CHAMPAIGN-URBANA ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
MEETING MINUTES
May 13, 2010

President Guy Hampel called the meeting to order at 7:01pm with twelve in attendance.

Guy distributed a handout of telescopes on the market and commented
that our own Mike Lockwood (Lockwood Optics) has made mirrors for the
Starmaster, Dream, and Astro-works instruments.  Guy commented that two
of the things you want to look for are good optics and good coatings on
those optics.

Dr. Keshava Bhat, a botanist by trade and an amateur astronomer from
India, was introduced by his daughter, Suma, who herself is a university
student graduating in engineering. Dr. Bhat used to work early in
his gardens both in India and in Venezuela and would watch the sky.
He has been observing for 63 years. He led an interesting discussion
about some of his views on how the universe operates.

The club approved a proposal to sponsor the Hubble Space Telescope
self-updating exhibit “Viewspace” at the planetarium. Initial
start-up costs are $800 but the club will split with the planetarium and
thus club events will be prominently displayed on a TV in the lobby for
patrons to see.

In observatory news:

* Progress is being made on the shed. It is back on its foundation and
  the studs are back in place.

* We’re not sure of the condition of the mowers at the dome. One was/is
  in need of a handle. Does anyone know anything about this? Status?

* The light shield is up at the UI Field Station to the northeast. The glare
  from the light has been eliminated, though the area to the northeast is
  still bright.

* We need to do something with the university telescope that is now in
  the dome. What does the UI group want to do with this? Dave will email
  Stuart Levy.

* We still need to scrape and repaint the dome with the appropriate paint.

Respectfully submitted,

Dave Leake
CUAS Secretary