NOVEMBER 2024 MONTHLY MEETING

SAN JUAN STARGAZERS NOVEMBER MEETING INCLUDES A TALK BY DR. ANDY GREEN ON HIS SPECIALITY OF GALAXY FORMATION

The November Monthly Meeting of the San Juan Stargazers will be on Thursday, November 7, at the regular time of 6 PM for the SOCIAL HOUR & 7 PM FOR THE PROGRAM TIME. We will meet at our regular location — the United Methodist Church on Lewis Street. Please use the convenient parking lot and side door that leads into the kitchen and Fellowship Hall.  (We keep the front doors locked.) 

We will again have a member-speaker because there is so much talent in our club.  Dr. Andy Green who worked at the Australian National Observatory near Sydney will be speaking about his area of specialty—the formation of Galaxies.   He is the son of Nancy Green who volunteered for so many years with the Chimney Rock Interpretative Association.  Andy got involved with the San Juan Stargazers every time he came back to America for a visit with his parents and a wonderful presentation for us. He now has a home in Pagosa with a great view of Chimney Rock and he is our club’s resident-expert, helping us in so many ways.  He also helped Dr. Ericka Ellingson from the University of Colorado, Boulder with the 3 Northern Lunar Standstill programs in September & October.

The James Webb Space Telescope is discovering so many new galaxies (93% of the galaxies have never been seen before) that new information is daily being learned about their formation.  This is now one of the hottest topics in Astronomy and we are so fortunate to have Andy here to help us learn. I hope you will come to our meeting to get in on something well beyond exciting.  Andy was not only a quality professor, but he is a master teacher who will not be presenting material over our heads.  He explains Astronomical information in a way that makes it seem easy and understandable, and he will take the time needed for us to ask questions to learn & appreciate this amazing part of Astronomy.  The whole community is invited and probably students and their parents coming together would have the most memorable time.  Hope to see you all there!

Our December Monthly Meeting will be on Thursday, December 5, regular location & time with the program being a Summary of the James Webb Space Telescope Discoveries of 2024 .  At this time the discoveries are exciting, but by December, they could be beyond our wildest dreams.

In January, February and March of 2025, we will be doing something new & fun at our Monthly Meetings.  As a club, we encourage our membership in the areas of personal growth, increased participation and to expand our knowledge of the Universe.   We will do all 3 in the new year & you do not want to miss this great opportunity.  At our November & December meetings we will be making initial preparations for the New Year.  Don’t miss this!!!

DEEP SPACE MYSTERIES CALENDARS  ARE  AVAILABLE  NOW!!

We are selling them for $15; not to order, but to have them in your hands much earlier than in past years.  They are here!!  Half of them have been already sold at the Lunar Standstill Programs.  If the calendar is being given by a club member as a gift to a child there is a special $3 DISCOUNT.      Come to our meeting or call 303-995-2888 to leave a message for a call-back.

WE ARE NOT CERTAIN IF THE FOREST SERVICE WILL ALLOW US TO DO THE T-SHIRTS

UNBELIEVABLE OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE A T-SHIRT WITH A PHOTO OF THE 2023, 2024,2025  NORTHERN LUNAR STANDSTILL

Last Winter we had several San Juan Stargazers with permission, hike from the gate at Chimney Rock to the Chacoan Great House to take a photo of the full moon between the pinnacles only visible in December & January. For a short time, we are able to order black only T-shirts, in sizes small, medium, large and extra-large.  This project is NOT FOR PROFIT to anyone.  The shirts are $25 with the possibility of needing to add cost for postage.  This was only going to be available for Club members, but I am certain that C.R.I.A. members, former members of both groups and people of Pagosa who are crazy-nuts about Chimney Rock would want to share in this opportunity to tell everyone they see when wearing the shirt the amazing happening every 18.6 of this alignment. This was discovered in the 1980’s by Dr. Malville and this is only the second time since then that people have been able to see it.  The ancient people at Chimney Rock no-doubt viewed it for thousands of years and it is what made the location known for it & turned it into an ancient Astronomy site.  If interested, please send an e-mail to Rwoman2000@aol.com with number of shirts, sizes, your name & phone number.  Your word is good to make the order and when they arrive, you will be called & then they are C.O.D. They may not be here until January.

If you would like to join the San Juan Stargazers you will also receive Reflector Magazine which is the publication of the National Astronomical League of which you automatically become a member.  To join both groups & get an excellent astronomy magazine, annual membership is only$25/ family. You can join the club at any of our events.  Check out our continuously changing website: sanjuanstargazers.org     with new information & spectacular photos.  We can be your connection to our extraordinary Universe!