February 21, 2024
Astronomical Society of Greater Hartford
Hybrid Online/In Person Business Meeting Minutes
Date: February 21, 2024
The February 21, 2024 meeting of the Astronomical Society of Greater Hartford was called to order over Zoom and in person from the Rocky Hill Community Center in Room 1C, at 7:35 PM by President Markiewicz. There were 20 people in attendance. 6 were in the room at the Rocky Hill Community Center. 14 were online over Zoom.
Tonight’s speaker was a rescheduled speaker from our last year program and we’re quite happy he was able to reschedule to join us (over Zoom). Brendan Hall, is one of the ‘dearMoon’ selectees for the SpaceX Starship all artist voyage around the Moon. The dearMoon project is the lunar tourism mission and art project funded and designed by the Japanese billionaire, Yusaka Maezawa. Brendan submitted his name and a bio as a film documentarian and nature photographer. After a grueling two years of interviews and testing, health, psychological and more, Brendan finally got the call that he was selected. The voyage will include Maezawa and 8 other artists of varying types. Brendan provided some film clips of his work and what he could share of the Starship voyage to travel around the Moon and back to Earth. The trip, originally scheduled for 2023 has been interminably delayed. Recent Starship tests are indeed encouraging. His talk was very well received. We were lucky to have him as a speaker.
You may watch a replay of his presentation to the ASGH here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-OP5oFtQDI&t=24s
New Member:
We had two new members in attendance and a returning member after a long absence.
New member, Colin Zimmer. Colin had come to one of our public observing sessions at the Van Vleck Observatory and joined through his mother. Colin, a West Hartford, native enjoys looking through his personal telescope as well as he can with his local skies. Marian Addy, of Oakville, joined for her 14 year old future astronomer daughter. No telescope yet but then when she’s studying the skies, she’ll be using the worlds largest telescopes and not ours!
Returning member, Ed O’Brien, was a member who joined a few years after we started the public observing program at the Van Vleck. He participated with us regularly at the Van Vleck Observatory and like many of us, had owned an 80 mm StellarVue refractor. Due to work requirements, Ed gave the telescope to his son-in-law who never put it to good use. (I see that as a head shaker, Ed! We should have a chat with that lad – not to get it back for you of course – but to get him to use it so he can join us. Get your own, Ed! NEAF is coming soon! – Sec’y).
Secretary’s Report:
The Secretary’s report was posted online a week or two before the meeting. It should have been posted earlier if the Secretary had remembered to include the attachment when he sent to it the Webmaster. It’s ok to call the Sec’y on his mistakes, guys! Really. The minutes were approved by the membership in attendance unanimously.
Public Observing at the Van Vleck Observatory:
Public Observing at the Van Vleck Observatory took place the Saturday before this meeting. Being February, it was the coldest night so far this year for observing. We had 10 visitors who all stayed for the entire session. The Moon was a great target with the terminator being spectacular when moved beyond the Mare.
John S’s use of the Tele Vue NebuStar filter made the Clown Face Nebula (Eskimo Nebula NGC 2392, a Planetary Nebula in Gemini) pop whereas it was barely visible without the filter. In contrast, M42, the Orion Nebula really highlighted its range of gaseousness in his Thousand Oak OIII filter. Without a filter the nebula is still visible and visitors easily saw 4 stars, some 5 in the Trapezium. They noted the area was dimmer with the filter.
Night Sky Network Awards Presentation:
John Sillasen, the lead for the ASGH since the NASA Night Sky Network was founded made several awards presentations to honor these 8 members who provided several contact hours of public outreach. This year, in addition to the certificate, a special pin that has a movable Moon in front of the Sun in tribute to the two spectacular Eclipses of 2023 and 2024!
The recipients for The NASA Night Sky Network awards this Recognition of Exceptional Outreach to:
Christopher Markiewicz, Outreach Coordinator & President
John A. Sillasen, Chair of the Committee for Public Observing at the Van Vleck Observatory
John Allen, Webmaster
Martin, “Marty” Ollenschleger, M.D., Vice President & Web Developer
David L. Allen, Membership Coordinator
Lucas Branco
William J. DeNio
Dean Kavalkovich
Treasurer’s Report:
Treasurer, Cynthia Barron stated the combined balances in all acounts was $33,685.71. The Checking Account balance is $2612.79. There are $15,000 in Treasury Bills currently, (T-Bills) and $16,072.92 in the Savings account, which includes the Cosmic Culture II check of $4996.65. $50 registration fee has been paid to the State of Connecticut as well as the fees paid the Federal Government last month.
The T-Bill’s of $5000 each come due at differing times of the year and lengths with 26 and 52 week investitures.
A motion was made to increase the Treasurer’s ability to invest up to $25,000 in Treasury bills was put to the floor and passed unanimously by the members in attendance. This is an increase from the current $15,000 investment availability.
WebMasters Report:
There is nothing new to report.
Outreach:
John Sillasen has passed and completed all the training available to receive his NASA Partrner Eclipse Ambassador Badge. As of the Eclipse Ambassador Social Hour the badge is in the mail. To that end, John will be available to attend all the Solar Eclipse talks without being the presenter. He will assist where required and answer questions afterwards, not provided during the talks.
A. March 2, 2024, 2:00pm: Cora Belden Library, Rocky Hill, CT
Solar eclipse presentation, safe viewing techniques, pinhole viewer. (C. Markiewicz/J. Sillasen/D. Allen)
B. March 6, 2024, 6:00pm: East Hartford Public Library, East Hartford, CT
Solar eclipse presentation, safe viewing techniques, pinhole viewer. ©. Markiewicz)
C. March 13, 2024, 6:30pm: Tolland Public Library, Tolland, CT (C. Markiewicz/J. Sillasen)
Solar eclipse presentation, safe viewing techniques, pinhole viewer
D. March 19, 2024, 6:00pm: Plainville Public Library, Plainville, CT (C. Markiewicz/J. Sillasen)
Solar eclipse presentation, safe viewing techniques, pinhole viewer
E. March 26, 2024, 2:00pm: Suffield Senior Living, Suffield, CT <= Bill DeNio Solar eclipse presentation, safe viewing techniques, pinhole viewer
F. April 3, 2024, 6:30pm: Welles-Turner Memorial Library, Glastonbury, CT (C. Markiewicz/J. Sillasen) Solar eclipse presentation, safe viewing techniques, pinhole viewer
G. April 5, 2024, 4:00-5:30pm: ImagineNation Museum, Bristol, CT (C. Markiewicz/J. Sillasen), but hoping someone else steps forward Eclipse-prep presentation geared towards young children, STEM centered
H. date/time TBD: Hartford Library, Hartford, CT <= Marty Solar eclipse presentation, safe viewing techniques, pinhole viewer
I. April 27, 9am – 3pm: Space Expo/NEAM (public outreach & education) (multiple members are needed. C. Markiewicz and C. Barron volunteered so far). This year, the Space Expo does not conflict with NEAF!
Old Business:
None
New Business:
None
Good of the Organization:
TimeandDate.com – another good source of information for astronomical events. TimeandDate also can show the times for the Eclipse by your location.
(See also EclipseWise.com or specifically, EclipseWise.com/2024/ It is run by Mr. Eclipse himself, Fred Espanak, a retired Goddard Space Flight Center engineer for solar spectroscopy and eclipse studies. MrEclipse.com is also readily available if you forget EclipseWise) Sec’y J. Sillasen
Lastly, SolarEclipseTimer.com is a source for a free app for Android or iOS on how to prepare for photographing and viewing a Total Solar Eclipse. The app (with a $1.99 per Total Solar Eclipse data purchase with announce events such as 1st contact, remove covers and when Totality is approaching and when to put them back on – audibly!). Sec’y J. Sillasen
Meeting adjourned at 9:27 PM EST.