Co-chairperson Ann Murphy hosted the online meeting using the Zoom platform
63 participants
Indoor Meeting: “Beginning Astronomy” by RAC member Ann Murphy.
Business
Treasury Report. The report was provided by Treasurer Steve Izzo.
Membership continues to grow!
Membership – 319 total (215+2*52)
- 215 single memberships
- 52 family memberships
Balances
- $447.69 in business checking
- $15,929.53 in savings
- $191.29 in special purpose checking
Mentoring Program. Report by Mike Keefe.
Details are still being formed. Mentoring is for new astronomers, not new members. Mentors will meet with mentees and go from there. Sign up (mentors and mentees) is on member Profile page. Sign up is available now; details of the program is still being developed.
Announcement will come after the New Year.
Email Groups. Report provided by Mike Keefe/ Ann Murphy
Two new email groups have been added:
- Rac Academy is for members new to astronomy
- Beginner’s Imaging is for members new to imaging
Please see see https://raleighastro.org/blog/2020/12/11/rac-email-groups/ to join these or our other email groups.
Astronomical League. Report provided by Doug Lively.
RAC members are automatically members of Astronomical League. The League offers many observing programs that members can complete and earn awards. See https://www.astroleague.org/al/obsclubs/LevelObservingClubs.html for a list and details of these programs. Also note that there is a special observing award program for the Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. See https://www.astroleague.org/content/al-observing-challenge-special-observing-award
Astronomy Days. Report provided by Doug Lively.
Astronomy Days will be virtual (online) this year with events running from Monday Jan 25 to Sunday Jan 31. Attendees need to register for each event to view it as there is a limit of 300 attendees. See https://naturalsciences.org/calendar/astronomy-days/programs/ to register.
RAC members will provide a virtual observing session of the Moon (Moon Zoom) on Jan 25 from 7pm to 8:15pm. The rain/cloud date is Jan 26.
Outreach. Report provided by Matt Lochansky
Nov 28 virtual RACOBS, 45 attendees. We need more imaging contributors!
Upcoming Activities.
Dec 21: Virtual public observing of the conjunction over Zoom starting at 6pm. You need to register – this event is coordinated with Morehead Planetarium. The first 300 registrants may join.
The Club has purchased a new mini video projector for public outreach. Co-chairman Mike Keefe has the projector and is learning how to use it. It is likely to be used during the virtual conjunction observing event.
Jan 8: RACOBS
Jan 14: Imaging Special Interest Group meeting via Zoom.
Jan 22: Indoor meeting via Zoom. Topic TBA.
