December 2023 Meeting Notes
Bartlesville Astronomical Society Meeting Minutes
December 4, 2023
· Twenty people were in attendance this evening in person and via Zoom--12 members (including a new member who joined this evening!) and four guests.
· We voted unanimously to approve Craig Brockmeier and Brian Turner to be At-large members of our Board.
· Treasurer’s report, Evan Zorn:
o Ending balance October 31, 2023: $14243.69
o Received $205.00 in dues payments
o Expenses for mall display: $15.24 for easel, $32.65 for green carpet
o Ending balance November 31, 2023: $14400.80.
· Club minutes as posted by Denise for November were approved.
· We voted unanimously to spend up to $1000.00 for a Club computer and also other equipment for meetings—two wireless microphones and a laser/wireless mouse combo pointer.
· Mall display: Our mall display is now ready to look at! It’s by where the Gap Outlet used to be, on the way to the old Dillards interior entrance
· We had a star party at Jo Allyn Lowe on November 10. Ten people came and we had several telescopes. It was cold, but the skies were darker than they were on our Observe the Moon Night in October so we were able to look at a number of objects.
· We decided not to have a star party at Jo Allyn Lowe on Saturday, December 9, as the forecast isn’t favorable.
· Denise mentioned that Holley Bolinger offered to work on us participating in the Christmas Parade. There really wasn’t enough lead time to do it, but we might consider participating in it next year.
· If anyone is interested in being a judge at the Science Fair next February, here is the link to the event that will take place February 2-3, 2024: https://ok-bdsf.zfairs.com/App?f=257e9d4e-882a-4ca2-87ba-51d5c86f0b02
· If anyone is looking for a place to view the total solar eclipse next April, the Texas Star Party organizers are planning one at Latham Springs Camp and Retreat Center in Aquilla, Texas, just west of the centerline with the duration of totality being 4 minutes and 23.5 seconds. This location is 25 miles southwest of Hillsboro, Texas (ranked the 7th best location to view the solar eclipse by Astronomy magazine). Booking an event pass will give participants five days and four nights (4/5-4/9/2024) of accommodations and meals (RV and Campers - meals are not included but meal plans are available for purchase) to prepare for and view the solar eclipse, as well as enjoy a casual star party. Participating volunteers will have added benefits provided by TSP that the nonvolunteering attendee will not receive with their “Event Pass” purchase. For additional information regarding TSP’s eclipse and star party offering and volunteer opportunities, please visit our website by searching on Texas Star Party.
· Virgil was not able to present Astronomical News and Events this month. John Blaesi gave a brief overview of winter-sky constellations and asterisms that are visible this month, such as Orion and the Pleaides.
· The program tonight was provided by Denise on “An Upcoming Year’s Worth of Meteor Showers”. She discussed how meteor showers form; interesting stories related to some meteor showers such as the Perseids and Leonids; colors of meteors; uses through history of meteorites that have hit the ground; and major meteor showers through the year, as well as some more-minor ones that we have observed at Club star parties. Denise’s major source of information about meteor showers is the list given by the American Meteor Society, https://www.amsmeteors.org/ As of now, the 2024 meteor shower chart isn’t posted, but it should be published before too long. This chart lists meteor showers in four groups, from the major ones all the way through to the more-minor ones.
· Next meeting Thursday, January 4, 2024, at 7 p.m. at the library. Topic: Viewing the 2023 Solar Eclipse in Bortle 1 Skies by John B.