RAC – Page 12 – Raleigh Astronomy Club

RAC Email: Subscribing and Unsubscribing

Subgroups One feature of the groups.io service is the ability to quickly create new distribution lists. These groups typically inherit the user list from the top level group (announcements), so they are called subgroups. The only requirement for a subgroup is that all members are allowed to join if they wish. All members are automatically subscribed to the announcements list (for club announcements, not discussion) and the members list, [email protected]. The members list is the general chat group. The club…

RAC Email: Introduction

RAC Member Help

Introduction to the RAC Email Discussion Groups The Raleigh Astronomy Club communicates primarily through email. The club has email addresses through a service called “groups.io” which act like listserv’s. These lists facilitate club communication. Only members current on their dues are on the distribution list and only a valid email address is required to participate. To use the list, simply send an email to the email address and the service will automatically be distributed to everyone in the group. Messages…

December Imaging Meeting: Plate Solving

Imaging, Meetings

We will be meeting in the usual place in the outside hallway of the Brickhouse Restaurant, Thursday December 21. For this months topic, we will have a brief discussion on plate solving. Plate solving is a technique in which a computer program can identify exactly where your telescope is pointing in the night sky. This allows you to quickly frame photo in whatever orientation you want instead of manually.

December 8 Indoor Meeting: Field Power

Meetings

Location: NCSU Crafts Center (directions) Date: December 8, 2017 Time: 7:30-9:30pm Abstract: RAC Co-Chair John Sadler will lead a discussion around field power. Portable batteries are needed to run dew controllers at a minimum, and for many, they also power telescope mounts, imaging gear, computers, and more. While some commercial solutions exist, home made solutions are quite typical. Learn what to consider when building the box including the battery, connectors such as the Anderson Powerpole products, amp meters, voltage regulators,…

November 10 Indoor Meeting: Astronomical Spectroscopy

Meetings

Location: NCSU Crafts Center (directions) Date: November 10, 2017 Time: 7:30-9:30pm Abstract: RAC member Matt Lochansky will show how spectroscopy sheds light on the composition and environment of our universe. While human exploration has barely left our solar system, much of our understanding of elements, temperatures, and velocities in deep space have been made through spectroscopic techniques. Amateurs are placing an increasing role in monitoring transient astronomical events and longer term patterns of stellar interactions. RAC Business: After the presentation,…

Meeting Highlight October 2017 – 60th Anniversary of Sputnik

Club Reports, General Interest

Our October 27, 2017 Indoor meeting highlight featured our guest speaker, Dr. Russell Philbrick, was a senior at Cary High School and convinced the owners of WPTF radio station to use their antenna to track the satellite. He gave an excellent talk about the history of not only his career but of the history of the Operation Moonwatch. He told the story of how he organized the Cary High School’s moonwatch club and how he got that call at 3:00…

October 27 Indoor Meeting: 60th Anniversary of Sputnik

Meetings

Location: NCSU Crafts Center (directions) Date: October 27, 2017 Time: 7:30-9:30pm Abstract: October marks 60 years since the Sputnik was launched from the Soviet Union. Our speaker, Dr. Russell Philbrick, was a senior at Cary High School and convinced the owners of WPTF radio station to use their antenna to track the satellite. Dr. Philbrick with describe the events leading up to sputnik, the tone of the time, and how we all changed as a result of it’s orbit 60…

RAC Hosts A Pair of Outreach Event September 22-23

Club Reports

RAC hosted a pair of outreach events this past weekend. Outreach is a service that our club members provide to our community. RACOBS with Heartwood Montessori: About 50 elementary school age kids and parents joined RAC during their monthly RACOBS session on Friday night to learn about astronomy and get a look through telescopes. We started with a brief safety talk and introduction to astronomy. Afterwards, club members helped show kids a range of objects from a thin crescent moon,…

September 8 Indoor Meeting: Video Astronomy

Meetings

Location: NCSU Crafts Center (directions) Date: September 8, 2017 Time: 7:30-9:30pm Abstract: Club members Michael Carnes and Michael Keefe will be providing an introductory talk on video astronomy. They will over areas such as what is Video Astronomy, benefits of Video Astronomy, what is needed to start and what you can expect from Video Astronomy. Additionally, our speakers will share some recent examples of their work as well as having examples of their equipment. Please join us this Friday evening…

August 11 Indoor Meeting: Photographing the Eclipse

Meetings

Location: NCSU Crafts Center (directions) Date: August 11, 2017 Time: 7:30-9:30pm Club member and astrophotographer extraordinaire Chris Cole will present on how to photograph the eclipse. His talk will cover photography with a smartphone all the way to using a CMOS camera (DSLR) through a H-alpha telescope. We’ll also talk about the different photographing strategies that can make the experience enjoyable. You may have seen Chris featured on WRAL-TV talking about how to image the eclipse. Eclipse Glasses: All club members…

July 14 Indoor Meeting: Skywatching with the Public

Meetings

Location: NCSU Crafts Center (directions) Date: July 14, 2017 Time: 7:30-9:30pm Many RAC members offer their time, expertise, and equipment for astronomy outreach, and partner with other organizations to help make skywatching sessions for the public a success. Join Morehead Planetarium educators and coordinators of the NC Statewide Star Party (the biggest statewide star party for the public in the universe?) for a discussion of skywatching with the public in the Triangle. During this meeting, you’ll get to have some…

June 9 Indoor Meeting: NEAF Report and Elections

Meetings

Location: NCSU Crafts Center (directions) Date: June 9, 2017 Time: 7:30-9:30pm RAC members Mark and Phyllis Lang will give a report on this year’s Northeast Astronomy Forum (NEAF). NEAF is held each April in Suffern, NY, and is the largest astronomy equipment trade show in the world. Join Mark and Phyllis for a vendor’s view of the show. Also, learn about the Webb Deep-Sky Society – what it is, what they do and how to join. After the presentation, we…

May 19 Indoor Meeting: Imaging Showcase

Meetings

*Note: Meeting is the THIRD FRIDAY Due to Conflict with NCSU Graduation (Crafts Center closed) Location: NCSU Crafts Center (directions) Date: May 19, 2017 Time: 7:30-9:30pm This meeting will feature recent photos from our astro-imaging group and relevant discussion. After the presentation, we will discuss additional RAC business, including elections (officer elections will take place in June), a treasurer’s report, and an outreach update. We will then adjourn for “dinner” at a Sammy’s Tap and Grill on Avent Ferry Rd.

May 18 Imaging Meeting: Recent Images

General Interest, Meetings

Join us for this month’s RAC Imaging Meeting at its usual venue in the hallway of the Raleigh Brickhouse AT 7pm. We will not be presenting a topic this time, but will be having some of the imagers showing their usual, recent work.

April 20 Imaging Meeting: Solarography

General Interest, Meetings

Join us for this month’s RAC Imaging Meeting where club member Steve Chirstensen will be talking about his success in solarography which allows dramatic pictures of the suns path over the course of weeks. Afterwards, John Sadler will give us a rundown of what he has learned in the freeware programs of Kstars and EKOS. The meeting will be at its usual venue in the hallway of the Raleigh Brickhouse.