NOVANEWSLETTEROFTHEVANCOUVERCENTRERASC VOLUME2017ISSUE1JANUARYFEBRUARY2017 Paul Sykes Lecture – Sat, Jan. 21 @ 7:30 Going Out in a Blaze of Glory: Cassini Science Highlights and the Grand Finale Featuring Dr. Linda Spilker of JPL – SFU Burnaby Campus, Room SWH 10081 The Cassini mission’s findings plunges into Saturn’s atmosphere, orbits. have revolutionized our understand- vaporizing to protect tiny Enceladus, This flagship mission is a coopera- ing of Saturn, its complex rings, the one of Saturn’s ocean worlds. tive undertaking by nasa, the Euro- amazing assortment of moons and What new puzzles will Cassini pean Space Agency (esa), and the the planet’s dynamic magnetic en- Italian space agency Agenzia Spaziale vironment. The robotic spacecraft Italiana (asi). arrived in 2004 after a 7-year flight Dr. Linda Spilker is a nasa re- from Earth, dropped a parachuted search scientist at the Jet Propulsion probe named Huygens to study the Laboratory in Pasadena, CA. She is atmosphere and surface of Saturn’s currently the Cassini Project Scien- big moon Titan, and commenced tist and a Co-Investigator on the Cas- making astonishing discoveries that sini Composite Infrared Spectrom- continue today. eter team and has worked on Cassini Cassini’s current mission exten- since 1988. Since joining jpl almost sion has led to some remarkable dis- 40 years ago, she has worked on the coveries and more are expected when solve before it plunges into Saturn’s Voyager Project, the Cassini Project, Cassini repeatedly dives between atmosphere rather than risk crashing and conducted independent research the innermost ring and the top of into one of Saturn’s ocean worlds and on the origin and evolution of plan- Saturn’s atmosphere during its final contaminating it? Come and hear etary ring systems. She enjoys yoga six months starting in April 2017. It the story of recent science discoveries and hiking in National Parks, includ- will be the first spacecraft to explore and the upcoming excitement during ing her favourite park, Yosemite. She this region, providing insights into the final orbits. Dr. Linda Spilker, is married, with three daughters and fundamental questions unattainable Cassini Project Scientist, will pres- five grandchildren. She received her during the rest of the mission. Cassini ent highlights of Cassini’s ambitious B.A. from Cal State Fullerton, her will send back its final bits of unique inquiry at Saturn and an overview M.S. from Cal State Los Angeles, and data on September 15, 2017 as it of science observations in the final her Ph.D. from ucla. 

JANUARY 12 SFU FEBRUARY 9 SFU MARCH 9 SFU JJ Kavelaars of the DAO in Victoria David A. Rodger, founding director of Jon Willis, Assoc. Prof. of Astronomy pesents “New Horizons in the heart the HR MacMillan Planetarium: My Life at UVic: “All These Worlds Are Yours: of the Kuiper belt.” Room SWH10041 Among the Stars. Room SWH10041 The Scientific Search for Alien Life.” Room SWH10081 Members’ Gallery

Mars

Venus

Mars, Moon and Venus by Elena Popovici “Jewels on a string” at the beginning of the year: a crescent Moon nestled between shiny Venus and inconspicuous Mars. A telescope revealed Neptune as a bluish dot only one degree to the right of Mars. Fingers & toes turned to icicles during the taking of these photos, but the sky was crispy clear and many “wow”-s were uttered by passing children and adults alike seeing Moon craters for the first time at this impromptu sidewalk-astronomy event. Jan. 2, 2017 near Science World, looking south over Olympic Village. SONY ILCE-5000 camera.

Mars and Venus by Elena Popovici Mars Shiny Venus (in the Teapot’s handle) & dim Mars, on what felt like the only clear night in two months. Only enough cloud wisps to make it interesting. Nov. 21, 2016 from Downtown Vancouver, looking south over False Creek and Granville Island. SONY ILCE-5000 camera. Venus

2 rasc-vancouver.com JANUARYFEBRUARY2017 President’s Message by Suzanna Nagy As I write this President’s Mes- have been gathering dust. I keep over are: sage, we are 66 days of rain out of my eyepieces and other observing • tighten the screws on my 70. To say that this fall observing tools in a briefcase, always ready mounts (Dob and Alt-az) season has been frustrating is an to go. I also maintain a box with • clean my eyepieces (lens cleaner understatement. items like water, snacks, observ- and Q-tips work great) With the hope of better weath- ing books, and extra warm clothes • check the batteries in my laser er in the New Year, now might like socks, a toque, and mittens. pointer, flashlight, and Telrad be the time to spend these dreary While waiting for those rare fall • buy some new batteries (I always days hauling out your observing and winter Metro Vancouver clear keep extra packs in my case) equipment and accessories that nights, some things I will check continued on page 5 About RASC The RASC Vancouver Centre meets at 7:30 to the Treasurer at the address below. Annual essarily those of the Vancouver Centre. PM on the second Thursday of every month at membership includes the invaluable Observer’s Material on any aspect of astronomy should SFU’s Burnaby campus (see map on page 4). Handbook, six issues of the RASC Journal, and, be e-mailed to the editor or mailed to the ad- Guests are always welcome. In addition, the of course, access to all of the club events and dress below. Centre has an observing site where star parties projects. Remember, you are always welcome to are regularly scheduled. For more information regarding the Centre attend meetings of Council, held on the first Membership is currently $78.00 per year and its activities, please contact our P.R. Director. Thursday of every month at 7:30pm in the Trot- ($45.00 for persons under 21 years of age; NOVA, the newsletter of the Vancouver tier Studio in the Chemistry wing of the Shrum family memberships also available) and can Centre, RASC, is published on odd-numbered Science Centre at SFU. Please contact a council be obtained online, at a meeting, or by writing months. Opinions expressed herein are not nec- member for directions.

2017 Vancouver Centre Officers President Suzanna Nagy LPA Pascal Pillot-Bruhat Merchandise Kyle Dally [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Vice-President Leigh Cummings Dir. of Telescopes Vacant Webmaster Ken Jackson [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Secretary Adrian Mitescu Observing Sam David NOVA Editor Gordon Farrell [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Treasurer Bruce Hutchison Membership Elena Popovici Speakers Scott McGilllivray [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] National Rep. Kenneth Lui Events Coordinator Jeremy van den Driesen [email protected] [email protected] Past President Mark Eburne Librarian William Fearon Education Bill Burnyeat, Leigh Cummings At Large Howard Trottier, Francesca Crema, [email protected] [email protected] Milan B Public Relations Scott McGilllivray AOMO Alan Jones Trustee Pomponia Martinez [email protected] [email protected] Honourary President J. Karl Miller

Library On the Internet Mailing Address The centre has a large library of books, http://rasc-vancouver.com or RASC Vancouver Centre magazines and old NOVAs for your enjoy- http://www.rasc.ca/vancouver PO Box 89608 ment. Please take advantage of this club http://astronomy.meetup.com/131/ 9000 University High Street service and visit often to check out the new http://www.facebook.com/RASC.Van Burnaby, B.C. purchases. Suggestions for future library @RASCVancouver V5A 4Y0 acquisitions are appreciated.

JANUARYFEBRUARY2017 rasc-vancouver.com 3 Map to Meeting Site Our Jan-Mar meetings are in

st We room SWH10041 of Saywell ve Dri sity Hall, about halfway down the er niv P P U S aywell Hall Blusson main corridor as indicated by the Hall AQ  arrow on the map. Lecture Room

P

T

So o uth w Pay parking is available at sev- Cam e

pu r s Rd R eral locations located around d campus (indicated as “P” on the map). Burnaby Mtn P kwy G a g Un la iv r er d sity i Dri W ve East a y Cartoon by Dan Collier

4 rasc-vancouver.com JANUARYFEBRUARY2017 AOMO Update by Alan Jones Vancouver centre has an obser- that the Milky Way is observable including: redesign and construct a vatory in the ubc Maple Ridge re- with the naked eye. This makes it new dome shutter; re-caulk dome search forest where we license the easy to set up a telescope on the con- seams; clean out the inside of the location for amateur astronomy crete pad next to the main building. building; patch drywall; clean up research. The observatory was con- A clear, darker sky is a great asset for surrounding grounds; track down structed over twenty years ago by image capture, observing, teaching, and resolve computer connectivity member volunteers, their families learning and the sheer joy of a less issues with the telescope; purchase and friends using donated materials. light-polluted sky. new computer hardware and soft- Our centre has a loaner telescope The observatory is operated and ware; and bench test offsite. The program for members and I like to maintained by member volunteers. previous year, we removed all equip- think of the observatory as our larg- Lately it has been non-operational ment to dry safety for repairs and est ‘loaner’ telescope. You can’t take due to much overdue maintenance refurbishing, erected scaffolding for it home with you; you have to go to to replace the dome shutter, main- safe access to the dome for repairs, the observatory to ‘borrow’ it. This tain the dome, building, grounds patched the roof, made temporary will not appeal to all members, yet and repair and replace equipment shutter repairs, installed gutters, we are all inspired by observatories including the unreliable computer, installed drains, removed mould, as dedicated spaces for astronomy. upgrade software and repair inter- dried the building and completed Past outreach events have inspired face components. It is a slow project mechanical repairs, and cleaned, the general public through observa- due to part-time volunteer effort, lubricated and replaced belts on the tory tours. however there is “starlight” closer to telescope mount. Although less than an hour from the end of the telescope tunnel now. I’m very grateful and offer a Vancouver, it has dark enough skies Much progress was made last year continued on page 6 continued from page 3 late January or early February er is the Cassini Project Scientist • restock water and snacks (no each year to break up our dark and and her lecture will be focusing on one likes a stale granola bar) cold winters with something ex- recent Cassini discoveries as well • review and update my observing citing to look forward to. 2017’s as the Grand Finale as the Cassini notes, lists, and catalogues lecture is no exception. On Satur- Spacecraft nears its end of life. day, January 21, we will be hosting Look to our website and Meetup. Our annual Paul Sykes Memo- Dr. Linda Spilker of nasa’s Jet com for more details on this up- rial Lecture is also held in either Propulsion Laboratory. Dr. Spilk- coming lecture. 

Membership has its Privileges! New members, did you know? The can now reserve two different telescopes tive! Take in the club meetings; engage Vancouver Centre has several telescopes per year and use what is left at the end of other members with questions; come available for loan free of charge! We have the meeting anytime. out to observing sessions (also known telescopes ranging from 60mm to 10” in Your greatest opportunity as a member as “star parties”), and, by all means, vol- diameter. For more information see the of the RASC is to take advantage of the unteer to take part in our many public Director of Telescopes after the mem- company of other enthusiasts to increase events. bers meeting. The loaner period is for your knowledge, enjoyment and skill in For the usual observing sites and one month, to be returned after the next astronomy. times, visit our website at http://rasc- meeting. Telescopes are not allowed to The best thing you can do to gain the vancouver.com or contact the Observing circulate outside of these meetings. You most from your membership is to get ac- Chair at [email protected].

JANUARYFEBRUARY2017 rasc-vancouver.com 5 Upcoming Events January May July 21 – Paul Sykes lecture at SFU (see 13 – Astronomy Day at SFU 22 - 30 – Mt. Kobau Star Party page 1 for details) August Jume 19 - 26 – Merritt Star Quest March 30 - July 30 – RASC General Assembly 25 – Night Quest at Pacific Spirit Re- in Ottawa December gional Park 14 – AGM

Great Northerly Conjunction of Venus – March 2017 by Milan B 19 the sky after this period of time. ing ICs, Venus is below the ecliptic at Every 19 months or so Venus reach- The recent two transits of Venus two of them (August and October) es the same position in the sky relative followed this pattern as expected, the while during the January and March to the Sun looking from Earth. This is 2004 transit happened on June 8th ICs Venus is above the ecliptic. called the synodic revolution. 19 is not while the 2012 transit occurred on a “friendly” number in this context, June 6th, which the author of this text 8.1 meaning 19 months is much longer was very lucky to witness. The late March ICs of Venus are of than a year, but still quite short of two a special interest for northern hemi- years. This means that after nineteen 5.0 sphere observers and the upcoming months the Sun and Venus will reach This article is about inferior con- IC of March 25th, 2017 is no excep- the same position in the sky relative junctions (ICs) of Venus, an event tion to this. During this conjunction, to each other, but this will happen in when Venus passes directly between Venus will be more than 8° above the a very different, almost completely op- the Sun and Earth. In the current ep- ecliptic. This means that Venus would posite part of the sky. och, the five inferior conjunctions of be fairly easy to spot with the naked Venus of this eight-year cycle happen eye during the day, especially around 7.99 in: mid January (2014), late March noon when the dazzling planet is right Five synodic revolutions of Venus, (2017), early June (2012 transit), above the Sun, some 8° or so. In an however, add up to almost exactly mid-August (2015) and late October imaginary Solar System metric called eight years, just a few days short. Even (2010 and 2018). Positions of Venus “departure from the ecliptic,” Venus, the ancient Mayans knew about this relative to the ecliptic during the ICs as the undisputed champion, wanders eight-year cycle of Venus and your lo- in the current epoch follow a nice sym- away from the ecliptic at greater dis- cal astrologer would probably be aware metric pattern. During the June series tances than any other planet including of it as well. With such close proximity of ICs, Venus is at or near the ecliptic, our Moon. With all this in mind, the to a whole number of years (8) things resulting in transits (2012) or near- author of this text took the liberty of will repeat nicely, in the same part of transits (2020). From the four remain- continued on page 7 continued from page 5 Chapman, Michael Levy, Dan Col- Council. Looking ahead, we will heartfelt thank-you to the follow- lier, Rick Gregory, Mark Eburne, re-open the observatory this year. ing volunteers who gave their time, Wayne Lyons, Kenneth Lui, Leigh There is still much to do so please energy, cheerful encouragement and Cummings, Terry McComas, Bob contact Alan Jones through aomo@ inspiration in undertaking this re- Heslop, Rick Clendenning, Chris rasc-vancouver.com if you would furbishing of our observatory: Rick Redwood, Dale Wilkie, Suzanna like to help get our observatory go- Vandenberg, John Chapman, Tanya Nagy, and the Vancouver Centre ing again. 

6 rasc-vancouver.com JANUARYFEBRUARY2017 continued from page 6 each gnc falls a few days earlier in slowly drift into December, turning coining a new observing term—(the) March, Venus is coming closer to the slowly into near-ecliptic ICs and even- Great Northerly Conjunction (gnc) northernmost point in its orbit when tually culminating in a pair of transits. of Venus with the Sun. it reaches the greatest heliocentric But don’t have high hopes of seeing GNCs are well known for another latitude N (above the ecliptic) result- these as the first of them is scheduled interesting phenomenon. For a couple ing in even higher departures from the for December, 2117. of days around a gnc, Venus becomes ecliptic. So, the future looks bright, as both the morning and the evening for the next few decades Venus will 2017.2 star. Being well above (north of ) the keep climbing above the Sun during Northern hemisphere observers Sun, Venus rises well before the sunrise the March gncs. However, they will are encouraged to go out and enjoy but sets after the Sun. The diagram be- slowly shift from late March into mid- this special event, taking precautions low shows positions of Venus and Sun March conjunctions by mid-century of course, as the Sun is always nearby. relative to the horizon when this phe- (2049). And as always, this is a weather-per- nomenon is best to observe during the mitting event and for Western Canada upcoming March 2017 gnc. 2117.9 the late March weather could go either Looking even further into the fu- way: a few days of sun in a row or a 2049.2 ture, the January ICs, which are now few days of rain in a row; we certainly What does the future bring? As positioned above the ecliptic, will hope for the former. 

March 25, 2017 Venus 51˚

Sun 42˚

Venus 2˚ Venus 2˚ 6:45 am 1:20 pm 7:55 pm Horizon E S W

Sun -5˚ Sun -5˚

JANUARYFEBRUARY2017 rasc-vancouver.com 7 Albedo: Zero Point Zero Low by Dan Collier [Editor’s Note: This is part 2 of the of realization. I opened the trunk had returned few D/Rs. And I had story from the Nov/Dec 2016 article to look at my telescope. Ohh! Phil’s feelings to consider too. He that appeared under the title, Target The hemisphere switch had been has been a loyal, uncomplaining for Tonight: Alsatia Niner Seven thrown from North to South. The co-observer. One] power switch was identical in shape So, I’ve fallen back on my old You may recall that in Part 1, and close by. I had confused them 8” Schmidt-Cass and a hand-me- Phil Morris and I measured minor in the dark! down ccd, and that means drift planet 971 Alsatia by its occulta- I have a lot of occultation ex- work. Up to now my experience tion of HIP 39077. We with drift summed to a were looking good. High couple of negative events. fives. Cock of the walk. Then, bam!—along But wait! The trail comes 971. of our two stars ran off As far as 1980s tele- the right edge. They had scope design is con- tadpole-like heads. The cerned, this is one of the duration of the dimming rare situations where seemed long, and it was confusing the switches somewhat too far to the would bite you. It was the right. Then I noticed the kind of mistake two tired red led on my telescope operators, even seasoned drive was still on. I was ones, might make. The tired, so I saved the im- lesson had to be learned. age and soundtrack, dis- Disable the hemisphere mantled the telescope switch. and the rest of our setup, Well, then; so I’d re- and loaded the car. The versed the drive instead drive home should have of stopping it. Stupid. taken me a minute. But a heavy dew perience. And let’s be honest, But there was a chance to save kept forming on my windshield as my record has all the last-minute the observation. The star and quickly as the wipers swept it off. It cloud-outs, equipment snafus, and scope were heading in opposite caught the glare of the rising sun to downright mistakes that give the directions, both at sidereal rate. I the extent of complete obscuration. word amateur its stigma. When would—I thought—simply double I had to drive around Kits looking everything does go swimmingly, the assumed rate of drift. It seemed for a shady street to get home. which isn’t often, we get appulsed. straightforward. It was not. Fatigue caught up with me. I feel like a court fool to the Olym- What bothered me was how the Awake at noon, I had a mild cold. I pians. From my first occultation trail of one of the field stars had had a queasy feeling about the data, attempt in 1999, I’d been a video run off the field edge. It should too. I spent an unproductive after- man. I had sensitive TV cameras, have terminated before the edge. noon studying my image, then put a big scope and a real observatory My calculation for the trail length it aside to work on the sound track. at my disposal. Then it was taken was wrong. When I brought up Next day as I sipped my morning away. I was miffed but accepted the simbad astrometry for the coffee—I press it French style and the loss. The TV cameras were no field and calculated my plate scale, take it con leche—there came a chill good anyway, and the time invested I could see why. The telescope had

8 rasc-vancouver.com JANUARYFEBRUARY2017 not only gone into reverse, it was ed at land objects showed that the shutter timing and the image scale running faster in reverse than it ran drive would reverse in 5 seconds. deduced from simbad. forward. If this was periodic gear Since the scope was sitting upright All the timing phenomena came error, it was pretty bad. Back in for this test, the RA worm was not into perspective. Our D/R times the day when I used this scope for gravity-loaded. Hence, throwing were now within the margin of hand-guiding my astrophotos, the the switch to south would push error for the prediction, and the PE was manageable. the worm across its axial play lim- dimming lasted 1.75 seconds, only I will skip details and state that it. A looseness of only .001” here a little more than the expected 1.6 for an 8-minute worm, each arc- would account for the 5 seconds seconds for a diametral chord. My minute of sinusoidal periodic error seen in the test. I think the scope goof-up actually made the dim- (PE) will speed up and slow down reversed more quickly in the field. ming easier to measure by stretch- the tracking 5 percent. (This is why The tadpole heads in the science ing the trail. This had been a brief variable-frequency guiding drive image are not pronounced. The occultation because Earth and 971 correctors are given 2:1 speed au- star never stopped on the ccd, were moving in different direc- thority.) and the trails are not fish-hooked. tions. Similar sized Camelia, on the Removing the herringbone in- I know from the sound recording other hand, was coming to opposi- terference was easy. It had a sine- that our motions and software de- tion, and Earth was overtaking. Ca- wave signature and a nearly vertical lays soaked up 2.23 seconds. I also melia’s occultation, had we seen it, tilt. Thus, adding the fits image to know the scope had been put well could have lasted up to 16 seconds. itself with just the right downward out of balance by the heavy ccd. Just what minor planet 971 is shift would cancel the interference. Its weight would have forced the telling us is very interesting. We This would only work in certain re- drive worm constantly toward one lucky B.C.’ers are the first to wit- gions of the image, but by trial and end of its axial play. Backlash was ness its occultation. If we’re right, error I could clean up the region present, but primarily in the step- the 61 to 65 km figures in the lit- with the D/R in it. per motor itself. erature are too small. Because the Now I could correct the bright- Whatever the rate, I would mea- body has a carbon signature, the ended “tadpole heads”. They sure it from the charge deposited albedo is assumed (not measured) cropped up because the telescope in the pixels along the trail. Again, as 5 percent—blacker than the had not quite come up to speed with plenty of starlight to work Moon’s darkest mares. We think when the shutter opened. The star with and an instrument that is lin- it’s even darker. The surface is was caught still accelerating. Since ear in exposure (unlike TV cam- coated with a carbon-rich material the star was bright and the ccd is eras), it was possible to work out whose properties we understand linear, it was feasible to integrate a gain factor in adu per pixel. The very little. This is why we should the data in the tadpole head. First, ratio in gain between the trails in engage every opportunity to ob- a constant was subtracted from all the “science” and rehearsal images serve occultations. pixels to correct for dark noise and would be the ratio of the tracking Alan was south of the track and skyglow. (My dark frames were af- rates in each. I showed that the turned in a “no D/R”. Jim and fected by herringbone and were telescope and the star were heading Guy recorded good D/Rs. They useless.) I could now allocate the in opposite directions at 2.15 times were close to the prediction cen- piled-up ccd charge in the tadpole the sidereal rate of 13.84 arc-sec- treline, and close to one another. head into the pixels in advance of onds per second (15.041 reduced Their timings also cross-checked it, allowing me to determine where for dec). My PE is undetermined well, notwithstanding how Jim the trail should have started. The and is a wild card here. However, had a problem with wwv recep- correction was about 20 pixels. the trails in the rehearsal image tion. Brad Timerson at iota stud- A test with the telescope direct- are just the right length, given the continued on page 10

JANUARYFEBRUARY2017 rasc-vancouver.com 9 continued from page 9 north. It went so far north, indeed, jor error in my analysis would not ied those timings while I was still that it put its poorly known diam- change the fitted diameter much. correcting ours, and published a eter across our line of sight to HIP We had been lucky. The asteroid diagram showing a 52-km minor 39077. Our dimming was 9 percent “shifted” our way—or the star’s planet sitting off-centre in the 49- longer than the longest predicted, astrometric position was off, or km void between Jim and Guy’s D and we don’t even know whether possibly its proper motion. PM is and R events. This would make 971 we sampled 971’s equator or not. a major worry of occultation work- much brighter, if that’s the word, I made these points to Brad who ers and it’s getting worse every year. than the average carbonaceous reconsidered. Our “chord” was ac- The new astrometric catalogues be- asteroid. When I submitted our cepted and 971 was enlarged to fit ing collected by ESA’s Gaia satel- D/R, Brad added our points and all the observations. His final result lite should help. forwarded the diagram to me for is 69 km and plain round. That’s Whatever hurt us in the past, it comment with the 52-km depic- outside the 61-to-65 range in the sure worked to our advantage for tion of 971 left unchanged. It made literature but not overly so, and 971. It’s a welcome contrast to our our D/R look spurious, while Jim who is to say we’re not right? dramatic Ekard appulse in 2009. and Guy were awarded an unwar- We are experienced workers but We drove 2 hours to be under the ranted finding. not champions. Brad has discount- Ekard centreline and had a serious Whether 971 was larger or ed our data. Fitting a circle to 971 setback when a tire blew. We ob- smaller than the published diam- is all he can do, with only three served successfully, but—Dadgum- eters was a judgment call. However, observers reporting D/Rs. He has mit! Again!—no D/R. Precious the smaller 52-km figure seemed used a circle to make his fit. He has Ekard skittered away from us and to deny our D/R. He could see the not even given a plus-and-minus handed brilliant D/Rs to four oth- gap in the images I sent him. He for the diameter. That feels right. I er guys. Tongue in cheek, I nick- was waiting for me to make the case have not tried the fitting software named myself Asteroid Repellant. for a large, low-albedo body. myself but I think I can vouch the Always it was the other observers Our D/R would not have hap- following. (1) Ours was a nearly who were successful. Until now. pened had 971 gone south. It went equatorial chord, and (2) any ma- Thank you so much, Alsatia! 

10 rasc-vancouver.com JANUARYFEBRUARY2017 Members’ Gallery

Moonset over VGH by Milan B Less than a 2-day-old Moon setting behind one of the VGH buildings in the SW on Dec 30, 2016. You can see the Christmas lights on the building. 2-sec exposure @ ISO 3200 using a Sony Nex3N with ƒ7.5 SkyWatcher 80mm ED.

Venus for Christmas by Elena Popovici Christmas Eve 2016 was a crisp, clear night and Venus (lower centre) sparkled alongside the festive lights. Taken at the VanDusen Gardens Fes- tival of Lights, looking south using a SONY ILCE-5000 camera.

JANUARYFEBRUARY2017 rasc-vancouver.com 11 VANCOUVER TELESCOPE CENTRE Serving the Astronomers of Vancouver and British Columbia since 2004

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