April Meeting Minutes

RichmondAstronomical Society

751th Consecutive Meeting

April 10, 2012

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Greetings – approximately 34 in attendance at the meeting.

Jim Browder called our meeting to order in theEurekaroom.

Name tags are being passed out during the next few meetings to our members.

 

 

Share Table

Several photos of planets and nebulas were brought in from recent night time observing. 

Someone donated a mouse pad to anyone who wanted it.

An Orion reflector was donated to the club for their use.

 

Library Report

Virginiareported no problems with the library.

 

Events and Individual Observing

Recent Events:

  • ScienceMuseumskywatch – clouded out and was cancelled early in the day
  • LiveSky succeeded with a dry ice demonstration
  • Individual observing – Several members discussed seeing Jupiter and observed clarity changes in seeing the 4 moons.  Sun spots was also another observing topic.

 

Upcoming Events:

  • Science Museum Skywatch, April 20: Please sign up and bring a telescope if you can. More information is at smv.org/events.html. The RAS skywatch will start at dusk after the LiveSky planetarium show.
  • RAS Observing at Camp, April 21: Observing session for RAS members and guests at the Heart of Virginia Scout Reservation in Goochland. The address is 1723 Maidens Roadin Maidens, VA. Detailed directions to the site are at this link: http://hovbsa.org/content/view/59/149/1/4/.   Be there by 6pm to start setting up.  It’s close to the New Moon, so we should have dark skies.

Once you enter the reservation from Maidens Road/Rt. 522, take an immediate right turn into the Cub Adventure Camp, drive about 0.1 mile and look for a brown sign on the right with a picture of a telescope on it, directing you to the top of a hill which is the observing site. Please note that anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian in order to comply with camp rules.

  • Astronomy Day, April 28: Astronomy and space science activities at theScienceMuseumalong with a skywatch at Belmead on the James in Powhatan. Please let Prashant Reddy at reddypva@verizon.net know if you can help with Astronomy Day at the Museum. If you can help with the skywatch at Belmead in the evening, please let Jim Browder know at presidentrichastro.org.  Hours are from 12 noon – 4pm.  Several astronomical activities are planned for the afternoon, including water rockets, Science on the Sphere, equipment to observe solar activity, our own roaming astronaut, and a 3:00 viewing of “The City Dark”, which is a film that examines the issues of light pollution from different angles.
  • Astronomy Day skywatch: Belmead has had a number of incarnations since 1850 as a plantation, a school and now an environmental and community center in Powhatan. It has a dark sky with convenient parking and facilities nearby. This location offers a great opportunity for us as an observing and public skywatch location. More information and directions are at this link: http://www.discoverbelmead.com/.
  • Pocahontas State Park Skywatch, June 23: If interested please advise Jim Browder at president@richastro.org.
  • Next RAS meeting, May 8: Please join us if you can. A number of us also gather before the meeting at Arbys across the street from the Museum about 6:00 PM.
  • Transit of Venus, June 5: Stay tuned for details of a local gathering to observe the event.  Public event at the SMV.
  • Virginia Association of Astronomical Societies Annual Meeting, September 15: Save the date! This year’s VAAS meeting will be held at the Heart of Virginia Scout Reservation which has dark skies, convenient location and great facilities. If you can help with this event, please contact Betty Wilson at blpwilson@aol.com.

 

 

Visitor Welcome:

  • Clifford Bell
  • Amy Handfench
  • Barry Westin
  • Buster Powell

 

Short Talk:

“StauntonRiverStar Party Review,” Tim Streagle

 

Break

 

Major Presentation:

“Astronomical Image Processing — Raw Images to the Finished Product,” Tim Streagle

 

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Reminders:

The next RAS meeting will be Tuesday, May 8th at the SMV.

The next board meeting will be Monday, May 21st  at Extra Billy’s at 7:00 PM (arrive earlier for dinner). Meeting is open to all members.

 

Check out the web site at http://www.richastro.org/

RAS Café Press store.  Please take a look at the online store where you can purchase items embossed with the RAS label. The site can be found at http://www.cafepress.com/RichAstroShop .