Our dark-sky star party this month, will be on the following Saturday, December 8, at Cliff Hill’s farm, or Conecuh National Forest Dark Sky Observing Site, clouds permitting of course.  
 
December 7, December meeting
December 8, December star party Cliff Hill’s farm / Conecuh National Forest Dark Sky Observing Site 
December 9, New Moon
December 14, Geminid Meteor Shower
December 17, First quarter Moon
December 18, Mars closest to Earth for 2007
December 22, Winter Solstice
December 23, Full Moon
December 31, Third quarter Moon – Happy New Year!

AAS membership dues ($20.00) are due in January. Make checks payable to “Auburn Astronomical Society”. Special thanks to those members who do not attend on a regular basis but still want to help us out by paying A.A.S. membership dues.  

Auburn Astronomical Society
c/o John B. Zachry
501 Summerfield Road
West Point, GA 31833

I sent in club subscriptions to Astronomy magazine ($ 34.00) and Sky & Telescope ($ 32.95).  I will send in club subscriptions to Astronomy magazine and Sky & Telescope anytime during the year but prefer members renew subscriptions in October or November. If your subscription to either of the above comes in October or November please tell me a month or so in advance. 

Sky & Telescope 

1) Alan Cook
2) Rhon Jenkins
3) Eddie Kirkland
4) Allen Screws
5) Russell Whigham
6) Jim McLaughlin

1) Rhon Jenkins
2) Allen Screws
3) Russell Whigham
4) John B. Zachry

Contact John at treasurer@auburnastro.org if you have questions.
 

 
AAS Shirts are Here

Many thanks to Scott Thompson who will bring the shirts to the meeting, for making this happen.
 

AAS president, Rhon Jenkins, wrote:

Jennifer Lolley (Forest Ecology Preserve) is interested in us putting on another program for them.  I've included her e-mail to me for your information.  She's interested in January, but I'm sure would be open for another date if necessary.  

Rhon

Hi Rhon,

I would love to come to the meeting and tell you about the program I would like to  put on with your help. I will look at the lunar schedule and come up with some dates. I know Jan. is cold, but the stars are the best. I hope to have several different areas so we don't have everybody at the scopes at once. I love to give a show with my laser light- miss my planetarium time! My poor children, relatives and friends get dragged outside at Lake Martin more than they want. I would like to have some exhibits and a small film up set the pavilion. I am going to try and find some patio heaters to make a warming station with some coffee, hot cocoa, Rocket juice (Kool-Aid), Milky ways and Moon pies, maybe some Starbursts. Make it fun. I think I will have their be a minimum age of 7. Sound good? I would love any ideas.  Look forward to meeting you. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. I am feeling a little better. The steroids are keeping me a little wired, but my house sure is getting cleaner! Could I take you to lunch sometime next week? I would
like to meet before I crash your meeting. Give me a date and place if you would like. Thanks for writing back. Look forward  to hearing from you.  

Jennifer 

Jennifer Lolley   '86
Administrator
 Forest Ecology Preserve
Auburn University
 
 

On December 6 NASA plans to launch the Space Shuttle Atlantis carrying the European Space Agency’s Columbus Laboratory module. The Columbus Laboratory module will add an addition 31,000 pounds to the International Space Station.

Recently you received a message announcing the creation of the "auburnastro Yahoo! Group".  At this writing, nine of you have joined.  

As I stated in the announcement, I hope it will meet a need of those wanting to know if others will be attending a star party before driving a long distance and risking being the only one there, as has happened too often recently.

I don’t anticipate a lot of traffic here, but feel free to post anything you deem of interest to the group.  I have required moderator approval for new members in an effort to eliminate spam.  I hope the benefits of the increased exchange of information will outweigh this inconvenience. 

Hoping to see everyone at the meeting and star party,

Russell