6:15 pm – Welcome and door prizes, including two telescopes!
6:30 pm – Speaker: Archaeoastronomy – Rob Beardsell
7:30 pm until dawn: observing! No white lights during this time, please
Sunday 29th
Cleanup – everyone please pitch-in & help
Please, no parking in the church parking lot this morning in consideration of Church members attending their service!
12:15 pm – solar viewing for St. Stephen’s congregation
Early departures are appreciated!
Facilities
Camping on the observing field with your tent, trailer or motorhome – bare camping, no utilities on the field
Setup your telescope and other astronomy gear on the observing field
Some power is available on the field for astronomy equipment, but no RV plug-ins please!
Washrooms and porta-potties
Water, self-serve coffee & tea
Visitor and drop-in parking
Church hall for presentations
Please do NOT park on the field with your vehicle if you plan to leave after dark! In this case, move your vehicle off the field after setting up, and park in the parking lot with your headlights facing away from the observing field. The same parking request applies to visitors dropping in for the evening – leave your vehicle in the parking lot and walk into the observing field.
Star Party t-shirts
A very limited supply of RASCals Star Party t-shirts will be available for sale. Pre-order yours by contacting Joe Carr. Black t-shirts available in Men’s S, M, L, XL and 2XL sizes – $15 ea, and navy Kid’s t-shirts available in S & M ($13 ea). Please make cheques payable to RASC Victoria Centre.
Prizes
We always have good prizes, and this year will be no exception!
TWO telescopes to be won – a grand prize each evening
7:30 PM Wednesday May 8th 2019 in Room A104, Bob Wright Centre at the UVic
Instead of featuring a single speaker the May meeting will be a “Members Night” where a number of Victoria Centre RASCals will deliver short presentations on their projects, imagery or fascinating topics. It should be a fun night. We hope to see you there.
Royal BC Museum Classroom Kit – DAO Outreach demonstration – Lauri Roche
Gates will open at 2pm on Friday. Camp on the field and setup your telescope for two nights of fun!
Cost: Free of charge! Visiting observers who stay overnight: suggested donation of $20/Adult one day or two.
Everyone who is present is entitled to tickets for door prizes, presentations, and access to the observing field.
Prizes for kids and adults, including three telescopes! See below…
Don’t want to camp? No problem if you live in the Greater Victoria area…you can drive home after an evening of fun on the observing field.
Staying after dark? Please bring a red light with you – no white lights!
Schedule of Events
Friday 7th
2:00 pm – Gates open
6:15 pm – Welcome and door prizes, including a telescope!
6:30 pm – Astro Cafe – Theme: Star Parties
Bill Weir will share experiences from recent Mt Kobau and Merrit Star Parties.
Miles and Dorothy Paul will describe highlights from the latest Oregon Star Party
Nelson Walker will discuss his planning process for observing sessions
Plus Show and Tell Session
8:00 pm until dawn: observing! No white lights during this time, please
Saturday 8th
Solar viewing – all day on the field
Afternoon presentation – TBA
5:00 pm – StarBBQ – burgers!
6:15 pm – Welcome and door prizes, including two telescopes!
6:30 pm – Speaker – David Lee will share his experiences, insights and beautiful images acquired on his recent trip to Kitt Peak Observatory in Arizona and during his time amongst the iconic Saguaro cacti.
8:00 pm until dawn: observing! No white lights during this time, please
Sunday 9th
Cleanup – everyone please pitch-in & help
Please, no parking in the church parking lot this morning in consideration of Church members attending their service!
12:15 pm – solar viewing for St. Stephen’s congregation
Early departures please!
Facilities
Camping on the observing field with your tent, trailer or motorhome – bare camping, no utilities on the field
Setup your telescope and other astronomy gear on the observing field
Some power on the field for astronomy equipment, but no RV plug-ins please!
Washrooms and porta potties
Water, self-serve coffee & tea
Visitor and drop-in parking
Please do NOT park on the field with your vehicle if you plan to leave after dark! In this case, move your vehicle off the field after setting up, and park in the parking lot with your headlights facing away from the observing field. The same parking request applies to visitors dropping in for the evening – leave your vehicle in the parking lot and walk into the observing field.
Star Party t-shirts
A very limited supply of RASCals Star Party t-shirts will be available for sale. Pre-order yours by contacting Joe Carr. Black t-shirts available in Men’s M or L sizes ($16 ea), white t-shirts available in Men’s S & XL ($12 ea), and white Kid’s t-shirts available in S & M ($12 ea).
2018 RASCals Star Party white t-shirt
2018 RASCals Star Party black t-shirt
Prizes
Bushnell 4.5″ reflector telescope – Friday night prize – donated by a RASC member
Sky-Watcher Virtuoso P114 4.5″ Matsukov telescope & computerized mount – Adult’s Grand Prize – Saturday night – donated by Quarky Science
Celestron Astromaster 130AZ 5” reflector telescope – Kid’s Grand Prize – Saturday night – donated by All-Star Telescope
Bushnell 4.5″ Reflector telescope
Sky-Watcher Virtuoso P114 4.5″ Matsukov telescope & computerized mount
9:30 pm – Public viewing of the night sky with RASC telescopes
10:00 pm until dawn: observing! No white lights during this time, please
Sunday 30th
Cleanup – everyone please pitch-in & help
12:00 pm – early departures please!
Prizes!
PRIZE – Explore the Universe Guide; stainless steel coffee mug
PRIZE – Celstron Inspire 100AZ telescope
PRIZE – Skywatcher Heritage telescope
PRIZE – Eclipse Viewer kit; rechargable hand warmer
Please feel free to camp on the field with your tent, trailer or motorhome and setup your telescope and other astronomy gear. There is some power on the field for astronomy equipment, but no RV plug-ins please! Also, please do NOT park on the field with your vehicle if you plan to leave after dark! In this case, move your vehicle off the field after setting up, and park on the access road beside the municipal hall with your headlights facing away from the field (towards the firehall). The same parking request applies to visitors for the evening – park beside the municipal hall and walk into the field.
At the Metchosin Municipal Grounds
behind the Metchosin Fire Hall
4440 Happy Valley Road, Victoria, BC, Canada
Gates will open at 12pm noon on Friday. Camp on the field and setup your telescope. Cost: Free of charge! RASC members and visiting observers (who stay overnight): suggested donation of $20/Adult one day, two or three.
Everyone who is present is entitled to tickets for door prizes, lectures and access to the observing field.
12:00pm – Gates open.
8:00pm – Welcome and Door prizes.
8:30pm – Presentation- Rita Mann: Origins of the Solar System
Bio: Dr. Rita Mann is a researcher at NRC Herzberg Astronomy & Astrophysics. She earned her Honours BSc in Physics at the University of Victoria, and her MSc and PhD in Astronomy at the University of Hawai’i. She then returned to Victoria with the Plaskett Fellowship at NRC Herzberg Astronomy & Astrophysics. She uses a powerful new telescope called ALMA, which is very sensitive to the conditions in which planets are born, to answer questions about the origins of our Solar System as well as other extrasolar planetary systems.9:30pm – Public viewing of the night sky with RASC telescopes.
10:00pm until dawn: observing! No white lights during this time, please.
Saturday 27th.
Solar viewing – all day.
4:00pm: Introduction to the Night Sky. David Lee.
8:00pm – Door prizes.
8:30pm – Speaker- Maan Hani: Super Massive Black Holes: Where the Wild Things Are.
Bio: Maan H. Hani is a Astronomy PhD student working with Prof. Sara Ellison at the University of Victoria. As a cosmologist, Maan works with cosmological simulations of galaxy mergers to understand the big picture of how galaxies form, evolve, and intact with each other and their environment.
9:30pm – Public viewing of the night sky with RASC telescopes.
10:00pm until dawn: observing! No white lights during this time, please.
Metchosin Municipal Grounds behind the Metchosin Fire Hall, 4440 Happy Valley Road, Victoria, BC, Canada – on beautiful Vancouver Island
The weather was near perfect for our RASCals Star Party this year for both nights, Friday and Saturday. There were some bleary-eyed observers leaving the Metchosin Cricket Field on Sunday! Many people camped on the field and setup their telescopes to take advantage of the nice dark skies at this rural site. RASC members and the public enjoyed a great two days of everything to do with astronomy. There were some very nice door prizes give away this year, including laser pointers, books, toys (for grownups and kids), binoculars and a telescope!
Schedule of Events
Friday 21st
12:00pm – Gates open.
8:00pm – Welcome and Door prizes.
8:30pm – Presentation- Hubble History, Dr Chris Gainor.
9:30pm –Guided Telescope Walk , followed by viewing of the night sky.
10:00pm until dawn: observing!
Saturday 22nd
Solar viewing – all day.
3:00pm – Workshop (gazebo): Astronomy Apps for desktop and Mobile, David Lee.
4:00pm: Introduction to Astronomy, Sherry Buttnor.
8:00pm – Door prizes.
8:30pm – Speaker- Exploring Mars: a Cartographer’s View, Dr. Phil Stooke.
9:30pm – Guided Telescope Walk, followed by viewing of the night sky
Our speakers start their talks just after sunset each evening.
August 21, 2015 speaker: Hubble History by Dr. Chris Gainor
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope. This talk will summarize that quarter century of astronomical advances that has changed how we look at the universe and how astronomy is done. HST had a difficult start when it was discovered that its main mirror suffered from spherical aberration, a problem that was overcome by a crew of space shuttle astronauts that installed new instruments on Hubble. When a later shuttle repair mission was cancelled in 2004, an outcry from astronomers and the public led to the mission being restored. Today Hubble is still going strong with its new instruments. Chris will tell the story of Hubble’s operations in orbit based on the research he is doing for a book telling the history of HST.
Bio: Chris Gainor is a historian of technology and writer specializing in space exploration and aeronautics who is currently writing a history of the Hubble Space Telescope for NASA. He is the author of four books, and his writings have appeared in various specialty publications and Canadian newspapers. He holds a PhD in the history of technology from the University of Alberta, and has taught history at the University of Victoria and at CFB Esquimalt for the Royal Military College of Canada. He is First Vice President of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, a former president of the Victoria Centre of the RASC. Chris is also International Space Programs Editor for Quest: The History of Spaceflight Quarterly, and a Fellow of the British Interplanetary Society. He is also known for bringing history alive through his appearances as Sir Winston Churchill.
August 22, 2015 speaker: Exploring Mars – a Cartographer’s View – Dr. Philip Stooke
Abstract: This talk will summarize the history of Mars exploration with many illustrations from Phil’s books. The story will begin with telescopic views and the earliest NASA and Soviet missions, and will extend to recent activities by the rovers Opportunity and Curiosity. Much more than just a collection of press releases, the presentation will delve into many unfamiliar aspects of Mars exploration. How were the various landing sites chosen? Where was the Soviet Mars 7 supposed to land? What was underneath Viking 1? And how do we know where Opportunity is on any given day?
Bio: Phil Stooke grew up in England and eventually attended U. Vic, where he completed a B.Sc. in 1985 and a Ph.D. in 1988. Since then he has taught cartography and planetary science at the University of Western Ontario. Phil’s Ph.D. topic was mapping methods for non-spherical objects such as asteroids, and many of his maps are now available through NASA’s Planetary Data System. He continues to work in that area, most recently compiling digital maps of comets Borrelly and Hartley 2 and asteroids Eros and Itokawa. Phil has also written on the history of lunar and planetary cartography, and he has compiled several large reference works on lunar and Mars exploration. His International Atlas of Lunar Exploration and International Atlas of Mars Exploration are available in the U. Vic. Library, and a second volume on Mars exploration, covering the current rover missions, is in press.
Come join us! Learn Astronomy and Explore the Night Sky
July 25 to 27, 2014
At the Metchosin Municipal Grounds
behind the Metchosin Fire Hall
4440 Happy Valley Road, Victoria, BC, Canada
Gates will open at 12pm noon on Friday. Camp on the field and setup your telescope.
Cost: Free of charge! RASC members and visiting observers (who stay overnight): suggested donation of $20/Adult one day, two or three. Everyone who is present is entitled to tickets for door prizes, lectures and access to the observing field.
Schedule of Events (subject to change)
Friday 25th
12:00pm – Gates open
8:00pm – Welcome and Door prizes
8:30pm – Presentation: Open University Astronomy, John McDonald
9:30pm –Guided Telescope Walk , followed by viewing of the night sky
Saturday 26th
Solar viewing – all day
1:00pm – Workshop: 27,000 Km per hour, photographing ISS Passes, Charles Banville
2:00pm – Workshop: Observing Not for the Faint of Heart: The RASC Challenge Objects, Nelson Walker
3:00pm – Workshop: Astronomy 101, Sherry Buttnor
4:00pm – 6:00pm – activities for the kids
8:00pm – Door prizes
8:30pm –Speaker: Space Flight through the Ages, Chris Gainor
9:30pm – Guided Telescope Walk, followed by viewing of the night sky
Sunday 27th
9:30 am – Farewell to Charles Banville – brunch at My Chosen Cafe (no host)
After several months of being skunked by bad weather, the RASCals of Cattle Point finally had a good night to offer observing to the public from RASC’s newest Urban Star Park.
Our Treasurer Bruce Lane coordinates this event. Here is his report from the Feb 7, 2014 event.
This Friday was the first time the weather has cooperated for monthly astronomy at Cattle Point! Joining me at Cattle Point were Dorothy and Miles Paul, Chris Purse, and Alex (new member). Owing to snow shock (from weather earlier in the day) and cold conditions (still several degrees warmer than being up at the VCO) there were very few people out and about to interact with. The sky was clear, but winds were gusting at about 20km per hour, to add a bit of windchill. There were only two members of the public to have a look through the telescope. I finally packed it in at 9:15pm.
Congratulations to the group, and special thanks to the volunteers who braved the freezing conditions to make this happen!
Location: Bright Angel Park at rural and dark Cowichan Station, in the beautiful Cowichan Valley on southern Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
Gates will open at 2pm on Friday. Camp on the field, setup your telescope and bring binoculars to enjoy observing the night sky from a dark site.
Cost: Free of charge for drop-ins!Suggested donation of $20/Adult observers who camp overnight (cash only) – one night or two. Kids camp free.
Everyone who is present is entitled to tickets for door prizes, can attend planned activities and have access to the observing field. Prizes include a telescope!
Star Party Poster – please print it, stick it on your fridge and share with friends! PDFs: 8.5″x11″ & 11″x17″
Don’t want to camp? No problem…it’s no more than a 20-minute drive from most areas of the Cowichan Valley, and only a 45-minute drive from Victoria. Live out of town? Stay in one of the many guest houses, hotels and motels in the Cowichan Valley, however reserve early, since accommodation fills up during the summer.
Staying after dark? Please bring a red light with you – do not use white lights, including cellphone flashes!
Come observe the stars and the Perseid meteor shower from this dark site in the Cowichan Valley. Lots of amateur astronomers will be there to talk about astronomy and to help you observe celestial objects after dark. Observe the Sun (safely) during the day, and hike the trails, swim, play, and enjoy this natural treasure of a regional park. Two days/nights on the weekend – Friday Aug 11th starting at 2PM, all day and evening on Saturday Aug 12th. Camp overnight (1 night or 2), or just drop in for an evening of fun and fascination. A free event, but campers will be asked for a donation if staying overnight.
Schedule of Events
Friday Aug 11th
2:00 pm – Gates open
7:30 pm – Telescope tour
8:00 pm – Welcome and door prizes
8:30 pm – Speaker – Seeing is believing: capturing images of nearby solar systems – William Thompson
10:00 pm until dawn: observing! No white lights during this time, please
Seeing is believing: capturing images of nearby solar systems – William Thompson
Astronomers have now discovered over five thousand planets around other stars, ranging from scorching hot Jupiters, to puffy mini-Neptunes, and rocky worlds devoid of atmospheres. Now that we know planets are common, the next step is to learn more about them and compare them with our solar system.
In this talk, I will show how we can take pictures of nearby planets and present the latest developments in the quest to image planets just like our own.
William Thompson is an astronomy PhD candidate at the University of Victoria and an exoplanet hunter. He uses the techniques of direct imaging, radial velocity, and astrometric motion to find and photograph young giant planets, and to study their orbits. William will be joining the National Research Council this fall as a Herzberg Instrument Science Fellow, where he will continue to work on astronomical instrumentation and observational projects.
Saturday Aug 12th
Solar viewing – all day on the field
Nature Walk through the park trails – afternoon
7:30 pm – Telescope tour
8:00 pm – Door prizes
8:30 pm – Speaker – Probing the Universe with Type Ia Supernovae: legacy and future – Melissa Amenouche
9:30 pm – Public viewing of the night sky with telescopes on the field
10:30 pm until dawn: observing! No white lights during this time, please
Probing the Universe with Type Ia Supernovae: legacy and future – Melissa Amenouche
Type Ia Supernovae (SNeIa) are very luminous explosive events in the sky. They can be detected in very remote galaxies and are excellent distance indicators. In the late 90s, the accelerated expansion of the Universe was discovered using the measurements of SNeIa, revealing for the first time the existence of Dark Energy. Today, one of the main goals of modern cosmology is to understand its nature using SNeIa measurements combined with other cosmological probes.
In the past two decades, the number of SNeIa has drastically increased along with our understanding of these objects and their ability to indicate distances. And this will continue with the current and new generation of surveys like the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) and the Large Survey of Space and Time (LSST). I will review the ongoing efforts to unlock precise cosmological measurements with ZTF samples, many of which can be extended to LSST data, with a focus on key steps of the analysis.
Melissa completed her PhD in December 2022 in France. She is currently a postdoc fellow at NRC-Herzburg Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Centre involved in a new Canadian spatial telescope (CASTOR). She is also calibrating and simulating Type Ia Supernovae data from the Zwicky Transient Facility (a great telescope in California) to help answer key questions about our understanding of the Universe and its evolution.
Sunday Aug 13th
Cleanup – everyone please pitch-in & help
12:00 pm – departures by Noon please!
The Island Star Party is hosted by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, Victoria Centre, with support from the Cowichan Valley Starfinders.
Directions to the star party
Head west off the Trans-Canada Highway on Koksilah Road and turn right onto Tigwell Road. The park is at the end of the road. If you are driving a big vehicle, we suggest you turn west off the Trans-Canada Highway at Allenby Road, then turn left onto Koksilah Road and left onto Tigwell Road. This slightly longer route will avoid a low-clearance rail bridge on the more direct route.
Bright Angel Park, 4528 Tigwell Rd, Cowichan Station, BC
Lat 48° 44.0246′ N, Long 123° 40.5144’W
What to expect
The night sky at this location is very dark, but there is a light dome to the north from the City of Duncan. Views in the other directions and overhead are excellent, and at this time of year Sagittarius is visible in the early part of the evening to the southwest.
There is limited camping on the observing field with your tent and car where telescopes and other astronomy gear can be set up. There is some power on the field for astronomy equipment and to charge small devices. Please do NOT park on the field with your vehicle if you plan to leave after dark! In this case, move your vehicle off the field after setting up, and park outside the gate on Tigwell Road with your headlights facing away from the field. The same parking request applies to visitors for the evening – park outside the gate and walk into the field.
Washrooms are a short walk from the observing field with sinks, toilets and urinals, but no showers. Red lights will mark the way at night along the forest trail.
Playground and workout gym on the observing field
Park gates are open from 7am – 9pm daily. Make sure your vehicle is outside the gates before 9PM if you plan to leave later on!
Explore the trails through the forest and along the Koksilah River – a nice way to spend the day. Good swimming too, although the river water is cold!
Pets are allowed in the park and at the star party, but must be under effective control of their owners at all times. If your dog knocks over an expensive telescope, you just bought it!
Drinking alcohol or smoking is not allowed in public areas of the park.
Trailers and motorhomes are not allowed in this regional park.
Dry summer conditions demand that no open flame be used. Please cook using a camp stove in the Picnic Shelter by the lower parking lot. No campfires or open flame please!
Although the observing field is flat, it is bumpy, so people with mobility issues may find some areas are not easy to navigate. The washrooms are accessible by using the trail through the forest and navigating a modest slope.
What’s nearby
Tim Horton’s fast food dine-in and drive-thru and a Co-op gas station and convenience store are both nearby at Bench Road and the Trans-Canada Highway.
Big box stores, grocery stores and malls are a short drive away in Duncan, Cobble Hill and Mill Bay.
Pizza and other fast food can be ordered from and/or picked up at numerous local establishments.
Espresso drinks and other fancy beverages are available in Duncan, Cowichan Bay, Cobble Hill and Mill Bay.
Whippletree Junction – a variety of eclectic stores that are worth a visit, located nearby on the highway.
The fascinating and historic Kinsol Trestle is a short drive from the park, where the Trans-Canada Trail crosses the Koksilah River. The trestle is an easy walk from the parking lot – level and accessible.
Wineries in the area are too numerous to mention individually! Look here: Wine Festival Specials
BC Forest Discovery Centre – steam trains, historic forestry equipment and local history – fun for all ages
Cowichan Bay village – fish boats, oceanfront restaurants and shops, whale watching, sea lions
Island Star Party t-shirt
Fruit of the Loom quality cotton t-shirt, printed ink design. Men’s sizes in black: S, M, L, XL, 2XL. Sold out. A second order list is being taken, so contact Joe Carr – Email
Contact
Dave Payne – Email – mobile +1 (403) 874-1980 – Event Lead
Over 40 members of RASC Victoria Centre enjoyed a social dinner and awards ceremony at the Moon Under Water Pub on March 27, 2023. Photo gallery
Newton Ball Award 2022 – Deborah Crawford
An active member of the Victoria Centre, Deborah Crawford served on Council as Secretary from December 2012 to November 2014, Second Vice President from December 2016 to November 2018 and then as Treasurer from December 2018 until the spring of 2023. She has a talent for turning events into joyous occasions. Deb organized several AGM banquets and two Star Party “StarBQ’s”. During the 2014 General Assembly Deb oversaw a large buffet at the Centre of the Universe complete with a cake replica of the DAO dome. It was the highlight of the GA.
Ernie Pfannenschmidt Award 2022 – Dave Payne
For the invention of the Generalized Hyperbolic Stretch (GHS) an innovative software tool that allows the controlled transformation of pixel intensity. It has been embedded in key astrophotography software packages such as Pixinsight. Astrophotographers around the globe have adopted this powerful tool.
Astrophotography Award 2022 – Dave Payne
Foxmascone Nebulae (NGC 2264) in SHO – The Foxfur and Cone Nebulae and Christmas Tree Cluster in SHO with RGB Stars (Monoceros) – October, 2022 A total of 17.5 Hours in Narrow Band H,S,O filters and 3.75 Hours in R, G, B Filters using a Planewave CDK12.5 Telescope and an- AIS6200MM Camera
Certificate of Appreciation in 2022 – David Lee
In addition to the leadership David displayed during International Astronomy Day, the Dark Sky Survey, and the formation of Special Interest Groups he amazed the Victoria Centre for the perseverance he demonstrated photographing a Lunar Eclipse while a snow storm kept more timid RASCals indoors.
Certificate Of Appreciation 2022 – Randy Enkin
In appreciation of his Organization, Leadership and Guidance so capably rendered as the Centre’s President for 2021 and 2022.