News

Members Website Shutdown (2019)

February 25, 20190 commentsUncategorized

The members website https://members.astroleague.org is being shutdown.  Only a few hundred people have ever used the website.  All accounts are blocked and will be removed shortly.  All personalinformation on the website will be removed. This website https://www.astroleague.org/ will remain available. The digital Reflector archive is now on this website at https://www.astroleague.org//reflector 

Vern
The members website https://members.astroleague.org is being shutdown.  Only a few hundred people have ever used the website. All accounts are blocked and will be removed shortly.  All personal information on the website will be removed. This website https://www.astroleague.org/ will remain available. The digital Reflector archive is now on this website at https://www.astroleague.org//reflector 
Vern

Your Astronomical League is Giving Away Up to Eleven Library Telescopes! (2019)

January 24, 20190 commentsUncategorized

Through the vision of the Horkheimer Charitable Fund, the Astronomical League is again offering a free Library Telescope to a lucky Astronomical League club in each of the ten AL regions and to a Member-at-Large.

This wonderful program consists of an Orion 4.5 inch StarBlast Dobsonian or a Zhumell Z114 (or equivalent) and a Celestron 8-24 mm zoom eyepiece (or equivalent), and a name plate commemorating the late Jack Horkheimer. The value of this opportunity is approximately $300; the potential of the program is enormous.

Submit your completed entry form so that the Astronomical League national office receives it by June 30, 2019. If mailed, the entry must be postmarked no later than June 30, 2019. The winning entry for each region will be announced at ALCon 2019 held July 25-29. Full details of this wonderful program can be found at https://www.astroleague.org/library-telescope-program

The Library Telescope Program is a great club project, one that brings members together while benefiting their community. Indeed, it is the perfect outreach program!

 

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Passing of Jerry Sherlin (2019)

January 7, 20190 commentsUncategorized

Credit: The following article is from the Denver Astronomical Society online newsletter.

A memorial service for Jerry Sherlin will be held Saturday, January 12 at 11 am;
Southeast Church of Christ, 14601 E. Yale Avenue, Aurora, CO 80014

Obituary

He joined the U.S. Air Force in 1959, retiring in 1981.  In the Air Force, he attended the weather forecasting school and spent most of his career in space weather predictions.  He served at the Air Force’s Geophysics Labs (Hanscom Field, MA) for three years, followed by four years at the Air Force Global Weather Central’s Space Environmental department, where real-time reports from solar observatories around the world were received and the data used to forecast the effects of solar activity (e.g. solar flares and CMEs) on NASA-USAF near-Earth space missions and HF radio propagation.

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Master Observer Network (2019)

January 3, 20190 commentsUncategorized

If you are a Master Observer, the question is:  Are you a member?  The Master Observer Network is an electronic network of Astronomical League Master Observers that is available to answer questions by members and non-members as well.  We would like all of the Master Observers to be a part of the network.  Master Observers choose which queries they want to respond to.  When a member of the network, your email address is secure and not available to anyone unless you respond to a query.  To join the network, please send your email address and Master Observer number to Aaron Clevenson, the Observing Program Director, at aaron@clevenson.org

Astronomy Before the Telescope Observing Certificate

December 23, 20180 commentsUncategorized

Announcing the latest addition to the Observing Program Department of the Astronomical League:  Astronomy Before the Telescope Observing Certificate.  No telescope?  No binoculars?  No problem!  Relive the excitement of exploring the celestial sphere and its mechanics with tools you can easily make yourself.

Astrolabes, Nocturnals, Viking Sun Stones, Cross Staffs, and more!

Check out the website:  https://www.astroleague.org/astronomy-telescope-observing-certificate

This is an electronic certificate only (no pin).  Upon completion of the requirements (some of these are no small feat) you can earn your certification.

 

The Chilean Perspective (2018)

December 4, 20180 commentsUncategorized

I went to Chile with the Astronomy in Chile Educator Ambassador Program.  I share here my experience and the perspectives of others in my 2018 ACEAP cohort:

John Goar: I was captivated and thrilled.  I was a northerner seeing the southern skies for the first time.  If you have ever had the opportunity to see the southern hemisphere sky, then you might have shared my experience.  That night at Cerro Tololo in Chile, all at once, I got to see all the sky territory that, for me, was unknown — alien.  With a sky full of new constellations, I used naked eyes and binoculars to explore.  I knew beforehand that it would be overwhelming, but I also knew it would be amazing.  The Magellanic Clouds, 47 Tucanae and Omega Centauri, Centaurus A, the holy Southern Cross — and the gems kept coming.  So beautiful are the far reaches of the Milky Way!

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Sky Puppies (2018)

November 13, 20180 commentsUncategorized

Are there one or more people in your life that are age 10 or younger?  Would you like to get the “into” astronomy but are not sure where to begin?  The Astronomical League has an Observing Program created just for them.  We are now providing this program in conjunction with the NASA Solar System Education Consortium.  If you would like more information, check out the Astronomical League website at:

https://www.astroleague.org//al/obsclubs/skypuppy/skypuppy2.htm

or contact the Coordinator, Aaron Clevenson, at aaron@clevenson.org to request copies of the Sky Puppies Obsersving Manual and Workbooks.  The Observing Program must be completed before their 11th birthday.

Want to Complete More Observing Programs? (2018)

October 27, 20180 commentsUncategorized

Have you ever wanted to start and complete more of the Astronomical League’s observing programs but just didn’t know how? Mike Hotka’s new book, Exploring Amateur Astronomy – Goal Oriented Observing, will not only help you start more observing programs, but will also share an observing methodology to help you get more out of your observing sessions. Mike is a Platinum Master Observer and has completed all but four of the currently existing observing programs. In his book, he shares tips and tricks he learned throughout the years of how to overcome some of these program’s learning curves, so that you can start recording observations sooner. He wrote this book because of his love of astronomy and his desire to share his knowledge of observing celestial objects with others.

 

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Last Call for Solar System Ambassadors 2018

September 27, 20180 commentsUncategorized

Deadline is fast approaching.  If you are interested in becoming a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador, there are only a few days left to apply for this year.

Last Week to Apply to Become a Solar System Ambassador
The annual application period ends on September 30, 2018. If you  
want to join the program in 2019, you only have a few days left to  
submit your application. Click here for the Announcement of  
Opportunity and application form.  

https://solarsystem1.jpl.nasa.gov/ssa/home.cfm

https://solarsystem1.jpl.nasa.gov/ssa/aoapplication.cfm

Aaron

 

 

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