Recent ASNH Activities

ASNH Loans Telescope to Durham Public Library

ASNH has loaned an Orion 4.5-inch Starblast telescope to the Durham Public Library, which can be borrowed by library patrons. This is the third telescope ASNH has provided to local public libraries. The other two are available at the Blackstone Library in Branford and at the Scranton Library in Madison. The telescope loan program has been very popular at those libraries.

ASNH President Greg Barker presented the telescope to the Durham Library on April 13. At this public event, Laurie Averill showed members of the public how to use the telescope, and Jim Mazur explained how to use star charts to find some objects in the spring sky. Leo Taylor was also there and helped to answer questions about astronomy.

We had a follow-up event at the library on June 1, in which Jim Mazur gave a presentation about summer sky observing with the naked eye, binoculars, or telescopes. Al Washburn presented the ASNH meteorite collection and gave a general introduction to meteorite origins, composition, and famous meteorites falls throughout the world. Then, of course, everyone had the thrill of examining and handling these rocks from outer space.

ASNH Meteorites Exhibited at the New England Air Museum

On Saturday, April 6, the ASNH meteorites were displayed at the New England Air Museum as part of their annual Space Expo. We had a table set up just in from of a vintage aircraft built in 1930, a Sikorsky S-39B Jungle Gym. Greg Barker, Laurie Averill, and Jim Mazur showed the meteorites to several hundred visitors, both young and old. There were many other exhibits at the museum that day, including a few from other neighboring astronomical societies. As usual, there were also various star wars characters wandering around.