- Intro by Chris Purse
- Conjunction of Mars & Moon – tomorrow evening – David Lee
- 37′ (about half a degree) between Mars and the Moon
- Near the northeasterly horizon
- Members observations
- Geminids – Brian Barber
- Dec 9th – nice clear sky from James Bay – Kirsten Pedersen
- Polar Scope Align Pro – iOS app demo – Chris Purse
- Supports multiple mounts
- Lots of features, including many not related to polar alignment
- Several members use it
- $4.99 for pro version on app store or by in-app purchase
- “Stars” women’s choral performance by Ensemble Laude – Brian Barber
- Medieval music
- Astronomy theme
- Jan 25th upcoming performance at St. Dunstan’s Church in Gordon Head
- Observers Handbook – Jeff Pivnick
- Save your 2024 edition, so they can be distributed at Astronomy Day 2025
- Hold on to your copy or contact Jeff Pivnick: jeff.pivnick2@gmail.com
- Events
- Centre of the Universe event – Lauri Roche
- Solstice Winter Star Party on Dec 21 – pancakes in the morning, evening program
- Jan 2025 UVic monthly meeting – Kirsten Pedersen
- Speaker – Observing from Pitcairn Island – by RASC member Byron Elliott
- Meeting back in the Bob Wright building, Lecture Theatre 104
- More info to follow…
- Centre of the Universe event – Lauri Roche
- Victoria Centre Observatory Maintenance – David Lee
- New Lenovo Tiny computer is installed and working
- Mount is tracking for visual use
- A bit more work to do
- Urania on the RASC Badge – Natasha Van Bentum
- Interesting story about Urania, one of the 9 Muses
- Astrophotography – Dave Payne – photo gallery
- Star Parthenogenesis in Molecular Clouds – Soul Nebula in Narrowband
- Radial motion of stellar winds and UV radiation
- Shielding effects on molecular gas and dust
- Molecular cloud will eventually blow away, leaving a cluster of stars
- Book Pick – Dave Payne
- Chaos – Making A New Science – James Gleick
- FDAO Library – Lauri Roche & Kirsten Pedersen
- Asking for help to see what should be kept
- Astronomy and Sky & Telescope magazines available as giveaways
- Urania – from Marjie Welchframe’s Woman of Astronomy series
- Muse of Astronomy, holding a celestial sphere and a pencil
- One of 9 Muses of the Arts
- Daughter of Zeus
- She has been part of the RASC Seal since 1905
Our next Astro Cafe meeting is on Jan 6th, 2025. Happy Holidays everyone!
Video transcript of the meeting
Astronomy Cafe – Dec 16, 2024