JULY 28, 2022 MEETING
REGULAR MEETING OF THE SAN JUAN STARGAZERS IS THURSDAY, JULY 28
FIRST PHOTOS FROM THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE RELEASED THIS WEEK—-
Our regular club meeting for the San Juan Stargazers is on Thursday, July 28, at the Community United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall on 434 Lewis Street. Please use the parking lot door as the front doors may remain locked. At 6 PM there is a social time with coffee, tea, etc. This month’s program on the Galilean Moons of Jupiter will be interesting & very useful since they are sometimes visible to the naked- eye & for sure with binoculars. Unfortunately, Covid is not over & we are encouraging our members to wear masks for our meeting. We all want to hang around to see all the Webb photos possible.
As of July 1, we are starting a Stargazer Rewards Program where members will receive coupons for attendance, speaking, special preparation etc. at club meetings & activities. The more you participate the more coupons you will receive. All members will receive a coupon for attending. And for example, Ann Marie Kemp will receive 4 coupons for preparing the lesson for tonight. People bringing a baked or purchased treat will get an additional coupon. At our Night Sky Programs at Chimney Rock members helping will get a coupon, but those speaking will get additional coupons for the amount of preparation it took. Then at our 10th Anniversary Party in October, coupons will be drawn for really cool prizes. You will hear more about their coolness later.
I hope that everyone has had the opportunity to see some of the first images from the James Webb Space Telescope which will revolutionize our understanding of the cosmos. The first picture of a Deep Field is the deepest & highest- resolution of galaxies as they appeared billions of years ago & was released on Monday by President Biden with additional later releases of more photos by NASA , the European Space Agency & the Canadian Space Agency. The San Juan Stargazers have been waiting for years for these photos. Bob Mitchel who worked on the Webb & has a house in Pagosa did his first presentation to us on the James Webb in 2013 & gave later up-dates. He will be speaking again this September & everyone will be invited.
The Stargazers are adding a new night of amazing educational opportunities for all of Pagosa. Starting in August we will be meeting once a month for a new program titled HUBBLE & THE WEBB. We are hoping that many students & their parents will attend this free & very exciting program. We are asking for community involvement. Anyone can download the Webb pictures & present them at this gathering. Then other people can add information & comments. We will all learn a great deal! Webb photos will have priority, but if there is time left we will study Hubble’s Greatest Hits. The date for the first session is Thursday, August 11, at 7pm at the United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall (use the parking lot door).
If you would like to join the San Juan Stargazers, our new membership year begins July 1. 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. This year there is a fabulous special gift for new & renewing members. It will help you become the astronomer you have always dreamed of being. You will LOVE it! You can join the club at any of our events.
The San Juan Stargazers Club is part of the Astronomical League celebrating its 75th year of service which includes over 250 clubs from all over the US. Our local group also has a web-site—www.sanjuanstargazers.org. CHECK IT OUT for more information & beautiful Hubble photos. We welcome everyone to learn more about our AMAZING UNIVERSE. Hope to see you soon!