Message from AAA’s President – February 2021

Happy February!

Somehow a month of 2021 has already gone by, and while the pandemic continues to wreak havoc around the world, astronomical advances continue to move forward unimpeded.

This month, not one, not two, but three— count them, three— visits to Mars will be accomplished. Perhaps equally impressive as the number of missions are where those missions originate from— the Middle East, Asia, and the Americas.

Does anyone else notice a trend here? It seems rather obvious that while news organizations spread the seeds of mistrust, doubt, and hatred, what is really happening is that much of humanity is working together with the common goal of exploration. Just as the United States paid Russia hundreds of millions of dollars for almost the entire last decade to launch our astronauts into space, while the media yelled and screamed that Russia and the States were mortal enemies, the scientists of numerous countries are, for the most part, collaborating to extend the knowledge of our species.

Perhaps paying attention to the facts, and not what screaming heads on TV, and ‘friends’ on social media rant about, is a positive way to find community within humanity.

And speaking of community, AAA is bursting at the seams with it. Aside from our classes, our lectures (the next speaker is coming up soon, so be sure to register on our site to attend), our school outreach, our observing, and our weekly astrophotography meetups, some big announcements are about to happen. I would not want to spoil the surprises, but let’s just say that you should keep an eye on our website. And check for emails from AAA if you’re a member, and if you’re not a member, well, what are you waiting for?!?

This month is going to be an exciting one for Mars, as well as for AAA. And on behalf of the members, the Board, and the Executive Committee of the Amateur Astronomers Association of New York, I cannot be more excited to share all of these things with you!