Las Cruces Clear Sky Clock

Speaker: Ann Owen
Topic: Archeoastronomy

Location:Dona Ana Community College
(Main Branch)
Room 77 (map)

Imaging Group meets at 7 pm

Contact the Club President for additional information

Upcoming Observing Opportunities:

Monthly Dark Sky Viewing
(Upham Site)
Sat., January 24 (dusk)

ASLC MoonGaze
(Int'l Delights Cafe)
Sat, January 31 (dusk)

   Quick Links

• Home Page
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• Request a Educationl Visit by an Astronomer to Your Club or School
• This Month's Sky Map
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  • Asteroid LightCurves
  • Minor Planet Discovery
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• Join ASLC

Happy New Year!

Greetings from the professional and amateur astronomers who comprise the Astronomical Society of Las Cruces (ASLC). The club was formed in 1951 by a group of dedicated astronomers including Clyde Tombaugh, who had discovered Pluto just 21 years earlier. For over 50 years, we've been sharing a little bit of the universe with our community under our beautiful Southern New Mexico skies.

The club has a variety of ongoing observing, education and public outreach programs. We host a public Moongaze each month, offer beginning astronomy courses and support countless star parties for schools, scouts and various organizations. We hold a meeting each month which includes a featured presentation.

To learn more about our society, please click here or select from the tabs above or the 'Quick Links' on the left.

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Archeoastronomer Ann Owen to Speak at ASLC January Meeting

Ancient and prehistoric civilizations have demonstrated a profound interest in the sky for purposes of calendar, cyclical ritual and ceremony management, agriculture, maritime navigation, religion/mythology, and celestial event prediction. Archaeoastronomy is the study of prehistoric peoples interest in astronomy.

Except for a few glamour sites like Chaco Canyon and the Pyramids in Mexico and Central America, little research has been done in this field. Archeoastronomer Ann Owen has studied artifacts throughout the Southwest U.S. for several years, and will present some of her recent findings at the January 2009 ASLC meeting.

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Bert and Janet Steven's Minor Planet Discoveries Now Featured

Minor planet hunters Bert and Janet Stevens have discovered over 70 asteroids in our solar system. ASLC is pleased to share his discoveries. Each asteroid (aka minor planet) is linked to the corresponding JPL Small Body Database link to show the position and orbit diagram of the object.

The Stevens work can be found here.

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Frederick Pilcher's Asteroid Light Curves Now On-Line

Fred has been obtaining light curve data from several asteroids at his Organ Mesa Observatory since mid-2007. The results of his efforts can now be accessed on his Minor Planet Light Curve web page (proudly hosted by ASLC). Click here to read about his efforts and to view his data.

Individuals interested in learning more about obtaining light curve data and/or collaborating with Fred are encouraged to contact him. An email link is given on his web page.

 

  
The Astronomical Society of Las Cruces is a proud member of the Astronomical League

  
ASLC is a proud Alliance Member of the Meade 4M Community supported by Meade Telescope, makers of LX90GPS Astronomical Telescopes