Those of you that access the OCA
Web site know that the April President's letter
appeared on schedule. Those of you not on the Web
saw that the letter was missing from the April issue
of the Sirius Astronomer. An unfortunately 24 hour
forwarding delay caused my email to the SA editor
to arrive a day later than sent, just after the
newsletter was sent the issue to the printer. This
month I will review some of the information from
the April President's letter and bring everyone
up to date.
OCA has access to another "large"
aperture telescope. The Star Cruiser Observatory
(the working title was Star-E Observatory) will
house a 16.25" Cassegrain system in a roll-off
observatory near the club telescope. I purchased
the telescope recently and will commit to using
it as a general viewing telescope, along with the
club telescope, on star party nights. On other nights
both telescopes will be involved in a variety of
research projects.
In a related development, the Star
Cruiser Observatory will become one of three telescopes
that will network in a newly formed working group
to be known as "Asteroid Search and Research
-- OCA" (ASROC). In the March 2000 issue of
the Sirius Astronomer Myke Collins described the
ongoing asteroid search program he and Minor White
are conducting with the club telescope. The Star
Cruiser Telescope, when completed will be come the
second telescope in this program. Additionally OCA
member John Hoot has joined the group. John is doing
cutting edge precision photometry work, determining
the rotational periods of asteroids.
Both John and Myke will be future
speakers at our monthly meeting (dates yet to be
determined). There are exciting times ahead for
OCA astronomical research.
"The goodness of the night
upon you"
Othello Act 1 Scene 2
Russell Sipe |