November Meeting 2023
EVERYONE IS INVITED TO HEAR: Dr. Andy Green, the San Juan Stargazers’ Professional Astronomer on Thursday, November 2, talk about his specialty, the formation of Galaxies .
The Stargazers will hold their regular monthly educational meeting on Thursday, November 2, at the Community United Methodist Church on 434 Lewis Street. Use the parking lot & enter at the side door right off the parking area. (We leave 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.) You do not have to attend the social hour to be able to hear our educational program, just arrive sharply at 7PM because the board has determined that our educational program must begin no later than 7:10, after a brief welcome.
Our speaker will be Dr. Andy Green who received his Ph.D. in Astronomy in Australia, worked at the Australian National Observatory & would speak to the Stargazers when he came home to Colorado to visit his parents. His mom, Nancy Green, was greatly involved with CRIA. He is now living in Pagosa & is a member of our club.
After we are dazzled learning how Galaxies are formed, we will come back to earth for a brief presentation by Tom Hanchett. Tom loves making models & loves explaining how things work. He has been working on a model of the Lunar Standstill which began in September & continues for 3 years & 1 month. He will present his model & if things go as he plans, we will all walk away understanding The Major Lunar Standstill & being able to explain how it happens. This will be an extraordinary night of learning.
Coming activities for the Stargazers:
Friday, November 10, from 5 to 9 PM will be our 11th Anniversary Dinner & Celebration. It will be at our regular meeting location, the Community United Methodist Church. Dinner will be served at 6PM, it is Not a Potluck, it is free for members, but an RSVP is necessary. Please leave a message or send a text to 303-995-2888 with your name, number of people coming & your favorite kinds of pies. Dessert is being provided by CRIA in appreciation for the work we do on the Night Sky Programs during the summer. This will mostly be a social gathering, but we will spend some time looking at & discussing some of the fabulous discoveries of the James Webb Space Telescope.
Wednesday, November 15, our sister organization the Weminuche Audubon Society will have a very special speaker at the PLPOA at 6PM. Dr. Terry Root is Professor Emerita at Stanford University. She was co-awarded the Nobel Peace Prize with Vice President Al Gore. Her topic is most important for our favorite planet, Earth, & is entitled: CLIMATE CHANGE IS DISRUPTING EVERYTHING (BUT WE CAN HELP STOP IT). I want to know specific things that I can do & I encourage all Stargazers to attend this most valuable program so we can help continue human life on our planet.
Thursday, December 3, we will have a working monthly meeting for all members. In 2022, we gave out summer Tours of the Night Sky, so we can all become the “Astronomer of Our Dreams.” I’m sure you have always wanted to stand out on a dark night & point out the constellations, note the special stars, planets & anything else of importance. At that time new & renewing Stargazer members received a special blue plastic notebook with the needed information to easily impress or at least educate your relatives, friends, neighbors & yourself about the night sky. We will be adding missing Tours & additional information for every month of the year. Judith Jubb has been working very hard on this, as she did for the presentations she gave during the summer months at Chimney Rock Night Sky Programs. You must find your notebook & bring it with you to work on. After completing the notebook, we will go over how to use this fabulous tool. You will go home one step closer to achieving being “the Astronomer of Your Dreams” with the only step left—get out & DO IT. But, you may want to practice before you put on a show. Please look for your notebook because it is too expensive to give people a second one. This is a priceless tool to use for the rest of your life & pass down to your grandchildren! We need everyone working together to complete this great project!
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 web=site: sanjuanstargazers.org. Check out our recently improved web-site with much more information & fabulous pictures. If you join at our December meeting it will be the last chance to get a copy of this very special notebook to become the “Astronomer of Your Dreams.”
WE INVITE YOU TO LEARN ABOUT & APPRECIATE OUR UNBELIEVABLE UNIVERSE.