CAAS June Meeting Minutes / PMSP Star Party by Bill Engberg

Great Meeting at PMSP Saturday night.
Special thanks to Ranger Susan Staffeld who helped set up everything and even brought her excellent Celestron telescope for all the visitors to use…now that is a motivated Park Ranger!

About 75 people were in attendance “at one time,” when I did my head count, so many more came and went throughout the night. Boy Scouts and another boys/girls club (Venture?) showed up and many stayed until about 11:30pm to see the westerly Iridium flare.

CAAS Members on hand were:
Don and Carolaina Ferren, Pat and Sandy Morris, Carl Freyaldenhoven, Kevin Krug, Rocky Togni, Jim Dixon and Samantha and her 2 friends, Darrell Heath, Michael Norrell (new member with 10″ Meade!), Bill Sanders…and me, your humble scribe.  If you are a member and were not listed above, please email me.

We even helped put together a few scopes for people that had:
just bought them,
or had them in storage for years,
or had been given them…total success.

The puffy clouds disappeared by 10pm, and the viewing of Venus, Saturn, M81 and M82 were all fantastic.
Can’t wait for the next PMSP star party on 10 July. Mark your calendars!

Blue Skies
Bill

PMSP / Japanese site visit

C.A.A.S. Sky Commandos,
Very special thanks to Ron Salley and Brent Launius for authorizing us to be in the park after hours. You guys help make Arkansas a home run for our guests!

We all had a great time Friday night at PMSP visiting with each other and the 2 distinguished visitors from Japan. Mr Nakamura is a tour director, and Mr Shibayama is a Geology PhD/Director of the Natural Environmental Institute of Japan. They are doing the “initial site survey” for the big Japanese visit in August.

Who was there:
(see attached photo)
Mariko Cobb (Ar Tourism), Renee Robinson (Ar Tourism), Brent Launius (Park Ranger Extraordinaire!), Mr Nakamura, Mr Shibayama, Don and Carolaina Ferren, Carl Freyaldenhoven, Jim and Kathy Fisher, Paul Deeter, Jim Dixon and his daughter Samantha; John, Carol and their daughter Chelsea Reed; Don Lewis … and me…your humble scribe.

June and July:

Multiple Star parties at Pinnacle Mountain State Park mean that both CAAS monthly 7 p.m. meetings will be held at PMSP on June 12 and July 10

See http://www.caasastro.org for more details.

Blue Skies
Bill
Club Scribe