December 2012

December 1: Monthly Meeting

Thirty-four Years of Forecasting in Southern New England and Most Memorable Storms

Steve Cascione


The December meeting will feature our annual Holiday Party Pot Luck Supper.

You are asked to bring something to share – appetizer, entrée, dessert.  We will provide soft drinks and coffee.  RSVP to Kathy Siok (kathys5@cox.net).

Dear Friends,

I'm sure all of you are looking forward to our annual Christmas Party, on Saturday, December 1st.

This year we are starting our get together a little earlier, at 5:30pm. This will allow us more time to socialize, and enjoy sampling all of the wonderful food everyone brings to the potluck dinner (see Kathy Siok's note for more information).

We are also planning on having an Astrophotography Gallery on display, and would like to encourage anyone that has some nice photos to bring them along to add to the display. There's no limit to how many to display, and they can be prints of any size, framed or not. Please contact me at Robert_Horton@brown.edu if you plan to participate, and let me know what you plan to bring.

Also, if you have anything else you like to share with the rest of us, perhaps a telescope project you have recently completed, or anything else you think would be of interest, please consider adding this our "show and tell".

As I mentioned, our Potluck dinner will begin at 5:30pm, followed by our speaker at 7pm. After the featured speaker, we'll take a short break, and then enjoy short, informal presentations by our members.

Happy Holidays,
Bob Horton
1st V.P.

Native Rhode Islander Steve Cascione graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a BA in Geography and Meteorology. He briefly attended MIT, taking graduate classes in weather forecasting.

In 1978, Cascione moved to State College, Pennsylvania, and began work for Accu Weather as a Forecast Meteorologist. In 1980, he moved back to Rhode Island to work for WLNE TV-6. He began a weather consulting business called Ocean State Weather, which he still runs. Steve holds the Broadcast Seal of Approval from the AMS.

In February 2002, after 22 years at WLNE, Steve moved to WPRI 12 and WNAC FOX Providence for five years. He is now happy to be back at ABC6, and can be seen weekdays from 5-7 AM and at Noon.

Steve covered Hurricane Gloria in 1986, Hurricane Bob in 1991, and all the major snowstorms to hit Southern New England over the last 28 years. He also hosted a news segment entitled Steve's Cooking Up a Storm, a cooking show featuring local chefs' recipes. Steve hopes to bring this segment back to ABC6 in the near future.

In November 2006, Steve was given the Silver Circle Award by the New England Chapter of the National Television Academy. The Silver Circle recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to television over 25 years or more.

Steve celebrated 30 years of television broadcasting in May 2010, 25 of them right here at ABC6.

Steve has two sons, Alex and Justin, and a daughter Caroline, adopted from Russia in 2002. Steve married Stacey Cardillo this past November.

Maserthim (γ Arietis)

Maserthim (γ Arietis)

: By Glenn Chaple
I’m a double star aficionado; my sky gazing motto is “double stars are twice the fun!” Unlike the “faint fuzzies” most backyard astronomers prefer, double stars aren’t hidden by light pollution or bright moonlight. They aren’t the exclusive property of big-scope owners. In fact, many showpiece doubles are within reach of small-aperture instruments. The common 60mm refractor with its crisp stellar images delivers exquisite views of double stars - especially twin systems.
Doomsday 2012: Down for the (Long) Count?

Doomsday 2012: Down for the (Long) Count?

: By Dave Huestis
It’s difficult to know exactly when the alleged Mayan doomsday prophecy drivel started. I’ve had an interest in the Mesoamerican cultures of Central America for many decades, so I was aware of their advanced calendar system. However, in all my studies of these cultures I never encountered any reference to a Mayan prophecy regarding the end of the world on December 21, 2012. Misinterpretation, lack of knowledge of Mayan calendar reckoning, and downright falsehoods have conspired to feed the doomsday scenario.

Promising Prospects for December’s Geminid Meteor Shower

: By Dave Huestis
Mild comfortable nights of observing are now behind us. As we approach the Winter Solstice on December 21 at 6:12 a.m. (the earliest date and time for this astronomical event since 1896), our days grow shorter while the nights grow longer. Amateur astronomers like the early sunsets and the longer nighttime skies, but the cold temperatures can shorten one’s observing session quite effectively.

December Long Night Moon

: By Francine Jackson
With the winter season beginning this month, the nights are the longest, and the days slowly begin to get colder. As such, we celebrate both the Full Cold Moon and the Full Long Night Moon. And, because we also celebrate the holiday season at this time of year, this can also be called the Moon Before Yule, although this year it takes place afterwards, on December 28th.

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