Sample Newsletter - The Delaware Valley Amateur Astronomers

DVAA Board & Committee Chairsatm happensTitle Name Phone EmailPresidentVice-PresidentSecretaryTreasurerMbr. at LargeColonial Obs.Door PrizesEditorLibraryLight PollutionJoe LambLen JensenJon SchuchardtGary AsperschlagerBill NybergDon D’EgidioBarb ReedJon SchuchardtDave McDugallBarry JohnsonAt the July ATMm e e t i n g , A lLamperti got somehelp from Dr. Donfine-tuning the ServoCatdrive on his20” Obsession.Vince noted: “If youthink Al was a prolificobserver before,stand back.He’s about to kick itinto overdrive.”ObservingProgramsPublicitySalesScope RentalsWebsiteWelcomingAl LampertiMarilyn MichalskiJan RomerDon McAlarnenBill WeinsteinMark HussWayne ReedAugust Meeting: An Astrophotography ExpoThe August general meeting featured five outstanding presentationsby DVAA members skilled in the art of astrophotography. WayneReed showed us how to hop from the “stargate” to M104, the Sombrerogalaxy, and how to image it unguided with a $99 CCD camera.His shot of the Siamese Twin galaxies NGC 4567/8 taken at thespring Hebron event was compelling. Gary Asperschlager used a“barn door tracker” and a modified Canon digital Rebel XT to capturemesmerizing wide-field views of Cygnus and the southern Milky Wayin a series of 1-min. exposures. He argued convincingly for findingPluto in busy Sagittarius, but others’ claims to spotting its icy moonCharon were challenged on cross-exam. Gary Trapuzzano exploreda spectrum of astrophotography techniques and targets using a digitalSLR camera. A handheld view of the moon is a snap at 1/800shutter speed, but more is possible by adding a tripod, as his stunningimage of the moon and eerily illuminated clouds showed. Gary’slunar eclipse sequence and locally shot aurora borealis photos werealso amazing. Adding an equatorial mount helped with a Venus transitstudy, and shooting through the telescope with guiding enabledoutstanding images of comets Holmes and Lulin. Dick Steinbergcould not decide what to present, so he settled for “recent” work, i.e.,astrophotos of planetary nebulae he generated and processed withinthe last 24 hours using his permanently mounted 12” Meade LX 200Meanwhile, GaryTrapuzzano marveledat rad modsto John Bajtelsmit’s“pimped out”18” scope, whichboasts discoreadypulsatingdash lights, highfidelitysound, andmore polyesterthan a leisure suitinfested closet.Where do you go when the ATM meeting is over . . .PIMP*MY*SCOPE FEVERAl reflected on our Yahoo!e-group: “Thanksto John & Lyn Bajtelsmitfor hosting theATM meeting . . . Asalways with any DVAAgathering it was a truelearning experience. Icommented to JoeMcCormick as we weredriving home that theresure is a lot of talent inthe DVAA.”Secretly, Al wonderedhow well the Obsessionwould track galaxieswhile cranking up thevolume at 130W perchannel for Stayin’Alive, Aperture Fever,and Jive Talkin’.(Continued on page 7)to renew your membership maila $30 check (made out to DVAA) to Gary;see current expiration on mailing labelThe DVAA hosts dark-sky and local starparties, observing clinics, telescope-makingworkshops, science / astronomy lectures,educational outreach, and more.Come and join in on the fun, or better yet,volunteer. You’ll have a blast!Page 3