Date: May 23-26, 2008
Attendance: 1,088
2008 featured a third quarter Moon, with snow on Friday, and mostly clear but cold nights during the weekend. The theme for this year was "Planets and Moons." On Saturday a live broadcast from JPL of the Phoenix Mars Lander was provided in the dining hall.
Speakers
Keynote Speaker: Chris Butler, "From Nine Planets to Nine Billon Worlds: Visualizing the New Frontiers of Astronomy"
Robert Fulton Goff Invitational Lecture on Optics and Optical Design: Roger Ceragioli, "New Telescopes From Bernhard Schmidt"
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Ralph Megna, "Amateur Observatories and Warm Rooms: Lessons Learned at GMARS" |
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Jack Newton, "Astro Imaging Using a Variety of Telescopes and Cameras" |
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Olivier Thizy, "High Resolution Amateur Spectroscopy" |
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Kelly Beatty, "The Sputnik Years" |
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Tim Thompson, "The Evolution of Galaxies" |
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Dave Rodrigues, "A Magical Tour of the Universe" |
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Doug Zubenel, "Leslie C. Peltier: A Personal Retrospective" |
Workshops/Annex Presentations
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Shelley R. Bonus, "Let's Talk Outreach and RTMC AE -- Share Your Ideas" |
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Shelley R. Bonus, "Family Solar System Update" |
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Alex McConahay, "Astroimaging Panel" |
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Mike Unsold, "Astroimaging/Images Plus Workshop" |
Merit Awards
Astronomer's Choice Award
Bob Pfaff, 12.5"
f/11.5 coma-free SCT
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Steve Collett, 50 mm refractor on modififed GOTO mount on home-made tripod |
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Bob Eklund and Laura Woodard-Eklund |
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Astroimaging Contest Winners
Best of Show: Robert Johnson, "The Witch's Broom Nebula"
Meteors/Atmospheric Effects:
Cynthia Earl, "Contrails
on a December Morning"
Eclipses/Transits: George Georgianna, "Lunar
Eclipse 8-28-07"
Solar System: Steve Riegel, "Active
Sun at Solar Minimum"
Deep Sky: Robert Johnson, "The
Witch's Broom Nebula"
Other: Mike Madsen, "Comet
Holmes with Mirfak"
