Rainwater E-News 1/21/08
FEBRUARY 8 MEETING FEATURES INTRODUCTION TO THE LAS CUMBRES NETWORK
Rachel Ross, the education outreach director for Las Cumbres Global Telescope Network, will show us how to use the free Stellarium desktop planetarium software at this meeting as well as introducing the resources of the LCO network. This meeting will begin at the observatory and then move to the computer lab at French Camp.
COMING PROGRAMS (Contact us to arrange a program at Rainwater or in your community.)
January 26-27: Jackson Boy Scouts at Rainwater
February 5: Meridian Community College, 6pm Presentation on Dark Matter and Dark Energy
“Bringing Astronomy to the Classroom” – February 8-9, 2008. 31 are registered for this workshop on using desktop planetarium programs and image processing. Contact us ASAP if you are interested in attending. http://www.rainwaterobservatory.org/programs/handson_copy(1).html
“Spring Backyard Astronomy” 7pm Friday evenings in March, 2008. We have a different speaker each session. Tim Rich, from Rust College, Gary Lazich from the Davis Planetarium, David Teske from Louisville and Jim Hill will be presenters. Registration and info at http://www.rainwaterobservatory.org/programs/backyard.html
Mid-South Star Gaze will be April 2-5, 2008. The registration form is up on the web site. Details and speakers will be added. http://www.rainwaterobservatory.org/stargaze/regform.html
Astronomy for Teachers: June 8-13 at Rainwater. 3 semester hours credit. www.outreach.olemiss.edu/teachers 662-915-7621 for info
Johannes Kepler’s Astronomy workshop: June 15-20, 4 CEU units. www.johanneskepler.org
NEWS FROM THE HILL
The latest word on the Sollee Telescope is that it is getting its testing done in the next couple of weeks in Santa Barbara and is scheduled to arrive here and be installed by the Las Cumbres team the last week of March. The plan is to have it in operation in time for the Mid-South Star Gaze so we can have the dedication then. A lot of preparation work still needs to be done by then. We need to fix the 20 and 32” scopes and upgrade the road to the Sangre facility to carry the extra traffic. A group of volunteers have repainted the entrance sign
ASTRO NEWS: If you have info or links you’d like to share, let us know.
The MESSENGER mission sends back great images from Mercury. See http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/21jan_mercuryflyby.htm?list899987
Smith’s Cloud on a Collision course with the Milky Way: Radio telescopes have discovered a huge cloud of gas is approaching the Milky Way at 150 miles/second. It should trigger a burst massive star formation.
http://www.universetoday.com/2008/01/11/gas-cloud-on-collision-course-with-the-milky-way/
How Large Spirals Form: New Hubble images show that small proto-galaxies coalesce to form large spirals. http://www.universetoday.com/2008/01/10/the-building-blocks-of-the-grand-spirals/
Plans for the Last Hubble Servicing Mission Released: Hubble may become better than ever. http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=6453/
Other NASA News this article tells about NASA’s 50 current and 41 proposed missions. The manned missions are taking away from the robotic science missions. http://www.universetoday.com/2008/01/08/a-snapshot-of-nasas-science-plans/
The Sun finally decided to end its period of minimum activity and has begun the slow path toward the next solar max. http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/10jan_solarcycle24.htm?list899987
--
This mailing list is powered by Crossroads Computer Consulting. For web site design, hosting, and on-site computer repair in North and Central Mississippi visit: http://www.crossroadscomputer.com
The following information is a reminder of your current mailing
list subscription:
You are subscribed to the following list:
Rainwater Observatory E-Newsletter
Using the following email:
example@example.com
You may automatically unsubscribe from this list at any time by
visiting the following URL:
<http://dada.crossroadscomputer.com/cgi-bin/mail.cgi/u/rainwateren/>
If the above URL is inoperable, make sure that you have copied the
entire address. Some mail readers will wrap a long URL and thus break
this automatic unsubscribe mechanism.
You may also change your subscription by visiting this list's main screen:
<http://dada.crossroadscomputer.com/cgi-bin/mail.cgi?f=list&l=rainwateren>
If you're still having trouble, please contact the list owner at:
<mailto:jhill@rainwaterobservatory.org>
The following physical address is associated with this mailing list:
Rainwater Observatory
1 Fine Pl.
French Camp, MS 39745
(662) 547-6377
Mailing List Powered by Dada Mail
http://dada.crossroadscomputer.com/cgi-bin/mail.cgi/what_is_dada_mail/
)