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Category Archives: Speakers
Speaker for 12 January: Michael Watson
Here is the link to view this on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqQ8mz1gzsU
Speaker for 8 December: Dr. Shandin Pete
Here is the Zoom link for the meeting We hope to get the recording up on our YouTube channel as well.
Speaker for 11 September: Charles Ennis
At 7 PM on 11 September, 2020, the Sunshine Coast Centre will feature a presentation on Ancestor’s Skies by Charles Ennis, 1st Vice President of the RASC. The meeting will take place on Zoom.
Most people in the Western world have a very basic knowledge of the 88 constellations used by modern astronomers. Charles Ennis, co-host of Eastlink TV’s Night Lights astronomy show and host of the Bravo short documentary Starry Nights, will introduce you to where these constellations came from. Charles will then show you how the ancients from many cultures around the World viewed the night skies and how those views can give you a whole new perspective on the universe.
We’ll also have our popular Skies This Month presentation by Bruce Fryer and a visit from RASC Executive Director Phil Groff.
Use this link to join our Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89016042595?pwd=UVA3cDlFRlQ4ZkdwbVptRUx5UW80dz09
Speaker for July: Dr. Rob Thacker
At 7:00 PM, 2020 July 10 12, online on Zoom, the Sunshine Coast Centre of the RASC presents Dr. Rob Thacker, whose topic is: Computing the Cosmos.
Modern supercomputers allow astronomers and astrophysicists to create digital simulations of entire universes of unprecedented size and accuracy. These “virtual universes” can also be tuned to obey a different set of Laws of Physics. What might our Universe have looked like under different sets of physical laws? Using digitally created movies and images from these simulations, Dr. Thacker will explore how these techniques work, review spectacular progress that has resulted from these techniques, and examine what future research can tell us.
Admission is free. Use the link below to join the meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87381512720?pwd=aUZsVGhjek8raFpPbjdrNGVHay9LUT09
Online Speaker for June 12: Dr. Jess McIver
At 7:00 PM, 2020 June 12, online on Zoom, the Sunshine Coast Centre of the RASC presents Dr. Jessica McIver, whose topic is: Spacetime, black holes, and cosmic collisions! Sensing gravitational waves with Advanced LIGO.
The Advanced LIGO detectors measure gravitational waves (GWs), tiny ripples in the fabric of spacetime emitted by accelerating mass. Kilometer-scale interferometers like LIGO can decode the signature of highly energetic systems that are otherwise hidden from us in the dark of deep space. In just four years, GWs have already revealed 11 black hole collisions and two neutron star mergers, one with a spectacular light counterpart signal.
Dr. McIver will summarize what General Relativity, spacetime, and gravitational waves can tell us about the Universe. She will discuss the technology of laser interferometers like Advanced LIGO and how we’re able to sense incredibly small spacetime fluctuations induced by GWs. She will also give an overview of the results from the past LIGO-Virgo observing run, and prospects for the future of gravitational wave astronomy.
Admission is free.
The link for the meeting is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88194515739?pwd=dk1NUFA4SE5UQmE5TkhaWFBXS1QrUT09
Monthly Meeting: 8 May (Online)
Mike Bradley at our SCC Observatory
With the current pandemic, we’ve had to make adjustments for the safety of the public and our members, so we’ve decided to hold our upcoming meeting at 7 PM, Friday, 8 May, as an online webinar using Zoom. As always, this meeting is open to the public. Night Lights co-host and Centre President Bruce Fryer will be doing a presentation on the Skies This Month. Centre VP Michael Bradley will be doing the main presentation on Image Processing for Beginners. If you’ve been thinking of getting into astrophotography, this information will be useful for you.
You can use this link to access the meeting:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/93061580203?pwd=cEdLMUJTaHQ1VFloWUwvSlRLOEJnQT09
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
NOTE: This is the first time we’ve used this online format for a meeting. If it is successful, we’re planning to do live streaming on YouTube for future meetings as well.
CANCELLED! Speaker for 13 March: Dr. Harvey Richer
It has come to our attention in the last hour that there are 3 positives on the Coast now for the covid – 19 virus. As of this morning there were 53 confirmed cases in BC and this number is from 9 am this morning, so it doesn’t include any positive tests that have come in today. We were already aware of several members of our Centre who were not going to be attending tonight’s meeting, either because they had the flu or because they were concerned about having conditions that put them at greater risk of contracting this virus. This was confirmed as a pandemic by the World Health Organization just a few days ago. In light of this rapidly developing situation, it is imperative that we act responsibly to limit the possible transmission of this disease and the exposure of any of the public or our members to this virus. Therefore, we are cancelling tonight’s meeting. I’m sorry for any inconvenience this short notice may cause to the public or members, but this is a pandemic, a medical emergency, and we must act responsibly.
The public viewing session usually held at the observatory on Saturdays is also cancelled until further notice.
Here is a link to the Canadian government site with quality information and updates on the situation: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection.html
Sincerely, Charles Ennis
2nd Vice President, RASC
At 7:00 PM, 2020 March 13, at the Sechelt Public Library, 5797 Cowrie St., Sechelt, the Sunshine Coast Centre of the RASC presents Dr. Harvey Richer, FRSC, whose topic is:
Watcher of the Sky: The Highs and Lows of Being an Observational Astronomer
Dr. Richer will discuss some of the many interesting experiences that go into shaping the career of an observational astronomer. From the early days of Chilean observing, to life with Hubble and the current issues in Hawaii, Dr. Richer hopes to give a sense of the richness of experiences he has had in his chosen career as an observational astronomer.
Admission is free: donations gratefully accepted at the door.
Sunshine Coast Centre RASC 