We are having a solar viewing event at Alcovy Highschool this coming monday November 17, at noon.

Stephen has offered to bring his H-alpha anc Calcium filter scopes. Anyone who wants to join us there and help is welcome.

The address is: 14567 Highway 36, Covington, GA.
Clear Skies
Theo

Shuttle Endeavour is scheduled for lift off from on Friday November 14 from Kennedy Space Center’s launchpad 39A at 7:55pm for mission STS-126. The Space Shuttle Endeavour will launch on assembly flight ULF2, and will deliver a Multi-Purpose Logistics Module to the International Space Station. with the number of shuttle launches counting down, this might well be the last opportunity to witness a night launch from Charlie Elliott.

The weather forecast for Friday evening is 67% clouds and 40% chance of rain, so chances to see the launch from here are low. However, if the weather improves, take a trip out to Charlie Elliott and see the blast off rise over the tree tops, something that not many have witnessed from the Atlanta area!!

Clear Skies,
Theo

Following a message from Larry Wallace, director of the AAC:

Attached is the detail program for the GRAM meeting tonight and tomorrow.

The Georgia Regional Astronomy Meeting moves to a different college campus in the state each year, and is at Georgia Perimeter College in Dunwoody for 2008. Last year it was in Valdosta, and next year will be in Dahlonega, so this year’s location is pretty convenient for metro area residents. The organizer, Dr. Kae Pearson, really wanted to encourage amateurs to attend the meeting and see some of what’s going on with astronomy science and education in Georgia.

Hope some of the CE chapter members can drop by for awhile.
Regards.

Larry Wallace
President, Wallace Engineering
Director, Atlanta Astronomy Club

678 524 8805

We have a request for next week Wednesday October 22nd for an outreach event at Charlie Elliott. The Children’s School of Atlanta has a group of 5th graders at Charlie Elliott and would like us to share some sights of the Universe after dinner.

Please let me know if you can attend this outreach session and bring your scope. They have not asked for a presentation inside, but maybe we keep this open in case the weather does not cooperate.

As Jon said Clevis, you are the best at showing them the sky with the naked eye, or binos……. Any chance you can attend for an introduction to the nightsky?

We will be setting up at the observing field and the kids will walk from the convention center to the field after their dinner. We expect to start a little after 7:00 when the sun has set.

Thanks for your consideration,
Theo

The Meeting dates for the Charlie Elliott Chapter have now been set for 2009. All meetings are on Saturdays:
Meeting Dates for 2009:

January 24
February 21
March 28
April 25
May 16 JAKES Day
June 20
July 18
August 22
September 19
October 17
November 14
December 19

Please note that the March, June, September and December Meetings are our Pot Luck Dinner Meetings.
The Events Calendar on the ceastronomy.org website has been updated to reflect these meeting dates.

Thanks and Clear Skies,
Theo Ramakers

Spaceweather.com writes today:

NEW SUNSPOT: For the first time in months, a significant sunspot is emerging on the sun.  It is a fast-growing active region with two dark cores, each larger than Earth.  The magnetic polarity of the sunspot identifies it as a member of new Sunspot Cycle 24. 

Because the year 2008 has brought so many blank suns, some observers have wondered if we are ever going to climb out of the ongoing deep solar minimum.  Today’s new sunspot is an encouraging sign that the 11-year solar cycle is indeed progressing, albeit slowly.   Visit http://spaceweather.com for sunspot photos and updates.

Expect some activity from the Sundawg pretty soon!!

Clear Skies
Theo

I received an email with the following from Julie Duncan, the Residential Program Director at Charlie Elliott:

“We are hosting a very small workshop for teachers to help us plan our curriculum for the new CEWC Residential Program.  They will be with us Sept. 24-25.  I wondered if it might be possible to share your astronomical enthusiasm with them on Wednesday night – weather permitting.  We wouldn’t require much, just a chance to get outside, learn, and enjoy.  

I’m thinking about asking Stephen if he could come by on Thursday (same location – Discovery Room) for about an hour. ”

I would encourage everyone if you have the time to come out Wednesday evening or Thursday noon and let these teachers see what amateur astronomy is about!!!  This is a perfect opportunity to reach out.

Please let me know if you can make it Wednesday evening and show the night sky and/or Thursday for a Solar hour.

Clear Skies
Theo Ramakers

SpaceWeather.com issued the following alert:

This Saturday, August 16th, people on every continent except North America can see a lunar eclipse. At maximum, around 2110 UT, 81% of the Moon will be inside the red core of Earth’s shadow.

The eclipse lasts for more than three hours (19:36 UT to 22:44 UT), so there is plenty of time to gaze, drink coffee and take pictures. Follow the links for webcasts and more information:

Live webcasts from the Netherlands; from Norway; from the Canary Islands; (these begin around 3:30 pm EDT)

For further details on the URLs go to SpaceWeather.com

Tonight the ISS is scheduled to make a pass over our area between 8:27 and 8:37. It will rise very low in the NW and set low in the SE. It will be almost overhead at 8:32 at 82 degrees to the SW.

The challenge is that its brightness is -4.1 and the sun will be only 1 degree below the horizon. So knowing where to look you might be able to see it!!

Clear Skies
Theo

Reminder:

Join us for our next meeting July 26, 2008 at 5:00pm at CE

Meeting Agenda

“Probes to the Planets”
Lecture: Fred Buls, Instructor in Astronomy, Perimeter College will be our featured speaker for July with a presentation called: “Probes to the Planets”.
The study of the Solar System is a distinctive part of astronomy in that the objects of interest are close enough to send probes. Some orbit their target, some land, others just pass on through while collecting data. The instruments on board these probes can tell planetary scientists about the history of the objects and of the whole Solar System. We’ll see some of these probes close up, see how their instruments collect data, and what this data can tell us.

“Observing 101″
Jon Wood, Chapter Observing Supervisor>

“Astronomy Current Events”
Theo Ramakers, Chapter Director

Place: Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center, Visitor Center.

“Observing after the meeting”
Join our members at the observing field, starting just after the meeting
Everyone is welcome.
Place: Charlie Elliott observation field