The Celestial Observer March, 1999

Another Birthday! The club is ten years old. I remember (vaguely) when I turned this age. I thought it was great that my age had two digits rather than one and I really looked forward to the party. I can now overlook my own birthdays - had too many - but I wouldn't miss the Club's 10th anniversary party.

Illane Walberg and her band of party planners have gone to great lengths to put together a wonderful evening. Fine foods, good music, and convivial company, all at no charge ! Dennis Gudzevich has gone to great lengths to find some of our former members and officers to get them to attend. For those who weren't around in the early years, please come along and meet some of the people who were very important to the founding of the club.

This is also election month. The nominating committee has come up with a slate of club officers for the membership's consideration. Others who want to run for office can also do so from the floor at the March meeting. Competition is welcome ! See later in the newsletter for details.

Clear, Dark Skies!

John Gall
President

The Observer's Guide Reprinted

Several years ago there was a series of Observer's Guide's to the constellations that served as an excellent guide to the night sky. Unfortunately, the publication went out of print, but not until a small number of our members picked up part of the last press run at bargain prices. Dave Thomas reports that the series has now been updated and reprinted, and are being offered for sale. The club will be looking into bulk purchases. We've asked members who have copies of the older prints to bring them to the next meeting, and expect to be ordering them in the near future.

Tenth Anniversary Party

Whether you joined this club because you needed advice on buying your next piece of equipment or because you longed to find others who shared the beauty and awe of the cosmos, you were welcome. This was the whole intent of the original founders of the North Shore Amateur Astronomy Club.

We didn't want to be an exclusive society of serious researchers, nor simply another social club, we wanted to create an atmosphere of acceptance for all who enjoyed astronomy! We wanted to invite everyone and show them that astronomy was not all focal lengths, redshifts and astronomical units, but that there was beauty and peace, fun and fellowship under the stars as well.

From an earlier celebration

This month, we celebrate 10 wonderful years of comradeship! To mark this auspicious occasion, we are trying to put together a party worthy of our estimable membership. This is a party not only to thank those who have contributed so much of their time and energy to make this club what it is today, but also to show appreciation for all our members, old and new! To embody that appreciation, we're coordinating an effort to transform and ordinary function room into a truly celestial gathering. We've found a DJ to play songs from Mahler to Ziggy Stardust. We've discovered among our number, Max, a man of extraordinarily creative culinary talent, who will be whipping up a veritable buffet feast, including both meat and vegetarian lasagna, sausages and meatballs enough to satisfy the hardiest appetite, not to mention festive cheese, fruit and vegetable platters and, naturally, a cake. We've entreated the SHARE coordinators to set up the SHARE system, live! (clear skies permitting ).

This is a club-sponsored party: no donation required! All we need now is YOU! In an effort to anticipate the number attending, we have asked that people RSVP, but if for any reason, you haven't been able to respond, please come anyway - no reservations are required!

Date:		Saturday, March 13th
Time:		7pm
Location:	Veasey Memorial Park in Groveland
Dress:		Casual (naturally!)
Guests:		Family, SO, and potential members  welcome!

If you haven't already RSVP'ed, please contact Ilane (see below) or any of the club officers by March 7th. Anyone wishing to volunteer to help decorate on the evening of March 12th or help cook on March 13th, please give Ilane a call in the afternoons or evenings at (781) 596-0556 or email mw@tiac.net at any time.

Elections of Officers

Nominating Committee Gary Fenton reports that the following slate of officers will be presented to the club at the March meeting:

President John Gall Vice President Dave Fournier Secretary Barrie Sawyer Treasurer Chris McCarthy Membership Director Dave Thomas

Any other member wishing to hold a seat can do so at the meeting. If you are interested, throw your hat into the ring: you might be surprised. Also, remember that following the election of officers we traditionally elect members-at-large. These individuals serve as representatives of the membership at the Board meetings, and prevent the officers from absconding with the club's treasury ! For those who might be interested in holding an office, but who want to "get their feet wet" first, this is a good way to do so. Nominations for member at large are taken from the floor during the meeting.

Membership Renewal

Just a reminder that club dues for the year 1999-2000 are now due. Dues, which remain at only $18 per year, represent quite a bargain compared to other expenses. Please forward your dues as soon as possible, and please fill in and return the membership survey. Remember, if you ar not paid up by the April meeting, we'll be forced to cancel your subscription to this wonderful newsletter !

Business Meeting Minutes, Meeting of February 5, 1999

1. Attendance/Welcome - Meeting opened 8:10 p.m about 15 members present. Vice President Dave Fournier presiding.

2. New members and Guests - Membership Director - No report, Director absent

3. Previous Months Business Meeting Minuets - Minutes of snowy January Business Meeting accepted

4. Treasury Report - Treasurer, report was given, some software "bugs" to work out, dues, survey, and magazine subscription Information was discussed.

5. Committee Reports

A. Program Chairman - Dennis Gudzevich.

No program tonight due to clear skies!

B. SOCS SSC (Observatory Committee Staff) - Ric Shanahan. A SSC Professor is bringing his class up to Observatory ! The Observatory stairs have been removed to facilitate new cables, the worker hurt his back, hence the construction was slowed. Ric mentioned, Blaine Bjornstad is taking over the painting of the Solar Scope… his daughters would like to do the work !! (Let's hope they don't get any ideas from the Sunday night movie - "The 60's"

C. Merrimack College - Greg Pearce/Ralph Pass - Greg says clouds as usual

D. ALCOR - Mary Ann Piotrowicz - Mary Ann passed around a large book of Observatory plates mailed free to her by Dr. Martin Snow of U. Colorado. She mentioned that ALCOR has many more manuals available: Variables, Sunspots, Planetaries, Asteroids etc. Mary Ann mentioned a Web Page (forgot the name) which may become the largest Astronomical web page !

E. VMP - Dave Fournier - We had company this evening, and some of the folks visited the members in the parking lot…all the lights were off!

6. Activities

Past - Discussion about Bagnall Star Party and "the little girls" with the "Big" questions.

Star Parties - Future - mentioned 2/22, and 2/24 and hope for more assistance

7. Old Business

A. It was moved and voted to spend $300.00 for the Anniversary event. A sign-up sheet for the event was passed around. Later that evening we checked out the downstairs hall. We need to consider where the tables and chairs will come from!

B. Dave Fournier spoke to Nanci Olstein, North Shore Mall Marketing Manager about setting up tables for Astronomy Day in May. She said the Mall does not allow single group events. They prefer multi-groups with perhaps radio or tv coverage. Several members spoke against mall participation.

1. New Business

A. NSAAC Board meeting is Tues. Feb. 16 at 8:00p.m. at VMP

B. Gary Fenton is beginning his "arm twisting" and "taking names" for club officers!!

C. The members were informed of the ASSNE (Astronomical Society of Southern New England) trip to NE Astrofest in Sufferyn, NY.

D. The club dues and survey were mailed, many members passed it on to Chris McCarthy.

E. Other New Business - Ric Shannahan brought in the Jan. 25,1999 Salem Evening News with the article "Eyes on the Skies." He mentioned the club was mentioned as well as Barrie Sawyer. Great Press!!

G. Motion to Adjourn - 9:00 p.m.

Directions to the NSAAC Observing Site

The NSAAC meets regularly on clear Friday nights in Groveland, MA at Veasey Memorial Park, 201 Washington Street. Observing begins around dusk throughout the year. If the sky is only marginally clear, members may not be present to observe on that night. Monthly business meetings are held on the first night Friday of the month at 8:00 p.m.

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 a short distance down on the right

For more information about the club and its activities, call Barrie Sawyer, Membership Director at 978-922-0489 or contact John Gall, President, e-mail at M104@aol.com. Better yet, visit our Web Site at http://www.nsaac.org.

Please support those who support us.

Star.net is our internet service provider, please look them up if you need internet service.

Additionally, the Phoenix Press in Groveland provides printing services for our monthly newsletter. Please consider them for any printing needs you may have.

Lastly, we'd like to make special note of those people who have made generous contributions in support of the SHARE program, including Lucent Technologies and that inestimable gentleman, Harry Chase at F. C. Meichsner Co, in Boston. If you need to equip a telephone company see Lucent. If you need a telescope, see Harry.

Highlights of the March Sky

1	The moon passes 0.2° north of Regulus, 5 a.m. EST
2	Full moon is at 1:58 a.m. EST
3	Mercury is at greatest eastern elongation (18°), 8 a.m. EST
6	The moon passes 3° north of Mars, 9 p.m. EST
8	The moon is at apogee (251,501 miles from Earth), 12:09 a.m. EST
10	Last quarter moon is at 3:40 a.m. EST
13	The moon passes 1.4° north of Neptune, 6 p.m. EST
14	The moon passes 1.3° north of Uranus, 3 p.m. EST
17	New moon is at 1:48 p.m. EST
18	Mars is stationary, 5 a.m. EST; The moon passes 3° south of Jupiter, 6 a.m. EST
19	Mercury is in inferior conjunction, 2 p.m. EST;The moon is at perigee (225,724 miles from Earth), 7:16 p.m. EST;The moon passes 5° south of Venus, 8 p.m. EST;The moon passes 3° south of Saturn, 10 p.m. EST
20 	Venus passes 3° north of Saturn, 4 p.m. EST; Vernal equinox is at 8:46 p.m. EST
22	The moon passes 0.6° north of Aldebaran, 1 p.m. EST
24	First quarter moon is at 5:18 a.m. EST
28	Asteroid Flora is at opposition, 8 a.m. EST; The moon passes 0.3° north of Regulus, 11 a.m. EST
31	Full moon is at 5:49 p.m. EST
From Astronomy Magazine' web page: www.astronomy.com
 

Seibel Sightings

There were none this month, and our most recent calculations indicate that he has gone to the other side of the planet. We'll suspend reporting on these events until we get confirmation of his return. Or, until we need additional filler at the end of the newsletter.