RAC Indoor Meeting Minutes

August 16, 2024

Co-Chair Naveen Malik hosted the meeting in-person at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, as well as virtually using the Zoom platform.

23 meeting participants attended in-person, 20 attended via Zoom.

Upcoming Events:

Aug 17 – Artspace Summer Celebration
Aug 22 – Imaging Meeting
Aug 25 – Beyond the Flames: Astronomy Amidst Wildfires
Sept 6 – RACOBS & First Fridays with TLC
Sept 7 – RAC Class
Sept 19 – Imaging Meeting
Sept 27 – Indoor Meeting – Betelgeuse: Will It Supernova Soon?
Sept 30 – SRSP!
Oct 4 – RACOBS & First Fridays with TLC
Oct 12 – RAC BBQ!

Presentation: Curiosity: 12 Years Roving Mars

On August 6th, 2012 Curiosity touched down safely on Mars. She’s been hard at work ever since, and this presentation brought us up to speed on what’s going on with Mars exploration.

Speaker: Ken Brandt – Robeson Planetarium & Science Center, NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador

 

Business:

Current Officers & Committee Chairs

Co-Chairs: Naveen Malik, Dana Bostic

Treasurer: Steve Izzo

Secretary: Susan Herring

Committee Chairs:

ALCOR: Dean Herring 

Outreach: Steven Blake

Webmaster: Barton Meeks

Loaner Scopes: Rob Parsons

Key Holders: Naveen Malik

Education: Anastasia Vail

Social Media: Anastasia Vail

Imaging: Chris Cole

A/V: Naveen Malik

Officer Elections:

Ballot:

  • Co-Chair: Dana Bostic
  • Co-Chair: Naveen Malik
  • Treasurer: Steve Izzo
  • Secretary: Susan Herring

A voting quorum was not reached as some members left or signed off before the vote. The next Election vote will be

held at the September 27, 2024 indoor meeting.

Budget Ratification:

The proposed budget has been prepared by the Treasurer and is ready for member review.

It will be voted on for ratification at next month’s meeting, September 27, 2024.

Officers will email link for review.

Note this is the same budget shared earlier in the year with some small modifications as we have reviewed committee spending.

Reports:

Treasurer’s Report: Steven Izzo

Membership: -530 total.

324 single memberships
119 family memberships with 87 secondary members

Financials:

Business checking: $1,172.70
Savings: $24,658.30
Special purpose checking: $0.21

Astronomical League Awards: Dean Herring

Awards:

  • Marshal Sweet – Outreach Basic, pin & certificate
  • Blair Groden – Outreach Basic, pin & certificate
  • Dean Herring – Master Observer: Silver, pin & certificate
  • Dean Herring – Sketching OP, pin & certificate

Outreach Report: Steve Blake

Loaner Scope Report:  Rob Parsons

Cassagrains: 7 out / 2 available

Dobsonians: 10 out / 1 available

Maksutovs: 1 out / 0 available

Refractors: 1 out / 1 available

Reflectors: 1 out / 2 available

Binoculars: 1out / 3 available

Donations: 

  1. Celestron AstroMaster 70 Refractor on AltAz Mount
  2. AstroTech 8” Imaging Newtonian (OTA & Finderscope Only)
  3. Celestron CGE1400 Schmidt-Cassegrain

Key Holders Report:  Naveen Malik

Education Committee Report: Anastasia Vail

Next Class:

Saturday September 7, 2024 @3:00 PM

Beginner Astrophotography Series, Part three: Telescope +Equatorial Mount

Social Media, A/V & Imaging – No Reports

After meeting social:

Hiberian Pub 311 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh

All First Friday Under the Stars with TLC events in 2024 will be held at Three Bear Acres, until further notice.

The observing committee is looking for volunteers to coordinate events and assist at events with or without a telescope. To join the committee, send a blank email to [email protected]. Any club member is welcome, regardless of experience level. To volunteer for an event, register via the RAC Calendar.