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Wednesday, November 7.1979
University Daily Kansan
Cosmic show lights skies
By TED LICKTEIG
Staff Reporter
November will be an interesting month for stargazing enthusiasts who are willing to endure chilly evenings.
Chris Brungardt, president of Astronomy Associates of Lawrence, said yesterday that several constellations and planets would be visible this month.
He said the planets Venus, Saturn and Jupiter and the constellations Leo and Orion would be visible for most of November.
"Venus will be the brightest, except for the moon when it is out. It will be star-like and appear much larger than it actually is." Brunngard said.
He said Venus came closer to Earth at other times of the year, but then it was between times of the sun and was obscured by the sun's light. He said Venus could be found in the west-southwest sky.
He said that recently explored Saturn would be in an uncommon position in relation to Earth.
"THE RINGS WOULD appear to be a thin line. It would be like looking at the edge of a piece of paper."
Anyone looking for the newly discovered 14th moon of Jupiter should look in the west sky, he said. But he said Jupiter was not in a good viewing position.
"You can't see a great deal, only the red spot on Jupiter."
Brungardt said two constellations would be in good viewing positions during the month.
He said Leo would rise at 2 or 3 a.m. every day this month. It appears in the shape of a
lion's head with other stars arranged in a sickle shape.
"Jupiter will be just above Leo. To the east a triangle is formed by three bright stars."
BRUNGARDT SAID Orion would be the brighter of the two constellations.
Orion will rise due east in the form of a rectangle at about 10 p.m., he said. Three other stars will appear as the Belt of Orion.
He said the Andromeda galaxy also was visible overhead at sunset, but would disappear by December.
Brungardt said an ordinary pair of binoculars would aid the vision of a stargazer as would any telescope with at least a two-inch mirror or lens.
The Lindley Observatory, which has a telescope with a 21-inch mirror, has open house every Friday at 8 p.m.
KCC to begin consumer board to give public regulatory voice
Staff Reporter
A two-year program developed by the Kansas Corporation Commission to increase public reaction to utility energy use was announced last Friday.
The program, which should begin in January, will include the formation of a Consumer Information Board that should strengthen public participation in utilities. Tom Taylor, the commissioner, will provide consumer information director, said this week.
Taylor said the board would include members from women's groups, retired citizens and teachers' groups.
He said he thought it was advantageous to have members who had access to
special interest groups so they could solicit reaction to energy issues more easily.
"This needs to be a two-way board," Taylor said. "We need to advise the commissioners on what to do and then in turn give their feedback to the groups through their members."
TAYLOR SAID opinion from the board would give the commission a better idea of public reactions to issues like climate change and alternative energy sources and energy storage.
He said the board would be made up of about 25 persons from different areas of Kansas. Members would meet on a part-time basis and would be paid only for the days they worked.
"People are becoming more and more aware of rate designs," Taylor said.
"They are interested in how gas or electricity bills are figured."
Until now the only contact the commission had with consumers was through utility rate hearings, personal contact or mail. Legal Services in the form of complaints.
TAYLOR SAID the goals of the board were not to lower rates but to promote conservation and prevent peak usage overloads, which occur for most Kansans (and others) in order to ensure that the commissioners will have a good idea of consumer concerns", he said.
"It is more important to get people involved in government than to have a bunch of people keep telling you make decisions without thinking what effect they might have on people in the community."
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