Newsletter Archive
The Society publishes a monthly newsletter, Observations, available to all of its members. It includes reviews of past meetings, notes on upcoming meetings, Society business, observing hints for current objects, and other items of interest to Society members. To obtain a copy of the current newsletter, join CCAS today!

We are proud that our former newsletter editor, Jim Anderson, won the 2006 Mabel Sterns Award for excellence in newsletter editing from the Astronomical League.

We are proud that our webmaster & newsletter editor, John Hepler, won the 2009 Mabel Sterns Award for excellence in newsletter editing from the Astronomical League.

Click below to access each year's newsletters   2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 Year 2012   Observations December 2012 Highlights include: "NASA Space Place: It Takes More Than Warm Porridge to Make a Goldilocks Zone," by Diane K. Fisher; "December 2012 Observing Highlights," and "Through the Eyepiece: Jupiter, King of the Planets," by Don Knabb, CCAS Treasurer & Observing Chair. Back to Top

Observations November 2012 Highlights include: "NASA Space Place - A Cosmic Tease: Trials of the Herschel Space Telescope Science Teams," by Dr. Marc J. Kuchner; "Through the Eyepiece: The Open Clusters in Auriga: M36, M37 and M38," by Don Knabb, CCAS Treasurer & Observing Chair; and "New iPad App from the Space Place," by NASA. Back to Top

Observations October 2012 Highlights include: "Help with 'Open Air'," by Kathy Buczynski, CCAS Education Chair; "Mars is Waiting," by Lydia Netzer (courtesy of Pittsburgh Post-Gazette); "October 2012 Observing Highlights," by Don Knabb, CCAS Treasurer & Observing Chair; "NASA Space Place - Doing Science with a Spacecraft’s Signal," by David Doody; "Through the Eyepiece: The Serpens-Ophiuchus Double Cluster (the 'Other Double Cluster')," by Don Knabb; "Dr. Derrick Pitts Presents at CCAS," by Don Knabb; and, “'Display of Lights' Event at Longwood Gardens," by Don Knabb. Back to Top

Observations September 2012 Highlights include: "First Man on the Moon Dies at 82," by John Noble Wilford, NYTimes.com; "September 2012 Guest Speaker: Dr. Derrick Pitts," by Dave Hockenberry, CCAS Program Chair; "September 2012 Observing Highlights," by Don Knabb, CCAS Treasurer & Observing Chair; "Face Off: TeleVue NP 127is vs. Questar 7 Classic," by Dave Hockenberry; "NASA Space Place - A Brand New Age: Queue Observing at Mt. Paranal," by Dr. Marc J. Kuchner; "CCAS Star Party at the Delaware Museum of Natural History," by Don Knabb & Dave Hockenberry; and, "Through the Eyepiece: The Eastern Veil Nebula, NGC 6992 in Cygnus," by Don Knabb. Back to Top

Observations August 2012 Highlights include: "Remembering Sally Ride," by John Hepler, CCAS Webmaster & Newsletter Editor; "Landsat Turns Forty," by Steve Cariddi (Publisher of The Year In Space); "Through the Eyepiece: NGC 6871, the Cygnus Star Chain," by Don Knabb, CCAS Treasurer & Observing Chair; and, "NASA’s Space Place for Kids: Don’t Be a Lightning Rod," by Diane K. Fisher. Back to Top

Observations July 2012 Highlights include: "The Passing of a Giant," by John Hepler, CCAS Webmaster & Newsletter Editor; "Chasing the Transit of Venus," by Kathy Buczynski; "If Only We had Taller Been," by Ray Bradbury; "Viewing the Partial Lunar Eclipse and Transit of Venus in Arizona," by CCAS members Ed and Linda Lurcott; "Through the Eyepiece: Messier 7, Ptolemy’s Cluster," by Don Knabb, CCAS Treasurer & Observing Chair; and, "NASA Space Place: How Many Discoveries can You Make in a Month?" by Dr. Tony Phillips. Back to Top

Observations June 2012 Highlights include: "New Telescope Donation Program for Teachers and Schools," submitted by Douglas Arion, President, Galileoscope LLC; "Transit of Venus," courtesy of Fred Espenak, NASA / Goddard Space Flight Center; "Through the Eyepiece: M51, the Whirlpool Galaxy," by Don Knabb, CCAS Treasurer & Observing Chair; and, "NASA Space Place: Thank Goodness for Magnetism," by Dr. Tony Phillips. Back to Top

Observations May 2012 Highlights include: "Judging for this Year's Mabel Sterns Award," by John Hepler, CCAS Webmaster & Newsletter Editor; "Looking Up: Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown," by Don Knabb, CCAS Treasurer & Observing Chair; "NASA Space Place: NASA Helps Europe Study a Comet – Up Close and Personal," by Dr. Tony Phillips. Back to Top

Observations April 2012 Highlights include: "Astro Photography – Scintillation Squiggles Effect," by Monika Landy-Gyebnar, Space Weather.com; "April 2012 Observing Highlights," by Don Knabb, CCAS Treasurer & Observing Chair; "Looking Up: The Guardians of the Pole & How to Use Ursa Minor as a Gauge of the Quality of the Night Sky," by Don Knabb; and "NASA Space Place: The Planet in the Machine," by Diane K. Fisher & Dr. Tony Phillips. Back to Top

Observations March 2012 Highlights include: "CCAS Shirts for Sale," by Kathy Buczynski; "The Mercury Thirteen," by CCAS President Roger Taylor; "Curiosity, the Stunt Double," by Dr. Tony Phillips, NASA Science News; "Through the Eyepiece: The Horsehead Nebula, Barnard 33," by Don Knabb, CCAS Treasurer & Observing Chair; and "NASA Space Place: The Hidden Power of Sea Salt, Revealed," by Dauna Coulter. Back to Top

Observations February 2012 Highlights include "The von Kármán Lecture Series at JPL," by John Hepler, CCAS Webmaster & Newsletter Editor; "Book Review: Astronomy with an Opera Glass," by Dave Hockenberry, CCAS Program Chair; "Through the Eyepiece: Caroline’s Rose, NGC 7789," by Don Knabb, CCAS Treasurer & Observing Chair; and, "NASA Space Place: The Nerdiest Video Game Ever," by Dr. Tony Phillips. Back to Top

Observations January 2012 Highlights include: "CCAS 8” Reflector in Need of Restoration & Caretaking," by by Don Knabb, CCAS Treasurer & Observing Chair; "Through the Eyepiece: The Pac Man Nebula, NGC 281," by Don Knabb, CCAS Secretary & Observing Chair; "NASA Space Place: Dawn Takes a Closer Look," by Dr. Marc Rayman; and, "Kepler Mission Discovers First Earth-size Planets Beyond Our Solar System," by Michele Johnson, NASA Ames Research Center. Back to Top