Hi all,
Another month has flown by, and it’s time for our virtual club meeting this Friday (6/11) at 7:00PM, through Zoom. We will be voting on board positions this month, so please make sure to attend. As mentioned previously, we have 3 at-large board members seeking re-election, as well as our observatory director. We’ll also be casting votes regarding the BAA’s College of Fellows. Further information is in the second of the two emails that BAA members should have received today. Please reach out to Mike Humphrey if you didn’t get either email as they both contain the meeting invite.
Our speaker this month is Charles Allen, who will discuss the Astronomical League:
Astronomical League Benefits and Programs – presented by Charles E. Allen
This presentation provides an overview of the many benefits and programs offered by the Astronomical League, a 75 year-old organization now boasting 18,500 members in 305 member societies. The presentation focuses, first, on the League’s Observing Program Division which offers pins, certificates, and national recognition for completion of more than 80 different observing programs. Since issuance of the first Messier certificate in 1967, the League has issued more than 16,140 certificates and pins to more than 5,600 different observers and has taken the seminal step of creating standards for master status recognition in telescope observing, binocular observing, and imaging. The presentation examines the League’s history of national conventions held in 28 states and 3 countries and previews the League’s first-ever virtual convention to be held in August, 2021—an event featuring speakers like Dr. Jocelyn Bell Burnell and Dr. J. Richard Gott, a VLA tour, a Perseverance Team presentation, all 2020 and 2021 League youth and general awards, a Slooh remote telescope demonstration, and the award of more than $4,000 in door prizes. Finally, the presentation reviews many other benefits including our soon-to-be-expanded Reflector magazine, our planned future convention with RASC, our major youth awards for research, service, imaging, and journalism, our general awards for observing, service, Website management, newsletter editing, sketching, and imaging, our soon-to-be-upgraded League Website, our Library Telescope Program giveaway, our new International Region, and our efforts to attract youth to our hobby and to develop a more diverse League membership.
Any BAA member may join the Astro League and receive these benefits for a nominal fee ($7.50/year) by signing up on this page: https://www.buffaloastronomy.com/astronomical-league-membership/ The deadline for 2021-2022 membership is June 30, 2021. This month’s meeting is a great opportunity to learn more about the League or ask any questions you may have before committing.
Chuck’s talk will begin after the board elections at the start of the meeting, so stick around after voting to attend the presentation, and then come and join in one of our astro-discussion breakout rooms. See you then!
-Emilyann
