Text 390, 98 rader
Skriven 2007-06-02 10:54:00 av John Pazmino (1:278/230)
Ärende: NYC Events 2/2 Jun0  4/ 5
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Continued from previous message.


Fri - 29 Jun
    19:30 - Cranford - NJ - Amat Astro Inc meeting - see Jun 1  
    20:00 - Stamford - CT - clearsky starviewing - see Jun 1/
    20:00 - Wash'n Xing S P - NJ - clearsky starviewing - see Jun 1

Sat - 30 Jun
    20:00 - Southold - LI - Custer Inst meeting - see Jun 2
    20:45 - Paramus - NJ - Buehler-Columbia A A A lecture - see Jun 2

General news 
 ----------
    June will complete the seasonal transition from 'winter' events to 
'summer' ones. Mostly lectures drop off with the close of the school 
year and starparties crank up with the coming of warm weather. 
    Several exhibits that were previously noted as 'indefinite 
duration' became more or less permanent features. They no longer are 
'events' but are now part of the routine offerings of each venue. 
    Two new members come to NYC Events this month, but they are idle 
for the summer. Physics Club of NY ended its 2006-2007 season in May. 
Its lecture series resumes in the fall. NYC Center for Space Science 
Education didn't gear up yet for general public programs. So far it 
was serving school groups. 
    Orange County Astronomical Association apparently went into 
inactive state in April or May. It lost its starviewing site several 
months ago and so far haven't resumed public sessions. If in the 
future the club revives, NYC Events will welcome it back. 
    The video lectures at Brooklyn College are finished for this 
semester. They are expected to resume in the fall. They were widely 
acclaimed as a means of hearing good talks without the trouble and 
expense of traveling. 
 
Event news 
 --------
    Whew! We survived the shutdown of the IND Fulton Street line, just 
barely. The loss of this transit corridor thru Brooklyn and 
curtailment of service on its Manhattan and Queens reaches caused no 
end of aggravation, missed connections, round-about detours. Most 
readers made substantial alterations to their daily goings about to 
avoid this line! 
    Governors Island opens its 2007 season on Saturday, June 2nd, with 
bout the same program as in previous years. Weekends are for casual 
visits while weekdays have guided tours at specific hours. You'll see 
renovations on the Island to expand visitor services, but there are 
still only limited conveniences. Visit a restroom and pack a picnic. 
    The ferry ride is again free, but you have to pick up a timed-
ticket at the depot. They are issued for the seating capacity of the 
boat to avoid overcrowding. The Island on weekends is treated like an 
extension of Batery Park by residents and tourists, so expect a large 
volume of visitors. 
    Amateur Observers Society runs StarFest2007 in Roxbury NY in the 
upper Catskills, on June 17-19. It's the club's first real starparty, 
in the style of the rural ones. 
    The Ripley's Believe It Or Not museum returns to New York after a 
couple decades absence! Oh, it's actually called the 'Odditorium' 
[groan]. It opens on the 21st right on 40-Deuce. And it got some 
ASTRONOMY, the largest privately-owned meteorite on public display!! 
    I tossed in a couple funky events. There's a flying saucer 
convention in East Village MH on June 22-24 and a walking tour of 
midtown spy cameras on June 24. I'M NOT MAKING UP THIS CRAP! 
    I have one transit tour for you, a romp in New Jersey and Staten 
Island, on June 24. With NYC mayor Bloomberg's manifesto for greening 
the City, you as a home astronomer should bone up on some of the 
transit projects that can help meet the green goals. 
    The major astronomy event is the 'New trends in astrodynamics' 
conference on June 27-29 at Princeton University. In spite of its 
proximity to the City and ease of getting there by train, it can be a 
bit costly when all costs are accounted for. On the other hand, this 
is the #1 meeting to learn about space flight planning, space mission 
design, celestial mechanics from the real experts. The conference 
include good entertainment and noshing. 

Sky news 
 ------
    Weather in May 2007 was erratic. It whacked between thunderstorms 
and cool sunny days! Near the end of May, the temperature shot into 
the mid 30Cs with nasty humidity. I sort of take the hint: summer is 
arrived in the Big Apple. 
    In late May we got a series of lunar conjunctions in the western 
evening sky. Rain and cloud knocked out the Venus and Castor-Pollux 
conjunctions. The others were enjoyed in clear skies. 
    NYC Events is issuing just when the Stonehenge sunset occurs at 
end May. I'll have a report on it in the July NYC Events. 
    gamma Virginis, now in south, is just barely separated in the 
larger home telescopes. Recall that it was closed up during its 
periastron in 2005-2006. If you can't get the two stars apart during 
this year's apparition, you surely will in next year's. 
    Jupiter returns to the evening sky by month end and stays with us 
all thru the summer and into early fall. It 'pushes' Saturn off into 

 Continued in next message.

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