The monthly meeting of the San Juan Stargazers will be on April 3.
We will meet at the regular time of 6 p.m. for our social time.
We will meet at our regular location — the Community United Methodist Church at 434 Lewis St. Please use the convenient parking lot and side door that leads into the kitchen and fellowship hall. We keep the front doors locked.
At 7 p.m. we will walk together one block to Pagosa Springs Middle School for a demonstration of the star lab.
We need to arrive together because the door will not be left open after we are inside, and we will also lock the church while we are gone.
About six years ago, before COVID, the Stargazers contributed $1,000 as a club, and several individual contributions were made of several more hundred dollars by club members.
The star lab cost around $50,000 and can be used to teach several different areas of science at various levels of instruction.
It should be a super educational program, as well as being a lot of fun.
Chimney Rock Interpretive Association progams
Last week, the Chimney Rock Interpretive Association (CRIA) team leaders of the many educational programs offered at Chimney Rock met to decide how to handle the Forest Service government cuts.
We are basically going to try to do the regular programing as close as possible to what we have done in the past.
We will be doing seven regular night sky programs and two Perseid meteor shower programs in August.
We will use telescopes whenever possible, but rain and especially lightning place necessary restrictions for our safety.
Night sky programs are on Fridays.
Following is a list of planned programs:
• May 30: The gate will open at 7:30 p.m. and the program will start at 8:15 p.m.
• June 20: The gate will open at 7:30 p.m. and the program will start at 8:15 p.m.
• June 27: The gate will open at 7:30 p.m. and the program will start at 8:15 p.m.
• July 18: The gate will open at 7:30 p.m. and the program will start at 8:15 p.m.
• July 25: The gate will open at 7:30 p.m. and the program will start at 8:15 p.m.
• Perseid meteor showers, Aug. 11 and 12: The gate will open at 7:30 p.m. Parking and viewing locations are assigned for safety reasons. The cost is $10 per person.
• Aug. 30: The gate will open at 6:30 p.m. and the program will start at 7:15 p.m.
• Sept 19: The gate will open at 6:30 p.m. and the program will start at 7:15 p.m.
Making a reservation through Recreation.gov website or the call center, (877) 444-6777 is the only way to guarantee a spot for this program.
Walk-ins will be accommodated if space is available and will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis and must be during the specified check-in times before the program begins. Walk-in tickets can be paid for at the gift shop.
Locals should feel that they are always welcome because if you come, we will fit you in.
Upcoming
At our San Juan Stargazer Club meeting on May 1 we will be working on our new club lending library.
Detailed information will be shared at our April meeting. We will also have a film presentation about some of the latest discoveries of the James Webb Space Telescope. You will not want to miss this exciting update.
The June 5 meeting will present Tom Hanchett as our speaker after he attends the official 50-year anniversary Apollo 13 program in Houston, Texas. It is NASA’s most memorable “successful failure,” with the film winning two Academy Awards.
In July, Steve McAllister will be in Pagosa for several days of telescope training.
About 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 family.
You can join the club at any of our events or you can join using PayPal on our website, sanjuanstargazers.org.
Check out our continuously changing website with new information and spectacular photos. We can be your helpful connection to exploring our extraordinary universe.
