Meetings | RASC Victoria

Astronomy Cafe

Posted August 28, 2023 by Webmaster as Meetings

Astronomy Cafe is an informal gathering of both RASC Victoria Centre members and non-members to socialize, drink coffee, eat cookies, and partake in both informal and formal presentations related to astronomy, space missions, and cosmology.

Astronomy Cafe is normally held every Monday evening in Fairfield, Victoria, BC, Canada except during summer months and when the Monday falls on a statutory holiday.

You are invited to share content you would like to present to upcoming online Astro Cafe meetings to our Past President Randy Enkin pastpres@victoria.rasc.ca . We will usually post your submitted content to our website and/or Youtube channel, unless you request otherwise. Zoom links to our online meetings are emailed to RASC Victoria Centre members a day or two ahead of time, so please join us!

Location

Parking lot near 1335 Thurlow Road (navigate to here)
Street parking is also available on Thurlow if the lot is full
FGCA main building address: 1330 Fairfield Road. Limited parking available in front for those who cannot use stairs.

Astronomy Cafe meeting is held in the Lower Lounge, located between the Fairfield Gonzales Community Association main building and the portable building Astro Cafe used to be held in.

Astronomy Cafe Archives

Astronomy Cafe 2020 to present
- Astro Cafe meeting notes
- Youtube Playlist (full virtual meeting video transcripts)
Virtual Astro Cafe – Jun 8 – Nov 9, 2020
Virtual Astro Cafe – March to June 1st, 2020
Astro Cafe Presentations Archive – 2014-2019

Astronomy Cafe event photos

Astronomy Cafe – May 29, 2023

Posted May 29, 2023 by Webmaster as Astro Cafe

Video transcript of meeting

Beginner Observers – report by Brenda
- Observing and sketching targets from Cattle Point
- Trying to find another observing spot to get away from the car lights
- Summer targets are next
- Four observers at Pearson College two weeks ago – liked it!
- Island View Beach may be a good observing location
- Most of the group are working on Explore the Universe observing certificate
Special Interest Groups – David Lee
Beaveree and Seniors event at the Centre of the Universe – solar observing – Lauri Roche
Plaskett Observing Session – video report by Randy Enkin
- First in-person observing session on May 19-20, 2023 since 2019
- Supernova 2023ixf photographed in M101 as our last target, unknown to us at the time
- Dan Posey notified Dave Bohlender at NRC, so the SN photometry was reported online quickly
- Subsequent processing revealed the SN is a blue star
- Koichi Itagaki, amateur Japanese discoverer of SN
- The progenitor star of the SN now has a paper published about it
Thanks to Astro Cafe volunteers – Randy Enkin
Photos of Supernova 2023ixf (Type II)
- Dave Payne
  - May 13-16 images of M101 without SN
  - May 20th image of M101 with the SN
- Brock Johnston
  - GIF flashing old versus new image of M101
  - Light curve of SN from AAVSO
  - Also imaged M51 and M13
- Sketch of SN using 6″ Dob – Bill Weir
- Photos of SN on May 20th & 24th showing the SN enlarging – Ron Fisher
Plaskett Observing Session on May 19-20 – Dan Posey
- Objects imaged before M101 are being processed
  - NGC 4565 Needle Galaxy
  - NGC 4605 Faberge Egg Galaxy
  - NGC 6914 reflection and emission nebula
National AGM – June 25th online – Chris Gainor
- Restricted to RASC members – log in to member area of rasc.ca website
- Reports, financial statement, bylaw amendments, elections
- Please attend and vote
- 2023 AGM Agenda
Island Star Party – Dave Payne
- Aug 11-13
- Still need some volunteers – sign up for email list dapayne@shaw.ca
Discussion of Supernovae (in general)
- Type I and Type II Supernovae – Dan Posey
- SN 2016aps – Lauri Roche
Star Parties on Observatory Hill – Lauri Roche
- Saturday nights all summer long
- RASC volunteers invited with telescopes or without
- Event info on the Centre of the Universe website

This is the last Astronomy Cafe until we restart after the Summer break.. Astro Café will resume on Monday. September 11, 2023.

Image of Supernova 2023ixf acquired through the Plaskett 72" telescope by RASC Victoria Centre members. — Image of Supernova 2023ixf acquired through the Plaskett 72″ telescope by RASC Victoria Centre members. This preliminary image processed by Dan Posey.

Astronomy Cafe – May 15, 2023

Posted May 15, 2023 by Webmaster as Astro Cafe

Video transcript of meeting

Intro – Jeff Pivnick
To the Moon, with Robots and Humans – Dr. Gordon “Oz” Osinski, Dept. Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario
- Sailing ships to space missions – history of human exploration
- The Moon has thousands of meteorite impacts
- 2019 announcement by Canadian government
  - Canadarm 3 on Lunar Gateway outpost
  - Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program (LEAP) – Canadian lunar rover
- Artemis I – launched last year
  - Lots of images from this mission
- Artemis II – orbit Moon
  - Canadian astronaut – Jeremy Hansen
  - Crewed test flight to the Moon and Earth high orbit
  - Engineering mission, not a science mission
  - Launch – late 2024 or early 2025
- Artemis III – land on the Moon
  - Geology training for astronauts
  - 18 astronaut candidates
  - 13 candidate landing sites – all near Lunar South Pole
  - Geological samples will return to Earth with the astronauts
  - Canada has 30 out of 200 impact craters found on Earth
  - Mistastin Lake impact structure – best analog to lunar craters since anorthosite ejecta is found here, same as on the Moon (light material)
- Canadian Lunar Rover Mission
  - Canadensys – contractor for 30kg prototype
  - Science instruments will take about 5-6kg
  - South Pole – geology and mineral resources
  - Volatiles – water
  - Permanently Shadowed Regions – no sunlight
  - Radiation monitoring to ensure astronauts’ health, both on the Moon and future Mars missions
  - Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter – images showing deep lunar shadows
- Q & A
Island Star Party 2023 – Dave Payne
- August 11-13, 2023
- In-reach – socializing with fellow members
- Location: Bright Angel Park – south Cowichan
- Activities
  - Solar observing
  - Nature walks
  - Kinsol Trestle
  - Lots of activities in Cowichan Valley
  - Telescope walk, how to use a telescope, observing skills
  - Speakers – one each night
- Perseid Meteor shower
- T-shirts – contact Joe Carr to preorder
- Volunteers needed – contact Dave Payne
- ISP Volunteer Email List
Victoria Centre Observatory – Reg Dunkley
- Last night – 10 Active Observers
- Both visual and photography
- Become an Active Observer – contact Chris Purse
Occultation of Jupiter by the Moon – David Lee
- Wednesday, May 17th 4:52am – 5:33am
- Moon 3º above the eastern horizon during the occultation
Astrophotography by local members
- Astronomy Day slideshow – Ken McGill
- Brock Johnston
  - Orion & Flame Nebula widefield
  - M94 – halo
  - Cat’s Eye Nebula & NGC 6552 barred spiral galaxy
Randy Enkin
- Deep Sky Filter – a Lumicon “UHC” legacy visual filter
- Orrery – kit build
Observations – Marjie Welchframe
- Kemble’s Cascade
- Spring double stars

No Astro Cafe next week due to the Victoria Day statutory holiday. The last Astro Cafe before the summer break will be held on May 29th.

Astronomy Cafe – May 8, 2023

Posted May 8, 2023 by Webmaster as Astro Cafe

Video transcript of meeting

Intro – Marjie Welchframe
Centre of the Universe Volunteer Coordinator – Aimee Rossen (info@centreoftheuniverse.org)
- Volunteer waivers – need to have everyone sign the form after viewing the safety video
- Volunteer list – access to Observatory Hill
- Volunteers should arrive before 7pm on Saturday night to avoid congestion at the access gate
ORCASat – Prof. Justin Albert
- This microsat was built at UVic and launched six months ago to the ISS, where it was deployed – ORCASat — Launch
- ORCASat should burn up next month after six months of operation in low Earth orbit
- Background
  - Modern cosmology started in 1929 Edwin Hubble’s assertion that the Universe is expanding
  - Cepheid variable stars tell us the absolute magnitude, hence the distance away from Earth. Henrietta Swan-Leavitt’s research enabled this process.
  - Observing past 10*7 Parsecs means using Type 1A SuperNova (White Dwarf), since Cepheids are no longer bright enough to use as a standard candle.
  - Limitations of our Knowledge of Dark Energy 73% of Universe’s mass
  - Calibration of brightness measurements are needed – flux as a function of colour
  - Dark Matter 23% of Universe’s mass
  - Atoms 3% of Universe’s mass
  - The Dark Side of the Universe
  - Supernovae are one of the powerful probes for understanding the eventual fate of the Universe
- ORCASat is in an ISS-like orbit
  - Needs good coverage above ground observatories, so they can observe Orcasat
  - Photometric calibration – Orcasat’s absolute brightness is compared with standard stars
- ALTAIR – Airborne Laser for Telescopes Atmospheric Interference Reduction
  - Photometric Calibration using a high altitude balloon
- A laser photometric ratio star (LPRS) – exciting the Sodium layer
I Need More Space-Time – review of a science fair project by Nathan Hellner-Mestleman
- Predict when our Universe will end
- Used Wiseman Observatory data for Type 1 SN
  - Spectral lines: Hydrogen epsilon, Hydrogen delta
  - Examined Supernovae 30 million LY to 40 billion LY
  - Found the Hubble Constant to vary from 20 km/sec/Parsec to much bigger
- Using Slooh data didn’t work out, since Supernovae data levels are too low
- Project tried to infer how long the Universe will last from changes in brightness of Supernovae
- Consensus from WMAPS
Q&A for both Justin and Nathan
- Is the Universe finite or infinite? We don’t know, and possibly will never know.
- Hot, dense start to the Universe – ratio of Hydrogen and Helium verifies this process, as does Nucleosynthesis with Quarks and Gluons (DOE Explains…Quarks and Gluons | Department of Energy).
- LIGO and other Gravitational Wave observatories should verify how the Universe started (inflation).
Events
- RASC General Assembly – Lauri Roche
  - Friday – shared Victoria’s Observatory Hill with delegates across Canada
  - Thanks to members who attended
  - RASC GA 2023 – CONNECT with the cosmos & community
- Beaveree at Camp Barnard – May 27th (9am-2pm) – Bill Weir
  - Need volunteers for outreach – email Bill
- Island Star Party – Aug 11-13 – Dave Payne
  - Permit for park use is in place
  - More details at next week’s Astro Cafe

Astronomy Cafe – May 1, 2023

Posted May 1, 2023 by Webmaster as Astro Cafe

Meeting transcript video

The Dual Dipole Radio Telescope – Evan Warburton, Oak Bay High School, Grade 12
- Io generates a band of electrons around Jupiter
- Setup dipole antenna on the Lansdowne Middle School field
- 20MHz ionized radiation – copper wire cut to half the wavelength
- “Floating” coaxial shield, not grounded
- SDR Console software – gain, bandwidth, Io A, B and C phase predictions – Software Defined Radio
- Spectrograph software
- Detected a radio storm – short, random bursts
- 10-40 MHz is the observable bandwidth range
- Observing time: about 1 hour per week
- NASA’s Radio JOVE Project: Home Page– helpful forum
- Project planning and execution – discussion
- Q & A
- Evan is travelling to the Canada-wide Science Fair in Edmonton May 13, and is attending UVic Physics this Fall with a prestigious Schulich scholarship to his credit.

International Astronomy Day – April 29 & 30, 2023 – report by Lauri Roche and David Lee
- Saturday at Observatory Hill – FDAO event
  - Event recording
  - Astronomy Day | Star Party — Centre of the Universe
- Sunday at UVic Astronomy – RASC & UVic event
  - School astronomy groups – Monterey, Shawnigan Lake, Victoria High
  - About 100 public attended
  - Needed more media coverage and promotion
  - Need a discussion about next year’s effort
  - Zenfolio | RASC Victoria Centre | Astronomy Day 2023
- Discussion of both events
RASC Victoria Centre Council meeting on May 9th – Randy Enkin
- Members are welcome to attend online
Beaveree at Camp Barnard – May 27th (9am-2pm) – Bill Weir
- Need volunteers for outreach – email Bill
- Solar and possibly daytime planets
- Telescopes – both Ha and white light
RASC GA 2023 – CONNECT with the cosmos & community – May 5-7 – Lauri Roche
- Gather Town – social interaction
- Friday – Dr. Shandin Pete, Salish Sky Lore, 1 hour live from Victoria’s DAO (7-8pm) – contact Lauri to volunteer
- Saturday – combatting science misinformation, CSA Astronaut Jeremy Hansen
- Sunday – Dr. Linda Shore, Astronomical Society of the Pacific
- Members: $35 admission
- Zoom call is used for all sessions
Astronomy by Night – A new Canadian website for amateur astronomers. – Michael Webb
Explore the Universe – Marjie Welchframe
- Lunar crater sketches
Astronomy Cafe – next week’s speaker is Justin Albert – cube-sat ORCASat
Beginner’s SIG – tomorrow night – Jill & David

Astronomy Cafe – April 24, 2023

Posted April 24, 2023 by Webmaster as Astro Cafe

Video transcript of the meeting

Pendulum Experiment To Measure Local Gravity – Kemi Daniel (Grade 5, PCS)
- Gravity in her house is slightly lower than earth’s gravity
- Science Fair winner
Astronomy by Night – A new Canadian website for amateur astronomers. hosted by Carina Ockedahl (former editor of Skynews)
- Reached out to contributors – Chris Vaughan, Dan Kusz, Alan Dyer, Charles Ennis, and others
- AstroPhoto of the Week – not just for Canadians
- Newsletter
- Collaboration with SkySafari
- This Week’s Night Sky
- Gear Reviews & Tech
- Columns
  - World’s Asterisms
  - Research
- Profile
- Podcast – 2 per week
- Video – interviews
- Star chart – from Heavens Above
- News – both from International and Canadian sources
International Astronomy Day/Weekend – David Lee, Lauri Roche
- Speakers are lined up
- Local astronomy organizations will be there
- Observatory Hill on Saturday night – 29th
- UVic on Sunday daytime – 30th
SpaceX Starship Launch on Apr 20, 2023 – Chris Gainor
- Huge amounts of smoke and debris at launch
- Disintegrated 4 minutes into the flight
- Rocket left a huge crater at the launch site
- Questions and discussion
Hybrid Solar Eclipse – April 20th – Randy Enkin
- 1 minute duration
- Total & Partial Solar Eclipse
- Solar maximum corona, so lots of plasma streamers visible
- Time & Date – particulars of this eclipse
- Photos & video of eclipse chasers
Other events and discussion

Astronomy Cafe – April 17, 2023

Posted April 17, 2023 by Webmaster as Astro Cafe

Video transcript of meeting

Regional Science Fair – report by Randy Enkin
- 3 prizes awarded
- Measured the period of the pendulum
- Supernovae red shift analysis – Nathan Mestleman-Keller
- Double Di-pole Radio Telescope – Io/Jupiter generates – Evan Warburton, Oak Bay High School, Grade 12
- Distinguished Service Award to Randy
Astronomy by Night – new astronomy website hosted by Carina Ockedahl (former editor of Skynews), Chris Vaughn, Charles Ennis, and more contributors
JUICE – Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer launch – Randy Enkin
- ESA launched this mission to Jupiter on Friday
- Lunar-Earth flyby a year from now
- Venus and Earth flyby
- Arrives at Jupiter – July 3031
- Multiple flybys of Jupiter’s icy moons
- Orbit Ganymede for 3 years
- 10 instruments onboard
SIGs – David Lee
- Makers SIG
- Astrophotography SIG
International Astronomy Day – Lauri Roche & David Lee
Neutron Stars – The Quest to Understand the Zombies – a book by Katia Moskvitch – review by Ron Fisher
- Latest research and very interesting story
- Research in Italy
- NGC 4993- emitted radio waves and captured visual light from neutron star collision
- CHIME – fast radio bursts
Astrophotos and Sketches
- Double Transit – John McDonald
  - Planets and shadows visible
  - Moon Shadows on Jupiter – video
- SkAc1 faint Planetary Nebula – Dave Payne
  - Challenge by Bill Weir
- Double Transit sketch – Bill Weir
- Orbital Motion of Venus – Marjie Welchframe
- Bode & Cigar Galaxies, Horsehead & Flame Nebulae – Ken McGill

Astronomy Cafe – Apr 3, 2023

Posted April 3, 2023 by Webmaster as Astro Cafe

Meeting transcript video

SIGs – David Lee
- Beginners’ SIG tomorrow night
- Electronically-assisted Astronomy & Citizen Science SIG – Thursday
Mallory Thorp – profile by Marjie Welchframe
- PhD UVic 2022
- IFS / MaNGA survey
- Working on PHANGS
- Postdoctoral researcher the Argelander-Institut für Astronomie (AIfA) at the University of Bonn in Germany
- May 8th Astronomy Cafe – upcoming speaker
- Spoke at the last year’s Island Star Party
- The ALMaQUEST Survey X: what powers merger induced star formation?
Island Star Party 2023 – Dave Payne
- Speakers TBA
- Telescope tours and tutorials
- Make suggestions for activities
- Tue, April 11th – kick off meeting
- Contact Dave (email) or
  Christopher Gainor, FRASC Email
  to help out with this fun event
Fast Radio Cosmos lecture by Victoria Kaspi – Reg Dunkley
- Uses the CHIME radio observatory near Penticton
- 3 additional outrigger radio telescopes: 160 kms from Penticton, Green Bank, WV, and Hat Creek, CA
- Good Q&A at the end of the lecture video
- Skynews – Feb 2017 issue highlights the CHIME instruments
- DRAO open to the public starting April 8th
- Discussion of radio interference when using radio telescopes
Astronomy Day – Lauri Roche
- FDAO Star Party – Observatory Hill – April 29th – evening hours
  - Need astronomers with telescopes to volunteer
  - Starlink speaker
- UVic – April 30th 11AM-4PM
  - Lots of volunteers have signed up, but everyone welcome to help, especially someone to lead the event promotion and communications – contact Lauri by email
  - Astronomy labs open
  - 6 speakers
  - Free parking
Virtual General Assembly 2023 – May 5-7
- Jeremy Hansen, CSA astronaut – speaker
RASC Victoria Hopes & Dreams – Randy’s list
Christopher Gainor, FRASC Email
- Open Council meetings. Now that we have a smaller Council, we should make more effort to advertise the meetings to the entire membership – and possibly lay the foundation for more recruitment to leadership.
- Closer ties to UVic. I often hear that members want to get back to meeting at the University. I also think we should offer programs that encourage undergrad students to be active in the RASC-VC.
- Closer ties with the FDAO. We have overlapping mandates and volunteer bases. Closer coordination will benefit both organizations.
- More in-person events, especially under the night sky.
- More scheduled and ad hoc evenings at the VCO
- More diversity in membership and leadership.
- A budget!
- Revised Statement of Goals of the Society.
- Calendar on the website
- Documented Council job descriptions
- October 14 Solar Eclipse event
- Display of Astrophotographs
- Support Vic High club, Oak Bay, Mount Doug
- Prizes or other activities with UVic students (Volunteerism, Outreach)
- Using the telescope collection to support School Clubs.
- Help with the telescope lending library
- Recruitment and Retention of membership.
- Sustainability of Volunteers and Council members
- Organize the Google Drive. Make more complete.
- Member survey
- Diane Bell Award for Astrosketching
- Car share to VCO
- NOVA program!
- Schools Program – with FDAO?
- Liaisons with school groups
- Mentors with school groups
- Join in school-group observing nights
- Prizes and goodies for school groups
- Support for Science Fair – volunteers for judges, prizes, handing our RASC bookmark etc.
Sky At Night Podcasts – Bill Weir & David Lee
- Lance Bass (nSync boy band) – selected to be a Russian cosmonaut! “The last Soviet citizen”
- JWST podcast series
Victoria Centre Observatory (VCO) – Reg Dunkley
- Active Observers to have access soon
- Tech committee needs to check on the health of systems up there first
- No more than 16 people at a time, with social distancing and health precautions (personal choice)
- Ad hoc observing sessions for favourable weather to start with
- Scheduled observing sessions later
- Must be an Active Observer and must adhere to safety procedures
- Gate codes for existing MICs have been refreshed for the coming year
Astrophotos during galaxy season – Dave Payne
- M94 galaxy – elliptical shape and outer ring of material
- M106 and friends – 4 arms in M106
National Council – Chris Gainor
- Complete staff turnover at the National office is ongoing
- Randy Atwood is interim Executive Director, working with the Board to recover
- Annual Report – Victoria Centre’s report still needed
- Skynews magazine is still being wound up

There will not be an Astro Café next week as it is a holiday Monday. We will be back on Monday, April 17

Awards to members for 2022

Posted March 29, 2023 by Webmaster as Meetings

Over 40 members of RASC Victoria Centre enjoyed a social dinner and awards ceremony at the Moon Under Water Pub on March 27, 2023. Photo gallery

Newton Ball Award 2022 – Deborah Crawford

An active member of the Victoria Centre, Deborah Crawford served on Council as Secretary from December 2012 to November 2014, Second Vice President from December 2016 to November 2018 and then as Treasurer from December 2018 until the spring of 2023. She has a talent for turning events into joyous occasions. Deb organized several AGM banquets and two Star Party “StarBQ’s”. During the 2014 General Assembly Deb oversaw a large buffet at the Centre of the Universe complete with a cake replica of the DAO dome. It was the highlight of the GA.

Ernie Pfannenschmidt Award 2022 – Dave Payne

For the invention of the Generalized Hyperbolic Stretch (GHS) an innovative software tool that allows the controlled transformation of pixel intensity. It has been embedded in key astrophotography software packages such as Pixinsight. Astrophotographers around the globe have adopted this powerful tool.

Astrophotography Award 2022 – Dave Payne

Foxmascone Nebulae (NGC 2264) in SHO – The Foxfur and Cone Nebulae and Christmas Tree Cluster in SHO with RGB Stars (Monoceros) – October, 2022 A total of 17.5 Hours in Narrow Band H,S,O filters and 3.75 Hours in R, G, B Filters using a Planewave CDK12.5 Telescope and an- AIS6200MM Camera

Certificate of Appreciation in 2022 – David Lee

In addition to the leadership David displayed during International Astronomy Day, the Dark Sky Survey, and the formation of Special Interest Groups he amazed the Victoria Centre for the perseverance he demonstrated photographing a Lunar Eclipse while a snow storm kept more timid RASCals indoors.

Certificate Of Appreciation 2022 – Randy Enkin

In appreciation of his Organization, Leadership and Guidance so capably rendered as the Centre’s President for 2021 and 2022.

Astronomy Cafe – March 20, 2023

Posted March 21, 2023 by Webmaster as Astro Cafe

Video transcript of the meeting

Vernal Equinox Today – Jeff Pivnick
- Caused by axial tilt of the Earth
- Celestial Equator intersects with the Ecliptic
- Babylonians picked 12 constellations 3,000 years ago, but Ptolemy named them later
- Declination and Right Ascension coordinates are referenced to the equinox
Astronomy Day – Lauri Roche
- Sunday, April 30th 11AM – 4PM at Bob Wright building lobby at UVic
- Free parking on outside of the Ring Road in Lot 1
- Setup is Saturday afternoon
- Leads
  - UVic Site Manager – Sam Fielder
  - Technical Support – David Lee
  - Welcome Table – Marjie Welchframe
  - Telescope Show & Tell – Bill Weir
  - Children’s Astro Crafts – Rachel & Ryan Holmes
  - Astrophotography – Brock Johnston & Dan Posey
  - Responsible Lighting – Dave Robinson
  - Planetarium – need a lead to used Starry Night on TV
  - Solar Observing outside – Alex Schmid, Sid Sidhu
  - Ask An Astronomer – need a lead and 3 or 4 astronomers (UVic students?)
  - Speakers – Lauri Roche
    - 3 speakers signed up, 3 to go
    - 20-minute talks
- FDAO, NRC, Science Venture, Camosun College, Mt. Doug High, Vic High & Oak Bay High
- Tour of the Bob Wright telescope
- Need volunteers – 2-3 shifts is ideal – contact Lauri Roche roche.lauri@gmail.com
- Saturday, April 29th 7-11PM Star Party on Observatory Hill
Open House – Centre of the Universe – March 25 – Lauri Roche
- Free tickets available
- Volunteers needed
Victoria Centre Observatory – Randy Enkin
- Will open to members once the road is open
Standing Where Ansel Adams Stood – Randy Enkin
- Moon and Half Dome – Dec 28, 1960
- When the Light, Shadow and Stars Aligned: Standing Where Ansel Adams Stood – Kim Beil, NY Times
- Ansel Adams joined Sierra Club Outings
- Kim Beil found the exact spot where Ansel Adams took his famous Moon and Half Dome photo, and determined four possible dates based on the star field and Moon
- 6:47AM on Aug 6, 1936 – date/time of famous photo
Meetings
- Social Dinner – March 27th – contact Randy to attend at Moon Under Water Pub on Bay St.
- Council Meeting – March 28th – 7:30PM
  - Open to all members
  - Budget for coming year – we have funds to spend!
Vancouver Island Regional Science Fair – Dorothy Paul
- April 16th
- 100 projects, 150 students
- Need some specialty judges from RASC – about 2 hours
Astrophotos from members
- Moonrise from Clover Point – Randy Enkin
- Jones-Emberson 1 Bubble planetary nebula – Brock Johnston
2023 RASC General Assembly – May 5th – May 7th, 2023
- No business meeting, just fun meeting and interacting with everyone – Bill Weir
- Speakers list almost complete – Lauri Roche
- $35 admission for members to participate for three days
Vic High Astronomy Deck – Clayton
- Mitigate the light pollution at the site – discussion of strategy
- New 12″ Skywatcher funded by a generous donation
- City of Victoria will install shields on the streetlights

There will not be an Astro Café next week in order for the RASC Victoria Centre Social Dinner to take place. Please RSVP to Randy president@victoria.rasc.ca by March 19 if you would like to attend.

Next Astronomy Cafe in 2 weeks – April 3