Your old username and password will not work with the new website (Dec 2018). To reset or recover your password: 1. Click the “members” link along the menu bar. 2. Click the button to “Request Password” 3. The screen will change and request your email address. Use your account email address (the primary address you used when you signed up) If you are not sure about your email account, you will need to contact the treasurer or webmaster 4. A…
Location: NCSU Crafts Center (directions) Date: November 30, 2018 Time: 7:30-9:30pm Talk Title : “Dispatched from a Dark Universe” Speaker : Katie Mack Abstract: There’s more to the Universe than we can see – even more than we can ever see. I’ll give a tour of the edges of our knowledge of the cosmos, including where the frontiers are, and what might remain unknowable forever. Come for the Big Bang, stay for the possibility of the ultimate destruction of all of reality!…
Co-chairperson Steve Blake led the meeting at the NCSU Crafts Center. 28 members, 4 guests attended. Speaker RAC member Doug Lively presented “Glorious Globulars”, an overview of globular clusters. He included the history of their discovery, current understanding of their distribution and cosmology, how charts indicate them and some favorite Messier globulars. Business Upcoming speakers for 4th quarter include: November 30: Dr. Katie Mack of NCSU, topic to be announced December 14: RAC holiday social and swap meet. Venue will…
Location: NCSU Crafts Center (directions) Date: October 26, 2018 Time: 7:30-9:30pm Talk Title : “Glorious Globulars” Speaker : Doug Lively Doug will give an intro to globular star clusters RAC Business: After the presentation, we will discuss additional RAC business. We will then adjourn for dinner at a Sammy’s Tap and Grill on Avent Ferry Rd.
Co-chairperson Ann Murphy led the meeting at the NCSU Crafts Center. 33 members, 4 guests attended. Speaker RAC member Doug Lively presented “Deadly Stars: The Top Ten Ways the Stars can Kill, Maim or Really Really Hurt You”, a professional risk analysis of the various cosmic dangers that may affect Earth. Extrasolar threats were discussed as well as solar ones. There were lots of questions and answers during the presentation. Business Upcoming speakers for 4th quarter include: October 26: speaker…
Location: NCSU Crafts Center (directions) Date: September 28, 2018 Time: 7:30-9:30pm Talk Title : “Deadly Stars: The Top Ten Ways the Stars can kill, maim or really really hurt you” Speaker : Doug Lively RAC Business: After the presentation, we will discuss additional RAC business. We will then adjourn for dinner at a Sammy’s Tap and Grill on Avent Ferry Rd.
Co-chairperson Steve Blake led the meeting at the NCSU Crafts Center. 30 members, 2 guests attended. This meeting had two short topics. “Grazing Occultation of the Moon” by RAC member Mark Lang. Mark discussed the team of RAC members that he organized to view the July 2 occultation of Delta Capricorni by the moon. Some members attempted to image the event which was made difficult by the bright gibbous moon. RAC member Mike Keefe shared some of his video results…
Location: NCSU Crafts Center (directions) Date: August 24, 2018 Time: 7:30-9:30pm August 24 Indoor Meeting: Grazing Occultation of the Moon & Telescopes Part I – Reflectors Talk Title : “Grazing Occultation of the Moon” Speaker : Mark Lang Description: The August indoor meeting talk will be a short recap of the successful July 2 grazing occultation of the star Delta Capricorni by the moon observed from the Cary Crossroads shopping center. Mark will give an overview of the planning, execution, and…
Co-chairperson Ann Murphy led the meeting at the NCSU Crafts Center 27 member, 5 guests attended Speaker: Shannon Morgan, RAC member and NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador Shannon gave an excellent talk entitled “Mars! Dust Storms, Opposition and Observing”. She explained the history and future of Mars oppositions, the dust storm that is affecting the planet during the present opposition, and some pointers the help observe Mars. Business Treasurer Steve Izzo gave a treasury report: $527.19 in business checking $12,521.39 in…
Location: NCSU Crafts Center (directions) Date: May 18, 2018 Time: 7:30-9:30pm Talk Title : “Mars! Dust Storms, Opposition, and Observing” Speaker : Shannon Morgan Description: Shannon Morgan, who is a Solar System Ambassador, will talk about Mars. This talk encompasses three sections on Mars and its opposition. The first part will be a brief discussion of the current historic dust event and what that means for the rovers. The second part will be about the upcoming opposition and why 2018…
There will be no formal presentation, but there will be some open discussion about strategies for powering all our imaging gear. We’ll be meeting in the hallway behind the Brickhouse Restaurant on Hillsborough Street at 7pm. We had a lot of new images posted in recent weeks. Bring them by to share.
Location: NCSU Crafts Center (directions) Date: May 18, 2018 Time: 7:30-9:30pm Mars at Opposition: Historical context and what to expect RAC Member and Associate Professor of Hispanic linguistics at NC State, Jim Michnowicz Gain some background on the upcoming Mars Opposition. Mars won’t be this close again until 2035, so this is the summer to spend some time on the Red Planet. Look at a brief history of Mars observations, as well as what to expect in the eyepiece during…
Location: NCSU Crafts Center (directions) Date: April 27, 2018 Time: 7:30-9:30pm Abstract: Stephen Hawking and his work: One possible view. Steve Christensen, RAC Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy UNC-Chapel Hill Abstract Steve met Hawking in 1972 and much of his research has been in similar fields, in particular, the nature of black holes. Steve will talk about his interactions with Hawking and his collaborators, his discoveries, and what still needs to be understood related to his work. RAC Business:…
Location: NCSU Crafts Center (directions) Date: March 23, 2018 Time: 7:30-9:30pm Abstract: RAC Member and Co-Chair Ann Murphy will give a lecture on getting started in Astronomy. The lecture talks about some of the things to see in the night sky and how to start looking at them. RAC Business: After the presentation, we will discuss additional RAC business. We will then adjourn for dinner at a Sammy’s Tap and Grill on Avent Ferry Rd.
Location: NCSU Crafts Center (directions) Date: February 23, 2018 Time: 7:30-9:30pm Abstract: RAC Member extraordinaire Mark Lang will demonstrate how the night sky changes over time and how he captures the images using his equipment. His astrophotography catches the motion of objects against the background stars. RAC Business: After the presentation, we will discuss additional RAC business. We will then adjourn for dinner at a Sammy’s Tap and Grill on Avent Ferry Rd.
