It Must Be Astronomical

The loaner program offers members a means to try scopes of various sizes and technologies before you buy. For more information please see the loaner program web page: http://www.sjaa.net/loaners

Elections 2010

The elections for the SJAA board were held at the general meeting in February. The following members, all incumbents, were reelected: Robert Armstrong, Greg Claytor, Kevin Roberts, Rob Jaworski. Officers are elected during the March board meeting.

Q: The sun is a constant reminder of E= Mc2. But just how much mass is being turned into energy?

A: Every second, the Sun takes 700 million tons of hydrogen and turns it into 695 million tons of helium. The “missing” 5 million tons is turned into energy. 5 million tons represents 0.00000000000000000025 percent of the sun’s total mass. (“Death From the Skies”, Phil Plait, pg. 37)

Dr. David Morrison, April 21, 7 p.m. at Foothill College speaking on Doomsday 2012 and the Rise of Cosmophobia as part of the Silicon Valley Astronomy Lectures at Foothill College. http://www.foothill.edu/ast/SVL.htm

Golden State Star Party, July 10-14, Adin, California. Early registration is $60 and registration is now open. For more information, see http://www.goldenstatestarparty.org.

SETIcon - Aug. 13-15, Santa Clara. SETIcon will offer fascinating and fun panels about astrobiology and SETI research, with speakers ranging from SETI Institute scientists to science fiction actors. We’ll have four simultaneous program tracks: general sessions, hard-core science, education/family activities, and individual sessions. For more info go to: http://www.seticon.com/

CalStar - Oct. 7-10. http://www.observers.org/CalStar/

“Our species needs, and deserves, a citizenry with minds wide awake and a basic understanding of how the world works” - Carl Sagan