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

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 – Nov 14, 2022

Posted by as Astro Cafe

Video transcript of the meeting

  • Island Star Party – Dave Payne
    • RASC Victoria will be hosting ISP in 2023, not Cowichan Valley Starfinders
    • Debriefing from CVSF will happen soon
    • Bright Angel Park will need to be reserved soon with CVRD
    • Volunteers from Victoria Centre will be needed – contact Dave Payne dapayne@shaw.ca
      • Insurance
      • Speakers
      • Advertising
      • Setup on Friday – tents, parking, observing field
      • Cleanup and teardown on Sunday
    • Council approved our participation a year ago
    • Date for 2023 star party needs to be decided upon
      • Nearest New Moon in August is the 16th
      • Good dates for star party is probably Aug 11-13
      • Mt. Kobau Star Party – Aug 12-20
      • Perseid meteor shower peaks on Aug 13
    • Previous star parties attracted a wide selection of amateur astronomers
    • At least 50 attended each night at this year’s star party
    • Discussion
    • Photos from 2016
  • Space Mission Reports – Chris Gainor
  • Observing Mars near Opposition – Bill Weir
    • Weather is clear and stable this week
  • Ken McGill’s observing van conversion
  • RASC National website – problems for members – Bill Weir
    • When renewing membership, subscribing to the email lists can happen involuntarily – Dave Payne
    • Centre affiliation choices are not working properly – Chris Purse
    • Large order for calendars from Victoria Centre placed 3 weeks ago has not arrived – Lauri Roche
    • Brendon Roy from National gave an update on shipping publication orders
  • RASC Victoria Centre Council Meeting tomorrow night – Jill Sinkwich
  • Malcolm from Toronto introduced himself as a new Victoria Centre member
  • Website tour – Special Interest Groups & email lists – Joe Carr
    • SIGs – click on the name beside the one that interests you to sign up
    • Email lists – descriptions on the Members Only area of the website
      • Members Only area is behind a shared password – contact Joe Carr, Webmaster
      • HillObs – special requirements for signup for members who are Active Observers to observe and acquire astrophotos from the Victoria Centre Observatory
  • Public Observing at Observatory Hill – Lauri Roche
    • Public restricted to 150 on Saturday nights – sign ups go quickly when the event is posted
    • Currently scheduled monthly
      • Nov 26 – next star party
      • Dec 17 – Nathan will be presenting
    • Friends of the DAO membership is $25
    • Hosting groups of students and teachers at the Centre of the Universe during the day
    • How school programs work – new team needed from RASC – contact Lauri for info
    • Road construction on Observatory Hill is still underway – be cautious, especially at night
  • UVic Astronomy Open House – Bob Wright Building observatory every Wednesday evening
  • Astrophotography – Dave Payne
  • Gonzales Observatory – query from Larry Manuel
    • Originally a solar transit observatory for time keeping and the historic Noon Gun – Joe Carr
    • Environment Canada weather station
    • Gonzales Hill Regional Park

Astronomy Cafe – Nov 7, 2022

Posted by as Astro Cafe

Video transcript of meeting

  • Astrophoto SIG members’ photos – Brock Johnston
    • Stephan’s Quintet – Plaskett telescope – Dan Posey
    • Ring Nebula M57 and faint galaxy nearby – Plaskett telescope – Dan Posey
    • Iris Nebula and dust in Cepheus region – Dan Posey
    • Heart & Soul Nebula – Ron Fisher
    • Veil Nebula, Cygnus Loop – Ron Fisher
      • Shock wave from a supernova is faint part of the image
    • Triangulum Galaxy – Ken McGill
    • Indicating cardinal directions or orientation on photos would be helpful for visual observers – Dorothy Paul
    • Discussion about what happens at the Astrophoto SIG
    • GHS routine – Davey Payne
    • Elephant Trunk Nebula – Ken McGill
    • Ring Nebula M57 – VCO early image – John McDonald & David Lee
    • Discussion about the astronomical imaging process rendering what we see in a photo
    • Cygnus area of the Milky Way – wide-angle & Canon Ra camera –  John McDonald
    • Fox Fur, Cone, Christmas Tree, Cone nebulae – Dave Payne
      • Radiation from star clusters power these nebulae
      • Sulphur, oxygen and hydrogen elements – false colours
      • NGC2264 (star cluster)
    • Pleiades star cluster M45 – Dave Payne
      • Star energy is being reflected off the adjacent gas clouds
    • Mars – Brock Johnston
      • Opposition – Dec 8th
      • Combining and stacking video frames
    • Bubble, Lobster Claw, Lagoon nebulae – refractor – Brock Johnston
      • Lots of dust areas in this wide field
      • M52 star cluster
    • Centre of the Heart Nebula – Brock Johnston
      • Good framing
    • Astrophoto SIG will give a monthly update to Astronomy Cafe – Dave Payne
  • Victoria Centre Websites – Joe Carr
  • Stellarium app for desktop and smart devices – David Lee
    • RASC National Youtube site has a webinar on how to use Stellarium
  • Total Lunar Eclipse – Randy Enkin
    • Time and Date – eclipse info for this eclipse and future eclipses
    • Unfortunately our weather won’t be clear enough to observe the lunar eclipse later tonight
    • Next good total lunar eclipse isn’t until March 2025
    • Partial Solar Eclipse photos from a couple of weeks ago – Enkin’s Daily Moon on Facebook
    • Great Moon Hoax
  • Centre of the Universe – Lauri Roche
    • Road construction is now underway on Observatory Hill – be careful when driving
    • Star Parties to be held on Nov 26th, Dec 17th
  • Victoria Centre Council meeting to be held on Tue, Nov 15th – Randy Enkin

Astronomy Cafe – Oct 31, 2022

Posted by as Astro Cafe

Video transcript of meeting

  • 2023 RASC Observer’s Calendar – still a few left from Victoria Centre’s bulk order – email Lauri Roche
  • RASC Victoria Centre 2023 calendar – Joe Carr
  • Reports and updates – Chris Gainor
    • Artemis Launch now on Nov 14
    • James Webb Space Telescope
      • Early images
      • Some issues with one mode of the mid-Infrared imager (MIRI)
    • Hubble Space Telescope images
    • Skynews is running late, new editor hired
    • History of the Canadian Astronomical Data Centre – repository for data from many big telescopes – article for Feb 2023 JRASC
    • BBC National site has interactive display for JWST infrared – Michael Webb
  • Lunar Eclipse on Nov 8th – Randy Enkin
    • Umbra Crossings of Craters during the eclipse
    • Refer to Sky & Telescope’s table of crater timings
    • Refer to eclipse crater timing diagram sent out by Randy
    • Randy uses the Ticking Clock app on Android
    • How about using video timing? – David Lee
    • How accurate does the timing need to be? S&T states 6 seconds
    • Forecast for Nov 8th might indicate drier air from BC Interior will move over us – Reg Dunkley
    • Refraction affecting measurements discussed
    • Time and Date – eclipse info
  • SIGs – David Lee
  • Public Outreach discussion
    • David Lee: What is more effective for public outreach – using a screen or eyepiece/visual?
    • Bill Weir: used his 4″ refractor for pubic observing at Jasper, while others showed images on screens
    • John McDonald: sets up his telescope for observing by seniors, reporting an emotional response
    • Dave Payne: setup time for EAA gear is a liability
    • Garry Sedun: his family prefers visual astronomy
    • Dave Robinson: reports an emotional response to observing with eye to eyepiece
    • David Lee: EAA works when observing a dim object that is beyond the visual limit
  • Lauri Roche: Any news about holding RASC meetings at UVic again? Nothing so far (Chris Purse)

Astronomy Cafe – Oct 24, 2022

Posted by as Astro Cafe

Video transcript of meeting

  • The Moon over Paris – Randy Enkin
    • A photo tour of Paris featuring the Moon
  • Sky Brightness Survey 2022 – David Lee
    • Preliminary results
    • Data cleaning using R programming language
    • Next steps
    • Spectral response of LEDs and SQM readings
    • Discussion
  • Seeing Beyond video – Nathan Hellner-Mestelman
    • Manifesto of what will happen once Artemis 1 is launched
    • Colonizing the solar system will change mindsets of the population at large
    • Seeing Beyond – better quality video and audio on Nerd Anomaly channel
    • Seeing Beyond soundtrack
    • Discussion
  • Gamma Ray Burst – Randy Enkin
    • Gamma Ray Burst 221009A – event just happened on Oct 9th
    • Initial detection and follow-up observations continuing
    • Discussion
  • Announcements
    • Astronomy Cafe next week is Halloween, so no in-person event – Zoom virtual meeting will be hosted by 
    • Lunar Eclipse on Nov 7/8
    • 2023 RASC Calendars – email Lauri Roche to reserve a copy. Explore the Universe and Explore the Moon workbooks are also available.
    • Skynews editor has retired and new editor is hired, so combined with printing problems, there will be delayed delivery of the next issue.
    • Various reports from Bill Weir

Astronomy Cafe – Oct 17, 2022

Posted by as Astro Cafe

Video transcript of meeting

Finding Asteroids Before They Find Us – Kelly Fast, NASA/Planetary Defence Coordination Office

  • Finding the asteroid (bigger than 1m in size)
  • Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) that are hazardous to Earth (140m in size or larger)
  • NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission to hazardous asteroid Bennu
  • Search, Detect & Track hazardous asteroids
  • International Asteroid Warning Network – worldwide effort
  • Searching for NEOs
    • Catalina Sky Survey – Arizona
    • Pan-STARRS – Maui, Hawaii
    • ATLAS – Hawaii, South Africa, Chile
    • LINEAR/SST – Australia
    • NEOWISE – JPL infrared space telescope
    • Follow-up telescopes also used
  • IAU Minor Planet Center – observations
  • JPL Center for Near Earth Object Studies – high precision NEO orbits, impact predictions
  • ESA Space Missions Planning Advisory Group – potential NEO deflection mission plans
  • Impact of small asteroid 2022 EB5 – March 11, 2022
  • U.S. Interagency Tabletop Exercise – 6 month warning time
  • 30,000 NEAs found so far
  • NEO Surveyor – new infrared space telescope being developed by NASA
  • Characterizing asteroids using infrared and radar
  • Asteroid Deflection
    • Gravity tractor
    • Nuclear explosion
    • Kinetic Impact – DART mission tested technique on Didymous/Dimorphos system
      • Change the orbital period
      • Autonomous navigation needed
      • Many ground-based observatories observed impact and resultant changes to Dimorphos
      • LICIACube satellite imaged the whole mission
  • Questions and discussion

2023 RASC Calendars – email Lauri Roche to reserve a copy

Astronomy Cafe – Oct 3, 2022

Posted by as Astro Cafe

Video transcript of the meeting

  • DART spacecraft impact – Kelly Fast, presenter for Oct 17th Astro Cafe- Jeff Pivnick
    • Last 2.5 minutes of mission
  • Astrophotos from the VCO – Reg Dunkley
    • Didymous – looks like Albert Einstein
    • Had an MIC training session with poor attendance. We need a couple more sessions scheduled longer in advance.
      • Operating the telescopes and the observatory
      • All the equipment is working very well
      • Can also bring along a dSLR
    • David’s planetary imager was used to image the Io transit of Jupiter over the Great Red Spot – LRGB channels – 40,000 frames
    • Couldn’t get Registax to work, so used AstroSurface software
    • We are now allowed to have up to 15 members, 3 in VCO wearing a mask with new protocols in place
  • Astrophotos – Brock Johnston
    • Io transit of Jupiter over the Great Red Spot
    • 4700mm of focal length
    • Saturn – Sep 25th
    • Jupiter – GRS on the edge
    • Using AstroSurface – uses R-L deconvolution and wavelets
    • Links to weather conditions and forecasts – Jetstream & ClearDarkSky for Victoria & Upper Winds
  • Imaging using the Plaskett – Dan Posey
    • Just past imaging session happened on Sep 30th
    • gPrime & rPrime – good for imaging emission nebulae
    • Next Plaskett sessions: Oct 29, Dec 22
    • Can have up to two people with Dan in the control room
    • No updates on the new camera, which will be about 20′ wide and more square FOV. Jim Hesser expects the camera replacement will take months, but it is progressing.
    • Imaging done: Cocoon, Stephan’s Quintet, North America and Dumbbell nebula
    • Cruise tour of 30 crashed into the dome – thanks to Dan for interrupting the imaging – Lauri
  • SIGs – David Lee
    • Beginner’s SIG this Tuesday
    • Electronically-assisted Astronomy this Thursday
  • Sky Brightness Survey – David Lee
    • Consolidation and cleanup of the data is progressing
    • Project meetings on Tuesday 7:00-7:30PM and Wednesday 7:00-8:00PM evenings with the team
    • David will show some graphics depicting the data and problems
    • Need some people who are colour blind to participate
    • Does Jupiter skew the dark sky readings? Bill Weir
    • About half the volunteers were new to SQM measurements, the others had done
    • How about taking more readings during New Moon in October? – maybe
  • 2023 RASC Calendars – Lauri Roche
    • Place an order – email Lauri
    • No up-front payment required
    • See the RASC website for information about the 2023 calendar. We anticipate the cost will be similar to last year which was $15 each; this is a considerable savings over ordering directly from the RASC eStore
  • Future of Hubble – Chris Gainor
    • 13 years since last servicing mission
    • 535 kms above Earth, so good until 2036-37
    • NASA and SpaceX may use a Dragon spacecraft to boost Hubble into a higher orbit – 6 month technical study
    • Polaris flights being privately funded for next year to high orbit – a second flight might be used to boost Hubble
    • Chris’ Space Review article – NASA-SpaceX study opens final chapter for Hubble Space Telescope
  • Bill Weir
    • Vixen 114mm Newtonian telescope donation
      • Parabolic mirror, good quality optics
      • Two school programs might want to use this telescope – Lauri
    • Sidewalk astronomy at Metchosin Market
  • Next Astro Cafe is in 2 weeks on Oct 17th

Astronomy Cafe – Sep 26, 2022

Posted by as Astro Cafe

Transcript video of the meeting

  • Sky Brightness Survey – David Lee
    • Most data sheets have been received from the volunteers
    • Readings taken in the region last Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
    • Marjie & Susan – a great experience
    • Possibly another round of data collection will be needed next month to catch missing readings
    • Lauri & Brenda – very interesting to measure the areas, app delivered higher (better) readings than the SQM, Island View Beach is very dark but some urban glow
    • John McDonald – different smart phones would probably deliver different readings from the app due to different camera configurations
    • Dave Payne – Possibly calibrate the app to the SQMs
    • Les Welch – the nature of the lighting determines the light pollution level
    • Bill Weir – SQM at Mt. Kobau was 21.8, yet it was very poor seeing due to smoke and other sky obscuration
  • Astrophotos – Brock Johnson
  • Visual Observing – Bill Weir
    • Jupiter & Saturn – great detail visible last night just before midnight
  • Astrophotography SIG – Dave Payne
    • Meeting this Wednesday
    • SIG members will be showing their work regularly at Astronomy Cafe
  • Samantha Jewett, Education and Outreach Coordinator, RASC National
    • Planning stage for 2022-23 in-reach and outreach
    • In-reach
      • Visits to Centres by Samantha and Phil
      • Attend major star parties
      • Robotic Telescope Project
        • 2022 data release on Oct 1st
        • New projects and volunteers
        • Citizen science research group
    • Outreach
      • Tour the Night Sky – Zoom nights for members
      • NOVA – material to centres by end of October – David Lee & Lauri Roche are already hosts
      • High school groups
        • robotic telescope operating and data available
        • astrophotography as well as data acquisition
      • Insider’s Guide to the Galaxy hosted by Chris Vaughan
        • Zoom & Youtube
      • Creating Resources 
        • Beginners
        • Short-form on social media
        • Families & under 12 activities
        • Shared with centres
      • Public Events
        • Solar sidewalk outside National office
        • Trade shows
        • Star parties
        • Solar Eclipses in 2023 and 2024
          • Eclipse glasses
          • Education materials for centres
      • Education & Public Outreach
      • World Asterisms Project by Charles Ennis
      • Astronomy software training by Blake Nancarrow
      • GA 2023 
        • Early May online
        • Separate from the AGM
    • 2023 RASC Calendars available for order on Oct 1st – contact Lauri
    • Send local event information to national to publicize
    • Observers Handbook
      • Coming directly from publisher this year
      • Members should review your address – go to rasc.ca and click on “Log in”
  • Young astronomers – Lauri Roche
    • School Astronomy Clubs  at Oak Bay (forming), Mt. Doug (forming), Vic High (in place
  • NASA’s DART small spacecraft crashed into small asteroid Dimorphos today – Bill Weir
  • Fall Fairfield Fair – Reg Dunkley
    • 400 people came by our table
    • Observing the Sun through the Solar scope was popular
    • Thanks to the volunteers
  • Donating telescopes – Bill Weir & Samantha Jewett
    • Pearson College is receiving a vintage Questar telescope donation from an estate
    • Telescopes can also be donated to National’s Dorner Telescope Museum
  • Nanaimo’s Day of Reconciliation – Janeane
    • Nanaimo Astronomy will be there this Friday

Astronomy Cafe – Sep 19, 2022

Posted by as Astro Cafe

Video transcript of meeting

  • Concert Sep 25 at Farquar UVic – Jim Hesser
    • Aurora Triptych is a multimedia blend of music, photography, and visual storytelling that follows the Northern Lights on a far-ranging journey from the Sun to Earth’s upper atmosphere.”
    • Tania Miller: Science & Symphony
    • September 25 @ 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm
  • Sky Brightness Survey – David Lee (email)
    • Interested in QGIS mapping data work – Les Welch & Jim Cliffe
    • Guidance from our meteorologist Reg Dunkley as to what day(s) are best to take readings, since it’s important that good, clear weather conditions are present
    • SQM (original, widefield), SQM-L (current, narrow FOV) – Unihedron meters
    • Find areas that we should concentrate on due to impending development or other sky quality issues
    • Duel readings with app and Unihedron meter
    • Ideal dates for taking SQM readings: Sep 23-27 & Oct 23-27 
    • Methodology
      • Record 4 raw readings, pointing in each of 4 quadrants above your head, pointing straight up
      • Throw away the first reading at each site (so take a total of 5 readings)
      • Readings – fill in form
        • SQM
        • Temperature 
        • Location – ID #, Latitude, Longitude
        • Verbose location – “corner of Wallace Drive and West Saanich Road”
        • Date and Time
        • Weather conditions and comments
      • Readings can be done using electronic or audio means, but must be in final readable form before sending to David on the forms provided
      • Sky Brightness Survey Data Entry Chart – MS Word & PDF
      • Sky Brightness Survey Data Fields – definitions
      • Taking readings at new locations is fine, but make it clear it’s new
  • Astronomy Cafe on Monday September 26th
    • Samatha Jewett will be speaking to us about RASC National
    • Possibly lunch or dinner with Samantha before the meeting –  contact Lauri Roche (email)
    • Jim Cliffe will be the Astro Cafe host
  • Chris Gainor
    • ISS Pass at 8:52PM this evening 
    • Skynews is going to be late due to paper supply issues