Astronomy Cafe – May 13, 2024

Posted by as Astro Cafe

Video transcript for meeting

  • Intro by Marjie Welchframe
  • Aurora – David Lee
    • Huge Sunspot Wednesday of last week
    • Coronal Mass Ejection
    • Friday evening at Cattle Point was very popular by the public observing the aurora
    • Various types of aurora – BBC Sky At Night
  • Cosmic Wonder book – Nathan Hellner-Mestleman
    • Nathan worked on his first astronomy book over last two years
    • Existential thoughts
    • Are we alone?
      • Carbon and water – source of life on Earth as we know it
      • Other elements are probably the source of life on other worlds
    • Where are we from?
    • Where are we going?
    • Don’t stress about our ultimate destruction!
    • Q&A
  • The Geomagnetic Field and Solar Storms (Aurora) – Randy Enkin
    • Zoozve on Radio Lab t-shirt t-shirt
    • Aurora photos from Sechelt Peninsula at Sunshine Coast RASC Centre
    • Geo-magnetism
    • Earth’s magnetic field
    • Sun’s magnetic field and solar winds
    • Julius Bartels – Kp index
    • Number of Sunspots correlate with magnetic disturbances
    • How human night vision sees auroral colours
  • Electromagnetic Spectrum Display – story boards for Astronomy Day – Dorothy Paul
    • A Brief History of Chronobiology and Light
    • The Electromagnetic Spectrum, Light, and Life on Our Home Planet
    • Responsible , good-neighbourly outdoor lighting
  • Brock Johnstonphoto gallery
    • Aurora photos from Central Saanich
    • M91, M95 & M96 spiral galaxies
  • Event info
  • Aurora – May 10, 2024 – a collection of photographs of the aurora taken by our members – a once in 20 year apparition of the Sun at maximum, with coronal mass ejections causing amazing displays!

There is no Astro Cafe next Monday on Victoria Day, May 20th. The last Astro Cafe will be held on May 27th, hosted by Brock Johnston. We take a break over the summer months, resuming in September.

Astronomy Cafe – Apr 4, 2022

Posted by as Astro Cafe

Meeting transcript video

  • Super PupZ kids’ series – David Lee
    • Netflix series shot on southern Vancouver Island, including the Plaskett observatory
    • Dave Balum an advisor for the series
  • Astronomy Day – May 7th – David Lee
    • Our first in-person event for the last couple of years is being planned
    • Day event at the Royal BC Museum – public welcome, inside and outside
      • Welcome desk
      • Telescopes Show and Tell
      • Astrophotography
      • Children’s Astro Crafts
      • Responsible Lighting
      • Planetarium
      • Solar Observing from the plaza outside
      • Ask an Astronomer
      • Speakers in the Newcombe
      • Friends of the DAO
      • NRC/DAO
      • University of Victoria
      • Science Venture
    • Cross-Canada RASC National virtual event – Victoria to contribute
    • Evening event on Observatory Hill (pending NRC approval for public event)
    • Volunteers are welcome – contact David Lee (email) or Lauri Roche (email)
  • SIGs – David Lee
  • Edmonton Astrophotos – Dave Robinson
    • Solar Sunspots in both Ha & white light – Arnold Rivera
    • Future presentation to Astro Cafe on solar activity and features – Chris Purse
  • Aurora – Randy Enkin
    • Alex Taalman aurora photos from March 30th – pending display
    • Sunspotter viewer
    • Sunspot frequency and historical observations
    • Space Weather Essentials – Sun and Earth
    • How Aurora happens
    • Aurora: Mysteries of the Northern Lights – Robert L. Lysak (Youtube)
    • Aurora stories from members
  • Astronomy Cafe – Joe Carr
    • Astro Cafe mugs for sale for $15 – contact Joe (email)
    • History of Astronomy Cafe – David Lee
    • New room for Astro Cafe will be used for in-person meetings within a few weeks
    • Need volunteers for both hosting the meeting and the Zoom session – contact Randy Enkin (email) or Chris Purse (email)
  • Astrophotos – Martin Gisborne
    • Aurora: In Search of the Northern Lights – Dr. Melanie Windridge – Amazon
    • Saving the Starry Night – Patrizia A. Caraveo – Springer
    • Astrophotos – Martin’s gallery
      • Hercules Cluster M13
      • NGC 4565 – edge-on galaxy, and other galaxies
      • M106 galaxy
      • ISS streak
      • Widefield view of many galaxies in Markarian Chain region
      • IC405 nebula
      • M101 Whirlpool Galaxy
      • M42 Orion Nebula – reprocessed 2019 image and recent 2022 versions
      • M81 & M82
      • M81 galaxy
    • Selling his Celestron CGEM mount soon