SJAA Meetings
Regular Meetings
General meetings are held once a month always on a Saturday,
usually near the full moon. The date varies to
accommodate the shifting position of the moon within the calendar month.
General meetings are scheduled from 8 to 10 pm, but most people arrive by
7:45 to catch up on the latest news. The meeting is preceded with a Board
meeting at 6:30. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend.
The general meeting is a "sit-down" type of meeting. We may have a
speaker from NASA, various space industries, nearby schools, etc., on a
topic of astronomical interest. Or one of the members may speak on a club
or individual project. The general meeting is sometimes pre-empted by a
special activity.
The Annual Auction is a fund-raiser at which astronomy-related things are
sold to the highest bidder. Everybody may bring material to be sold, or
items may be donated for sale. Though called the Bay-Area Auction, it
consists of a swap meet during the afternoon, and an auction after that.
SJAA asks a 10% commission on all sales.
Astronomy Day includes a demonstration at which the public is encouraged
to learn about the existence of Astronomy clubs and our activities. These
may be held in a large shopping center to maximize the exposure.
During the summer there is a picnic held at Fremont Peak, in association
with the Fremont Peak Observatory Association and other Bay Area Astronomy
groups.
One or two meetings a year are designated "Slide and Equipment Night".
"Slide" features slides and other photos, purchased or taken by the
members, which are shown for all to enjoy. These always include
comparisons of various films, techniques, and results obtained with various
telescopes. Included, too, are photographic reports of conferences, etc.
"Equipment" features the various telescopes that have been built by the
members or purchased from commercial builders. Each instrument is briefly
described by its owner, pointing out the particular design features or
modifications that have been made to enhance its usefulness.
Also displayed are accessories such as eyepieces, cameras, charts, books,
and the myriad gadgets and attachments built by this very talented group of
people.
The February meeting is designated the "Annual Meeting", at which the
Board of Directors is elected by the membership. The Board is made up of
nine persons, four elected in even-numbered years, and five in odd years,
to two-year terms.
The Board meets monthly, and at the meeting following the election, the
officers are elected from among the Board, to serve one-year terms.
Observational Astronomy Class
The Association conducts a class each month on a Friday at 7:30 p.m.,
for the beginning amateur. The purpose is to kindle an interest and impart
basic knowledge to the novice. Usually three constellations are covered
using projected slides showing the asterism, Messier objects, globulars,
galaxies, and nebulae. Telescopes, polar alignment, sky coordinates, a
little mythology, and general knowledge are also discussed. If the weather
permits, the class may go out to look at the real sky.
Star Parties
Now we come to the heart of amateur astronomy, when people bring their
telescopes out to view the celestial splendors. You've probably noticed
how bright the stars are in the mountains. That's partly due to the very
clear air at high elevations, but the largest factor is the lack of stray
light competing with the stars. One can observe the planets, moon, and
brighter objects from the depths of the city, but for the best view it's
very desirable to get out to a dark site. Here one can see plainly the
Milky Way, Zodiacal Light, and of course many beautiful but dim star
clusters and galaxies.
Star Parties are generally held on the Saturday nearest the new
moon, or sometimes on both weekends surrounding the new moon. SJAA
utilizes several sites around the area.
Please note that these are for the most part "no host" events; there
will usually be no organized events or officials waiting around to
check you in. Just show up, with or without your own telescope, and
have fun. If you want to talk to someone to get advice, learn more
about SJAA or just chat then just walk up to the nearest scope and say
"Hi". If the person you happened to pick is really seriously busy
(very rare :-) he'll hand you off to the next guy.
Another type of Public Star Party is held for a particular group, such as
a grade-school advanced-opportunity program, or for a college astronomy
class. These may be in town at the school or at a city park. The bright
objects are shown and explained to the attendees, and, of course, there are
lots of questions about telescopes and astronomy.
Please don't think you need to be an expert - this is a good opportunity
for beginning astronomers, too.
Jim Van Nuland / Paul Kohlmiller; last updated:
2005 Jul 30
|
San
Jose Astronomical Association 