Message from the President

Due to the “spring” meeting having been held in July this year, two meetings have gone by since the last newsletter. The 2nd High-Energy Astrophysics Workshop for Amateur Astronomers was held in conjunction with the 91st Spring Meeting and they both were a tremendous success. Attendance reached levels never seen before. The superior location, the big island of Hawaii, certainly had something to do with it. Field trips to the big observatories of Mauna Kea and the lava fields of Volcanoes National Park no doubt contributed as well. However, as always, it is the people of our organization which make the meetings so special. The camaraderie among the membership is something to behold. It never fails to renew my sense of purpose and my desire to get out under the stars and observe.

The 91st Annual Meeting was held in Somerville, Massachusetts, where we enjoyed several special events. Among the highlights was the open house at headquarters where Dorrit Hoffleit autographed her new book, Misfortunes as Blessings in Disguise, for many of the attendees. The following day was spent attending talks sponsored by the International Dark-Sky Association. The meeting concluded on two very special notes.After the AAVSO Banquet, the William Tyler Olcott Award was presented to Dorrit Hoffleit for her many years of outstanding contributions promoting variable star astronomy. This presentation was followed by a superb musical performance by the Amateur Chamber Music Players (AMCP) in honor and memory of Clinton B. Ford. Dr. Ford (Clint) was a most generous benefactor who is responsible for donating the AAVSO’s headquarters building and the substantial Ford Fund, which is the major source of AAVSO funding today. He was also a member and benefactor of the ACMP.

Speaking of funding, the recent economic downturn has affected the AAVSO as it has many non-profit organizations. Although our AAVSO income from investments has been shrinking recently, we are still strong due to past benefactors and intelligent financial stewardship. The AAVSO Council has initiated some precautionary steps and is keeping a close eye on our situation. I would encourage everyone to visit the “Support the AAVSO” link on our web page. There you will find several ways that you as a supporter can help keep our organization strong and moving forward.

Wishing you many variable star nights,
Dan Kaiser

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