Astronomy Cafe – Nov 6, 2023

Posted by as Astro Cafe

Video transcript

  • Even & Michaela Sedman
    • Astronomy in Switzerland
      • 50 observatories
      • 51 astronomy societies
      • 10 research institutes
    • Societe D’Astronomie du Haut-Leman SAHL
      • Created 1970
      • About 160 members, ~50 active
      • Similar aims to RASC
      • Observatory – currently 14″, soon to be 16″ SCT, other telescopes
      • Astrophotography
    • Dark Sky Switzerland
      • Zurich, Geneva, Lausanne emit the most light pollution
      • Urban areas are now turning their street lights down or off
      • Light pollution is reducing slowly – both private and public initiatives
      • Government reacted to energy crisis caused by Russian invasion of Ukraine
    • Stars for All – SAHL Working group
      • Why – impact on humans and environment
      • How – focus on themes with direct impact on communities
      • Citizen science – measurement of the quality of the night sky
      • Population density affects light pollution levels – Vancouver Island and Switzerland comparison
      • Education activities – conferences and roundtables
    • Alphi Saves the Night – Alphi Suave la Nuit
      • Children’s book
      • Profits from the book are donated to the charity – Twinkle
      • Supports education and awareness
  • Council meeting – Nov 14 – Randy Enkin
    • Meeting is open to all members – link sent to members by the secretary
    • Upcoming AGM
    • Succession – new volunteers for Council are being sought
  • Monthly Meeting at UVic – Reg Dunkley
  • SIGs – David Lee – david@victoria.rasc.ca
    • Getting Started in Astronomy SIG – this Tuesday – observatories in Europe visited by Brian Barber
    • Citizen Science SIG – this Thursday – introduction to data collection
  • FDAO Monthly Star Party – Lauri Roche
    • Telescope clinic – Nov 18th
      • Bring your unused or broken telescope to get help
      • Tips on how to observe
    • Planetarium and Plaskett dome tours
  • Upcoming Equipment Swap – Nov 27th – Randy Enkin
    • Gifts before the holiday season?
    • Location: Astronomy Cafe venue at Fairfield Community Association
  • Deep Sky IMAX Theatre documentary – Chris Gainor
    • Features the James Webb Space Telescope
    • Nov 17-26, 2023 – tickets
  • Astronomical Images
    • Brock Johnston
      • NGC 206 – region of Andromeda galaxy
      • M33 – Triangulum Galaxy
      • Jupiter
      • Elephant Nebula
      • Fireworks Galaxy
      • NGC 7142, 7149 – reflection nebula, open cluster and galaxies in the star field
      • Horsehead Nebula
      • M31, 32, 110 Andromeda Galaxy – wide-field
    • Ken McGill
      • V298 Cephei – region in NGC782
      • Bubble & Lobster Claw Nebulae
      • Heart & Fish Head Nebulae
      • M31, 32, 110 Andromeda Galaxy – 3-frame mosaic
      • Soul Nebula
    • VCO Image – David Lee & Reg Dunkley
      • First light with our new Narrowband filters
      • 90º away from a Full Moon
      • M27 Dumbbell Nebula
  • Ghost Crater in Ptolemaeus – the Moon – Randy Enkin
    • Process
      • Find an area of interest on the Moon – Dial-a-Moon
      • 6″ Newtonian, EQ mount
    • Sketching technique & tools
      • 2H sharp pencil
      • Start with a white pencil (from Lee Valley)
      • 2B dull black pencil
      • Annotate with sharp pencil
    • Mare, craters filled in by volcanic basalt rock

No Astronomy Cafe next Monday due to statutory holiday for Remembrance Day.

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

The Life and Times of the Sky Quality Meter (SQM) – Doug Welch – Feb 21, 2022

Posted by as Meetings

Presentation video

RASC Victoria Centre AGM Speaker:  The Life and Times of the Sky Quality Meter (SQM) – Doug Welch, Unihedron

  • 2005 first SQM manufactured
  • Anthony Tekatch
    • co-inventor of SQM
    • PCB design, app coder (Unihedron Device Manager), production of all meters, user support
  • IR limiting filter in front of sensor
  • SQM-L – handheld +- 20º viewing angle
  • SQM-LU – USB connected device, continuous monitor, light pollution surveys with GPS 
  • SQM-L-DL – data logger, runs for about a month on AA batteries
  • SQM-LE – PoE Ethernet device, can function as a cloud monitor
    • Website illustrates the cloud sensing function
  • 10,000 SQM devices being used
  • Used for mapping night sky quality worldwide, with lots of published studies
  • Sea turtle light trespass use case
  • Car-based mobile light pollution surveys – using a SQM-LU & computer
  • Q&A
    • Victoria Centre teams mapped light pollution in our area back in 2010 – Sid Sidhu & David Lee
    • Can interface to Raspberry Pi with Python code
    • Is it weather proof? No, but a weather enclosure is available which copes with most conditions
    • Are the various models interoperable? Yes, all SQMs are calibrated before shipping. 
    • Milky Way can affect readings by 0.2 in southern hemisphere, 0.1 in the northern hemisphere
    • Driving technique – stop then take reading is recommended
    • Magnitudes/square second? It’s a logarithmic surface brightness number. Darkest are 22, meter saturates at 6 (not daytime).
    • Has the SQM been useful in reducing light pollution? Yes, promoting dark areas and encouraging change.
    • Discussion about measuring darkness from a very dark site and the contribution of the Milky Way in that case