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We Observe - by A. Mallama

Update December 8, 2003

Treasury:

Bank - $1,854.60, Petty Cash - $108.00, Total - $1,962.60.

1. Paid monthly phone bill.

2. Expenses presented to the membership, to be approved at the next meeting:   Dan Rothstein - $10 and Larry Boros $21 for various items.

3. Steve Fishman paid $9.95 to renew the club's website domain name (was $12.95 in previous years).   He also subscribed to an upgraded hosting service at $3.95 per month

Observatory Director:

1. Dan has finished clearing branches out south of the hill and we still need to cut the stumps. Maybe will try to organize a work party in the next week or two depending on the weather.

2. Now that the grass is very wet, members are asked not to drive up to the top of the hill. It is tearing up the grass and there is a risk of getting stuck in the mud.

3.  A couple of suggestions were made a)to put reflectors out to help identify the paths ways and b) to put stakes where the cement pads are in case snow is covering them up

Director of Observations:

For Bob’s complete observations report please visit the Monthly Sky Calendar on our website.

Due to clouds, not much viewing was done. A couple reported see Auroras on the night of November 20th. Dave Knorr who was out of town was able to see the Lunar eclipse.

Editor:

The next issue of the Valley Skywatcher should be out next month.

All members of CVAS and the OTAA are encouraged to contribute ideas, articles, images and observation reports for possible inclusion in future issues of this monthly update and in the quarterly editions of The Valley SkyWatcher.
 

Old Business:

1. The new observatory was dedicated on November 8th.  Keith and Shirley Richards were not present, so plans are to having another dedication at our June OTAA convention.

2. Light Pollution - John Gorka responsed to an article about an accident that happened in Nova Scotia in which a woman got killed while crossing a street. He ended up doing a radio interview with a local radio station about the lighting at the scene.

3. The Geauga park district has moved the Oberle telescope to a storage location at the Rookery where it could be worked on.

4. Fund Raising - Larry Boros and Roseanne Radgowski, attended a class at the Cleveland Foundation called - Grant Seeking Basics. Got a load of information about who to target and how to go about it. Probably the first step is deciding on what we need a grant for.  Larry is to head this.

5. The CVAS Christmas Party is December 20th at Joe Petrick's house - 6 PM. This will be a potluck dinner, so bring a dish.


New Business:
1. Went over calendar - Set date for our OTAA convention on June 19th at the Hill. Cuyahoga OTAA convention is to be on July 17th and Mahoning Valley's OTAA convention is on August 14th. August 14th is also the night of our Super Star Party at Penitentary Glen.  

The last 2 years at Pen Glen have been washouts.   Larry suggested, and the park approved of an August 21st star party, sans trains and other park activities, as a 2nd star party in case the Super Star Party is washed out.

2. Steve Fishman, Larry Boros and Dan Galdun have volunteered to teach a group of girls from the  Mayfield Middle School the basics of Astronomy in preparation for a competition to be held at Cleveland State on February 28, 2004.

Visitors:

Had 1 visitor who was checking out the club.  It was Wes Orloff, a member of CVAS in the early 1990's.  He offered to donate a few Mars posters to the club.