Stars at Sycamore Canyon (TM)

Event Coordinator: Kin Searcy
The SDAA holds a monthly Star Party on the third Friday of every other month at sunset at the Sycamore Canyon/Goodan Ranch Open Space Preserve at the Hwy 67 Staging area. Located at the east end of Poway, this venue offers a pretty dark sky for being only 19 miles, as the crow flies, from downtown San Diego.  There are no homes or business directly around the viewing area and the panoramic view of the city below is amazing.

To access this venue, do not use the street address of the park headquarters. Instead use the park entrance on Hwy 67, ½ mile south of Scripps Poway Parkway. Continue through the gate and up the dirt road about 1½ miles where the Rangers will direct you where to park.

“Silent Sky” at Lambs in Coronado

Lambs Players Theater in Coronado is currently staging a critically acclaimed production of Lauren Gunderson’s Silent Sky, a play about Henrietta Leavitt and the work of the women “computers” of Harvard Observatory in creating our cataloging system for stars.

“Astonishing discoveries await Henrietta Leavitt as she maps distant stars in galaxies beyond our own. But this brilliant, headstrong pioneer must struggle for recognition in the man’s world of turn-of-the-century astronomy. In this exquisite blend of science, history, family ties, and fragile love, a passionate young woman must map her own passage through a society determined to keep a woman in her place. Finalist for the Jane Chambers Award 2013” (source).

The play runs through May 28. Get tickets here: Silent Sky at Lambs!

*For those under 35 years of age, Lambs has a program that offers any ticket at half price. Join the Under 35 Club.

Reminder: Meeting Today

Don’t forget we have our monthly club meeting today at 2:20pm in NS-117. We will be electing officers for the Fall semester, so if you’re interested in running for anything, PLEASE be there. If you can’t make it, you can contact one of the existing officers to let us know. You can also email palomarastroclub@gmail.com.

Fleet Center Groupon

For anyone interested…

​Admission for Two to a Planetarium Show at the Fleet Science Center (35 Percent Off)

https://www.groupon.com/deals/reuben-h-fleet-science-center

“How Radio Telescopes Show Us Unseen Galaxies” (TED)

TED.com just published a short talk given in October of last year at TEDxPerth by Astronomer Natasha Hurley-Walker about a large radio telescope array she works at Murchison Radio Astronomy Observatory in the Western Australian desert. This may be of particular interest to Prof. Kardel’s Astronomy 100 students, who recently started learning about the light spectrum and various types of telescopes.

Reminder: Events this week…

Don’t forget! Star Party on the Roof of the NS building this Wednesday, Apr. 19 starting at 8pm. We meet at the bottom of the staircase outside the building on the end by NS-117.

Also, this Friday, Apr. 21 at 8pm, Prof. Kardel is giving a talk at Wavelength Brewing in Vista on the newly discovered TRAPPIST-1 system. The event is Free and open to All Ages!

Star Party on the Roof *RESCHEDULED*

Our rooftop Star Party (previously April 20th) has been rescheduled to Wednesday, April 19th at 8pm (weather permitting).

We will meet at the bottom of the staircase outside the NS building on the end nearest NS-117. Bring snacks to share if you like.

Meeting Minutes 4/6/17

Palomar Astronomy Club
Regular Meeting Minutes
4/6/2017, 2:20pm, NS-117

Advisor: Prof. William Kardel
Chair: Karen Taylor (President)
Others In Attendance: Gabrielle Gregg (Vice-President), Anna Younce (Secretary), Michael Boeck, Mark Borst, Chase Covello

Call to Order: 2:30pm (approx.) by Chair, Karen Taylor

Announcements:

• Upcoming events:
  • “Moons: Worlds of Mystery” at the Palomar Planetarium theater Friday, April 14^th at 8pm. Note that late seating is not allowed so arrive on time! Click here for ticket info.
  • AstroClub Star Party on the Roof, April 20^th at 8pm. Weather permitting, the roof will be available for some star-gazing and heavenly body observation. More info coming later.
  • “Friday Night Science Talks” at Wavelength Brewing Company (Vista, CA). Our own Prof. Kardel will be giving a talk on the TRAPPIST-1 system on April 21^st at 8pm. “Talks” are for all ages and free to attend (and they happen every Friday with different speakers).
• Don’t forget to visit the club website. Club information, Meeting Agendas, Meeting Minutes, and news will be posted there. Please subscribe to the site so you will get emails when new posts are made. That way everyone should be up to date on important club information/activities. Visit: PalomarAstroClub.wordpress.com

Agenda Items:

1. Discussion: Update on Inter-Club Council (ICC) Meeting on March 10^th from Cassandra.
   Result: Tabled, due to Cassandra being absent
2. Discussion: Gabrielle’s contact at the SDAA (San Diego Astronomy Association) advised us that seeking membership is not necessary to initiate a relationship. He offered to sponsor our group so we can be involved with star parties and other events.
   Result: Those present expressed affirmative consent to pursuing this relationship. Gabrielle will respond to her contact and find out about upcoming events.
3. Discussion: Volunteers needed for ICC Meetings for the month of April. ICC Meetings are Fridays at 9:00am in SU-204
   Result: Two of Four volunteer spots have been filled. Two more are needed. Contact Karen (karkarc@hotmail.com) if you are willing to volunteer. The current schedule is as follows:

   April 07 – Karen
   April 14 – Chase
   April 21 – NEEDED
   April 28 – NEEDED

4. Discussion: Update on telescope-learning activity. Prof. Kardel suggested we could begin learning about the telescopes immediately following the meeting.
   Result: Club adjourned to the roof and experimented with operating and observing through a telescope.
5. Discussion: Should the club vote for officers for the following semester from existing membership in the interest of maintaining stability?
   Result: Those present were in favor of electing officers for the following semester to provide incoming members with an established governing body in the interest of stability. Elections for the Fall semester will occur at our next club meeting on May 4, 2017.
6. Discussion: Does the club want to continue to meet in any capacity during the summer months?
   Result: Those present expressed interest in continuing to meet in an unofficial/social capacity during the summer months. Information about events would need to be coordinated.

Approval of minutes to be performed at next Regular Meeting on May 4, 2017.

Minutes prepared by Club Secretary, Anna Younce

Proposed Agenda 4/6/17

Proposed meeting agenda for 4/6/17. Meeting starts at 2:20pm in NS-117.

Old Business:
-ICC meeting update
-ICC volunteers needed
-San Diego Astronomy Association

New Business:
-Learn telescope
-Astronomy club summer semester
-Astronomy club fall semester

Events Calendar

A Google Calendar has been set up for the club. If you would like to subscribe to the calendar, this is the ICAL link:
https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/palomarastroclub%40gmail.com/public/basic.ics

Subscribing to the calendar means that any events added should automatically update in your calendar apps if you have them set to do so. There is a widget in the sidebar of our website that also displays upcoming events* from this calendar.

*There is an issue with WordPress that is failing to account for the Daylight Savings Time change in March. The April meeting will be at 2:20pm, regardless of what time the widget currently displays. The Google Calendar does list the correct time.