President Bernie Zelazny started the meeting promptly at 7:30 PM in room 309 of Lawrence Hall on the SRSU campus. A total of 13 folks were present for the meeting and program with 4 of them being "first timers" (a hearty welcome to all of them, and we hope to see you again, soon).
          Bernie's program was entitled Recent Happenings in Astronomy which was a summary of 34 postings from the Universetoday.org e-mail newsletter <subscribe at http://www.universetoday.org>. Bernie showed the images (via computer) and read a prepared brief statement of the specific subject. Several of the items covered were from the Cassini Spacecraft orbiting around Saturn, as well as the European Space Agency's Mars Express Spacecraft photos, and the Hubble Space Telescope and material from the Chandra X-Ray Observatory. It was an excellent program and reminded all of us that there is "always something new going on in the world of astronomy!"
           At 8:11 PM the business portion of the meeting started with Betty Grimm reading her last Treasurer's Report (she is retiring only from the job, not the club). Chuck Dobbins will be taking over the Treasurer's duties. Contact Chuck if you'd like a copy of the most recent budget report.
          Mail your 2005 dues ($20) payable to "Big Bend Astronomical Society" to Chuck Dobbins, Treasurer, Big Bend Astronomical Society, 616 North Cherry St., Alpine, TX 79830. This will get you officially paid up for the year so you will continue receiving our newsletter and be contacted about upcoming events and activities!
           There were no reports from the Outdoor Lighting Committee, nor the Website Committee.
 

• The proposed and adopted 2005 budget was presented and passed unaminously. Contact Bernie if you'd like a  copy of the budget.

• Our next Star Party (and hopefully, the first one to NOT get clouded out since mid 2004) is scheduled for Friday, February 11th and the Event Center on North 118 near the DPS Building on the right-hand side of the  road. If you can come and bring a scope it would be appreciated, if not come anyway and have some fun with  us looking at some of the wonders that grace our sky's. The CLOUD OUT DATE is Sunday, February 13th.

• Our next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 16th - a week later than normal due to Sul Ross State University's being on Spring Break during the regularly scheduled week of our meeting. The meeting will be in Room 309 of Lawrence Hall on the SRSU campus.