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National Capital Astronomers

About NCA

NCA logoServing science and society since 1937. The National Capital Astronomers (NCA) is a non-profit, membership supported, volunteer run, public service corporation dedicated to advancing space technology, astronomy, and related sciences through information, participation, and inspiration, via research, lectures and presentations, publications, expeditions, tours, public interpretation, and education. NCA is the astronomy affiliate of the Washington Academy of Sciences. We are also members of the Astronomical League, in fact NCA members helped form the Astronomical League a long time ago.

NCA has for many years published a monthly newsletter called Star Dust that is available for members. Besides announcement of coming NCA meetings and a calendar of monthly events Star Dust contains reviews of past meeting and articles on current astronomical events.

NCA is a very unusual astronomy organization. All are welcome to join. Everyone who looks up to the sky with wonder is an astronomer and welcomed by NCA. You do not have to own a telescope, but if you do own one that is fine, too. You do not have to be deeply knowledgeable in astronomy , but if you are knowledgeable in astronomy that is fine, too. You do not have to have a degree, but if you do that is fine, too. WE ARE THE MOST DIVERSE local ASTRONOMY CLUB anywhere. Come to our meetings and you will find this out. WE REALLY MEAN THIS!

Our Meetings

Monthly Meetings with Educational Presentations are Free and Open to the Public

NCA has regular monthly meetings September through June on the second Saturday of the month.

Public transportation: Directions/maps to the UM Observatory
Inclement weather: In case of severe weather (tornado/snow/impassable roads), a notice will be placed on the Observatory Website on the day of the meeting. (Be sure to refresh/reload the page to make sure you are seeing an updated page.)

Meeting Schedule for 2011 - 2012

Most meetings will be held at the University of Maryland Astronomical Observatory in College Park, Maryland.

Next Meeting Date: Saturday, May 12, 2012

7:30 pm at the University of Maryland Observatory on Metzerott Road.

Neutrino Astronomy

Speaker: Dr. Stella Kafka, DTM-CIW

Abstract: Giant kilometer-scale telescopes in places like Antarctica and the Mediterranean sea are currently operating or being built to catch neutrinos, one of the most elusive known particles in nature. Because neutrinos interact so feebly with matter, Neutrino Telescopes need to be big, to catch neutrinos from Galactic and extragalactic astrophysical objects. Neutrino Astronomy is still in its infancy: the Sun and Supernova 1987A are the only sources that have been detected so far. But the detections from those two sources have already revealed much about the inner working of the Sun's core and about the mechanism of supernova explosions, information that is inaccessible to optical telescopes.

High-energy neutrinos are produced by the interactions of cosmic rays. Cosmic rays are charged particles, so they are deflected by the galactic and extragalactic magnetic field. Their directions of arrival tell us nothing about the directions of their source objects. Thus the sources of cosmic rays still have not been identified. In contrast, neutrinos are rarely deflected, so they point directly back to their sources. The detection of high-energy neutrinos, together with electromagnetic observations, can identify the sources of cosmic rays. I will give an overview of the Neutrino Telescopes, the candidate astrophysical sources of neutrinos, and the current status of the field.

Bio: Dr. Soebur Razzaque is on the research faculty at the George Mason University, and is a resident at the US Naval Research Laboratory. His research interests span topics in high-energy neutrino physics and astrophysics, gamma-ray astrophysics, and cosmic ray astrophysics. As a graduate student at the University of Kansas, Dr. Razzaque worked on the theoretical modeling of the radio signals from charged particle showers triggered by high-energy neutrinos, for the Radio Ice Cherenkov Experiment at the South Pole. While he was a postdoctoral fellow at the Pennsylvania State University his research shifted to the study of astrophysical sources, such as Gamma-Ray Bursts and Active Galactic Nuclei. He was also a member of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory at the South Pole. During his tenure as a National Research Council Research Associate at the US Naval Research Laboratory, Dr. Razzaque continued modeling high-energy emission from astrophysical sources, as well as interpreting astrophysical clues about the basic nature of neutrinos. He is still working on those topics. Dr. Razzaque is currently a member of the Large Area Telescope Collaboration of NASA's Fermi Gamma Ray Space Telescope.

Weather-permitting, there will be observing through the telescopes after the meeting for members and guests.


Join Us for Dinner Before the Meeting

Join our special guest and members for dinner at 5:30 p.m. in the Garden Restaurant in the Inn and Conference Center University of Maryland University College at University Blvd. and Campus Dr. The restaurant is in the West Wing Lobby Level; they now have new inexpensive menu items just for us.

Telescope-Making and Mirror-Grinding

Telescope-making and mirror-making classes with Guy Brandenburg at the Chevy Chase Community Center, at the intersection of  McKinley Street and Connecticut Avenue, NW, a few blocks inside the DC  boundary, on the northeast corner of the intersection, in the basement  (wood shop), on Fridays, from 6:30 to 9:30 PM. For information visit Guy's Website  To contact Guy, use this phone #: 202-262-4274 or Email Guy.

Come See the Stars at Exploring the Sky 2012!

Exploring the Sky is an informal program that for over sixty years has offered monthly opportunities for anyone in the Washington area to see the stars and planets through telescopes from a location within the District of Columbia.
Sessions are held in Rock Creek Park once each month on a Saturday night from April through November, starting shortly after sunset. We meet in the field just south of the intersection of Military and Glover Roads NW, near the Nature Center. A parking lot is located next to the field.
Beginners (including children) and experienced stargazers are all welcome-and it's free!
Questions? Call the Nature center at (202) 895-6070 or check: Exploring the Sky @ Rock Creek.

Date Time Targets of Interest
21 Apr 8:30pm Winter constellations; Lyrid meteor shower
19 May 9:00pm Venus, Mars, and Saturn; the Beehive in Cancer
16 Jun 9:00pm Solstice 6/20; Mars and Saturn
21 Jul 9:00pm Summer Triangle; Moon passing near Regulus
18 Aug 8:30pm Mars and Saturn near Spica; Andromeda rising
15 Sep 8:00pm Cassiopeia level with Polaris; equinox next week
20 Oct 7:30pm Astronomy Day; Orionid meteor shower
03 Nov 7:00pm Pleiades and winter constellations appear
Exploring the Sky is a presentation of the National Park Service and National Capital Astronomers.

Star Parties

For NCA information by E-mail or phone

NCA Documents

NCA constitution and by-laws current as of August 28, 2005 they need some changes so we can continue to be a healthy organization.
NCA constitution and by-laws revision as of October 25, 2005 proposal.

Observing Resources

Navigation Star Chart
Northern Hemisphere Star Alignment Chart
Southern Hemisphere Star Alignment Chart
Astronomical League Observing Clubs, you might use the above alignment charts if you have a GoTo telescope to accomplish some observing.

Site Host

uaqa: understanding articulation quality assurance, home of the National Capital Astronomers, Inc web page. Check out uaqa's web publishing services and the other people and organizations using uaqa.com. uaqa also hosts Astrolabes.org and Mcstaffunion.org.

HOME | Telescope Making Workshops | Exploring the Sky | Contact Info | Star Dust Archive | Links

Updated by E. Warner on 23 Apr 2012.