by Rex Parker, PhD, Director

Embracing the future with an eye on 50 proud years of AAAP’s past, it is an honor for me to return to the helm as Director for the next season.  I extend my thanks and appreciation to Jeff Bernardis for the leadership he provided as Director the past 2 years.  Indeed we are fortunate to have so many talented members – you bring unique skills and depth to the club in knowledge and technology, telescope and observing skills, organization, and teaching ability.  For the upcoming year, one of the themes will be shared participation in club activities where we could build upon this talent in a synergistic way.  I hope to foster a stronger sense of succession planning where members fearlessly and excitedly participate in AAAP events and lend their abilities to help lead the club to expand current interests and approach new directions.

The tradition of excellence continues with the fine job our Editors are doing with Sidereal Times – yet without your written contributions there would be no Times.  Opportunities abound for members to enhance their astro experience through our fabulous monthly lecture series.  Get deeper into space by participating on the Program Committee led by Kate Otto, Program Chair.  Soon I will unveil a concept for improving the public observing/telescopic experience, drawing from some of my recent experiences doing astronomy out west in Arizona.  We can help transform the Keyholders’ capabilities at the club’s Washington Crossing Observatory.  In this effort I will welcome serious input from members – stay tuned.

Be sure to round up a few kids and friends for the AAAP season’s finale on June 10, our annual meeting at the NJ State Planetarium.  Here I am dropping great heaps of praise on member Bill Murray, astronomer extraordinaire and staff member at the Planetarium, who will lead the presentation and handle the technology in the dome.  Bill’s contributions to AAAP make a very long list, and there’s no better way to say thanks than to have a good turnout for the June meeting.

Recalling the wonderful May lecture by Princeton Astrophysicist Neta Bahcall, I leave you with this astro haiku (credit: Telescoper, “In the Dark” blog).

Cosmological
Constant and Dark Energy
are vacuous names