by Larry Kane, Assistant Director

●  The meeting convened at 7:30 PM via Zoom.

●  A presentation on the physics of a refracting telescope, including a history of several instruments, including our own Hastings-Byrne was provided by member John Church.

●  Amateur Astronomy Journals section was provided by Bob Vanderbei, with astro images he has taken over the last twelve months and Bill Murray, reviewing the history of Project Diana.

Business Meeting:

●  Director Rex Parker presented a discussion of the 982.00 Mhz signal that came from the region of Proxima Centauri and lasted 30 hours. He also introduced a discussion of the suggestion by Avi Loeb, of Harvard University, that Oumuamua  (the interstellar object that entered our solar system) was sent by alien intelligence.

It is described in his recent book Extraterrestrial.

Observatory:

●  Observatory Chair, Dave Skitt, stated that two groups came out to view the “great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn.”

●  Dave also had a Zoom meeting with a member of the public wanting advice on buying a telescope. This was followed by statements from several members who were also approached to give advice on the same subject.

●  Dave and Tom Swords discussed the purchase of “Bahtinov masks” to aid in the focusing of telescopes and cameras..

Program Manager:

●  Victor Davis said that speakers are lined up until the end of the current academic year. He indicated that virtual meetings are allowing for the retention of speakers who would not normally come to Princeton to speak at our meetings. He added that this is “surprisingly easy.”

Meeting adjourned at 10:00PM