Astronomy Cafe – May 5, 2025

• Intro & Welcome by Kirsten Pedersen
• New member – Moira H
• International Astronomy Day report – Randy Enkin, David Lee, Lauri Roche
  • Slideshow of Wyman’s photos of the event
  • Probably about 600 attendees during the day and 200 attendees at night at Observatory Hill
  • Stars Across Canada video
  • Next year’s International Astronomy Day on May 16, 2026 – to be verified
• Saturnian Moons – Part II – Kirsten Pedersen
  • A review of Part I
    • Discovery of the moon of Saturn
    • Recent discovery of 128 new moons (274 total)
  • Spacecraft to Saturn
    • Pioneer 11, Voyager 1 & 2 flybys
    • Cassini (orbiter) & Hugens (lander) – 2004-2017 (13 year)
  • Highlights of Amazing Moons
    • Enceladus – tidal heating and water plumes from a sub-surface ocean, tiger stripes
    • Mimas – giant crater and likely also has a sub-surface ocean
    • Titan – larger than Mercury, dense nitrogen atmosphere, saltwater oceans similar to Earth
  • The future
    • Dragonfly – mission to Titan by NASA – 2028 launch, 2034 arrival
    • Video of Dragonfly prototype
• Space News – Chris Gainor
  • News clips from local TV coverage of the 2002 Astronomy Day in Victoria
  • NASA budget –
    • 24% budget cut coming
    • Artemis II & III missions to the Moon will complete
    • Many space missions and science cancelled
    • US President to send proposals to Congress
    • Discussion about the budget cuts
    • “Northern Star” a documentary about John Plaskett and the DAO- by Nick Versteeg, narrated by Bob McDonald
• Upcoming Events
  • Beginners SIG tomorrow evening – contact David Lee to sign up
  • Beaveree (May 31 in Sooke) – to volunteer, please contact Bill Weir
  • Centre of the Universe (FDAO) – Lauri Roche
    • Star Party on May 17th
    • Telescope Clinic on May 31st – speakers and helpers available for your non-working telescope, or one you are having difficulty using yours
    • 10th Anniversary of the FDAO later in the summer
  • Island Star Party – Aug 22-23 at St. Stephen’s church yard in Saanichton
  • Saanich Fair on Labour Day weekend (Sat, Sun, Mon) – volunteers please contact Lauri Roche
  • UVic Presentation: Galaxy Clusters and Galaxy Formation in the Early Universe – Bryn Lonsbrough – May 14th
• VCO Observing Sessions  – Reg Dunkley and David Lee
  • May 4th – Mars near the Beehive Cluster
  • Apr 30th – lots of Active Observers
• Astronomical Subjects
  • Bio-electric activity in trees before and during a solar eclipse  (Royal Society) – Seonaigh M
  • Naming Stars – Scientific American – Jim Cliffe

Two more Astro Cafes on May 12 & 26, then we take a pause over the summer.

Meeting transcript video