February Stargazer Meeting Studies the Winter Sky
The San Juan Stargazers will Host a Telescope Clinic and
Study the Winter Night Sky on February 27
The San Juan Stargazers’ regular monthly meeting will be Thursday, February 27, 2020, at the Chamber of Commerce Visitors’ Center Conference Room located at 105 Hot Springs Blvd beside the San Juan River. The meeting is from 7- 8:30 PM. (SHARP) Hot drinks will be served starting at 6:30 for social time as we gather.
Before our meeting, at 6 PM, we will have a Telescope Clinic which is an opportunity for anyone from the community to bring a telescope they got as a gift or purchased, either recently or in the past, to the Visitors’ Center for members and telescope experts to help either diagnosis a problem or explain how the telescope can be used. We have some competent members, one who built his first telescope at the age of 12, who can offer expert advice. The only requirement is to call the club number 970-335-8286 to reserve the time of a telescope expert. When you call, please try to have the name, model and a little information about your telescope, so we can get the right person to help you. There is no charge for our help and you do not have to become a member, but we will welcome you if you decide to join a group of such caring and smart people who also have a sense of humor and a lot of fun playing with telescopes and Astronomy.
At the meeting our first item will be a report from our newly formed Starlab Fundraising Committee. We are helping the school district and Mrs. Anita Hinger, science teacher at the Middle School, who has been gathering money for a StarLab which is a portable planetarium to benefit all 1636 students of our school district. It is an outstanding multifunctional $40,000 science system which includes programs in Astronomy, weather, plate tectonics, geology and other areas. Many of our members are intent on raising more money since it is such a worthy project.
The main program for tonight is from the series of Great Courses called Our Night Sky. There are both video and written lessons entitled: The Winter Sky. It tells the story of birth, life and death of stars. A most interesting example it the large red giant Betelgeuse which is near the end of its life. Fortunately it is not near enough to Earth to be a threat, but when it dies it will be a spectacular sight in the night sky.
If you have been thinking of coming to one of our meetings or learning to use a telescope this will be the best time to begin. We are setting up exceptional telescope training this summer. CRIA has gotten grants that can be used for training probably by the astronomy department at Ft. Lewis College and from a group that has a regular astronomy program in Westcliff, Co. There will be a lot going on including 10 star parties at Chimney Rock National Monument from May to September. There will be many opportunities for learning and practicing.
New people are always warmly welcomed at our meetings. I hope you can join us to add this new dimension to your life. We welcome everyone who has an interest in learning more about our AMAZING UNIVERSE.
The San Juan Stargazers are part of the Astronomical League, which includes clubs from all over the US. We have a new web-site—www.sanjuanstargazers.org, as well as an email address, sjstargazers@gmail.com and a club phone number 970-335-8286. Our club address is PO BOX 2217, P.S. 81147.