Newsletter of RAS (Richmond Astronomical Society)
August, 2003

Visit our web site at www.richastro.org

Next meeting--Monday, Aug. 11

Last meeting
by Jim Petty

• Chris McCann brought a handout of objects to observe for August.
• John Raymond showed his copy of Atlas of the Stars, for members to review.
• Ken Wilson provided copies of star maps and Iridium flare timings. Ken also had a signup sheet for the Mars sky watch at SMV later this month.

Reports and observing:

• Tom Horne observed Mars for one and a half hours on 7/5.
• John Raymond and  Keith Johnson went Twin Lakes, near  Burkeville, to observe, but it was cloudy. They had an indoor program instead.
• Both the SMV and Malvern Hill skywatches were clouded out. Again.
• Library report--Ansel Worley returned a book to the library, The Universe.
• Charlotte Tally welcomed five visitors--Jonathan and Jenna Crowne, Douglas D'Urso, Rob McTier, and John Lofgren. And we have four new members--the Crownes, Ruth Petrov, Edgar Adams, and Tom Horne.
•  

Observatory:

• Randy Tatum cut the grass. Gary Cowardin is going to schedule another training session.

Skywatches and other events:

• Malvern Hill, Aug. 12-14, for the Perseids Meteor Shower
• The SMV skywatch will be Friday, Aug. 15.
• RAS board meeting, Aug. 18, 7:00 pm, place to be determined.
• Malvern Hill is scheduled for Aug. 29-30.
• Joe also has a skywatch scheduled for July 25 and 26 with 12 teachers.
• The Science Museum will have a Mars Sky Watch on August 27, with a rain date of the 28th.
• We've tentatively scheduled a RAS picnic for Sat., Oct. 4 at either Dorey or Crump Park. We're replacing the annual observatory picnic with a bigger occasion that we think will get more people and their families involved. We'll also do star gazing there.
  

Jim Blowers gave the short topic, on attending ALCON 2003 conference in Nashville. The main tables were on CCD photography and outreach--we are not getting young members, light pollution, Mars, and Jupiter. Jim took their field trip the Dyer Observatory, which has a 24 inch telescope. Jim brought pictures of the observatory and the field trip. Ken and Betty Wilson were also at the conference. They also took a trip to the space center in Huntsville.

Eric Shelton gave the main topic, showing a video of a lecture by a Yale University professor to one of his classes. He walked through two of the observatories, explaining features of the control rooms, design of the telescopes, how they were constructed, how they operated, and the structure of the housings. He then entertained questions from his students at Yale that were forwarded to him by email.

Powhatan observing
by David Medici

Hello fellow members,.. 

I went out to Powhatan last night around 920PM and met Keith Johnson of the Crewe Astronomy club. He took us to an alternative entrance in the park of Route 13. We set up near the road in anticipation. I have had not been to Powhatan to observe so needles to say I was excited to be out of Richmond lights. I observed for the first time the following Messier objects: M4, M6, M7, M8, M17 (The Omega or Swan or Lobster or Horses shoe) {The Omega was even more expansive with the O3 Filter of Keith’s}, M22, M28, M51, M57 (very faint), and M62, plus Mars at around 1PM. Mars was kind of blurry, but with the help of Keith’s red and amber filter I could make out some detail.

by Jerry Zaun

Powhatan got busy last night. ha. The seeing was good but clouds and
hase caused problems at times. I think I finished the M objects in
Sagittarrius thanks to Eric Sheltons help recognizing some. He also
showed me what to look for on Mars when it came up later in the
night. I did finally see the ice cap and some light and darker land
marks. I ordered some more power ( eye pieces ) and filters so the
next Mars viewing may be better.  Us newby's sometimes need someone
to explain to us what we are looking at!. Thanks for the instruction
Eric! that was my 2nd night in a row and I am ready for a few days R
& R. Sat night was not as good as Friday but after weeks of not
getting out it was great.

Jerry Z

Calling all Amateur Astronomers!
by Marni Berendsen, Astronomical Society of the Pacific

Take this opportunity to complete the new online survey supported by
Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) and have a chance to win a $100
gift certificate to the ASP Catalog!

You will be assisting in developing training and materials for amateur
astronomers to help the public understand concepts of astronomy.  In
addition, the survey is collecting your experiences with any astronomy
misconceptions you have come across in your encounters with the public.
Click on this link to access the survey:
http://fs8.formsite.com/astrosociety/AstroSurvey/index.html
Or from the ASP web site: http://www.astrosociety.org/

As an added bonus, if 15 or more of your club members respond to the
survey, you will receive a copy of your club's responses (no names or
other identifiers will be included).  This could help in planning programs
for your club and can serve as a topic of discussion at a club meeting.
Just have your members put your club's full name on the form where they
enter their name for the drawing.

We're expecting to close the survey by the end of August or September and
will distribute club responses within six to eight weeks after that.

To find out more about the survey and to access it, click on this link:
http://fs8.formsite.com/astrosociety/AstroSurvey/index.html

Thank you for your participation and your contribution to research in
amateur astronomy outreach!

Gathering of the LX's
by Roger Rigby

Mason-Dixon Star Party
by John  Raymond

The clear sky clock indicates good viewing conditions tonight.

I was at the Mason Dixon star party Friday and Sat. The weather kept a lot
of people home and I didnt get much viewing in.
I did see Mars 4am Sat, including polar cap and some surface markings. Rain
and prediction of high winds canceled the events on Saturday.

I won three door prizes: $25 gift certificate to Ken's rings, 9 cd Palomar
sky survey, and Nagler eyepiece.

RAS library report
by Susan Brubaker

Sky & Tel dues change
by Cindy Bowers

Calendar