Club Information

The club is affiliated with the The Astronomical League. Annual dues are $10 for a family membership. The dues include individual registration with AL and entitle the member to a subscription to The Reflector, AL's quarterly publication on amateur astronomy. If you are interested in becoming a member, or if you'd like more information about the club, please contact one of the officers, or you can contact Steve Luzader at the email address given at the bottom of this page.

2008-2009 Cumberland Astronomy Club Officers

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Meeting Information

Last Meeting

SATURDAY, MAY 2

Topics

Next Star Parties

Meyersdale Train Station
Meyersdale, PA
Friday Evening, May 29

"Stars in the Park"
Parris Glendening Recreation Complex
Frostburg, MD
Saturday Evening, May 30

As part of the IYA celebration, we have initiated "double header" star parties. Telescope setup will start around 7:30 PM, and observing will continue from about 8:00 PM until at least 11 PM .

The historic Meyersdale Train Station is the Meyersdale trailhead for the Allegheny Highlands Trail.  Upon entering Meyersdale, follow signs to the trail, or click here for  information.  

Directions: The area is reached from Main Street in Frostburg, which is ALT 40. If you know how to reach ALT 40, look for Armstrong Avenue, which is on the west end of Frostburg. There are flashing lights and a large sign above the street marking this intersection. There is a small sign pointing to the Glendening Recreation Complex. Turn onto Armstrong Avenue. After a couple of blocks, you'll see another sign for the Recreation Complex at Delano Street. Turn left onto Delano and proceed to Shaw Street. Turn right onto Shaw Street when you reach the end of Delano. Drive along Shaw until you pass Frost Elementary School. Just beyone Frost, turn left at the stop sign onto Rynex Avenue. Continue straight along Rynex until you come to the parking area for the first soccer field.

To reach ALT40 from I-68, take Exit 29 (Finzel Road) if you're coming from the west (heading east on 68) and follow the signs to ALT40. Bear right (east) onto ALT 40 and drive to Frostburg, a distance of just under 5 miles. You'll turn left onto Armstrong Avenue. If you're coming from the east (heading west on 68), take Exit 34 (the Frostburg-Westernport exit). Go toward Frostburg and turn left (west) onto ALT 40. It's about 1.5 miles to Armstrong Avenue, which will be a right turn.

Watch for more special IYA activities sponsored by CAC.

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Astrophotography by CAC members

Special Reports of Activities by CAC members

Finding Comet Holmes (Posted November 2007)

The Folger Mount (Posted November 2007)

The 2004 Blackwater Falls Astronomy Weekend (Posted September 2004)

John Jankauskas Earns AL Lunar Club Certificate (Posted January 2004)

The Beijing Ancient Observatory (Posted June 1998)

Naked Eye Planetary Astronomy (Posted June 2000)

Astronomical Links

Get the latest on the Mars PHOENIX mission

Check on Spirit and Opportunity as they continue to explore Mars

Skymaps.com
Free montly star charts for your personal use

Clear Sky Clock for Frostburg courtesy Attilla Danko
Intellicast Stargazers Forecast
Intellicast Satellite Image of Eastern US cloud cover for star party planning
 

Hale-Bopp pictures by CAC members
CCD images by Greg Latta and Frostburg State students
The Astronomy Picture of the Day
 

The Astronomical League
American Association of Amateur Astronomers

Sky & Telescope magazine
Astronomy magazine
 

Jersey Starquest
Kanawha Valley Astronomical Society (includes Blackwater Falls Astronomy Weekend)
Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh
 

Star Gazer Online (Jack Horkheimer, formerly "Star Hustler")
SEDS (Students for the Exploration and Development of Space)