October 2019

Steve and his wife Sue have been very fortunate over the last few years to be able to travel to some exotic, unique places across the globe chasing Total Solar Eclipses.

This year was no exception and they were able to visit the beautiful country of Chile which provided exceptional, clear views of this past July’s eclipse as well as unparalleled views of the Southern skies.
His talk this morning will be both a bit of a travelogue exploring some of the incredible sights that Chile has to offer as well as parts geared for us amateur astronomers such as the eclipse itself and the night sky.

Steve has been an amateur astronomer for over 45 years and a member as well as current president of Skyscrapers. He has built telescopes, met many famous people and made many long-term friendships thanks to his interest in astronomy for which he is eternally grateful.

The Mapuche-Pewenche people of the southern Andes have developed a unique way of understanding movements in the night and daytime sky.  In their astronomical tradition, the naming of certain key stars is based on the timing of local rising while the determination of new months and years are based in part on the sidereal lunar month instead of the more familiar synodic month.  I'll start with an introduction to Mapuche and Pewenche culture and then present the results of my own field research between 2009 and 2010.  

In 2017 and 2018, Ed traveled to Chile on a grant from the National Science Foundation as part of the "ACEAP" Ambassador program.  Join us for a look at the long, thin country "down under" as we explore Chile, from perspectives astronomical and otherwise.

Excitement is building for the launch of Mars 2020 next year.  Professor Mustard will provide an update on the progress of the mission towards launch and its goals once it safely arrives on the Red Planet.

This presentation will be focused on the maturing concepts of sub-f/4 and meniscus mirrors, silvering, and the advantages of rich-field telescopes. Zane will also be briefly talking about what got him into telescope making and a few other ATM/refurbishment projects he has worked on and is currently working on. He will be bringing his newly-completed 10” f/3.2 Dobsonian as well.