Meeting Date:                                    Select another Meeting Date 3/14/2008 1/11/2008 12/14/2007 11/9/2007 10/26/2007 5/25/2007 4/27/2007 2/23/2007 1/26/2007 12/8/2006 11/10/2006     I.  Call To Order: Club President, Tom Whitney, called the meeting to order at 8:00 p.m.   II.  Old Business: None.   II.  Minutes of Last Meeting: Tom Petray gave the secretary's report that the minutes of the previous meeting were online at the 5As website. Click on 'Meeting Minutes.'   IV.  New Business: MEMBER SHARING - Mary shared the new stamps from the U.S. Post Office featuring scientists, including Edwin Hubble. CLUB MEMBER OBSERVING GROUP - Sean Marien announced that member observing will be starting up again very soon. He will email club members to let them know about planned dates. In the past, the group has usually gone to an observing site in Northfield or the Route 202 overlook. He hopes to start in late March. PUBLIC PROGRAM SEASON - Kevin Collins shared that our public programs will be starting in April. Club leadership has publicized these programs in local newspapers, on public radio, and on the web. He asked that members please "get the word out" about the good viewing of Saturn's rings. We will need members to participate and help in these public programs. SCHOOL OUTREACH - Lauren Levine told members that she would lead the scheduling of astronomy events with schools or children's groups in the area. One example where help might be needed would be astronomy merit badge work with boy scouts. MEMBER & GUEST INTRODUCTIONS - Tom W. introduced all present to each other as some may not know each other. SPEAKER - AL RIFKIN - TOPIC - "Taking Pictures with Telescopes and Cameras" Al shared that you would need tracking if you take pictures over 6 seconds long. Bob Gendler, who is famous for his astro photos, is one of the leaders in the "CCD Revolution." Al said that "film is history"... except for Schmidt cameras. Astrophotography can be done with low costs, as low as a few $100. Examples of items needed include a web-cam screw-in adapter to put in the back of a 'scope' for $20, $200 for a 2U camera with issues of pixel count, sensitivity, and quality of electronics determining actual cost. If you already have a video camera, it can be attached to your 'scope.'