Ordinary Meeting, 2002 October 30

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Ordinary Meeting, 2002 October 30

held at the Scientific Societies' Lecture Theatre, 23 Savile Row, London W1

Guy Hurst, President

Ron Johnson, Nick Hewitt and Nick James, Secretaries

The President opened the first Ordinary Meeting of the 113th session by inviting Dr Hewitt to read the minutes of the last OM of the previous session, which were approved by the audience and signed. Mr Johnson reported that no presents had been received. 37 new members were proposed, and the 32 members proposed at the September meeting were approved by the members present and declared elected. Mr Hurst invited any members who he had not already met to introduce themselves over coffee after the meeting.

Mr James announced that four papers had been approved by Council for publication in the Journal:

The Leonid meteor shower in 1999, by Neil Bone

Venus and the journal of Andre Gide, by Robert Steele

Mars at its nearest: E.A.L. Atkins on Madeira, 1924, by Richard McKim

Astronomical diaries and observations from the Great War, by Jonathan Shanklin

The President announced that the next meeting would be held at Savile Row, and would feature Robert Hutchingson. This would sadly be the Association's last meeting at this venue.

Mr Hurst expressed his congratulations to those members who had contributed observations of a Gamma Ray Burst (GRB) on October 4. These events fade beyond observation within hours of their appearance, and it was believed that this event had been the first GRB which amateurs had successfully observed. The President then invited Mr Neil Bone to speak about "The Leonid Years".