Astronomy Cafe – May 3, 2021

Posted by as Astro Cafe

Transcript video of meeting

  • New RASC national membership site is now live – reset your password! – Chris Purse
  • Explore The Universe certificate – presented by Randy Enkin to Chris Purse
    • Chris reviews all the national observing programs, and how he completed the ETU
    • Double Stars program is now live, and can be done even from light-polluted locations – Blair Stunder
    • There is no time limit on completing any of the certificates
    • Goto mounts and setting circles can be used in addition to finding objects using traditional star-hopping
  • International Astronomy Day – May 15th 7PM-11PM – online event by FDAO
    • Registration required – free
    • Plaskett history
    • Fossils in Our Galaxy – presentation by Kim Venn
    • Astrophotography display with VOX Humana audio
    • Ask An Astronomer 
    • Planetarium show
    • Tour of the UVic telescope
    • EAA group to show
    • Live streaming from the Plaskett – weather dependant
  • Coronado 90mm solar telescope acquired by the FDAO to use for public outreach
  • Edmonton RASC photos – Dave Robinson
    • Solar prominences in Ha – Abdur Anwar
    • Moonset on April 24th over Edmonton – Alister Ling
    • Solar Ha 80mm Lunt – Arnold Rivera
    • Moonset at Sunrise over Edmonton – time lapse movie by Alister Ling
  • Possible Undiscovered Planets in our Solar System – Astronomy XKCD comic – Randy Enkin
    • Based on recent Planet 9 WISE research
    • Logarithmic distance scale
    • Amended comic with more facts and embellishments
  • SIGs – David Lee
    • Getting Started in Astronomy – Tue evening
    • EAA & UVic students – Wed evening rehearsal for upcoming Astronomy Day
    • EAA – Thu evening
    • Makers – info sent by Jim Cliffe to email list
  • End of a series of low tides – tied to the Moon – Dave Robinson
    • High Spring tides are following later this month
    • Total Lunar Eclipse coincides with this month’s Full Moon
  • Variable Star observing – David Lee
    • Target yet to be picked, but probably a rapid period variable first
    • Can use imagers or visual observing
    • Basic methodology: measuring a comparison star against the target variable star brightness
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