The NEKAAL Observer
April-May, 2007 Volume 2, Issue 2 PO BOX 951, Topeka KS 66619 (785)449-2102 http://www.nekaal.org The official newsletter of Farpoint Observatory and the Northeast Kansas Amateur Astronomers' League

• FASTTracks: Goodbye to FAST - an open challenge
  Gary Hug
  Gary Hug sums up the soon-to-end FAST program and its great accomplishments. But the opportunites and potential projects that await on the Tombaugh are limitless. This is an open challenge by Gary to the imagination and scientific curiosity of the membership. The big scope becomes everyone's baby, now.


• Even Solar Sails Need a Mast
  Patrick L. Barry
  February's NASA SpacePlace article. The development of solar sails for transportation within the inner solar system is underway. In this article, Patrick Barry describes the upcoming 2009 Space Shuttle launch of a prototype sail to test technology that may be operational by mid-century.


• NEKAAL Christmas Party Photos
  Photos by Jerry Majers
  Photos by Jerry Majers taken at the Christmas Party at the Miller's. These are actually pretty high res. You can take these up to about 225% for viewing, and they remain sharp. Editor's note: The next one will be at my new house, finally!


• The Nebraska Star Party Brochure and Registration Form
  This is the big one in these here parts. Gotta go someday. Club expedition, anyone?


• April and May Sky Highlites
  Janelle Burgardt
  What is happening in the sky this spring?


• Early Bird Gets The Worm
  Dr. Tony Phillips
  Using the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX), an ultraviolet space telescope, and looking at over 10,000 galactic cores, astronomer Suvi Gazari of Caltech actually caught a black hole in the act of gobbling up a star. NASA's March SpacePlace article.


• MARAC Meeting Poster and Information
  provided by Graham Bell
  Here is a meeting close to home, at UMKC, in mid April. Highly recommended. Several of us have been to this these.


• Results Of NEKAAL Member Interest Survey
  by Janelle Burgardt
  Janelle provide the summary of finding from last Fall's Member Interest Survey.


• March and April Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) Events
  Janelle Burgardt
  

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