November 2003 Free to members, subscriptions $12 for 12 issues Volume 30, Number 11 This picture of the Witch Head Nebula (IC 2118) was taken by Bill Patterson on 9/28/03 near Mt. Pinos, CA. It may be viewed in glorious color at the Anacortes Telescope and Wild Bird Photo Gallery: http://www.buytelescopes.com/gallery/view_photo.asp?pid=792 and in the Image Gallery at the Orange County Astronomers website. OCA CLUB MEETING STAR PARTIES COMING UP The free and open club The Anza star party is on November 22nd. The next session of the meeting will be held Friday, The Black Star Canyon site will be open this Beginners Class will be held November 14th at 7:30 PM month on November 15th. Members are on Friday November 7th (and in the Irvine Lecture Hall of encouraged to check the website calendar, next month on December 5th) the Hashinger Science for the latest updates on star parties and at the Centennial Heritage Center at Chapman other events. Museum (formerly the University in Orange. The Discovery Museum of Orange featured speaker this Please check the website calendar for the County) at 3101 West month is yet to be outreach events this month! Volunteers Harvard Street in Santa Ana. announced as of press are always welcome! time. You are also reminded to check the web ETX SIG: Nov. 3rd site frequently for updates to the calendar Astro-Imagers SIG: Nov. 18th of events and other club news. The EOA SIG: Nov. 19th Astrophysics SIG: Dec. 19th time had come for him to pass on wide range of his interests President’s primary responsibility for the website (www.sipe.com). Message to someone else. He remains an important resource for advice and Needless to say, I was delighted By Barbara Toy technical assistance, which is very and relieved when Russ decided, much appreciated. due to an otherwise unfortunate The year races on, and those of change in his own circumstances, us who persist on being up at “O- We are, of course, extremely sorry that he would be both interested dark-thirty” (to borrow Chris that he found it necessary to leave in and able to step in as at least Butler’s popular phrase) have our the webmaster position, and very Interim Webmaster. In the own ways of telling that winter is grateful for all that he’s done to discussions that took place during on its way – as I write this, the make the club website so useful to this transition, we realized that we day after the final “Explore the us as members as well as such a really need a new approach to Stars” program for 2003, the Orion good introduction to the club for managing the website, as it takes nebula was high enough to show a those who aren’t familiar with us. a lot of specialized knowledge and nice amount of detail around 1:00 And I’m happy to report that he time to deal with the technology a.m., and we were having fun with intends to remain active doing that keeps the site running, and it Saturn when the remnants of the Outreach activities as well as his also takes a lot of very different group decided we were all too tired video work – and maybe he’ll even skills as well as time to deal with to continue. The bright winter be able to do some observing! the content side, including constellations are rising earlier, and, organizing it, keeping current by the time you see this, we’ll be information updated, developing off daylight savings time. Here’s and posting new information, and hoping all the darkest nights this so on. Russ’s expertise and main winter are also clear! interests are with website content (along with his past webmaster- Farewell to Liam as type activities, he’s done a lot of Webmaster… Internet publishing), and I am happy to report that we have a We’ve been very fortunate in the couple of members who have time I’ve been associated with the volunteered to work on the club to have had two excellent technical side of the site. We are webmasters. Liam Kennedy took definitely in a state of transition over responsibility for what was here, and, if all goes well, the already a good site from Russ Sipe details of how the different in 1999, and, as anyone who’s responsibilities associated with the visited the site recently knows, has site will be handled will be worked since built it up in ways and added out before the next President’s capabilities to it that nobody even ...and Welcome to Russ Sipe as Message is due, so I’ll be able to imagined us having when he took Interim Webmaster share them with you then. it over. His most recent innovations include ways members can upload As I said, Russ Sipe was our If you’re wondering what happened their own pictures to the Image webmaster before Liam, and he to change Russ’s circumstances, his Album and can upload their own made a lot of changes long association announcements and other to the site himself, “How to Use Your Tele- with Sky and documents through the new professionalizing it, scope” class... will be Telescope has, to Articles feature. adding a lot of the sorrow of both content, and on November 7th at sides, come to an Unfortunately, even with these establishing a solid 7:30pm end. He assures features that allow members to foundation for Liam’s me, however, that upload content directly, with many innovations. As many of you he remains on excellent terms with minimal involvement of the may know, he was involved in a Rick Feinberg and the others he webmaster, overall maintenance and major renovation to the website for worked with at S&T, and that this updating of the site takes time and Sky and Telescope during the time was purely the result of current energy. With all the other calls on he was their webmaster, and he’s economic realities, so those of us his time, Liam had to make some worked on websites for a number who subscribe needn’t feel guilty tough decisions about where he of different organizations he’s been about enjoying the magazine. And needs to limit some of his club associated with, as well, in addition the bright side for us is that he activities, and he decided that the to building and maintaining his own now has the time to take on the multi-faceted site that reflects the website during this transitional 2 period and to spearhead the afford to own one to have the Explore the Stars reorganization of the overall site ability to do some viewing on their management – it would be hard to own without having to “borrow As still another change in the club find anyone who has better time” on other people’s equipment. lineup, Richard Cranston, who has qualifications for seeing that job been the Coordinator for Explore through to a successful conclusion. Henry Fry has been the coordinator the Stars for the last few years, is of the Loaner Program for a number finding that the travel required in So, thank you, Russ, for taking this of years now, and can take full his current job makes it very hard on – and good luck in finding a new credit for building it into the for him to continue doing the work position that will allow you to successful program we currently required for the position, so he’d continue working with our website! have. When he became the like to hand that responsibility over coordinator, the to someone else. Richard has been program had been doing a great job under inactive for a long circumstances that have been time. He started off increasingly difficult for him, and we by tracking down and are very grateful for all he’s done recovering the for the program, as Coordinator and telescopes that were as a volunteer himself. supposed to be in the program, which took Explore the Stars was started by a lot of determination Russ Sipe and Fred Coe of the and detective work. Forest Service as a joint program He’s added several to introduce people visiting Palomar new scopes, made a Mtn. to various aspects of lot of repairs, and astronomy (through talks and other added equipment activities) and to give them a such as eyepieces, chance to see objects for Telrads and Barlows, themselves through volunteer and he also developed telescopes. Although the a tracking system for organizations that have been most each telescope in the actively involved have been OCA program. The result and the Forest Service, we’ve had of his efforts has been a lot of participants from other a very active program clubs, as well. The program has that has given a lot received an additional boost this of people a last summer through the active tremendous amount support of Scott Kardel, who is now of enjoyment and experience – a in charge of Public Relations for the More Changes - Telescope great service to all concerned and Palomar Observatories, and by the Loaner Program to the club as a whole. arrival of Chris Nyce as the new Ranger for the area. For more One of the more unusual member Henry has now decided that it’s information about the background benefits offered by the club is time for him to retire as Coordinator of ETS, check out its website: through the Telescope Loaner of the program, so we’re now looking http://www.sipe.com/explore/.