The Celestial Observer

 

Newsletter of the North Shore

 Amateur Astronomy Club

 

 

September, 2006

 

 

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From the President

Thinking back on the two perfect observing nights we had at Starport the last weekend in April, I remember thinking, “Gee, I hope having two perfect nights like this doesn’t mean that the summer will be a washout!” Now, with the new moon weekends of May, June, and July (all washouts) behind us I find myself looking forward to the fall.

 

The August new moon has yet to show us what it will produce for clear skies, but this amateur astronomer won’t be heading to dark sky country. If it is clear, I may see some of you at one of our local venues after attending the wedding of my good friend and NSAAC member Barrie Sawyer on August 26th! Congratulations to Barrie and Danni! I might add that I have been giving the two of them a lot of ribbing about getting married on a new moon weekend!

 

After discussing and weighing the issues involved with doing a Moose Dodge road trip to Rangeley Maine in September vs. having a club star party at Starport, the consensus was to celebrate the September new moon at Starport. In fact, not one member favored Rangeley over Starport. The logistics and issues involved with going to Rangeley (distance, gas, dealing with the Park Rangers, getting permission from the land owners, dodging moose, dodging bear hunters, no facilities at the observing site, etc.) were just too much for skies that are perhaps a fraction darker. So, a club star party will be held at Starport on the nights of September 22 and 23. I know of at least eight to ten members who are already planning to attend, so it could prove to be one of the premier observing events of the year! The bugs and humidity will be gone, and the transparent skies of Autumn will be upon us. Look for more information to be posted on the list server as the date approaches, or send me questions at president at nsaac.org.

 

Essays for the Astronomy magazine’s Out-of-this-world Award 2006 were submitted in July, and the winners will be chosen in September. Should we win, the monies will be used to buy a Coronado PST for the club, with the balance going to fund the Young Astronomer Program (YAP). This fall we will also be writing grant proposals to try and fund the YAP program which is planned for March of  next year.

 

The Telescope Clinic page is up on our website and is getting noticed. We received three inquiries about the program in July from people needing help with new telescopes, and the page is getting about a dozen hits per week. The wording on the page really needs to be redone with language that is clear and precise on what potential attendees need to do in order to participate. There has been some confusion; one person showed up and was mingling with Jim Foy and a Cub Scout star party without realizing that we were inside the building.

 

Please read the articles in this month’s newsletter regarding a planned work weekend at Veasey Memorial Park. We owe these folks some labor hours as part of our agreement with them and need a good turnout. Also, check out the articles on future entertainment and other items of interest.

 

Kevin Ackert

President

 

 

NSAAC Welcomes Our New Members:

Helmar Adler of Danvers

Paul Burnim of Bradford

Bob Fubel of Tewksbury

Bernard Hailson of Plaistow, NH

Robert McLellan of Andover

Steven Morrow of Everett

 

Jim Koerth,

Membership Director

 

 

Minutes of the NSAAC Business Meeting,
August 4th, 2006

President Ackert called the August Business Meeting of the NSAAC to order at 8:35 PM. President Ackert called for introduction of new members: There were three new members present: Bob Fubel, Robert McLellan, and Steven Morrow. Also in attendance was Robert McLellan’s wife. There were 11 members in attendance plus 7 Board members.  There was an official quorum. 

 

Secretary: Minutes of the June Business meeting were accepted by acclamation.

 

Treasurer:

Treasurer gave a modified report.

Treasurer recommended that the club transfer $1,000 to the land fund.  A motion was made to authorize the treasurer to transfer from the general account $1,000 to the land fund and to put said monies in an appropriate CD until it can be added to the land fund CD.  Motion passed.

 

Membership:

There have been 6 new members in the club since the last business meeting.

 

Committee Reports:


Merrimack College:

The status page is getting between 10 and 20 hits every Tuesday and Wednesday.  The computer and monitor in the dome have been updated and everything is working smoothly. 

 

Salem State:

The observatory will be reopen September 18th.   The mirror of the telescope needs to be cleaned and anyone interested in helping with the cleaning contact Dennis Gudzevich.

 

GO-ON Committee:

There was a galaxy hunt GO-ON hosted by Kevin Ackert and Michael Deneen held at Halibut Point June 17th.   Russ Pinizzotto will host a naked eye GO-ON in August.  See the newsletter for information for this event.

 

Star Parties:

Jim Foy hosted a star party for the Groveland Cub scouts tonight at VMP.  No other star parties scheduled.     

 

Young Astronomers Program:

The next program will be in March or April of next year and we plan to approach schools directly for participation.  The club will be pursuing grants this fall to fund the program.

 

Upcoming Events:

IRWS has sent a list of black out dates for no observing on Saturday nights.  The last date is October 28th.

 

The East Coast Conference on Astronomical Imaging will be held in Philadelphia on August 11th-13th.

 

The Connecticut River Valley Astronomy Conjunction will be held August 18th and 19th in Northfield, MA.  Registration fee is $16 and camping is $5 per night.  Kevin Ackert is planning on going and taking Godzilla.  Anyone interested in attending and helping with Godzilla, contact Kevin.

 

Old Business:

Salem State observatory volunteers have been working for a number of years and are growing tired and are looking for someone to receive training and perhaps to take over the program.  See Dennis Gudzevich if interested.

 

We need a volunteer to plan and coordinate the annual club picnic.  Without a volunteer there will be no club picnic.

 

The Board has applied for the Astronomy Magazine $2500 award.

 

We now have a telescope clinic page on our website.  Three people have contacted the club regarding help with there telescopes.

 

The Comcast e-mail problems have almost been resolved. 

 

New Business:

 

The question was raised about whether or not we want to have the Moose Dodge or go to Starport instead. The club voted to have a September observing session at Starport instead of Rangeley Maine.

 

The Club has established a Paypal Account that can be used to pay dues.

 

Because of the holiday schedules, the September meeting date will be on the 8th and the October meeting will be on the 13th.

 

Board Meeting will be Monday August 14th , at 8:00 PM at VMP.

 

Meeting adjourned at 9:45 PM.

 

Respectively submitted,
John Hobbs, Secretary NSAAC


Veasey Memorial Park Work Weekend

 

A work weekend at VMP is being planned for the weekend of September 8–10. Our agreement with VMP is to provide 50 labor hours per year, and we have none so far. This will most likely be the only call for work this year. An adequate turnout will satisfy VMP and our agreement. It is very important to our club for us to remain in good standing with them.

 

The work will be painting the hallways inside the building. The exact days are still being worked out, and a lot depends upon when people can work. So please email me if you are able to help and on which days. It is possible that some of the painting could be done on Friday the 8th, which is our meeting date, but most likely it will be on the Saturday or Sunday. If you are willing and able please email me ASAP at president at nsaac.org.

 

Kevin Ackert

 

Planned Observing Events

In addition to our regular scheduled observing nights at Veasey Memorial Park, and Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary, these events are being planned by NSAAC members. For more information on any of these events post a question to the list server or write to president at nsaac.org.

 

August 18 & 19 Connecticut River Valley Astronomer’s Conjunction. This event is close by in Northfield MA and a few club members are planning to attend. Kevin Ackert will be bringing the monster telescope (Godzilla). Information is available at http://www.philharrington.net/astroconjunction/

 

Sept 22 & 23 Star Party at Starport. At least ten members have said they will be attending this event. This could turn out to be THE event of 2006. All NSAAC members are welcome to attend, we just need to know that you are planning to come. Starport is about twenty miles west of Plymouth, NH. Write to president at nsaac.org for more information, or watch posting on the list server as the date approaches.

 

Star Party News

The next star party is Saturday, September 30, 2006 at Maudslay State Park, Curzon Mill Road, Newburyport, MA.  Telescope and program set-up is from 6:30 to 7:00PM.  The program runs from 7:00 to 7:30PM.  Observations are from 7:30 PM to about 9:00PM.  Typically, 25-50 people attend the program on a clear night.  At least one additional telescope is needed if the weather is good.

 

Maudslay State Park Driving Directions

 

Maudslay State Park is located in north-eastern Massachusetts, on the North Shore.
From north and south: Take Rte. 95, exit 57 to Rte. 113 east. Follow 113 east for half a mile and turn left on Noble St. At stop sign turn left onto Ferry Rd., bear left at fork and follow signs.
From west: Take I-495 exit 55 to Rte. 110 east. Continue 1 mile to Merrill St., turn right at second light. Continue on Merrill St./Spofford St. for 1.5 miles. Turn right before stop sign onto Ferry Rd., follow signs.

 

Jim Foy

Star Party Coordinator

 

 

Help Wanted

Below is a list of positions which need to be filled in our club. Please consider volunteering for one of these positions if you have the means. Please contact any Board member with questions about the positions.

 

Long Term Positions:

 

Collins Observatory -  Salem State: The same two people have been doing this job for years and are looking for someone to train to take over the observatory.

 

 

Entertainment for September

Kevin Ackert’s Constellation Conversation on Cygnus was postponed in August due to clear skies. He will present it at a later date to be announced. Russ Pinizzotto will entertain us after the September Business Meeting on the 8th. If the skies are clear, Russ will be doing an unaided eye GO-ON tour of the night sky. These have been very entertaining in the past! If we don’t have clear skies, Russ will be telling stories and showing pictures from his astronomy trek across the Southwest this summer.

 


Constellation Conversations

During my summer vacation, I prepared a Constellation Conversation on Cygnus to use for entertainment following a future meeting. These talks by members are on specific constellations and include history, mythology, brightest stars, and objects within. I have to tell you that putting together this PowerPoint presentation was both fun and rewarding! I now know more about the constellation Cygnus than any other in the sky! I would like to encourage any member to consider putting one of these together for a future entertainment night. Even new people to the hobby can do this; you don’t have to be a seasoned amateur. Remember, they are conversations, which means other attendees can/will fill in facts that you may have missed. One can take as long as they need to put it together, and then announce when you’d like to do it. If you choose a constellation you want to work on it would be a good idea to let me know. I will coordinate it so that two people aren’t working on the same one. Members wishing to do a future Constellation Conversation please write to president at nsaac.org.

 

Kevin Ackert

 

 

New Binocular Resource Page

Rick Margolies has put together a new Binocular Resource Page on our website! Thanks Rick for doing this. Check it out at http://www.nsaac.org/binolinks.shtml.

 

 

Getting to Veasey Memorial Park

From Interstate 95 north, take the Route 133 west (54B) exit, and follow it into Georgetown Center.  Go straight through the light, now on Route 97N.  Go about 1.5 miles and take a left onto Salem Street (Tea Garden Restaurant at this intersection).  Stay on Salem Street and turn left onto Washington Street. VMP is down a bit on the right.

 

Directions to all of the NSAAC observing sites are available on our web site's “About” page at:

        http://www.nsaac.org/about.htm

 

Contact Information

For more information about the club and its activities, contact Jim Koerth,  Membership Director, email: membership at nsaac.org or contact Kevin Ackert, President, e-mail at president at nsaac.org.  If you have no email access, you may phone Kevin Ackert at (978) 663-5305

 

Our club web site is: http://www.nsaac.org.

 

The Celestial Observer is edited by Leor Zolman. Feedback, and member contributions are welcome. Contact: newsletter at nsaac.org.

 

New development on the NSAAC web site is currently being coordinated and implemented by Mike Deneen. Suggestions regarding the content of the NSAAC web site are always welcome; Please email webmaster at nsaac.org with your ideas.