Meeting Memories

The spring meeting of AAVSO in Madison, Wisconsin, would qualify as our first mini-vacation for the year, and since Rosie and I had never been to the Madison area before, we could only conclude that AAVSO had really made an outstanding selection for its spring meeting. And, yes, being a Minnesotan, I will concede Wisconsin does impress me for what it has to offer, especially its geological history. All you have to do is travel the back farm country south and west of Madison, and you’ll know why it’s often referred to as “God’s country”. So, congratulations to all those individuals for promoting and selecting Madison as THE place!

As a relatively new member, having joined this fine organization in 1999, I was indeed excited to be a part of the annual spring tradition. To mix with other amateur observers and professionals was a high moment. In fact, within the first hour of listening to and conversing with many of the veteran AAVSO members, my suspicions were confirmed. This is a “class”organization in every respect. To sit next to and converse with Lew Cook, or discuss observing techniques with Gene Hanson, along with a host of other fine people truly made this an enjoyable session.

My interests before coming to this meeting included observing the big Miras. So, naturally, I was excited to hear Lee Anne Willson present her findings on shock wave coalescence or flares associated with this type of star, and correlate this information with her spectroscopic measurements. In any event, all presentations were given at a level allowing both me and my wife to enjoy and understand them.

And then, the side trip to Yerkes Observatory! To see this magnificent 40-inch refractor for the first time was absolutely fabulous! As a kid growing up on a farm in western Minnesota, I often dreamed of taking the “short” trip over to Wisconsin to see this wonder. But, it seemed a bit too far for my parents’ modest means to pack our family of four boys into a ’50 Chevy and make the drive in one day. I had to be content to lay out a quilt on the picnic table and embrace the Milky Way with my trusty binoculars. I could only imagine then what M11 in Scutum would look like through the great 40-inch scope. So, it only took 40 years on a rather circuitous route to arrive at Yerkes. Here it was exciting to see the history of this facility and walk its famous halls even if the scope was not available for a “quick look.” Everyone enjoyed the personal tour of the dome with the observatory director. What is truly unique about this telescope is that it retains its early 20th century mechanics and is still a workhorse in the 21st century.

Again, thanks to AAVSO, Janet Mattei, and all members for a very memorable and enriching experience.

Richard & Rosie Johnson,
Minnetonka, Minnesota

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