Sky and Telescope, November 2009, page 10...
Some of my observations of splitting Pluto and Charon,and, tracking down Makemake and Haumea are featured in S&T in the November '09 issue!!! Wow, another Mr. Wizard issue.... Very cool, hope you enjoy the article.
S&T Cover....
Page 10....
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Stellar Spectra!
Rainbow Optics Spectroscope
With this device attached to an eyepiece we'll be checking out the different spectral types of stars. The O,B,A,F,G,K,M designations given to stars. The type of which our Sun is a member is: G. G2IV meaning it's the second designation of progression from G to K and IV means it's a Dwarf star. The magnitude limit of this device on my 36" scope, suggested by data from other observers and their scopes, is ~11. We'll see....
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Memorial for Kim Dyer
Kim Dyer
- noted astronomer, friend, and mentor -
Upon learning of Kim Dyer dying from injuries sustained in a car-pedestrian accident, I felt compelled, as he was one of two astronomy mentors to me, that I should honor him with a memorial page.
Kim Dyer lived alone in northern Detroit and suffered from night blindness, which may have contributed to his death on the streets of Detroit that night, and he may have been legally blind during the daylight too. Friends would drive him to the stores and astronomy meetings and guide him to the eyepiece of the telescope.
Kim was an outspoken, very rarely quiet actually, fixture at the Warren Astronomical Society (WAS) meetings. Because WAS had an observatory at a Rotary park on 29 Mile Rd that had caught my attention, I found where the club met and attended both monthly meetings. The first person to say "Hi" to me was Kim. That was back in 1987. Mostly bald with some grey hair on the sides, with a mustache and glasses, he gave me an overview of the club.
Several times we made a road trip to Michigan State University to meet with the Capitol Area Astronomers club members and on a special night used a 7.5" Clark Refractor in Stockbridge, MI., just outside Lansing. He would talk about all facets of astronomy where amateur astronomers could participate and add observations to the national databases like ALPO, AAVSO, etc. He inspired participation and scientific understanding of what's up there.
I'll now try to summarize his involvement in three clubs, Warren Astronomical Society, Capitol Area Astronomers, and the University of Michigan Lowbrow Astronomers.
Kim Dyer was nearly a 20 year member of WAS. He compiled a bibliography of all astronomy and physics books at the Macomb Community Library so that club members would know what resources were available to them locally. Once a month he would host an open house at MSU for all to view through the 24"f8 telescope and help with operating the Stargate Observatory with the 12.5"f10 Cassegrain telescope (the one on 29 Mile Rd that I found by chance). He shared information on where one could find a working grinding machine for mirror fabrication as well as Mercury transits. He was an active member in the Variable Star group within WAS, a member of the AAVSO, and ALPO, and helpful to others to join these organizations too. He had contacts with astronomers across Michigan and was enthusiastic about getting WAS involved in scientific studies of all types. With Kim Dyer present it added depth to the meetings.
Unfortunately that's all the info I could amass on Kim, but, I was fortunate to find a picture of him.
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Sky and telescope, June 2008, page 75/76...
My scopes and I are featured in S&T in the June '08 issue!!! Wow, the Mr. Wizard issue.... Very cool, hope you enjoy the article.
S&T Cover....
Page 75....
Page 76....
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