Transcript video of meeting
- New member intro
- Last Astronomy Cafe for 2023 this evening – thanks to Chris Purse (meeting coordinator), Joe Carr (recordings & notes) and Kathie Koziol (coffee)
- Leona vs Betelgeuse – Randy Enkin
- Asteroid 319 Leona occulted Betelgeuse on Dec 12th
- Betelgeuse’s diameter is 50 milliarcseconds
- The asteroid’s shape and rotation was worked out from the occultation observations
- Only clear along the path over Spain
- IOTA – occultation observations
- Varsavia occultation observed by David Lee and Dave Bennett on July 17, 2003
- Events
- Astronomy Day (May 18, 2024) – Randy Enkin
- RBCM has invited Victoria Centre to stage the event on their site
- Discussion about pros and cons for UVic Bob Wright vs Museum sites
- New location: Langford or Colwood – more young families would likely attend
- FDAO Star Party in the evening on Observatory Hill
- Need a new organizing committee with David Lee and Lauri Roche in an advisory – to volunteer contact Randy president@victoria.rasc.ca
- Consensus is to hold Astronomy Day at RBCM
- Island Star Party – early August 2024 – to volunteer contact Randy president@victoria.rasc.ca
- Victoria Centre AGM – Feb 2024
- Need a slate of officers to stand for office
- Reg Dunkley taking names, so contact him to discuss pastpres@victoria.rasc.ca
- Cafe Scientifique – monthly public event staged by UVic Faculty of Science at Hermann’s Jazz Club – Jim Fox
- Virtual Reality of DAO – Darren
- Modelling of site, telescope and dome well underway
- Need more information and feedback from RASC members
- Darren will present his project to Astronomy Cafe early in 2024
- Astrophotographs
- Jellyfish Nebula – narrowband – Dave Payne
- Horsehead and Flame Nebulae – Ron Fisher
- Lion Nebula – Dave’s data, Ron Fisher processed it
- Lauri Roche
- FDAO Solstice star party last Saturday – about 100 people attended
- Victoria Centre 2024 calendars still for sale – contact roche.lauri@gmail.com
- Eclipse glasses are available to members – contact Randy president@victoria.rasc.ca
- Frank Hobbs Elementary Solstice Party this Thursday – contact Randy to volunteer president@victoria.rasc.ca
- Astronomy Day (May 18, 2024) – Randy Enkin
Next Astronomy Cafe will be held on January 8, 2024