| This is an invitation for you to join the
Southern Nights Astronomical League of Florida and the Southern Night-Sky
Restoration Project. I formed Southern Nights because I perceived a need for a forum wherein all of the hundred or more astronomical societies, planetaria, observatories and astronomical educational programs in the State of Florida could coordinate their activities, programs and events; larger organizations and programs could help smaller ones; and all of the thousands of Florida professional and amateur astronomers, educators and students could share, build, expand, and promote the oldest science known to humanity within our State. Southern Nights exists to promote Societies like CFAS, not to compete with them. As the Operations & Production Manager of the Seminole Community College Planetarium, and the Chairman of the Central Florida Astronomical Society's Dark Sky Advisory Committee (DSAC,) I am frequently asked about other astronomy programs in Florida, particularly by our Planetarium visitors from other areas of Florida and around the world. But it is very difficult to keep up with all of them, much more, to provide all of the many details and web addresses. I've always thought it would be ideal to be able to provide one URL where anybody could go to see one calendar of astronomical events for the entire State of Florida. I've also wondered how much more effective it would be if DSAC could readily coordinate with other light pollution groups in Florida, and be able to provide one URL to city planners that would have all of the FLORIDA lighting ordinances available without having to weed through all of the other states. And of course, given the fair number of tourists that I see in my planetarium, and the fact that we live in the Tourist Capitol of the World, I have often wondered if some of those national and international visitors wouldn't like to include some astronomical activities in their vacations, if only they knew what was going on, where, and when. It would also make it easier for Central Florida Astronomical Society to schedule its events, and promote them, without conflicting with other Florida organizations' events. Finally, I can't remember the number of times that I've been asked about post-secondary astronomy educational opportunities in Florida, as well as colleges that offer introductory or higher astronomy courses, as well as leisure time or community education courses in astronomy. And so the Southern Nights Astronomical League of Florida was born. Currently, Southern Nights is an informal organization with no charter, officers or dues. It costs nothing to participate. Eventually, a majority of the members may decide that it will be beneficial to formally incorporate the organization, but that is for the future. Soon I will be promoting links to this site on other astronomical web sites for the residents of Florida and tourists to use as a one-stop Florida astronomical resource. And any organization that has 10%, or 10 (whichever is less,) members join Southern Nights, will be entitled to list their organization as a whole as a member of the Southern Nights Astronomical League of Florida. Southern Nights members would also be able to ask questions of experts and issue open invitations for guest speakers. We already have one member from a major university that loves to guest lecture on the area of his research. And another who is two JPL Solar System Ambassadors. If you look back through our messages and the Public Lectures and Special Events folder of the Bookmark section, you will see that the Orlando Science Center was able to promote Dave Eason’s public lecture there last month. Of course, at that time Southern Nights was just beginning to send out invitations for membership and we had few members yet. But now we have 44 members already, in only three weeks! Visit the Southern Nights Astronomical League of Florida at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Southern_Nights/ Be sure to check out the Bookmarks and Calendar sections in particular. Although the Calendar section does require a Yahoo ID, it does not require Southern Nights membership to use. Only posting messages, Polls, Chats and the database require Southern Nights membership. Other areas are freely available to the general public. While membership continues to grow, day by day, I thought that you might be interested in some early demographics...
Obviously, Southern Nights members wear many hats, but this is already a great cross-section of Florida Astronomy. The Southern Night-Sky Restoration Project is the Light Pollution Abatement Group of the Southern Nights Astronomical League of Florida. This Project exists for the State-Wide coordination of light pollution abatement efforts and the promotion of public and government education in responsible, efficient, and effective lighting methods. Membership in the Southern Night-Sky Restoration Project is open to anyone interested in restoring the dark starry Florida night-sky that led the Spanish to St. Augustine and urged Americans to the greatest of human achievements from the Kennedy Space Center. Messages, Files, Photos, and links in the Bookmarks sections are available to the Public. While you don't HAVE to be a Southern Nights member, we certainly hope that you'll consider joining. In existence for less than two weeks, the SNR Project has already successfully coordinated a state-wide e-mail campaign to convince the Florida Wildlife Commission to forgo its plan to install street lights in Fisheating Creek Campground in Glades County. Fisheating Campground is the site of the annual Highlands Stargaze every February, hosted by the Astronomical Society of the Palm Beaches. FWC agreed to install only low-level, shielded, lights at each RV utility hookup, and nowhere else. The SNR Project will be attempting to get FWC to declare Fisheating Campground Florida's first official "Dark Sky Park." We will also work towards getting a similar designation at three to four other parks throughout Florida. Please visit the Southern Night-Sky Restoration Project at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SouthernNightSkyRestorationProject/
Clear, Dark Skies, Laurent Pellerin
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