ASTRONOMY CLUB OF TULSA

OBSERVER

May 2001

http://www.b-its.com/astroclub

ACT, Inc. has been meeting continuously since 1937 and was incorporated in 1986. It is a nonprofit; tax deductible organization dedicated to promoting, to the public, the art of viewing and the scientific aspect of astronomy.

What

Astronomy Club of Tulsa Meeting

When

Friday, May 4, 2001 at 7:30 PM

Where

Room M1 inside Keplinger Hall, the Science & Engineering Building at TU.

Enter the parking lot on the East Side of Keplinger Hall from

Harvard and 5th Street. This will take you directly toward the

staircase to enter the building. Room M1 is the first room on the left.

   

Notes from the President

John Land

Fri May 4 - Chris Brown, Physics and Astronomy, professor at Tulsa Community College will present a lecture on the astronomer Edmund Halley.

Chris is an active member of our club and always has some interesting insights to share with us. Many of our new members are referred to the club through his classes and activities in astronomy.

 Sir Edmond Halley was quite a discoverer. Born in 1656, he computed in 1705 that a bright comet was periodic and would make another appearance in 1758. The comet appeared as predicted and is now known as Comet Halley. Unfortunately, Halley died in 1742 and never saw his prediction come true. In 1716 Halley proposed two types of diving bells that would enable people to explore the deep sea. Halley pioneered our understanding of trade winds, tides, cartography, naval navigation, mortality tables, and stellar proper motions. Perhaps Halley's greatest discovery, however, was that his contemporary Isaac Newton had discovered a powerful mathematical formulation of gravity. http://apod.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap960706.html

 

Up coming Club meetings and events:

Meeting Friday June 8 may have to be rescheduled to Thurs June 7

Watch for June Newsletter

Midstates Astronomical Convention - June 8, 9, 10 - Conway, Arkansas

See details below.

Club Star Parties - May 18, June 22, July 20, Aug 10 – 12

During the warmer months many club members and their guests enjoy gathering at the club's observatory for an evening of observing and visiting with friends. For the new comers to astronomy this is a great chance to see different types of telescopes and enjoy a variety of celestial objects. Our observatory features a 16-inch telescope and classroom area. We also have about an 1.5 acres of open ground for setting up your own equipment. This is a great time to begin work on one of the observing certificate programs offered by the Astronomical League. Families are welcome but children MUST be supervised. You can see more about the observatory at our website. The Observatory is open at club star parties and other scheduled events. If you plan to go at other times Gerry Andries or a club officer should be notified. Due to our remote location it is not advised for observers to go alone. See schedule of events below.

   

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

We are still in need for volunteers to bring/ operate scopes at the events of May 4th at Zink ranch and on July 17th or 19th at Kansas, OK. The lady at Kansas is willing to PAY YOUR EXPENSES for that one, so it might make you a nice expense free trip to a vacation spot. If you are at all interested, let Gerry know and he will forward you the email she sent to the club.

The following is the current schedule of star parties and public groups. Tentatively scheduled dates are bracketed with question marks. All events are at the RMCC unless noted otherwise:

MAY

05-01-01 Tue 19:45 Monte Cassino 8th Grade Grp1 (30)

05-03-01 Thu 19:45 Back up for 05-01-01

05-04-01 Fri Girl Scouts (at Zink Ranch) (80 to 100)

05-05-01 Sat 19:45 Monte Cassino 8th Grade Grp2 (30)

05-05-01 Sat Girl Scouts (at Zink Ranch) (80 to 100)

05-18-01 Fri 20:00 Club Star Party back up night Saturday

05-26-01 Sat 19:45 Webelo Pack 188 (will also camp)

JUNE

06-19-01 Tue 20:00 Tulsa Math Equity Academy (35)

06-22-01 Fri 18:00 Club Star Party & Picnic - back up night Saturday

JULY

? 07-17-01 Tue Kansas, OK Public Library (At location near Kansas, OK) ?

? 07-19-01 Tue Back Up for 07-17-01 ?

07-20-01 Fri 18:00 Club Star Party & Picnic - back up night Saturday

AUG

08-10-01 Fri ACT Club Picnic and Possible Camp Out ? (Location to be determined)

08-11-01 Sat ACT Club Picnic and Camp Out

Perseid Meteor Shower 8-11 & 8-12

08-12-01 Sun ACT Club Picnic and Camp Out

? 08-17-01 Fri Tulsa Bicycle Club w/ Ed Kirkman ?

? 08-18-01 Sat Tulsa Bicycle Club w/ Ed Kirkman ?

To help Contact Gerry Andries - Phonegmandries@juno.com

   

The 2001 MidStates Convention June 8, 9, 10

Conway, Arkansas

The Central Arkansas Astronomical Society is pleased to announce the annual meeting of the Mid-States Regional Convention of the Astronomical League on June 8, 9, 10 at Hendrix College, Conway, Arkansas located in a Scenic Central Arkansas.

The keynote speaker will be Robert Reeves of San Antonio, Texas. Robert’s talk will be titled "Astrophotography For The Rest Of Us." So named because few of us can shoot the sky like Jack Newton or Tony Hallas. Robert will explain how we can create our own stunning celestial images with easily available equipment. He is a magazine and book author and teaches astronomy at both the Northeast Independent School District and the Alamo Community College District in San Antonio. He has written many dozens of astronomy articles for Astronomy Magazine, The Astrograph, The Reflector, Amateur Astronomy Magazine, and Deep Sky and Deep Sky Journal. Astrophotography has been a passion of his since 1960. Other features of the convention include an observing night, Catfish fry, door prizes and several other speakers. If you want to present a paper, contact them at their website.

Regional and National Astronomy conventions are a great place to meet people active in their hobby of astronomy and find out what other clubs are doing in the region. There are lots of astronomy equipment vendors and swap meets at these events so you can check out the latest equipment or pick up a bargain or two. Our Tulsa Club may have an opportunity to host the 2002 convention in Tulsa. We would like to be well represented at this year’s event to find out how to organize such an event.

More Information - Registration forms and lodging reservations forms are available at their website. http://www.propermotion.com/msral/ Forms will also be available at our May 4th meeting or by contacting John Land at.

   

The Astronomy Club of Tulsa wishes to thank Rex McDaniel of Astro Stuff in Dover, Arkansas for the door prizes he donated for the April and May club meetings. Astro Stuff carries a complete line of Celestron, Meade and Orion products. They can be reached on the Web at www.astrostuff.com, or by calling 501-331-3773. Their order phone number is 877-739-2787.

   

Astronomy Club of Tulsa, 918.688.MARS

President: John Land

Vice President: Dennis Mishler

Secretary: Teresa Kincannon

Treasurer: Nick Pottorf

RMCC Observatory Manager: Gerry Andries

Observing Chairman: David Stine

Web Master: Tom McDonough

New Membership: Dennis Mishler

Librarian: Ed Reinhart

Education Coordinator: Scott Parker