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10/28 [updated] - The November Eclipse is out! Included in this issue
are reports from the October membership and board meetings, the BSAS astronomical
event calendar for November and December, and much more!
One highlight is the announcement of our November speaker, planetary scientist and astronomer
Dr. Jeffrey Moersch.
Formerly with the Exobiology Branch of
NASA's Ames Research
Center, Dr. Moersh is now a member of University of
Tennessee's research faculty.
Eagle-eyed readers will note that the President's Message in this issue was penned by
our new President and former Vice President Pam Thomas. Pam has graciously and ably
stepped in since John Harrington's departure to ensure that the work of the BSAS
continued smoothly and without interruption. Thanks so much for your hard work,
Madame President!
The Eclipse has been emailed to all BSAS members who subscribe to the
newsletter electronically, and postal subscribers' copies have been sent as well.
Members who join the BSAS Forum have access
to the electronic version as soon as it is published, through links in the Members
Only sections.
While current issues are available only to members, anyone can peruse over
four years of newsletters online in the Eclipse Archive.
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10/20 [updated 10/24] - The October Membership Meeting was held on Thursday, October 20th
at the Adventure Science Center in Nashville. The speaker
was Dr. William Keel, noted astronomer and author of
The Road to Galaxy Formation as
well as the newly-released The Sky at
Einstein's Feet.
Dr. Keel's work is at the forefront of research in gravitational
lensing and other relativistic phenomena, and in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Einstein's
"miracle year" he gave the BSAS a wonderful talk (illuminated by a great
PowerPoint presentation) titled "Living in
Einstein's Universe" about how relativity has shaped, enhanced and expanded our understanding of
the universe. Dr. Keel shared views of the farthest quasars, a glimpse into the black hole at
the center of our own galaxy, and wonderful stories about the latest discoveries and unsolved
riddles.
Thanks for a stellar evening, Dr. Keel!
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10/13 [updated 10/24] - The October 29th star party has been moved—to Alabama!
The Von Braun Astronomical Society of Huntsville
has graciously invited all interested BSAS members of the BSAS to participate in
their Mars opposition
event on Saturday the 29th. The first speaker will be
our own Lonnie Puterbaugh,
who will present two 3-D Mars shows in the Von Braun Planetarium beginning at
7:30pm. The shows will feature imagery from ESA's Mars Express spacecraft and NASA's Mars
Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity. 3-D glasses will be provided for all
attendees; this will be an unforgettable night for Mars lovers!
After the show, VBAS club telescopes will be trained on Mars for some once-in-a-blue-moon
views of the most earthlike planet yet found. The scopes will include a rare 16"
Celestron Pacifica Schmidt-Cassegrain and perhaps even the Conrad D. Swanson Observatory's 21"
Cassegrain, used by Wernher von Braun
and the first U.S. astronaut Alan Shepard to survey the Moon for potential Apollo landing sites! In addition,
our club members will have a special opportunity to see Werner von Braun's personal
12" telescope, a treasured possession of the Society that bears his name.
The VBAS website has driving directions. Please join us if you can and take full advantage of this rare
and wonderful opportunity!
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10/11 - "Einstein's Big Idea,"
a two-hour NOVA film chronicling "the story of
the world's most famous equation," will be broadcast tonight at 7:00pm on
Nashville Public Television. This film has received
excellent reviews and is a great alternative to the usual Tuesday-night network TV fare,
especially to watch and enjoy with your kids.
In case you miss it or can't record it, WNPT will re-air the whole thing twice on
Wednesday morning at midnight and at 2:00am.
You can also go to
the movie website for more resources
about the man and his work, the making of the film, and plenty of other goodies.
Thanks for the heads-up, Rocky!
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10/07 [updated 10/10] - The 2005 Tennessee Star Party
is now history! Tennessee weather was the great equalizer this year, allowing 1" binoculars
to perform as well as 36" monster Dobs! Plenty of participants left their scopes and equipment
at home, bringing only their thirst for knowledge and appetitite for fun and comaraderie.
Members of the Barnard-Seyfert,
Cumberland and Smoky Mountain Astronomical Societies, as well as ORION, the Knoxville Observers and others,
enjoyed plenty of fellowship and great presentations. Speakers from Gordon College, Austin
Peay, Vanderbilt and MTSU delivered wonderful talks on the latest developments in astronomy and cosmology,
and BSAS members Mark Manner and
Lonnie Puterbaugh presented their
outstanding work in high-end astrophotography
and 21st-century public outreach.
Thanks again to everyone who worked so hard to put TNSP'05 together, all those who supported
the programs, and of course all our many attendees. We hope to see you all next year
at TNSP'06!
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9/30 [updated] - The October Eclipse is out! Included in this issue
are reports from the September membership and board meetings, the BSAS astronomical
event calendar for October and November, and much more!
An important but sad highlight of this issue is a farewell message from outgoing BSAS
president John Harrington. His work for the Society over the years has been
invaluable, and he has always represented us well. We have been fortunate to have
him as an officer, as a member, and as a friend. Though his career is taking him far
from us, we know he'll stay in touch and continue to be a part of the future of the
BSAS. Good luck John, and see you at TNSP!
The Eclipse has been emailed to all BSAS members who subscribe to the
newsletter electronically, and postal subscribers' copies have been sent as well.
Members who join the BSAS Forum have access
to the electronic version as soon as it is published, through links in the Members
Only sections.
While current issues are available only to members, anyone can peruse over
four years of newsletters online in the Eclipse Archive.
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9/15 [updated] - The September Membership Meeting was held tonight at the
Adventure Science Center in Nashville.
Our speaker was Mark Manner, a
BSAS member and accomplished astrophotographer
who operates an advanced private observatory
near Spot, Tennessee. Mark gave us a great presentation on the equipment and
techniques involved in extensive experience in high-end digital astro-imaging, and
stuck around to answer lots of questions from the audience.
Equipment Committee Chair Lonnie Puterbaugh previewed the new BSAS portable
display, which now has up-to-date photos and text covering the Society's current
programs, events and projects. Lonnie also announced the Mars Photo Contest
(link coming soon); the winning photograph will be announced on the website and
prominently displayed at all BSAS public events!
Thanks to everyone who attended, and we hope to see you at the
next BSAS event!
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9/1 - The September Eclipse is out! Included in this issue are reports
from the August membership and board meetings, the BSAS astronomical event calendar
for September and October, and much more!
A highlight of this issue is the announcement of the speaker for our September membership
meeting on the 15th. Mark Manner, a prominent
Nashville attorney,
prolific astrophotographer
and BSAS member, will favor us with a presentation on
his extensive experience in high-end digital astro-imaging. Mark will cover equipment
selection, advanced techniques, and lots more. This is sure to be a very exciting evening
for advanced and novice stargazers alike, and anyone who is interested in the cutting
edge of amateur astronomy. Be sure to mark your calendar!
The Eclipse has been emailed to all BSAS members who subscribe to the
newsletter electronically, and postal subscribers' copies have been sent as well.
Members who join the BSAS Forum have access
to the electronic version as soon as it is published, through links in the Members
Only sections.
While current issues are available only to members, anyone can peruse over
four years of newsletters online in the Eclipse Archive.
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8/03 [updated 8/6] - The BSAS Private Star Party scheduled for Saturday night was
CANCELLED due to inclement weather. As of midday Saturday, the
forecast called for scattered thunderstorms in the area of the Natchez Trace
site—not the best (or safest) weather for stargazing.
The next BSAS Private Star Party is scheduled for Saturday, September 3rd at
the Water Valley Overlook on the
Natchez Trace. This will be an event for BSAS members and their guests only,
so if you aren't a member yet, just
print an application and bring it to the
event with your dues, and have fun with us under the stars!
Be sure to check the Event
Calendar for dates and directions to all BSAS events.
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8/03 - The BSAS Private Star Party is THIS SATURDAY NIGHT,
August 6th at the parking lot at mile 433.5 of the Natchez Trace.
In addition to the usual array of telescopes, binoculars and cameras,
we'll also host a first-of-its-kind amateur astronomy technology exhibit.
Lonnie Puterbaugh of the Astronomy Channel, along with other enthusiasts, will demonstrate
the latest video astronomy equipment in a head-to-head matchup
of several cutting-edge cameras and scopes. If you're interested in
the latest equipment and amazing deep-sky views, don't
miss it!
This is an event for
BSAS members and their guests only; if you aren't a member yet, just
print the application and bring it to the
event with your dues, and have fun with us under the stars! Remember that
all observing events are dependent on clear weather, so check the weather
report and the BSAS website before you go!
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7/29 - The August Eclipse is out! Included in this issue are reports
from the July membership and board meetings, the BSAS astronomical event calendar
for August and September, and much more!
The Eclipse has been emailed to all BSAS members who subscribe to the
newsletter electronically, and postal subscribers' copies have been sent as well.
Members who join the BSAS Forum have access
to the electronic version as soon as it is published, through links in the Members
Only sections.
While current issues are available only to members, anyone can peruse over
four years of newsletters online in the Eclipse Archive.
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6/31 - The July Eclipse is out! Included in this issue are reports
from the June membership and board meetings, the BSAS astronomical event calendar
for July and August, and much more!
Also included is a reminder of NASA's
Deep Impact Mission, which comes to a
spectacular end at 12:52am CDT on the morning of July 4 when its 870-pound impactor
slams into Comet Tempel 1. Watch the
mission website for latest news!
The Eclipse has been emailed to all BSAS members who subscribe to the
newsletter electronically, and postal subscribers' copies have been sent as well.
Members who
join the BSAS Forum have access to the electronic
version as soon as it is published, through links in the Members Only sections.
While current issues are available only to members, anyone can peruse over
four years of newsletters online in the Eclipse Archive.
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6/17 - The June Membership Meeting was held on Thursday, June 16th
at the Adventure Science Center in Nashville.
Dr. Tim Farris,
who heads the astronomy program at
Volunteer State Community College gave a very
interesting talk titled "How do you know that?" Using simple concepts and
entertaining graphics, Dr. Farris explained how astronomers have determined some of the
most basic measurements of the Universe, such as the Astronomical Unit, c
(the speed of light), the size of the Sun and Moon, etc. It was a great presentation,
and we want to thank Dr. Farris for providing us with such an interesting and educational
talk!
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6/14 - The June Membership Meeting will be on Thursday, June 16th at 7:30 pm at the
Adventure Science Center in Nashville. Our speaker will be
Dr. Tim Farris, who heads
the astronomy program at
Volunteer State Community College.
Dr. Farris' talk, titled "How do you know that?" will take a look at how astronomers have
determined some of the most basic measurements of the Universe. He will consider, from a historical
perspective, how astronomers have measured things like the Astronomical Unit, c (the
speed of light), the masses of the planets, etc. This is sure to be a very interesting presentation,
and as always the public is welcome to attend. Don't miss it!
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6/2 - The June Eclipse is out! Included in this issue are reports
from the May membership and board meetings, the BSAS astronomical event calendar
for June and July, and much more!
Your even-more-humble-than-usual webmaster
apologizes for the lateness of this release. While our esteemed editor Bill
Griswold had this issue ready at the beginning of the week, I have been plagued
with technical issues ever since. I am very sorry for the inconvenience
and will make every effort to get the next issue out before the first of July!
The Eclipse has been emailed to all BSAS members who subscribe to the
newsletter electronically, and postal subscribers' copies are on their way. Members who
join the BSAS Forum have access to the electronic
version as soon as it is published, through links in the Members Only sections.
While current issues are available only to members, anyone can peruse over
four years of newsletters online in the Eclipse Archive.
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5/1 [Updated 6/1] - The May Membership Meeting was held on Thursday, May 19th at the
Adventure Science Center in Nashville. Our featured
speaker was Elizabeth
Warner, Liaison to Amateur Astronomers for NASA's
Deep Impact Mission. Elizabeth gave a wonderful
presentation on the mission as well as the Amateur Observers'
Program and Small Telescope Science Program,
both of which offer great opportunities for amateur astronomers to participate in Deep
Impact's science objectives.
This was the Deep Impact team's only presentation to any amateur group in this area
before the July 4th collision event. Thanks to all our members and visitors, including members of the
Cumberland Astronomical Society, who came
to hear this wonderful speaker!
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5/1 - The May Membership Meeting will be held on Thursday, May 19th at 7:30pm at the
Adventure Science Center in Nashville. Our featured
speaker will be Elizabeth
Warner, Liaison to Amateur Astronomers for NASA's
Deep Impact Mission. Elizabeth will discuss
the mission as well as the Amateur Observers'
Program and Small Telescope Science Program,
both of which offer great opportunities for amateur astronomers to participate in Deep
Impact's science objectives.
This will be the Deep Impact team's only presentation to any amateur group in this area
before the July 4th collision event. Don't miss this great speaker and the exciting
opportunities she'll be presenting!
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4/27 - The May Eclipse is out! In this issue's Letter from the President,
John Harrington discusses the future of the Space Shuttle, the Hubble, and space-based
optical astronomy. BSAS member and accomplished astrophotographer Mark Manner shares his latest acquisition, the beautiful
Ring Nebula M51 shown here, and tells how he acquired this incredible image! Also
included are reports from the April membership and board meetings, the BSAS
astronomical event calendar for May and June, and much more!
The Eclipse has been emailed to all BSAS members who subscribe to the
newsletter electronically, and postal subscribers' copies are on their way. Members who
join the BSAS Forum have access to the electronic
version as soon as it is published, through links in the Members Only sections.
While current issues are available only to members, anyone can peruse the last
four years of newsletters online in the Eclipse Archive.
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4/19 - The April Membership Meeting will be on Thursday, April 21st at 7:30 pm at the
Adventure Science Center in Nashville. Our AL Correspondent
Mike Benson will give a presentation about the Astronomical
League, an organization composed of over 240 amateur astronomical societies across the U.S.
While the BSAS pays five dollars annually for each BSAS member to also be a member of the Astronomical
League, many of our members are unaware that they are AL members, or of the numerous benefits
available to them through that membership. Mike has been deeply involved with the Astronomical
League for many years, and will discuss how AL
membership can benefit each member as well as the society as a whole. This should be a very
interesting presentation, so don't miss it!
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4/11 - [updated 4/13] Astronomy Day 2005 is this Saturday,
April 16th! The BSAS is teaming with Sudekum
Planetarium and the Clarksville Astronomy Club to present a day
of activities and presentations at the Adventure Science
Center in Nashville, from 10:00am until 3:00pm. Paul Johnson of
NASA's Marshall Space Flight
Center will give talks on the future of space exploration at 11:00am and 1:00pm, and JPL Solar System Ambassador Chuck Schlemm will give continuous interactive presentations about the Sun and planets as well as
current and future space exploration. BSAS and CAC members will provide demonstrations of
astrophotography, solar observing and more, as well as answer visitors' questions about amateur
astronomy and the sky in general.
Astronomy Day participants will also have a chance to
win a telescope
donated by Meade Instruments!
The Cumberland Astronomical Society, our
sister club in Gallatin, will offer a skyful of activities at their event in Moss Wright Park in
Goodlettsville. You can download the event brochure, complete with map, right from their website.
Later, the BSAS will host a Public Star Party at Greer
Stadium from 8:00pm until at least 10:00pm. We'll be set up in the parking lot, the stadium lights will be turned
off, and Jupiter, Saturn and the Moon will all be in prime viewing positions.
Don't miss all the great events on Astronomy Day!
(All outdoor events are, of course, dependent on clear weather.)
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3/30 [Updated 4/10] - While some of our members participated in the
Mid-South Stargaze 2005 at French Camp,
Mississippi, many of us who stayed in home were privileged to enjoy the hospitality of the
Cumberland Astronomical Society
at their club star party on Saturday evening at Bledsoe's Fort. The party started at sunset and continued into the wee hours, everyone eager to
make the most of the unusually clear weather and the great fellowship.
CAS member David Cotten generously shared his Discovery 15" Dobsonian with everyone, providing the most stunning view of Jupiter that several
of us had ever seen. BSAS webmaster Tony Campbell (who didn't bring a telescope) took the opportunity
to snap a handheld photo through David's 8mm
Televue Radian eyepiece. Tony's modest Canon
Powershot A40 2.1-megapixel camera captured this image in one shot!
The members of CAS were great hosts, and we'd all like to express our gratitude for their warm hospitality
and the opportunity to share a wonderful night of observing with them. Thanks again, CAS!
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3/30 [Updated 4/9] - While some of our members are participating in the
Mid-South Stargaze 2005 at French Camp,
Mississippi, many of us who stayed in Tennessee are looking at the prospect of an
unusually clear Saturday night and longing for a good local star party.
Well, stop your longing! The Cumberland Astronomical Society
is hosting a star party on Saturday evening, April 9 at Bledsoe's Fort in Castalian Springs, about seven miles east of Gallatin. The party will run from 7:00PM until at
least midnight, and the CAS welcomes anyone with an interest in stargazing to come out and take part.
Tonight's forecast for Castalian Springs looks fantastic, so we're hoping that plenty of BSAS members
will attend and share in the fellowship. Thanks for the invitation, CAS!
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3/30 [Updated 4/5] - The April 9 star party at Water Valley
Overlook has been CANCELLED, as the National Park Service
(which administers the Natchez Trace Parkway) has not yet approved our
permit for the event. [9/8 UPDATE: Doublechecking
our request forms revealed that we hadn't actually REQUESTED a permit for the April party--just May onward.
Oops!] Many of our members will
instead be attending the Mid-South Stargaze 2005
at French Camp, Mississippi, just 230 miles further down the Trace.
Also, the Cumberland Astronomical Society
will host a star party on Saturday evening, April 9 at Bledsoe's Fort in Castalian Springs, about seven miles east of Gallatin. The CAS welcomes anyone with
an interest in stargazing to come out and take part. Thanks for the invitation, CAS!
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4/4 - Early clouds cleared up in time for a dozen BSAS members to host
a fine public star party on Saturday at Edwin
Warner Park in Nashville. A good number of the public took advantage of the late clearing
skies and came out to observe with our seasoned veterans. Thanks to everyone who attended,
and to the BSAS members who participated with their equipment, knowledge and good spirits!
Request from the BSAS Webmaster: If you are aware of any local astronomical events
(especially BSAS events!) that are not listed on the BSAS Event Calendar, please report them to the webmaster, Tony Campbell, at
(615) 414-4336. Thanks for your help!
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4/1 - Thanks to the April 1 finalizing of our acronym-sharing agreement with
Brane Sales And Service, the BSAS can now make an
offer that beats any "Buy a Star" program
currently out there!
Now, our website visitors can actually own
their own universe! Yes, that's right! For a modest and as yet undetermined fee, you can have your
own three-dimensional, virtually limitless universe to command, control, and fix up with your own special touches!
Never before has such an incredible offer been extended by any astronomical society, and it isn't
likely to happen again soon, so take advantage of it
(or vice versa) while you can! Your universe awaits!
(4/4 Update: Yes, this was an April Fool!)
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3/29 - The April Eclipse is out! This issue includes a great letter from
BSAS President John Harrington, chock full of advice about astronomical imaging with an
inexpensive webcam. (John captured the Jupiter image shown here just last night, using
the techniques he describes in the Eclipse!) Also included are reports from the
March membership and board meetings, a list of star parties planned for 2005, the BSAS
astronomical event calendar for March and April, member astrophotography and more!
The Eclipse has been emailed to all BSAS members who subscribe to the
newsletter electronically, and postal subscribers' copies are on their way. Members who
join the BSAS Forum have access to the electronic
version as soon as it is published, through links in the Members Only sections.
While current issues are available only to members, anyone can peruse the last
four years of newsletters online in the Eclipse Archive.
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3/17 [updated 3/18] - The March Membership Meeting was held on Thursday, March 17th at the
Adventure Science Center in Nashville.
BSAS Webmaster
Tony Campbell gave a presentation on the history of astronomical
computing and answered questions about the BSAS website and online forums. Equipment and Facilities Chairman
Lonnie Puterbaugh gave an impressive presentation on
lunar observing, culminating in a jaw-dropping demonstration of
Virtual Moon Atlas, a free
application by the authors of the equally impressive Cartes
du Ciel (Sky Charts) free planetarium program.
Thanks to all who attended, and we hope to see you again next month!
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3/4 [updated 3/7] - BSAS's Messier Marathon 2005 was held Saturday
night at the Water
Valley Overlook at Mile 411.8 of the Natchez Trace Parkway. Marathon coordinator
Lonnie Puterbaugh threw out a huge welcome mat to the
two dozen-odd participants, providing energy food and hot drinks from his propane-powered
snack bar. Marathoners started working through the Messier
list right after sunset. Several logged between 40 and 60 Messier objects, and also
saw Comet Machholtz and other
non-Messier objects of interest. One hardy soul recorded 70 Messiers before 2:30am, when the
supersaturated air had reduced visibility almost to magnitude 1. Several participants commented
that they had seen more deep-sky objects in one evening than they had ever seen in their lives.
BSAS member Dr. Donna Hummell
impressed everyone with her discipline and can-do attitude. Despite the cold, dew and advancing
fog she worked her way through an impressive chunk of the Messier list with her 4½" scope,
outlasting several of our seasoned veterans.
Thanks to everyone who participated in the 2005 BSAS Messier Marathon!
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2/28 - The March Eclipse is out! This issue includes the announcement of the
March membership meeting, minutes from the February membership and board meetings,
updates on the upcoming Messier Marathon, the 2005 BSAS budget, the BSAS
astronomical event calendar for March and April, member astrophotography and more!
The Eclipse has been emailed to all BSAS members who subscribe to the
newsletter electronically, and postal subscribers' copies are on their way. Members who
join the BSAS Forum have access to the electronic
version as soon as it is published, through links in the Members Only sections.
While current issues are available only to members, the last three years of
newsletters can be found in the Eclipse Archive.
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2/15 [update] - The February Membership Meeting was held on Thursday, February 17th at the
Adventure Science Center in Nashville. AL Correspondent
Mike Benson was unable to make his much-anticipated talk, but Sudekum Planetarium director Kris McKall stepped in to give an impressive and inspriring presentation
on the future of Sudekum and astronomy education in Middle Tennessee. There was a lively discussion
period, and everyone got involved. Thanks to all who attended, and we hope to see you again next month!
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1/18 - The January Membership Meeting was held on Thursday, January 20 at the Adventure Science Center in Nashville. The program focused
on low-cost observing tricks and techniques, just in time for use with our new Christmas scopes!
Several members of the BSAS will made presentations, including BSAS President John Harrington and
Lonnie Puterbaugh.
Lonnie also gave a presentation about the Messier Marathon, one of the Society's premier annual observing events. This year it will be
held in March at the Water Valley Overlook site
on the Natchez Trace. Check the Event Calendar for details.
The Year-Round Messier
Marathon Field Guide that Lonnie recommended can be ordered
online directly from the publisher, Willmann-Bell.
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