RAC Indoor Meeting Minutes

Date: January 9, 2026

Co-Chair: Dana Bostic

On-going Action Item: Need comments from club members about any updates to web pages or if a webpage is obsolete and needs to be deleted.  See Webmaster Report for more details.

Action Item: 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. Full report on RAC website!

Meeting Presentation:

Meeting Topic:  Ionization Sources of the Local Interstellar Clouds

Speaker: Michael Shull Professor of Astrophysics (Univ of Colorado) (Adjunct Professor, Physics & Astronomy, UNC Chapel Hill)

Meeting Description:

Ionization Sources of the Local Interstellar Clouds.  The structure of the local interstellar clouds is influenced by stellar ionizing sources that shaped it dynamically and thermally over the last 10 million years. The dominant sources include two massive B-type stars, currently at distances of 400 and 500 lt yrs in the Canis Majoris constellation, and three hot white dwarfs (171, 197, and 253 lt yrs). Our solar system is surrounded by wispy interstellar gas clouds, 30 lt yr in extent, which shield us from most of this ionizing radiation. However, 4.4 million years ago, those two B-stars stars passed within 30–35 light years of the Sun, leaving behind a trail of ionized and photoelectrically heated gas. Additional ionizing photons come from the Local Hot Bubble, a glow of million-degree plasma generated by shock waves from past supernova explosions in the Scorpius–Ophiuchus stellar association. The unusual levels of ionized hydrogen and helium entering the heliosphere likely reflects these sources, altered by the propagation and filtering of EUV and X-ray radiation through the clouds.

Astronomical League Report:

Dean’s 2026 AL Messier/Caldwell Challeng

Challenge: to image or visually observe selected Messier and Caldwell targets.

Purpose: To help you get the Astronomical Leagues’ Messier / Caldwell Observing programs certificates and pins. Improve observing / imaging abilities by giving you fresh targets for each month

End game: Imaging / sketching of the 110 Messier objects required for the award as well as the 70 Caldwell Objects for that award.

Can be done in a year (don’t worry, it can also be done over two years). 

  • C31 Flaming Star Nebula
  • C41 The Hyades Cluster
  • C49/C50 Rosette Nebula
  • C73 -40DEc if you can get it a GC
  • M35 OC in Gemini with NGC 2158 bonus
  • M36 OC in Auriga
  • M37 OC in Auriga
  • M38 OC in Auriga with NGC1907AL Awards:

3I – Atlas  (Certificate)

  •         Blair Groden
  •         Dana Bostic
  •         Doug Lively
  •         Dean Herring
  •         Susan Herring
  •         Al Hamrick

Huygens Toes (Titan’s shadow on Saturn) Pin    

  •         Adnan Asif
  •         Chris Cole
  •         Al Hamrick
  •         Blair Groden

Hubble 35th

  •         Bob Muzzi – Oct/Nov/Dec
  •         Blair Groden – Dec
  •         Dana Bostic – Dec
  •         Al Hamrick – Dec
  •         Chris Wittum – Nov (sent)
  •         Nathan Raynor – Nov/Dec (sent)
  •         Michael Keefe – Dec
  •         Adnana Asif – Dec

Note: A.L Hubble 35th – Yearlong celebration and push

  • Award Gold(s) in April with Mike Keefe’s presentation

New/Holdovers:

  • Randal Finden – Herschel 400 – Imaging #679I Cert/Pin
  • Dean F Herring – Asterism OP – Cert/Pin
  • Susan Herring – Asterism OP – Cert/Pin
  • Dana Bostic – Solar System OP
  • Adnan Asif – Constellation Hunter North – Cet and Pin – Cert/Pin
  • Upcoming Events:
    • Jan 15 – Museum of Life and Science Teen Science Cafe
    • Jan 16 – RACOBS
    • Jan 23 – Astronomy Days
    • Jan 24 – Astronomy Days
    • Jan 29 – Buckhorn Creek Elementary School
    • Jan 30 – Indoor RAC meeting at Morehead Planetarium
    • February 6 – First Fridays with TLC at Three Bear Acres (Creedmoor)
    • February 10 – Scotts Ridge ES Steam Night (Apex)
    • February 25 – The Willard Rooftop (Raleigh)

Astronomy Days:

  • Been postponed due to weather to January 30, 5p – 7p; 31-Feb 1, 2026, 10a – 5p
  • Date: January 23, 5p – 7p; 24-25, 2026, 10a – 5p
  • Theme this year: “Passport to the Moon”
  • RAC Exhibits:
    • Astrophotography, same location in the NRC
    • RAC Table/Ask The Astronomer, in the NEC
    • Telescopes on Display, in the NEC
    • Solar Observing, on the fourth floor “Green Roof” of the NRC
  • Registration Has Begun (raleighastro.org) – Go to the Calendar and register for your shift(s)
  • There are three shifts:
  •                9:30a-11:30a,
  •                11:30a-2:30p,
  •                2:30p-5:30p
  • If you volunteer for more than two shifts, lunch will be provided by the museum.
  • You DO NOT have to sign-up for the same exhibit twice.
  • You can also assist in the setup on the Friday before (5p-7p) – 1/30
  • Need help for Sunday.
  • Exhibit descriptions on registration page.

Treasurer’s Report:

  • Memberships:
    • RAC memberships: 530
    • Cancelled Memberships: 43
    • Admin memberships: 1
    • TOTAL memberships: 574
  • Financials:
    • Checking: $1,285.49
    • Savings: $25,521.85
    • Special Purpose: $96.62

Outreach Report

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.

Loaner Scope Report

  • Type                                   Checked Out  In for Repair    Available
  • Cassegrains    4                                          4                                         3
  • Dobsonians    7                                          1                                          4
  • Maksutovs       3                                          1                                          2
  • Refractors        0                                          0                                          2
  • Reflectors        1                                          1                                          3
  • Binoculars       1                                          0                                         3
  • Accessories    10                                        0                                         24
  • Outreach          2                                          0                                         2
  • Donated Classic Orion XT8 Dobsonian telescope added to the loaner program
  • Reviewing 2 more telescope donations to be added to the loaner program [email protected]

Education Committee Report: 

  • 2026’s first class will be on Saturday, February 21st — topic TBD
  • Questionnaire went out recently, need as many responses as possible — there will be a random drawing for two $25 Amazon gift cards as a “thank you” for participating — the questionnaire will close on Saturday, January 17th at 11:59pm

Webmaster Report – No Updates

Web team Reports: – No Updates

Committee Reports

Safety – No updates

Social Events

  • The December Holiday Social was a fun time of food & fellowship topped off with the Imaging showcase hosted by Chris Cole. It’s always a pleasure to see the beautiful objects that our members capture. We have some very talented people in our club, a big thank you  to everyone that contributed! 
  • The next indoor meeting social will be in the Spring. Details TBA

Social Media – No Updates

A/V – No Updates

Imaging Report

January 15th Imaging Meeting

Imaging Target Challenge: The Heart and/or Soul Nebulae

  • Going over results imagers have obtained in imaging the Heart and/or Soul Nebulae since October of 2025
  • Second half of meeting will be sharing non-Heart and Soul Nebulae Images
  • Zoom opens at 7pm; Meeting starts at 7:30pm.

Key-Holders Report

  • 3BA bathrooms are closed until at least March

Socialize after the meeting at Sammy’s.