August 2003

August 8: Monthly Meeting

untitled

The speaker for out August 8th meeting will be Richard Trombley. He will be speaking on “Mars Now,” giving us a brief history of Mars and Mars related research. He will then give us reasons why we should be on Mars now focusing on recent discoveries of water and opportunities for human colonization. He will also talk about how Mars offers answers into the formation of life on our own planet and how it could hold the potential for humankind’s first step towards the stars.

Richard is the current president of the New England chapter of the Mars Society and is a freelance journalist focusing on business and technology. He is the past editor of the Berkshire Beacon and live in western Massachusetts.

Mooned-out Meteor Shower

: By Dave Huestis
Full moonlight is going to wash out all but the brightest of the Perseid meteors on the night of August 12-13.

Mars Mania: Your Guide to a Close Encounter of the Planetary Kind

: By Dave Huestis
Have you gotten it yet? Mars mania? Mars fever? Mars madness? If not, you will soon. Astronomers have been anxiously awaiting August 27, 2003. Mars is now closer to our world than it has been for 60,000 years, 34,646,418 miles. Even small backyard telescopes will reveal detail only fleetingly glimpsed before in larger aperture scopes under the best of best conditions. Get ready for a close encounter of your lifetime. New Mars photos from Seagrave Observatory

Mars on the Net

: By Dave Huestis
Have you gotten it yet? Mars mania? Mars fever? Mars madness? If not, you will soon. Astronomers have been anxiously awaiting August 27, 2003. Mars will then be closer to our world than it has for 60,000 years, 34,646,418 miles. Even small backyard telescopes will reveal detail only fleetingly glimpsed before in larger aperture scopes under the best of best conditions. Get ready for a close encounter of your lifetime.
13

2003 Mars Images Gallery

Observation sketches & photos from Skyscrapers members. For more Mars observations, see Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers: Mars Section.
9

Mars Nights at Seagrave Observatory

Seagrave Observatory is prepared to handle larger than usual turnouts on Public Observing Nights in the weeks after the Mars oppositoin, when the Red Planet will be well placed for vewing in the early evening. Public Observing nights will be extended to both Fridays and Saturdays on 3 weekends from late September to mid-October. See Skyscrapers Calendar for details.

Help us complete our archives...

Do you have any anecdotes, personal stories, meeting notes, photos, or any other experiences you would like to share?