Mid-South Star Gaze Announcements

Mid-South Star Gaze Announcements Message 4/8/07

Sun, 08 Apr 2007 20:36:00 GMT

Happy Easter. Here is the schedule for this week's Mid-South Star Gaze. Schedule: 2007 Program: Talks and Presentations subject to change Wednesday April 11: 4:00 pm: Talk: A Visit to Chiefland Astronomy Village, Jack Huerkamp 6:30 pm: Talk: Cassini Update: Rings and Things, Jim Hill Thursday April 12: 8:00 am: Sweet rolls and OJ in the classroom 1:30 pm: Talk: Digital SLR Image Processing, Tom Nicolaides 4:00 pm: Talk: Metallicity in the Solar Neighborhood, Roggie Boone 5:15 pm: Supper at the Lodge 6:15: Talk: Deep Impact and the Future of Small Body Exploration, Donna Pierce Sunset Until: Observing Friday April 13: 8:00 am: Sweet rolls and OJ in the classroom 12:15 pm: Lunch at the Lodge Afternoon: Solar Observing, and Hanging out 1:15 pm: Talk: Building a Roll-Off Roof Observatory, John Watzke 2:30 pm: Talk: The Sky at Einstein&#146;s Feet, William Keel 4:00 pm: Talk: Requiem for Pluto, Chris Sirola 5:15 Supper at the Lodge 6:15 pm: Talk: Spiral Arms and Rings in Disk Galaxies, Gene Byrd 8:00 pm: Sky Lore, Part I, Gary Lazich at the Amphitheater Sunset Until, Observing Saturday April 14: 8:00am: Breakfast at the Lodge 9 am-Noon: Hands-On Astronomy Activities Workshop, John Frassinelli 12:15 Lunch at the Lodge Afternoon: Solar Observing, Hiking, Relaxing 1:30 pm: Round Table: Opportunities for Observing and Research Through the Los Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network 4:00 pm: Talk: Cosmic Microwave Background: I. Set &#145;Em Up, Joan Schmelz 5:15 pm: Supper at the Lodge 6:15 pm: Talk: Cosmic Microwave Background: II Knock &#145;Em Down, Gerrit Verschuur 8:00 pm: Sky Lore, Part II, Gary Lazich at the Amphitheater Sunset Until, Observing Every afternoon or evening there will be a &#147;Plan B&#148; in the event of rain or clouds.

Mid-South Star Gaze follow up

Sun, 04 Jun 2006 21:08:00 GMT

NOTE: NEW DATE FOR MID-SOUTH 2007 Several folks have pointed out that I goofed in setting the date for next year's event. Easter is a week earlier than I had figured, so the new dates are one week earlier as well. Put April 11-14,2007 down your calendar. Thanks for being flexible. LATEST ON THE NEW SANGRE TELESCOPE FACILITY John Martinez went by the offices and shop of the Los Cumbres Global Telescope Network in California over Memorial day. We now expect to have the newly rebuilt telescope here in September. It will have an SBIG CCD, an SBIG spectrometer, a photometer, a video port for a MallinCam that Jack HuerKamp is donating, and a port for visual. All the instruments will be mounted so that they can be interchanged automatically. The go-to system will be accurate to 2 arc seconds with sub arc second tracking. The next items for us to tackle will be to get high speed internet available so the scope can be automated and a dome automation system that will allow remote access. If you are in the vicinity we invite you to come this coming weekend on Friday night for a picnic (5:45 pm and program (7:15 pm) by John about what's in store. We want to do some planning about the use of the scope. We especially urge college or secondary instructors who might want to involve their students (or themselves) in the use of the new intrumentation to come for this meeting. A consortium of users is our goal. Alloted time will depend on support. As an affiliate of the Los Cumbres network we will be able to access some time on one of their five to seven 80 inch scopes situated around the world. If time permits we'll have a short update on the STEREO mission that is scheduled to launch next month to add stereo images of the Sun's coronal mass ejections. WHAT'S COMING By the next time you come to Rainwater there should be a new &quot;AstroVan&quot; and dome on a trailer for away presentations, and a marked nature trail in the woods. In the future is a possible solar observatory with a spectrohelioscope. We've been offered the parts. If you have expertise in this area, please contact us. PROGRAM FOR NEXT YEAR Finally, if you have suggestions for talks, speakers, additions or deletions from the Mid-South event, please let us know your ideas. Thanks again to all who contributed with your time, help, suggestions and presence to make holding the Mid-South Star Gaze a rewarding and enjoyable time. See you soon. (You don't have to wait until next April to visit.)

Mid-south 2006 Report

Mon, 08 May 2006 17:22:00 GMT

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&#146;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. &#147;ASTRONOMY FOR TEACHERS&#148; 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&#146;s credit through the Ole Miss Summer School. Get information at <a href="http://www.outreach.olemiss.edu/teachers/">http://www.outreach.olemiss.edu/teachers/</a> 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 &#147;away&#148; trips to libraries and civic groups, so contact us if you need a program in your community.

Mid-South Star Gaze Info Note #2 4/11/06

Wed, 12 Apr 2006 00:22:00 GMT

Mid-South Star Gaze News 4/11/06 Things are heating up, literally. Expected high temps for the week of the Star Gaze will be about 80 and lows in the 50s. Some of this note is a repeat for the folks who have registered during the last week. Registration has now passed 100 from 11 states. Here are some reminders 1. If you want a t-shirt, please e-mail us so we can have the right number and sizes. The design is on the web site. <a href="http://www.rainwaterobservatory.org/stargaze/">http://www.rainwaterobservatory.org/stargaze/</a> 2. If you&#146;re planning on participating in the Saturday morning Hands-On Astronomy Activities workshop from 9-12, let us know, so we&#146;ll have the right amount of materials. 3. Call or e-mail Rex if you have specific things you want to buy so he can bring them for you. <a href="mailto:rex@americansupply.net">rex@americansupply.net</a> or 479-866-0202. Bring lots of money for him and for the special book sale we will be having of several hundred astronomy books. (Think of the books you&#146;ll buy not as a hunt for bargains, but as an opportunity to contribute to the Rainwater Observatory fund : ) 4. We have about twice as many folks who are bringing RVs so we are working on getting places ready. The school cancelled the 7 full hookups it was going to build. (Problems with money and permits) We spread $500 of gravel behind the shower house and will be getting some more. There is currently electricity for 6 30 amp circuits and water. (No septic tank) Showers and toilets in the shower house will need to be used. Sorry. 5. The Mid-South Yahoo Group is still up and running at <a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MidSouthStargaze/">http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MidSouthStargaze/</a> If you want to join or post messages or look at the comments, be sure to sign up. Thanks to Harry Boswell for setting this up. 6. The latest talks and events schedule info is on the observatory web site web site. <a href="http://www.rainwaterobservatory.org/stargaze/">http://www.rainwaterobservatory.org/stargaze/</a> There will probably be changes so while you&#146;re here check the bulletin board by the door to the meeting room for messages. We&#146;ll use the classroom for hanging out (the coffee machine is there) and the meeting room may have videos and DVDs going so we&#146;ll keep the conversation out of there so folks can enjoy the &#147;in between&#148; shows going on. 7. Emergency phone or e-mails should go to 662-547-6377 or to <a href="mailto:jhill@rainwaterobservatory.org">jhill@rainwaterobservatory.org</a> Looking forward to seeing you all in two weeks. Let me know if you have questions. (See the phone and e-mail at number 7 above. PROGRAM: 2006 Changes and additions will be posted by the meeting room door Wednesday, April 26: &#149; 6:15 PM: Stardust Mission Brings it Home!, Jim Hill, NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador. Thursday, April 27: &#149; 8:00 AM: Sweet rolls and OJ in planetarium. &#149; 1:30 PM: Newtonian Collimation Techniques, Jim Fly, Catseye Collimation &#149; 5:15 PM: Supper at Lodge. &#149; 6:15 PM: Talk: TBA Friday, April 28: &#149; 8:00 AM: Sweet rolls and OJ in Planetarium. &#149; 12:15 PM: Lunch at the Lodge. &#149; 1:30 PM: CCD Imaging From the Mississippi Delta, Jay McNeil (of McNeil's nebula) &#149; Afternoon: Solar Observing and Swap Meet, Fellowship. &#149; 4:00 PM: Talk: The Life of Baby Stars: Eating, Sleeping, and Spitting Up, Dr. Chad Young &#149; 5:15 PM: Supper at the Lodge. &#149; 6:15 PM: Cosmology From A to A: Aristotle to the Accelerating Universe, Dr. Chris Sirola &#149; 8:00 PM: Sky Lore, Part I, Gary Lazich at the Amphitheater. Saturday, April 29: &#149; 8:00 AM: Breakfast at Lodge. &#149; 9-Noon: Hands-On Astronomy Activities Workshop, John Frassinelli, Christian Brothers School, Memphis &#149; 12:15 PM: Lunch at the Lodge. &#149; 1:30 PM: Bringing Astronomy to the Public: The Astronomy Channel, Lonnie Puterbaugh &#149; Afternoon: Solar Observing and Swap Meet, Hike, Relax. &#149; 2:00 PM: Tour of Observatory Exhibits, begin in front of planetarium. &#149; 4:00 PM: Talk: History of Telescopes, Dr. Joan Schmelz &#149; 5:15 PM: Supper at the Lodge. &#149; 6:15 PM: Talk: The Invisible Universe Revisited, Dr. Gerrit Verschuur &#149; 8:00 PM: Sky Lore, Part II, Gary Lazich at the Ampitheater. Every Night: Observing or &quot;PLAN B&quot; in the meeting room if cloudy.

Mid-South Info 4/2/06

Sun, 02 Apr 2006 21:08:00 GMT

This prelimianry note is going out to folks who are currently registered for the 2006 Mid-South or who have registered in the past. We will have a schedule of talks and events on the website shortly. If you are planning on coming but haven't registered yet, please do so ASAP so we can have everything ready. So far we have registrations from 11 states. 1. If you want to order a t-shirt, please let me know by e-mail or phone message. The shirt image is on the info page at. <a href="http://www.rainwaterobservatory.org/stargaze/">http://www.rainwaterobservatory.org/stargaze/</a> Let us know how many and what size. 2. We have set up a Saturday morning session from 9-12 for a Hands-On activities worikshop with John Frassinelli again. If you would like to add your name to participate list please e-mail us or phone. It will help to know how much material to set up. Teachers who would like to recieve CEU credit can attend the Saturday morning session and 7 additional hours of talks to get the credit. 3. If you have any particular items you want Rex to bring e-mail him at <a href="mailto:rex@americansupply.net">rex@americansupply.net</a> or call 479-886-0202. He is only doing a few star parties this year, so help him make it worth his time. 4. New features this year include, the removal of the fence around the observing area, a bath room and water at the top of the hill in the new Sangre facility, more ac outlets on the hill, tiled floors in the shower area and bunk room. Unfortunately, the powers that be have cancelled the RV parking areas so we will be adding gravel behind the meeting room building and having water and electricity for several units there. 5. If you have questions or special needs, please let us know. We're looking forward to seeing yu in a few weeks.

Mid-South Star Gaze 2006 Info

Sat, 14 Jan 2006 20:52:00 GMT

Greetings MSSG goers past and present, We are having some trouble with our online registration script. The new IT person erased the admin tools from the site when he moved to a new web host. Below are links to the announcement and info pages on our web site. If you are in a hurry to register, print out the Registration form page and mail or fax them to me. We hope to have online registration and PayPal ready soon. Announcement: <a href="http://www.rainwaterobservatory.org/stargaze/">http://www.rainwaterobservatory.org/stargaze/</a> Information: <a href="http://www.rainwaterobservatory.org/stargaze/reg.html">http://www.rainwaterobservatory.org/stargaze/reg.html</a> Registration form: <a href="http://www.rainwaterobservatory.org/stargaze/regform.html">http://www.rainwaterobservatory.org/stargaze/regform.html</a> There have been several changes since last year. The fence is gone from around the hill, there are going to be 7 RV pads and hookups available on the road before you get to the parking area, there is water on the hill (toilet, sink, and refrigerator), and a few more outside electric hookups. there is even tile on the floor of the bunk room and the showers. The big change you'll notice even from the highway is the new Sangre facility on the east end of the hill. The 18.5 foot Ash dome is in place and the control room will be finished by MSSG. It's going to be awesome when the 25.5&quot; Ritchey arrives. (No guarantee it will be refurbished and set up by April, but let's hope so. Check the link below for progess. <a href="http://www.rainwater.us82.net/gallery/">http://www.rainwater.us82.net/gallery/</a> Exciting things are happening. We participated in the unveiling of the Hubble Orion Nebula mosaic last night and have a 4'x4' mural on display. February 24-25 we will be having a workshop on &quot;Exploring Meteorite Mysteries&quot; REquest a flyer if interested. We are doing several away programs around the state. Let us know if you can use a talk. Have telescopes (and PowerPoint) will travel. To keep up with events at Rainwater you can sign up to get our e-newsletter. Just send a note with your e-mail and request it. Hope to see you April 26-29.