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SLAS Regular Meeting
Friday, September 16, 2016 7:30pm
McDonnell Hall,
Washington University
Chaco Canyon – The Stones
and Stars
of Ancient American
Astronomers
by
Gary Gackstatter
St. Louis Community College - Meramec
Dr. Gary Gackstatter of Saint Louis Community College, Meramec Campus, will be featured at the September meeting of the St. Louis Astronomical Society.
Chaco Canyon National Monument in northwestern New Mexico was established in 1907
to protect the remaining stone buildings of
Chaco Native Americans. The motions of sun,
moon, planets, and stars were woven into the
culture and beliefs of the Chaco Canyon people. Constructed more than a thousand years
ago, their great houses featured many celestial
alignments and devices. St. Louisan Gary
Gackstatter will talk about the buildings, culture, and astronomy of these ancestors of the
Pueblo tribe. He recently visited Chaco Canyon, and was inspired to write a modern symphony "Chaco
--
A Journey Of The Spirit". It
was first performed in Meramec's theater last
May.
Gary Gackstatter is Coordinator of Music and
conductor of the Symphonic Band and Meramec Orchestra. A member of the Meramec
music faculty, he is also an active composer
and musician, as well as an artist.
Upcoming Meetings:
October
- Kater Murch, PhD - How LIGO pushes the
limits of quantum measurement detect gravity
November
- TBA
December
- William McKinnon, PhD Pluto
January
- Peter Plavchan, PhD - The Golden Age of
Exoplanet Discovery
February
- Pamela Gay, PhD - Super Secret Squirrel
Stuff
April
- Kevin Evans, PhD - Weaubleau Impact Structure
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Meeting Agenda
Welcome
Parking
Glenn Greenway Services Saturday
Introduction of Officers and Visitors
Main Speaker: Gary Gackstatter
Astro 101: Grazing Occultation
Star Parties - Highlights:
Budget
Library Telescopes
Eclipse Task Force
SLAS Coffee Mugs for Sale!
Infini-tees Shirts for Sale!
Eclipse Glasses for Sale!
Next Month - Dr. Kater Merch, Washington U. – LIGO
Attendance Prizes in October
Other Announcements
Eyepiece kits for sale
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