Cumberland Astronomy Club


Club Information

Meeting and Star Party Information

Astrophotography
(Eclipse photo added 2/22/08)
Special Reports 
Links to Other Astronomy Sites
MARS RECONNAISSANCE ORBITER Link

Club Information

This web site features examples of astrophotography and other activities by the Cumberland Astronomy Club of Cumberland, MD. The club membership represents many walks of life, including students, housewives, contractors, and even a few college professors. Meetings are held on the third Friday of each month, usually at the La Vale Public Library. Occasional meetings are held at the Frostburg State University Planetarium. During the spring, summer, and fall, the club sponsors free monthly "Stars in the Park" public observing sessions at the Parris Glendening Recreation Complex in Frostburg.

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

President Steve Vincent
Vice-President John Jankauskas
Secretary/Treasurer/ALCor Dr. Stephen Luzader

Back to top



Meeting Information

Last Meeting

SATURDAY, MAY 10

FSU PLANETARIUM

Topics

"ASTRONOMY DAY 2008"


Next Meeting

FRIDAY, JUNE 20

7:30 PM
LA VALE LIBRARY

Topics

TBA

Next Star Party

"Stars in the Park"

Saturday Evening, June 7

Parris Glendening Recreation Complex

Frostburg, MD

Telescope setup will start around 6:30PM, and observing will continue from about 7:30 PM until at least 11 PM .

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 on the left. Just beyone Frost, turn left at the stop sign onto Rynex Avenue. Continue straight along Rynex until you come to the parking area for soccer field 7, which is the first soccer field.  If you are going to set up a telescope, you are welcome to drive up onto the grass beside the field.  If you are coming only to observe, please park in the parking area below the 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.

 

Back to top


Astrophotography by CAC members

Click on a category to see "thumbnail" preview images.


Startrails and other examples of fixed tripod astrophotography. (Aurora photo added 6/23/04.) Constellations A collection of fixed tripod photographs of familiar constellations. 

Comet pictures (New Comet Holmes images added 12/15/07)

Pictures of the sun, moon and planets. (Eclipse photo added 2/22/08)
"Deep space" objects, including novae, galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters. (New image added 7/29/04.)  Messier objects.  (New image added  12/15/07.)

Special thanks to Lisa Sheirer of FSU's Visual Arts Department for invaluable assistance in scanning many of the slides for this web site. Back to top



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)

Reports by Steve Luzader
Back to top

Astronomical Links

Get the latest on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter 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)
 

Lunar Prospector mission (NASA Ames Research Center)
Mars Pathfinder mission (Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
Mars Global Surveyor (JPL)
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Space Telescope Science Institute (Hubble Space Telescope images)
Green Bank National Radio Astronomy Observatory
StarDate Online

 
 
Back to top


Steve Luzader's home page

[ FSU ] [ Tawes Science Network ] [ Chemistry ] [ Physics ] [ Biology ] [ Help ]


SLUZADER@comcast.net
Last Revised 08/18/07.