On Thursday, Oct. 2, the San Juan Stargazers will hold their regular monthly educational meeting.
Our next meeting will start at 6 p.m. with our social hour for visiting with friends and delicious snacks, which you are encouraged to contribute to.
We have a few members who don’t make it home for dinner before the meeting, so we try to reward their diligence.
We gather at the Community United Methodist Church at 434 Lewis St. Please use the convenient parking lot and the side door that leads into the kitchen and then fellowship hall. We keep the front doors to the church sanctuary locked.
At 7 p.m. we will begin our educational program, which this month will be a presentation from a new Great Courses Series called “Great Heroes and Discoveries of Astronomy” with Dr. Emily Levesque, who is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an award-winning associate professor at the University of Washington. We will be studying “Harvard Heroines Show Us the Stars.”
Night sky programs
We completed seven night sky programs at Chimney Rock National Monument this summer.
We had several absolutely fabulous nights. It is interesting how some nights started out cloudy and amazingly the sky cleared up later for some fantastic viewing.
We had a talented group of telescope operators, including Aaron McCracken, Robert Hagberg, Paul Kriescher, Mark Rosczyk and Malachi Vincent, plus a few drop-ins.
These programs are not only for out-of-town guests, but locals are always welcome and do not need a reservation. We never cancel our programs.
I am telling you about our great summer so you will make a commitment now to attend next summer, because we can promise you a memorable night of stars, star clusters, nebulae and galaxies that you will not forget.
Nov. 6 meeting
I also want to tell you now about our Nov. 6 meeting, to which we are inviting all of Pagosa Springs because the topic is very relevant and important.
Astronomy people love the universe, but included in that is our own special planet, Earth, which has people who depend on water to survive.
The Stargazers have several members who are deeply involved in the ever-increasing water problems in Southwestern Colorado.
Chuck Riehm presented a great history of the water situation for Creation Care at the Methodist Church. I have attended many water meetings, but always lacked knowledge of the history of how the situation came into being.
Riehm promised to expand on his history and add clips of recent films that have been made. It will provide for a much better understanding for the Stargazers, so we want to invite everyone for a great learning experience. Mark your calendars to attend this valuable event.
Joining the Stargazers
If you would like to join the San Juan Stargazers, you will also receive Reflector Magazine, which is the publication of the National Astronomical League of which you automatically become a member.
To join both groups and get an excellent astronomy magazine, annual membership is only $25 per individual or family. You can join the club at any of our meetings or on our website.
Check out our continuously changing website, sanjuanstargazers.org, with new information and spectacular photos.
We can be your connection to our extraordinary universe.
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