Astronomy Cafe – Nov 21, 2022

Posted by as Astro Cafe

Video transcript of meeting

  • Lunar background information – Jeff Pivnick
    • NASA Science web – source of presentation
    • Lunar origin – giant impact is most-favoured hypothesis
    • Lunar orbit is locked to the Earth
    • Composition of the surface & core
      • 2 kinds of rock – black magma, white Vesicular basalt
      • Regolith makes up the surface dust
    • Exploration
      • Apollo 11 through 17
      • Artemis
  • Artemis I Lunar Mission – Chris Gainor
    • Artemis I is an un-crewed mission to test the Orion spacecraft and launch vehicle rocket systems
    • Dec 11th – scheduled splashdown
    • 10 tiny satellites part of the mission
    • In-flight photos
    • Cabin takes 4 people on future missions
    • Photos of the Moon and setting Earth (behind the Moon)
    • As close as 81 miles to the Moon’s surface
    • Human Space Programs
      • Apollo (1968-1972), space shuttle (1981-2011, ISS (1998-present)
      • Human missions are very expensive
      • Constellation Program – 2004-2010 – parts of this program are in Artemis
      • Exploration test flights in 2009, 2014
      • Space Launch System – SLS variants of launch rockets
      • Orion Exploration Vehicle
        • Crew of 4
        • Crew Module (NASA contractors)
        • Service Module (ESA)
    • Cost of Artemis I mission is $4 billion
    • Phase 1 – get back to the Moon
    • Phase 2 – go on to Mars ~20 years
    • Artemis II
      • 4 astronauts on board
      • Loop around the Moon and return
      • No lunar orbit or landing
      • 1 of 4 Canadian astronauts will go on the mission
      • May 2024 probable launch
    • Artemis III
      • Landing on the Moon
      • As early as 2025
      • SpaceX Starship will be used as a lunar lander
      • SpaceX Starship may fly to the Moon earlier and independent from Artemis!
    • Lunar Gateway – Canadarm in lunar orbit
    • Space Shuttle engines are being reused for the Artemis missions
  • Minor details about Artemis I – Randy Enkin
    • Photo of the mission launch showing  Moon, rocket, meteorite for Enkin’s Daily Moon on Facebook
    • Trajectories
      • Distant Retrograde Orbit through La Grange points
      • Slingshot around the Moon to return to Earth
    • Cubesats
      • Space on Artemis for 16 cubesats
      • 10 cubesats on this Artemis I mission
      • The Cubesats all have different purposes and missions
    • Passengers – all mannequins
    • Photo of mission launch for Enkin’s Daily Moon on Facebook
  • Lunar Sketches – Randy Enkin
    • Waning phase – favourable libration – on two days
    • Photos of same area sketched – by Mike Nash (Victoria) and Steven Arthur Sweet (Toronto)
  • Apollo, Artemis and Orion – a backgrounder on the Greek gods by Jeff Pivnick
  • Concert at UVic on Dec 3rd – Dave  Robinson
  • Astrophotography SIG – this Wednesday – Dave Payne
  • Road construction has closed Observatory Hill to the public until Dec 22nd
    • Victoria Centre Observatory closed – Reg Dunkley
    • Centre of the Universe – virtual events only – Lauri Roche
    • Serious access problems for everyone
  • SIGs – David Lee
    • Makers SIG this Thursday
    • Citizen Science SIG – interested? contact David
  • Bollide Meteor over Southern Ontario – Peter Jedicke
    • 3:26AM EST on Saturday morning
    • Asteroid orbital predictions are now a reality
    • Predicted hit between London to Brantford, Ontario
    • Dave Clark, RASC member observed it
    • Photo taken by Rob Weryk from London, based on a tip from Hawai’i astronomy staff
    • Earlier photo from Lowell Observatory used to refine calculation of orbit
    • Peter didn’t spot the meteorite
    • Western News

Astronomy Cafe – August 9, 2021

Posted by as Astro Cafe

Transcript video of meeting

  • Randy Enkin
    • Mars Retrograde – July 7, 2020 to Jan 27, 2021 at 7-day intervals from the Phillipines
    • Meteor shower in real time from Mauna Kea, Hawaii
    • ISS Synchronized Swimming Program and other space Olympics
    • Announcements
      • UVic Observatory Open House – game show this Wednesday evening
      • Fall Fairfield – Sept 26th – volunteers needed for astronomy display
  • Perseid Meteor Shower info – John McDonald
    • Perseids peak next week – 100/hour
    • Caused by debris from a comet or asteroid
    • Meteoroid (small rock in space) becomes a Meteor when it enters the Earth’s atmosphere. A Meteorite is a Meteor that survives the descent to the surface of the Earth.
    • How to photograph a meteor shower
    • Small Solar System Bodies – asteroids, comets and meteoroids
    • Q&A
    • Personal observations of meteor showers
  • AstrophotosDave Payne
    • Cave Nebula
    • Mosaic of the Andromeda Nebula – work in progress
  • AstrophotosBrock Johnston
    • Sadr region
    • Cocoon Nebula
    • Andromeda Nebula
    • Fireworks Galaxy
    • Used a new OSC camera for the last two photos – ZWO ASI2600MC Pro
  • Ophiuchus Nova outburst – David Lee
  • Astrophotos from Edmonton Centre – John McDonald (for Dave Robinson)
    • Jupiter & 3 moons
    • ISS transit across the Sun
  • Nathan observed Ganymede and Europa crossing paths last night
  • Diane Bell’s Memorial – Lauri Roche
    • August 15th – 1-2PM at BC Aviation Museum
    • Diane’s brother Gord to conduct a short tour of the museum afterward
  • FDAO Star Party – next is an astrophotography star party on August 21st