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Club regular meetings
The Club is open to all every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 17:30
to 21:30 EET (EET = UT + 2 hours). On Wednesdays the members of the group
that perform frequent and advanced observations hold their weekly meetings
to discuss the projects at hand, plan their next outings, report on findings,
review their latest astronomical photos etc.
Private observatories of our members
We are proud to mention that two of our members, Constantine
Emmanuelides and Constantine Theodorides, have recently constructed
their own personal observatories. The former with a 12" telescope is on
the lookout for supernovas
and the latter with a 10" telescope will soon be ready to hunt for Comets.
Lessons of Astronomy for beginners
The activities of our Club are numerous. Foremost in our concerns are
the lessons of Astronomy for beginners, that are usually held on Saturday
evenings from 17:30 to 19:30.
Lectures
Periodically we hold lectures on various topics, usually related to Astronomy,
by various visiting lecturers or members of our Club, either in the "Ptolemies
Hall", or at the Observatory lecture room "Vassilis Xanthopoulos" of the
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), or in the "Kalamaria Prefecture"
hall that can accommodate a larger audience.
Advanced observations - usually from the Paiko mountain
(40° 57' 47,6" N - 22° 20' 11,3")
On a regular basis and weather permitting, serious observations and astronomical
photography are planned and performed by our more advanced members.
These outings to mountaintops, usually planned for Saturdays evenings,
are an all night affair. Upon their return the accumulated data are reviewed
and logged by the individuals, pictures are developed and the results
are discussed by the group. The debriefings help the less experienced
of our members to advance their methods and fine-tune their techniques,
a task that would otherwise be almost impossible. By the way, the telescopes
owned by our members are close to 100 units, the majority though are used
occasionally and privately by the owners.
"Astroparties"
Outings with a number of various telescopes of our members, at some relatively
less light polluted areas, for instruction of new members that wish to
observe the Constellations, learn the use of the Planisphere and observe
firsthand the mysteries and the humbling beauty of the Cosmos.
Occasional Weekend Excursions
For the same purpose as above we occasionally make excursions to some
better locations (with less light pollution) to observe the night sky
and of course visit the local museums, archeological sites, Churches,
Monasteries, natural or manmade monuments and of course we get to indulge
in gastronomy too. In the process the newer members get closer to the
Club, get to know each other better and of course have fun in the process.
Pan Hellenic Amateur Astronomy Conferences
Every second year a Pan-Hellenic Amateur Astronomy Conferences is held
at various cities in Greece, where various topics, progress and achievements
are discussed. The first such Conference was held and organized by the
Club of Volos, the second was organized by the Club of Corfu and the third
Conference was held in Halkidiki (Northern Greece) and was organized by
our Club. The attendance in this last one topped the 220 mark. The fourth
Conference will be held at Athens on the 9th 10th & 11th of September
2005. The number of the Greek Amateur Clubs that attended the Halkidiki
Conference was 11.
Construction of astronomical, mathematical, space vehicles
models etc.
Some of our members construct models of astronomical, mathematical and
various other instruments of the past such as quadrants, sextants, octants,
sundials, nocturnals, astrolabes, abacuses, planispheres and much more,
for teaching or for plain interest in the various stages of progress in
the science of Astronomy through time. Last year our member Paul Voulouvoutis
(a pharmacist) constructed a 10" telescope.
Astronomy for the blind
A number of models were specifically designed and developed by us for
the blind. They are labeled in Braille, which helps the less fortunate
than us, to get as close as possible, to at least feel, in three dimensions,
if not the colors of the Universe we live in.
A quarterly Newsletter Publication in Greek
The Club publishes a quarterly Newsletter which is mailed to our members
that includes the Club's news and activities, schedules of activities
to come, as well as the night sky of the next quarter. Many of our members
write articles and books in our yearly publication.
A yearly publication in Greek
A yearly publication is now being designed. In the past we have published
17 full-color quarterly publications of the kind in which all the articles
and information included were written exclusively by our members. Later,
due to the high cost, we have reverted to the publication of a Newsletter.
However, one of our members has graciously offered to foot the bill for
three periodicals, one for every consecutive December, starting with December
of 2004. This "Winter Solstice Publication" will be available to all our
members free, by mid-January of 2005.
Astronomical Calendar of the Club
Our Club designs and publishes a yearly "Astronomical Calendar" (in Greek)
with all the pertinent information needed by all interested in the yearly
astronomical events, noted dates, time of star and planet viewing, enriched
by occasional photographs taken by our members and much more information
pertaining to Astronomy.
School visits
As a rule, several schools regularly invite us to lecture on some specific
topic or general astronomical information at theirs or our own premises.
Our Club's yearly birthday party
Every year, around November the 28th, (our Club's birthday) the members
of our Club hold a big party to celebrate the Club's birthday. This is
usually held in a restaurant with live music. This year our party was
held on Friday the 26th of November. About 120 members and family attended
it.
The transit of Venus on June 8th 2004
On June 8th 2004, 21 telescopes of the Club's members were set up in two
sites
1) at the University of Thessaloniki and
2) at the Planetarium of our town.
All of them have followed and recorded the rare event of the transit of
Venus in front of the Sun. Many more of our members viewed the transit
from other locations of their own choosing. During the event we have had
the pleasure to meet the famous Astronomer and Eclipse Hunter J. Pasachoff,
(invited by the University) his students and his staff. Professor Pasachoff
was kind to give us a lecture about the event with all the pertinent historical
details of the past.
photos, photos,
photos, photos,
photos, photos
Exhibitions in our premises
Our latest project, which started in December 2004, is to display and
present various exhibits related to astronomy such as: geology and meteorites,
mathematics, physics experiments, etc. thus giving the opportunity to
any one interested in those fields to get aquatinted with Astronomy. Appropriately
in our first exhibition, a large number of astronomical photographs will
be displayed. All photographs have been shot by three of our members -
a music professor, a lawyer and a carpenter (we are proud of the diversity
of background of our members and the excellent photographs they take).
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