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The elections are over, the votes
counted, for technical reasons I hear only a few
were discarded (I don't think anyone will be calling
the lawyers over those). The result is in, hence
why I am writing the February Presidents message.
It is entirely my privilege to serve the OCA as
it's President for this new millennium year (as
Russell Sipe our previous President said at the
last meeting - "I am one of those"). I
must give a heartfelt thank you to Russell Sipe
and the other retiring board members for their astute
leadership of the club over the past year.
Russell - you are an inspiration
to many of us in the club - it has been a pleasure
serving on the Board with you over the past year.
Your legacy as President - one related to your strong
leadership - and emphasis on extending the education
and research opportunities of the club will definitely
be a priority of the mine and the boards going forward.
I look forward to being able to call on your dedication
and knowledge as you continue as a Board member.
Jay Glowacki is retiring from the
board - as Vice President, he had the responsibility
for finding speakers for the clubs meetings. He
is leaving us with the memories (and some videos
on the web site) of a string of first class speaking
engagements over the past year - and a future list
of exciting speakers deep into this year. Thank
you, Jay.
Jim Benet is also retiring from
the board - but will thankfully remain an extremely
active leader of the clubs Outreach programs and
the upcoming AstroImage 2001 conference. Thank you,
Jim.
I feel it is also very appropriate
to pause and consider all the additional OCA members
who commit so much of their time and energy to making
this club what it is. You only have to view the
OCA contacts list on the web site to realize there
are many additional members who support the OCA.
From Chris McGill as our editor for the Sirius Astronomer
(fantastic job over the past year Chris), Don Lynn
for the Anza Site Maintenance (and great efforts
with the new Pads at Anza), Cathy Bailey Weinberger
as Librarian and Roy Weinberger as Anza House Coordinator,
Antonio Miro who runs our Beginners Astronomy program,
Henry Fry for managing the Telescope Loaner Program,
to the members who run the various special interest
groups (Ken McLeod - EOA, Gordon Pattison - Astrophysics,
Garth Buckles - AstroImagers) and Robert Buchheim
who runs our Silverado Star Parties. Thank you all.
We have some great things going
on right now and coming up soon….
The "Teach the Universe"
course was presented by OCA Member Sue Hayden to
a number of teachers on Thursday January 18th at
El Camino Real High School with help from Bob Gill.
This is just the first in a developing program -
sponsored by the OCA - to help extend the Astronomy
bug out to more students than ever.
Our AstroImage 2001 conference
will be hosted at Cal State Fullerton on March 10th.
Please register now - space is limited for this
not-to-be-missed event for everyone interested in
the art and science of astrophotography of the digital
and film kind.
The March star party at Anza is
planned to be a focus for a great Messier Marathon
this year - with just about perfect timing for the
event. We are planning to have electricity extended
down to the new pads we have just installed at Anza
by that time - so mark your calendars and plan to
be there.
Upcoming meetings will entertain
and educate us with well known and respected presenters
from the astronomical and science community starting
In February with Ken Nealson from JPL on "Astrobiology:
"The Search for Life Beyond the Earth",
In March we will have Sky & Tel, editor-in-chief,
Rick Fienberg, in April Dennis Mammana with "Stars
Belong to Everyone" and May David Balch presenting
"WOW! The Most Incredible Thing You'll Ever
See".
I can hardly wait.
"The universe is full of magical things
patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper"
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