Author Archives: ST Editors

Snippets

Posted on February 28, 2021 by ST Editors

compiled by Arlene & David Kaplan How NJ played a role in the Perseverance rover missionThis week, we got to witness history in space exploration as the Perseverance rover safely landed on the surface of Mars. The rovers main mission is to … Continue reading →

Posted in March 2021, Sidereal Times | Tagged , | Leave a comment

From the Director

Posted on February 1, 2021 by ST Editors

Next meeting by Zoom on Feb 09 at 7:30.  We continue to dream of getting back together in Peyton Hall on campus, but for the next few months at least we anticipate running the meeting virtually with Zoom.  The meeting … Continue reading →

Posted in February 2021, Sidereal Times | Tagged , | Leave a comment

From the Assistant Director

Posted on February 1, 2021 by ST Editors

by Larry Kane To all AAAP members, In mid January, I sent an email to the entire AAAP membership, announcing the establishment of the Gene Ramsey Memorial Observatory Reconstruction Fund in order to raise money that will go to the … Continue reading →

Posted in February 2021, Sidereal Times | Tagged , | Leave a comment

From the Program Director

Posted on February 1, 2021 by ST Editors

by Victor Davis The February meeting of 2021 will take place (virtually) on Tuesday, 9th at 7:30 PM. (See Joining the Meeting with Zoom below for details). This meeting is open to AAAP members and the general public. Due to … Continue reading →

Posted in February 2021, Sidereal Times | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Minutes of the January 12, 2021 AAAP General Meeting

Posted on February 1, 2021 by ST Editors

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. … Continue reading →

Posted in February 2021, Sidereal Times | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

How Did Hastings Design Our Objective?

Posted on February 1, 2021 by ST Editors

by John Church PART I I’ve often wondered what actual methods Charles Hastings used when designing the 6-1/4” objective now sitting at the business end of our fine refractor in Washington Crossing State Park.  I’ll start by quoting Hastings’ own … Continue reading →

Posted in February 2021, Sidereal Times | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Annie Jump Cannon and the Creation of Stellar Classification

Posted on February 1, 2021 by ST Editors

by Athena Basu Many of you are probably familiar with the Harvard System of Stellar Classification. In this system, the O B A F G K M sequence groups stars in terms of apparent color and effective/surface temperature. O describes … Continue reading →

Posted in February 2021, Sidereal Times | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Meet our new member Lisa Ann Fanning

Posted on February 1, 2021 by ST Editors

My name is Lisa Ann Fanning – I live in Marlboro Twp., NJ. I have been very casually observing since 2019. My husband, Rob  and I, are avid birders, so my beginning efforts have been utilizing a Swarovski 65mm spotting scope … Continue reading →

Posted in February 2021, Sidereal Times | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Snippets

Posted on February 1, 2021 by ST Editors

compiled by Arlene & David Kaplan Did an Alien Life-Form Do a Drive-By of Our Solar System in 2017? On Nov. 12, 2018, Avi Loeb, then the chairman of the astronomy department at Harvard, and a young research associate, Shmuel … Continue reading →

Posted in February 2021, Sidereal Times | Tagged , | Leave a comment

From the Director

Posted on January 1, 2021 by ST Editors

The third decade of the third millennium brings great opportunities for AAAP.  Where is amateur astronomy heading in the New Year?  What actions and decisions, what different directions might AAAP take as central New Jersey slowly emerges from the pandemic?  … Continue reading →

Posted in January 2021, Sidereal Times | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

From the Program Director

Posted on January 1, 2021 by ST Editors

by Victor Davis The first AAAP meeting of 2021 will take place (virtually) on Tuesday, January 12th at 7:30 PM. (See Joining the Meeting with Zoom below for details). This meeting is open to AAAP members and the general public. … Continue reading →

Posted in January 2021, Sidereal Times | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Minutes of the December 8, 2020 AAAP General Meeting

Posted on January 1, 2021 by ST Editors

by John Miller, Secretary ● Online meeting, via Zoom, began at 7:30 pm. There were about 62 attendees. ● Rex Parker reviewed current membership count, which the Secretary records at 28 paid new members (2020); 52 paid renewed members (2020) … Continue reading →

Posted in January 2021, Sidereal Times | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Minutes of the December 1, 2020 AAAP Board of Trustees meeting (online)

Posted on January 1, 2021 by ST Editors

by John Miller, Secretary ● A discussion on methods to draw more Zoom attendees to the AAAP General monthly meeting was undertaken. ● Ideas and enticements to draw more speakers via Zoom.  It was agreed our cache is now exponentially … Continue reading →

Posted in January 2021, Sidereal Times | Tagged , , | Leave a comment