ASTRONOMY CLUB NEWSLETTER

CLUB EVENTS
Overhead, debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle--about the size of grains of sand--will be traveling 30 miles per second and vaporize into incandescent streaks as they incinerate in Earth's protective blanket of air. The Moon will be half full (first quarter) in the south so the sky won't be truely dark until around 1:00 a.m. But we may see a few bright meteors, as always, and we'll have telescopes to view Venus, Mars, the Moon, Uranus, Neptune and Jupiter. And, hey, R e l a x! You don't need a computer or a telescope or a beeper or your cellular phone. You needn't make a sound. Want to just lie on your blanket, soak up some starlight, leave without saving anything to anyone--it's OK!. Or you might ask an anonymous question in the dark and we will try to supply an answer. Its about the most low-key low-tech way to "learn" about the sky that we can imagine! We hope you and your friends will join us.

What to bring? Binoculars (optional), warm clothes, something relaxing to sit or lie on, mosquito repellant, a flashlight in a paper bag or with a red filter (to keep lights dim). Please remember that the school's restrooms are not available.

How to get there? Fairfield School is located at the intersection of Road 32 and Road 96. Take Russell Blvd (Road 32) west 4 miles beyond the Highway 113 overcrossing until you come to Road 96. Watch for the school crossing sign; the school is on the right side corner. There is a big grassy area (for chairs and blankets) and an area of asphalt (for telescopes, etc).

Note: the June newsletter stated that the meeting would be on August 12, but, because the evening of the 11th is closer to the 1:15 a.m. (PDT) "new peak" time, and because the Moon would be a little less obtrusive, the meeting date was changed to Monday August 11.

Our June Meeting, CheckOut These Mounts, included slides of some unusual telescopes built over the past 300 years. Each type of telescope mount, including the German equatorial, has its distinct advantages and disadvantages. We had on hand examples of various types of mounts available for amateur telescopes such as: ball and socket, Dobsonian, yoke, isostatic, and, of course, German equatorial. Alvin Huey and Tim Feldman brought their own hand made scopes and demonstrated put them through their paces in a very windy observing session after the slide show. The Club also wishes to thank Ralph Cummings, for loaning us the "loaner" Astroscan Telescope from The Naturalist in Davis for the evening. We observed the Ring Nebula in Lyra , the globular star cluster in Hercules, tiny Mars, an then we witnessed the rising of the southernmost full Moon of the year.

SEE YOU IN AUGUST!

The Astronomy Club is hosted by Dennis Smith with the assistance of Tim Feldman and other eager astronomy buffs. The club is for everyone - adults, children, knowledgeable or ignorant. Come to listen, look and learn, or to share your expertise or experience.