Participating in the InOMN, five chapter members brought out their telescopes to Hibbett Sporting Goods next to Kroger in Covington on Saturday and let the public observe the moon. In addition, they were able to take a peek at Venus and later at Jupiter and four of its moons. About 120 adults and children took advantage of this!!! Thanks to Frank Garner, Dan Schmitt,Steve Bieger, Alan Bolton and Theo Ramakers for volunteering their time for this successfull event!

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We will have an event at Stone Mountain Middle school this coming Tuesday. We will do presentations in the Auditorium from 10:00 A.M. until 2:45 P.M, while we also will let the students observe the Sun outside through solar scopes. So if you can spare the time with your scope, please come out. Before setting up the scope you need to register in the office. Please let me know if you can make it.
Address:
Stone Mountain Middle School
4301 Sarr Parkway
Stone Mountain, GA 30083
Thanks for considering.
Theo

We’ve added two events to our calendar for Memorial Middle School in Conyers. October 27, we will present to the entire sixth grade classes. Weather depending, we also will let them observe the sun through solar scopes. This is an all day event and starts at 9:00 AM. On November 4th, we will participate in their NASA night and in addition to letting the students observe the nightsky through our telescopes, we will teach them about relative sizes and distances in the Solar system and Universe. This night they also will be able to see Jupiter and its moons Calisto, Europa and Io, who will be clustered not far from the planet.
Please let me know if you can participate with your scopes in one or both of these events.
Thanks and Clear Skies,
Theo

The Charlie Elliott chapter is participating in the International observe the Moon Night event. The evening of September 18, astronomy clubs all over the world will be reaching out to the general public and offer them to take a look at our nearest neighbor in the sky, the Moon. Our chapter will be setting up telescopes around 6:00 P.M in the Kroger Shopping Center in Covington and let visitors to take a look at the moon, its craters and mares and other interesting areas of the moon. We are setting up on the sidewalk in front of Hibbett Sporting Goods and we have two telescopes already allocated for the event, so come on out and particiate in talking to the public about our interesting hobby and space exploration starting around 5:30 – 6.00 P.M. until ?
Address:
Hibbett Sporting Goods
3159 Highway 278
(Kroger shopping Center)
Covington, GA 30014
33.603 N – -83.583 W

This is a reminder for our next Chapter meeting this coming Saturday September 11 at the Charlie Elliott Visitor Center at 5:00 P.M. This is a “(Potluck) Dinner and Movie” meeting. The movie we will be watching is “New Horizons”. This is a NASA movie about the mission to Pluto and beyond. Please see our home page for more details. We also expect a number of students and their parents from the Stone Mountain Middle School at the observing session after the meeting. So bring out your scope and let the kids see the night sky.

Our dinner menu so far:
Vegitarian Chili – Romaine and Theo Ramakers (for you Alesia

Let me know the potluck dinner item you will be bringing, so I can keep an updated list going here of what you can expect to eat.
Clear Skies,
Theo Ramakers

OK, fall season has started and we have been asked to help out with outreach programs for the home school group in Fayette County on October 15th. This is through Debbie Tisdale. Also the Children’s School of Atlanta will be back at Charlie Elliott in October and we have again two groups. One on the 13th and the second on the 20th. They have asked again for a solar event and evening event for each group. One addtitional group is coming, Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic School (Atlanta) will be there on the 5th and again we have been requested a solar and evening program. These events are all marked on our calendar on our website, so check there for information. I will be following up with reminders and details as we get closer.
Thanks and Clear Skies,
Theo Ramakers

A bunch of us are going to Charlie Elliott for some observing and watching the meteor shower. Come on out and don’t forget the bug repellant and the lawn chairs. You won’t be alone out there
Clear Skies,
Theo

A reminder for our monthly meeting this coming Saturday 2010-08-07 5:00 P.M. at the Charlie Elliott Visitor Center (enter through the side door), with observing after the meeting at the Jon Wood field. Theo will present “Building your own Observatory” and show many alternative designs as well. The meeting and observing are free, and open to all.
Theo Ramakers

Well, the kids from Rockdale Middleschool had a talk with some crew members of ISS’ Expedition 24. It is great to know that our chapter has been actively involved for 6 years with the Rockdale school system in participating in their 4th grade Space Camp. The kids that looked through our scopes are now talking to astronauts on the ISS!! Go Hightower Trail! Go Charlie Elliott Chapter!!
Clear skies
Theo

We’re back from upstate NY. We did have very limited access to the internet, but this morning I did update the website with the last meeting information. The Past Event page, Home page and Presentations page is updated. So now at least you can check what the next meeting will bring
Clear Skies,
Theo