Observers Notebook

Episode 221 In this episode of the Observers Notebook podcast, host Tim Robertson talks to Bob Lunsford about the upcoming Orionids, Taurids, and Leonid’s Meteor Showers. You can contact Bob at: lunro.imo.usa@cox.net American Meteor Society https://www.amsmeteors.org/meteor-showers/meteor-shower-calendar/ For more information you can visit the ALPO web site at: www.alpo-astronomy.org/ You can also support this podcast at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ObserversNotebook Listen to the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/observersnotebook Subscribe on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/AssociationofLunarandPlanetaryObservers Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/observers-notebook-the-alpo-podcast/id1199301885?mt=2 I want to thank the Producers of this podcast, Steve Siedentop and Michael Moyer for their generous support of the Observers Notebook. Our Patreons: Jerry White Jason Inman Bob Lunsford Steve Seidentop Stephen Bennett Michael Moyer Shawn Dilles Dami

Episode 102025 In this episode of the Observers Notebook podcast, host Tim Robertson talks to the ALPO Comets Section Coordinator Carl Hergenrother. Carl comes on the podcast to discuss Comet Lemmon and Swan. You can contact Carl at: carlhergenrother@gmail.com ALPO Comets Section blog: http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/cometblog/ In the Sky- Guides to the night sky https://in-the-sky.org/ For more information you can visit the ALPO web site at: www.alpo-astronomy.org/ You can also support this podcast at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ObserversNotebook Listen to the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/observersnotebook Subscribe on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/AssociationofLunarandPlanetaryObservers Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/observers-notebook-the-alpo-podcast/id1199301885?mt=2 I want to thank the Producers of this podcast, Steve Siedentop and Michael Moyer for their generous support of the Observers Notebook. Our Patreons: Jerry White Jason

Episode 220 In this episode of the Observers Notebook podcast, host Tim Robertson talks to the Director of Astronomy Outreach for the International Astronomical Union, Kelly Blumenthal. You can contact Kelly at: blumenthal.kelly@oao.iau.org International Astronomical Union: https://www.iau.org/ https://iau.org/WG330/WG330/Home.aspx public@oao.iau.org iauoutreach.org For more information you can visit the ALPO web site at: www.alpo-astronomy.org/ You can also support this podcast at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ObserversNotebook Listen to the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/observersnotebook Subscribe on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/AssociationofLunarandPlanetaryObservers Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/observers-notebook-the-alpo-podcast/id1199301885?mt=2 I want to thank the Producers of this podcast, Steve Siedentop and Michael Moyer for their generous support of the Observers Notebook. Our Patreons: Jerry White Jason Inman Bob Lunsfo

Episode 219 In this episode of the Observers Notebook podcast, host Tim Robertson talks to Bob Lunsford about his process for observing and photographing the recent transits of Saturn’s moon Titan. Titan’s Orbit and Motion: • Orbital period around Saturn: ~15.945 Earth days • Average distance from Saturn: ~1.22 million km • Orbital inclination: ~0.3° relative to Saturn’s equator (small, so Titan’s path is nearly aligned with Saturn’s rings). • Apparent size: ~0.8 arcseconds (tiny, only detectable as a “point” in most telescopes). • Shadow transits are possible only when Saturn’s rings are edge-on (every ~15 years). • September 20, 2025 — Start around 5:09 AM UTC (≈10:09 PM PDT); ends ~7:34 AM UTC (~12:34 AM PDT); Titan may also be visible near its shadow. • After October 5–6, 2025, this spectacular phenomenon won’t happen again until 2038–2039. You can contact Bob at: lunro.imo.usa@cox.net Stellarium https://stellarium.org/ For more information you can visit the ALPO web site at: www.alpo-astronomy.org/

Episode 218 In this episode of the Observers Notebook podcast, host Tim Robertson talks to the Director of International Observe the Moon Night, Staci Horvath. You can contact Staci at: staci.l.tiedeken@nasa.gov International Observe the Moon Night: https://moon.nasa.gov/observe-the-moon-night/ For more information you can visit the ALPO web site at: www.alpo-astronomy.org/ You can also support this podcast at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ObserversNotebook Listen to the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/observersnotebook Subscribe on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/AssociationofLunarandPlanetaryObservers Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/observers-notebook-the-alpo-podcast/id1199301885?mt=2 I want to thank the Producers of this podcast, Steve Siedentop and Michael Moyer for their generous support of the Observers Notebook. Our Patreons: Jerry White Jason Inman Bob Lunsford Steve Seidentop Stephen Bennett Michael Moyer Shawn Dilles Damian Allis C

Episode 217 In this episode of the Observers Notebook podcast, host Tim Robertson talks to the ALPO Lunar Section Coordinator and Editor of the Lunar Observer newsletter. You can contact David at: drteske@yahoo.com For more information you can visit the ALPO web site at: www.alpo-astronomy.org/ You can also support this podcast at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ObserversNotebook Listen to the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/observersnotebook Subscribe on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/AssociationofLunarandPlanetaryObservers Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/observers-notebook-the-alpo-podcast/id1199301885?mt=2 I want to thank the Producers of this podcast, Steve Siedentop and Michael Moyer for their generous support of the Observers Notebook. Our Patreons: Jerry White Jason Inman Bob Lunsford Steve Seidentop Stephen Bennett Michael Moyer Shawn Dilles Damian Allis Carl Hergenrother Michael McShan Michael Blake Nick Evetts Stan Sienkiewicz Carl Her

Episode 216 In this episode of the Observers Notebook podcast, host Tim Robertson talks to the Editor in Chief of Sky& Telescope magazine, Diana Hannikainen. You can contact Diana at: diana@skyandtelescope.org For more information you can visit the ALPO web site at: www.alpo-astronomy.org/ You can also support this podcast at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ObserversNotebook Listen to the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/observersnotebook Subscribe on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/AssociationofLunarandPlanetaryObservers Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/observers-notebook-the-alpo-podcast/id1199301885?mt=2 I want to thank the Producers of this podcast, Steve Siedentop and Michael Moyer for their generous support of the Observers Notebook. Our Patreons: Jerry White Jason Inman Bob Lunsford Steve Seidentop Stephen Bennett Michael Moyer Shawn Dilles Damian Allis Carl Hergenrother Michael McShan Michael Blake Nick Evetts Stan Sienkiewicz Carl Hergenr

Episode 215 In this episode of the Observers Notebook podcast, host Tim Robertson talks to the Meteor Section Coordinator, Bob Lunsford about the upcoming Delta Aquariids meteor showers peaking the evening of July 29/20 2025. Bob gives us a brief history of the Meteor Showers, how and where to observe and details on reporting your observations, and contact information. You can contact Bob at: lunro.imo.usa@cox.net The link for the details on the Lyrids meteor shower: https://www.amsmeteors.org/meteor-showers/meteor-shower-calendar/ International Meteor Organization https://www.imo.net/ ALPO Meteor Section Blog https://www.alpo-astronomy.org/Meteor For the latest information from the ALPO Meteor Section you can visit: http://www.amsmeteors.org/ For more information you can visit the ALPO web site at: www.alpo-astronomy.org/ You can also support this podcast at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ObserversNotebook Listen to the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/observersnotebook Subscribe o

Episode 213 In this episode of the Observers Notebook podcast, host Tim Robertson talks to the Mercury Section Coordinator, Frank Melillo. Frank gives us a brief history of the Mercury Section and discusses what type of equipment is needed to contribute to the section, and also the various observing programs available, and contact information. You can contact Frank at: frankj12@aol.com ALPO Mercury Section http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/mercuryblog/ For more information you can visit the ALPO web site at: www.alpo-astronomy.org/ You can also support this podcast at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ObserversNotebook Listen to the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/observersnotebook Subscribe on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/AssociationofLunarandPlanetaryObservers Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/observers-notebook-the-alpo-podcast/id1199301885?mt=2 I want to thank the Producer of this podcast, Steve Siedentop and Michael Moyer for their generous sup

Episode 212 In this episode of the Observers Notebook podcast, host Tim Robertson talks to the Solar Section Coordinator, Rik Hill about what is a Solar Cycle and what we need to know about this event. You can contact Rik at: rhill24@cox.net You can visit Rik’s website here. https://www.lpl.arizona.edu/~rhill/jlobs.html Space Weather https://spaceweather.com/ For more information you can visit the ALPO web site at: www.alpo-astronomy.org/ You can also support this podcast at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ObserversNotebook Listen to the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/observersnotebook Subscribe on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/AssociationofLunarandPlanetaryObservers Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/observers-notebook-the-alpo-podcast/id1199301885?mt=2 I want to thank the Producers of this podcast, Steve Siedentop and Michael Moyer for their generous support of the Observers Notebook. Our Patreons: Jerry White Jason Inman Bob Lunsford Steve

Episode 214 In this episode of the Observers Notebook podcast, host Tim Robertson talks to the Minor Planets Coordinator, Fred Pilcher about the ALPO Minor Planets Section. You can contact Fred at: fpilcher35@gmail.com Minor Planet Bulletin https://mpbulletin.org/ For more information you can visit the ALPO web site at: www.alpo-astronomy.org/ You can also support this podcast at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ObserversNotebook Listen to the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/observersnotebook Subscribe on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/AssociationofLunarandPlanetaryObservers Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/observers-notebook-the-alpo-podcast/id1199301885?mt=2 I want to thank the Producers of this podcast, Steve Siedentop and Michael Moyer for their generous support of the Observers Notebook. Our Patreons: Jerry White Jason Inman Bob Lunsford Steve Seidentop Stephen Bennett Michael Moyer Shawn Dilles Damian Allis Carl Hergenrother Michael McShan

Episode 211 In this episode of the Observers Notebook podcast, host Tim Robertson talks to the ALPO member Jim Tomney on the upcoming Virtual ALPO Conference. The dates will be Friday and Saturday, July 25/26, 2025. The conference will also be Live Streamed on the ALPO YouTube channel. As a "virtual" event, this year's ALPO conference will NOT be an in-person event. This way, you can participate from the comfort of your own home or office. The conference times for both days will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Pacific Time (1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time) and allow for seven paper presentation sessions each day with short breaks on both days. All presentations be limited to approximately 25 minutes each with a few minutes left for audience questions. The schedule of presentations will be posted about one week prior to the event. The ALPO board of directors meeting will be held on Friday, July 25 at 4 p.m. PT (7 p.m. ET). The ALPO Conference is free and open to anyone to attend; however, all presenters mus

Episode 209 In this episode of the Observers Notebook podcast, host Tim Robertson talks to Jack Daleo, Reporter covering the modern flying beat for FLYING Magazine, writing about topics like drones, unmanned aircraft systems, advanced air mobility and space travel. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and FAA oversee investigations of aircraft accidents in U.S. airspace. But what happens when a crash occurs hundreds of millions of miles away in outer space? Engineers with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California and uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) manufacturer Aerovironment, a prominent aerospace and defense contractor, are conducting what the space agency on Wednesday said is the first aircraft accident investigation on another world. Personnel are examining the final flight of NASA’s Ingenuity Mars helicopter, which hurtled into the Red Planet’s surface and was retired in January. We discuss Jack’s life and contact information. You can contact Jack at: jack@firecrown.com NASA Cond

Episode 209 In this episode of the Observers Notebook podcast, host Tim Robertson talks to the Comet Section Coordinator, Carl Hergenrother about the newly discovered Comet Swan, 2025F2. You can contact Carl at: carlhergenrother@gmail.com ALPO Comets Section blog: http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/cometblog/ For more information you can visit the ALPO web site at: www.alpo-astronomy.org/ You can also support this podcast at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ObserversNotebook Listen to the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/observersnotebook Subscribe on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/AssociationofLunarandPlanetaryObservers Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/observers-notebook-the-alpo-podcast/id1199301885?mt=2 I want to thank the Producers of this podcast, Steve Siedentop and Michael Moyer for their generous support of the Observers Notebook. Our Patreons: Jerry White Jason Inman Bob Lunsford Steve Seidentop Stephen Bennett Michael Moyer Shawn Dilles Dam

Episode 207 In this episode of the Observers Notebook podcast, host Tim Robertson talks to Sam Deen, as a child, he began searching for exoplanets, but soon he was not satisfied with simply clicking on the offered images. He wanted more, to use the available data for his own scientific research. After a year, he left university studies to devote all his time to astronomy. He finds lost asteroids, comets or identifies small bodies of the Solar System overlooked by scientists, starting from new near-Earth asteroids, unknown moons of Jupiter, and ending with extremely distant trans-Neptunian objects. Self-taught, who has developed into a unique expert, the detective of the astronomical archives. We discuss Sam’s life and experiences in Discovery of objects and contact information. You can contact Sam at: planetaryscience@yahoo.com Deep Random Survey https://deeprandomsurvey.org/ For more information you can visit the ALPO web site at: www.alpo-astronomy.org/ You can also support this podcast at Patreon: ht

Episode 208 In this episode of the Observers Notebook podcast, host Tim Robertson talks to the Meteor Section Coordinator, Bob Lunsford about the upcoming Lyrids and eta Aquariids meteor showers peaking the evening of April 17-26, 2025 and April 20-May 21 2025. Bob gives us a brief history of the Meteor Showers, how and where to observe and details on reporting your observations, and contact information. You can contact Bob at: lunro.imo.usa@cox.net The link for the details on the Lyrids meteor shower: https://www.amsmeteors.org/meteor-showers/meteor-shower-calendar/ International Meteor Organization https://www.imo.net/ ALPO Meteor Section Blog https://www.alpo-astronomy.org/Meteor For the latest information from the ALPO Meteor Section you can visit: http://www.amsmeteors.org/ For more information you can visit the ALPO web site at: www.alpo-astronomy.org/ You can also support this podcast at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ObserversNotebook Listen to the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundclou

Episode 206 In this episode of the Observers Notebook podcast, host Tim Robertson talks to the Astronomer and ALPO Eclipse Section Coordinator John O’Neal. John discusses the upcoming Total Lunar Eclipse and contact information. You can contact John at: kohamher1@yahoo.com John’s Website: http://www.ncstargazer.com/ Time and Date Website https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/2025-march-14 For more information you can visit the ALPO web site at: www.alpo-astronomy.org/ You can also support this podcast at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ObserversNotebook Listen to the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/observersnotebook Subscribe on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/AssociationofLunarandPlanetaryObservers Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/observers-notebook-the-alpo-podcast/id1199301885?mt=2 I want to thank the Producers of this podcast, Steve Siedentop and Michael Moyer for their generous support of the Observers Notebook. Our Patreons: Jerry Whi

Episode 205 In this episode of the Observers Notebook podcast, host Tim Robertson talks to the Scott Roberts of Explore Scientific about the future of telescopes and the future of the industry. You can contact Scott at: S@explorescientific.com Explore Scientific: https://www.explorescientific.com/ For more information you can visit the ALPO web site at: www.alpo-astronomy.org/ You can also support this podcast at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ObserversNotebook Listen to the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/observersnotebook Subscribe on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/AssociationofLunarandPlanetaryObservers Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/observers-notebook-the-alpo-podcast/id1199301885?mt=2 I want to thank the Producers of this podcast, Steve Siedentop and Michael Moyer for their generous support of the Observers Notebook. Our Patreons: Jerry White Jason Inman Bob Lunsford Steve Seidentop Stephen Bennett Michael Moyer Shawn Dilles Frank Schenck

Episode 203 In this episode of the Observers Notebook podcast, host Tim Robertson talks to the coordinator of the ALPO Mars section about the upcoming apparition with Roger Venable We discuss Roger’s life and experiences in Amateur Astronomy and contact information. You can contact Roger at: rjvmd@progressivetel.com The ALPO Mars Blog: https://www.alpo-astronomy.org/Mars For more information you can visit the ALPO web site at: www.alpo-astronomy.org/ You can also support this podcast at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ObserversNotebook Listen to the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/observersnotebook Subscribe on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/AssociationofLunarandPlanetaryObservers Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/observers-notebook-the-alpo-podcast/id1199301885?mt=2 I want to thank the Producers of this podcast, Steve Siedentop and Michael Moyer for their generous support of the Observers Notebook. Our Patreons: Jerry White Jason Inman Bob Luns

Episode 202 In this episode of the Observers Notebook podcast, host Tim Robertson talks to the ALPO Comets Section Coordinator Carl Hergenrother. Carl again comes on the podcast to bring us The Comets of 2025, which is always one of our most popular podcasts and his contact information. You can contact Carl at: carlhergenrother@gmail.com ALPO Comets Section blog: http://www.alpo-astronomy.org/cometblog/ For more information you can visit the ALPO web site at: www.alpo-astronomy.org/ You can also support this podcast at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ObserversNotebook Listen to the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/observersnotebook Subscribe on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/AssociationofLunarandPlanetaryObservers Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/observers-notebook-the-alpo-podcast/id1199301885?mt=2 I want to thank the Producers of this podcast, Steve Siedentop and Michael Moyer for their generous support of the Observers Notebook. Our Patreons: