Summer Kicks Off!
San Juan Stargazers Astronomy Club Monthly Meeting is on Thursday, June 1
YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN US FOR AN AMAZING SUMMER OF LEARNING
The Stargazers will hold their regular monthly educational meeting on Thursday, June 1, at the Community United Methodist Church on 434 Lewis Street. Use the parking lot & enter at the door right off the parking area. (We keep the front doors locked.)
There is a social hour starting at 6PM with coffee/tea and treats. (You can bring something to share if you would like.)
From 7- 8:30 PM we will be studying the new category of planets== Dwarf Planets – Rocky & Icy,== Pluto & Charon –a Binary World. Pluto did not get “demoted,” he is no longer a “terrestrial planet”, but he started his own very large group of dwarf planets.
The Stargazers have many activities in June:
The Chimney Rock Interpretive Association is putting on Life at Chimney Rock on Saturday, June 3, & Sunday, June 4, from 10AM to 4PM. It is a free event, but the forest service has an “amenities charge” of $10 per vehicle which is half of the regular vehicle fee. There are areas set up for all the activities of the Ancient People at Chimney Rock, such as yucca pounding, bean cooking, maize grinding, weaving, rock art, pottery making, atlatl throwing, astronomy, the Major Lunar Standstill and more. The activities are mostly for children & adults who would like to “be a kid”, if the line is not too long. The activities are hard for adults to resist, so don’t. Just have fun! It probably wasn’t much fun for the ancient people because they had to work VERY HARD TO SURVIVE.
Food and drinks will be available for purchase. There are many wonderful Native vendors with beautiful jewelry & amazing artwork. The Stargazers will have a table & will focus on explaining The Lunar Standstill, which is just beginning. Members are asked to be at our table for a 2-hour-shift to talk with visitors about the club & answer any questions about astronomy. There is always a lot of interest at our table and an enjoyable time is had by all!
After the full moon has dimmed at the beginning of the month, we will have a night of telescope training on the 2nd Friday, June 9. On the 3rd Friday, June 16, we present a program for the public, titled Stars & Galaxies where we look for deep sky objects. The 4th Friday, June 23, we present to the public, Our Solar System with a focus on the Moon & visible Planets. The larger the telescope, the more amazing the surface of the moon looks.
The dates are: June 9—telescope training for club members only. —Events for the public: Stars & Galaxies on June 16, and on June 23, Our Solar System. You can come & pay for your ticket at the Gift-shop. We usually don’t fill the programs in May or June. The gate opens at 7:30PM.
On Wednesday, June 21, the San Juan Ranger District will be hosting the Head Rangers of all the National Forests in Colorado for a meeting. That evening the San Juan Stargazers will be putting on a private Night Sky Program for the group. There will be an hour of educational presentations and 1 & 1/2 hours of telescope viewing. All members should try to be there.
In July, we will not have a regular meeting, but on Monday, July 3, we will be preparing our float for the July 4th Parade. It is our first time. All members are invited to walk with or ride on our float which is designed by our club members in the elementary & middle schools. We are also planning a SOLAR VIEWING in Centennial Park after the parade. Come by and check out our Sun through a solar telescope!
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 or now you can join using PayPal at our website: sanjuanstargazers.org. Check out our recently improved website with much more information on events…. and oh, yeah… fabulous pictures!
WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US & LEARN ABOUT & APPRECIATE OUR UNBELIEVABLE UNIVERSE.