October 2005 Press Releases
Public Information and
Marketing Office
(805) 546-3108, FAX (805) 546-3921
E-mail questions and comments to sroark@cuesta.edu
October 2005 Press Release Index
October 25, 2005
cuesta college Astronomy Club and
Telescope Viewing on october 27
Have you
ever had a desire to look out into the stars and do more than make a
wish? If your tastes are instead more inclined toward studying planetary
nebulae, eclipsing binaries and two-channel photometers, attending the
first-ever Cuesta’s Astronomy Club meeting may be just what you’re
looking for.
The event
is scheduled for Thursday, October 27, from 7:30 to 9 p.m., in the
Cuesta College San Luis Obispo Campus Science Forum Building. Just for
this gathering, the event also will serve as the monthly Central Coast
Astronomical Society meeting. Scheduled to make brief presentations are
Cuesta astronomy students from instructor Russ Genet’s classes, who will
update attendees about their projects in progress, including Intelligent
Life in the Universe, Astrology and Baker’s Theory of the Cosmos. (For
non-Cuesta students, parking permits will be required.)
Depending
on weather conditions, attendees will also be invited to view the skies
immediately afterwards – by taking part in the premiere showing of the
brand new Meade LX 200 GPS 14-inch telescope and SBIG CCD camera. (The
telescope is right above the science lecture hall.). According to Cuesta
Astronomy Instructor Jim Eickemeyer, the $6,000 instrument has a
database of more than 100,000 objects, and can go to any of these
objects – including specific stars, planets and deep sky objects such as
galaxies – with the appropriate instructions. The scope will also be
hooked up to a computer so that the part of the sky viewed will appear
on the PC monitor.
“It was
the best package available for the cost,” said Eickemeyer, who adds that
the telescope was
necessary in order to compensate for
light pollution on campus. At some point, Eickemeyer says he hopes to
train docents to give the Central Coast community tours of the sky on a
regular basis. He is also hoping this first meeting will serve as the
kick-off to further Astronomy Club events.
For more
information on the Astronomy Club, contact Jim Eickemeyer at 546-3100,
ext. 2670. For more news about the Central Coast Astronomical Society,
visit its web site at
www.ccastronomy.org
or contact Walt Reil at 466-0757.
###
|
