Time	Program	Speaker
10:30am	Your First Year As An Amateur Astronomer	Kathy Machin
11:30am	“Observing the Moon: Its History Observing Techniques and Scientific Work Amateurs Can Do!”	Richard P. Wilds
1:30PM	Getting The Most From Your Astronomy Club	Bill O’Donnell
2:30PM	Unknown At Time of Publication	Patti Kurtz
3:30PM	"Where is the 'Edge' in Deep-Sky Observing Now?"	Brian Skiff

Speaker Biographies

Kathy Machin

Kathy has been interested in sky-gazing for as long as she can remember. Her earliest astronomical memory is watching a curtain aurora shimmering across the rural Wisconsin sky. Kathy took a couple of introductory astronomy classes in college, and learned the basic constellations from planetarium programs in college. After college, she moved to Kansas City for a job, and joined the Astronomical Society of Kansas City. She is a past president of the ASKC, and has been active in the club ever since she joined in 1973. Kathy is an accomplished obeserver, having completed the Astronomical League Messier Club, Herschel 400 club, Lunar Club, Meteor Club, Messier Binocular, Deep Sky Binocular, and Southern Skies Binocular awards. Since 1988 she has been in charge of the Astronomical League Messier Club, Meteor Club, and Sunspotter Club. She has been active in Astronomical League affairs, and has just been elected Mid-States Regional Representative. Along with Sue Wheatley, she co-authored the Messier Observe Manual, A beginners Guide to the Messier Objects.

Richard P. Wilds

Richard is currently the Astronomical Director and Research Coordunator at the Kansas Flint Hills Observatory Complex of A Tech Heartland Astronomical Research Team (HART). Among many other contributions to the field and science of astronomy, HART has been of significant importance to the U.S. Naval Observatory and the International Occultation Timing Association (IOTA)Bill O’Donnell

Bill has been active in the Omaha Astronomical Society since 1989 and currently serves as club president. He has assumed many other duties in the organization as well. Bill is also a long-time NSP Staff member. This is Bill’s sixth trip to the NSP.

Patti Kurtz

Patti is a former staff editor and photo editor for Astronomy magazine, yet remains a regular writer of articles and is a contributing Editor. She resides in Littleton, CO, where she teaches astronomy in the public schools and organizes public star parties.

Brian Skiff