Cape Fear Skies The Cape Fear Astronomical Society Newsletter - Editor Debbi Hayden This Month's Meeting will be: Sunday, April 4, 2004 Featuring Ben Steelman, who will be presenting Stargazing in the Southern Hemisphere. You don't want to miss it! Gastronomy! Join us before the meeting for dinner at Applebee's restaurant on New Center Drive, at 5:15 pm. Meeting Minutes for March 7th, 2004 by CFAS Secretary Terry Herrin President Ronnie Hawes called the meeting to order at 7:00pm. Under officers' reports, Treasurer Ben Steelman reminded everyone that membership renewals are now due. Sam Bissette addressed the club to announce that Ronnie Hawes' illustrations had been used for the book 1520 - 1776 History of Cape Fear, by W. Kendell Dorsey. The book was made possible with funding from Randall Library. Sam presented Ronnie with the first copy that came off the presses. Under old business, club t-shirts are now for sale. T-shirts are $11 and sweatshirts are $16. They are ash colored with the club logo on the front. Anyone wishing to order should see Joe or Shelley Callahan. Ronnie thanked Joe for helping with a Girl Scout presentation. The club has been invited back to do a moon viewing. On Monday, March 15th, Ronnie will be giving a presentation at the Chapel on the Boardwalk. On Saturday, March 20th, the Science Olympiad will be held, with a test created by members of the club to be given to middle and high school students. The winner of this regional science fair will advance to the state competition. Under new business, The Cape Fear Museum is holding the Spring Science Spectacular again this year. The date is Saturday, April 17th from 10:00am to 4:00pm. Saturday, April 24th, is the annual Astronomy Day, and the club is planning a telescope clinic and viewing session. Tom Jacobs discussed the Messier Marathon. The two best days to attempt to see all the Messier objects in one night are March 13th and March 20th. Tom said three copies of the Messier Marathon Field Guide are now available. Ronnie said some members of the club had a nice viewing session at the Holly Shelter boat ramp on Saturday, February 21st. Alan Hilburn discussed the Elementary Award for the Science Fair, which involved a mouse and Mars, and the Middle School Award which involved photography. The club will be giving a t-shirt and a one year membership to each winner. A club trip to Moorehead Planetarium was discussed. The planetarium will be closed for more than year beginning next year for a planned ten thousand square foot expansion. The meeting broke for fifteen minutes at 7:55pm. Steve Clemmons then gave a presentation on the new Lockheed Martin Atlas V rocket, and discussed NASA in general at this point in time. Afterward, Ronnie adjourned the meeting at 8:55pm. News Cluster Congratulations to Emily Wilson and Doug Curley for their outstanding projects in the science fair! They have been chosen by Alan Hilburn to receive a complimentary one-year club membership, with all of the benefits and privileges the Society has to offer. Welcome! The Spring Science Spectacular is on April 17th this year! Please let Ronnie Hawes know if you are able to help with the Society's display. A public telescope clinic and viewing session is scheduled for Astronomy Day, Saturday April 24th. This is designed to help people with any problems or questions about their own telescopes, new or old. The viewing session that follows will help to boost the Society's exposure and possibly increase our membership by inspiring interest in astronomy. We were all saddened to hear of the demise of Ronnie's C5 telescope. It was a good and well-loved telescope that provided many years of enjoyment to Ronnie and hundreds, even thousands of stargazers. It accompanied Ronnie to many public viewing sessions, and helped many boy scouts receive their astronomy badges. The scope met its end and the hard surface of the parking lot last week after a successful viewing session. Good luck to Ronnie in finding a new replacement! Sky Calendar April 02 - Photo Opportunity! Venus lies due south of the Pleiades April 04 - CFAS April meeting at 7:00pm (set clocks AHEAD one hour!) April 05 - Full Moon at 7:03am EDT April 11 - Last quarter Moon at 11:46pm EDT April 16/17 - CFAS Group Viewing Sessions April 17 - Cape Fear Museum: Spring Science Spectacular 10am- 4pm April 19 - New Moon at 9:21am EDT April 22 - The Lyrid Meteor Shower peaks this morning April 23/24 - CFAS Group Viewing Sessions April 24 - Astronomy Day! Public telescope clinic and viewing session April 27 - First quarter Moon at 1:32pm EDT May 02 - CFAS May Meeting at 7:00 (Back in Bryan Auditorium) A look ahead to May... By late April, comets NEAT and LINEAR could both be as bright as 3rd magnitude. LINEAR may be seen low in the east-northeast sky at dawn, while NEAT will be low in the south-southeast sky. I will include a timetable of the comets' locations and magnitudes throughout May in next month's newsletter. Also, tips on how to photograph the transit of Venus across the Sun! (June 8th) ___________________________________________________________ All content unless otherwise stated Copyright (c) 2002-2004 CAPE FEAR ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY. All Rights Reserved.