Committee Meeting – 1st December 2008

Minutes of the Committee Meeting

1st December 2008

Present

John Price, Eric Grieve, Steve Woodbridge and Peter West. Peter Campbell-Burns were unable to attend due to pressure of work and at the last moment Barry was unavailable.

Minutes of the Last Meeting.

Minutes of the last meeting were read and accepted. All outstanding actions were cleared or would be covered within reports.

Reports

Chairman:  Said that the latest edition of the Constitution had been published for acceptance at the forthcoming AGM. Members were reminded that it was a living document and may be updated at necessary.

Secretary:  Barry was unavailable tonight

Treasurer:  £1400 approx in reserve account and £76 in current. John had yet to raise the proposal of a member’s trip in the newsletter.  Action JP  Also raised was the position on the FAS usage of a robotic telescope, John agreed he would speak to both Peter CB who originally was looking at this proposal and also to John Moore on the imaging aspects of this subject. Action JP

Membership Secretary: Peter CB was away. John reported that membership was 39.  John had received a report from the membership secretary for issue at the AGM.

Webmaster: Peter was not available. John reported that the FAS flyer was being updated.

Observing Co-ordinator: Steve reported a low count on the Planetary nebula task for members. However he was looking to expand on the ‘after meeting’ activity, during next year. Action SW  He had included an observational element to his variable star workshop at the October meeting.  The lunar occultation of Venus that had taken place in the afternoon on the day of the meeting was spoken of. Eric reported it clouded over for him just 8 minutes before contact!

Librarian: Eric reported that the spare telescope and a number of Star atlases are out on load now.  Eric has yet to decimate the existing title list, removing those books considered too out of date for the members. These will be brought to meetings and offered at a nominal cost to members. Action EG

Committee Vacancies

The chairman said that might be useful to ‘co-op’ members into the committee structure especially with IYA 2009 in mind.

2008/09 Programme

Barry had issued a recent update to the 2009 programme. The 2009 programme is looking very good indeed, with only 2 slots open. Barry feels he would like a steer as to what members wish for in these talks. John would raise this in the newsletter. Action JP

Revision of the Constitution

Had been published and would be offered for adoption at the next AGM.

Outreach Activities

Aldershot Observatory. We have yet to obtain an update on the future of the observatory.  Eric agreed to speak to the Army HQ on the matter. It may be that a letter from FAS needs to be issued. The name and postal address of the new Quartermaster has been passed to John. Action JP

A member of Cody Astronomical Society had spoken to Eric and reported today that he was showing the telescope to a visitor from the Science Museum.

Eric showed the committee thank you cards received in the past month from cub/brownie groups. Last time John and I each got a bottle of Wine! Does this make us professional astronomers – In the eyes of the Inland Revenue?

Visit by Farnborough Cubs due tomorrow, 2nd Dec 6:45. John and Peter West both agreed to attend. Action EG

International Year of Astronomy – IYA – 2009.

Barry raised the possibility of using the Farnham Maltings as at the last Astronomy Year.

This is to include a themed exhibition staged by FAS. A general discussion by the committee followed. It was agreed that the most important factor was for a DATE to be agreed, and then detailed plans could be formulated. Peter CB was acting on behalf of the Society and had agreed to speak to John Axtell from Guildford to begin forming a programme; no information received at present.

John agreed to speak to Peter CB on developments. Action JP

It was agreed that a special general meeting of interested members of FAS should meet to discuss what public activities it was possible to arrange in association with IYA 2009.  The initial meeting will be: Tuesday 27th Jan at Eric’s place: 61 Manor Road Farnborough 8:00pm. The programme will be formulated there. This would be published on the Website. JP agreed to raise a suitable Agenda. Action JP

With the issue at this time of raising public awareness of the Society, Steve asked if a minor title change – Farnham and Fleet Astronomical Society might help increase focus. JP agreed to consider this matter. Action JP

SAGAS Issues

It was agreed that, following the presentation on SAGAS at the Jan meeting, the membership would be canvassed for a new representative from FAS. Or we question the need to continue membership of SAGAS.

AGM Issues.

Committee members, with specific posts, are reminded that a short report is required at the AGM. As notes on the AGM are published on the website following the meeting, a written copy of these reports is requested by the Chairman.

AOB

It was proposed and accepted that, at this time, some form of suitable gift be offered to both Joan and June for all there help thought out the year. Action JP.

Date of Next Meting

It was agreed that Monday 2nd March would be the next meeting date. This should be published on the website. The start time would be moved to 6:30pm. It was also agreed that the meeting would be held at John’s house in Farnham.

John and Audrey were thanked for his hospitality in hosting the meeting.