Year: 2011

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MSRAL Conference 2011/ Mulberry Mountain Star Party – May 20th -21st

Registration is now open for the 2011 Mid-States Region of The Astronomical League (MSRAL).  This year’s MSRAL annual convention is being held in conjunction with the fourth annual Mulberry Mountain Star Party on Friday, May 20 and Saturday May 21, 2011.  Registration for the conference can be completed at this link: http://www.aoas.org/staticpages/index.php?page=convention Hurry; registration fees go up after May 8th!  The event location is the Mulberry Mountain Lodging and Events (MML&E) resort north of Ozark, Arkansas, on Arkansas Highway 23 (I-40 exit 35) – the world renown “Pig Trail Scenic Byway.”  Located in the heart of the Ozark National Forest, MML&E boasts some of the darkest skies in Arkansas.  MML&E also offers cabins, pull-through RV sites, and improved tent camp sites with water, electricity and showers. Virtually unlimited primitive campsites are also available with limited water and electricity, with no shower hookups.  MML&E’s website is at: http://www.mulberrymountainlodge.com You may also contact MML&E by phone at 800-667-1919 or 479-667-1919 or email at mulberrymountain@aol.com for further information or to make reservations.  Other lodging options are found in relatively nearby Ozark (20 minutes), Clarksville (40 mins.), and Van Buren (40 mins.).

Our friends at Arkansas – Oklahoma Astronomical Society are hosting the event, but CAAS is a heavy hitter in this event.  Our own John Reed, Rocky Togni and Jim Fisher are slated to present papers at the conference on Saturday.  In addition MARS/CAAS alum, astronomy instructor, writer and EarthSky.org contributor Larry Session will deliver the key note address. AOAS has also asked if CAAS members are interesting in volunteering to manage the registration table.  If you are interested, please send an email to AOAS President Dave Grosvold at dgrosvold@aoas.org and to Jim Fisher at jrfisher7@gmail.com.

The MSRAL Conference 2011 also has a Facebook page.  If you are on Facebook, please join the fun at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mid-States-Region-of-The-Astronomical-League-Conference-2011/180524685326923?ref=ts

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Minutes from the May 2011 Meeting

Newton’s 1st Law of Telescopes: Change the World by seeing the Heavens

by Bill Engberg

Another excellent night at CAAS with a great meeting and great people.

Jim Fisher and John Reed gave an amazing Presentation with historical pictures and instructions on how Newton created the first “Newtonian reflector” telescope and how it impacted Science, History and even the designs of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and modern amateur telescopes. The discussion further went into John Dobson and his taking of the Newtonian to the next level by creating the “Dobsonian” telescope that was easy to build which made bigger telescopes “attainable” by the general public. Then, they brought out the Club’s 10″ Dobsonian (a Newtonian Reflector) and showed the design elements of it, how to take care of it, how to align the mirrors and gave further hands on demonstrations to include discussions of how easy it is to use and to take “iPhone photos” through the eyepiece (becoming a big hit with visitors at the star parties at PMSP!)

Great lessons and images. Thank you both!

Wade Van Arsdale showed off the incredibly generous donation of having the East Observatory building sealed with paint and then professionally overlaid with high quality siding. It looks amazing and will last for generations! Wade is so generous to CAAS and he supports our grounds/efforts/outreach in so many ways. This project/donation cost him $2000, and we are so grateful.

Eric Walker and his dad ( a professional builder in construction ) have donated much of their time and assets to come on site and design, fabricate and custom build 2 incredible awnings that will soon be installed over both doors on our Classroom. You guys are superheroes! We can’t wait to see them as soon as they are installed.

ALL: If you have a talent/business/personal skill and would like a tax write off, any “board approved” project you do for CAAS and our grounds will generate

1) much appreciation from all members,

2) public recognition for you and/or hopefully more customer traffic for your business

3) a nice tax write off when we provide you the valuable donation receipt for your annual taxes.

Simply contact any of our board members if you would like to help. Anything from repainting our picnic tables, TShirt printing, to donating your CPA / lawyer / professional skills are greatly appreciated.

-Who else was at the Meeting?

Jim and Kathy Fisher
Carl Freyaldenhoven
Roger Gudith
Allen Lee
Pat Morris
Andy Reed
John Reed
Coy Scott
Wade Van Arsdale
Eric Walker

Rocky and Carol Togni

Bill Engberg…your club scribe.

-Upcoming Programs and Events (as always, see website for updates)

· May 20th – 22nd – Mid-States Region of the Astronomical League conference and star party at Mulberry Mountain Lodging and Events resort, Ozark, Arkansas

· Jun 11 CAAS Meeting/ Program: Double Stars

· July 9 CAAS Meeting/ Program: Meteors

· Aug 13 CAAS Meeting/ Program: Comets

· Sept 10 CAAS Meeting/ Program: Mayan Calendar (2012)

· Oct 8 CAAS Meeting/ Program: Int’l Observing the Moon

Blue Skies
Bill
Club Scribe