CIAS Next Meeting 6th January 6:30 PM

The next meeting will be at Pedro’s Castle starting at 6:30 PM on-wards 

on Monday January 6 ^th 2014 – although I’m back – its only just - so Richard will be in charge. Meetings are cancelled if there is more than 50 percent cloud cover. It will be Richard making the executive decision that night, his cell is 9254917

As its Christmas I have decided to upload a modified form of the Astronomy Society Newsletter - now sent to members only. As it only costs 25 CI a year to support the Society its a bargain.The December meeting was not advertised on this Website but we did have a meeting offered by email  to our more keener members and non-members. This our last meeting this year was a particularly pleasant one and involved Clive Bodden’s catamaran “Yahoo Yahoo!” which proved an excellent stable platform to see the night sky somewhere in the North Sound near Booby Cay. It was particularly wonderful to see the WHOLE sky in one go, though when the boat tacked it took a while for everyone’s Apps to synchronize! Myriam produced a wonderful cake to celebrate the occasion including a picture of comet ISON, though of course ISON itself had long gone by then. Myriam also became the trips photographer.

I was going to spend some time reviewing the past year but it’s all there on the Facebook page, Astronomically we had two damp squib-like comets, a very partial eclipse at dawn when it was cloudy and probably the faintest penumbrial lunar eclipse seen for years! (Still, we had a good turnout for the UCCI STEM Conference Astronomy evening) 

For us as a Society it started  as a sad year with Nicks  Funeral but we also built on last year’s achievements’ too and finished up with a great evening boat trip into the North Sound 

Next Year

The Society is actually growing with the prospect of a new telescope and a number of events planned already for next year. These include the Cayman Arts Festival “Red Sky At Night” in February – a joint meeting (sometime and somewhere) with The National Trust for viewing and to discuss the ever growing problem of light pollution  If anyone wants to help with raising the profile of the International Campaign for Dark Skies here in Cayman  please contact me. (cpcooke@aol.com)

Ill also be advertising the “Beginners Evening Class in Astronomy” again in early January – to be held at the UCCI Observatory again. This will be the third time its run if we get the numbers. . Both Bill and Richard played a key part in the previous courses and that gives me the opportunity to say thanks for their help. Course is open to all and there’s no math!! More on this early in Jan 

Christmas and telescopes : This question is raised every year : What sort of telescope should I buy my  son/daughter/husband/wife/lover/friend for Christmas? It can be a minefield as there's a lot of rubbish around in such bargain shops  such as Cost-U-More and Bad-Buy. Here is a good article to read 

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/howto/howtoequipment/3304526.html?page=1

Its a bit technical but one section sums it all up 

If you're set on buying new, be prepared to spend at least $200 to $400, and even then you have to be careful to avoid junk. If this is beyond your means, your astronomical aspirations will probably be best served by buying a decent pair of binoculars and a lawn chair. Remember that whatever investment you make should be of good enough quality to serve you well for decades. 

Night Sky For December Over Christmas The chart below is produced by the excellent site http://heavens-above.com/  Much thanks to Chris Pete for allowing us to use the chart for our latitudes It shows the sky for Grand Cayman for the 15^th of December at around 8:30 PM but is fine for the rest of the month at slightly earlier times . Note that that “Summer Triangle” has now gone and the Great Square of Pegasus (which was overhead on our boat trip) is now distinctly in the West. Jupiter is now high in the sky and in the constellation of the Twins (Gemini).  Its worth mentioning that Venus of course is still blazing in the West just after sunset at the beginning of the month but as December progresses the planet  gets closer and closer into the evening  twilight . Its now showing a real crescent phase through a telescope and worth catching a glimpse if you can 

All the best and hope to see you all at our meetings after Christmas. 

Chris Cooke

cpcooke@aol.com 

CIAS Next Meeting 8 November 7 PM Pedro's Castle

The next meeting  is on Friday Nov 8th  starting at 7 PM. Usual finish time is by 9 PM The meeting is a few days later than usual so we will be focusing more on the Moon than usual. All are welcome, please remember to dip lights on arrival.

November can be a very mixed month for the weather so if the evening looks more than 50 percent cloudy the meeting will be canceled, You can phone me (no texts or emails please) at 7:00 PM if in doubt 925 7657

This Sunday 3rd of November  a (very) partial solar eclipse is theoretically visible at Sun rise 06:26 AM from the Cayman Islands. It will probably be in the news but for our location the eclipse will be for the die hard enthusiasts. If you want to join me please feel free to email and depending on numbers a suitable location will be found,

If you are intending on viewing it alone please take adequate precautions - especially if you will be pointing cameras with  telescopic lenses at the sun. Remember the eclipse is here briefly for a few minutes  whereas you want to use your eyes for life.

Clear Skies Everyone

Chris 

CIAS News Busy Month for October 2013

The next Public meeting of the Astronomical Society to be held at Pedros Castle will be on Tuesday the 8th of October starting at 7:00 PM. All are Welcome Remember the meetings will be canceled if sky cover is more than 50 percent or if it is raining. If in doubt phone me on 925 7657 If you come to the site please dip headlights on arrival.

We are also involved in two other major events this month.

On Saturday October the 12th we will be at the "Night Under the Stars" at the National Gallery. This is a major fundraising event for the Estella Scott-Roberts Foundation

At the UCCI college the Society is involved with the STEM Conference  which runs from Wednesday 16th to Saturday the 19th. In particular there are two free events for the General Public.

 

On the evening of Friday 18^th  there is a lunar eclipse and the UCCI Observatory and the CIAS plan to observe from the UCCI Quadrangle. The Society will be there from 6 PM onwards, with the Moon rising above the buildings in eclipse at perhaps around 7:00 PM. By 8:50 the Eclipse is over.

 

On Saturday afternoon the 19th October  there is a family fun afternoon, which again includes the UCCI Observatory and the CIAS to observe the Sun. This will run from 2:30 till 4:30 PM. Other events that afternoon invove a display of robotics, music by a theramin, a Van De Graff Generator (with a teacher attached to it), an alchemist and a rubins tube.  

 

Towards the end of this month Comet ISON may become visible in the morning sky. More information on this and other events this month is in the Society newsletter which is availble free to all members. To join please come to our next meeting or email me with your interest.

 

Clear Skies (fingers crossed)

Chris Cooke tel 925 7657

 

cpcooke@aol.com

 

Also Face Book https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cayman-Islands-Astronomical-Society/176383499041399

 

Or just plain old “Internet” http://caymanastronews.blogspot.com/‎

Next Meeting is on August 11th Pedros Castle

Hi All The next Society meeting is on Sunday 11th August 7:30 PM at Pedro's Castle.

 Ive been told there is a big wedding the day before so hopefully the “lights” will have been broken down (!)  by the time we get there.  If its still flood lit then we will move to the cemetery across the road.

Where ever we are remember to dip your car headlights on approach.

Members of the public are welcome free of charge but its only a modest 25 CI to join us.

If the weather looks bad - and by that we mean more than 50 percent cloud cover  - the meeting will be cancelled. If in doubt ring me at 7:30 PM on 925 7657

Clear Skies !!

Chris Cooke
cpcooke@aol.com

Next Meeting For Everyone on Wed July 10th 2013

There will be a meeting of the Society next Wednesday evening 10th July starting at 7:30 PM, at Pedro's Castle in Savannah.

All are welcome.This time of the year the weather may be an issue so if cloud cover is greater than 50 percent then the meeting will be canceled. Any doubts then phone or text 925 7657 at 7:30 PM for a final verdict. REMEMBER TO DIM HEADLIGHTS ON APPROACH


Members Only this Saturday 6 July : UCCI Observatory
There is also a solar viewing session planned THIS Saturday 6 July to CIAS members or past attendees of the recent evening courses held at the UCCI college called "Introduction To Astronomy". This is a morning of Solar viewing where interested parties will be able to see various techniques to observe the Sun - assuming there is no cloud cover of course. Time planned are 10:00 AM until 12:00 - Again ring or text me if you plan to come but the weather is not good.

Members will also receive their Monthly newsletter in the next few hours. If you have not received it by Thursday please let me know



Other meetings planned for non-members
For non members we will be hopefully following the Solar Observing session  up with a free meeting for the general public - in collaboration with the UCCI . More on this later . We also of course still have the monthly meetings whihc are open to vistors and occasional vistors free of charge


How Do I become a Member?
To become a member please either

Contact Myriam Madigan myriam@candw.ky
Or send a cheque to

The Cayman Islands Astronomical Society
c/o PO Box 1601 KY1 1110

together with your name and email address 

Membership is 25 CI per perso and lasts one year from June 1st onwards

Regards Chris

Finally I've been asked to let you know the following from a member who is a keen sky watcher and dog lover

Used CAYMAN STAMPS are treasured collectors’ items throughout the world. they are being collected by heather haines to support a dog rescue fund in the UK. equally appreciated are ALL caribbean stamps- and also any and all other world stamps. in other words, ALL stamps help the cause!! THANK YOU to the many people who have already donated cancelled postage stamps to the Irish Wolfhound Rescue Fund.BUT REMEMBER this is an ongoing project, so keep those stamps coming!!!! THANKS!!!!

please send to:
dr. heather haines
box 31654 SMB
grand cayman KY1-1207

OR drop them off at ISLAND VETERINARY SERVICES addressed to heather haines.

Next Meeting Wednesday 12th June

The next meeting of the Astronomical Society will be at Pedro’s Castle starting at 7:30 PM onward on Wednesday  12th June 2013. All are welcome and there is no charge for occasional visitors. Ring or email if the weather looks bad and you are still intending on coming. Meetings are canceled if there is more than 50 percent cloud cover.

I would like to remind all who have been previous members to join us again this year. Please send cheques for 25 dollars to PO Box 1601 GT , or of course  you can pay on the night!

12 MAY 2013 NEXT MEETING PEDROS CASTLE 7:30 PM

The next meeting of the Astronomical Society will be at Pedro’s Castle starting at 7:30 PM onwards on Sunday 12th May 2013. All are welcome and there is no charge for occasional visitors. Ring or email if the weather looks bad and you are still intending on coming. Meetings are canceled if there is more than 50 percent cloud cover.




There is also a repeat of the evening course 'An Introduction To Astronomy" which was run for 7 weeks earlier this year. The course starts on May 14th and costs 125 CI. There is a mixture of informal lectures and outside star viewing's including use of telescopes, a fun packed 2 hour evening in fact. A "critical mass" is required for the course to start . Enrollment has now started and people are signing up....
If Interested please enroll at the UCCI College as the course is held at the Observatory. The College requires cash and sight of your passport.


The Society Newsletter will be posted on-line in a few days time. Members and people who have expressed interest in the Scoeity within the last 6 months have recieved their newsletter today



Hopefully Clear skies everyone - though the rain does seem to have arrived



Chris 925 7657