THE CIRCLE OF THE HEAVENS

Exciting news... SkippySky (www.skippysky.com.au) has just upgraded their service to provide a comprehensive weather forecast for South East Queensland. I was recently talking to Andrew Cool about his fine service, and after a little plotting of some familiar haunts around SEQ, Andrew worked his magic and lo! everything you wanted to know about matters meteorological is available at your fingertips.

Seriously, the service seems really good, and factors in issues the normal services (including BOM) don't tend to provide, and which most normal people don't actually need anyway.

So have a play - you might find you enjoy it.

Clear skies
David

The 2009 annual general meeting (AGM) was held on 14th of February at Wordsmith's Cafe at the University of Queensland at St Lucia.
The venue offered a good setting and fine food for the Association's annual lunch and meeting. A feature of the AAQ's AGMs is concise business, which was followed by

• the election of the new management committee for 2009, the Council
• an unexpected special ceremony
  
• the awarding of the Kitty Kent Award
  
• and a stirring speech by the newly elected President.

Three members of Council retired as required by the Constitution's rule on maximum concurrent years of service, and the current President Peter Anderson did not stand again for Council. The makeup of the new Council is here.

The 2008 President Peter Anderson conducts the business of the 2009 AGM

A former president, founding member and esteemed fellow of the Association Arthur Page attended and donated a signed copy of his book - Between Victor and Vanquished - which was about his war time experiences.

Arthur Page presents the 2008 President Peter Anderson with a signed copy of Between Victor and Vanquished

The retiring Council and Visual Observing Director Graeme Jenkinson received the Association's Kitty Kent Award for outstanding service to the AAQ in 2008.

Gobsmacked Graeme received the 2008 Kitty Kent Award for outstanding service to the AAQ

John Salini concluded the official part of the day with a stirring speech about how individual members continue to make the Association strong and vital through their contributions. The Association welcomes anyone interested in astronomy. That interest could simply be learning more about astronomy from their armchair, or achieving the heights of providing input to notable amateur research programs. He encouraged all to make a contribution, no matter how small.

Peter Anderson hands over the President's Red Torch to the incoming President John Salini

Attention all conformists out there!!  This is your opportunity!

At the February 2009 AGM, our newly annointed President, John Salini (pictured left), was accosted by his admiring fans, who wanted to know from whom he had obtained the very fashionable shirt he was wearing.  Ever willing to share the secrets of his sartorial splendor, he has commissioned this article.

John's shirt, and a small number like it, were the result of an effort many years ago to re-make the image of the AAQ (or at least the image of those wearing them!).  Since then there have been periodic efforts made by hardy individuals to emulate this bold fashion statement.

If you are one who wants to display your affiliation with the AAQ, then this is your opportunity.  The AAQ logo, as shown in the images below, has been digitised and successfully applied to various garments including a polo short, a chambrey and a fleecy vest.  If you would like to own such a fine article of clothing, then please follow this simple steps:

1. Purchase any short, polo or vest (of reasonable thickness) from your favoured purveyor of fine apparell.
2. Bring said item(s) of clothing to the March 2009 OGM, along with a sum of $18 per item.
3. I will arrange to have the items embroidered and returned to you at the April 2009 OGM.

Depending upon the numbers, the price may be reduced.  Items of unusual thickness or material may attract an increased fee (send a description to me if you are unsure, and I will ask the embroiderer).

It would be appreciated if anybody wanting to take up this offer could e-mail me to assist in planning.

SAMPLE CHAMBREY SHIRT (purchased from Rivers)

Detail of chambrey:

SAMPLE POLO SHIRT (Reserve brand from Myers)

SAMPLE FLEECY VEST (From Rivers)

Detail for polo and vest (due to darker background):