Desert Skies


Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association

Volume XLVI, Number 7, July, 2000


Contents


Calendar of Events

Beginners Lecture: July 7, 6:30 pm at the Steward Observatory Auditorium - Room N210. This month's topic is "Beginning Astronomical Photography" by Dean Ketelsen.

General Meeting: July 7, 7:30 pm at the Steward Observatory Auditorium - Room N210. Topic is "Collisions of Comets and Planets" by Dr. Gary Peterson.

Board of Directors Meeting: Thursday, July 13, 7:00 pm at Steward Observatory Conference room N305.

Star Parties and Events:

Newsletter Schedule: Deadline for articles: Monday, June 19. Printing: Tuesday, June 26. Folding Party: Wednesday, June 27. Mailing: Thursday, June 28. The newsletter is scheduled to be in the mail at least one week prior to the following month's General Meeting.


General Information

             Office               Name                Phone        Email
             ------               ----                -----        -----
             President            John Kalas          620-6502     jckalas@aol.com
             Vice-President       Andy Cooper         795-3585     acooper@pobox.com
             Secretary            Jane Tongate        623-4056     triton@dakotanet.com
             Treasurer            Terri Lappin        579-0185     tlappin@as.arizona.edu
             Member-at-Large      Robert Callanan     818-1315     tucsonbac@aol.com
             Member-at-Large      Bill Lofquist       297-6653     wlofquist@aol.com
             Member-at-Large      Steve Peterson      326-5303     swpeterson@theriver.com
             Chief Observer       Wayne Johnson
             Newsletter Editor    George Barber       822-2392     barbergj@flash.net
             Star Parties         Maggie & Jeff Buzek 760-4578     jeffbuzek@aol.com
             AL Correspondent     Laurel Dunlap       544-7780     T4T@Jarnac.org
             Astrophoto SIG       Dean Ketelsen       293-2855     ketelsen@as.arizona.edu
             Computers SIG        Rodger Tanner       574-3876     rtanner@seds.lpl.arizona.edu
		
TAAA Mission Statement

Membership in the TAAA

             Regular membership                         $ 23
             Senior (over 60) membership                $ 21
             Student membership                         $ 15 
             Add for Family membership                  $ 5
             Add for Astronomical League (optional)     $ 3
             Add for contribution to Southern Arizona
                Section of I.D.A. (optional)            $ 3     (recommended minimum)
             Add for Sky & Telescope Magazine           $ 29.95
             Add for Astronomy Magazine                 $ 29
       
Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association
P.O. BOX 41254
Tucson, AZ 85717

4 Easy Steps to Membership Renewal

  1. Pay your dues 2-3 months early. Your month of membership expiration is listed on your newsletter mailing label.
  2. Find your membership class and its rate. Add the Family Membership rate to this, if applicable.
  3. If you desire membership in the Astronomical League or magazine subscription(s) or wish to make a donation, add the appropriate amounts to your membership rate. If a magazine subscription renewal is desired, include the magazine renewal notice, if possible. Be sure to identify which options you are paying for.
  4. Write one check, payable to TAAA, and send it to the address given above.

Desert Skies Publishing Guidelines

TAAA - Desert Skies
c/o John Kalas
3470 W. Red Bird Court
Tucson, AZ 85745

or e-mail: jckalas@aol.com

Desert Skies is published monthly by the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association, PO Box 41254, Tucson, Arizona 85717


President's Message


Meeting Information

Beginner's Lecture
"Beginning Astronomical Photography"
By Dean Ketelsen

Main Meeting
"Collisions of Comets and Planets"
By Dr. Gary Peterson


Club News

Member News

Calendars for 2001

Club Purchases Tripod for Donated Telescope
by John Kalas

La Paloma Star Party May 16th
by Sam Turner

Smithsonian Study Group Thrills at Omega Centauri
by Sam and Phyllis Turner

Grand Canyon Star Party '00
By Dean Ketelsen


Items of Interest

Websites: Trips on the Internet Super-Skyway by Rik Hill

Hands-On Science At Whipple Observatory

SummerFest 2000 Simply Southwest

Astronomer volunteers and teachers needed for Project ASTRO - Year Five!

Help Wanted at Kitt Peak

SA-IDA News
by John Polacheck


Star Parties & Events

TAAA Empire Ranch Star Party
July 29 (Saturday)


Dark Skies for July 2000

        DARK SKIES (no twilight, no moonlight) for Tucson in 24-hour MST: 18=6pm, 20=8pm, 22=10pm, 0=12am
        RISE, SET, VISIBILITY for sun and bright planets: rise for morning object, set for evening object


        Fr/Sa 30/ 1  21:15 -  3:41         Mo/Tu  10/11   1:54 -  3:48        Fr/Sa  21/22  21:04 - 22:51
        Sa/Su  1/ 2  21:15 -  3:42         Tu/We  11/12   2:31 -  3:48        Sa/Su  22/23  21:03 - 23:23
                                           We/Th  12/13   3:10 -  3:49                                   
        Su/Mo  2/ 3  21:14 -  3:42         Th/Fr  13/14    -   -   -          Su/Mo  23/24  21:02 - 23:57
        Mo/Tu  3/ 4  21:37 -  3:43         Fr/Sa  14/15    -   -   -          Mo/Tu  24/25  21:01 -  0:33
        Tu/We  4/ 5  22:23 -  3:43         Sa/Su  15/16  LUNAR ECLIPSE        Tu/We  25/26  21:00 -  1:14
        We/Th  5/ 6  23:03 -  3:44                                            We/Th  26/27  20:59 -  2:00
        Th/Fr  6/ 7  23:40 -  3:45         Su/Mo  16/17    -   -   -          Th/Fr  27/28  20:58 -  2:54
        Fr/Sa  7/ 8   0:14 -  3:45         Mo/Tu  17/18    -   -   -          Fr/Sa  28/29  20:57 -  3:55
        Sa/Su  8/ 9   0:47 -  3:46         Tu/We  18/19  21:06 - 21:10        Sa/Su  29/30  20:56 -  4:04
                                           We/Th  19/20  21:06 - 21:45                                   
        Su/Mo  9/10   1:20 -  3:47         Th/Fr  20/21  21:05 - 22:18        Su/Mo  30/31  20:55 -  4:05


        Weekend    Sun   Sun      Mercury     Venus      Mars     Jupiter    Saturn                       
        Sa/Su      Set   Rise     Rise Vi    Set  Vi   Rise Vi    Rise Vi   Rise Vi    Vi=Visibility      
                                                                                                  
         1/ 2     19:33  5:20     6:00  -   19:57  8    5:17 -    2:39 -1   2:30  1    -3 brilliant       
         8/ 9     19:32  5:23     5:15  -   20:03  7    5:11 -    2:16 -2   2:05  1     0 conspicuous     
        15/16     19:29  5:27     4:36  -   20:07  5    5:05 -    1:54 -2   1:40  1     3 moderate        
        22/23     19:26  5:31     4:12  5   20:09  4    4:59 -    1:31 -2   1:15  0     6 naked eye limit 
        29/30     19:21  5:36     4:08  4   20:08  4    4:54 -    1:08 -2   0:49  0     9 binoculars limit

        By Erich Karkoschka
				

TIMPA Site News

What is TIMPA, Anyway? See the TIMPA Page for more information

  1. Run electricity and telephone line to our observing area and on to TIMPA's ramada. Also, run a water line to our site. (Completed - 10/9/99)
  2. Construct a secure storage cage in the TIMPA Barn. (Completed - 12/11/99)
  3. Move the TAAA property from the mini-storage unit to the new security cage in the TIMPA Barn. (Completed 12/12/99)
  4. Construct permanent bathroom facilities. (Tentative schedule 2nd quarter 2000)
  5. Construct observatory to house club's 16" telescope. (Tentative schedule 2nd quarter 2000)
  6. Upgrade club's 16" telescope. (Tentative schedule 2nd quarter 2000)
  7. Construct additional site improvements. (Schedule to be determined)


TAAA Board of Directors Meeting - June 8, 2000

  1. Treasurer's Report - Terri Lappin distributed copies of the monthly financial statement for board review. The TIMPA Project Fund continues to grow from all of the paid star parties that the club has performed in the past several months. Total membership in the TAAA hovers around 360.
  2. TIMPA Site Update - John Kalas reported that TIMPA Site Chairperson, John Polacheck, had scheduled a trip to Kitt Peak on 6/11 to review the possibility of disassembling the dome and support structure to facilitate transporting them to the TIMPA Site.
  3. TAAA Club Apparel - John Kalas voiced his interest in continuing the promotion of the club apparel. Several members had shown interest in larger size garments. Andrew Cooper presented Terri Lappin with an inventory of the remaining apparel. He offered to submit an article for the newsletter requesting members with special size requirements to contact him to place orders for the next purchase. The board authorized Andrew to purchase additional apparel.
  4. TAAA Constitutional Amendment (Elections) - Tabled
  5. July 1st Empire Ranch Star Party - John Kalas acknowledged the oversight of not publicizing the club event in the June newsletter. John mentioned that it would be very helpful if the club's e-mail exploder were operational to get the announcement out to, at least, the members who have e-mail capabilities.
  6. TAAA E-Mail Exploder - Andrew Cooper reported that he has had further discussions with key individuals in the SEDS organization and is closer to implementing the exploder. When available, the exploder will be used by the board only to disseminate information the club members.
  7. Next Kitt Peak Star Party - John Kalas mentioned that he had received an e-mail message from a TAAA Member promoting another club star party on Kitt Peak. Laurel Dunlap responded that she was considering scheduling the next star party in the Fall.
  8. Astronomical League Voting - Laurel Dunlap, ALCor, reviewed the items requiring a vote by the TAL. She and the board unanimously decided that the voting could be handled by the board rather than involving the entire TAL. All of the officers running for positions in the AL were unanimously elected by the TAL Board. Several procedural measures were also unanimously approved by the TAL Board. Laurel will fill out the ballot and send it to the AL.
  9. 2001 Calendars - Terri Lappin asked the board if the club should purchase Astronomy Calendars again this year. Last year, the club purchased 70 calendars and sold them all. The board unanimously authorized Terri to purchase another 70 calendars for 2001.
  10. Tripod for Meade ETX-EC Telescope - Laurel Dunlap reported that efforts to solicit a donation of a tripod for this donated telescope had not yielded any results. She proposed that the club purchase a JMI Tripod specifically designed for the ETX telescope for about $200. from Starizona. A motion to authorize purchase of the tripod was made by Andrew Cooper and seconded by Steve Peterson. The board unanimously approved the expenditure.


Desert Skies Classified


Directions to TIMPA


Directions to Empire Ranch


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