[The background above is part of an image by the Hubble Space Telescope of the Crescent Nebula.]

WHERE: AT EXPLORIT Science Center, 3141 5th Street, Davis.

Due to changes in the leadership of the club, we've decided to let the new leader(s) determine when and where and what the next meeting of the Club will be. It could be a special speaker on the space program, or perhaps the remainder of the video on the moons of the solar system that we saw at the previous meeting or something else.

If you are interested in the future direction of the Astronomy club, please attend the "Astronomy Club Future" at Explorit, on Wednesday the 23rd of October at 7:00 p.m.

---------------------------

September Meeting On Moons. We had a lot of fun and about 30 attendees at the September Meeting. We saw approximately 1/2 of an entertaining and informative video produced by the Discovery Channel, entitled: 95 WORLDS AND COUNTING. It was an impressive combination of computer-generated graphics and interviews with planetary astronomers to take us "where the real action is... the moons!" Jane Smith brought punch and cookies-- a wonderful surprise! Tim Feldman took the attendees outside for a complete telescopic tour of the heavens, and Joseph Roeper had his telescope and expertise on hand for views of special objects. Suzanne Ullensvang, Explorit's Executive Director, extended kind complements to the club's retiring "host," Dennis Smith. We had a great time! Thanks to all who attended and helped make it a success!

-----------------

Don't forget the celebration and fun scheduled for Explorit for the afternoon on Sunday the 6th of October. Help Explorit Science Center celebrate 20 years of hands-on discovery by coming to Explorit's 20th Anniversary Celebration. Live music, demonstrations, food, and hands-on activities for the whole family. Check out the reptile petting zoo. Ride the Whymcycles, unique bi-, tri- or quadracycles designed by Peter Wagner. Meet Sir Isaac Newton and other scientists from history. Tour the last 20 years by exploring an interactive computer history exhibition. See the newly expanded exhibit hall. 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. at Explorit Science Center, 3141 5th Street, Davis. The celebration is free and appropriate for all ages. Call (530) 756-0191

---------------

Another Leonid Meteor Storm? It is possible that there will be good seeing during the Leonid meteor shower of 2002 despite a lot of moonlight. Sky and Telescope's November number (page 98) is predicting the first peak to occur at 4:00 Universal Time on November 19. That's November 18th at 8 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST), and a second peak 6 and one-half hours later, on November 19 at 10:36 UT. For us, that's November 19th at 2:00 a.m., PST. You can keep tabs on the latest projections at http://leonid.arc.nasa.gov/1998.html

---------------------

Clearer Skies and (at last!) Cooler Temperatures!
----- ----- --- ----- ----- -----

----- ----- --- ----- ----- -----