We have been requested by Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center to come and host events on 4 days in addition to the Summer day Camps in June and July. The new events are a Solar event around noon (lunch will be provided) and the Astronomy program at 7:00pm followed by Stargazing at Jon Wood Field. We have been requested to do this on the following dates: April 20, April 27, May 5, and May 11th. April 20 and 27 have a backup date of one day later if the weather does not cooperate. This is an advance notice. The events are listed on our Charlie Elliott Chapter calendar and i will send a reminder when we get closer to the dates.
Clear skies,
Theo Ramakers

Congratulations to Alan Bolton and his co-coordinator Stephen Ramsden for putting on this great outreach event. Amost 1000 visitors were given the opportunity to see the sun in closeup through visual light, Calcium-K, and H-alpa filters. They were able to see some real nice prominances and flares, sun spots and other goodies on the sun. Many of them, including some little once, followed with interest our explanation of the relative sizes and distances in our Solar system. The solar observing glasses as well as the pictures and posters of the planets and the sun were treasured by many. Thanks David Carswell for inviting us, and to Alan and Sally Bolton, Stephen Ramsden, Steve Bieger, Marie and Tim Lott, Frank Garner, Art Zorka and Theo Ramakers for providing the time to put on this wonderfull event! Click here for some pictures of the event.
Thanks to everyone
Theo Ramakers

While we were having our meeting yesterday, Janet Wood send me an email asking to post her thanks to the Chapter:

Dear members,
I would like to thank you all for the warm thoughts, visits, and prayers before and after Jonathan’s passing. It is a huge comfort to know that he was loved and will be missed by so many. Also, a special thanks to the members who bought Jonathans scopes and other odds and ends (though they may not have necessarily needed them). It was a big help in hard times and I know they are in good hands. Jonathan would have been grateful as I am now.

Again, thank you all!
Janet Wood

Wow what an event. 6 Chapter members defied freezing temperatures to show the Universe to Scout Troop 211 from Covington who came out to Jon Wood field with their parents. Stephen Ramsden, Steve Bieger, Frank Garner, Jim Soboleski, Steve Kennedy and Theo Ramakers showed the group of about 35 indivisuals the moon, the orion nebula, Mars, and some open and globular clusters. In addition, the troop learned a lot about our solar system and some of the planets and took home some photos provided by the Night Sky Network. Thanks guys for the strong support! Click here for some images of the event.
Thanks to all for your committment to this event!!
Theo Ramakers

We are having two outreach programs this week. Tomorrow night at Charlie Elliott for boyscout troop 211 and on Thursday evening we participate in Science Night of Puckett Mill’s elementary school by giving the studens a chance to look at the night sky through our telescopes. There will be three sessions each 35 minutes. We will be parking near a back enterance. I know that Thursdays Stephen has to work and Steve Bieger has a committment at Fernbank, so if you can help it is appreciated. Here the details:
4:30 pm Doors open to presenters
5:00 – 5:30 First Starlab sessions for volunteers
5:00 – 6:00 Hospitality room open to all presenters
5:45 – 6:15 Speaker on Internet safety for minors
6:15 – 6:40 Presentation Session One (2nd Starlab)
6:45 – 7:10 Presentation Session Two (3rd Starlab)
7:15 – 7:40 Presentation Session Three (4th Starlab)
7:45 – 8:30 Break-down and clean-up
Puckett’s Mill Elementary School
2442 S. Puckett’s Mill Rd.
Dacula, Georgia 30019
Phone: 678-765-5110
Fax: 678-765-5240
Let me know if you will be able to attend.
Clear Skies,
Theo Ramakers

Jim Sobeloski has coordinated an event for a scout troop for Tuesday evening February 16th. Start time at 18:30H at Jon Wood Field at Charlie Elliott. The conditions forcasted: clouds 35%, and temperature down in the 20s. So come on out and help these scouts earn their Astronomy badges and see the nightsky (including my favorate constellation). Please let Jim know if you will be participating, so he has a count of telescopes.
Clear Skies,
Theo

We have an outreach program scheduled at Morgan County Middle School for Friday January 22, 2:20 -3:15 P.M.

The school is located at:
920 Pearl Street
Madison, GA 30650-1021

We have planned to do some solar observing with the kids. If the weather does not cooperate, we will do an in class presentation and present some NSN projects and make a tour through the Solar system using Celestia. If you can make it to this event, please let me now and arrive around 2:00 P.M. at the school.
So far, Frank Garner and myself have committed time for this event.

Clear Skies,
Theo Ramakers

On Thursday, January 21, 2010 you are invited to participate in the first of NSN bimonthly telecons
with Dr. Connie Walker, who will speak to us about GLOBE at Night 2010. At the teleconference you will hear about the initiatives for dark skies and what clubs, classrooms, and individuals can do to get the word out about light pollution.

The Globe at Night 2010 campaign will commence from March 3 – 16.

Dr. Connie Walker is an astronomer and Senior Science Education Specialist at the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) in Tucson, Arizona. Trained as an astronomer Dr. Walker manages the Astronomical Society of the Pacific’s (ASP) Arizona Project ASTRO and Family ASTRO programs, the international ASTRO-Chile program, NOAO’s partnership in GLOBE at Night, NOAO’s Southern Arizona Regional Science and Engineering Fair FunFest, the solar research project in the national Astronomy Research Based Science Education program, and the Hands-on Optics (HOU) program for the Boys and Girls Clubs.

To log into the Telecon on Thursday, January 21st, between 5:45 – 6:00pm (Pacific Time):
Use the IYA toll-free conference call line: 1-888-455-9236

An operator will answer and:
You will be asked for the passcode: NIGHT SKY NETWORK
Mention Charlie Elliott Chapter of the AAC when asked to give your NAME and the CLUB you belong to, and number of people listening with you.
Download the PowerPoint and find more links here:
http://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/download-view.cfm?Doc_ID=428
See you there!
Theo Ramakers

Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center has again asked us for our participation. They are hosting 85 students and faculty of the Mary Lin Elementary school in Atlanta. We have been requested to setup scopes at the observing field on December 17, and let the students experience the Universe. The weather forecast looks good. So, please, if you can make some time to participate in this event, please let me know and setup before sunset on the 17th! The students will pass through the observing field in groups of about 20-25. Each group will be there for about 1/2 hour. What nicer Christmas present than to let these students experience the passion you have for this hobby!!
Clear skies!
Theo Ramakers