Newsletter of the Big Bend Astronomical Society, Inc. July, 1999 Jim Walker, Editor

        President Bill Baker called the meeting to order at 7:32 pm. There were 13 folks in attendance at the meeting, including 3 non-members.
        The minutes of the previous meeting were unanimously accepted as published in the newsletter.

Treasurer Betty Grimm presented the following written report: Bank balance 05/31/99         $579.46 June Activity  Receipts  (Dues)                       10.00 Disbursements                       394.80 Working balance 06/30/99   $194.66

First National Bank in Alpine Savings Account Opened 09/25/98 Balance 05/31/99                     $1,064.46 Interest Earned 6/30/99                   7.36 Balance 06/30/99                     $1,071.82

Murray Newman Fund 01/19/99 CD        935.32 Murray Newman Fund 05/18/99 CD   2,952.79 Fund CD Balance 06/30/99              $3,888.11

        New Business:
                To be determined at a BBAS Board Meeting before the next meeting:
                            Election Committee (to be announced in August)
                            Annual Distribution Date for the Murray Newman Fund

        There was a brief discussion regarding BBAS sending a letter to the Alpine City council supporting the adoption of a Lighting Ordinance. A motion was made by Bernie Zelazny and seconded by Doug McCombs to send such a letter to the Alpine City Council. It passed unanimously. Bill Baker will draft and send a letter to the City Council.
        Bill Baker then presented information on the Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST).  A brief informal discussion followed. Doug McCombs presented some information regarding a telescope's field of view. This led to a discussion about telescope mirrors. Phil Plimmer presented some information from a new magazine regarding the recent discovery of a sodium tail being generated by the Moon. Doug elaborated on how such a tail might be possible, but that it would not be a visible tail. Further discussion of the NGST took place. Jack Mollard commented that it was interesting having such a free form discussion as a program and suggested that we do this again in the future. Bill Baker suggested that Doug McCombs present a program to the club at a future meeting regarding the building of a telescope mirror.  Doug indicated that he could make such a presentation.
        There was also some discussion on having a special Meteor Shower Star Party on August 11th instead of the Planetarium Program by Shannon Rudine.  It was decided to have Shannon do the Planetarium Program and invite interested meeting attendees to a Meteor Shower Party after the meeting on August 11th (see Coming Events, below).
        Bill Baker asked if anyone wished to see the video he had brought on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) from 1990. No one indicated an interest to see the video.
        Jack Mollard moved that the meeting be adjourned. Terry Eakins seconded. The motion passed. The meeting was adjourned at 8:37 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Bernie Zelazny, Secretary Pro Tempore

On the Lighting Front

by Jim Walker

        The space shuttle STS-93 reentered the atmosphere about 10:00 PM Tuesday night, July 27, on its 80th orbit.  Barbara and I were in Alpine that evening, and it looked as though it was going to be cloudy in town.  We drove to the entrance of the CDRI, near Ft. Davis, and watched from there.  There were some clouds, but we had a great view.  The shuttle was nearly straight overhead at its highest, about 80 deg above the horizon, somewhat higher than it appeared from Alpine and points south.  The sonic boom arrived on time, nearly 4 minutes after the shuttle reached its high point.
        Earlier, Ray Hendryx said on KVLF that the reentry would look like a Roman candle traveling across the sky - not a bad description.  We could see the trail of heated, ionized air nearly from one horizon to the other, even with the clouds.  On a clear night, you can indeed see the trail across the entire sky, and it persists for many minutes.
        The landing at Cape Canaveral was picture perfect, a great finale for the first space mission with a female commander, Eileen Collins.  (Ray Hendryx said it was a good job for a woman driver; wife Rita was not amused.  Actually, the "driver" was Pilot Jeffrey Ashby.)  As our space program progresses, we will no doubt see more and more women rising into high places.