President's Desk, April 2023
President’s Desk, April 2023
With the disappearance of the long summer days and the arrival of the long winter nights that bring with them the wonders of the glorious Milky Way overhead, we commence our move into the astrophotography season and turn to Amit Kamble, Director - RASNZ Astrophotography Section. With increasing solar activity leading to more frequent displays of Aurora Australis, Amit will be including a new category, ‘Aurora’, in the 2023 NZ Astrophotography Competition, which we jointly organise with the Auckland Astronomical Society. He also intends to include another new category, ‘Dark Sky Places’, that recognises the increasing levels of protection given to the dark night sky in New Zealand. So now there are even more opportunities for all you astrophotographers out there to showcase your skills! We will of course advise you once all the details are finalised.
After previously featuring the work of professional astronomers, this month’s feature ‘NZ Science Today’ covers the good work of RASNZ members undertaking amateur research within the framework of local and international collaborations. Co-authors Tom Love, Mark Blackford (Director – RASNZ Variable Stars South Section), Timothy Banks and Edwin Budding (RASNZ Fellow) are all active RASNZ members. Astronomy remains an area of science where amateurs can still make worthy contributions, and amateur research and pro-am collaborations have remained a core area of activity for many members of RASNZ and our affiliated societies and is an area that RASNZ wishes to encourage further.
In this regard, the RASNZ amateur research survey team led by Dr Tom Love is planning to undertake a workshop over the coming few weeks at which it is planned to discuss the options for RASNZ to best support amateur astronomical research in the future. They intend to selectively engage with those who are leading the work and/or are active in the relevant areas.
We are pleased to advise that RASNZ Past President and Director of RASNZ Professional Astronomers Group, Dr Nick Rattenbury, proposes to present the findings of the above mentioned RASNZ survey of the professional-amateur astronomy work. This will be delivered at the biannual ‘New Zealand Institute of Physics’ conference in early July 2023 along with ideas on how the amateur and professional astronomy communities could work more effectively together in the future.
‘Outreach and Education’ is another core area of activity for RASNZ and its affiliated societies. In addition to supporting the affiliated societies in a number of ways such as the Gifford-Eiby grants that sponsor the visits of lecturers and instructors in astronomy to regions throughout NZ, RASNZ also works directly with the community to make astronomy more accessible to the general public and disadvantaged groups. Recent developments in this area include:
The design of a display panel entitled ‘A Journey through Space – From Earth to Andromeda’ by RASNZ member Gareth Davies in order to fulfil a specific request made to RASNZ. The panel will stand alongside a space rocket specially constructed by the Ohakune Carrot Adventure Park Trust for the future enjoyment and education of visitors to ‘Ohakune Carrotland’, a central North Island location that we are told attracts over 10,000 visitors per month. The display panel and space rocket are scheduled to be unveiled on 1 April 2023. The launch date for the space rocket is yet to be confirmed.
There are plans in place, led by RASNZ Secretary, Emily Barraclough, for RASNZ to collaborate with the organisers of New Zealand Sign Language Week (8-14 May 2023) to design and produce a video of astronomers signing different night sky objects.
It is that time of year again when your RASNZ Council has to focus on its governance responsibilities, namely the RASNZ Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements for 2022. These documents will be published in the March 2023 issue of Southern Stars and discussed at the RASNZ AGM and RASNZ Annual Affiliated Societies Meeting during the RASNZ Conference in Auckland scheduled for 2-4 June 2023.
The RASNZ Standing Conference Committee has redoubled its efforts to bring together a special conference this year at which our host, Auckland Astronomical Society, will celebrate its centennial. We are pleased to advise that keynote speakers confirmed to-date are Professor Chris Lintott from the University of Oxford, presenter of the BBC’s long-running ‘The Sky at Night’ programme, and Dr Charlie Lineweaver, an astrobiologist at the Australian National University.
Attending the RASNZ annual conference continues to be a highlight for many RASNZ and affiliated societies members, so I encourage each of you to consider participating this year, not only as attendees but also as speakers. Your council warmly welcomes you to share your special knowledge, your experiences and your expertise with your fellow members and attendees. You can go to the following site to register to attend the conference as a participant and also to express your interest to contribute as a speaker: https://www.rasnzconference.org.nz/registration
I’d like to remind you that April is the Global Astronomy Month; 16th-22nd April is the Dark Sky Week; and 29 April is the International Astronomy Day. Among the many activities planned by RASNZ and its affiliated societies we are looking to everyone to contribute to the national ‘Globe at Night’ citizen science campaign that is supported by RASNZ, see: https://www.rasnz.org.nz/observe-with-intent-citizen-science-projects/globe-at-night
Clear Skies!
Nalayini Davies, FRASNZ, MSc (Astronomy)
President – Royal Astronomical Society of NZ