Minutes from the December 8, 2012 Monthly Meeting

Holiday Dinner

 

We had our annual Holiday dinner tonight.  There are a lot of great cooks in CAAS!  It was a tasty feast!  This year, we had the dinner at the CAAS River Ridge Observatory in the new clubhouse.

 

Annual Election

 

A meeting was held after dinner.  The annual election of officers and board members was conducted during the meeting.  Nominations from the floor were called for.  However, there were no nominations from the floor.  William Engberg moved, and Bruce McMath seconded a motion that the nominations of the nominating committee be accepted.  The motion passed.

 

Officers for 2013

 

President – Darrell Heath

Vice President – Coy Scott

Secretary – Christina Lynn

Treasurer – Jim Dixon

 

Board Members for 2013

 

Danny Flippo

Carl Freyaldenhoven

Chris Lasley

John Reed

 

Other Business

 

Darrell Heath told us about a $5,000 grant proposal he is preparing to submit to NASA for CAAS.  The grant would be to help with outreach activities.  The grant would be used to purchase 6 pairs of binoculars, a solar telescope, and a 14 inch diameter Orion SkyQuest XX14g GoTo Truss Tube Dobsonian Telescope.  Man hours by CAAS at outreach events would count as our matching funds for the grant.  We will need to keep track of man hours to report those to NASA if we receive the grant.

 

Darrell Heath and Andrew Hradesky showed us Andrew’s Orion SkyQuest XX14g GoTo Truss Tube Dobsonian Telescope.  We were all very impressed!

 

 

 

Melanie and Andrew Hradesky passed around a sample of the 2013 calendar of astronomy photos taken by CAAS members.  Melanie presented costs of producing various size batches of calendars.  A batch of 50 to 100 would cost $10/calendar to manufacture.  It was decided that CAAS would order a batch of calendars and charge $15 per calendar.  Members wrote down on the attendance roster how many calendars they wished to order.

 

A collection of $100 was taken up to help finance a child’s trip to space camp.

 

Our guests introduced themselves.

 

Door Prizes

 

Carl and Carol Freyaldenhoven donated a Monopoly Astronomy game for a door prize.  The lucky winner was Steve Block.

 

Hubble photograph books donated by William Engberg were also given away as door prizes.  Winners of the Hubble photograph books were Rocky Togni, Melanie Hradesky, Nathan James, and Carol Freyaldenhoven.

 

Announcements

 

Two impressive comets are expected next year.  One of them may be visible during the day!

 

William Engberg is donating a plaque with lists of former CAAS officers and board members.  There will be space on the plaque to add new officers and board members each year.

 

Rock Togni announced that the program for the January meeting will be about Outreach.  There will be a Constellation of the Month presentation also.

 

On December 18, Darrell will appear on KARK to talk about the Mayan Doomsday Event.

 

The Mayan Doomsday Event will be at the CAAS River Ridge Observatory on Friday, December 21.  Solar observing with Ardent, Bill’s 24 inch diameter telescope, will be from noon to 3 PM.  There will be an indoor PowerPoint presentation at 3 PM.  There will be observing from 5 PM to 10 PM.

 

 

 

Twenty nine members and guests attended the October meeting.

 

CAAS Members and Guests In Attendance

 

  • Steve Block
  • Steven A. Caldwell
  • Matt Christenson
  • TJ Colvin
  • Jack Dixon
  • Jim Dixon
  • William Engberg
  • Carl Freyaldenhoven
  • Carol Freyaldenhoven
  • Roger Gudith
  • Mandolin Hams
  • Darrell Heath
  • Andrew Hradesky
  • Melanie Hradesky
  • Nathan James
  • Chris Lasley
  • Christina S. Lynn
  • Bruce McMath
  • John Reed
  • Bill Sanders
  • Kay Sanders
  • Coy Scott
  • Aly Sienorelli
  • Bryan Sienorelli
  • Carol Togni
  • Rocky Togni
  • Mitch Vire
  • Nick Vire
  • Eric Walker

 

Respectfully Submitted,

 

Coy Scott

CAAS Secretary