lasted until about the year 2000.
Astromart was launched in the mid 90s by Robert Fields.  Anacortes Wild Bird took over Astromart around 2000.
To this day,  free service is offered to amateur astronomers.  Support is voluntary for amateur astronomers ($15,$30 or $60). Businesses are welcome and
asked to support the system with varying fee schedules.
Pros of Astromart:
Reflects the current status of the market.
Continuous feedback of buyers and sellers.
Provides multiple ways of transferring funds.
Equipment that no longer used, can finance new items.
Enjoy the best swap table we have ever had..
Cons of Astromart:
There is always the risk of unscrupulous people.
Carefully check the condition of what you buy.
Communicate with your buyer/seller;don”t assume.
Provide feedback; System works if we use it correctly.

From The President’s Desk...
October 19, 2004 Eclipses, Elections, Halloween, Standard Time, Planets, Meteors, and Thanksgiving!  Yes, this period is jam-packed with all sorts
of events   Begin with the total Lunar Eclipse October 27.  The eclipse begins at approx 9:15PM, is full from 10:25 until 11:45 and is over at 12:55 AM.
 It will be visible from the entire continents of North and South America; and most of the area will see the entire eclipse.
Put this one on your calendar and get your binocs, scope, camera, coat, and warm shoes, thermos, etc and watch Mother Nature’s display of cosmic
geometry.
Elections!  Yeah! At last…no more silly commercials and political lies.   Please be sure to vote for the person of your choice.  And please vote
correctly.  Make sure your chad is not dangling.  If you use touch screen technology don’t poke a hole into the screen…just touch it.
 
Halloween…I sure hope you bought the brand of candy that you like to eat   Save a few pieces for yourself…all you have to do is turn off the lights
and it is all yours!   Those of us who eat the kid’s treats normally wind up with a bit of a tricky waistline that demonstrates behavior problemos.
 
Have you had enuf of Daylight Saving Time?  I have and I am ready for some 6 PM stargazing.  Just don’t forget to set your clocks back one hour
October 31.  Spring forward…fall backward.  Soon you will be watching the  Orion Nebula by 7 PM and the Winter Milky Way shortly afterward.
 
Don’t forget to check out Venus, Saturn and Jupiter in the morning sky Saturn is at “western quadrature” and is getting high in the sky…just
perfect for viewing.  I think “quadrature” means 90 degrees away from the Sun…let me know if that is the wrong interpretation.  While you are looking
that one up check “superior” and “inferior” conjunction.  Venus and Jupiter are very bright just before sunrise.  Set your scope up the night before and
get up 20 minutes early to enjoy the show.  Also watch for a close conjunction of Jupiter and the crescent moon on Nov 5 and Nov 9.
 
And meteors!  You probably missed the Orionids on October 20-21 so be sure to watch for the N. Taurids November 11 and the Leonids November 17.
 The moon should not be a problem for the peak of either.
 
And that brings us to Thanksgiving.  Please remember the good times we have had this year and in past years.  Also, remember the good friends and
family members who are no longer with us and who are observing from a higher vantage point.
 
The cutoff date for ordering astronomy related Christmas gifts is fast approaching.  Please allow three weeks for orders to be processed and
delivered so there will be harmony in your house on Christmas morn.  I have an extra large stocking so that only the largest Naglers are allowed
– please make your purchases accordingly.
 
Mark your calendars!  We will celebrate Christmas 2004 at our annual Christmas Party, December 4, 2004, at the First Presbyterian Church from
1:00 PM until 5:00 PM.  Kathy will fill in the details at the November meeting – but I can assure you there will be turkey, ham, cornbread and
greens, and other mouth-watering culinary delights so that you can continue the weight-gain trend you began at Thanksgiving.

Enuf for now…dust off your scopes and Naglers and do some stargazing.  See you at T-hoe or the Church.
Don...
 
Astro Tips for Mentors from James Morgan
Eyepiece Case                                                                
I showed a mock up of one that I am making that will attach to my 10" scope. It is a simple wooden one and I will be experimenting with heating it.
 The concept is simple in that a wooden box will absorb moisture if you put a "dewed" up eyepiece in it. I have a simple wooden box that I use for
"drying" out eyepieces. All of this came from suggestions of Keith Love, who also recommended making the box out of  “Black Gum" wood with which I
will also experiment.
Star Charts                                              
 There are a wide variety of charts that you can use when observing and I presented several different ones so that attendees could see what was available.
I distributed my version of Sky Atlas 2000 that I had laminated and it makes the "big" version usable in a wet environment.   
 Several different maps, charts and booklets were distributed along with a map printed on "plastic". I also showed my field desk that allows the charts
to be easily handled and displayed for use.

 Solar system in November Paul Riley   
Jupiter and Venus dominate the predawn sky with conjunction on Nov 4th. Saturn rises well after sundown. Mars is in the predawn sky this month, and
is not easy to spot the first half of the month. Mercury will be at greatest elongation (22 deg. E) on Nov 21st, though viewing can be tough for
northern latitudes. On Nov. 9th Jupiter is 1 deg. S of the moon, and the following night Venus is 0.2 deg. N of the moon
The Leonids meteor shower will be in town from the 14th to the 21st with peak performance this year on the 17th at 3-4AM. The ZHR (meteors per hour) is
only rated for 10-50+ . This is not great, but it'll still be a sight to see, so put on your longjohns, grab a sleeping bag and tarp, and go
out to a dark site. Work can wait.
Also note from your November 2004 Skymap on page 6, that Uranus and Neptune are visible in Aquarius and Capricornus respectively
Club Activities 
Club Meetings- We meet in the First Presbyterian Church in Smyrna, DE (653-8000) on the first Tuesday of each month from 7-9 PM.  From US 13,
turn west at Wendy's and go one stoplight on Commerce Street; the church is  on the right directly across from the Fire Hall.

Future Meetings..The annual meeting dates for 2004 are: January 6, February 3, March 2, April 6, May 4, July 3 Picnic at Don’s house, August
3 No inside meeting;event to be scheduled, September 7,  October 5, November 2 and December 7.  
 The regular meeting format includes discussion of club activities, observing highlights and an advertised presentation.We solicit
suggestions for topics and presenters.

Club Observing... Observing is (usually) scheduled for the Friday nearest the New  Moon to maximize the hours of  deepnight  without the moon in the sky
Unless otherwise stated,  the monthly observing site will be at the baseball field in the camping  area at Tuckahoe State Park.  
 The observing days for 2004 are  January 16,  January 23, February 20, March19,. April 14-18 ( Stargaze X), April 23, May 14, June 18, July 16,
August 13, August 20, September 15-19 (No Frills IX), October 15, November 12, and December 10. 
 The cloud or rain date for the monthly Friday observing will be the following Saturday, but don't trust the weather man!   Go outside and look for yourself or
check the CNN weather link on our web page.  If  you still can't decide, call Don Surles (302) 653-9445 or Lyle Jones (302) 736-9842. 
 

Delmarva Star Gazer Officers 2004-2005
President........................Don Surles 302 653 9445
Vice President.............Jerry Truitt 410 885-3327
Secretary........................Paul Riley 302 738-5366
Treasurer................Kathy Sheldon 302 422 4695

What’s up in October 2004 
Keith Lohmeyer


Messier (M-31) Andromeda Galaxy
 

Double Star NGC6717  in Sagittarius



                                                                             

    Sun and Moon Data for November 2004 Tuckahoe MD
  38.98°N 75.93°W 5hrW Daylight Time Astronomical Twilight
       Sun                         Moon
      Date    Twi.  Rise  Transit  Set    Twi.  Rise  Transit  Set    %
  11/1/2004  6:01a  7:32a 12:47p  6:03p  7:33p  8:58p  4:05a 12:02p  81
  11/2/2004  6:02a  7:33a 12:47p  6:01p  7:32p  9:53p  4:56a 12:53p  74
  11/3/2004  6:03a  7:34a 12:47p  6:00p  7:31p 10:52p  5:47a  1:36p  65
  11/4/2004  6:04a  7:35a 12:47p  5:59p  7:30p 11:53p  6:36a  2:13p  56
  11/5/2004  6:05a  7:36a 12:47p  5:58p  7:29p  *****  7:24a  2:44p  46
  11/6/2004  6:06a  7:37a 12:47p  5:57p  7:28p 12:56a  8:09a  3:11p  36
  11/7/2004  6:07a  7:38a 12:47p  5:56p  7:27p  2:00a  8:53a  3:36p  27
  11/8/2004  6:08a  7:39a 12:48p  5:55p  7:27p  3:04a  9:37a  3:59p  18
  11/9/2004  6:09a  7:40a 12:48p  5:54p  7:26p  4:10a 10:21a  4:22p  11
 11/10/2004  6:10a  7:41a 12:48p  5:54p  7:25p  5:18a 11:08a  4:47p   5
 11/11/2004  6:11a  7:43a 12:48p  5:53p  7:24p  6:30a 11:57a  5:16p   1
 11/12/2004  6:12a  7:44a 12:48p  5:52p  7:24p  7:45a 12:52p  5:50p   0
 11/13/2004  6:13a  7:45a 12:48p  5:51p  7:23p  9:03a  1:51p  6:32p   2
 11/14/2004  6:14a  7:46a 12:48p  5:50p  7:22p 10:21a  2:54p  7:25p   6
 11/15/2004  6:15a  7:47a 12:48p  5:49p  7:22p 11:31a  4:00p  8:30p  13
 11/16/2004  6:16a  7:48a 12:49p  5:49p  7:21p 12:31p  5:04p  9:42p  22
 11/17/2004  6:17a  7:49a 12:49p  5:48p  7:21p  1:19p  6:05p 10:58p  32
 11/18/2004  6:17a  7:50a 12:49p  5:47p  7:20p  1:56p  7:00p  *****  44
 11/19/2004  6:18a  7:51a 12:49p  5:47p  7:20p  2:27p  7:50p 12:12a  55
 11/20/2004  6:19a  7:53a 12:49p  5:46p  7:19p  2:53p  8:36p  1:22a  65
 11/21/2004  6:20a  7:54a 12:50p  5:46p  7:19p  3:16p  9:20p  2:30a  75
 11/22/2004  6:21a  7:55a 12:50p  5:45p  7:19p  3:39p 10:03p  3:35a  84
 11/23/2004  6:22a  7:56a 12:50p  5:44p  7:18p  4:02p 10:47p  4:39a  90
 11/24/2004  6:23a  7:57a 12:51p  5:44p  7:18p  4:27p 11:32p  5:43a  95
 11/25/2004  6:24a  7:58a 12:51p  5:44p  7:18p  4:55p  *****  6:47a  99
 11/26/2004  6:25a  7:59a 12:51p  5:43p  7:17p  5:28p 12:18a  7:52a 100
 11/27/2004  6:26a  8:00a 12:52p  5:43p  7:17p  6:06p  1:07a  8:54a  99
 11/28/2004  6:27a  8:01a 12:52p  5:43p  7:17p  6:52p  1:58a  9:53a  97
 11/29/2004  6:27a  8:02a 12:52p  5:42p  7:17p  7:44p  2:49a 10:47a  93
 11/30/2004  6:28a  8:03a 12:53p  5:42p  7:17p  8:42p  3:40a 11:33a  87