National Australian Convention of Amateur Astronomers
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The National Australian Convention of Amateur Astronomers (NACAA) is a biennial national forum for amateur astronomy in Australia.
The first national Australian astronomy convention was held over Easter in Canberra in 1967, jointly hosted by the James Cook Astronomers Club and the Pacific Astronomical Society (both Sydney-based organisations). Subsequent conventions were held in Port Macquarie (1968), Ballarat (1969), and Wollongong (1970). After four initial annual conventions, it was decided to change to a biennial event.
The first convention using the title NACAA was held in Melbourne in 1972. The title was devised by John Perdrix by rearranging pieces of cardboard, each with the letter of a suitable word, until an appropriate acronym was found. The pronunciation rhymes with "backer", not "naysar"[1].
At the time of writing, there have been 22 national astronomy conventions, as detailed below (from Perdix, 2004[2].) NACAA XXIII will be held in Penrith in March 2008.
| Year | City | Host(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Canberra | James Cook Astronomers Club, Pacific Astronomical Society |
| 1968 | Port Macquarie | Port Macquarie Astronomical Association |
| 1969 | Ballarat | Ballaarat Astronomical Society |
| 1970 | Wollongong | Illawarra Astronomical Society |
| 1972 | Melbourne | Astronomical Society of Victoria |
| 1974 | Adelaide | Astronomical Society of South Australia |
| 1976 | Sydney | Astronomical Society of New South Wales |
| 1978 | Canberra | Canberra Astronomical Society |
| 1980 | Geelong | Astronomical Society of Geelong |
| 1982 | Brisbane | Astronomical Association of Queensland |
| 1984 | Perth | Astronomical Society of Western Australia |
| 1986 | Hobart | Astronomical Society of Tasmania |
| 1988 | Sydney | Astronomical Society of New South Wales, British Astronomical Association (NSW Branch), Sutherland Astronomical Society |
| 1990 | Frankston | Astronomical Society of Frankston, Astronomical Society of Victoria |
| 1992 | Adelaide | Astronomical Society of South Australia |
| 1994 | Canberra | Canberra Astronomical Society |
| 1996 | Brisbane | Astronomical Association of Queensland, Southern Astronomical Society, Brisbane Astronomical Society, Southeast Queensland Astronomical Society |
| 1998 | Sutherland | Sutherland Astronomical Society |
| 2000 | Perth | Astronomy WA |
| 2002 | Adelaide | Astronomical Society of South Australia |
| 2004 | Hobart | Astronomical Society of Tasmania |
| 2006 | Frankston | Mornington Peninsula Astronomical Society |
At recent NACAAs, the Astronomical Society of Australia has presented the Berenice Page Medal to recognise the contributions of Australian amateur astronomers to astronomical science. The recipients of the Page Medal (to date) are:
| Year | Recipient | For |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Mr Sid Elwin | Photometric observations of the occultation of Beta' Scorpii by Jupiter |
| 1975 | Mr Dave Herald | Observations of Baily Beads in the solar eclipse of 20 June 1974 |
| 1981 | Mr Bill Bradfield | The discovery, up to that time, of 11 comets |
| 1983 | Mr Byron Soulsby | Work on the oblateness of the umbral shadow |
| 1986 | Rev'd Robert Evans | Visual discoveries of supernovae |
| 1988 | Mr Robert McNaught | Photographic nova and supernova observations and discoveries |
| 1990 | Mr Barry Adcock | Telescope design work and planetary observations |
| 1992 | Dr Mal Wilkinson | The design and construction of a radio-telescope and subsequent observations of the Io-Jupiter system and for his development of a model for the emissions |
| 1994 | Mr Paul Camilleri | Discoveries of novae and Mira variables and the development of simple photographic techniques for nova searches |
| 1996 | Mr Peter Williams | Extensive on-going visual observations of variable stars, especially the R Coronae Borealis variables |
| 1998 | Mr Gordon Garradd | Significant contributions in the observation of asteroids, comets, novae and supernovae |
| 2000 | Mr Andrew Pearce | High quality visual observations of comets, variable stars and novae |
| 2002 | The Reynolds Amateur Photometry Team | Work in association with professional astronomers to provide data on objects such as supernovae, blazars and gamma ray bursts, using the Reynolds 30" telescope at Mount Stromlo Observatory |
| 2004 | Mr Colin Bembrick | Significant contributions to astronomy from photometric observations of minor planets |
| 2006 | Dr Tom Richards | Broad ranging CCD photometry lightcurve observations, particularly of minor planets, variable stars and exoplanet searches |
As well, the Astral Award (originally sponsored by John Perdrix's Astral Press) has been presented for the best paper presented at the convention. The recipients of the Astral Award (to date) are:
| Year | Recipient | Title of paper |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Tom Cragg | CV Aquarii |
| 1988 | Peter Jones | Computer star maps[3] |
| 1990 | Peter Nelson, JL Blanksby, and AW Kruijshoop | Recent planetary and lunar occultations by the Occultation Section of the ASV |
| 1992 | Peter Nelson and Jim Park | Observing mutual phenomena of Jupiter's moons 1991 |
| 1994 | Fraser Farrell | The recruitment and supervision of amateur variable star observers |
| 1996 | Zac Pujic | The Cookbook CB245 CCD camera: evaluation of performance |
| 1998 | Vello Tabur | Computer-aided comet hunting |
| 2000 | Stephen Russell | Chasing shadows: photographing solar eclipses |
| 2002 | Colin Bembrick | Minor planet light curve determination |
| 2004 | Tom Richards | Amateurs getting violent: black holes, synchotrons and magnetic flares |
| 2006 | Jeff Byron | Itokawa, YORP and the Cecil Sayers Observatory |
[edit] Recent changes
Following slowly dwindling attendances at NACAA over the preceding ten years, a group of regular attendees decided at the 2006 NACAA that a new body should be formed to ensure that the tradition of NACAA would continue. NACAA Inc was incorporated in December 2006, only a few months short of forty years after the first national convention. The new body consists of a Secretariat of seven members, assisted by a local organising and a programme committee. Further details can be found at http://nacaa.org.au.
[edit] References
- ^ Perdrix, John L: "Australian amateur astronomical conventions: a history of NACAA", in Proceedings of the XIX National Convention of Amateur Astronomers, April 2000, pp 61.
- ^ Perdrix, John L: "Australian amateur astronomical conventions III: Approaching maturity", in Proceedings of the XXI National Convention of Amateur Astronomers, April 2004, pp 100.
- ^ An award for best paper was presented by the host societies to Barry Adcock for his paper Measurement of Mars' Pole Cap and Associated Atmospheric Haze. The presentation of two awards was probably due to the antagonism by the executive of the ASNSW towards Perdrix's establishment of the Australian Journal of Astronomy, as evidenced at the delegates meeting (SMR, personal communication)
