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Meeting Saturday, 11 Feb 7:00pm Presentation: Humble Hubble

Little Rockians and C.A.A.S. — Get fired up! —
Mark your calendars: Central Arkansas Astronomical Society’s next meeting (always the 2nd Sat of every month) is right around the corner and YOU and your FRIENDS are all invited.
Never been to a meeting …and know nothing about Astronomy?…then you need to come and join us!

Saturday, 11 Feb
7:00pm (19:00 for you military types)
River Ridge Observatory grounds in the clear, dark skies between the cities of Wye and Roland, AR.

Presentation for this month:
This is going to thrill ATMers (Amateur Telescope Makers) -and- people that want to tweak/fix their imperfect “big box store” telescopes to get max performance. Ray Jeter is going to present how he turned a humble collection of cheap/eBay/mall store “scope parts” into a compact wonder you can carry with one hand, yet captures the Heavens above with visual Image & Color perfection. If your bright “star” looks more like a bright “starfish” then you need to hear his tips, then your Reflector telescope can become a humble Hubble in your own back yard.

DOOR PRIZE:

All in attendance are eligible for the drawing for 2 more HUBBLE‘s best space pics photo books.

We’ll be getting an updates regarding:

William Bryden — he is designing CAAS shirts for 2012

Jim Fisher — CAAS business cards are in for every member and guest. Also, an update on our 501C status.

Need to learn how to use your scope?

We can help teach you… parents or kids. All you need is a love of the night’s sky and a sense of wonder in your heart, shooting stars, nebula and galaxies …await you together with friends. If you are bringing a scope you want to learn how to use, contact us so we can set your scope up BEFORE sunset (5:45pm)

After the short welcome and meeting at 7 p.m., skies permitting, we will adjourn to the observing field for fun and fellowship under the planets and stars.

If you need directions to the River Ridge Observatory, please email info@caasastro.org and they will email you the coordinates for Google as well as the password protected Driving Directions located on our website http://www.caasastro.org/category/dreictions-to-caas . Possibly, even meet up with a staff member in L.R. and you can follow our car as we drive to the site…or or maybe even arrange a ride with a staff member if you need a ride.

Become part of our family and friends. You don’t even need to own a scope. All are welcome.

Blue Skies
Bill
Servant to the amazing members of C.A.A.S., Skipper of the Big Dipper, Club President

Next Monthly Meeting is January 14th at 7 PM at River Ridge Observatory

The Central Arkansas Astronomical Society (C.A.A.S.) will hold its 1st Meeting of 2012 on Saturday,  Jan 14,  7 p.m.  in the clear, dark skies of the River Ridge Observatory (between the cities of Wye and Roland, AR) . Meetings are always the second Saturday of each month.

Never looked through a telescope? YOU are invited! Like looking at the stars, but don’t know a thing about them? Come and bring your friends! You don’t need to be a member to attend and there is no charge to visit; see and look through all the other scopes; learn how to use “that telescope you were given as a gift”;  and love the beauty of the night’s sky, shooting stars, nebula and galaxies …together with friends. All are welcome.

DOOR PRIZE: That night, all in attendance are eligible for the drawing for 2 more HUBBLE‘s best space pics photo books.

–All, please email or bring a list of Presentation Topics you’d like to hear for 2012 and we’ll share/compile them during the meeting. If you think of one or many topics, maybe someone else will jump on one idea and they will give a 5 minute – 45 minute presentation on it later this year.

If you want to present a topic  [ YOU WOULD BE MY HERO ]  let me know so the secretary and I can schedule it on the month you want, and advertise it to the gang.  

You do NOT need to be an expert, just talk about what you love and what you learned. ( p.s.  I didn’t know a thing about the Mayan 2012 Calendar until I Googled and Wiki’ed everything )

Hopefully we’ll be getting an updates regarding:

   William Bryden — he is designing shirts for 2012 with Carolaina helping with info from last order.

    Jim Fisher — ordering CAAS business cards and fixing “tax exempt” 501C status with local tax lawyer. On that note, I’ll be moving that the Club pay for all the Cards and distribute 20 or more per year to every member…so we can actually do membership outreach “that works” by giving out a card in the dark (or at work / school / church)  rather than hoping guests and strangers remember a funny-spelling-acronym-filled-website-name …24 hours later.

After the short welcome and meeting at 7 p.m., skies permitting, we will adjourn to the observing field for fun and fellowship under the planets and stars.

If you need directions to the River Ridge Observatory, please email info@caasastro.org and they will email you the coordinates for Google as well as the password protected Driving Directions located on our website   Directions to CAAS .

I wish you a blessed New Year and amazing 2012.

Blue Skies

  Bill Engberg

   C.A.A.S. el Presidente, Boss of the Bolides, Captain of the Van Allen’s …and chief bottle washer

Notice of Annual Meeting and Potluck

The Central Arkansas Astronomical Society will hold its Annual Meeting on the evening of Saturday, December 10, 2011, 7 p.m., at the River Ridge Observatory.  In accordance with the CAAS By Laws the “annual meeting of the membership shall be held before, after, or in place of the regular December meeting each year, at such time and place designated in the notice for such meeting, for the purposes of receiving reports on the operation of the corporation, election for officers, and transacting related business.”

The lone matter of official business will be the election of the 2012 Officers and Board members. The following members have been nominated for the 2012 CAAS leadership positions:

Bill Engberg                          President

Eric Walker                            Vice President

Jim Fisher                              Secretary

Andy Reed                             Treasurer

Jim Fisher                              Immediate Past President

Jim Dixon                               Board

Carl Freyaldenhoven             Board

John Reed                             Board

Coy Scott                               Board

Further nominations will be accepted from the floor just prior to the election.  All active CAAS members may participate in voting.

Holiday themed pot luck:  All CAAS members and guests are invited to bring potluck dishes.  Set up will begin at 4 p.m. Social hour and observing on the observing field beginning at  5 p.m.  Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. in the classroom.  The brief business meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Clouds permitting will adjourn to the observing field for fun and fellowship under the full moon and stars.

Please email jrfisher7@gmail.com if you plan to attend (no regrets please) and the dish or food item you plan to bring.

If you need directions to the River Ridge Observatory, please email info@caasastro.org.

Note:  We do NOT need any plastic plates, cups or service ware as the club has plenty.  In the event of an inclement weather forecast, we will move the meeting to the Whole Hog Café, 2516 Cantrell Road Little Rock, Arkansas 72202 with food service provided by the restaurant pay as you go (no pot luck necessary).