CMAS will host its first Radio Astronomy Star Party on the weekend of November 2, 2013, beginning at 7:00pm. (Arrive earlier to set up.) Meet at DRA, the Damariscotta River Association:
110 Belvedere Road, Damariscotta, ME 04543
Bring your optical telescope, of course, but also enjoy radio astronomy with Nimesh Patel, CMAS’s resident professional radio astronomer from Harvard Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. An antenna formed from foam board and aluminum foil connects via $200 worth of electronics to open-source software on an ordinary laptop computer, in a modern version of strings and sealing wax. The antenna fits in a car, so this is truly radio astronomy available to anyone interested.
Interpretation of the night’s observations will prove that we live on the edge of a spiral galaxy. The horn antenna reveals Hydrogen spectral lines of interstellar gas within our own Milky Way Galaxy. It is not so sensitive as to receive signals from distant galaxies, so the signals it can receive thus detect the galactic plain. The Doppler shift of the signals arriving from different directions further infers the rotation of our galaxy. This is old school, basic science updated with modern electronics. After our session with radio astronomy, you will never have to simply believe what you’ve been told about our location in the universe. You’ll have perceived it first-hand!
The antenna can also barely detect the weak radio emissions from corona of the Sun, which can be correlated with solar cycles. Solar astronomers, add that to your white light, Hydrogen-Alpha, and Cesium scopes!
Although shown on the schedule for 7:00pm on Saturday, November 2, 2013, we’ll watch the weather, and may meet instead on Friday, November 1, or Sunday, November 3. Please visit the Doodle poll to state the dates you’d be available. Note there that, per usual at DRA, we’re also looking for long, outdoor rated, three-prong extension cords:
http://doodle.com/xqc8aqx5gn8bah8m
We’re sure this will be a first for most of us, so join us for radio astronomy!
