There will be something for everyone at this meeting. If you are looking for a telescope, this is a must event before you spend your hard earned cash! If you have a telescope and have already begun the hobby, we will have tips for you as well! Here are the topics which will be presented:

- telescopes - everything you need to know about the main types of telescopes - refractors, reflectors, schmidt-cassegrains (SCT), goto telescopes, equatorial mounts, dobsonian mounts. We will have all of these telescopes on display for you to view and ask questions about. Vice President Mike Malolepszy will make this presentation

- software - the latest software from The Sky (version 6.0) will be presented. This powerful software may be used to drive a telescope in addition to the usual features such as producing observing maps. Our secretary Louis Berman will make this presentation.

- binoculars - binoculars are a wonderful way to view the night sky. We will present this instrument on a standard mount and also on a wonderful parallel mount. SLAS member Jerry Loethen will be the presenter.

- solar observing - Astronomy doesn't stop when the sun comes up! A wonderful new telescope that makes detailed observing of the sun with hydrogen alpha filtering will be presented. REMEMBER, never point a telescope directly at the Sun! - Treasurer Cook Feldman will be the presenter.

- books - Nightwatch, Left Turn at Orion, Astronomy for Dummies/Idiots, Introductory Textbooks, Exploring Astronomy with Binoculars, Night Sky and other astronomy resources will be reviewed - President and Librarian Jim Small will be the presenter.

- observing - How to survive during an observing session (especially this time of the year!) and all of those little accesories that make life useful while trying to see the heavens. Flashlights, pointers, observing logs and basic observing programs from the Astronomical League to get you started - President and former mountain climber and cold weather survival expert Jim Small will be the presenter.