Two years ago, Sergei Karpov visited major observatories in America and spent some time in Hollywood with the Sidewalk Astronomers. Upon his return to Russia, he has kept in touch with us. Here is his latest report of his club's activities.

The Krasnoyarsk Astronomical Club was founded in 1980 and is housed at the Center of Supplementary Education in Krasnoyarsk. The majority of our members are students of secondary and high secondary school (aged 11-17 years old). Our main objective is education, and our activities are: lectures, excursions, telescope-making, astrophotography, and regularly scheduled observations held In the observatory of the club.

Our main news in 1999 is that we accepted lots of new members-about 30 people to the club. I now work with more than 50 students, who are real fans of astronomy. They are very quick-witted young people and it is very interesting for me to work with them, to teach them ways to enjoy astronomy, and to help encourage them to find worthy aims in their lives. I am glad that their parents help me in this work too.

Our astronomical news of this year (1999/2000) is not very abundant, this year being rather poor for great sky events. But in August 1999, we held our first Siberian Astrofestival near Krasnoyarsk. We invited many amateur astronomers and the astrofest was similar to the ones that amateur astronomers in the USA traditionally hold. Most of the participants belonged to our club, and we had a few people join us who were amateur astronomers from a local town, Zelenogorsk (which is translated as Town of Green Mountains). We held the Astrofestival in the former School for Young Astronauts (so called) located in a suburban forest. This school is closed and students left this building two years ago, leaving the building out of use temporarily. It is equipped with a small observatory consisting of a 6" Newtonian telescope and SBIG 6CCD imager. There is a small place for astronomical observations elevated up to 15 meters on the level of the tree tops. Low light pollution-and what is very important to note- a steady atmosphere-make viewing conditions here excellent. I was amazed at first, seeing such sharp planet images. (continuation)