Auckland Astronomical Society Inc

Astrophotography Group February
2022-02-21 19:00 - 20:00 (Pacific/Auckland) | Online
Tintop Observatory

Tonight I will give a short talk about my home imaging observatory, the concept, build details and experiences.
Hope you can all make it and find it interesting.

Shaun Fletcher

Monthly Meeting February - Kumeu Observatory - Note the change to Tuesday evening.
2022-02-15 20:00 - 21:00 | Online
The Society operate the Kumeu Observatory, which over recent times, has been upgraded with a GSO 400mm Ritchey–Chrétien telescope and full frame cooled CMOS camera (QHY 600M) fitted with a filter wheel. The Society purchased these using funds from the Trixie and Barry Menzies bequest. Society member Tony Cooper will be bringing us up to date with the progress at the observatory, including resolution of issues with the dome, the equipment, software and the correct setup and calibration of the new camera. He will also report on the first scientific results from the new setup.

Young Astronomers February - Is the Moon made of cheese?
2022-02-15 19:00 - 20:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
Note the change to Tuesday instead of Monday.

What is the Moon made of. The structure and cratering of the Moon. Bombardment and crater formation.

Introduction to Astronomy February 2022
2022-02-07 20:00 - 21:00 | Online
Annual Fun Quiz Night!
by Chris Benton
It’s time we reflect on popular topics covered last year and do some revision in the form of a fun-filled quiz.
Join us online and have loads of fun recalling what you learned during the year and review the main points of each monthly session. The Quiz is designed for those who attended all, some or none of the talks during the year, so there’s no excuse to miss out!
The multiple-choice questions, each designed to lead into a teaching discussion, will include the topics: Dark Matter, Special Relativity, The Sun, The Night Sky, Star Clusters and Water on Mars.
We look forward to seeing you all on our YouTube website to view this online using the below link.
https://www.youtube.com/c/AucklandAstronomicalSociety

Practical Astronomy December - End of Year Quiz and the Summer Night Sky
2021-12-20 20:00 - 21:00 | Online
This is the final meeting for 2021. We resume meetings on the first Monday of February and hope to be back at our normal venue, the Auckland Stardome Observatory and Planetarium. We will also be hosting a lecture from the postponed Beatrice Hill-Tinsley Lecture Series. This will be held on the evening of Monday 28th February, we will publish further details in the February journal.
The meeting will be in two parts. AAS council member Carolle Varughese will start the meeting with the end of year quiz. A fun quiz to test your astronomical knowledge. This will be followed by a review of the Summer Night Sky presented by AAS member and Stardome presenter Melanie Bruges.
This will be lived streamed on the AAS Youtube Channel.
https://www.youtube.com/c/AucklandAstronomicalSociety

Monthly Meeting December - Backyard Observing with Jennie McCormick
2021-12-13 20:00 - 21:00 | Online
How does observing from your garden turn into serious astronomical research?
We all know that astronomy is a diverse and exciting science, that is probably what got us into it in the first place. However, it also offers numerous opportunities for amateur astronomers to be part of important research discoveries and at times, can produce some unexpected surprises.
This presentation is a pictorial look at how backyard observing turned into serious research observing from a suburban backyard in Farm Cove, Auckland.

Jennie is an amateur astronomer who conducts astronomical research from her observatory in Farm Cove, Auckland. She has been involved in the collaborative discovery of more than 20 distant planets, including a new solar system and Binary Star Solar System.She takes regular data on Cataclysmic Variable stars for the Center for Backyard Astrophysics and measures the positions of comets and asteroids for the Minor Planet Center.
In September 2009, Jennie discovered her first asteroid and officially named it, New Zealand!
In the late 1980’s she joined the Auckland Astronomical Society and for 15 years, worked as an educator at Auckland Observatory.Jennie is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand (RASNZ) and sits on the RASNZ Council as the Fellows Representative.
In 2008/2009 she coordinated the International Year of Astronomy 2009’s, 100 Hours of Astronomy event. This became the largest global science outreach event held to date and gave millions of people the chance to look through a telescope for the very first time while highlighting the wonders of astronomy to an extensive global audience.
When not observing, Jennie manages a community House in East Auckland, can be found growing vegetables, caring for native birds, photographing sunrise and sunsets from her Farm Cove garden and spending as much time as possible with her three young grandchildren.

Introduction to Astronomy December - Copernican Astronomy
2021-12-06 20:00 - 21:00 | Online
This month we will be discussing how the modern scientific view of Astronomy came about. We will delve in to the cosmological views of past Neolithic cultures and follow the broad sweep of progress from bronze age Sumer to the 21st century.

Astrophotography Group November
2021-11-29 20:00 - 21:00
Astrophotography Group
Monday 29th November at 8:00pm, Online
DC Power for Astrophotography – the observatory and the field
(everything I wish I knew at the start)
Speaker/Host: Tony Cooper
Topics
DC calculations – energy, power, voltage drop
DC voltages and converters (19V, 12V, 7.2V, 5V)
DC connectors – cigarette, Anderson, DC plugs, Waygo
Batteries – types and advantages
Battery charging (excluding solar)
Measuring and monitoring current
Undervolt protection – battery and camera
Laptop settings to conserve energy
Mistakes I made
The talk will be streamed live on the AAS youtube channel at 8pm Monday 29th November
https://www.youtube.com/c/AucklandAstronomicalSociety

Practical Astronomy November - Visual Observing
2021-11-15 20:00 - 21:00 | Online
This month we will be discussing visual observing, including the way the human eye works, optics and eyepieces, sky conditions, ambient light and observing targets, from the Sun to galaxies.

2021 Burbidge Lecture and New Zealand Astrophotography Competition Results
2021-11-08 20:00 - 21:00 | Online
Burbidge Lecture: Diving through exoplanet atmospheres 8:00pm The study of exoplanets, planets that orbit stars other than the Sun, is fascinating new field of research. The question “how do stars and planetary systems form and evolve?”” is one of the biggest in Astronomy, and is at the root of one of the most important questions in science today: “How did we get here?”. I will take us on a journey to explore how we measure and understand the nature these strange new worlds beyond our Solar System. We will dive into the atmospheres of alien planets to discover the truly wild nature of planets in the universe from chains of rocky worlds around ultra-cool stars, to exotic clouds of molten rock in the atmosphere of ultra-hot gas giants.
Hannah Wakeford is a lecturer in Astrophysics at the University of Bristol, UK where she leads a group researching the atmospheres of exoplanets using observations from space telescopes. Hannah’s work focuses on the exotic clouds of giant hot Jupiters, down to chains of small rocky worlds around ultra-cool stars. She studied for a Masters in Planetary and Space Physics at Aberystwyth University with field studies in Svalbard to measure the aurora, and completed her PhD thesis on exoplanets at the University of Exeter before heading to the USA to work at NASA and STScI. Alongside her research she runs the monthly podcast Exocast all about exoplanet science and hosts the #ExoCup twitter competition for the public to crown the champion exoplanet of the year. New Zealand Astrophotography Competition Results We will be announcing the winners of the individual categories and well as the overall winner who receives the Harry Williams Trophy
https://www.youtube.com/c/AucklandAstronomicalSociety

Introduction to Astronomy November 2021
2021-11-01 20:00 - 21:00 | Online
Stardome’s Research Programme
what we do and why
Presenter – Grant Christie

This talk will provide an elementary overview of Stardome’s research programme.
Since 2004, Stardome has contributed to the discovery of many planets orbiting very distant stars, advancing the understanding of how planetary systems are formed.
We have also been studying what may be the most massive binary star system in the galaxy – WR20a.
Grant will briefly introduce the telescope, the CCD camera (with 8 filters) and how we make precision measurements of the brightness of stars.

Astrophotography Group October
2021-10-25 20:00 - 21:00 | Online
Easy targets for beginners in the Southern Spring/Summer sky.
We are also launching a summer competition to win a planetary camera.

Practical Astronomy October - Telescope Mounts
2021-10-18 20:00 - 21:00 | Online
This month we will be discussing the telescope mounts commonly used by amateur astronomers. This will include the pros and cons of the various types and how to set them up. The talk will be streamed live on the AAS youtube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/c/AucklandAstronomicalSociety

Monthly Meeting October - Outdoor Lighting - sky glow, human health and ecosystems with Steve Butler
2021-10-11 20:00 - 21:00 | Online
This talk will cover the change in outdoor lighting over the past decade with reference to the “new” technology of LED light sources. Included will be the implications of light colour on sky glow, human health and ecosystems. The monitoring of these new sources will be touched on as well as recent developments in New Zealand.

Steve is a long time advocate for reducing light pollution including as the leader of the RASNZ Dark Skies Group since 2004. I am the current RASNZ President and am Chair of the Board for the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve.

Introduction to Astronomy October 2021
2021-10-04 20:00 - 21:00 | Online
Liquid Water on Mars
A Story of Climate and Change
Despite Mars’ current cold and dry conditions, incompatible with supporting surface liquid water, did this planet once host flowing rivers and lakes? Furthermore, if there was water on Mars, where is it now? The answer to these questions is of importance for future inhabitants and astrobiologists.
Tonight, I will examine the evidence for previous surface liquid water on Mars and argue for suitable climate conditions in the past, followed by how, when and why the climate changed; and what happened to the water and atmosphere.
We look forward to seeing you all on our YouTube website to view this online using the below link.
https://www.youtube.com/c/AucklandAstronomicalSociety
Best regards
The AAS Team

Film Night - September
2021-09-27 20:00 - 21:00
Film Night postponed due to lockdown.
Stay tuned for further information, we have some exciting and informative films planned.

Practical Astronomy - The Spring Night Sky
2021-09-20 20:00 - 21:00 | Online
This will be one of our seasonal Night Sky reviews. This will be held online via the Auckland Astronomical Society youtube channel.

Introduction to Astronomy September 2021
2021-09-06 20:00 - 21:00 | Online
Open & Globular Star Clusters
So Different but so Similar
By Chris Benton

Aim – To compare & contrast features of open & globular star clusters discussing their differences & similarities
Open star clusters, situated in star-forming regions of galaxies, are relatively small groups of young stars loosely gravitationally bound. In contrast, globular clusters are large groups of old stars tightly gravitationally bound into compact spherical objects and usually observed in the stellar halos of galaxies.
During this online presentation, Chris Benton discusses these features that make the two types appear so different, how pressure density waves propagate through galactic disks to trigger star formation, followed by new ideas on how globular clusters form. You will then see how these two distinct star clusters test theories of stellar evolution and may represent two extremes of the same object created through similar physical processes.
We look forward to seeing you all on our YouTube website to view this online using the below link.
https://www.youtube.com/c/AucklandAstronomicalSociety
Best regards
The AAS Team

Variable Stars
2021-08-30 20:00 - 21:00 | Online
This meeting will be online via the Society youtube channel. The topic will be variable stars, including recurrent Novae, Cephied variables and others. This extra talk is being held on the fifth Monday as we were unable to hold film night due to the lock down.

Film Night August - Cosmic Rays
2021-08-23 20:00 - 21:30 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
Film Night postponed due to lockdown.

An Introduction and four short films looking at Cosmic Rays: what they are, how they are detected and what do they tell us.
August Film Night hosted by Ken Hulls

Practical Astronomy August - Telescope Clinic
2021-08-16 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
This month we will be running a Telescope clinic, demonstrating care and maintenance of various telescope types, including collimation and cleaning. Bring along your questions.

Astrophotography Group August - Fast and Furious – Trials and Tribulations of Fast Refractor Imaging with Simon Lewis
2021-08-16 19:00 - 20:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
CAD optical design combined with modern optical manufacturing techniques is creating an all new generation of fast refractors for the amateur market. These new scopes vastly reduce the imaging time required to capture high quality images but they can be difficult to tame. Simon Lewis outlines his experiences after venturing into this world and offers some advice and guidance on how to get the very best from your fast refractor system.

Monthly Meeting August - The Most Luminous Supernovae: It Takes Two To Tango
2021-08-09 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
Guest Speaker :
Dr. Heloise F. Stevance, MPhys, AFHEA, PhD

Research Fellow in Astrophysics

When massive stars reach the end of their lives they undergo a supernovae explosion powered by the collapse of their core. In the past decade and a half, a small subset of these events have been found to be brighter and more powerful: They are called super luminous supernovae. Work is ongoing to understand the power source of these extreme transients and in particular here I focus on SN 2017gci which showed evidence for a central magnetar and potential shells of hydrogen around the progenitor system. State of the art binary models were used to search for star systems that could evolve to re-create this explosion.
Dr. Heloise F. Stevance
Originally born and raised in France, I moved to the UK to study Physics and Astronomy at the University of Sheffield. After working as a support astronomer at the Isaac Newton Group in La Palma for a year, I obtained my Masters of Physics in 2015. I subsequently started a PhD studying the 3D shape of Core Collapse Supernovae, and earned my title in Spring 2019. In July of that year, I joined the University of Auckland as a Research Fellow to research the evolution of massive stars to better understand how they die and produce Supernovae and Kilonovae.
I also started my public outreach work during my doctorate studies, in early 2016, and I have not stopped since.

Young Astronomers
2021-08-09 19:00 - 20:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
Kia ora!
Welcome to Young Astronomers. We’ll be restarting the programme and looking to gather feedback from both young astronomers and parents for what a new programme could look like. Bring your ideas to share. All welcome!
Snacks provided!

Carolle

Introduction to Astronomy August 2021
2021-08-02 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
The Night Sky
What are we looking at?
By Chris Benton

Aim – To know what you are looking at and how you know
The unaided eye can see four galaxies, five planets and approximately 2000 stars on a clear night. How many times have you looked up at the sky and wondered what you are observing? Could that bright light be a large star or a planet, or what type of star is the one currently high in the sky? What is meant by Zodiac constellations and the ecliptic plane?
Tonight Chris Benton discusses what you can see, and importantly, how you know what those objects are. We look forward to seeing you all there and learning the answers to the above frequently asked questions and others.

Film Night July - Asteroids – a new El Dorado in space
2021-07-26 20:00 - 21:30 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
This is a 2021futuristic documentary that looks at asteroids, what they are made from and how this can be exploited!
The main film is 45 minutes long and will be followed by a 2021 Sky at Night show entitled “Mars and Meteorites”.

Practical Astronomy July
2021-07-19 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
Astronomy Software
This month we will be looking at how desktop and mobile applications can help with planning your observing sessions and learning the night sky.

Astrophotography Group July
2021-07-19 19:00 - 20:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
WinJUPOS with Stephen Dean
Stephen Dean has generously agreed to present to the group at our July meeting.
He will be giving an overview on WinJUPOS and a quick tutorial on how to use it for de-rotation of planetary images.
It should be really interesting and I look forward to seeing his process and results!

Monthly Meeting July - "The Possum comes out at night": The latest happenings at Possum Observatory, near Gisborne.
2021-07-12 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
Guest Speaker: John Drummod.
John owns and operates the Possum Observatory complex at Patutahi, 12km west of Gisborne. He owns a 50cm diameter, two 41cm, a 35cm and smaller telescopes. He also runs Gisborne Astro Tours (www.gisborneastrotours.com). In this talk, John will be sharing what he is doing with these telescopes and how they are contributing to science. He will also speak about how the astro tourism business is going and what his latest academic studies in astronomy are.
John Drummond has been fascinated with astronomy ever since his mother pointed the ‘Pot’ in Orion out to him when he was ten. John soon developed an interest in photography and it wasn’t long before the two passions were combined into astrophotography. He has been involved in astrophotography for many years and has had photos published in books and magazines around the world – and even on some New Zealand stamps.
He has used his telescopes at Possum Observatory, near Gisborne, to image targets for Ohio State University in order to co-discover exoplanets via the microlensing method. John also does astrometry of newly discovered comets and asteroids – as well as those of more well-known orbits.
John completed his MSc (Astronomy) in 2016 with Swinburne University of Technology. Currently he is doing his PhD with the University of Southern Queensland’s (USQ) Centre for Astrophysics. His work is on New Zealand’s historical role in the observation and study of comets. He is also heavily involved with the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand and was made a Fellow in 2018. He teaches science at high school and loves surfing Gizzy’s great waves!

Introduction to Astronomy July 2021
2021-07-05 20:00 - 21:00 | Stardome Observatory, 670 Manukau Rd, Epsom, Auckland, 1345, New Zealand
The 79 Moons of Jupiter
by guest speaker Jonathan Park
Jupiter, the largest planet in our Solar System, has 79 known moons. Tonight, Jonathan discusses the different groups of moons orbiting Jupiter, learning about the difference between regular and irregular moons. We will see how astronomers identify which of these were originally part of a single object before breaking into the separate satellites we see today. Finally, we will take a closer look at some of the extraordinary features of the giant moons – Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto, one of which may have the perfect environment for life.
