It's time for ASPB Members to sign up for the 2012 Mid Florida Stargaze (March 23 - 25)

For the 2012 Stargaze, we will return to George DeBarros' "Milky Way Ranch" in Venus, Florida. The sky is exceptionally dark at Venus and provides wonderful views of a bright, easily visible Milky Way and remote galaxies. The 2012 Stargaze will take place over the new moon weekend of Friday, March 23 to Sunday morning, March 25. More details and the Registration download are available here.

Monthly Business Meeting (February 1)

The meeting will be held in the Motorola Science Theater at the South Florida Science Museum, located on Dreher Trail just north of the Dreher Park Zoo. The business portion of the meeting commences at 7:30 PM and lasts for approximately 45 minutes. We then hold a short intermission, followed by a 45 minute presentation. The meetings are adjourned and we are out of the building by 9:30 PM. All are welcome to attend. View the schedule of upcoming presentations here.

Saturday Night Viewing at Jonathan Dickinson State Park (February 11)

All are invited to attend. Meeting time is 7:00 PM at the Wendy's restaurant in Tequesta. After dinner, everyone present will depart for the park at 8:00 PM. Be sure to bring an adequate supply of mosquito repellent. Contact Gerry Niksch for additional information.

Future dates: Mar 17, Apr 14, May 12, Jun 9, Jul 14, Aug 11, Sep 8, Oct 6, Nov 3, Dec 8

Gumbo Limbo Night Explorers (Friday, February 17)

Owls, stars, bugs, things that go bump, and some that glow! Peer into the night sky courtesy of the Astronomical Society of the Palm Beaches. Event from 7 pm – 9 pm.

Saturday Night Viewing at West Delray Regional Park (February 18 - Members Only) NEW UPDATE!!

This session is not open to the public. West Delray Regional Park is located at 10875 Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, Florida 33436. Directions: Head West on Atlantic Avenue until it ends at the Park entrance, approximately 0.8 miles West of the intersection with US-441. Note: Atlantic Avenue can be reached from any of the major North-South roads, including I-95, the Turnpike, Jog Road and US-441

Parking:
• Please park your vehicles along the North side of the road in the designated parking area.
• If you have a trailer, please pull onto the paved circular turn-around area and park along the paved edge.
• No parking on the grass is permitted.
• Please do NOT drive onto the gravel Cul-de-Sac as this will raise gravel dust, which is VERY bad for telescope optics.

Telescope Set-up:

• Option 1: Telescopes can be set-up in the grass near your vehicle
• Option 2: Telescopes can be set-up on the North side of the entrance road directly behind your vehicle. Please leave enough room for cars to exit using the South side of the entrance road.
• Option 3: Telescopes can be set-up in the center of the paved circular turn-around. Please allow room for trailers being towed to pull in.

Science Museum's observatory (Friday, February 24)

Volunteers needed to operate the observatory and help control the flow of visitors. Please contact Jim Kimball or Jay Albert if you're interested in learning how to operate the observatory's permanently mounted and polar aligned 14" Celestron. You can also be a volunteer and still enjoy observing without operating the telescope by helping to manage the flow of visitors up to the telescope.

Area 51 (Check Yahoo Group for Details) (Big Cypress National Preserve in Central South Florida - 26° 8' 30" North :: 80° 52' 40" West)

Area 51 is a primitive viewing site located in one of the darkest places remaining in South Florida. We set up our telescopes at the end of the line on a shell rock road along side a drainage canal. There is no electricity, and there are no facilities of any kind. In fact, the only thing the site has to offer is an unobstructed view of extraordinarily dark skies.

Library Sessions:

Sidewalk Astronomy at Jupiter Library: February 28

Tuesday evening from sunset till library close, we will be showing off the wonders of the night sky to general public on their way into and out of the library. All are invited to attend.
Future dates: Mar 27

Public Viewing at Hagen Ranch Road Library: February 28

The library is located at 14350 Hagen Ranch Road, just south of Lake Ida Road, in Delray Beach, FL. The session will be from sunset until library close. All are invited to attend.
Future dates: Mar 27

Public Viewing at Summit Library: February 29

The library is located at 3650 Summit Blvd., West Palm Beach. Wednesday evenings from sunset till 9 PM, we will be showing off the wonders of the night sky to general public on their way into and out of the library. All are invited to attend.
Future dates: tba.