RAC Outreach Committee Report – December 2025

Recent events:

• December 3 – The Willard Rooftop (Raleigh)
  • Coordinator: Steve B
  • Volunteers: Blair, Chris, Mike, and Steve B
  • Recap: Steve B –

It was a mostly clear night tonight except for the cloud of hamburger-flavored smoke from Char Grill next door, but we had approximately 25 people stop by to observe the Moon, Saturn, Jupiter, the Pleiades, and M41. We were just a few miles from the path of the Moon/Pleiades occultation and hence missed it. Despite the cold the people who came out to observe were happy and enthusiastic. Having fewer attendees allowed for deeper conversations.

• December 5 – First Fridays with TLC at Three Bear Acres (Creedmoor)
  • Canceled due to weather forecast and field conditions.

Upcoming events:

• January 3 – First Fridays Saturdays with TLC at Three Bear Acres (Creedmoor)
  • Coordinator: Ana V
  • Volunteers registered:
    • telescopes: 1/15
    • floaters: 1/5
• January 15 – Museum of Life and Science Teen Science Club (Durham)
  • Coordinator/presenter: Tony V
• January 24 & 25 – Astronomy Days (Raleigh)
  • Coordinator: Chris C
  • Volunteers register for individual shifts:
    • Saturday January 24 Shift 1
    • Saturday January 24 Shift 2
    • Saturday January 24 Shift 3
    • Sunday January 25 Shift 1
    • Sunday January 25 Shift 2
    • Sunday January 25 Shift 3
• January 29 – Buckhorn Creek ES (Holly Springs)
  • Coordinator: Marshall S
  • Volunteers registered:
    • telescopes: 0/5
    • floaters: 0/4
    • RAC table: 0/1
• February 6 – First Fridays with TLC at Three Bear Acres (Creedmoor)
  • Coordinator: Ana V
  • Volunteers registered:
    • telescopes: 0/15
    • floaters: 0/5
• February 10 – Scotts Ridge ES Steam Night (Apex)
  • Coordinator: Steve B
  • Volunteers needed (registration opens January 10):
    • telescopes: 5
    • floaters: 4
• February 25 – The Willard Rooftop (Raleigh)
  • Coordinator: Steve B
  • Volunteers needed (registration opens January 20):
    • telescopes: 3
    • floaters: 3
• March 2 – Vandora Springs ES “Math Under the Stars” Night (Garner)
  • Coordinator: Steve B
  • Volunteers needed (registration opens January 30):
    • telescopes: 5
    • floaters: 4
• March 6 – First Fridays with TLC at Three Bear Acres (Creedmoor)
  • Coordinator: Ana V
  • Volunteers registered:
    • telescopes: 0/15
    • floaters: 0/5
• March 7 – Astronomy Night at Joyner Park (Wake Forest)
  • Coordinator: Steve B
  • Volunteers needed (registration opens February 7):
    • telescopes: 4
    • floaters: 3
• April 3 – First Fridays with TLC at Three Bear Acres (Creedmoor)
  • Coordinator: Ana V
  • Volunteers registered:
    • telescopes: 0/15
    • floaters: 0/5
• April 8 – The Willard Rooftop (Raleigh)
  • Coordinator: Steve B
  • Volunteers needed (registration opens March 2)
    • telescopes: 3
    • floaters: 3
• April 22 – Apex Friendship ES STEM Night (Apex)
  • Coordinator: Steve B
  • Volunteers needed (registration opens March 22):
    • telescopes: 3
    • floaters: 2
    • RAC table: 2
• April 24 – Statewide Star Party: American Tobacco Trail (Apex)
  • Coordinator: TBD
  • Volunteers needed (registration opens March 19):
    • telescopes: 5
    • floaters: 3
• April 24 – Statewide Star Party: White Deer Park (Garner)
  • Coordinator: TBD
  • Volunteers needed (registration opens March 19):
    • telescopes: 5
    • floaters: 3

Notes:

The Outreach 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. We will train you! To volunteer for an event, register via the RAC Calendar event entry.

Event coordinators: please send an email after the event to [email protected] indicating:

• How many RAC members volunteered.
• Estimate of how many attendees were present.
• Brief synopsis of the event: what interesting things were observed, attendee reactions, host impressions, etc.