meetings
Our indoor, or Business Meeting, is held the first1 Tuesday of every month beginning at 7 p.m. at PRISMA Medical Park 9, Conference Room 130 located at 9 Medical Park in Columbia, SC. Our newsletter, website, and Facebook page will advise of any changes in date or location. The meetings include some brief club business, a report of astronomical events, and featured speakers. Three times each year (Spring, Summer, and Fall) MAC has an AstroPhoto Contest with the annual run-off of the year's winners in November. We also try to include some time for "Show & Tell" near the end of each meeting to give members a chance to show off new equipment and related bits of information. After each meeting we have time for refreshments and fellowship.
1 Except when there is a major holiday or a special meeting program that requires specific scheduling. The revised date will be noted in the calendar and newsletter.
General Meeting Location
The monthly meetings are currently held at PRISMA Medical Park 9, Conference Room 130 located at 9 Medical Park in Columbia, SC. The meeting announcement will specify location.
Annual Holiday Party
The year-end party is another opportunity for club members and their families to have fun. Awards, door prizes, games and food are part of the festivities.
When: TBD
Location: TBD
RSVP: TBD
Past Meetings & Minutes
| Date | Speaker/Topic | Minutes |
|---|---|---|
| 04.06.2019 | GS: Dr. Don Walter - Exoplanets: Past, Present, and Future | |
| 03.07.2019 |
GS: John Hodge - New Horizons & Ultima Thule MP: Spring Astrophoto Contest |
|
| 02.07.2019 |
GS: Wes Munn - Astronomical Sketching |
|
| 01.10.2019 |
GS: Marc Bremmer - Telescopes 101 |
|
| 12.13.2018 |
GS: Holiday Party & Raffle |
|
| 11.01.2018 |
GS: South Carolina State Museum - Tour of Planetarium, Observatory, Telescope Collection |
|
| 10.04.2018 |
GS: Pranvera Hyseni - Astronomy Outreach of Kosovo |
|
| 09.06.2018 |
GS: Bryan Demarcy - Astro Jeopardy! MP: Favorite Astronomy Software Applications |
|
| 08.02.2018 |
GS: Jack Dunn - Video: "Carl Sagan's 'Cosmos'" |
|
| 07.05.2018 |
GS: Bryan Demarcy - South Carolina State Museum Outreach MP: Summer Astrophoto Contest |
|
| 06.07.2018 |
GS: Mark Buie, New Horizon's Mission Team - Pluto and Kuiper Belt Objects |
|
| 05.03.2018 |
GS: Amanda Holland & Hap Griffin - Big Rockets! |
|
| 04.05.2018 |
GS: Jarred Metz - Halley's Comet |
|
| 03.08.2018 |
GS: John Hodge - Southern Skies: A Chilean Adventure MP: Spring Astrophoto Contest |
|
| 02.01.2018 |
GS: Amanda Holland - Trip to Goddard Spaceflight Center MP: Jack Dunn - Laser Ranging |
|
| 01.04.2018 |
GS: Jack Dunn - "The Search for the 9th Planet" featuring Mike Brown |
|
| 11.02.2017 |
GS: Liz Klimek, Tom Falvey, Matthew Whitehouse - Tour of Planetarium, Telescope Collection, and Observatory |
|
| 10.12.2017 |
GS: Marc Bremmer - Cassini Mission |
|
| 09.07.2017 |
GS: Discussion - Solar Eclipse Experiences MP: Fall Astrophoto Contest |
|
| 08.03.2017 |
GS: Eclipse Extravaganza! - Varios Solar Eclipse Topics |
|
| 07.06.2017 |
GS: Jack Dunn - Solar Eclipse |
|
| 06.01.2017 |
GS: Martin Bowers - Southern Star GS: Amanda Holland - AAS Solar Eclipse Conference |
|
| 05.04.2017 |
GS: Dr. Steven Rodney - NASA's Next Generation Space Telescope |
|
| 04.06.2017 |
GS: Alexandra Dominguez - NASA's Space Launch System |
|
| 03.02.2017 |
GS: Hap Griffin - Deep Space Astrophotography |
|
| 02.02.2017 |
GS: Brian Ford - Planetary Astrophotography |
|
| 01.05.2017 |
GS: Documentary - Scott Kelly's "A Year In Space" MP: Solar Eclipse Updates |
|
| 11.3.2016 |
GS: John Hodge - Asteroids, Meteorites, and Comets: Agents of Geological Change MP: Astrophoto Runoff Contest MP: Club Officer Elections |
|
| 10.13.2016 |
GS: Hap Griffin - NASA's OSIRIS-REx Mission |
|
| 09.01.2016 |
Video: The 2017 Eclipse MP: Fall Astrophoto Contest |
|
| 08.04.2016 |
GS: Dr. Varsha Kulkarni - Long Ago, When Galaxies Were Young |
|
| 07.07.2016 |
GS: Liz Klimek, Matthew Whitehouse - Night at the South Carolina State Museum |
|
| 06.02.2016 |
GS: Hap Griffin - Getting Started in Astrophotography GS: Bryan Demarcy - Planetary Observing at the Melton Observatory at USC |
|
| 05.05.2016 |
GS: Jack Dunn - A History of Planetariums |
|
| 04.07.2016 |
GS: Documentary - "The Last Man on the Moon" |
|
| 03.04.2016 |
GS: Hap Griffin - James Webb Space Telescope MP: Spring Astrophoto Contest |
|
| 02.04.2016 |
GS: Dr. Steven Rodney - Stellar Explosions, Strongly Lensed |
|
| 01.07.2016 |
GS: Rick Boozer - Galileo's Fingers |
|
| 11.05.2015 |
GS: John Hodge - Hot Topics in Planetary Science: Ceres, Vesta & Pluto MP: Astrophoto Run-Off Contest MP: Election of 2016 Club Officers |
|
| 10.01.2015 |
GS: Hap Griffin - Updates on the Latest Astronomical Events, Discoveries & Human Spaceflight Endeavours MP: Fall Astrophoto Contest |
|
| 09.03.2015 |
GS: Tom Falvey - "South Carolina State Museum" |
|
| 08.06.15 |
GS: Alex Mowery - "Imaging the Solar System" MP: Martin Bowers - "BackYardNIKON DSLR Imaging Software" |
|
| 07.02.15 |
GS: Christi Whitworth - "Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute" |
|
| 06.04.15 |
GS: Dr. Varsha Kulkarni - "Galaxies and the Cosmic Distance Scale" MP: Summer Astrophoto Contest |
|
| 05.07.15 |
GS: Gayle Riggsbee - The Eclipse of 1900 |
|
| 04.02.15 |
GS: Larry Stepp & Warren Skidmore - Thirty-Meter Telescope Project |
|
| 03.05.15 |
GS: Chris Hetlage - Deerlick Astronomy Village MP: Spring Astrophoto Contest |
|
| 02.05.15 |
GS: Hap Griffin - NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission MP: Alex Mowery - Astronomical Events of 2015 MP: Hap Griffin - Infrared Camera Tracking Mount |
|
| 01.08.15 |
GS: Hap Griffin - Orion Spacecraft |
|
| 12.11.14 |
GS: Holiday Party |
|
| 11.06.14 |
GS: Jack Dunn - From the Midwest to the Midlands MP: Larry Metcalf - ASAE MP: Astrophoto Runoff Contest 2015 Officer Elections |
|
| 10.02.14 |
GS: Hap Griffin - Mars MAVEN Mission and Comet Siding Spring |
|
| 09.04.14 |
GS: John Hodge - The Early Evolution of the Early Solar System: A Tale of Migrating Planets MP: Fall Astrophoto Contest |
|
| 08.07.14 |
GS: Hap Griffin - Planetary Orbits & Orbital Resonances MP: Martin Bowers - Southern Star |
|
| 07.10.14 |
GS: Sara Howard - Engineering the Apollo Saturn V Rocket MP: Summer Astrophoto Contest |
|
| 06.05.14 |
GS: Gayle Riggsbee - The Moon |
|
| 05.01.14 |
GS: Tom Falvey & Matthew Whitehouse - New Observatory and Planetarium Tour |
|
| 04.03.14 |
GS: Stephen Ramsden - Solar Astronomy & Outreach Charlie Bates Solar Astronomy Program |
|
| 03.06.14 |
GS: Brian Peterson - Astronomy Adventures in Tanzania MP: Spring Astrophoto Contest |
|
| 02.06.14 |
GS: Dr. Monique Aller - Supermassive Black Holes: The Hidden Hearts of Galaxies |
|
| 01.09.14 |
GS: Rick Boozer - Spreading Americans into the Solar System, Starting Now! MP: Hap Griffin - MAVEN |
|
| 12.12.13 |
GS: Holiday Party |
|
| 11.07.13 |
GS: Alex Mowery - Comet ISON MP: Alex Mowery & Will Nelson - Apps for iPad and iPhone MP: Astrophoto Runoff MP: Election of 2014 Officers |
|
| 10.03.13 |
GS: Dr. Terry Huntsberger - Space Robotics: Interactions of Humans and Machines MP: Hap Griffin - Mars MAVEN Mission MP: Larry Metalf - DragonCON Event |
|
| 09.05.13 |
GS: John Hodge - Exoplanet Update 2013 MP: Fall Astrophoto Contest |
|
| 08.01.13 |
GS: Gayle Riggsbee - The Herschals |
|
| 07.11.13 |
GS: Hap Griffin - The Development of America's Moonport |
|
| 06.06.13 |
GS: Varsha Kulkarni - Astronomy in the News MP: Summer Astrophoto Contest |
|
| 05.02.13 |
GS: Frank Barnes - Astrophotography: Getting the Most From Your Equipment MP: Martin Bowers - Online Astronomy Course Review |
|
| 04.04.13 |
GS: Tom Falvey - Astronomy at the Museum |
|
| 03.07.13 |
GS: Marc Bremmer - Space Telescope Institute MP: Spring Astrophoto Contest |
|
| 02.07.13 |
GS: Hap Griffin - History of the MAC-Hunter Project MP: George Walters - Astronomy Software |
|
| 01.03.13 |
MP: Hap Griffin - Comets of 2013 MP: Paul Romanyszyn - Observing Tips |
|
| 12.06.12 |
Topic: Annual Holiday Party at Casa Linda MP: Raffle |
|
| 11.01.12 | GS: Gayle Riggsbee Topic: History of the Yerkes Observatory MP: AstroPhoto Runoff Contest MP: Martin Bowers: Online Astronomy Courses Other: Election of 2013 Club Officers |
|
| 10.04.12 | GS: Dr. Monique Aller Topic: Galaxies in the Local Universe and Beyond MP: Will Nelson - Astronomy Apps |
|
| 09.06.12 | GS: John Hodge Topic: Discovering Galaxies & What Happens When Neighboring Galaxies Crash the Party MP: Fall AstroPhoto Contest |
|
| 08.02.2012 | GS: Hap Griffin Topic: Astrophoto Processing Techniques |
|
| 07.12.2012 | GS: Alex Mowery Topic: Melton Observatory Tour (Rained-Out) GS Back-up: Hap Griffin Topic: Slideshow of NASA launches and Space Shuttle preparation for museums |
|
| 06.07.2012 | GS: Rick Boozer
Topic: Magellanic Clouds Topic: Summer AstroPhoto Contest |
|
| 05.03.2012 | DVD: In the Shadow of the Moon
MP: Martin Bowers Topic: Southern Star Astronomy Convention |
|
| 04.05.2012 | GS: Tom Falvey
Special Location: SC State Museum 301 Gervais Street Topic: Night at the Museum |
|
| 03.01.2012 | GS: Tom Field
Topic: Amateur Spectroscopy Topic: Spring AstroPhoto Contest |
.doc |
| 02.02.2012 | GS: Hap Griffin
Topic: Mars Science Labratory Launch |
.doc |
| 01.05.2012 | GS: Mark Yeager
Topic: Apollo, A Space Brat's Perspective |
.doc |
| 12.01.2011 | Holiday Dinner | |
| 11.03.2011 | GS: Dr. Varsha P. Kulkarni Life of a Star MP: Astrophoto Runoff |
.doc |
| 10.06.2011 | GS: Paul Wieber History of the space program | |
| 09.01.2011 | GS: John Hodge Juno Mission to Jupiter | |
| 08.04.2011 | GS: Rick Boozer Using Remote Robotic Telescopes for Astrophotography
MP: Doyle, Hap, Alex, Stuart Last Shuttle launch |
|
| 07.07.2011 | MP: Charles H. China Trip
MP: Paul R. Stellarium tips and tricks |
|
| 06.02.2011 | MP: Summer Astrophoto Contest | |
| 05.05.2011 | GS: Gayle Riggsbee The History of the Discovery of Neptune | |
| 04.07.2011 | GS: Dr. Safko Exo-Planets
MP: Martin B. Prague Astronomical Clock MP: Bob L. CyberSky astronomical software |
|
| 03.03.2011 | MP:Joe R. software Starry Night
MP:Hap G. Astro Photo Processing MP: Spring Astrophoto contest |
.doc |
| 02.03.2011 | MP: Tom Falvey Night at the Museum | |
| 01.06.2011 | MP: Doug Lybrand How to dress for cold weather
MP: Joe Bowers Astronomy Software MP: Video Cosmic Collisions |
.doc |
| 12.02.2010 | Holiday dinner and raffle
MP: Christopher Edwards Topic: Origin & Evolution of Life in Our Universe |
|
| 11.04.2010 | The Blast Video | |
| 10.07.2010 | GS: Elizabeth Warner,UM, EPOXI and Observing Comet Hartley | |
| 09.09.2010 | GS: Dr. Varsha P. Kulkarni, Interstellar Matter Across Time
MP: Joe B. Astronomical League Award Program |
.wav audio |
| 08.05.2010 | Al Parker, Colliding Galaxies | |
| 07.01.2010 | Dr. John Safko Exoplanet discoveries update
MP: Beginner's Corner: Observing weather resources |
|
| 05.06.2010 | Chris Edwards Scientific Methods Used to Determine the Age, Size and Composition of the Universe
MP: Beginner's Corner: Reflecting Telescopes: Newtonians and Catadioptrics |
.wav audio |
| 04.01.2010 | John Hodge Mercury and the NASA Messenger Mission
MP: Beginner's Corner: Refracting Telescopes |
|
| 03.04.2010 | Spring Astrophoto Contest
Gayle Riggsbee Construction of the Hale 200" Telescope MP: Beginner's Corner: The Messier Marathon |
|
| 02.04.2010 | Chris Edwards, Evolution of Our Universe
MP: Beginner Corner: Basic telescope types |
|
| 01.07.2010 | Frank Barnes, Remote Astrophotography
MP: Raffel,Items did not make the Dec meeting MP: Show and Tell MP: Macware is in |
|
| 12.3.2009 | Brian Peterson Astro Adventures in Tanzania | |
| 11.05.2009 | .doc | |
| 10.01.2009 | .doc | |
| 09.03.2009 | Fall AstroPhoto Contest
Al Parker Saturn |
|
| 08.06.2009 | Tom Falvey Night at the Museum
SC State Museum 301 Gervais Street |
|
| 06.04.2009 | .doc | |
| 03.05.2009 | Spring AstroPhoto Contest
Adrienne Huffman Windows to New Worlds |
|
| 02.05.2009 | Chris Edwards Scientific Methods: Understanding Our Universe Through Reason and Evidence | .txt, .doc |
| 01.08.2009 | Brian Peterson Astro Adventures in Tanzania | .txt, .doc |
| 12.04.2008 | James Spurck Has the Bethlehem Star Mystery Been Revealed | |
| 08.07.2008 | Elizabeth Warner, UM, NASA Missions & Amateur Astronomers | |
| 07.03.2008 | Hap Griffin Astronomical Coordinate Systems and Basic Astronomical Motions
Steve Foster Planetary Imaging |
minutes |
| 06.05.2008 | Summer AstroPhoto Contest
Mary Riley A Brief History of Celestial Navigation John Hodge II Light Curve Analysis of Cataclysmic Variable Star Systems: CAM VAR 06, FS AUR, HT CAS, IP PEG, and EQ AQR |
|
| 05.01.2008 | ||
| 04.03.2008 | ||
| 03.06.2008 | Spring AstroPhoto Contest | |
| 02.07.2008 | minutes | |
| 01.03.2008 | John Hodge, SSA, Hot Topics in Planetary Science: Liquid Water on Enceledus, Rivers on Titan, Voyager update, and the Kitchen Sink | minutes |
| 12.06.2007 | Elizabeth Warner, UM, Behind the Scenes: Deep Impact, Dawn, EPOXI | |
| 11.01.2007 | AstroPhoto Runoff
Hap Griffin Astrophoto Processing 101 |
minutes |
| 09.06.2007 | Fall AstroPhoto Contest
Adrienne Huffman The OPT Project |
minutes |
| 08.02.2007 | Dr. John Safko Recent Progress in the Searches for Extra-Solar Planets | |
| 07.05.2007 | AstroPhotography Basics | minutes |
| 06.07.2007 | Summer AstroPhoto Contest
MP: The Dawn Mission and Vesta MP: MAC-Hunter AstroPhoto Highlights |
minutes |
| 05.03.2007 | Marcus Goodkind History of Manned Space Flight | minutes |
| 04.05.2007 | John Hodge Rock Glaciers and Lava Flows in the High Andes of Chile: An Analogue for Mars | |
| 03.01.2007 | Spring AstroPhoto Contest
Dr. V. Kulkarni, USC, Quasar Spectroscopy and Galaxy Evolution |
photos |
| 02.01.2007 | MP: Comet McNaught, Hubble | photos |
| 01.04.2007 | Christmas Show & Tell
Winter Weather Wear |
minutes
photos |
| 12.07.2006 | John Hodge WWII B-25 from Lake Murray
Hap Griffin New construction at MAC-Hunter |
|
| 11.02.2006 | Elisabeth Benchich, UNCC, Galaxy collisions and mergers | |
| 10.05.2006 | Hap G. Star Gazing Video
John H. Practical Problems Landing Large Payloads (Humans) on Mars |
|
| 09.07.2006 | Fall AstroPhoto Contest
Johnny Horne His latest astrophotography approaches |
|
| 08.03.2006 | Gayle Riggsbee History of the observation of the rings of Saturn | |
| 07.06.2006 | ||
| 06.01.2006 | Summer AstroPhoto Contest
Dan Overcash, USC, ?? |
|
| 05.04.2006 | Neil Carroll, Starbuckets Telescopes | |
| 04.06.2006 | John Hodge Asteroids, Comets, and Meteorites: Agents of Geological Change | |
| 03.02.2006 | Spring AstroPhoto Contest
Elizabeth Warner, UM, Results from Deep Impact |
|
| 01.05.2006 | Christmas Show & Tell
Winter weather survival |