Date: May 8th 2006

MID-SOUTH STAR GAZE REPORT
The 2006 version of the Mid-South Star Gaze is history, but by all accounts it was a good event. People began arriving 3 days early to observe and help set up. We continue to appreciate Rex coming as our AstroStuff vendor. By the time the event was winding down we had registered over 140 people from 12 states. Spread through the week there were 12 talks and demonstrations, lots of fellowship, and observing. It is a good thing that we spread 2 dump truck loads of gravel because we had almost 20 RVs and trailers. Some folks left early due to the rain on Saturday, but the hard core stayed for the last 4 talks and had a treat in store. Gerrit Verschuur raised some questions about the WMAP data and what it might imply. We’ve had several requests for video copies of the talks. Let us know if you would like one or more of the talks sent to you. (Please send us a request and funds to pay for a tape and postage.) Thanks to everyone who volunteered and helped out with registra
tion, cleaning up, and giving talks. If you have suggestions for improvements to the Star Gaze, please let us know. If you have pictures you'd like to share , send them and we'll try to post as many as possible. If you want to get away for a bit of observing before next April, just give us a call. Thanks again for making this a mamorable event.

NOTE: MID-SOUTH STAR GAZE 2007 DATES SET
The dates for the 2007 MSSG will be April 18-21, 2007. Put it on your calendar now. We plan to be dedicating the new Sangre Telescope facility at the event.

ADDITIONS FOR THE FACILITY
Thanks to a gift of new specimens from Martin Horejsi, the clinician for our February workshop, we now have 115 meteorite and tektite specimens in our collection. Just before the Stargaze we acquired a personal astronomy library of over 1,000 books and DVDs. Many of these are duplicates that we would like to sell for development funds. (We sold a bunch at Stargaze, but there are still good selections.) The next time you visit, check out the books and make an offer.

“ASTRONOMY FOR TEACHERS” ONE-WEEK EDUCATOR WORKSHOPCOMING JUNE 18-23
June 18-23 we will be having a one week summer workshop that can be taken for 3 semester hour’s credit through the Ole Miss Summer School. Get information at http://www.outreach.olemiss.edu/teachers/ You can also contact us at the observatory and we will mail you a form.

SUMMER PROGRAMS
If your group would like to visit Rainwater for a field trip during June or next fall, let us know. We will be doing several “away” trips to libraries and civic groups, so contact us if you need a program in your community.