SLA/RGC - Fall Outing

October 24, 2003

Socorro and the Plains of St. Augustin

VLA - NRAO - El Sombrero Observatory

The Very Large Array (VLA) is currently the most productive astronomical instrument on Earth. The VLA consists of 27 radio telescopes (and a spare), each 81 feet across arranged in a Y-shape on the Plains of San Augustin, 50 miles west of Socorro. The data from the antennas is combined electronically to give the resolution of an antenna 22 miles across, with the sensitivity of a dish 422 feet in diameter. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) designs, builds and operates the world's most sophisticated telescopes for studying the universe by means of radio waves. Scientists from around the world use these to study the sun, planets and other objects in our own solar system, as well as distant stars, galaxies, and other mysterious objects millions and billions of light-years away.

Program: Friday, October 24th.

· 11:00 to 2:00 with box lunch, tour of the Very Large Array on the Plains of St. Augustin with Jonathan Spargo.

· 3:30 to 5:00 Tour the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) facility in Socorro with Robyn Harrison and meet with librarian Kathleen Le Febre, to hear the ins and outs of astronomical data, and information provision.

· 6:30 to 8:00 Dinner at El Sombrero (rated best Mexican restaurant in Socorro) with dinner speaker noted astronomer and optical observer, Dr. Dan Klinglesmith.

· 8:30 to 9:30 Finale at the Etscorn Campus Observatory (ECO) with Jonathan Spargo; observe the stars and maybe Mars. [Oct. 25th is the dark of the moon, so viewing should be excellent with less than 7% chance of significant overcast.]

· You may wish to spend the night in Socorro and see the birds at Bosque del Apache next morning (on your own).

The cost is $27.00 for members and $35.00 for non-members.

Includes BOTH the box lunch and dinner!

How to Get There (Car pooling recommended.):

The VLA is located on the Plains of San Augustin, one hour (50 miles) west of Socorro. From Socorro take US 60 to Magdalena (about 25 miles) and continue for about 25 miles towards Datil. From U.S. 60, turn South on NM 52, then West on the VLA access road, which is well marked. Signs will point you to the Visitor Center. We will meet at the entrance to the Visitor's Center at 11:00.

The Very Large Array - a series of 28 radio telescopes that can be rearranged into different patterns to study the "radio sky". The tour, led by Jonathan Spargo, will include what the VLA does, how it works, S.E.T.I. and other benefits, how the telescopes are moved, and a brief history of the project. Included will be a discussion of the role of the VLA in current research. For more information see: http://www.vla.nrao.edu. There is a VLA Giftshop and the Visitor Center has restrooms, water fountains and a soft-drink machine. If you arrive a little early you may want to look at the exhibits or the 9 minute video presentation. Currently, the ECO observatory houses three telescopes: a 20-inch Dobsonian on long-term loan from astronomy club member Ken Mason; a Celestron 14-inch telescope belonging to the Physics Department, and the original six-inch.

About our presenters:

· Jonathan (Jon) Spargo is an avid amateur astronomer whose volunteer activities at ECO have made it one of New Mexico Tech's premiere outreach facilities for bringing science to the public. Before coming to Socorro, "I spent eight years in Green Bank, operating the Green Bank Interferometer, which was the prototype of the Very Large Array (VLA)," Spargo recounts. "When the VLA got started, I convinced NRAO to send me to New Mexico. At ECO Spargo was the driving force in acquiring the variety of telescopes, selecting locations for them, and getting ECO built, maintained, and continuously operated. He is also one of the founders and key organizers of the annual Enchanted Skies Star Party, which brings amateur astronomers from around the country to Socorro every fall. He has an honorary Master's in Astronomical Instrumentation from NM Tech.

· Kathleen Le Febre is an RGC-SLA member and the librarian for NRAO in Socorro. Robyn Harrison is in charge of education activities at the Socorro NRAO facility, including the organization of volunteers and tours.

· Dr. Dan Kinglesmith is an astronomer and part-time lecturer at Tech, who uses the 14-inch Celestron in an ongoing project to measure positions of comets and asteroids and to refine data on their orbits. Spargo and Klinglesmith have collaborated on long-term plans for ECO's development. In addition to astronomy Dr. Klinglesmith has been doing Navajo style weaving for about 8 years and has recently started doing general tapestry types of weavings.

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Indicate your food selections below, and return with payment to SLA/RGC, C/o Mary Ellen McMurtrie, Honeywell Avionics Library, 9201 San Mateo Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87113-2227 no later than October 18, 2003. The cost is $27.00 for members and $35.00 for non-members. Registration fee includes both the box lunch and dinner. Mary Ellen may also be reached at: mary.ellen.mcmurtrie@honeywell.com

Name ________________________ Phone or email ___________________

Food selections (Box lunch):

___ Vegetarian

___ Cold Fried Chicken (bone in)

___ Sandwich, Roast Beef _____ with cheese ____ without cheese

Food selection (Dinner) from El Sombrero's menu.

Questions? Directions?

Contact Thaddeus P. Bejnar at thaddeus@bejnar.com or (505) 827-4850

Rio Grande Chapter SLA, C/O Thaddeus P. Bejnar,

Supreme Court Law Library, P.O. Drawer L

Santa Fe, NM 87504-0318.

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Questions about SLA? RGC? President: Sarah Knox Morley, 272-3773 or smorley@salud.unm.edu or go to http://www.sla.org/chapter/crio/ for more information.

Thaddeus P. Bejnar

SLA-RGC Program Chair 2003-04

RGC Home SLA Home Copyright © SLA. All rights reserved.   Disclaimer Email suggestions and announcements to: Frances Knudson. (fknudson@lanl.gov)   Last update: Oct. 16, 2003   URL: http://www.sla.org/chapter/crio/200232004/oct2003prog.htm