B.C.A.A.S. MEETING MINUTES
July 8, 2004
The meeting was called to order by Ron Kunkel at 7:35 with 25 in attendance. Ron announced that this would be our last meeting in the auditorium, as the Museum has decided to reserve it for rentals due to budget concerns. We will be allowed to meet in the Planetarium, and other locations are being checked into. Visitors introduced themselves. The Minutes of the last meeting were handed out with the agenda.
Linda Sensenig reported a balance of $$$$$$$. She is collecting money for Astronomy Wall Calendars ($6 each), and she wants to turn in the order after the September meeting.
Sky Report: Three comets are currently visible. T7 is very low on the horizon, but the others are high in the sky. Mercury and Mars are visible low in the west at dusk; Jupiter and Pluto are visible, and Uranus and Neptune are visible after midnight.
Old Business: There was a comet watch/star party at the Berks County Heritage Center on June 12, and a Board meeting was held June 17. Ron gave a talk only at Camp Joy on June 28, as it was too cloudy for observing. He talked on Light Pollution and the Cassini Mission.
Upcoming Events and New Business: The Greenbank, West Va. Star Party is July 8-11. ASH’s Susquehanna Spring Star Spectacular (S4) will be July 16-18 at Pine Grove Furnace State Park. On Saturday, August 7, Skies Unlimited is having TeleVue Day. We will be having our annual picnic at Dave Brown’s farm on August 14 (no meeting on August 12), and a star party at Hawk Mountain on August 21 at 8:00 p.m. Barb announced that NASA has arranged a teleconference for Night Sky Network clubs on July 14 at 9:00 p.m. with Dr. Stephen Gillam of JPL on the Cassini-Huygens mission. Any club member is invited to participate.
Tonight’s speaker was Peter Detterline on the “Mar’s Student Date Team” and an update on the Mars Rover missions. The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Barbara Geigle, Secretary