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New Horizons NASA Observing Challenge

This is a reminder that the third NASA Observing Challenge is “On!” (an AL Special Observing Award)
The website:  https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/challenges.cfm
The requirements:
        Image Pluto and submit it to the NASA Flicker site.
        Have an outreach event regarding the New Horizons encounter with Pluto.
        Submit the form to NASA.
The reward:
        A NASA/AL certificate.

Winning Clubs of the 2015 Horkheimer Library Telescope Program

Because of the generosity and vision of the Horkheimer Charitable Fund, the Astronomical League presented ten Library Telescopes at ALCon 2015 in Las Cruces. The names of ten clubs, one from each region, were drawn from the thirty-three total entries. These clubs will each receive an Orion 4.5 inch StarBlast Dobsonian Telescope, a Celestron 8-24 mm zoom eyepiece, and a commemorative plate, all to be modified by the respective club as a Library Telescope.
 
The Astronomical League wishes to thank Orion Telescopes and Celestron for making this program possible.
 
2015 Horkheimer Library Telescopes:

 

Northwest Region: Olympic Astronomical Society
Western Region: Temecula Valley Astronomers
MARS: Longmont Astronomical Society
Southwest Region: Houston Astronomical Society
North Central Region: Northern Cross Science Foundation
Mid States Region: Broken Arrow Sidewalk Astronomers
Great Lakes Region: Oakland Astronomy Club
Northeast Region: Amateur Observers’ Society of New York
Mid East Region: Back Bay Amateur Astronomers
Southeast Region: Flint River Astronomical Society
 
More information on the Library Telescope Program can be found at
 

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Business Tips We Learned

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What’s Up Doc? Distribution List

If you would like to be added to automatically receive the monthly What’s Up Doc?, please send an email to Aaron Clevenson at aaron@clevenson.org

This is a monthly newsletter created by Aaron Clevenson, one of the National Observing Program Directors and the Insperity Observatory in Humble, TX.  It is a listing of many objects that will be visible in the evening sky each month based on the Astronomical League’s Observing Programs.  It is primarily oriented towards the introductory level programs.

The next issue will be sent on April 30.

Recognize Youth Accomplishments: The Astronomical League’s Horkheimer Youth Service Awards deadline extended to April 30, 2015!

The deadline for submitting nominations for the three Horkheimer Youth Service Awards – Horkheimer/Smith, Horkheimer/Parker, and Horkheimer/D’Auria – has been extended to April 30, 2015.

If you know an Astronomical League member, 18 years or younger, who has brought amateur astronomy to your club or to the public through outreach, presentations, writing, or observing, please consider nominating that person for the three Horkheimer Service Awards.

If you are a club officer, nominate them. If you don’t, no one else will! Complete information about Horkheimer Youth Service awards can be found at https://www.astroleague.org//al/awards/horkhmr/horkhmrs.html

 
 

Walter Haas 1917-2015

Walter Haas, Founder of the ASLC and ALPO, passed away Monday morning, April 6 at 6:10 am. 

A viewing will be available on Monday, April 13 at Lapaz-Graham Funeral Home, 555 West Amador, Las Cruces from 5:00 pm until 8:00 pm.  Services will be held on Tuesday, April 14, at the First Presbyterian Church, 200 East Boutz, at 10:00 am.

At the request of the family, donations may be made to either your local hospice, or to the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers, ALPO, attention Matthew Will, PO Box 13456, Springfield, IL 62791.

The Astronomical League is giving away up to ten Library Telescopes!

Through  the  vision  of  the  Horkheimer  Charitable  Fund,  the  Astronomical  League  is offering a free Library Telescope to a lucky Astronomical League club  in each of the ten AL regions. The Library Telescope consists of an Orion 4.5 inch StarBlast Dobsonian (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.

The  Library  Telescope  Program  was  initiated  by  the  New  Hampshire  Astronomical Society.  Clubs  donate  an  easy-to-use,  portable  telescope  with  quality  optics  and  a sturdy mount to their  local  library. Patrons can then  check  it out as they do books. Full details of this  wonderful  program can be found at https://www.astroleague.org/library-telescope-program

The  winning  entry for  each  region  will  be drawn  at  the  annual  Astronomical  League Business meeting held at ALCon  in  Las  Cruces on  about  July 11.  Only one club per region will win for a total of ten telescope–eyepiece combinations being presented. The telescope,  eyepiece,  and  accompanying  commemorative  plate  will  be  mailed  to  the winning clubs in the two weeks following ALCon.

By entering  the  drawing  for  the telescope,  the club agrees to modify the telescope and zoom eyepiece, and  have  the  telescope  library-ready  within  three months  of  receipt.  The Astronomical  League  would like  a  photograph  of  the  modified  telescope  being presented  to  the  library.   It   may  be  used  in  the Reflector   and   may   be   used   at   some   point   as promotional material.

Submit  the  completed  entry  form  to HorkheimerLiTel@astroleague.org so  that  the Astronomical  League  national  office  receives  it by  July  1,  2015.  If  mailed,  the  entry  should  be postmarked no later than July 1, 2015.

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