September 2025 Meeting Presentation

Tom Heisey gave a presentation on astronomy news for September’s meeting. It contained general astronomy news:

• CCSP Star Party Saturday 9/20
• Titan Transit and Shadow 9/19
• Comet Swan 25B
  • https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/new-comet-swan-now-visible-in-small-scopes/
  • https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/new-comet-swan25-pops-out-from-behind-the-sun/
  • https://earthsky.org/space/new-comet-swan25b-2025/
• Saturn & Neptune retrograde dance
• Combination of unusual events results in really terrible news articles and posts on social media.
• FCC is floating a change to the approval process of new satellite missions/launches. The changes to the National Environmental Policy Act would remove environmental review of satellite missions, giving the green light to missions like Reflect Orbital’s massive solar mirror reflecting sunlight on the night side of Earth, greatly increasing light pollution.
  • International Dark Sky Association https://darksky.org/
  • TX Dark Skies https://darkskytexas.org
  • Reflect Orbital https://www.reflectorbital.com
  • Find your Congress member: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member
  • Write the President: https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact
• Video #1 – Asteroid 2025 FA22 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qmyp-9V9bPc
• Video #2 – 3i/Atlas interstellar comet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCcWlecjv4k
• 3i/Atlas additional info:
  • https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/comets/3i-atlas/
  • https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/C
    omet_3I_ATLAS_frequently_asked_questions
  • https://nasaspacenews.com/2025/09/when-a-comet-fromanother-star-turns-green-what-3i-atlas-is-teaching-us/
• Tom’s Lake Amistad NRA & Del Rio Middle School star parties
• Objects currently up – list from http://www.skymaps.com
• Hubble Night Sky Challenge https://science.nasa.gov/mission/hubble/science/explore-the-night-sky/hubbles-night-sky-challenge/
• Astronomical League’s Youth Astronomer Program https://www.astroleague.org/youth-astronomer-observing-program/