Keep Looking Up!

July 7, 2016 Leave a comment


Celestial Fireworks Seen This Weekend!
By Gary Fugman
Have you had enough of things that go BOOM in the night?  I thought not.  Have we got an experience for you!
This Friday, July 8 at 9pm at the Lyons Library and Saturday, July 9 at 9pm at the Decatur Sears Center Northeast Nebraska Astronomy Club (NENAC) invites people of all ages to a discusion of “Celestial Fireworks!”  At the end of their lives, stars can do a variety of interesting things: from the surface explosions of white dwarfs, to instabilities in more massive stars that cause them to brighten and fade.  Then there are the supernovae!  A supernovae can increase a star’s brightness to as much as 10 billion suns!  All this has and is going on around us in our own Milky Way Galaxy.  This weekend Pastor Gary Fugman will lead a discussion on the brighter points of these celestial fireworks and you are invited!
Then free July star will be given and explained and, weather permitting, we will observe celestial fireworks in the July night sky with large astronomical telescopes.  Friday, we will observe at the Cory and Tracie Martin residence 3 miles south of Lyons and Saturday we will observe at Fugman Observatory on the south side of Decatur.  You are encouraged to bring your own telescope or binoculars to observe celestial fireworks as well.  The planets Jupiter, Mars and Saturn will also be available to see in the telescopes.
For more information on this and future NENAC presentations, including the August 11 Perseid Meteor Shower Party, google “nenacstars” or call Pastor Gary Fugman at 349-1953 and Keep Looking Up!
Questions for Consideration:
How can the “surface” of a stars be hotter after the star explodes?
Does the fact that you are made of stardust, the remains of exploded stars, give you a sense of unity with the universe?

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Keep Looking Up!

May 3, 2016 Leave a comment


“Four Great Astronomy Programs for Your Computer”

By Gary Fugman

How can I use my computer to help me find objects and keep track of everything I’ve seen? What would it look like to fly to and orbit Saturn?  How about flying to and orbiting the Pleiades Star Cluster? What’s out there to help me find my way across the surface of the moon?  Can my computer do any “real science” that might lead to a new discovery? Come to Northeast Nebraska Astronomy Club (NENAC) May 6 at 9pm at the Lyons Library and Saturday, May 7 at 9pm at the Decatur Sears Center to check out some of these great computer applications. Then at 10pm, weather permitting, Friday we will go to Cory and Tracie Martins’ south of Lyons and Saturday to Fugman Observatory on the south side of Decatur to observe the night sky through large astronomical telescopes. You are invited to bring your binoculars or telescope as well.

For more information on this and future NENAC presentations, please call Pastor Gary Fugman at 349-1953, and Keep Looking Up!

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Keep Looking Up!

February 8, 2016 Leave a comment


By Gary Fugman
“Distant Suns Overhead This Weekend”
 
Stars are distant versions of our Sun, glowing balls of gas held together by gravity.  Despite the large number of stars in our February sky, the distances between them are vast.  Look up into your sky tonight.  Hot stars appear blue.  Cool stars appear red.  Medium temperature stars appear white.  How do astronomers know about these amazing lights in our night sky?  How far away are these stars?  Of what are these stars made?
All are invited to Northeast Nebraska Astronomy Club (NENAC) Friday, February 12 at 7pm at the Lyons Library and Saturday, February 13 at 7pm at the Decatur Sears Center.  There Pastor Gary Fugman will take you on an adventure to the bright stars of the February night sky.  Distances, colors, temperatures and a realistic view of the brightness of the distant suns of the winter sky will be discussed.  Sizes of February stars will be explained.  Even more amazing, we will learn more about how stars change their size and color as they travel down the road of a star’s lifetime.  Free star charts for February will be handed out and explained.  Also, recent awards from the Astronomical League’s Lunar Program will be presented.
Then, weather permitting, all are invited to view the colorful, distant suns overhead through large astronomical telescopes.  The planet Jupiter will also be in view.  Friday observing will be south of Lyons at the Cory and Tracie Martin residence.  Saturday observing will be at the Fugman Observatory in Decatur.  You are invited to bring your telescope or binoculars to view the night sky.  Please dress warmly for our February evenings.
For more information on this and future NENAC activities, please google “nenacstars” or call Pastor Gary Fugman at 349-1953 and Keep Looking Up!

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Keep Looking Up!

November 12, 2015 Leave a comment


Glorious Total Solar Eclipse Tales by Gary Fugman
Our Sun, the nearest star, is basically a featureless disk with a gaseous surface.  But seen under special circumstances, the star that keeps us all alive, comes to life itself with sunspots, a chromosphere and prominenses.  These features are waiting to be observed at the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse across central Nebraska.  This weekend you can start to make your plans to observe the 2017 solar eclipse!
You are invited to Northeast Nebraska Astronomy Club (NENAC) Friday, November 13 at 7pm at the Lyons Library and Saturday, November 14 at 7pm at the Decatur Sears Center.  There Pastor Gary Fugman will lead you on a fascinating journey of discovery in the realm of eclipses and solar eclipses in particular.  You will learn about Baily’s Beads and pinhole camera associated with solar eclipses.You will learn about how a total solar eclipse was used to confirm Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity.  Even more exciting, learn about details of the coming 2017 total solar eclipse!
Then, weather permitting, using free star charts, we will on Friday observe the November deep sky objects from Bill Hedges’ “Lost in Space” Observatory in Lyons.  On Saturday we observe from Fugman Observatory on the south side of Decatur.  Please dress warmly as temperatures fall quickly after sunset.
For more information on this and future NENAC events, google “nenacstars” or call Pastor Gary Fugman at 349-1953, and Keep Looking Up!
Questions to Consider:
1) During a total lunar eclipse, what would someone on the Moon see when looking toward the Sun?
2) Why is important that you be in a particular place on Earth to see a total solar eclipse?

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Keep Looking Up! Get Started Right in Astronomy

February 17, 2015 Leave a comment


By Tom Fitzgerald
Ever look up in the evening and wonder about the night sky?  What is all that cool stuff that you see on a dark night here in Eastern Nebraska?  People of all ages are invited to attend Northeast Nebraska Astronomy Club (NENAC) at 7pm this Friday at the Lyons Library and 7pm this Saturday at the Decatur Sears Center.  There you will get a smart start into the universes’ greatest hobby, astronomy!  The evening’s discussion will be led by Tom Fitzgerald, an avid amateur astronomer for over 50 years from Arlington NE.  Bring a pencil, a flashlight and a curious mind and Tom will present your smart start in astronomy in three easy steps.  In six months time, you will be the neighborhood astronomy expert!
Following Tom’s discussion, Astronomical League observing programs will be explained and offered, star charts will freely be distributed to all and a computer tour of the February night sky will whisk you away into the cosmos!  Then weather permitting, Friday we will look through a large astronomical telescope at Bill Hedges’ “Lost in Space Observatory” in Lyons, and Saturday the viewing will be offered at Decatur’s “Fugman Observatory”.  You are encouraged to bring your binoculars and or telescopes to NENAC as well.  Please dress warmly as February temperatures can fall quickly after sunset.
For more information on this and future NENAC presentations, google “nenacstars” or call pastor Gary Fugman at 349-1953, and as always,
Keep Looking Up!

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