The Charlie Elliott Chapter will be represented tomorrow at the STEM Festival in Savannah by Frank Garner, Dan Schmitt and Theo Ramakers. The three will bring the science of Astronomy and Space Exploration closer to the students in the area around Savannah. We are looking forward to a long but very rewarding day.
Clear skies,
Theo Ramakers

The Charlie Elliott chapter responded for the 3rd year in a row to participate in Puckett’s Mill Elementary School’s Science/Tech Nite. A great number of students and parents showed up for this. We had two slots in the rotation, one to teach about our current mission to Mars with Curiosity, and to look at the night sky through our scopes. They were fascinated by everything that’s involved in landing a rover safely on Mars, and to see the moons from Jupiter, as well as our Moon, with their own eyes through our scopes.
Thanks to Frank Garner, Jeff Rebitzki, his son, and Theo Ramakers for giving these students a real insight into Astronomy and Space Exploration. Click the image for more pictures.

Clear skies,
Theo

Tomorrow Thursday the Charlie Elliott Chapter is participating in Science Night at Puckett’s Mill Elementary school with a rotation slot, and if the skies allow, with views of the night sky above Dacula. The event runs from 5:30 until 8:00 P.M. If the weather seems OK and you have a spare minute, bring your scope and join Frank Garner and Theo Ramakers. Check the website for more details.
Clear Skies,
Theo Ramakers

I wanted to share with you the thank you notes I received from the students from Mrs. Hawkins class based on the Solar outreach we did earlier this week. These students were excited as all others were. So be assured that all of them felt this way. You heard the excitement in their voices when they looked through your scopes and as I said many of them came back twice or three times to take a look. Thanks to all Charlie Elliott Chapter members who helped with this event.
Theo

Eight Charlie Elliott Chapter members did participate last night in Hightower Trail’s Space Camp. This was the 8th year for the Chapter’s participation. It was a great event with one slot of the rotation programs in the school being provided by Theo. After the completion of the rotation programs, all students came outside to 5 telescopes and looked at the night sky, and Jupiter while Io was getting ready for its transit. Students liked it so much that many of them, after completing their turn to look, went back in line and wait for a second or third time. Thanks to Gretchen Gault for inviting us and Steve Siedentop, John Town, Annette and Pierre Michel, Frank Garner, Jeff Rebitzke and his son and Theo Ramakers for showing such support for this event.

Wednesday we were back at HTE for the second day.  Very interested students and very eager to take a look at the sun.  Unfortunately the weather did not cooperate well with us, so, although some of the students could see what’s happening on the sun, clouds obscured it for others.  I keep hoping that some day someone invents that Cloud filter. We will be back on Friday for the evening Space Camp program.

Tuesday we did the first of a two day solar event at Hightower Trail Elementary in Conyers. Great students and teachers! The students saw the sun, the active region which produced the largest CME impact since 2003 and learned about the satellites that help us study the sun. Back on Wednesday for the second day and Friday for the 8th Space Camp at Hightower.

Despite the storms in the region, we had great meeting with the feature presentation “Push To” presented by chapter member Steven Siedentop, about how to easily locate objects in the night sky using some very cost effective tools, followed by Steve Phillips “This Month’s Sky, January 2012″. Storms prevented the observing session after the meeting.Click here for some pictures.
Clear Skies,
Theo Ramakers

The next NSN conference call is this Thursday evening January 19th.
Let’s get ready for this last-in-a lifetime event with Chuck Bueter, amateur astronomer. Chuck will give us an engaging history of the Venus transits and share great ideas for outreach.

To join the Teleconference on Thursday, January 19th at 9:00 pm EST. Call the toll-free conference call line: 1-888-455-9236
Call anytime after 8:45 pm the evening of the telecon. An operator will answer and:
You will be asked for the passcode: NIGHT SKY NETWORK
You will be asked to give your NAME and the CLUB you belong to, and number of people listening with you.
Click here to see the online slideshow
Or download the PowerPoint here (25 MB)
Clear Skies,
Theo

Marie Lott, Frank Garner and Theo Ramakes went to Panola State Park again, this time to show visitors why NASA launched the Stereo Satellites to observe the sun. In fact the Sun did cooperate today and the 47 visitors were able to see the sun in white light and in H-alpha including a few very nice large prominences. We would like to thank Troop 270 from Cordele GA for coming out and take a first hand look at the Sun. There seem to be some real scientists in this group Here the link to the pictures
Clear Skies,
Theo Ramakers