Northern Virginia Astronomy Club

AT THE END OF 2022 THERE WERE 962 FULLY PAID MEMBERS OUT OF A TOTAL OF 1,239 HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS THAT MADE UP NOVAC'S REGISTERED POPULATION. DURING 2022 THE CLUB INITIALLY FACED A CONTINUATION OF THE RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC BUT SAW AN EASING OF THESE CONSTRAINTS CONSISTENT WITH PUBLIC POLICY AS THE YEAR PROGRESSED. FOR MOST OF THE YEAR THE CLUB CONTINUED THE PRACTICE OF HOLDING ITS GENERAL MEETINGS ON A MONTHLY BASIS, BUT VIRTUAL (STREAMED). IN AUGUST, A MIX OF BOTH IN-PERSON (AT GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY) AND VIRTUAL/STREAMED FORMATS WAS OFFERED AND IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE. PUBLIC OUTREACH ON ASTRONOMY AND NIGHT SKY PRESERVATIONS CONTINUES TO BE A HALLMARK OF NOVAC'S MISSION. IN 2022, NOVAC CONSIDERED NEARLY 100 OUTREACH REQUESTS. ONLY ONE EVENT WENT UNFULFILLED DUE TO LACK OF VOLUNTEERS WHICH IS OUTSTANDING AND A REAL TRIBUTE TO ALL THOSE THAT VOLUNTEER ACROSS A WIDE VARIETY OF ORGANIZATIONS, VENUES, AND AUDIENCES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. OUTREACH WITH A BOOTH OR NOVAC TABLE ALWAYS INCLUDES EMPHASIS ON PRESERVING DARK SKIES WITH MATERIAL FROM THE INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY ASSOCIATION (IDA) AVAILABLE TO DISTRIBUTE. 2022 ALSO WELCOMED THE RETURN OF THE ALMOST HEAVEN STAR PARTY (AHSP), WHICH WAS LAST HELD IN 2019. THE EASING OF COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS AND OUR DEDICATED NOVAC VOLUNTEERS MADE IT HAPPEN IN 2022! CLUB CHALLENGES CONTINUE AND RESOLVING THEM SHOULD BE A PRIMARY FOCUS OF 2023. THOSE CHALLENGES INCLUDE TRANSFORMING THE NOVAC INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT) SYSTEMS, STRENGTHENING SUPPORT AND PROVIDING PROACTIVE ASSISTANCE TO NEW MEMBERS AND NEW AMATEURS TO THE HOBBY, AND IMPROVING VOLUNTEER SUPPORT IN TAKING LEAD ROLES TO ACCOMPLISH NOVAC MISSION OBJECTIVES. IN 2022, NOVAC CONSIDERED 88 OUTREACH EVENTS FROM 32 ORGANIZATIONS. OF THESE EVENTS, NOVAC FULFILLED 66 OF THEM FROM 29 ORGANIZATIONS. ONLY ONE EVENT WENT UNFULFILLED DUE TO LACK OF VOLUNTEERS; 21 EVENTS WERE CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER. THANKS TO THE GENEROSITY OF NOVAC MEMBERS, OVER 100 INDIVIDUALS VOLUNTEERED TO ASSIST WITH OUTREACH EVENTS THIS YEAR. SIGNIFICANT OUTREACH AND CLUB OBSERVING ACTIVITIES INCLUDED: ASTRONOMY DAY, STAR GAZE, ASTRONOMY FESTIVAL ON THE NATIONAL MALL, VIVA VIENNA, SEVERAL GMU-SPONSORED EVENTS, AND NUMEROUS SCHOOL AND CIVIC-RELATED OUTREACH ACTIVITIES. ONE AREA OF NOVAC SUPPORT THAT CONTINUES TO NEED IMPROVEMENT IS THE SUPPORT TO NEW MEMBERS AND NEW AMATEURS TO THE HOBBY. THIS WAS REALIZED AS A NEED BOTH FROM THE FEEDBACK OF THE 2021 MEMBERSHIP SURVEY BUT ALSO AS A GENERAL IMPRESSION FROM CLUB MEMBERS AND COMMENT FORMS SUBMITTED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. A GOAL OF 2023 SHOULD BE TO ESTABLISH A PROGRAM TO FORMALLY ORIENT NEW MEMBERS BY PROVIDING AN IMPROVED ON-BOARDING PROGRAM. THIS WILL ENSURE THEY ARE WELL EQUIPPED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL RESOURCES AFFORDED BY BEING A MEMBER. IT WILL ALSO HELP ESTABLISH A LARGER POOL OF VOLUNTEERS EAGER TO SUPPORT NOVAC OPERATIONS. WE WILL NEED SOME VOLUNTEER HELP TO MAKE THIS GOAL A REALITY. ON THE MENTORING FRONT, NOVAC CONTINUES TO RESPOND TO REQUESTS FOR MENTORS AND RESPONDS TO Q&A THROUGH THE USE OF COMMENT FORMS SUBMITTED BY MEMBERS OR THE PUBLIC. NOVAC ALSO HOSTED A MEMBERS-ONLY OBSERVING NIGHT AT CAMP HIGH ROAD AIMED AT FACILITATING HELP AND MENTORING WHERE NEEDED. FOR MOST OF THE YEAR THE CLUB CONTINUED THE PRACTICE OF HOLDING ITS GENERAL MEETINGS ON A MONTHLY BASIS USING GOOGLE MEET (VIRTUAL ONLY. IN AUGUST HOWEVER, WITH SUPPORT FROM GMU, A HYBRID APPROACH OF BOTH IN-PERSON (AT GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY) AND VIRTUAL/STREAMED FORMATS WAS OFFERED. INFORMAL MEMBER FEEDBACK FOR IN-PERSON MEETINGS HAS BEEN GENERALLY FAVORABLE. TOTAL ATTENDANCE (VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON) FIGURES ARE AT OR SOMEWHAT BELOW PRE-PANDEMIC NUMBERS. FOR THOSE THAT DO PARTICIPATE IN THE GENERAL MEETINGS, SOME PREFER IN PERSON, SOME PREFER IN PERSON ONLY WHEN THE SPEAKER IS IN PERSON, AND SOME PREFER THE FLEXIBILITY AFFORDED BY THE VIRTUAL FORMAT. FOR 2023 A COMPROMISE APPROACH MIGHT BE TO CONSIDER A MIX OF FORMATS DEPENDING ON WHETHER THE SPEAKER IS IN PERSON OR THERE ARE OTHER ACTIVITIES TO CONDUCT IN PERSON (SWAP MEET, LIBRARY EXCHANGE, ETC). THE ASTRONOMY DEPARTMENT AT GMU AND THE FRIENDS OF THE UNIVERSITY STUDENT POPULATION CONTINUE TO BE A GOOD PARTNER FOR NOVAC AND GREATLY HELPED OUR TRANSITION BACK TO IN-PERSON FORMAT, ALBEIT IN A SMALLER ROOM THAN HELP PRE-PANDEMIC. NOVAC SUPPORTED JUDGING FOR THE FAIRFAX REGIONAL SCIENCE & ENGINEERING FAIR IN 2022. THIS WAS AGAIN A VIRTUAL EVENT GIVEN COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS. TOM FRAZIER LED NOVAC'S EFFORT TO PROVIDE ORGANIZATIONAL JUDGES THIS YEAR. TOM SOLICITED HELP FROM EIGHT NOVAC MEMBERS WHO SERVED AS JUDGES (KEVIN BLACK, MICHAEL BRUCK, GEORGE HOGEMAN, MICHAEL MILLER, ROB LENTINI, CHARLES MURPHY, NOOR QADRI, AND JOHN BIRCH). TWO FIRST PLACE AND FIVE HONORABLE MENTION AWARDS WERE PROVIDED. RECIPIENTS RECEIVED PRINTED CERTIFICATES AND A GIFT CARD. BOD SHOULD CONSIDER WHAT TYPE OF SUPPORT IS DESIRED FOR 2023 - SAME, EXPANDED, OR NONE. IN ALL LIKELIHOOD THE FAIR WILL BE IN-PERSON SO SOME OF THE DYNAMICS MAY CHANGE. GIVEN LIMITED OBSERVATIONAL ASTRONOMY EXPOSURE IN PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS IN GENERAL, THERE IS VERY LITTLE TO NO AWARENESS OF NOVAC'S INTEREST IN PARTICIPATING AND OFFERING PRIZES TO ENCOURAGE STUDENT TOPICS IN ASTRONOMY. WITH LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES TO INFLUENCE THIS, NOVAC CAN PARTICIPATE IN GENERAL BUT IS LIKELY TO SEE MOSTLY NON-ASTRONOMY SCIENCE PROJECTS GOING FORWARD. NOVAC HAS SECURED ACCESS TO THE FOLLOWING OBSERVING SITES: BLUE RIDGE CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, CAMP HIGHROAD (CHR), C.M. CROCKETT PARK, MEADOWKIRK/MIDDLEBURG VA, RAPPAHANNOCK COUNTY PARK, SKY MEADOWS STATE PARK, AND SPRUCE KNOB MOUNTAIN CENTER/WV. THE LOANER SCOPE PROGRAM WAS AGAIN MAINTAINED PRINCIPALLY BY BOB PARKS WITH SEVERAL VOLUNTEER CUSTODIANS OF VARIOUS EQUIPMENT. THIS REMAINS ONE OF THE BEST OFFERINGS THE CLUB CAN MAKE TO ANY MEMBER SEEKING TO TRY OUT NEW EQUIPMENT BEFORE PURCHASING SOMETHING ON THEIR OWN. IT ALSO HELPS BEGINNERS PROGRESS FROM SIMPLE TO MORE COMPLICATED SETUPS, ALL AVAILABLE THROUGH THE LOANER PROGRAM. NOVAC'S MENTOR PROGRAM CONTINUES AS A "BY REQUEST" FEATURE OF MEMBERSHIP. THIS IS AN AREA THAT COULD BE IMPROVED BY ESTABLISHING A MORE ROBUST DATABASE OF INDIVIDUAL MEMBER PROFILES TO INCLUDE HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, AND EXPERIENCE WHICH CAN THEN BE BETTER LEVERAGED FOR THOSE NEEDING HELP AND THOSE WILLING TO HELP. THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF SIGS IS TO PROMOTE THE ENJOYMENT OF SPECIALIZED TOPICS RELATED TO ASTRONOMY. IT ENABLES MEMBERS TO COMMUNICATE IN SMALLER GROUPS THAN NOVAC AS A WHOLE AND ENABLES MORE INDEPENDENT ACTIONS TO BE SET BY THOSE LEADING THE SIGS. THE SIGS ARE CONSIDERED A SIGNIFICANT BENEFIT TO MEMBERSHIP AS THE NETWORK OF SUB-MEMBERS PROVIDES AN INVALUABLE SOURCE OF INFORMATION AND CAMARADERIE WHILE ENJOYING A NICHE INTEREST WITHIN THE LARGER HOBBY. IT CAN ALSO BE A SOURCE OF MOTIVATED MEMBERS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE LARGER NOVAC MISSION AS VOLUNTEERS LEADERS. NOVAC ENDED 2022 WITH THREE ACTIVE SIGS. THE SIGS ARE: BYRON BERGERT IMAGING SIG, ASTRO-TRAVELER'S SIG, 3D PRINT SIG. 2022 SAW FOR THE FIRST TIME AN ELECTRONIC ASTRONOMY-RELATED LENDING LIBRARY AVAILABLE TO ALL MEMBERS FREE OF CHARGE. THIS LIBRARY ALLOWS FOR THE ELECTRONIC CHECK-OUT OF BOOKS AND OTHER ASTRONOMY-RELATED MATERIALS FOR A THIRTY-DAY PERIOD AT A TIME. THE SERVICE WE HAVE OPTED FOR IS ONE MANAGED BY OVERDRIVE, THE SAME ELECTRONIC LIBRARY SYSTEM IN USE BY MANY TRADITIONAL LIBRARIES TODAY. THERE ARE OVER 100 BOOKS/PERIODICALS THAT CAN BE CHECKED-OUT - A GREAT RESOURCE FOR THE CLUB. IT IS, HOWEVER NOT WITHOUT COST, SO A CAREFUL ASSESSMENT OF COST VERSES USE SHOULD BE SOMETHING THE 2023 BOD TO REVIEW AND DETERMINES WHETHER THE SERVICE SUFFICIENTLY MEETING MEMBERSHIP NEEDS GOING FORWARD. A SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE FACING THE CLUB IS CONTINUED RELIANCE ON AN IT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS CUSTOM AND OVERLY DEPENDENT ON VOLUNTEERS WITH BOTH SPECIALIZED IT SKILLSETS AND SIGNIFICANT BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE OF HOW ALL THE DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS AND INTERFACES WORK. NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO NOVAC'S BASIC IT INFRASTRUCTURE HAVE BEEN MADE IN MANY YEARS; INSTEAD, ONLY CHANGES NEEDED TO KEEP CORE FUNCTIONS OPERATING HAVE BEEN MADE. IN 2022 EFFORTS WERE CONTINUED TO HELP DRIVE THE CLUB TO AN IMPROVED, MORE STABLE, AND LESS DEMANDING (VOLUNTEER-WISE) BASELINE. NOVAC IS ON A PATH TO TRANSITION TO A SAAS APPROACH (SOFTWARE AS A SOLUTION) USING WORDPRESS ENGINE AS THE FOUNDATION. MEMBER DATABASE CONTENT IS PLANNED TO TRANSITION FROM AN ORACLE-BASED STANDALONE DATABASE TO MEMBER PRESS, A SPECIFIC MEMBER-MANAGEMENT SOLUTION THAT INTERFACES WITH WORDPRESS DIRECTLY. NOVAC PROVIDED DONATIONS TO CLEAR DARK SKY ($200) FOR SUSTAINMENT OF NOVAC OBSERVING SITES WITHIN THEIR WEATHER-RELATED APP, AND GMU ($1000) TO SUPPORT THE CAMPUS OBSERVATORY OPERATING BUDGET, CONTINUATION OF STUDENT-LED ASTRONOMY INITIATIVES, AND GENERAL SUPPORT TO NOVAC AND ASTRONOMY PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES THROUGH GMU.