2007 ASSA Bloemfontein Centre Archives

27 January 2008, Saturday - Quarterly meeting and observations, Boyden Observatory, afternoon and evening
The theme was Software processing for astrophotography, presented by Hannes Pieterse in the library of the main building. 12 members attended. Thereafter members enjoyed informal observations from the roof of the auditorium.

24 February 2008, Saturday - Astronomy course for Beginners, Boyden Observatory, afternoon and evening.
Attended by 28 people, presented in the auditorium of Boyden and at the reception area thereafter, presented by Gerrit Penning, Mia Zeelie, James Ross and Hannes Pieterse. Gerrit also gave the participants a tour of the facilities of Boyden late afternoon. In the evening Hannes Pieterse assistend participants in taking photos through telescopes with the digital cameras. From 19h00 there was a constellation show on the roof of the auditorium presented by Gerrit, with telescope and binocular observations thereafter. A very successful event.

17 March 2008, Saturday - Astronomy course for members, Boyden Observatory, afternoon and evening.
Attended by 16 members. Presented by Gerrit Penning. Members were put into 4 groups and underwent activities in intermediate night sky navigation techniques and concepts (at old hall outside). In the evening, members set up telescopes at the auditorium for informal observations. Each group received 10 objects to find.

12 April 2008, Thursday - Club Deep Sky Observations evening, Langenhovenpark in veld opposite Boeremark stands.
8 members attended, several telescopes were set up. Mauritz van Wyk showed his newly self-built 8 inch.

21 April 2008, Saturday - Scope-X astronomy expo, Johannesburg military museum.
Attended by several members with 8 self-made telescopes. The club had an exhibition stand. Jacques van Delft presented a side-talk on solar observations.

6 July 2008, Friday - Observation evening at De Oude Kraal Country Estate
10 members/guests attended. Very dark skies prevailed. Some stunning galaxies were observed. Coffee in the house afterwards.

21 July 2008, Saturday - Club Annual General Meeting, Boyden Observatory, late afternoon and evening.
Meeting was held in the old hall and the new committee was chosen. The club telescope's renting procedures for members were also discussed.
Chairman: Jacques van Delft
Vice-chairman: Mia Zeelie
Secretary: Gerrit Penning
Treasurer: Pat van Heerden
Other committee members: Phillip Coetzer, Hannes Pieterse

11 August 2008, Saturday - Outreach evening to Hertzogville
Presented by Gerrit Penning (Zoom Journey to the Stars), Phillip Coetzer (driver) and Mia Zeelie on the show grounds for about 50 members of the Hertzogville public and farms.

3 September 2008, Monday - Club Deep Sky Observation evening, Langenhovenpark
4 members only

17 November 2008, Saturday - Club Quarterly Meeting, Boyden Observatory
Meeting was held on the stars of the auditorium outside. Gerrit Penning gave a Stellarium orientation inside the auditorium. About 12 members attended. Mia Zeelie gave the members a quiz. Afterwards members looked at stars from the auditorium roof.


Other events:
13 January 2007: Boyden Observatory. Informal get-together of a few club members, setting up telescopes on the top of the Auditorium. Clouds started interfering however. Lots of chat however! (5 members)
18 January 2007: Informal observations of comet McNaught C/2006 P1. Some members went to signal hill while others went to the veld between Universitas and LHP (Technicon Drive over the bridge). Members shared information with the public onlookers.
19 January 2007: Informal observations of the spectacular comet McNaught. Some members from Signall Hill, others from LHP and other parts of the city. Information pamphlets handed out to public onlookers. An 8 inch was handy on Signal Hill.
20 January 2007: Tim Cooper (ASSA) visits Boyden relating to the AW Roberts archiving project. Gerrit Penning and Dawie van Jaarsveldt meets him at Kopano Nokeng for dinner.
25 January 2007: Club committee meeting.
19 February 2007: Eunice Primary School children's club event organized by Mia Zeelie. Gerrit Penning presented a Stellarium to the children.
9-10 June 2007: Club committee meeting at Welbedachtdam at Jacques van Delft's house and at the guesthouse. Braaivleis in the evening together with information telescope observations.
15 September 2007: Club committee meeting in Langenhovenpark at Jacques van Delft's house, 12h00 to 14h00.
29 November 2007: Club committee meeting at Traumerei, Waterfront.


Boyden Observatory and Friends of Boyden:
22 January 2007: Boyden Open evening about the Solar System (presented by Gerrit Penning) and comets, including McNaught C/2006 P1 (Mariette Erwee).
24 January 2007: Boyden Open evening for comet McNaught (mostly clouded however)
26 January 2007: Astronomy Workshop in JHB (SAASTA) attended by Brian van Soelen, Gerrit Penning and Dr. Matie Hoffman.
16 February 2007: Dept of Physics, UFS. First meeting of the Boyden Interest Group, the club representative being G Penning. The Group was established to ensure better cohesion between the research, educational and amateur interest groups of the Observatory.
29 March 2007: Boyden Open Evening. Presenter: Peter Martinez of SAAO.
14 April 2007: Friends of Boyden evening, speaker being Brian van Soelen about neutron stars and pulsars. There was a Boyden presenter orientation session beforehand.
19 May 2007: Boyden Open Evening, speaker Dr. Matie Hoffman (UFS) on "Latest in Astronomy". Mostly cloudy. Almost no people of public attended due to the clouds.
25 August 2007: Boyden Open Evening, presented by students of the Dept of Physics, UFS: "The Electromagnetic Spectrum".
3 November 2007: Boyden Open Evening, presented by Prof. Pieter Meintjies: "The Space Race". About 40 members of the public attended.
1 December 2007: Boyden Open Evening , presented by Marion West from HartRAO.

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