Transcript: 4-8 September

PAUL
Welcome to Idaho Skies on Radio Boise. This is the first week of September. W'e're your hosts, Paul..

RACHEL
..Rachel..

KRIS
..And Kris

PAUL
The moon is full on the 7th.

RACHEL
What makes this month's full moon special is that the moon is also near perigee, or at its closest distance to earth this month.

KRIS
Therefore September's full moon is larger than any other full moon in 2006.

RACHEL
September's large full moon is a great opportunity for anyone who wants to begin astrophotography, or taking photographs of astronomical objects.

PAUL
All you need is a camera with a telephoto lens and tripod.

KRIS
Use at least a 200 millimeter telephoto lens with your camera. If you use a shorter focal length lens, the moon's image will be too small in your pictures.

RACHEL
The full moon is so bright that your camera's exposure time is very short. The short exposure time is the reason why you only need a camera tripod and not a telescope mount to photograph the moon.

KRIS
The exposure time should be less than one second. But bracket your exposure times to improve your chances of getting a good photograph.

PAUL
Bracketing means to take several exposures with each exposure set for a different length of time.

RACHEL
After you get a photograph of this full moon write down the camera and lens you used. Then use the same equipment to take another picture of the full moon next year.

KRIS
When you compare the size of the moon images to each other, you'll see that this month's full moon is definitely larger.

PAUL
Besides seeing a large full moon, the earth also experiences larger than average tides.

RACHEL
The closeness of the full moon increases its gravitational pull.

KRIS
But more importantly, it also increases the difference in the force of lunar gravity between the near and far sides of the earth.

PAUL
It's the difference in gravity across the earth that is responsible from raising tides.

RACHEL
So if the moon and sun's gravity was the same on opposite sides of earth, there would be no tides at all.

PAUL
Hey! Guess what's forty years old on the 8th? Star Trek.

KRIS
Star Trek was created by Gene Roddenberry. His show depicted a futuristic human society that had solved most of their problems and were boldly exploring the galaxy.

RACHEL
By placing topics on strange new worlds, Roddenberry could address science and social issues of the day in a non-threatening manner.

PAUL
It was a good way to get controversial subjects past network censors.

KRIS
You can learn more about this pop phenomenon at the Memory Alpha website, memory dash alpha dot org

PAUL
The Boise Astronomical Society holds it monthly meeting on Friday, the 8th

RACHEL
B-A-S meetings are held at the Discovery Center of Idaho and begin at 7:30 PM.

PAUL
If you're visiting Twin Falls, you can attend the Magic Valley Astronomical Society meeting on Saturday the 9th.

KRIS
M-V-A-S meetings are held at the C-S-I campus in the Herrett Center.

RACHEL
Meetings begin at seven PM and are followed by a star party at the Herrett Center observatory.

KRIS
The Centennial Observatory has the largest handicap accessible telescope in Idaho and admission is free.

RACHEL
That's Idaho Skies for the first week of September. Join us next week when our topics are Gemini 11 and space suit design.

For Idaho Skies this is Rachel.

KRIS
..Kris..

PAUL
.. and Paul.