Contact us at newsletter@BlancoCountyNightSky.org
We already have some great poems submitted for our Facebook Group Poetry Contest, but there is still time for you to enter! The theme is “The Night Sky through the Poet’s Eye”. Poems must be submitted for posting by 3:00 p.m. CST January 31, 2022. There are no cash prizes but lots of fun and personal satisfaction. The winning poem will be announced by the BCFNS Facebook Group Administrator as a post on Facebook. He tells us “there may or may not be virtual fireworks involved.” For the rules on how to submit a poem and how to vote go to: BCFNS Poetry Contest Rules
You asked and we found a way!!! Below are two new options for you to purchase or renew your membership plus our ongoing special membership sign offer.
Lifetime Membership – If you really would like to make a difference in protecting the night sky, become a Lifetime Member. For a one-time payment of $500 you can become a member of Blanco County Friends of the Night Sky for LIFE! In addition, Lifetime Members will be awarded a Lifetime Membership sign. This is a non-refundable membership.
We already have 2 Lifetime Members!!!
Prepaid Membership – If you would like to prepay your membership for five years or more you are now able to do that. This will save you time and it will be easier to make sure your membership is always up to date. This prepayment option is non-refundable.
For more information on these and all our membership options click here: Membership Options
Membership Sign Promotion - A membership sign is the best publicity the night sky can have. For folks thinking of joining the BCFNS or renewing their membership, we are offering a free membership ($20) with the purchase of a sign ($35 tax included). Here’s the link: BCFNS Membership Signs. There are already 72 member signs out there!!!
Wayne Gosnell is The Founder and current President of the Blanco County Friends of the Night Sky. He is a retired United States Army Colonel and an Aggie but he also holds a Ph.D. from that school in Austin, the one with the big orange tower.
In the Army, Wayne specialized in international political-military relations. Following retirement from the Army, he and his wife, Martha, did two years of missionary work with Wycliffe Bible Translators in Southern Mexico. He later worked for five years in Bosnia and Herzegovina helping that country recover from war.
Having grown up in the West Texas oil fields back when the skies were still incredible out there, Wayne is passionate about preserving the night sky. Although he is fascinated by astronomy, that is not his primary motivation. He is simply awestruck by a pristine night sky. He comments that looking at the stars through a light polluted night sky is like driving through a beautiful forest with a dirty windshield.
At night sky preservation presentations, he is often heard to say, “Of all the forms of pollution mankind has foisted on the Earth, light pollution is the easiest and cheapest to fix…and it can be done in our own lifetime.”
Our next meeting is Wednesday, February 16th @ 9:00 a.m., at El Charro Restaurant in Johnson City. Everyone is welcome to attend. If you would like to attend via Zoom, just let us know and we’ll make it happen.
Mark your calendar and wish on a star that we will be able to celebrate the night sky during International Dark Sky Week. The current plan is to gather at Los Senderos Ranch, home of Terri & Larry Seiler, at 6 pm on April 26th. We’ll have time to visit and hear about what’s been going on with BCFNS. Then we’ll enjoy some night sky viewing through telescopes on what we hope to be a perfect evening as we approach the new moon. Stay tuned for details in the near future.
Type |
November |
December |
January |
Paid Households | 90 | 92 | 80 |
Household Members | 166 | 171 | 159 |
Business Members | 7 | 7 | 6 |
Facebook Group Members | 520 | 535 | 544 |
Facebook Reactions | 365 | 428 | 597 |
Instagram Followers | 259 | 265 | 269 |
Instagram Reactions | 71 | 74 | 46 |
Website Visitors (Unique) | 1190 | 1120 | 613* |