2024 AGM – Awards

Posted by as Meetings

Certificates of Recognition and Excellence for 2023

Congratulations to all the award winners who were announced at the RASC Victoria Centre Annual General Meeting held Feb 12, 2025!

Chris Purse – Certificate of Appreciation – Since the outbreak of the Covid Pandemic in 2020, Chris helped implement Astro Cafe Zoom sessions and has scheduled, hosted and coordinated these meetings. This contribution ensured that the Victoria Centre remained active and connected during a challenging interlude and has emerged as a preferred way for many to attend sessions.

David Payne  – Certificate of Appreciation – FOR organizing, coordinating, and executing a very successful 2023 Island Star Party at Bright Angel Park. Dave navigated bureaucratic hurdles and logistical challenges along the way. As a result, the many who attended will fondly remember this special event.

David Lee – Token of Appreciation – the Victoria Centre “renaissance Man” – in recognition of his many and wonderful contributions.

Lauri Roche – Token of Appreciation – the Victoria Centre “Energizer Bunny” – in recognition of her many and wonderful contributions.

Award of Excellence in Astro-Imaging – TO Ken McGill FOR his black and white image of the Horsehead Nebula and Neighbourhood.

Award of Excellence in Astro-Sketching – TO Bill Weir FOR his Comet C/2022 E3(ZTG) sketched on Feb 15, 2023 Using a Televue NP101 Refractor at 90x.

Installing gear on the 16″ Obsession – Miles analyzing the next step

RASC National Ken Chilton Prize in recognition of a significant piece of astronomical work carried out or published recently – TO Chris Gainor. His book Not Yet Imagined, documents the history of the Hubble Space Telescope. Citation

Ernie Pfannenschmidt Award for Telescope Making – TO Miles Waite FOR many improvements to the VCO 20 Inch Obsession Telescope including attaching digital setting circles and designing bumpers to safeguard these delicate sensors, as well as devising a customized system to stabilize the platform.

Newton-Ball For Distinguished Service to the Victoria Centre RASC – TO Alex Schmid – Alex has been an active member of the Victoria Centre for over 30 years. Accompanied by his iconic handmade Newtonian telescope, Alex has been introducing treasures of the night sky to the Public at DAO Star Parties for decades. His custom crafted tray at the VCO allows eyepieces (to be) safely stowed and readily available. As the Victoria Centre librarian he also prepares coffee, cookies, and wonderful cakes for monthly meetings at UVic. Alex also provides technical support at the Astro Cafe and serves as a Director at Large on Council. The Victoria Centre is very appreciative for the many contributions Alex has made over the years.

2023 AGM Slide Deck – RASC Victoria Centre

VictoriaCentre-AGM-2024-02-12.pptxDownload

Astronomy Cafe – Feb 5, 2024

Posted by as Astro Cafe

Video transcript of meeting

  • Intro – Jeff Pivnick
  • Enceladus – APOD Feb 5, 2023 – Jeff Pivnick
    • Smaller moon of Saturn discovered by William Herschel
    • The Great Forty 48″ reflector in Slough near Windsor – Herschel’s telescope
    • Cassini Mission
      • Discoveries: magnetic field disruptions, jets of water from “tiger stripe” fissures, wobbly orbital period caused by loose crust
      • 2:1 resonance with Dione results in elliptical orbit and interior heating of the ocean below the crust
      • Cassini division in Saturn’s rings – named for Gian Domenico Cassini, discoverer
      • Mimas 1:2 resonance with Cassini division
    • Diameter 504 kms, 14% liquid water
    • Discussion
  • Randy Enkin
  • Annual General Meeting – RASC Victoria Centre – Randy Enkin
    • Feb 12 7:00PM – Zoom meeting – info and special link to be sent to members
    • Victoria Centre’s Annual Report – contact Randy Enkin with your report president@victoria.rasc.ca
    • Financial Report
    • Election – Reg Dunkley
      • Chris Gainor has agreed to stand for President
      • We now have a full slate, but further nominations will be sought at the AGM
      • New Council will be seeking involvement from members for volunteering
      • We need a quorum of 25 members. If you cannot attend, contact Randy president@victoria.rasc.ca (or another member attending) to be your proxy for voting purposes.
  • Social Dinner – RASC Victoria Centre – Four Mile Pub – Feb 26th
    • Large parking lot, but please carpool if possible
    • Sound system with microphone and speaker will be used for speakers
    • Attendees please contact Marjie to RSVP by Feb 21st
  • SIGs – David Lee david@victoria.rasc.ca
    • Beginners SIG – tomorrow night’s presentation by Randy Enkin on observing the Moon
    • Citizen Science SIG cancelled
    • Astrophotography SIG – 4th Wednesday – hosted by Brock
  • Astronomy Books – David Lee
    • Observer’s Sky Atlas – Erich Karkoschka
    • 21st Century Atlas of the Moon – Charles Wood, Maurice Collins
  • Astronomy Cafe – March 4th
  • Scitech Daily
    • Perseverance Mars Lander – sedimentary layers discovered by ground penetrating radar and samples taken
    • Ingenuity helicopter has crashed

Next Astro Cafe – March 4th – none for the rest of February

Astronomy Cafe – Jan 22, 2024

Posted by as Astro Cafe

Video transcipt of meeting

  • Intro – Jim Cliffe
  • Space Telescopes – Chris Gainor
    • How Long Will Hubble Last? – Sky & Telescope article
    • US Postal Service issued two stamps with images from JWST – $30.45 and $9.85 for their express service
  • David Lee
    • Inside the Star Factory – book profiling JWST by Chris Gunn (photography) & Christopher Wanjek
    • Makers SIG – meeting online this Thursday
      • Citizen Science – transitioning from analog to digital recording for occultations – IOTA
      • Imaging computing platforms – including Astroberry
    • Astrophotography SIG – meeting online this Wednesday – Dave Payne
      • Camera settings
      • Photo showcase
      • Q&A
  • Canadian stamp for the Total Solar Eclipse – Lauri Roche
    • March 14th issue day
  • Eclipse viewing glasses – Lauri Roche
  • Astrophotos
    • Dave Payne – online gallery
      • Flying Dragon Nebula – molecular cloud in Cygnus – taken last summer
      • Medusa by Garvacchio
      • Medusa Planetary Nebula in Gemini – RGB and narrowband taken earlier this month
    • Brock Johnston – online gallery
      • Christmas Tree and Fox Fur Nebula
      • Network Nebula – part of the Veil Nebula
      • Crab Nebula
    • Astrophoto Processing – discussion by Ken McGill, David Lee, Brock Johnston, Jim Cliffe
  • Astronomy Information Sources – Susan Grady posed the question to the group
  • Panic! Early results regarding the morphological and structural properties of galaxies seen with the James Webb Space Telescope – UVic, Wed, March 13 – Dr. Leonardo Ferreira, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Physics & Astronomy
  • Young people’s astronomy club? – question by Garry Sedun
    • Some High schools and Middle schools offer astronomy groups
    • Discussion about how to reach out to younger people
    • Youth under 18 need family member who is also a member if VCO visit is desired – Chris Purse
    • Using smartphones on a telescope for imaging – simple mounting platforms work well
  • FDAO – Lauri Roche – roche.lauri@gmail.com
    • Games Night at this Saturday’s Star Party – 6:30-10PM – NRC, FDAO & RASC teams
    • FDAO Strategic Planning coming up
  • Victoria Centre – upcoming events– Reg Dunkley & Lauri Roche
    • AGM – Feb12 7:00PM – online zoom to all members
      • Election
      • Financial Report
      • Awards announcements
    • Social Evening – Four Mile Pub – Feb 28th – sign up with Ken Atkinson secretary@victoria.rasc.ca
      • Socialize with your fellow astronomers and friends over some good food and drink
  • Lunar and Mars Missions – group discussion

Astronomy Cafe – Jan 15, 2024

Posted by as Astro Cafe

Video transcript of meeting

  • Intro – Brock Johnston
  • DAO Virtual Reality – Light Wave ObserVR – Darren Delorme
    • Photogrammetric capture using Drone Deploy to create a point cloud of the outside of the observatory site
    • Modelled the telescope and mount inside using Blender from smart phone imagery and archival images
    • Working on windows, dome shutters, viewing platform, surrounding buildings and terrain
    • Unity – star catalog data – currently using 100,000 stars
    • VR headsets and hand motion tracking
    • VR tour starts at Elk Lake built on Lidar data
    • Multi-user experience/star party (up to 64 people), rooms, Meta platform launch
    • Inspired by Loki on Disney+
    • Next step is to create the stories and lessons
    • Perhaps add John Plaskett as a tour guide
    • Discussion of next steps, project milestones, first use, terms of use
  • Games night at FDAO Star Party – Jan 27th
  • The Colours of Uranus and Neptune – Randy Enkin
    • Are the two planets the same colour?
    • Uranus discovered by Herschel in 1781
    • Neptune discovered by several people in 1821, 1845 and 1846
    • Voyager 2 space probe has visited both planets in 1986 and 1989
    • Modelling the seasonal cycle of Uranus’s colour and magnitude, and comparison with Neptune – Patrick G. J. Irwin et al
    • Members relate their observations of Neptune and Uranus
    • Chris Gainor reminisced about being at JPL as a press reporter for the planetary encounters by Voyager 2. Both Hubble and JWST now observe the two planets regularly
  • David Lee david@victoria.rasc.ca
    • Occultations – citizen science
      • NEO
      • Int’l Occultation Timing Assoc – occultations.org
      • New DIY kits available
    • Makers SIG – Jan 25th
      • Imaging computing platforms – convergence and DIY solutions
  • FDAO – Lauri Roche roche.lauri@gmail.com
    • Star Party on Jan 27th
    • Strategic Planning for FDAO coming up
    • Send suggestions for new activities for the FDAO
  • RASC Victoria Centre Events – Lauri Roche & Reg Dunkley
  • Herschel Museum  – Reg Dunkley
    • Near Paddington Station, London, UK
    • Treadle lathe, mirror grinding, forge for mirrors
    • Catalog of stars
    • Site of discovery of Uranus in the garden
    • Musical instruments

Revealing the Invisible Universe with Radio Telescopes – Dr. Jennifer West, NRC

Posted by as UVic Meetings

Date/Time: Wednesday January 10, 2024 starting at 7:30PM

Location: University of Victoria, Bob Wright Centre, Lecture Theatre A104. Park in Lot 1 (pay parking) and cross Ring Road.

Cylindrical reflector and antenna - CHIME, DRAO Penticton
Cylindrical reflector and antenna – CHIME, DRAO Penticton

Radio astronomy has been around for nearly a hundred years. In that time, we have only managed to see a glimpse of the Universe’s many hidden secrets that can be revealed at radio wavelengths. With recent advances in computing, we have seen an explosion of new radio telescopes, including the upcoming Square Kilometre Array for which Canada has officially announced its intention to become a full member. With these telescopes comes a wealth of new and upcoming data. I will discuss some of the things that we hope to learn, the challenges we still face, and the new technology that comes with it.

Dr. Jennifer West
Dr. Jennifer West

Jennifer West is currently a Covington Fellow at the Herzberg Astronomy & Astrophysics Research Centre, National Research Council of Canada. She is interested in magnetic fields in supernova remnants and the Milky Way Galaxy, using data from large surveys using cutting edge radio telescopes. Previously she was at the Dunlap Institute at the University of Toronto and prior to that she completed her PhD at the University of Manitoba.

Astronomy Cafe – Dec 11, 2023

Posted by as Astro Cafe

Video transcript of meeting

  • Citizen Science SIG – David Lee david@victoria.rasc.ca
  • FDAO Star Parties at the CU – Lauri Roche
    • Pancake Breakfast last Saturday morning. Dennis Crabtree played Santa. Thanks to all the volunteers.
    • Winter Solstice Star Party and debate about Pluto – this Saturday 6-9PM
    • FDAO fundraiser goes to the end of December – donate
  • Astrophotos – Ken McGill
    • Elephant Nebula IC1396 in Hubble Palette – a “van Gogh” rendition among others
    • Wizard Nebula and Open Cluster (starless) NGC 7380
    • Discussion about processing the stars in these images
  • New Black Nugget Lake Observatory  (BNLO – RASC Edmonton Centre) – intro by Dave Robinson
    • Former coal strip mine site developed into an observing site since it’s a dark location reasonably close to Edmonton
    • 32″ Unyk Drew Telescope construction and installation
    • Former observatory dome from University of Alberta
    • Warren Finlay’s documentary video as presented to RASC Edmonton June 2021 Regular Meeting
    • Fundraising, grants, donations
    • Donation of 32″ mirror by Bob Drew, telescope build by Roman Unyk, observatory rehabilitation, construction challenges
    • Completed in 2022 after encountering many delays
    • Dedication at Northern Prairie Star Party this past September
    • Background from Bob Drew
    • Priority of the facility is for the public to observe visually in-person
    • Q&A
  • Chris Gainor
    • Hubble – The gyroscope problems are resolved, so the space telescope is back in operation.
    • JWST – Cass A image
  • Space-Based Far-Infrared Telescope – Dr Doug Johnstone – UVic presentation this Wednesday – B150 Fluery Hall – Reg Dunkley
  • Chit chat and discussion

Astronomy Cafe – Dec 4, 2023

Posted by as Astro Cafe

Transcript video

  • HD110067 “could become the most interesting star in the galaxy” – Randy Enkin
  • FDAO Fundraising campaign star parties at the Centre of the Universe – Lauri Roche
    • Pancake breakfast – Dec 9 9:30am-Noon
    • Solstice Party & Pluto debate – Dec 16 6-9pm
  • RASC – Lauri Roche
    • RASC 2024 Observers calendars ($15) and almanacs ($18) – 3 of each still available – contact Lauri roche.lauri@gmail.com
    • RASC Victoria social evening – seeking a venue for February 2024
  • SIGs – David Lee
  • Hubble News – Chris Gainor
    • Gyroscope problems – 3 out of 6 have failed
    • Hubble could stay in orbit until 2036, but imaging, power or computer systems could fail sooner
    • Budget cuts at NASA could end the mission
  • Buy & Sell at Astronomy Cafe – review from last week’s event
    • About 40 attendees – new and old members, and non-members
    • Lots of equipment for sale
    • Sid brought lots of equipment to sell and give away on behalf of Victoria Centre
  • Astronomy images
    • Dave Payne – gallery
      • Monkey Head Nebula in Orion
      • Bubble Lobster Claw Nebulae in Cassiopeia
      • Demo of creating an image – basic processing steps and explanation of colours
      • 3-4 nights of image acquisition and several hours of processing
    • Brock Johnston – gallery
      • NGC 1333 – reflection, emission and dark nebula
      • Cocoon Nebula – lots of dust rings the emission nebula along with numerous background galaxies and stars
  • UVic Monthly Meetings – 2nd Wednesday of each month – Reg Dunkley

Space-Based Far-Infrared Telescope – Dr Doug Johnstone

Posted by as UVic Meetings

The Need for a Space-Based Far-Infrared Telescope – Dr Doug Johnstone, NRC

Date/Time: Wednesday December 13th starting at 7:30PM

Location: Bob Wright Centre, Lecture Theatre B150. Park in Lot 1 (pay parking) and cross Ring Road.

Meeting video recording

Far infrared astronomy has been referred to as: the science of the cold, the old, and the dusty. In this talk I will discuss the importance of the far-infrared for astronomy investigations of young stars, distant galaxies, and the granular dirt responsible for rocky planets and, potentially, life! I will give a little history of the space-based missions that have already taken place and provide a glimpse into the difficult task of ensuring a future mission, and Canadian involvement. Along the way I will enumerate the significant complexities of far infrared measurements that lead to the requirement of expensive space-based observatories.

Dr. Doug Johnstone is a Principal Research Officer at NRC Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics (HAA) and the NRC; President’s Science Advisor; Adjunct Professor, University of Victoria.

Doug has been an astronomer at HAA for over twenty years, studying star and planet formation with ground and space-based telescopes. For two years he was the Associate Director of the sub-mm James Clerk Maxwell Telescope in Hawaii.

Most recently his research has focused on the mass assembly of young stars, monitoring the brightness changes of deeply embedded protostars from the mid-IR to sub-mm. He also has guaranteed time observations with JWST, searching for forming planets around young stars.

Astronomy Cafe – Nov 20, 2023

Posted by as Astro Cafe

Video transcript of meeting

  • Victorian Asteroids – Randy Enkin
    • Lauri Roche and Chris Gainor now have asteroids named after them
    • Peter Jedicke proposed the names to the IAU’s WGSBN
    • Lauriroche – Visible in the summer sky, 14 magnitude
    • Gainor – evening sky now, spring will be the best view
    • Past namings: Sidhu, Bettyhesser, Jamesheasser, JackAlice (Newton), Scarfe, Plaskett, Balam, Tatum, Climenhaga, Plaskett, Kavelaars, Bohlender, DAO, Crampton, UVic, Vicsympho, Makosinski, Kleewyck (Emily Carr), Frasercain
    • Congratulations to everyone with named asteroids
    • Other Awards and Honours – Victoria Centre members with asteroids named after them
  • New members intro – Suzanne, Jerod (both in person)
  • Lunar sketches – Randy Enkin
    • Cassini over several nights
  • Swap and Shop – next week in-person at Astronomy Cafe
    • Bring your astronomy stuff!
    • Bring your money to buy stuff!
    • Send your list of equipment to Chris Purse (membership@victoria.rasc.ca) ahead of time so we can promote the event
  • Website Infrastructure – project leader needed – Randy Enkin president@victoria.rasc.ca
    • Determine the scope of the project, coordinate the technical details, help Council select a new web provider
    • Talk to Joe Carr Webmaster for details (web@victoria.rasc.ca)
  • Jeff Pivnick
    • A review of Circumstellar Disks by Brenda Matthews, who was our speaker from last Wednesday’s meeting at UVic
    • ALMA situated on the Atacama Desert 5,000m / 16,000′ altitude
    • Monthly meetings – future list through to March 13, 2024
    • Garry Sedun – working at altitude is very difficult
    • 134th Birth Anniversary of Edwin Hubble today
      • Lawyer, teacher of math and physics
      • Graduate work at University of Chicago in physics and astronomy
      • Started work in 1919 Mt Wilson observatory on the new 100″ Hooker telescope, studying nebulae and galaxies
      • Classification scheme for galaxies
      • Founded extra-galactic astronomy
      • Red/blue shift gives indication of distance of celestial objects
      • Several articles in Skynews by Bruce Lane highlighted Hubble’s work
    • Discussion of all topics presented by Jeff
  • Observatories Observed in France – Sep 2023 – Brian Barber
  • Deep Sky at IMAX, the story of James Webb space telescope is now on – Jeff Pivnick
  • Astronomy Day – out-of-date astronomy magazines and Observers Handbooks are good for giveaways, so don’t throw them out. Contact Jeff Pivnick (jeff.pivnick2@gmail.com)
  • Calendars for 2024 – some still available
  • Centre of the Universe Events – Lauri Roche
    • FDAO Telescope Clinic – thanks to all the volunteered last Saturday
    • Dec 9th – fundraising breakfast
    • Dec 16th – solstice party
  • Nebula from Gamma Cassiopeia, “the Ghost of Cassiopeia” IC59 & IC63 – astrophoto by Dave Payne
  • Observing Report
    • Fireball spotted by Dennis F’s wife at 6:40AM a few mornings ago. Widely reported in the region, but Sid Sidhu’s All-Sky camera didn’t capture the event.
  • Upcoming Events
    • Astrophotography SIG this Wednesday – Dave Payne
    • UVic speaker for Dec 13 – Far Infrared space observatory – Dr. Doug Johnston – Reg Dunkley

Next Astronomy Cafe on Nov 27th is a Swap ‘n Shop – bring your astronomy gear to sell, and bring cash to buy stuff!

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.