Club Reports

RAC Indoor Meeting Minutes June 09 2023 Co-Chair Mike Keefe hosted the meeting in-person at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, as well as virtually using the Zoom and Facebook platforms. 26 meeting participants attended in-person (18 signed the attendance sheet), 7 attended via Zoom and 7 attended via Facebook. Presentation: “Searching for Nuggets” by UNC-CH Physics & Astronomy PhD student Derrick Carr. Business Milestones by Co-Chair Mike Keefe Mike Keefe completed observations for the Caldwell Club. Now he needs…

RAC Indoor Meeting Minutes May 26 2023 Co-chair Naveen Malik hosted the meeting in-person at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, as well as virtually using the Zoom and Facebook platforms. 18 RAC participants attended in-person, 17 attended via Zoom and 8 attended via Facebook. Presentation: “Astrophotography: Solar System & Deep Sky Objects” by RAC Co-chair Naveen Malik. Business Milestones by co-chair Naveen Malik Frank Westmorland shared that he has created more 16″x20″ image panels. Club Elections by co-chair Naveen…

RAC Indoor Meeting Minutes April 28 2023 Co-chair Naveen Malik hosted the meeting in-person at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, as well as virtually using the Zoom platform. 18 RAC participants in-person. Zoom and Facebook attendance was not recorded. Presentation: “Where Are All the Aliens” by RAC Co-chair Michael Keefe and ALCOR Doug Lively. Business Milestones by co-chair Naveen Malik Frank Westmorland shared that he volunteered for 3 Statewide Star Party events. Naveen Malik also volunteered for 3 Statewide…

RAC Indoor Meeting Minutes March 10 2023 RAC was invited to attend the Statewide Star Party host planning meeting at Morehead Planetarium and hold its business meeting. The meeting was hosted by Amy Sayle, Morehead Planetarium. 16 RAC participants in-person. Presentation: “Dark Skies Awareness” Business Outreach Committee Update by co-chair Mike Keefe Upcoming outreach events: March 20-26 – Staunton River Star Party March 29 – The Willard Rooftop April 1 – UNC Science Expo at Morehead Planetarium April 7 –…

RAC Indoor Meeting Minutes February 10 2023 Co-chairperson Anastasia Vail hosted the meeting in-person at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, as well as virtually using the Zoom platform. 20 participants in-person, 21 participants via Zoom, 14 participants via Facebook. RAC Announcements by co-chairperson Anastasia Vail Upcoming meetings/events: February 15 – TLC Expo at NC Museum of Natural Sciences February 16 – Imaging Meeting (Comet Processing Strategies) February 23 – STEAM Night at River Dell Elementary School February 24 –…

RAC Indoor Meeting Minutes January 13 2023 Co-chairperson Naveen Malik hosted the meeting in-person at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, as well as virtually using the Zoom platform. 21 participants in-person, 22 participants via Zoom, 5 participants via Facebook. RAC Announcements by co-chairperson Naveen Malik Upcoming meetings/events: January 14 – Skywatching at White Deer Park January 19 – RAC Imaging Meeting January 19: NC Museum of Natural Sciences Science Cafe January 27: Astronomy Days setup at NC Museum of…

RAC Indoor Meeting Minutes December 16 2022 Co-chairperson Naveen Malik hosted the meeting in-person at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, as well as virtually using the Zoom platform. 20 participants in-person, 12 participants via Zoom, 5 participants via Facebook. RAC Announcements by co-chairperson Naveen Malik Upcoming meetings/events: December 23 – RAC Observing Meeting (RACOBS) (cancelled) January 7 – First Fridays (Saturday) Under the Stars with TLC (Three Bear Acres) January 11 – The Willard rooftop January 13 – RAC…

RAC Indoor Meeting Minutes November 11 2022 Co-chairperson Mike Keefe hosted the meeting in-person at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, as well as virtually using the Zoom platform. 12 participants in-person, 16 participants via Zoom. Presentation: “Avoiding Armageddon” by Matthew Funke, NASA Solar System Ambassador Business RAC Announcements by co-chairperson Mike Keefe Upcoming meetings/events: November 17 – RAC Imaging Meeting November 19 – Skywatching at White Deer Park November 25 – RAC Observing Meeting (RACOBS) December 1 – RAC…

RAC Indoor Meeting Minutes October 14 2022 Co-chairperson Anastasia Vail hosted the meeting in-person at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, as well as virtually using the Zoom platform. 16 participants in-person, 15 participants via Zoom. Presentation: “Astronomy at Glacier National Park” by Doug Lively, RAC ALCOR and NASA Solar System Ambassador Business RAC Announcements by co-chairperson Anastasia Vail Upcoming meetings/events: October 20 – RAC Imaging Meeting October 20 – Public Night at Morrisville Library October 24-30 – Staunton River…

RAC Indoor Meeting Minutes September 9 2022 Co-chairperson Mike Keefe hosted the meeting in-person at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, as well as virtually using the Zoom platform. 22 participants in-person, 23 participants via Zoom. Presentation: “The Milky Way, Our Home Galaxy” by Dr. Patrick Treuthardt Dr. Patrick Treuthardt is an astrophysicist and current Assistant Head of the Astronomy & Astrophysics Research Lab at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences. His research focuses on the shapes, structures, and underlying…

RAC Indoor Meeting Minutes August 19 2022 Co-chairperson Naveen Malik hosted the meeting in-person at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, as well as virtually using the Zoom platform. 23 participants in-person, 15 participants via Zoom. Presentation: “Curiosity’s 10th Anniversary” by Ken Brandt and Doug Ellison. Ken Brandt is director of the Robison Planetarium and Science Center in Lumberton, NC and a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador. Doug Ellison is a member of NASA JPL’s Mars Science Laboratory team and became…

RAC Indoor Meeting Minutes July 8 2022 Co-chairperson Anastasia Vail hosted the meeting in-person at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, as well as virtually using the Zoom platform. 14 participants in-person, 21 participants via Zoom. Presentation: “Zooinverse and Beyond: Citizen Science From Preschool to PhD” by Kerry Vail. Business RAC Announcements by co-chairperson Anastasia Vail Upcoming meetings: July 14 – Imaging Meeting: Galaxies M81/M82 July 22 – RAC Observing Session (RACOBS) August 19 – RAC Indoor Meeting: Curiosity’s 10th…

RAC Indoor Meeting Minutes June 10 2022 Co-chairperson Mike Keefe hosted the meeting in-person at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, as well as virtually using the Zoom platform. 18 participants in-person, 20 participants via Zoom. Presentation: “Star Parties: What to Expect and How to Make the Most of Your Observing” by RAC members Mike Keefe, Doug Lively, and Jim Pressley. Business RAC Announcements by co-chairperson Mike Keefe Upcoming meetings: June 10 (tonight) – Club officer elections June 16 –…

RAC Indoor Meeting Minutes May 13 2022 Co-chairperson Ann Murphy hosted the meeting in-person at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, as well as virtually using the Zoom platform. 23 participants in-person, 27 participants via Zoom. Presentation: “Where Do Galaxies End” by Dr. Mike Shull, Univ. of Colorodo, Dept. of Astrophysical and Planetary Science, and UNC-CH Lecture summary: Observational and theoretical evidence for the enormous sizes of galaxies, some extending 1 million light years in radius, is discussed. What we “see”…