Richmond Astronomical Society
800th Consecutive Meeting
May 10, 2016
Greetings – approximately 37 in attendance at the meeting.
Jim Browder called our meeting to order in the Eureka meeting room
Announcements / Share Table – We have cake for our 800th meeting!!
Library Report: Virginia Eckert
Welcome Visitors:
- Michael Davias
- Richard Barlow
- Shane & Michael Diller
Events and Individual Observing:
RAS members
Science Museum
Mercury transit
Belmead
Belmead in Peril! As many of you know, we have developed a partnership over the past few years with Belmead in Powhatan, a beautiful, historic and relatively convenient dark sky location. Unfortunately, the owners of the property, Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament in Philadelphia, have decided to sell the entire 2,200 acre tract. The local Virginia staff at Belmead was not involved in the decision and this turn of events was very much a surprise to them. More information is available at: www.richmond.comlnews/local/central-virginia/powhatan/.
A press conference is scheduled at Belmead on Saturday, May 14 at 2:00 PM. Friends and supporters of Belmead are encouraged to attend. The event is NOT restricted to members of the media.
The decision to sell Belmead is enormously disappointing on many levels. RAS was in the process of expanding our partnership with Belmead by installing within the month a telescope storage facility from which scopes could be deployed for visitor and member use. We were also preparing an application to the International Dark Sky Association to secure Belmead’s designation as a dark sky reserve. Aside from our specific interest in the property as an observing and outreach education site, Belrnead is an absolute treasure, It has had a lifetime as an old southern plantation from the 1840’s into the 1870’s, followed by a second lifetime as a school for African American and Native American youth from the 1890’s into the 1970’s and yet a third rejuvenation as an environmental and community center and a model of land stewardship. It has most recently served us as a comfortable respite from urban light glow
RAS has sent a letter to the leadership in Philadelphia registering our displeasure and concern over the lack of inclusiveness in making this decision. There is also a petition at Change.org if you would like to add your name in support. Hopefully there will be a positive outcome.
Upcoming Events
Astronomy Day – Saturday May 14, 10:00AM
The Science Museum of Virginia and the Richmond Astronomical Society will celebrate Astronomy Day at the Museum with a number of exhibits and activities including the ever popular water rocket launching and more. If you can help with this event, please contact president@richastro.org.
Two-liter soda bottles! We are in short supply of empty two-liter soda bottles for our Astronomy Day rocket launches! Please bring as many as you can to Astronomy Day or get them to Matthew Roy or Jim Blowers! Thanks!
RAS Board of Directors meeting, Monday, May 16, 7:00 PM: At Extra Billy’s on Broad Street. Meeting at 7:00 PM; dinner at 6:00 PM.
Science Museum Skywatch, Friday, May 20, 6:30 PM: Skywatch at the Museum in conjunction with the Museum’s Science After Dark event. Please join us and bring a telescope if you can.
Powhatan State Park, Saturday, June 25, 8:00 PM: Stargazing at Powhatan State Park – please join us and bring a telescope. We have a lead astronomer for this event, but could use a few extra folks with telescopes. We also need lead astronomers for events on November 5 and December 3. If interested, please contact president@richastro.org.
2016 Star Parties: Lots of star parties in 2016. The events for which we currently have information are listed at:
http://richastro.org/index.php/blog/2016-star-parties/
ALCON 2016 registration is open! ALCon is the annual convention of the Astronomical League, held in a different location in the US each year. ALCon is an excellent opportunity to speak with and learn from other astronomers and experts in various fields. This year, ALCon is in Washington, DC – only a couple hours away, August 10-13. Registration and more information is at alcon2016.astroleague.org .
Astro-imaging hangouts on Google: Bryan Hartley has been most generous in sharing with us his images and the expertise he is rapidly gaining with Pixinsight, a very powerful image processing tool. To join one of his Google hangouts, contact president@richastro.org.
Dinwiddie Tiger Den Stargazing: A Dinwiddie Tiger Den has asked for an RAS volunteer astronomer to make a presentation and facilitate stargazing at one of their Monday evening meetings. Please contact John Raymond at raymond74l9@verizon.net, if you would like to help.
Break
Presentation: “The Back Bay Amateur Astronomers — Recent Initiatives and Activities,” George Reynolds, BBAA