RAC – Page 7 – Raleigh Astronomy Club

Meeting Minutes 12 November 2021

RAC Indoor Meeting Minutes 12 November 2021 Co-chairperson Mike Keefe hosted the online meeting using the Zoom platform. 29 participants Astronomy Days update by Mike Keefe and Doug Lively January 29-30, 2022 at NC Museum of Natural Sciences. This year’s theme is Venus. Planning for an in-person event. Masks will be required for all staff & volunteers. An associated star party will be held on Saturday February 5 at Prarie Ridge Ecostation. Volunteers needed; request that everyone volunteer for at…

Meeting Minutes 22 October 2021

Club Reports

RAC Indoor Meeting Minutes 22 October 2021 Co-chairperson Anastasia Vail hosted the online meeting using the Zoom platform. 43 participants Membership Announcement by Anastasia Vail If you join RAC in the fourth quarter of 2021, your new membership carries over through 2022. Presentation: “James Webb Space Telescope: Infrared ‘Eyes’ on the Universe” by Nikolay Nikolov, Space Telescope Science Institute. Business Outreach Committee by Matt Lochansky Outreach event at Dorothea Dix on November 6. Attendees may be capped at 250. Volunteers…

Meeting Minutes 24 September 2021

Club Reports

RAC Indoor Meeting Minutes 24 September 2021 Co-chairperson Mike Keefe hosted the online meeting using the Zoom platform. 29 participants Presentation: “New Member Orientation” by RAC member Mike Keefe Doug Lively presented information about participating in Astronomy League (AL) programs. Mike Keefe and Steve Izzo discussed observing at Staunton River State Park. The presentation concluded with an “Ask the Astronomer” session where participants asked questions. Business Treasury Report by Treasurer Steve Izzo. Membership – 369 total 257 single memberships 56…

Meeting Minutes 27 August 2021

Club Reports

RAC Indoor Meeting Minutes 27 August 2021 Co-chairperson Ann Murphy hosted the online meeting using the Zoom platform. 25 participants Education Committee by Ann Murphy and Phyllis Lang Planning to resume education meetings over Zoom after Labor Day. Will be conducted by Phyllis Lang. Binocular observing will be the first planned class, possibly on Sep. 18. Hope to have outdoor workshops. Looking for additonal instructors and input from the club on class topics. Presentation: “Thou Shalt Not Speak Messier” by…

Meeting Minutes 23 July 2021

Club Reports

RAC Indoor Meeting Minutes 23 July 2021 Co-chairperson Anastasia Vail hosted the online meeting using the Zoom platform. 31 participants Indoor Meeting: “The Great Migration of Jupiter & Saturn in the Early Solar System” by RAC member Ron Monti. Business Treasury Report by Treasurer Steve Izzo. Membership – 351 total 249 single memberships 51 family memberships Balances Business checking: $739.61 Savings: $17092.63 Special purpose checking: $120.36 Astronomy League by AL Coordinator (ALCOR) Doug Lively Doug gave an overview of AL…

Meeting Minutes 25 June 2021

Club Reports

RAC Indoor Meeting Minutes 25 June 2021 Co-chairperson Ann Murphy hosted the online meeting using the Zoom platform 35 participants Indoor Meeting: “Cruising the Summer Milky Way: A Galactic Perspective” by RAC member Jim Michnowicz. Business Treasury Report. Reported by Treasurer Steve Izzo. Membership – 339 total (239+2*50) 239 single memberships 50 family memberships Balances $945.61 in business checking $18,217.19 in savings $331.98 in special purpose checking Elections. No new nominations were presented so the officers were elected by acclamation.…

Meeting Minutes 28 May 2021

Club Reports

RAC Indoor Meeting Minutes 28 May 2021 Co-chairperson Steve Blake hosted the online meeting using the Zoom platform 26 participants Indoor Meeting: “Observing the Night Sky in England” by Mark Radice, amateur astronomer and photographer from Salisbury, England Business Treasury Report. Reported by Treasurer Steve Izzo. Membership roles have been purged of people that have not renewed for 2021. If you have not renewed membership for 2021, please contact our Treasurer – [email protected] Membership – 327 total (229+2*49) 229 single…

Meeting Minutes 23 April 2021

Club Reports

Co-chairperson Mike Keefe hosted the online meeting using the Zoom platform 30 participants Indoor Meeting: “A History of Mars Exploration” by RAC members & NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassadors Doug Lively and Mike Keefe. Business Treasury Report. By Treasurer Steve Izzo. Membership roles have been purged of people that have not renewed for 2021. If you have not renewed membership for 2021, please contact our Treasurer – [email protected] Membership – 317 total (221+2*48) 221 single memberships 48 family memberships Balances $893.05…

Meeting Minutes 26 March 2021

Club Reports, Meetings

Co-chairperson Ann Murphy hosted the online meeting using the Zoom platform 50 participants Indoor Meeting: “Objects in the Heavens” by author Peter Birren. Business Treasury Report. The reported by Treasurer Steve Izzo. Members should renew their memberships by March 31. After that, membership roles will be purged of overdue memberships. Membership – 365 total (245+2*60) 245 single memberships 60 family memberships Balances $772.15 in business checking $19,060.77 in savings $0.52 in special purpose checking Meeting Format. By Co-chairperson Mike Keefe.…

RAC Meeting Minutes 26 Feb 2021

Club Reports

Co-chairperson Steve Blake hosted the online meeting using the Zoom platform. 57 participants Indoor Meeting: “Pluto: Still Not Boring” by RAC member and NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador Ian Hewitt. Business Treasury Report. Reported by Treasurer Steve Izzo. Membership continues to grow! Please renew your membership before March 31. Membership – 360 total (240+2*60) 240 single memberships 60 family memberships Balances $878.15 in business checking $18,575.35 in savings $106.55 in special purpose checking Astronomy Days. Reported by Doug Lively. The NC…

RAC Meeting Minutes 22 Jan 2021

Club Reports

Co-chairperson Mike Keefe hosted the online meeting using the Zoom platform 38 participants Indoor Meeting: “Understanding Orbits of Asteroids and Comets” by RAC member Phyllis Lang. Business Treasury Report. The reported by Treasurer Steve Izzo. Membership continues to grow! Membership – 343 total (225+2*59) 225 single memberships 59 family memberships Balances $684.15 in business checking $16,229.92 in savings $2003.32 in special purpose checking Astronomy Days. Reported by Astronomy Days Coordinators Mike Keefe & Doug Lively Astronomy Days begins Monday Jan…

Can RAC Help with My Telescope?

General Interest, Newcomers to Astronomy, RAC

Can RAC Help with My Telescope? Short Answer, Yes! First, a shameless plug for the club: If you’ve got your first telescope and need some help, you are a perfect candidate to become a club member. With membership you get access to our club email list and can find a mentor to help get you started in the hobby. Additionally, you gain membership into the Astronomical League, which through their observing challenges helps progress you in the hobby and keeps…

Donate a Telescope to RAC

General Interest, RAC

How to Donate a Telescope to RAC If you have an old telescope laying around that you want to get rid of, but do not want to throw out, RAC may be able to accept it. RAC owned telescopes are used as part of a pool of loaner telescopes for our members. This gives our members the opportunity to try telescopes before investing in one. What Kinds of Telescopes does RAC Accept? Telescopes must be in working order. Other than…

RAC Meeting Minutes 18 Dec 2020

Club Reports

Co-chairperson Ann Murphy hosted the online meeting using the Zoom platform 63 participants Indoor Meeting: “Beginning Astronomy” by RAC member Ann Murphy. Business Treasury Report. The report was provided by Treasurer Steve Izzo. Membership continues to grow! Membership – 319 total (215+2*52) 215 single memberships 52 family memberships Balances $447.69 in business checking $15,929.53 in savings $191.29 in special purpose checking Mentoring Program. Report by Mike Keefe. Details are still being formed. Mentoring is for new astronomers, not new…

RAC Email Groups

RAC Member Help

The Raleigh Astronomy Club has grown into a hobby club with several hundred members. Our primary means of communication is via emails, which can lead to a fair amount of traffic. To keep the conversations relevant, the club has created email subgroups which allow our members to pick and choose which discussions they wish to partake in without filling up their inbox with unrelated discussions. Our email groups are restricted to members only. Any member can join as many groups…