NOTE — Winter start time is 7:30pm and still the THIRD Saturday of the month.
Sorry that vacations, travel and illness caused a delay in updating our current status.
On November 20, 2018 Jim Steele, County 3rd District Supervisor presented a multi-faceted proclamation to the Lake County Board of Supervisors endorsing Dark Sky Certification with supporting letters from: 1) Lake County Land Trust 2) Redbud Audobon Society of Lake County 3) Cobb Area Council.
— An unusually large group (about 25) private citizens were present.
— Proclamation was adopted unanimously by the 6 county supervisors.
— Jim’s Proclamation attached. This is not a ordinance, but makes it official policy to adopt appropriate ordinances and to promote astro-tourism as an official policy objective of the County.
— Reported in local newspaper Lake County Record Bee (10,000 circulation — population of Lake County is ~65000).
Our December Event, Saturday Dec 15 2018 we presented the planetarium show “Mystery of the Christmas Star” and the weather hampered observations of the Geminid meteors and Comet 46P/Wirtanen.
January 2019
January 17..
RECORD BEE ARTICLE On Thursday, January 17 the Lake County Record-Bee published a front-page article describing the Dark Sky Initiative. Author Aidan Freeman reports interviews with FOTO President Bill Haddon, with Adam Dalton of the Intl’ Dark Sky Association (IDA) and with Lakeport city planner Kevin Ingram.
https://www.record-bee.com/…/dark-skies-initiative-underway/
Especially gratifying were the very positive statements from IDA’s Adam Dalton, who verified Lake County’s good progress in achieving dark sky certification. Yet there is a long way to go.
I note again that our two principal objectives are: 1. Maintain dark skies for future generations of students and residents and, 2. Establish a flourishing astro-tourism industry for Lake County.
Please tell your friends they can help us by joining this Facebook Dark Skies – Lake County, CA page. Also, attend the monthly Window to Universe event at Taylor (next one is on Saturday, Jan 26) or a Friends of Taylor Board meeting, 2nd Wednesday of each month at 5:00 PM at Taylor. Writing a letter of support ideas or comment to a local newspaper is helpful as well.
Friends of Taylor Board member David Velasquez and Jim Steele, recently retired 3rd District Supervisor deserve special thanks for their efforts on behalf of Lake County – Dark Skies as do growing numbers of local dark sky enthusiasts.
Two events
January 20, Sunday, 7:30-11:00 for the Lunar Eclipse, — maximum at about 9:15. This is a free event. We’ll still open for a planetarium show if it’s cloudy.
January 26, Window to the Universe
7:30 – 10:30. Short talks by David Velasquez updating us on NASA missions, and Bill Haddon describing recent successes of our Lake County Dark Sky Initiative. Planetarium show; telescope viewing if weather cooperates.