MEETING NOTICE :

The BAS Christmas Party will be held at St. Peters School, 848 Ashland Terrace, on Saturday night, December 8th at 6 P.M. BAS will provide the meat and everyone who attends should bring a covered dish. There will be games and prizes. Make your plans to attend!!

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The Barnard STAR is the official publication of the Barnard Astronomical Society.

Planned Activities to Enjoy The Wonders of Astronomy

“The joy of astronomy comes from finding your way around the starry sky and understanding what you see.” –The Editors, SKY AND TELESCOPE MAGAZINE

NOVEMBER SPECIAL MEETING PROGRAMS

On November 8th and 9th, BAS members participated in field training at Chickamauga Military Park for astronomy students from three area colleges.

It took minor weather miracles on both nights to allow these events to occur--but they did happen—with approx. 60 participating students being very appreciative of the objects they got to see in this introduction to Deep Sky Observing.

All through the day on Thursday, alternating periods of solid overcast and clear skies kept everyone guessing about a possible cancellation. However, the clouds finally cleared for the entire evening about 5 P.M. and allowed approx. 40 persons to participate in the event for UT-Chattanooga. There were 12 telescopes in use along with binoculars of various sizes.

On Friday night, when BAS hosted Lee University and Chattanooga State, the uncertainty about the weather was even more suspenseful. At 7 P.M., the group of approximately. 30 participants were standing in the dusk under a solid overcast at the viewing field in Chickamauga Park. Seven telescopes and an assortment of binoculars were still unpacked. It appeared that the evening would be a bust, and everyone was ready to go home.

What happened next can easily be appreciated by East Tennessee residents who are accustomed to dramatic, unexpected weather changes. Suddenly, the clouds broke from the West, and by 7:30, the skies were completely clear. A very enjoyable evening of star gazing was now possible.

On both nights, the students used an Assignment Sheet prepared by the UT-Chattanooga Astronomy Staff to search for an assortment of 30 various deep sky objects, including: NGC 869 and 884 (the famous “double cluster” of Perseus); Mirphak (Perseus); Vega (in Lyra and one of the brightest stars in the sky); M33 (trangulum); M31 (Andromeda, the great galaxy-fuzzy patch); M37 (Auriga); M13 (Hercules-globular cluster); M5 (Libra); Altair (Aquila); Deneb (Cygnus); Arcturus (Bootes; orange giant-perhaps the oldest naked eye object); Capella (Auriga); M45 (Taurus; The Pleides, most famous open cluster); Aldebaran (Taurus; orange giant); Antares (Scorpius); The Hyades (Taurus); “Coathanger” (Vulpecula); Moons of Jupiter; Uranus; Neptune; Albiero (Cygnus; THE double star); Gamma Andromeda (Andromeda; beautiful double star); Mizor and Alcor (Ursa Major; “horse and rider”; vision test); Polaris (Ursa Minor; triple star); Alioth (Ursa Major; bright star in middle handle); Formalhaut (Piscis Austrinus); Holmes /17P (Perseus; exploded comet); M57 (Lyra; The Ring Nebula).

DECEMBER MEETING

The BAS Christmas Party will be held at St. Peters School, 848 Ashland Terrace, on Saturday night, December 8th at 6 P.M. BAS will provide the meat and everyone who attends should bring a covered dish. There will be games and prizes. Make your plans to attend!!

(Directions:
--From Hixson Pike, travel West 0.6 mile on Ashland Terrace. Turn left into St. Peters driveway.
--From Red Bank Blvd, travel East 1.0 mile on Ashland Terrace. Turn right into St. Peters driveway.
--Follow driveway to rear and turn left into parking lot near kitchen. A nearby landmark is Ashland Terrace Animal Hospital, across the street at 907 Ashland Terrace.)

LOOKING AHEAD

At the January 10, 2008 regular meeting at the Jones Observatory, Dr. Gary Caldwell will present a program titled, “The Orion StarShoot II Deep Sky Imaging Camera.”

At the February 14th meeting, UTC senior Emily Hassler will give a program, “The Cassini-Huygens Mission to Titan.”

BAS WEB SITE
http://bas.chattanooga.net

Officers

President……………………………………….....….Tom Adkins
Vice-President………………………………..……Gary Caldwell
Secretary………………………………….....………Bill Seymour
Treasurer……………………………………...……….David Witt
STAR Editor……………………………….….…….Steve Ramey
Webmaster………………………………….………….Rod Ruch
Star Party Chairman……………..………......……...Victor Rogers

November Minutes

(Note: Due to the special field training for college students, a business session was not conducted)

Bill Seymour, Secretary

REMINDER- Your annual BAS dues of are now due on the anniversary of your membership in accordance with the adopted amendment to the by-laws. The due date appears below your name on the address on the front of this newsletter. If your expiration date says “Overdue” or if you don’t agree with the date shown, contact David Witt to resolve discrepancies. The current dues rates are as follows: REGULAR $15.00, REGULAR ASSOCIATE $7.00, JUNIOR $8.00, JUNIOR ASSOCIATE $5.00. Your Sky & Telescope or Astronomy subscription will continue to be handled as in the past. When you receive your subscription reminder card, submit it to:

David Witt
4503 Cove Lane
Chattanooga, TN 37415-2306

Along with the group subscription rate of $32.95 for Sky and Telescope, or $34.00 for Astronomy. Note the increased rate for Astronomy. This was effective July 31, 2005

DEADLINE- All articles and other materials for publication in the next STAR are due no later than Wednesday, January 2nd . The following media are acceptable: hard copy, disk (IBM), video tape (VHS), prints, or e-mail to bas@chattanooga.net or stramey@catt.com and attach a file or mail to:

Steve Ramey
109 Sioux Trail
Ringgold GA 30736

PHOTOGRAPHS ARE ALSO ACCEPTABLE.

DIRECTIONS TO ORION ACRES

FROM NORTH HAMILTON COUNTY:
From 27 (corridor J) take hwy. 111 to Dunlap, continue through the Sequatchie Valley up the next mountain (Cagle Mountain). When you reach the summit about 5 miles turn LEFT onto hwy. 399 (sign reads 'to Savage Gulf State Park' Stay on 399 until it ends, which will be in Grundy Co. Now make a LEFT onto hwy. 108 South. This goes thru Palmer TN. Continue on 108 up to a higher elevation. When this levels off, turn RIGHT onto Palmer Fire Tower Rd. This is a large open area with possibly trucks loaded with timber for the paper mills. Orion Acres will be on the RIGHT about 8 tenths mile.

FROM INTERSTATE 24 (to Nashville):
Go to the Dunlap/Whitwell exit (#155). This is hwy. 28. Exit right and keep on 28 for about 11 miles, passing Hardee’s on your left. Continue through the stoplight and take the next LEFT on Hwy. 108 North. Continue another 11 or so miles. You will see 'Grundy County' sign. Take the next left. This is Palmer Fire Tower Rd. Go 8 tenths of a mile and Orion Acres is on the RIGHT