A brief status and show and tell will help all the members know about the subject and generate more enthusiasm and participation. The Elementary Level Science Series has 3 meets 3 times. Leaders hate it when people leave in the middle of a meeting but everybody has a different constraint. A lot of people come no matter what you have on the agenda. Smile and speak loudly. Use the phone, post or E-mail for communication that concerns few. Get the word out through all of your communication channels: club newsletter, community newspapers, radio, TV, Email-mailing list, Internet website, posters and spare newsletters to appropriate stores and schools. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Most of these channels require only that you provide timely accurate information to the right person. As leaders, we can improve our meetings. You can go pretty far out with an astronomy club meeting as long as it relates to the sky and you handle the topic with respect for all viewpoints and a little humor. Not all the jokes land, but the majority do. "The Astronomy Club, better known as the Nerds, are a clique at Thirlcrest Academy. One person should run the meeting. Many of us have seen them done well or regretted not doing them. Observing Programs (listed alphabetically), Astronomy clubs in USA by state (affiliated members). Two American physicians in São Paulo, Brazil, discover a civilization-threatening virus and are recruited as government agents in a race against time and around the world to find a cure and uncover a dark conspiracy. Add the first question. The structure and organization of these activities will vary according to the club and its methods. The Utah Valley Astronomy Club. Carry a few slides to check it out before the meeting. Good recurring features also bring people back. Many seasoned members will be glad to answer questions you may have about your telescope and other astronomy related topics. Search for "Astronomy Club" on Amazon.com, Title: Use the HTML below. If you live in a large metropolitan area, you may have other local astronomy clubs in the area to visit and there is probably some of your membership that regularly attends those meetings. Get the latest updates on NASA missions, watch NASA TV live, and learn about our quest to reveal the unknown and benefit all humankind. For some participants, there is a great comfort in doing it the way we always have. Start the meeting on time and manage it to the conclusion: Signal an official start of the meeting and get people in their seats. Document the purpose of the regular club meeting. Hello everyone, The website is undergoing renovations. Organizations must have mechanisms for managing change in a controlled way. Many clubs post their meeting information on the Internet as well. Do something that makes the meeting room your territory. The start times and durations allow people to make good decisions about staying or leaving. This reveals the personality of the club and helps make it accessible to the new people. Involve members in giving programs or reports. The more Fred and Fanny commit to their tales, the more the stories come to life in their Catskills cabin. Previous Month Next Month January February March April May June July August September October November December. The new astronomer in his first months of participation may be willing to sit through a 30 minute discussion of controversies in CCD flat fielding techniques if he also gets to see the current Star Hustler and a slide show with entry-level discussion of observing Jupiter. Have some fun with the title if that is consistent with the culture of your club. The St. Mary's astronomy club is an exciting and educational opportunity for both the middle school and the high school. A brief report that reveals the joys of personal observing may trigger enthusiasm in the newcomer more than a brilliant cosmological discussion by a distinguished guest expert. This is important for a level of comfort of some members and recognition by new people, particularly if you do not have exclusive use of the room or hold meetings in various locations. All Dates are Tentative and are subject to change. Topics: stars, planets, aliens, black holes, time travel, and anything else about space that you can think of. Work with the presenters on the title so it will be accurate and stimulate interest. People love to get a freebie and it allows the audience to listen to the speaker rather than take notes. Throughout September and the first half ⦠Meetings are only one facet of club activities but perhaps the most visible. Some clubs have big banners with the club's name and logo. Exploring an array of topics ranging from pop culture and social issues to the black experience. If the speaker is on a long digression or has lost the audience's attention, ask a question that leads back towards the conclusion or the general truth. Look around nervously for the person who has the first video. Whether they come back depends on how they perceive the club and whether they like the personality of the active membership. We host 10 public star parties each year at White Memorial Conservation Center in Litchfield, Connecticut. People are usually very polite as newcomers and sometimes you have to gently push, asking specific questions about what they learned or enjoyed and if they intend to come back. Consider changes to your meetings. It sounds like youâre off to a good start. Consider your membership and don't get too far out in front of them, but don't let them rest in their comfort zone either. Evaluate your current meetings. Work with the presenter to establish realistic and beneficial estimates of the length of time for the presentation. Chat with the early arrivals. There are over 600 amateur astronomy clubs in the U.S. Our membership depends on it. Less experienced speakers may need a little extra support, guidance, and protection but it is usually a sound investment. Signaling can be a pain; it is OK to softly say "five minutes." Welcome new people and ask them how they found about the club. Meeting topics run the gamut from what telescope to purchase to astrophotography. Alternating serious and humorous, the experiential and the scientific, the rational and the mystical in an agenda breaks up the meeting and keeps people interested. Bill Montague-North Bay Astronomy Club astronomer123ATcogeco.ca. Remember to recycle. Thanks.". Astronomy Club . What hooks a new member and gets them actively involved? Introduce yourself and thank people for coming. Normally this will be parliamentary procedures applied to changes in the bylaws. What keeps the old members coming back? Successful clubs find good answers to these questions. "You don't stand a chance against Team Nerd! (2019– ). Step briefly back from the tradition of the club and look analytically at how the meetings work, what gets people excited, what seems to drag on forever. There are no dues or fees required to join or to attend meetings or events. is welcome regardless of their level of experience. Applaud the new people for coming and visit with them at the break. Your club is probably somewhere in the middle. With Jonathan Braylock, Ray Cordova, James III, Caroline Martin. Start with the purpose, look at what is going on in the club, the community, and in astronomy at large. For all contact emails, you will have to replace AT with the â@â sign. An experienced member tells funny stories of his life in astronomy or jokes he has heard. Â. Large organizations recognize the importance of effective meetings and equip their leaders with appropriate training. Some examples to consider: Use the newsletter to introduce members to complex club information or issues.