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Alachua Astronomy Club, Inc. |  Member Astronomical League |
 Member International Dark-Sky Association |
| Monthly Meetings 1998 |
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| 29°39' N, 82°21' W Altitude: 50 Meters (more or less) |
Updated Dec. 24, 1998 | ||
| (Click logo for home page) | Founded: September 1987 |
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Location
Doyle Conner Building
1911 S.W. 34th Street (at S.W. 20th Avenue)
Gainesville, Alachua County, Florida USA
- All monthly meetings are free and open to the public
- The Alachua Freenet Community Calendar often lists our monthly meetings
- Check detailed schedule for any changes in time or location
- The AAC Executive Council also meets the first Tuesday of the month
Click on date to see details
DATE (1998) GUEST SPEAKER TITLE OR TOPIC
January* 13 Dr. Howard L. Cohen Darkness in the Caribbean: The Total Solar Eclipse of February 26, 1998 February* 10 Dr. Richard J. Elston Galaxies: Island Universes March 10 Dr. Jaydeep Mukherjee Interacting Galaxies April 14 "The Eclipse Chasers" Review of the 1998 Feb. 26 Total Solar Eclipse May 12 James H. Gerard Mars Exploration for the New Millennium June 09 Michael Toomey Observing Artificial Satellites July* 14 Howard L. Cohen Astronomy on the Internet August 11 Bernardo, Broward How to Make Your Own Telescope and Loftus September 08 Don Loftus Observing The Moon October 13 R. Scott Fisher Brave New Worlds: The Search for Debris Disks Around Main-Sequence Stars November 10 Steve Van Meter Robotics December 05 None (Holiday Party) Help Celebrate Our 11th Anniversary
* Scheduled for Florida Gym, Room 280, University of Florida rather than Doyle Conner Bldg.
Details of 1998 Meetings
Tuesday, January 13, 1998, 7:30 p.m. EST
Speaker: Dr. Howard L. Cohen, Associate Professor of Astronomy, Department of Astronomy, University of Florida
Title: Darkness in the Caribbean: The Total Solar Eclipse of February 26, 1998
Location: Florida Gym, Room 280, University of Florida Campus
(Note: this a change from our usual meeting place)
Preview: On February 26, 1998, the last accessible total eclipse of the Sun will occur for the Western Hemisphere until 2017 A.D.! However, this eclipse crosses one of the most coveted vacation places on Earth, the Caribbean Sea. An electronic slide presentation will tell you all about eclipses of the Sun, what you can expect to see in Gainesville and elsewhere in the USA, what you will miss if you don't travel into the path of totality, what to bring, eclipse safety, and more.
The is a special, joint presentation of the Department of Astronomy, Alachua Astronomy Club, and Wright Travel, Inc.
(More information about the eclipse, including a Holland American Eclipse Cruise, is available through Wright Travel's Eclipse Page.)
Presentation tentatively scheduled to take place in FLG 280, one of UF's high tech, multimedia lecture halls (seating capacity 109). Please see directions. Arrive early in order to allow ample time for parking.
« View an eclipse poster (47K gif) about this presentation »
Tuesday, February 10, 1998, 7:30 p.m. EST
Speaker: Dr. Richard J. Elston, Associate Professor of Astronomy, Department of Astronomy, University of Florida
Title: Galaxies: Island Universes
Location: Florida Gym, Room 280, University of Florida Campus
(Note: this a change from our usual meeting place)
Preview: During the first half of the 20th century, astronomers determined that out Sun is but one star in a vast galaxy of stars and that our Galaxy is but one galaxy in a vast universe of Galaxies. Dr. Elston will discuss how this amazing revelation about our place in the cosmos came about.
The is a joint presentation of the Department of Astronomy and Alachua Astronomy Club
Presentation scheduled to take place in FLG 280, one of UF's high tech, multimedia lecture halls (seating capacity 109). Please see directions. Arrive early in order to allow ample time for parking.
Tuesday, March 10, 1998, 7:30 p.m. EST
Speaker: Dr. Jaydeep Mukherjee, Assistant in Astronomy, Department of Astronomy, University of Florida
Title: Interacting Galaxies
Preview: In the early 70's, numerical experiments by the American brothers Alar and Juri Toomre showed that interactions between galaxies are both frequent and important. Hubble Space Telescope images and computer simulations confirm the fact that the peculiar forms of certain galaxies are a result of interactions. This presentation will concentrate on three topics: large scale structure of the universe, interacting galaxies, and the supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies
Tuesday, April 14, 1998, 7:30 p.m. EDT
Speaker: "The Eclipse Chasers" (presentation orchestrated by Howard L. Cohen)
Title: Review of the 1998 February 26 Total Eclipse of the Sun
Preview: Club members who chased the total solar eclipse will review the eclipse and (hopefully) show their pictures! All people who traveled into the Moon's shadow should bring their pictures (prints or slides), audio tapes, and eclipse tales. (A slide projector will be provided.) A preview of upcoming solar eclipses will be given for those who didn't go or for those who want more!
Tuesday, May 12, 1998, 7:30 p.m. EDT
Speaker: James H. Gerard, Aerospace Education Specialist, NASA Educational Services
Title: Mars Exploration for the New Millennium
Preview: The planet Mars has been a source of fascination for thousands of years. But only recently could humans go beyond speculation into the realm of exploration. Mr. Gerard's talk will present an historical look at exploring the Red Planet that will lead to updates of current NASA missions such as Pathfinder and the Mars Global Surveyor. Also included will be the latest images of the controversial "Face on Mars."
Using multimedia, models, demonstrations and a popular talking style, Mr. Gerard's presentation will be suitable for the young and old alike. A time for questions and discussion will give all an opportunity to participate. Come and take anew look at the planet Mars.
Tuesday, June 9, 1998, 7:30 p.m. EDT
Speaker: Michael Toomey
Title: Observing Artificial Satellites
Preview:
Seen a satellite lately? Can I see the Space Shuttle as it passes overhead? How can I know when Mir will be visible? Or the Hubble Space Telescope? What's an Iridium Flare? This non-technical talk will introduce common terminology to help you identify satellites and predict passes from the internet and with your own computer. Find out what satellites can be observed without optical aid, learn about re-entries, and discover how to see satellites that flash and flare! Presentation will include slide examples. Computer software assistance will follow including AAC special rates for SatSpy 2.5 software.
Tuesday, July 14, 1998, 7:30 p.m. EDT
Speaker: Dr. Howard L. Cohen, Associate Professor of Astronomy, Department of Astronomy, University of Florida
Title: Astronomy on the Internet
Location: Florida Gym, Room 280 (FLG 280), University of Florida Campus
(Note: this a change from our usual meeting place)
Preview:
The Internet contains thousands of astronomy and space related Web sites. This presentation will use the multimedia equipment in FLG 280 to connect to the Internet and allow us to view examples. Bring addresses of your favorite Web sites and we will show them on the large projection screen at the front of the room. If you don't yet have Internet access to the Web, this presentation ought to convince you that you're missing a universe of opportunity! (Bring paper and pencil so you can write down any Web addresses shown.)
Presentation scheduled to take place in FLG 280, one of UF's high tech, multimedia lecture halls (seating capacity 109). Please see directions. Arrive early in order to allow ample time for parking.
Tuesday, August 11, 1998, 7:30 p.m. EDT
Speaker: Gilbert Bernardo, Chuck Broward and Don Loftus
Title: How to Make Your Own Telescope
Preview: A discussion/demonstration on how to build your own telescope. Topics will include, how to grind a mirror and test it, how to build the telescope structure, and what resources are available for people interested in ATM (amateur telescope making). Don Loftus will bring a recently finished 6 inch reflector, made from cypress wood, and if time permits, will set it up for viewing in the parking lot after the meeting.
Tuesday, September 8, 1998, 7:30 p.m. EDT
Speaker: Don Loftus
Title: Observing the Moon
Preview: This months presentation will on observing the Moon, in preparation for the club's next set up at Kanapaha Gardens, Moonlight Walk. Don Loftus, AAC member, will talk about points of interest that can be seen on the Moon using amateur size telescopes. Also covered will be some of the basic types of questions we have encountered while doing the Moonlight Walk, such as, "how old is the moon; how big is it, how big are the craters, how did the seas form, etc." Special attention will be given to what is visible on an 11 day old moon, just like the one we will be observing at Kanapaha.
Tuesday, October 13, 1998, 7:30 p.m. EDT
Speaker: R. Scott Fisher, Infrared Astrophysics Group, Department of Astronomy, University of Florida
Title: Brave New Worlds: The Search for Debris Disks Around Main-Sequence Stars
Preview:
Discoveries by IRAS (Infrared Astronomical Satellite) in 1984 showed some "main sequence stars" have huge far-infrared excesses. We measure one hundred times more flux than expected from the internal nuclear energy sources that power normal stars. Astronomers believe this infrared excess emission comes from circumstellar disks or shells of dust. However, unlike new born stars still shrouded in dust cocoons, these stars are older--they have shed their nascent dust clouds and have turned on their nuclear furnaces.
Although these stars are younger than our Sun, they may still be like our Sun when planets were just forming. Further more detailed observations of these dust disks and shells may lead to understanding their structure and composition. This work may also shed light on how proplanetary disks relate to our own Solar System and to planet formation.
Recent technological advances have allowed UF astronomers to build a cutting edge, infrared camera (OSCIR). When used with the largest telescopes in the world, OSCIR can make high-resolution images of these class of star for the first time. This gives us the best chance yet at detecting and studying these elusive circumstellar disks. Scott Fisher's talk will discuss the development of OSCIR, how it has evolved into one of few instruments on Earth that can do this research, and how he has used OSCIR to study this exciting group of celestial objects.
Tuesday, November 10, 1998, 7:30 p.m. EST
Speaker: Steve Van Meter, Robotics Specialist with NASA's Advances Systems Analysis Division, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Title: Robotics
Preview: Mr. Van Meter's speciality is application of mobile robotic technology in support of hazardous operations. He began his career in 1983, serving in various positions as a Special Agent with the Protective Services Office until joining the Advanced Systems Division in 1995. He is a Certified Protection Professional (CPP), Bomb Technician and HazMat Technician. As primary operator of the Andros robotic system, he supports KSC operations as requested and serves as a consultant to outside agencies.
December 5, 1998, 6:00 p.m. EST
Place: Cohen Residence, 1501 N.W. 28 Street, Gainesville, FL (174K gif map)
Speaker: None but lots of fun!
Title: "Holiday Party" and Celebration of AAC's 11th Birthday!
Preview: AAC will hold its annual December holiday party — a potluck dinner and star party. (There will be no regular Tuesday meeting in December.) Bring a salad, veggie, dessert, etc. Club will buy drinks and main dish. (There will be a food sign up sheet at our November 10th meeting.)
Last year we celebrated our tenth anniversary. This year we celebrate our club's eleventh. Good food, games, lots of prizes including our traditional astro slide quiz, and an IMAX movie! (Really—but scaled to TV size!)
For more information, contact a club officer.
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