Reservations not required
Half the Night SP August 25-28, 2016
Halfway Lake Provincial Park Reserve March 25, 2016
KILLARNEY CLUSTER SP September 22-25, 2015
GRANITE RIDGE SP September 29 to Oct 2
THE SKIES ARE YOURS TO DISCOVER
stargazingran NBAC