|
The program started on Wednesday morning
with a review of the Astronomical League's fifty year
history. The Astronomical League came into existence
when ten astronomical societies ratified the Bylaws
drawn up by Charles Federer and Harlow Shapley. These
two men had a dream that amateur astronomers all across
the country would unite to create an infrastructure
that would promote astronomical research by amateur
astronomers.
The boom in amateur astronomy was
the result of technology reaching the point where amateurs
could obtain the materials to make their own telescopes
in the 1920's and 30's. Add to that the books by Peltier
and Ingalls on observing and telescope making, and you
have an explosion in amateur astronomers. They naturally
formed into local associations to share their interest
in telescope making and observing. When the Astronomical
League finally came into existence, the first two Regions
were the Northeast and the Midwest.
While the Astronomical League was
forming, two other national amateur astronomy organizations
were also organizing. These were more focused on particular
observing projects: the American Association of Variable
Star Observers (AAVSO) and the Association of Lunar
and Planetary Observers (ALPO). Later, the International
Occultation Timing Association and the International
Amateur-Professional Photoelectric Photometrists (IAPPP)
would also form to address other niche observing interests.
The Astronomical League has continued
to grow since its founding in 1947. It now has over
13,500 members in 212 astronomical societies from across
the whole United States. The Astronomical League continues
to promote knowledge of the sky through its observing
club awards: Messier, Hubble, Hubble II, Arp, Lunar,
and more. These awards enhance an individual's knowledge
of the constellations and build their observational
skills.
Astronomy Day was promoted into a
nationwide event by the Astronomical League after the
San Francisco Sidewalk Astronomers invented it in the
1970s. It has now grown into an international event.
Astronomy Day brings the universe to the non-astronomer
while allowing astronomical societies to build their
membership. The National Young Astronomer Award (NYAA)
provides an opportunity to a youngster to demonstrate
excellence in the science of astronomy and win a Meade
LX200 (donated by Meade Instruments), and a lifetime
observing pass to the McDonald Observatory.
 The League offers many other benefits both to the astronomical
societies and to their members, including the Reflector,
a national newsletter about Astronomical League and
amateur astronomical events. The Astronomical League
continues to flourish as it enters its second half-century.
After the talk ended, there was a panel discussion
on the Astronomical League's history with Ed Halbach,
Jim Fox (at right, talking to A.L. President Barry Beaman),
and Chuck Allen.
The afternoon papers started with
a talk on CHARA, the Center for High Angular Resolution
Astronomy at Georgia State University by Dr. Harold
McAlister, CHARA Director. The CHARA array they are
attempting to build consists of five telescopes atop
Mount Wilson in California. The project is designed
to give high resolution images. The main targets are
nearby stars and their planetary systems. They hope
to actually see planets around other stars rather than
just observing the wobble of the star.
 Mr. Daniel W. Bakken talked on the construction of Hercules,
a 41-inch reflector. It is the largest amateur telescope
in the world. Next, former League President Jim Fox
gave a presentation on a comet research program initially
created for Comet Kohutek. This project entailed photography
of a comet through specially selected color filters
that emphasize certain aspects of a comet's makeup.
Jim has applied the program to a number of comets over
the years including Hale-Bopp, Halley, and IRIS-Aracki-Alcock.
Finally, Dr. Donald Parker, ALPO,
told us about "Mars: Still a Planet of Mystery". Dr.
Parker, known for his high resolution images of the
planets, gave one of the funnier talks at the convention.
He said we still need to observe Mars to help resolve
the many mysteries about the planet. He also discussed
the dust storm on Mars which occurred just a few days
before the Mars Pathfinder landing.
Night brought a "at-your-own-risk"
observing session at the Meyer-Womble Observatory high
atop of Mount Evans. This binocular telescope was still
not completed due to bad weather, but a few observers
brought their own telescopes to the summit. The Observatory
is located at 14,128 feet, making it the highest operating
observatory in the world. The last five miles of the
road to the Observatory was only a lane and a half wide
with no guard rails. A slight mistake could lead to
a 1500-foot fall!
Those who managed to drive up then
had to contend with winds that averaged around 46 miles
per hour, with peak gusts of 76 mph. This made the wind-chill
-10-degrees F (and this is July?). The brave souls observed
for a short while, and then headed back down that narrow
road back to the resort.
|
