Continued from previous message.

          info{at}sciencecluboflongisland.com

Wed - 31 Aug
    20:00 - Westport - CT - clearsky starviewing - see Aug 3

    20:30 - Old Westbury - LI - Astro Soc of LI meeting - see Aug 3




General News
 ----------
    If there are any serious complaints about NYC events, it's the
ones about events whose parameters ae changed since the column was
issued. Please do understand events listed here are subject to change
by their sponsors at any moment.
    Most of you do put a notice on your website or telephone hotline.
One extra step you may consider is posting a notice in NYSkies. You
then let the greater community of home astronomers know about the
change. NYSkies postings are sent directly to the astronomers at the
instant, without undue delay, just as if you sent that notice to each
one individually. This measure lowers the chance of gross irritation
to those readers who show up and find no event.
    I note here an item that used to belong in 'City news'. Deriving
from the bombings in London's subway, New York City police on 23 July
2005 started a search of personal bags on The City transit system,
Long Island Rail Road, and MetroNorth.
    Police may ask to inspect your bags before you enter the transit
station. If you decline the request you'll be turned away. The program
is under vigorous debate as a excessive use of police and possible
abuse of American civil rights. During this debate, please cooperate
with search requests. As far as I understand, arrests are feasible
only if you try to enter the station against the police orders.
    The search program will last until further notice. Do NOT assume a
lack of news or activity for a week or so is an all-clear sign.

Event news
 --------
    On July 7th the NYSkies Astronomy Seminar heard Steve Lieber
discuss 'History and discovery of dark matter' in part two. The first
half was at our June 16th session. A lively flock engaged Steve in
solid discussion about dark matter. The AUgust 4th meeting features
Juhn Pazmino speaking on 'Mars on my mind' He'll discuss the
wanderings of Mars in the City sky for eye and binoculars.
    The Bruce Museum, Greenwich CT, has a pleasant exhibit on meteors
and comets,according to NYSkiers who saw it alrady. Of particular
interest is the Weston meteorite, first specimen found in US. That
was in 1807 when the cause of meteorites was still seriously argued.
The Museum is a 10 minute walk from Greenwich station on
MetroNorth; it's beyond the I-95 bridge. See under August 2.
    In cemmemoration of the American Revolution, there are several
tours and lectures about Brooklyn's role in the creation of the United
States. Readers may recall that some 2/3 of ALL Revolution War
casualties were realized in modern day Brooklyn!
    For a dense urban setting, Brooklyn has many relics of the
Revolution, including fields and structures. They are visited on the
tours or explained in the lectures. If you heard the lecture on the
ice age at SIBL in the spring, you'll on the upcoming lectures and
tours better understand the crucial part geology played in the battles
fought in Brooklyn.
    The NYC Audubon Society continues its romantic boat rides and
walks in Prospect Park. The tours are in late afternoon. The Sun
dances among the trees and meadows and lakes, in a phantasmaglory of
19th century virtual reality. What's more, the little boat is so
silent, driven by electric, you could swear it's pushed by spirits!
    Ww were psyched up for the launch of SHuttle Discovery on July
13th. Cradle of Aviation and American Museum of Natural History threw
together live broadcasts of the event in their IMAX theaters. Because
these shows were finalized after the July NYC Events, they were noted
in the message room of NYSkies.
    The launch was delayed due to fuel gage problems in the external
fuel tank. A new launch was set for July 26th. The launch went off
then, accompanied by live shows at Hayden Planetarium and the Cradle.
NYSkiers went to both and cheered the lfitoff!
    On JUly 27th the news came, after examining pictures taken in
flight, that chunks of insulation broke off of the external tank.
Shuttle Discovery seems to have missed injury from the falling debris
and looks safe for returning its crew in early August. As at end July
the entire Shuttle project is suspended until further notice.

Sky News
 ------
    Very little positive to report. Clouds! Rain! Clouds! Rain! We
missed the second Stonehenge sunset on July 10-14, as well as most of
planet alignments. If the clouds and rain weren't enough to stifle
skywatching, the triple-H, heat, humid, haze, did the number on us.
With temperatures in the mid 30Cs and humidity over 90% and
transparency around 2nd magnitude, did any one get serious stargazing
done in July?

 Continued in next message.

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