Astronomy Cafe – May 27, 2024

Video transcript of meeting

• Intro by Brock Johnston
• Aurora – by Sherry Buttnor
  • Solar cycles. Sunspots, Coronal holes
  • Coronal Mass Ejection (CME)
  • Aurora colours: Green, Red, Blue, Purple
  • Earth’s Magnetic fields channel the charged particles from the Sun
  • Categories of Solar Flares and Geomagnetic Storms
    • M and X class CMEs are the strongest, producing more aurora
  • Solar-terrestrial space weather is important to watch out for!
    • March 1989 Quebec blackout
    • 1859 Carrington Event – a Telegraph station exploded into flames!
  • Instruments for solar monitoring
    • LASCO Coronograph on SOHO
    • ACE Real-Time Solar Wind
    • Parked at Lagrange Point L1 – gives us a half hour warning of an incoming CME
    • Measures: Bt/Bz, Density, Speed, Temperature
    • The one to watch to predict aurora
    • CONOPUS/CARISMA – ground-based magnetometers
  • Online Resources
    • SWPC/Ovation – NOAA predictions – best site overall
    • Spaceweather Canada – good, current zone info displayed on a map – watch the 6 & 24 hour forecasts
    • Planetary Kp index – measures the strength of the geomatic storm – 5-7 are high enough readings to see aurora from Victoria
    • SpaceWeather.com – good for general use, but middle column is not too current. Watch the left column for current info
  • Sherry has been chasing aurora since 1989
  • The last Solar Maximum was in 2014, and now in 2024
  • Q&A
  • Koastal Kats on Facebook
• David Lee
  • Beginners’ SIG – being held on Monday, June 3rd
  • Astronomy Day
    • Probably about 1,000 people attended during the day, lots of enthusiasm
    • Promotional videos – narrated by our members
• Beaveree – Bill Weir and Lauri Roche volunteering. Another two volunteers would be welcome. June 1, 10am-2pm, at Camp Barnard on Young Lake Road in Sooke.
• FDAO Summer Star Parties – Lauri Roche
  • June 1 – DinoLab – presentation
  • June 15 – Telescope Clinic coming up
  • Every Saturday in July, August, to mid-September
  • RASC Victoria welcome desk – Clint & Melissa Tupper
  • 16″ Telescope training available from Sherry Buttnor
• Henrietta Leavitt July 4th Fireworks Show – observed from Cattle Point – Reg Dunkley
• Chris Gainor
  • Council Meeting – June 4
  • Island Star Party 2024 – Aug 9-11
  • Saanich Fair in the Fall
  • Hubble
    • Last service was 15 years ago
    • Polaris mission might be able to service Hubble

This is our last Astronomy Cafe, as we take a break over the Solstice and summer months. September 9th is the next scheduled Astronomy Cafe. Thanks to all the volunteers who run and support this weekly event, and to our members who attend and participate!