Close to four dozen members arrived at the Spectator Auditorium on June 8th, for the last HAA monthly meeting before the Summer break. After picking up a door prize ticket and a super-sized Event Horizon (EH), most made a beeline for Jackie Fulton to reserve a spot on the bus trip to the David Dunlap Observatory. Ticket sales were brisk and Jackie later reported that there were only about a dozen seats left so if anyone wants to go they should contact her at publicity@amateurastronomy.org as soon as possible.
There had been a special request for contributions for the EH and the result was another newsletter full of excellent content masterfully compiled by Tim Philp. The centerfold skychart and accompanying article by Mike Spicer covers the next 2 months as did Mike?s precise ?Sky This Month? presentation.
Ann Tekatch, who with husband Bill and daughter Alex, had collected the astronomical estate of late Honorary Chair, Jim Winger, urged all members to attend the garage sale/auction at their home on the morning of June 9th. Interest for this was high and a good turnout expected.
Next was a report on the Club?s LOFAR II project by Mike Jefferson. Mike brought in the .9 metre antennae that he had painstakingly assembled and was close to operational state.
As a preview of the estate sale, Ann Tekatch had brought in a few books and a poster which were given away as the door prizes, then it was onto the final presentation of the night; a celestial trivia contest hosted by Glenn Muller. After assembling the group into seven teams Glenn teased everyone?s brains with sixty questions ranging from Messier object identification to observatory locations. It came as little surprise that the team with both Ray Badgerow and Bob Christmas on it claimed first place with an amazing 52/60.
As John Gauvreau put it ?Once Ray and Bob got on the same team, everyone else was just playing for second place!? But there was lots of laughter, and much discussion and comparing of scores afterwards when many of the attendees assembled at Kelsey?s on Main where refreshments were served by a courteous and efficient staff.