Februrary 2013 Business Meeting

Mike Keefe solicited feedback about Astronomy Days from the members.  There is a survey that is available as well.  The link is http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/87KTB6D.  Please take a moment to fill out the survey, if you volunteered or attended Astronomy Days. This feedback will help us improve.

• Seasonal Messier Lists

Brian Reasor spoke about the new list of RAC Observing Awards.  Brian is our representative for ALCOR.

• Email List – Distributing information that comes to the RAC mailbox

There are some advertising and information that comes to the RAC mailbox.  Currently the officers have been filtering it.  The officers wanted to know if the members of the club wanted to keep filtering it or should it be distributed to the yahoo group.  A vote was taken if this information should be passed along.  One opposed and 20 thought it should be passed along.  This information will be passed along and the issue revisited in future meetings (especially if it becomes too much).

• Apparel – Shirts, hoodies, hats with the RAC logo embroidered on the item.

The company that originally did the RAC logo is moving on.  The officers wanted to gage the interest of finding another company that can do the work.  A vote was conducted on whether research wouldbe done to find another company or not. 14 approved doing the research and 0 opposed.

• Special Speaker in April 26, at 7:30-9:30 in the Auditorium in the museum 

This speaker is Rod Mollise.  He will be discussing his Herschel 2500 Observing project.  He will recount his Herschel Project, a three year long quest to see all 2500 of the objects discovered by Sir William Hershel and his sister, Caroline. He will cover both the “whys” and “hows” of the project: why he undertook it and how he was able to observe some rather challenging objects with modest equipment. This will take place April 26 at 7:30-9:30 in the WRAL Auditorium in the Museum.

• Thursday at the Museum 2/28/2013, 5:30pm – 9pm

Kick off with Time Warner at the Museum.  There will be a crowd.  We can set up our telescopes in front of the Museum or in front of the Daily Planet Café.  The members from Friday (2/22) thought in front of the museum was a better location.  This will start at 5:30 and end about 9.

• Special Saturday RACOBS

The February RACOBS meeting did not happen due to bad weather.  But due to the interest from the Astronomy Days, it was rescheduled for Saturday.  This special RACOBS was discussed.  There was some issues about having this done all the time a RACOBS would need to be cancelled.  Some people wanted to be able to go out on the Saturday if they missed the Friday due to bad weather.  Also it was a lot of work to reschedule.  Most members thought we should have a public outreach night to capture this interest.

• Other Upcoming Events.
• Telescope Tune up Clinic – Saturday March 2, 2013, 4:15 pm – 6:45pm, Location: Prairie Ridge Ecostation Raleigh, NC

Need Volunteers.  Contact Mike Keefe if you want to volunteer. Make sure you dress warmly, this event is unheated and out of doors.

• State Wide Star Party  – Saturday April 5^th, 8pm – 10pm, Location: Prairie Ridge and Annie Louise Wilkerson)

You can choose which one you want to attend.

RAC members provide telescopes and observing expertise at Prairie Ridge Ecostation and Annie Wilkerson Nature
Preserve as part of the Statewide Star Party, an event in the 2013 NC Science Festival.  There is no rain date.  Below are the addresses.

Prairie Ridge Ecostation
4301 Reedy Creek Rd
Raleigh, NC 27607

Annie Wilkerson Nature Preserve
5229 Awls Haven Drive
Raleigh NC 27614