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02 FEB 2009.Wps IN THIS ISSUE: Event Calendar, IYA, News Note FEBRUARY 2009 Minutes of the January 2009 Meeting MVAS Reminders: Do. Dues is due. MVAS Activities: Events calendar Observer’s Notes: The Celestial Bear Letter to the Editor: The Brashear letter MVAS Story: A Day to Remember: 1946-51 MVAS Homework: M-41, Sirius Homework Charts: W CMa, asteroid (1) Ceres Constellation of the Month: Canis Major March 2009 Sky Almanac Gallery: Lulin Lookin’ & stuff Meteorite Editor: Phil Plante 1982 Mathews Rd. #2 Youngstown OH 44514 FEBRUARY 2009 Welcome to IYA! Newsletter of the Mahoning Valley Astronomical Society, Inc. This year, humanity will take part in the International Year of MVAS CALENDAR Astronomy. This global program has been endorsed by the United FEB 28 MVAS meeting at YSU. 8:00 PM. Nations and the International MAR 21 Messier Marathon at MVCO. 7:30 PM EDT Astronomical Union (IAU). It will commemorate the 400th MAR 27 Messier Marathon at MVCO. (Back-up night) anniversary of Galileo’s use of a MAR 28 MVAS meeting at YSU. 8:00 PM. telescope to study the skies, and Kepler’s publication of APR 3-4 IYA 100 Hours of Observing at YSU 7:00 PM Astronomia Nova. The year 2009 is also the anniversary of other historic events in science, such NATIONAL & REGIONAL EVENTS as Huygen’s 1659 publication of FEB 21 - 28 Winter Star Party, Big Pines, FL Systema Saturnium. This year is http://www.scas.org/ the quadricentennial of modern astronomy. This year of global MAR 7 6th Annual Astronomy Expo & Swap astronomy events serves as the Livonia, MI --- contact: Tom Blaszak at international celebration called [email protected] IYA2009. MAR 28 2009 All Arizona Messier Marathon. AZ. Events are still being planned http://www.saguaroastro.org/content/messier2009.htm worldwide. As a member of the MVAS you are invited to help celebrate this anniversary locally. Please participate in the IYA YSU WARD BEECHER PLANETARIUM events that are planned for this year. This should be a year long celebration to celebrate and relive Galileo’s first telescopic FEB 27/28 Skywatch. observations 400 years ago. As Galileo found out: the Universe MAR 8, 14 Black Holes: The other Side of Infinity. is yours to discover. Our mission is to bring the Universe to the public like never before. In 1609, Galileo’s views of the moon MAR 21 Albert Einstein Part 1 (Dr. Pat Durrell, Sat. 8pm) and the Milky Way through his hand fashioned telescope launched humanity along a new road toward understanding the MAR 25 Albert Einstein Part 2 (Dr. Don Howard, Wed. 8pm) cosmos. No other scientific instrument has had such a profound MAR 27/28 Telescopes- A View to the Universe impact on our view of the universe. The telescope’s influence continues to dominate our attempts to perceive the cosmos, as astronomers work on mysteries like dark energy and matter and MVAS BOARD OF TRUSTEES an accelerating universe. So get your modern scopes out and President Sam DiRocco get ready to talk shop with the “civilians” out there! Each month Vice President Harry Harker we’ll have a special IYA theme in this space. Treasurer Steve Bartos Secretary Phil Plante COMING MVAS IYA2009 EVENTS Trustee (Appointed) Greg Higgins Trustee (Appointed) Mike Boyer April 3 & 4 100 Hours of Astronomy at YSU Trustee (Membership) Bill Pearce May 1 Discover The Moon, Boardman, Austintown Parks OBSERVATORY STAFF May 23 OTAA Scenic Vista Stargaze, Public Night June 26 Discover The Moon, Boardman, Austintown Parks Observatory Director Greg Higgins July 11 Scenic Vista Public Stargaze Librarian Rosemary Chomos August 28 Discover The Moon, Boardman, Austintown Parks PUBLICATIONS STAFF Sept. 12 Scenic Vista Public Stargaze Meteorite Editor Phil Plante Sept. 25 Discover The Moon, Boardman, Austintown Parks Assistant Editor Steve Bartos Oct. 10 Scenic Vista Public Stargaze (rain date for Sep. ) MVAS Webmaster Harry Harker MVAS REPRESENTATIVES NEWS NOTE OTAA Representative Harry Harker The visibility of Comet Lulin will improve in February as the MVAS, P.O. Box 564, NEWTON FALLS, OH 44444 Earth-comet distance shrinks. At closest approach (0.41 AU) on MVAS Homepage- http://mvobservatory.com February 24th, the comet should brighten to about 5th magnitude, dimly visible to the unaided eye and an easy target for binoculars. On Feb. 16 it will be 3º north of Spica, traveling th MVAS 70 Anniversary - 2009 straight towards Regulus where it will be 1º south of it on the 27th. Lulin passes 2º south of Saturn on the 24th. FEBRUARY 2009 THE METEORITE pg. 1 The first MVAS meeting of 2009 began with a showing of the OLD BUSINESS: Sam DiRocco reported on the Jan. 23 YSU video production “A Briefer History of Time”. Based on the Trustee meeting. As president he was to appoint the new O.D., book of the same title, it was a humorous take on cosmology Librarian, and Editor. Currently held by Greg Higgins (OD), and the evolution of the Universe. Many students performed in Rosemary Chomos (Librarian), Phil Plante (Editor); all agreed to simple and short segments to explain concepts ranging from the stay on as listed. The Trustees also selected Greg Higgins as Big Bang to the beginning of civilization. Sharon then gave a the next Appointed Trustee. This term coincides with the new quick sky tour linking some currently visible stars to the stellar administration; next two years. Also discussed and confirmed evolution concepts presented in the program. Bill Pearce sold were the MVAS IYA dates for Boardman Park on May 1, June 50/50 raffle tickets as members settled-in for the meeting. 26, Aug. 28, and Sep. 25. Having simultaneous events in Austintown Park are still pending. All on Friday nights- which will MINUTES OF THE JANUARY MEETING free-up Saturdays for other things. Our three regular Scenic JANUARY 31, 2009 At YSU Vista nights will also be IYA events. IYA events will feature At 9:40 PM the meeting was called to order by President Sam handouts and other possible demonstrations (currently in DiRocco. Twenty-one members answered Roll Call. Visitors development) in addition to the normal telescopic views. totaled seven with the usual members of the Bartos and Boyer It was decided to have the MVAS 70th anniversary family. Past member Larry Plante also attended. A call for the celebration event on the actual anniversary date of October 17. reading of the minutes was made. A motion to suspend the We will have our regular meeting that night as well (this is early reading was made by Bill White, seconded by Bob Danko. By as usual). Festivities (so far) include a steak fry. MVAS will voice vote, the majority accepted the minutes. There was one supply the steaks but we will need people to sign-up, so that we nay vote (Higgins). know how many steaks we’ll need to get. Harry Harker is working on a bulk order, with a discount. It was also decided to TREASURER’S REPORT: The Report was read by Steve go with December 12 rather than the 5th, for the ‘09 Christmas Bartos. On a motion by Bill White and a second by Bob Danko, party. Having it closer to Chrismas worked well in 2008. the report was accepted as read. New work projects for the MVCO were also defined by the General Fund 12/1 thru 12/31 2008 trustees. Main projects include expansion of the deck and fixing the out house roof. Minor repair to the 12” roof (leaks). Bob OPENING BALANCE: $ 5,802.37 Danko made a note that he has the 12” scope stowed in a CLOSING BALANCE: $ 7,001.18 position so that the leak doesn’t drip onto the tube (a NE-SW AVAILABLE FUNDS: $ 6,761.18 direction). Please stow the 12” like this until the repair is made. INCOME: The last item was the Elected Trustee. Only Bill Pearce placed his name with the Trustees for candidacy. The RAFFLE TICKETS $ 2,585.00 CHRISTMAS DINNER 390.00 membership present was asked for anyone else so interested. DUES 270.00 No takers. On a motion of unanimous consent with a second by RASC HANDBOOKS 108.00 Bill White, Bill Pearce was elected by the general membership BAKE SALE 58.15 ASTRONOMY CALENDARS 30.00 to fill this position. Closing out Old Business: Steve Bartos had a SKY & TELESCOPE SUBSCRIPTIONS 32.95 few RASC Handbooks left and at least two members expressed DONATION (DR. WARREN YOUNG) 200.00 interest. Phil Plante noted that our MVAS apparel supplier has INTEREST 1.30 been found. They had just moved across the street into a bigger TOTAL INCOME $ 3,677.40 building. The Trustees will decide which items we will need to EXPENSES: replenish based on the upcoming season. Phil says to check the CK# 2677 HANDOUTS FOR GIRL SCOUTS $ 9.59 MVAS 2009 schedule in the Feb. Meteorite. It’s a busy year. 2678 1ST PLACE RAFFLE (TONY MEHLE) 1,000.00 2679 3RD PLACE RAFFLE (GREG HIGGINS) 250.00 NEW BUSINESS: Bob Danko was tired of replacing our mailbox 2680 VOIDED 0.00 every winter. He went to the Newton Falls post office and 2681 WRANGLER’S RESTAURANT (XMAS DINNER) 469.00 obtained a P.O. Box. The cost was $44 per year and he was 2682 2ND. PLACE RAFFLE (JIM O’NEILL) 500.00 2683 TOP TICKET SELLER (TONY MEHLE) 250.00 already spending nearly $20 for new mail box brackets. TOTAL EXPENSES $ 2,478.59 Everyone agreed this seemed a good way to go. Phil notes the MVAS had a P.P. Box in the early 90’s in Youngtown, but this Reserved Funds never worked out.
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