Month: June 2011

SkyDay Night – July 15, 2011

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The Science Museum of Virginia will be hosting a special evening event on July 15 from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM called SkyDay night. The Museum will have special IMAX Theater shows, Live Science shows and demonstrations.  The Richmond Astronomical Society will have its regular monthly skywatch in support of the event augmented by our … Read more

A Cool Supernova and Upcoming Events

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Supernova in M51:  Supernova SN 2011dh continues to brighten and is visible in more and more amateur scopes. Kelly Beatty of Sky and Telescope reports that he was able to view the supernova visually in a 6-inch telescope. The supernova was first noticed on May 31st, by French amateur Amédée Riou in a CCD image captured … Read more

April Meeting Minutes

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Richmond Astronomical Society

739th Consecutive Meeting

April 12, 2011

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David Medici called our meeting to order in the Eureka room.

Greeting & Announcements – approximately 26 in attendance at the meeting.

Share Table

A few photos taken through telescopes.  Star maps.

Library Report (Virginia Eckert):

No issues and no theme tonight.  She brought in 5 books: 2 books about the Sun; Pictorial of Planets; Stars; and a book about Venus (very old collector’s book).

Recent Events:

  • SMV Skywatch – Sky had spotty clouds. There was a “fairly modest turnout” to view through telescopes.
  • City Point Skywatch (Petersburg National Battlefield) – very good turnout; Tim Streagle, Ray Moody, and Tom K saw and displayed Orion, a few planets, and the moon.  A reporter spoke with Tim for about 2 hours, good enough for 1 quote.

Individual observing:

  • Several members looked at Orion and the moon.  Tim had a few sessions at the scout camp, and a good turnout during the new moon.
  • Betty Wilson made 3 presentations to students at Springfield Park Elementary.  Each session was for 200 students (600 total) and lasted about 40-50 minutes.

Upcoming Events:

  • Bryan Park Skywatch, April 14: Please contact John Raymond at raymond7419@verizon.net if you can help out.   Bring your telescopes early to set up.
  • Science Museum Skywatch, April 15: Please add your name to the sign-up sheet if you can bring a scope.  More information at http://smv.org/events.html.  No LiveSky presentation this evening (Planetarium has been down since October).  There will be Science on a Sphere at 6pm and 7pm, “Weather on Planets” (35-40 minutes) will be scheduled during the summer vacation.
  • Skywatch at City Point, April 23: Public observing session at the City Point Unit of Petersburg National Battlefield.  Please let Jim Browder (at president@richastro.org) know if you can help out by bringing a scope and your expertise.  More information about the Park’s Skywatch program and the City Point location is available at:
    http://www.nps.gov/pete/forkids/skywatch-2011.htm and
    http://www.nps.gov/pete/historyculture/city-point.htm
  • Forestry Center in New Kent County, April 29, 6pm. See Bill Jeffries if you are interested.
  • Scotchtown Skywatch, May 6, 8:00 PM, 16120 Chiswell Lane, Beaverdam, VA 23015.  Please contact John Raymond at raymond7419@verizon.net if you can bring a scope.
    (http://www.apva.org/scotchtown/calendar/)
  • Astronomy Day, May 7, 12 noon – 4pm, SMV, (no Skywatch this year), RAS club table, IDA booth (dark sky information), make and take sundials, solar observing through telescopes, CCD astro-imaging, a scale model of the solar system, radio telescopes information, light pollution education, a meteorite exhibit, door prizes, a life-like space suit, and the ever-popular soda bottle rocket launch!

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