2016 Annual General Meeting & Dinner

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Royal Astronomical Society of Canada Victoria Centre

Annual General Meeting and Dinner

Sunday, November 27, 2016

at the Cedar Hill Golf Course, 1400 Derby Road, Victoria, BC

Call for Nominations

Event photos for the AGM

Awards presentations

6:00pm – Drinks, conversation

  • No host bar

6:30 – Dinner

Payment -Cost of the buffet dinner is $37.50 per person, inclusive of all taxes and gratuities. Alcoholic beverages not included.

  • Payment is only required for the meal.
  • Attendance at both the speaker presentation and the business meeting is free of charge.
  • The total number of dinners must be confirmed by Monday, November 14th. Please look over the menu and send your choice of Main Course to:
    • Nelson Walker: 250-477-4820 or by email to pastpres@victoria.rasc.ca
    • Payment at the door – by cheque (preferred) or cash
    • Meals will be pre-ordered and must be paid for, whether you show up or not

Menu

Salads and Sides

  • caesar salad with croutons & parmesan cheese
  • mixed green salad with house vinaigrette
  • tomato & boconccini cheese salad with fresh basil & balsamic vinaigrette
  • red skin potato salad
  • garlic mashed potato & rice pilaf
  • assorted steamed vegetables
  • artisan breads

Main Course (pre-ordered): choice of one entrée

  • grilled ‘AAA’ sirloin steak
  • Pacific salmon with dill & lemon butter
  • Charbroiled Chicken Breast
  • Vegetarian ravioli with a herbed cream

After Dinner

  • assorted cakes, squares & fresh Level Ground coffee.

7:30pm – Speaker – The secret of Adaptive Optics – Paolo Turri, UVic Astronomy

Abstract:

Paolo Turri
Paolo Turri

Since the dawn of optical telescopes, astronomers have been struggling against a serious problem: Earth’s atmosphere. The turbulence in the atmosphere degrades the quality of astronomical images by reducing the spatial resolution that they could achieve theoretically. For centuries astronomers had to live with this limitation, until space flight allowed them to put telescopes in orbit, avoiding the issue entirely. But for the larger telescopes here on the ground, the problem persisted. This was until a technical solution was finally found during the Cold War (but kept secret until few decades ago…).

Adaptive optics is a relatively new technology that allows a telescope to “manipulate” the light distorted by the atmosphere and to restore a clear vision of the skies. I will discuss the tricks that adaptive optics uses to achieve the result, as well as some of its scientific accomplishments. I will also tell the story of how we ended up acquiring this technology in astronomy. It’s a plot made of secrets, spies and mutually assured destruction.

Biography:
Paolo is from Italy and he graduated in Padua and Trieste for his degree in Astronomy. He is currently a PhD student in Astronomy at the University of Victoria and his field of research is in adaptive optics. He has observed at the Gemini South telescope to study the stellar populations of Galactic globular clusters. At NRC Herzberg he is also studying the performance of the adaptive optics system that will be built in Victoria for the future Thirty Meter Telescope.

 

8:30-9:30 pm Annual General Meeting & Presentations

Call to order: 8:30pm
Minutes of 2015 Annual Meeting: Les.

Secretary’s Annual Report: Les.

Treasurer’s Financial Report: Bruce.

National Representative’s Report: Lauri.

Awards:

Observing Certificate-

Award of Excellence in Astrophotography –

Ernie Pfannenschmidt Award in Amateur Telescope Making –

Newton – Ball Service Award 2016-

Certificate of Excellence –
Election of Victoria Centre Council Members: Nelson-

List of RASC Council positions for Victoria Centre 2016-2017:

Executive Positions

President – Chris Purse (nominee)

First Vice President – Reg Dunkley (nominee)

Second Vice President – Deb Crawford (nominee)

Secretary – Leslie Welsh (incumbent)

Treasurer – Bruce Lane (incumbent)

At large and others:

Past President – Sherry Buttnor

National Representative – Nelson Walker (nominee)

Librarian – Michel Michaud (incumbent) Diane Bell (assistant, nominee)

Telescopes and School Programs – Sid Sidhu

Public Outreach – Ken Mallory (nominee)

Skynews Editor – Reg Dunkley (incumbent)

Light Abatement Chair  –  Dave Robinson (incumbent)

Membership Chair – Chris Purse     (incumbent)

Webmaster – Joe Carr (incumbent)

Observing Chair – Michel Michaud, Jim Stilburn (incumbent co-chairs)

Systems Administrator /Technical Committee Chair – Matt Watson (incumbent)

Member(s) at Large:
Jim Hesser (National RASC Anniversary Working Group)
Lauri Roche (National RASC Anniversary Working Group )
James DiFrancesco (DAO Liaison)
Alex Schmidt (UVic Liaison)
David Lee (Observing)
Li-Ann Skibo (RBCM Liaison)
Bill Almond (Historian)
Chris Gainor (National Officer)
New Business

Door Prizes.

Adjourn.

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