The next meeting of the San Juan Stargazers will be on Thursday, Oct. 1, starting at 6 p.m. with our social hour, and the program will begin at 7 p.m.
Everyone is invited to attend because we will be looking at new black holes from the James Webb Space Telescope.
We meet at the Community United Methodist Church at 434 Lewis St. You can use the side door off the parking lot into the kitchen and then into the fellowship hall. (The main doors to the church are locked.) Just come in and take a seat. Coming early offers a great chance to ask questions.
The educational part of our meeting will begin at 7 p.m. and will last about 1.5 to two hours.
This will not be an advanced astronomy presentation. Materials, many from the European Space Agency, were made to educate the general public about discoveries.
The James Webb Team is big on education for everyone, so information is simple and easy to understand. Come to see how interesting and enjoyable it can be. It was impressive in September when we studied about black holes how even our newest members caught on so quickly when it is easily explained.
We end our meeting with time for discussion. It is said that when alien life is found it will change the world. These discussions help prepare us for such an experience, and it is an exciting way to end our program.
We will try again on Oct. 10 to have a public star party near Hatcher Lake. Drive north on Piedra Road 4.7 miles from U.S. ,160. If you can see Hatcher Lake to your left you have gone too far, but you are very close. Try to watch your odometer because 4.7 miles is close to the road that goes left off Piedra. There is also a sign that says LaVentana. If you can get there during daylight (it is a beautiful place to be) you will see a parking lot on a small road to the left off Piedra with a wooden lavatory and a big fishing pier. The road makes a big loop through the trees just south of the Hatcher Dam.
For a star party we set up several telescopes in the parking lot and then park on the road, which is on a hill, so we get no lights from cars on Piedra. It is a wonderful place, but not well-labeled. Coming at dusk is best.
It is also possible that we will meet at one of the most beautiful houses in all of Pagosa which belongs to one of our long-time members. The exact location will be decided closer to the date and address given by email.
If you want to join the San Juan Stargazers, you can do it at this meeting or you can check out our website, sanjuanstargazers.org, where we have information about astronomy, our local club and the Astronomical League, which is a large group of people from all over the U.S. that you automatically belong to when you join the Stargazers that gives you all the opportunities of a huge club. There also are beautiful photos throughout the website.
We look forward to our meeting, and, as said, everyone is invited to come because the James Webb Space Telescope was made for all people on Earth so we know what an exciting time we live in.
You can come as a family, and I assure you it will increase your discussion time around the dinner table.
Come and get excited about life, James Webb discoveries and the entire amazing universe. See you there.
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