Sun City Astronomy Club

Sun City Vistoso

Oro Valley, Arizona

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Calendar of Events for 2004-2005

Note: The tutorial video series, Understanding the Universe: An Introduction to Astronomy, continues from October through May.  Showings are in the Kachina Lounge in the Social Hall from 4:00 to 5:00 PM every Thursday, except those Thursdays that fall on the same days as regular meetings, star parties, field trips and holidays.

Wednesday, October 6, 1:00 Social Hall Auditorium

Annual Club Fair.  Volunteers needed for booth duty.  Contact H. Dykhuis at 825‑8962 or hadyk30@aol.com  

Thursday October 21

 7:00 PM

Navajo Room

Regular Meeting.  Speaker: Dr. Tim Swindle, Professor of
Cosmochemistry, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory,
University of Arizona, Life in a Martian Meteorite?”

Thursday November 4

At the golf cart path by the putting green east of the Pro Shop of the Sun City Golf Course

Annual Fall Star Party.  Bring your telescopes and binoculars.  If you don’t have any, there should be plenty available for your enjoyment.  Reservations not required.  The Sun City community at large is invited.

Thursday November 18 7:00 PM

Navajo Room

Regular Meeting.  Speaker: Dr. Trevor Weekes, Senior Astrophysicist, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, “Extreme Astronomy” (An overview of Project VERITAS — Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System — which is an advanced gamma ray observatory under construction on Mt. Hopkins)

Thursday, December 16, 7:00 PM,

 Papago Room

Regular Meeting.  Speaker: Mr. Louis Faix, amateur astronomer and retired engineering executive, “Binary Stars” (A description of the behavior of binary stars; how to observe them and measure them as an amateur astronomer.)

Thursday, January 20

7:00 PM

Navajo Room

Regular Meeting.  Speaker: Fr. George Coyne, Vatican Observatory, “The Dance of the Fertile Universe: Chance and Necessity Embrace”

Thursday, February 17,  7:00 PM

Navajo Room

Regular Meeting.    Speaker: Dr. Ralph D. Lorenz, Assistant Research Scientist, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, U of A, "Lifting Titan's Veil"

Required Club Business: Appointment of Nominating Committee Chair.

Thursday, March 17

 7:00 PM

Navajo Room

Regular Meeting.  Speaker: Dr. Donald McCarthy, U of A, Astronomy Dept., “Is Pluto a Planet?” (Recent discoveries show that our Solar System is surrounded by a ring of thousands of small, icy objects. Pluto may simply be the largest member of this Kuiper Belt and not a planet  at all. We will discuss the evidence and arguments for/against Pluto's planetary status and show why Arizonans have a large stake in this debate.)

Required Club Business: Appointment of Audit Committee Chair.

Thursday, April 7

Field Trip

Kitt Peak Nightly Observing Program.  A private showing for our club.

For information and registration, contact Bob Cratty:

825-0157 or rec001@webtv.net

Thursday, April 21,

7:00 PM

Navajo Room

Annual Meeting.  Speaker: Dr. David A. Kring, U of A, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, "The Environmental Effects of the Chicxulub Impact Event and the Demise of Dinosaurs".

Required Club Business: Election of officers.

Thursday, May 5

6:00 PM

65405 E. Rolling Hills Dr.

Saddlebrooke

Click  for further details.

Annual Star Party and Barbecue.  Click here for instructions and restrictions.  The barbeque starts at 6:00 and stargazing at dusk (approximately 7:30). The club will furnish hamburgers, hotdogs, condiments and cold soft drinks.  If you wish hot drinks, etc., bring your own.  Of course, bring your telescopes and binoculars.  If you don’t have any, there should be plenty available for your enjoyment.

Thursday, May 19

 7:00 PM

 Navajo Room

Regular Meeting.  Speaker: Fr. José Funes, S.J., Vatican Observatory, “Monsters, Inc.: Supermassive Black Holes”

Required Club Business: Audit Committee report and next year’s budget.

Summary of Past Club Activities

2003-2004

2002-2003

2001-2002

2000-2001

1999-2000

1998-1999

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