Astronomy Cafe – May 15, 2023

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Video transcript of meeting

  • Intro – Jeff Pivnick
  • To the Moon, with Robots and Humans – Dr. Gordon “Oz” Osinski, Dept. Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario
    • Sailing ships to space missions – history of human exploration
    • The Moon has thousands of meteorite impacts
    • 2019 announcement by Canadian government
      • Canadarm 3 on Lunar Gateway outpost
      • Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program (LEAP) – Canadian lunar rover
    • Artemis I – launched last year
      • Lots of images from this mission
    • Artemis II – orbit Moon
      • Canadian astronaut – Jeremy Hansen
      • Crewed test flight to the Moon and Earth high orbit
      • Engineering mission, not a science mission
      • Launch – late 2024 or early 2025
    • Artemis III – land on the Moon
      • Geology training for astronauts
      • 18 astronaut candidates
      • 13 candidate landing sites – all near Lunar South Pole
      • Geological samples will return to Earth with the astronauts
      • Canada has 30 out of 200 impact craters found on Earth
      • Mistastin Lake impact structure – best analog to lunar craters since anorthosite ejecta is found here, same as on the Moon (light material)
    • Canadian Lunar Rover Mission
      • Canadensys – contractor for 30kg prototype
      • Science instruments will take about 5-6kg
      • South Pole – geology and mineral resources
      • Volatiles – water
      • Permanently Shadowed Regions – no sunlight
      • Radiation monitoring to ensure astronauts’ health, both on the Moon and future Mars missions
      • Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter – images showing deep lunar shadows
    • Q & A
  • Island Star Party 2023 – Dave Payne
    • August 11-13, 2023
    • In-reach – socializing with fellow members
    • Location: Bright Angel Park – south Cowichan
    • Activities
      • Solar observing
      • Nature walks
      • Kinsol Trestle
      • Lots of activities in Cowichan Valley
      • Telescope walk, how to use a telescope, observing skills
      • Speakers – one each night
    • Perseid Meteor shower
    • T-shirts – contact Joe Carr to preorder
    • Volunteers needed – contact Dave Payne
    • ISP Volunteer Email List
  • Victoria Centre Observatory – Reg Dunkley
    • Last night – 10 Active Observers
    • Both visual and photography
    • Become an Active Observer – contact Chris Purse
  • Occultation of Jupiter by the Moon – David Lee
    • Wednesday, May 17th 4:52am – 5:33am
    • Moon 3º above the eastern horizon during the occultation
  • Astrophotography by local members
    • Astronomy Day slideshow – Ken McGill
    • Brock Johnston
      • Orion & Flame Nebula widefield
      • M94 – halo
      • Cat’s Eye Nebula & NGC 6552 barred spiral galaxy
  • Randy Enkin
    • Deep Sky Filter – a Lumicon “UHC” legacy visual filter
    • Orrery – kit build
  • Observations – Marjie Welchframe
    • Kemble’s Cascade
    • Spring double stars

No Astro Cafe next week due to the Victoria Day statutory holiday. The last Astro Cafe before the summer break will be held on May 29th.

Astronomy Cafe – May 8, 2023

Posted by as Astro Cafe

Video transcript of meeting

  • Intro – Marjie Welchframe
  • Centre of the Universe Volunteer Coordinator – Aimee Rossen (info@centreoftheuniverse.org)
    • Volunteer waivers – need to have everyone sign the form after viewing the safety video
    • Volunteer list – access to Observatory Hill
    • Volunteers should arrive before 7pm on Saturday night to avoid congestion at the access gate
  • ORCASat – Prof. Justin Albert
    • This microsat was built at UVic and launched six months ago to the ISS, where it was deployed – ORCASat — Launch
    • ORCASat should burn up next month after six months of operation in low Earth orbit
    • Background
      • Modern cosmology started in 1929 Edwin Hubble’s assertion that the Universe is expanding
      • Cepheid variable stars tell us the absolute magnitude, hence the distance away from Earth. Henrietta Swan-Leavitt’s research enabled this process.
      • Observing past 10*7 Parsecs means using Type 1A SuperNova (White Dwarf), since Cepheids are no longer bright enough to use as a standard candle.
      • Limitations of our Knowledge of Dark Energy 73% of Universe’s mass
      • Calibration of brightness measurements are needed – flux as a function of colour
      • Dark Matter 23% of Universe’s mass
      • Atoms 3% of Universe’s mass
      • The Dark Side of the Universe
      • Supernovae are one of the powerful probes for understanding the eventual fate of the Universe
    • ORCASat is in an ISS-like orbit
      • Needs good coverage above ground observatories, so they can observe Orcasat
      • Photometric calibration – Orcasat’s absolute brightness is compared with standard stars
    • ALTAIR – Airborne Laser for Telescopes Atmospheric Interference Reduction
      • Photometric Calibration using a high altitude balloon
    • A laser photometric ratio star (LPRS) – exciting the Sodium layer
  • I Need More Space-Time – review of a science fair project by Nathan Hellner-Mestleman
    • Predict when our Universe will end
    • Used Wiseman Observatory data for Type 1 SN
      • Spectral lines: Hydrogen epsilon, Hydrogen delta
      • Examined Supernovae 30 million LY to 40 billion LY
      • Found the Hubble Constant to vary from 20 km/sec/Parsec to much bigger
    • Using Slooh data didn’t work out, since Supernovae data levels are too low
    • Project tried to infer how long the Universe will last from changes in brightness of Supernovae
    • Consensus from WMAPS
  • Q&A for both Justin and Nathan
    • Is the Universe finite or infinite? We don’t know, and possibly will never know.
    • Hot, dense start to the Universe – ratio of Hydrogen and Helium verifies this process, as does Nucleosynthesis with Quarks and Gluons (DOE Explains…Quarks and Gluons | Department of Energy).
    • LIGO and other Gravitational Wave observatories should verify how the Universe started (inflation).
  • Events
    • RASC General Assembly – Lauri Roche
    • Beaveree at Camp Barnard – May 27th (9am-2pm) – Bill Weir
    • Island Star Party – Aug 11-13 – Dave Payne
      • Permit for park use is in place
      • More details at next week’s Astro Cafe

Astronomy Cafe – April 24, 2023

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Video transcript of the meeting

  • Pendulum Experiment To Measure Local Gravity – Kemi Daniel (Grade 5, PCS)
    • Gravity in her house is slightly lower than earth’s gravity
    • Science Fair winner
  • Astronomy by Night – A new Canadian website for amateur astronomers. hosted by Carina Ockedahl (former editor of Skynews)
    • Reached out to contributors – Chris Vaughan, Dan Kusz, Alan Dyer, Charles Ennis, and others
    • AstroPhoto of the Week – not just for Canadians
    • Newsletter
    • Collaboration with SkySafari
    • This Week’s Night Sky
    • Gear Reviews & Tech
    • Columns
      • World’s Asterisms
      • Research
    • Profile
    • Podcast – 2 per week
    • Video – interviews
    • Star chart – from Heavens Above
    • News – both from International and Canadian sources
  • International Astronomy Day/Weekend – David Lee, Lauri Roche
    • Speakers are lined up
    • Local astronomy organizations will be there
    • Observatory Hill on Saturday night – 29th
    • UVic on Sunday daytime – 30th
  • SpaceX Starship Launch on Apr 20, 2023 – Chris Gainor
    • Huge amounts of smoke and debris at launch
    • Disintegrated 4 minutes into the flight
    • Rocket left a huge crater at the launch site
    • Questions and discussion
  • Hybrid Solar Eclipse – April 20th – Randy Enkin
    • 1 minute duration
    • Total & Partial Solar Eclipse
    • Solar maximum corona, so lots of plasma streamers visible
    • Time & Date – particulars of this eclipse
    • Photos & video of eclipse chasers
  • Other events and discussion

Astronomy Cafe – April 17, 2023

Posted by as Astro Cafe

Video transcript of meeting

  • Regional Science Fair – report by Randy Enkin
    • 3 prizes awarded
    • Measured the period of the pendulum
    • Supernovae red shift analysis – Nathan Mestleman-Keller
    • Double Di-pole Radio Telescope – Io/Jupiter generates – Evan Warburton, Oak Bay High School, Grade 12
    • Distinguished Service Award to Randy
  • Astronomy by Night – new astronomy website hosted by Carina Ockedahl (former editor of Skynews), Chris Vaughn, Charles Ennis, and more contributors
  • JUICE – Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer launch – Randy Enkin
    • ESA launched this mission to Jupiter on Friday
    • Lunar-Earth flyby a year from now
    • Venus and Earth flyby
    • Arrives at Jupiter – July 3031
    • Multiple flybys of Jupiter’s icy moons
    • Orbit Ganymede for 3 years
    • 10 instruments onboard
  • SIGs – David Lee
    • Makers SIG
    • Astrophotography SIG
  • International Astronomy Day – Lauri Roche & David Lee
  • Neutron Stars – The Quest to Understand the Zombies – a book by Katia Moskvitch – review by Ron Fisher
    • Latest research and very interesting story
    • Research in Italy
    • NGC 4993- emitted radio waves and captured visual light from neutron star collision
    • CHIME – fast radio bursts
  • Astrophotos and Sketches
    • Double Transit – John McDonald
      • Planets and shadows visible
      • Moon Shadows on Jupiter – video
    • SkAc1 faint Planetary Nebula – Dave Payne
      • Challenge by Bill Weir
    • Double Transit sketch – Bill Weir
    • Orbital Motion of Venus – Marjie Welchframe
    • Bode & Cigar Galaxies, Horsehead & Flame Nebulae – Ken McGill

Astronomy Cafe – Apr 3, 2023

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Meeting transcript video

  • SIGs – David Lee
  • Mallory Thorp – profile by Marjie Welchframe
  • Island Star Party 2023 – Dave Payne
    • Speakers TBA
    • Telescope tours and tutorials
    • Make suggestions for activities
    • Tue, April 11th – kick off meeting
    • Contact Dave (email) or

      Randy Enkin Email

      to help out with this fun event
  • Fast Radio Cosmos lecture by Victoria Kaspi – Reg Dunkley
    • Uses the CHIME radio observatory near Penticton
    • 3 additional outrigger radio telescopes:  160 kms from Penticton, Green Bank, WV, and Hat Creek, CA
    • Good Q&A at the end of the lecture video
    • Skynews – Feb 2017 issue highlights the CHIME instruments
    • DRAO open to the public starting April 8th
    • Discussion of radio interference when using radio telescopes
  • Astronomy Day – Lauri Roche
    • FDAO Star Party – Observatory Hill – April 29th – evening hours
      • Need astronomers with telescopes to volunteer 
      • Starlink speaker
    • UVic – April 30th 11AM-4PM
      • Lots of volunteers have signed up, but everyone welcome to help, especially someone to lead the event promotion and communications – contact Lauri by email
      • Astronomy labs open
      • 6 speakers 
      • Free parking
  • Virtual General Assembly 2023 – May 5-7
    • Jeremy Hansen, CSA astronaut – speaker
  • RASC Victoria Hopes & Dreams – Randy’s list

    Randy Enkin Email

    • Open Council meetings. Now that we have a smaller Council, we should make more effort to advertise the meetings to the entire membership – and possibly lay the foundation for more recruitment to leadership.
    • Closer ties to UVic. I often hear that members want to get back to meeting at the University. I also think we should offer programs that encourage undergrad students to be active in the RASC-VC.
    • Closer ties with the FDAO. We have overlapping mandates and volunteer bases. Closer coordination will benefit both organizations.
    • More in-person events, especially under the night sky.
    • More scheduled and ad hoc evenings at the VCO
    • More diversity in membership and leadership.
    • A budget!
    • Revised Statement of Goals of the Society.
    • Calendar on the website
    • Documented Council job descriptions
    • October 14 Solar Eclipse event
    • Display of Astrophotographs
    • Support Vic High club, Oak Bay, Mount Doug
    • Prizes or other activities with UVic students (Volunteerism, Outreach)
    • Using the telescope collection to support School Clubs.
    • Help with the telescope lending library
    • Recruitment and Retention of membership.
    • Sustainability of Volunteers and Council members
    • Organize the Google Drive. Make more complete.
    • Member survey
    • Diane Bell Award for Astrosketching
    • Car share to VCO
    • NOVA program!
    • Schools Program – with FDAO?
    • Liaisons with school groups
    • Mentors with school groups
    • Join in school-group observing nights
    • Prizes and goodies for school groups
    • Support for Science Fair – volunteers for judges, prizes, handing our RASC bookmark etc.
  • Sky At Night Podcasts – Bill Weir & David Lee
    • Lance Bass  (nSync boy band) – selected to be a Russian cosmonaut! “The last Soviet citizen”
    • JWST podcast series
  • Victoria Centre Observatory (VCO) – Reg Dunkley
    • Active Observers to have access soon
    • Tech committee needs to check on the health of systems up there first
    • No more than 16 people at a time, with social distancing and health precautions (personal choice)
    • Ad hoc observing sessions for favourable weather to start with
    • Scheduled observing sessions later
    • Must be an Active Observer and must adhere to safety procedures
    • Gate codes for existing MICs have been refreshed for the coming year
  • Astrophotos during galaxy season – Dave Payne
    • M94 galaxy – elliptical shape and outer ring of material
    • M106 and friends – 4 arms in M106
  • National Council – Chris Gainor
    • Complete staff turnover at the National office is ongoing
    • Randy Atwood is interim Executive Director, working with the Board to recover
    • Annual Report – Victoria Centre’s report still needed
    • Skynews magazine is still being wound up

There will not be an Astro Café next week as it is a holiday Monday. We will be back on Monday, April 17

Astronomy Cafe – March 6, 2023

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Video transcript of meeting

  • Randy Enkin (video recording)
    • Venus-Jupiter Conjunction
      • Some great photo taken of the conjunction both by members and others
      • Venus can be up to 47º away from the Sun
      • Venus-Jupiter Conjunctions 1990-2060
      • March 1st conjunction – Venus-Jupiter had 0.5º separation
    • Victoria Centre’s Annual General Meeting – March 13th (virtual)
      • Need 25 members for a quorum
      • Links to Zoom sent to members along with supporting documents
      • Social dinner at the Moon Under Water Pub to be held on March 27th
  • The Hunt for the Culprit  – Part 2 – Reg Dunkley
    • Jan 9th – Part 1 was presented
    • Iron 60 and Supernovae relationship
    • Are Supernovae responsible for climate change on Earth?
    • Star formation near the Sun is driven by expansion of the Local Bubble by Catherine Zucker, et. al. – Jan 2022
    • Caroline and William Herschel
    • GAIA – astronomical big science, inspired an astronomical gold rush
      • ESA video on GAIA
      • 3D map of the Milky Way
      • Photometric instrument
      • Measures: Brightness, positions, proper motions, radial velocities, spectra
      • 11 years of data, 150 complete surveys of the sky
      • How this data is being used – a review
    • Interstellar Extinction
    • H-R Diagram: Colour Index vs Magnitude
    • 3D Mapping of Interstellar Dust
    • The Local Bubble – dust map
    • Traceback of Star Cluster
    • Idealized Model for Local Bubble Evolution – Stellar and Solar Orbits animation
    • Location of the Culprit
    • Summary of Zucker et al findings
    • A Golden Opportunity!
      • Data freely available along with analysis routines
      • Do some citizen science?
    • Radcliffe Wave by Brian Ventrudo
  • Special Interest Groups – David Lee
    • Beginners SIG – tomorrow evening
    • Citizen Science SIG – Thursday evening – sign up with David Lee
  • Photos & Observations by members
    • Venus-Jupiter conjunction from Hawai’i – photo of closest approach (0.5º) by Dave Payne
    • Jones-Eberson Bubble planetary nebula – photo by Brock Johnston
      • Jones 1 in Pegasus – next object to try for – Bill Weir
    • Explore the Universe observing program – Marjie Welchframe
    • Moon-Jupiter-Venus conjunction on Feb 23 – iPhone photo taken from the city by Doug Hardy
    • Photos – Ken McGill
    • Moon-Jupiter-Venus conjunction on Feb 23 – Marjie Welchframe
  • Reports – Lauri Roche
    • Centre of the Universe Open House on March 25-26
    • RASC Online General Assembly (no AGM)
      • Virtual tours of DDO and DAO (7-8pm on Fri)
      • Poster sessions – April 1st call for papers
    • RASC National AGM – June 25th (virtual)

Astronomy Cafe – Feb 13, 2023

Posted by as Astro Cafe

Video transcript of meeting

A Special General Meeting (SGM) was held before Astronomy Cafe commenced. After the SGM concluded, members heard a guest speaker and reports.

A Brief History of Galaxies: from the discovery of island universes to a clash of the Titans – Dr. Sara Ellison, UVic Astronomy professor

  • Our own Milky Way and other galaxies showing light and dust features
  • Deep field taken by JWST
    • FOV: a grain of sand held at arm’s length
    • thousands of galaxies in the image
  • History
    • Charles Messier – a 17th century comet hunter who listed 110 objects that are notcomets
    • Lord Ross used the 1.8m Leviathan telescope to sketch spiral galaxies
    • Shapely-Curtis debate in 1920 about the nature of nebulae
    • The Glass Universe: How the Ladies of the Harvard Observatory Took the Measure of the Stars: Sobel, Dava: 9780143111344: Books – Amazon.ca
    • Henrietta Leavitt discovered the Type 1 Cepheid Variables, correlation between the brightness and variations in the luminosity
    • Leavitt’s discovery used by Edwin Hubble, who in 1923 settled the Shapely-Curtis debate. The Hubble Law related distance to velocity (red shift), the start of cosmology as we now know it.
    • Hubble Tuning Fork classifications of galaxies
    • Halton Arp studied Peculiar Galaxies – guide: arpgalaxy.com
  • Early modelling of interacting galaxies
  • Video – current modelling of interacting galaxies
  • Toomre Sequence – showing different morphologies
  • Galaxies cluster in groups, which is how they grow mass
  • Stellar streams in the Triangulum Galaxy – research at Herzberg
  • Tidal streams in the Milky Way are remnants of small galaxies that have interacted in the past
  • How a galaxy merger transforms it – simulations predict:
    • Isolated disk
    • Small group
    • Gas funnels to the galaxy centre
    • Black hole accretion
    • Decay
    • Dead Elliptical
  • Sara’s research – Sara Ellison – University of Victoria
  • Q&A

Announcements

  • Council meeting coming up – Tue 28th – AGM planning
  • Awards Nominations and nominees for Council – contact Reg Dunkley pastpres@victoria.rasc.ca
  • AGM will be held online, tentatively on March 13th
  • Social dinner will also be held later – awards
  • SIGs

No Astro Cafe next week. Next Astro Cafe will be held on Feb 27th

Astronomy Cafe – Dec 12, 2022

Posted by as Astro Cafe

Video transcript of meeting

  • Astronomical Society of the Pacific – David Lee’s report from a virtual conference
    • Diversity and citizen science
    • Upcoming solar eclipses
    • OpenStax Astronomy – topics for beginners
    • Mentorship of students, STEM
    • Active Learning
    • NASA Citizen Science
    • Vera Rubin Observatory – public portals to data
    • World Asterisms – RASC Charles Ennis
    • Accessible astronomy for blind people and others
  • Citizen Science SIG/group – contact David Lee
  • “Silent Sky” – a play about Henrietta Leavitt- Langham Court Theatre – Jeff Pivnick
    • Playing Jan 25-Feb 11th, 2023
    • RASC should have telescopes outside – Marjie & Reg
  • Astronomical Images – Real or fiction? – Joe Carr
    • Faked ring detail on Saturn image posted by Jason Guenzel and critical reaction from many on social media
    • Io in True Color from Galileo mission, and a monochrome LORRI image from the New Horizons mission
    • Joe’s 2016 Total Solar Eclipse false colour image processed using HDR, split toning and tone curves
    • Joe’s Prominences on the Sun in Ha using Sobel edge detection filter
    • Dave Payne’s Tadpoles Nebula images in RGB versus a Hubble-like palette using narrowband hydrogen, oxygen and sulphur
    • Ken McGill’s Eastern Veil Nebula images with and without stars
    • John McDonald’s various processing techniques of the Cave Nebula using Dave Payne’s RGBL & Ha, OIII & SI narrowband source image data
    • Lava Flows North on Mauna Loa – Landsat infrared data overlaid on natural colour
    • Landsat NIR, IR and green wavelengths used to depict fine detail in the Columbia Glacier – Prince William Sound, Alaska
    • High Dynamic Range source data and resultant image illustration of process
    • Question to the group: Which astrophotos do you consider fake?
      • Dennis Crabtree’s posts of AI-generated images on Facebook
    • Extra: APOD: An Artful Sky over Lofoten Islands (2022 Dec 13) – Giulio Cobianchi
  • Tributes to Dave Bennett – Randy Enkin
    • Guy Nason was his observing partner
    • Randy visited with Sue and took away Dave’s astronomy gear. Bruce Lane will appraise it.
    • Varsavia occultation – David Lee
    • Dave Bennett Memorial
  • Constitution and Bylaws – Randy Enkin
    • Please read the bylaws as sent out to all members
    • Send any comments to the President and Secretary
    • We will adopt the new bylaws at the Special General Meeting by 2/3 majority
    • Then we will hold our AGM based on the new bylaws (hopefully)
  • Makers’ SIG – happening this week on Thursday – contact David Lee
  • Lunar Occultation of Mars – Brian Barber & David Lee
    • Very tough to photograph from Victoria, and the visual views were spotty
    • Enkin’s Daily Moon is profiling photos of the occultation from around the world on Facebook
  • Artemis I Return – Chris Gainor
    • Splashed down after 26 days in space
    • Entry used a different approach path over the South Pole, landing just offshore from San Diego
    • Announcement of the crew for the next mission is next, including a Canadian astronaut
    • Shorty crater and orange soil in 1972 broadcast from the Moon on Apollo Realtime Playback
    • Bob McDonald’s Frankenstein Rocket presentation

Astronomy Cafe – Dec 5, 2022

Posted by as Astro Cafe

Video transcript of meeting

  • Beginning in Astrophotography – Ron Fisher
    • 2018 Dobsonian telescope for Christmas
    • Joined the Astrophotography SIG when it started up during the pandemic
    • Climbed the “learning curve”
    • Acquired an EQ6 mount, mounted 300mm telephoto lens and a dSLR
    • Learned PixInsight
    • Andromeda (1st photo), Orion Nebula (2nd photo)
    • New gear acquired in April 2022
      • Askar 500mm 90mm apo refractor
      • 50mm Guidemaster scope & guide camer
      • ASI Air Pro powers and controls all the gear
    • M81, M82
    • Pelican Nebula
    • PixInsight used for processing
    • With a focal reducer
      • North American Nebula
      • Elephant Trunk Nebula
      • Soul Nebula
    • Heart and Soul Nebula
    • Ron’s astrophoto gallery
  • Astronomical Holiday Gifts – Randy Enkin
    • Starting in astronomy – David Lee
      • Stars and Planets – Smithsonian handbook
      • RASC Almanac
      • Deep Sky Wonders – Sue French – good for beginners with small scopes or binoculars
      • Binocular Highlights – Garry Seronik
    • History of Hubble – Chris Gainor has a few copies at his house ($25)
    • For sale – used from Randy Enkin’s bookshelf
      • Apollo Murders – Chris Hadfield
      • Silent Spring – Rachael Carson
      • Planets – Dava Sobel
      • The Day the World Discovered the Sun – transects of Venus in the 18th century
  • Edmonton Centre– Alistair Ling
    • Finally staging hybrid meetings – Planetarium at Telus World
    • What’s up in the sky – based on Edmonton’s sky
    • The hybrid meetings have only attracted limited members to attend in-person
    • Observatory at Black Nugget Lake – installing a 32″ telescope – unofficial first light by this summer
      • Visual telescope – looking forward to observing the celestial splendors
      • Designed to be an imaging scope, if needed in future
      • Public access is planned
    • Weekly public outreach at The Science Centre
    • Helping people use their telescopes – by Alistair
    • Have a full slate of officers
  • Occultation of Mars – Randy Enkin
  • Mars photo from yesterday evening – Brock Johnston
  • Observing techniques – discussion
  • SIGs – David Lee email
    • Beginners tomorrow night – magnitude basics
    • Electronically-assisted Astronomy on Thursday, then on request only
    • Citizen Science SIG – coming up in January
    • Aaron Bannister request: astrophotography for school kids
      • Capture brighter objects when weather permits
      • Processing data sets
      • Astrophotographers?
  • Last Astro Cafes for 2022 – Dec 12th, 19th
  • First Astro Cafe of the New Year – Jan 9, 2023 starting at 7:00PM instead of 7:30PM
  • Sunshine Coast Centre – Peter Broughton presentation on J.S. Plaskett – Dec 9 Friday 7PM – Victoria Centre members welcome
  • Winter Solstice Star Party – Dec 17th – Nathan is presenting
  • Status of national Observers Calendars – haven’t arrived yet
  • Artemis I update – Chris Gainor
    • Close pass to the Moon this morning
    • On its way home – Dec 11th arrival
    • Crescent Earthrise photo
  • Watching the final Apollo launch to the Moon – flashback tomorrow night – Chris Gainor
  • David Bennett memories from members – next week

Astronomy Cafe – Nov 28, 2022

Posted by as Astro Cafe

Video transcript of the meeting

  • Astronomy Day – Jeff Pivnick
    • Giveaways needed – contact Jeff
      • Old Observers’ Handbook
      • Past issues of magazines like Skynews
      • Astronomy books no longer needed
  • Victoria Centre AGM 2023 – Randy Enkin
    • Decouple the social event and the business meeting
  • How do members use the Observers Handbook? – Randy Enkin
    • Read articles, but don’t use as a guide book
    • Definitions are useful
    • Source of authoritative information about astronomy
    • Lists of eclipses, celestial objects
    • Sky phenomena
    • Tides
    • Professional astronomers use it as reference
    • Chris Purse and James Edgar have given tours of the Observers Handbook. James’ 6 presentations are available on RASC National’s Youtube.
  • 2023 RASC Observers calendars – should arrive within a week for those who ordered – Lauri Roche
  • SIGs – David Lee
    • Members have shown interest in the new Citizen Science SIG – announcement pending
    • Electronically-Assisted Astronomy SIG this Thursday
    • Beginners SIG next week
  • Astronomy Cafe venue – Randy Enkin
    • Custodians want to clean our meeting room and leave by 9:00PM
    • Proposing to start Astro Cafe at 7:00PM
    • Possibly give up on in-person Astro Cafe?
    • What about monthly meetings at UVic resuming? Parking is now $4 for the evening, and no word from UVic about restarting room rentals.
  • Artemis Mission – Chris Gainor
    • Photo of Artemis’ Orion, the Moon, Earth – Flickr
    • Dec 1 – next burn
    • James Webb mission blogs
    • L2 outside the Moon gives Orion a low-energy position – Distant Retrograde Orbit
    • Mass concentrations on the Moon affect the orbit of the rockets
    • Nov 23 – Orion lost contact with Earth for 47 minutes – unexplained, to be investigated
    • Discussion about launching processes
  • Using Stellarium – Dennis F
    • Impressed with the tutorials produced by National
  • NRC Open House for RASC members?
    • Would be great to have a tour of the new optical building
    • Lauri to coordinate when the road reopens
  • FDAO Star Parties – Lauri Roche
    • Dec 26 – online only for last Saturday’s Star Party
      • Presentation: CASTOR new space telescope (ultraviolet, wide-field) – Dr. Tyrone Woods, project lead
      • Would make a good presentation for RASC Victoria members
    • Dec 17 – virtual Star Party celebrating the solstice – Nathan is the speaker