NEWSLETTER OF THE VANCOUVER CENTRE RASC
VOLUME 2003 ISSUE 4 JULY/AUGUST 2003
Where Can I Begin...? 1 Where Can I Begin...? by Craig Breckenridge Coming Home 2 First and foremost, I would previous record for attendance President’s Message 3 like to thank the many was 225 delegates. We had over Observing Sites 4 volunteers who made the 2003 250, not including our Upcoming Events 6 General Assembly the huge speakers. We took the Plenary success it was. Our crew of Session to a new level and Selenography for the Lazy 8 almost 50 yellow shirts is to be made it the focal point for the Astronomy Day Gallery 12 commended for the delegates entire Assembly. We gave them Anne B. Underhill 14 could always their first 2003 GA Gallery 15 count of them Dinner Cruise to be and tours of Looking Ahead courteous, three helpful and telescopes in Remember, you are always welcome to attend meetings of responsive. one day, one of Council, held on the first Tues- On behalf of them a five day of every month at 7:30pm all the team metre liquid in the G.S.O. leaders, I mirror. I guess July 8: Dr. Ingrid Stairs, thank you. the easiest way postdoctoral student at UBC, on “Searching for Radio Pul- The weekend seems like a to capture the feeling is to go sars” blur and that might be just day by day. Aug 12: Members’ Night: because it was. We had so many On Thursday, I arrived at Michael Winther on “The Drake events that the attendees could the Walter Gage Convention Equation” not believe it. According to Centre at UBC around 12:00. Rajiv Gupta, our National The first attendees had been Next Issue Deadline President, we may have had here for several days, so I was Material for the July Nova more events at our GA than at not surprised to see them. Some should submitted by Monday, any previous one. We set of the volunteers were also on Sept. 1, 2003. Please send submissions to: several new records that future hand to start setting up our Gordon Farrell GAs are going to really have registration table and getting ([email protected]) to work at in order to beat: the continued on page 6 Coming Home by Marc Verschueren planets discovered so far around years, and will not happen again The last few months here and other stars, all seem to be of the for a few centuries. Mars will not in my reading, much attention was type of our outer planets. Could look all that different in our paid to the history of the very early we find a rocky planet? Could we telescopes from other close universe. There were several new recognize it if we saw one? It may encounters but to know that this is results published such as the first be too early at this moment to do such a special occasion makes it information collected by the MAP this. Planet formation also covers even more of a thrilling satellite, the discovery of the the presence of the Kuiper belt and experience. Let us hope that we polarization of the Cosmic the Oort cloud, the origin of the have a few nights of the good Microwave Background, and new comets. Far from being an expert weather that livened up Levy’s measurements of the density on this, I thought that this was talk. Our little part of the solar distribution of galaxies in the mainly a question of distance— system is not too reliable in that universe. All this is very interesting one was farther out than the other. respect. and essential for the understanding It is clear now that the Kuiper belt We were thinking earlier of where we come from, and tells fits well with the planetary system about the origins of the universe. us something of where we are as a kind of ring. The Oort cloud Now we have returned to our home going. But is also very abstract and is more a chaotic collection of in it, the planets and the comets technical. The interpretation of debris ejected by the big planets. and the asteroids. Our home is the these measurements requires at But both give us the comets, latest stage in this long history, least some understanding of some so dear to David Levy. We had the from the very hot big bang through of the basic theories. Fascinating privilege to listen to him this long, long cooling period, to as it is, it carries us far away from introducing us to his universe us. The long, long cooling period our observations, and observing is during the last General Assembly. that makes the complex structures the heart of our astronomical lives. He always likes to come back to possible that make up our It is observing that makes us the planets and their strange planetary system and the life in it. interested in these abstractions in relatives, the comets. We were The cooling connects us with the the first place. We must first find lucky to listen to him during the past. The cooling of the universe the universe before we can get cruise around Vancouver Harbour made life possible out of the big interested in it. so, while listening to him, we bang. You could think of us as In the last few weeks there could admire at the same time the some kind of a mould growing in was a refreshing change of course. beauty of our own planet during a dark, cold cellar. Our planetary Dr. Gladman brought us back in the majestic sunset. David H. likes world is the frost on the universe. our last meeting to the solar to return from time to time to his I like to think of it as the icing on system. One would think, with a earliest telescope and think about the cake. And this is our home. We little bit of arrogance, that we his earliest observations. He likes should never forget to come back pretty well know everything about to go home from time to time. to it. ! the solar system. Now it seems that And now there is the coming we really do not know how the show put on by Mars. That will outer planets were formed. They bring us very close again to the real must have a different origin than world of our neighbours in the the inner members of the solar universe, the planets. The coming family. I had to think that it is opposition of Mars is not unique interesting to realize that of the but it is the closest in thousands of
2 President’s 2003 Vancouver About RASC Message Centre Officers The Vancouver Centre, RASC Wow, it’s over! “GA2003 - meets at 7:30 PM in the auditorium President of the H.R. MacMillan Space Cen- 100 Years of Royal Recognition” Bill Ronald 604-733-7036 tre at 1100 Chestnut St., Vancou- suddenly arrived and after a very [email protected] ver, on the second Tuesday of every long weekend of frenzied activity, Vice-President month. Guests are always wel- it sailed into the history books of Nicole van den Elzen 604-501-2656 come. In addition, the Centre has the RASC. This General Assembly [email protected] an observing site where star par- raised the bar and it is one which Secretary ties are regularly scheduled. Ron Jerome 604-298-3292 Membership is currently $51.00 will be remembered for a long time [email protected] per year ($26.00 for persons under to come. Craig will tell you the Treasurer 21 years of age) and can be ob- details, but as the President and on Marc Verschueren 604-986-1485 tained by writing to the Treasurer behalf of the Vancouver Centre, I [email protected] at the address below. Annual membership includes the invalu- want to thank all members of the Librarian able Observer’s Handbook, six is- Organizing Committee and the William Fearon 604-939-1895 sues of the RASC Journal, and, of [email protected] many volunteers who made it such course, access to all of the club a great success. National Representatives events and projects. Pomponia Martinez 604-215-8844 For more information regarding Sailed is perhaps a good word [email protected] the Centre and its activities, please for this experience. Craig was our Bob Parry 604-215-8844 contact our P.R. Director. captain who steered us through the [email protected] NOVA, the newsletter of the sometimes rough seas of the GA, Membership Vancouver Centre, RASC, is pub- Dan Collier 604-732-6046 lished on odd numbered months. Pomponia was our navigator who Opinions expressed herein are not stood by the helm with her GA Chair, CARO Committee Bob Parry 604-215-8844 necessarily those of the Vancouver chart to keep us on course, Ron Centre. Director of Telescopes was our purser who kept track of Material on any aspect of as- Phil Morris 604-734-8708 tronomy should be e-mailed to the our passengers and cargo and Public Relations editor, mailed to the address on Norman was our liaison officer Norman Song 604-299-7924 page 5, or uploaded to who made contact with local [email protected] SpaceBase™ at 604-473-9358, 59. dignitaries and arranged for the Speakers correct protocols. The rest of the Barry Shanko 604-271-0615 Advertising [email protected] volunteers were the friendly crew Nova encourages free use of its who always tried to smile and be Merchandising classified ads for members with Doug Montgomery 604-596-7058 items for sale or swap. Notify the helpful as we clung to the rigging [email protected] editor if you wish your ad to run in and tried to make it all look easy. Nova Editor more than one issue. They say “the devil is in the Gordon Farrell 604-734-0326 details” and this is where the [email protected] Commerical committee and the volunteers Webmaster Rates shone. No problem was too small Jason Rickerby 604-502-8158 [email protected] 1/2 Page: $25.00 per issue for them to try to solve and they Full Page: $40.00 per issue Greeter was always did it with a smile and Rates are for camera-ready, or Greg Price 604-377-5547 electronic files. Payment, by with concern. So again, thank you [email protected] cheque, must accompany ad ma- all so much and well done! Trustees terial. Make cheque payable to: Now, here is a brief reminder Sally Baker 604-324-3309 RASC Vancouver Centre. Lee Johnson 604-941-5364 continued on page 5 3 Observing Sites
Dale McNabb Observatory in Aldergrove Lake Park (RASC Van- couver Centre's regular viewing site) Contact Mike Penndelton (604- 888-1505) or Howard Morgan (604-856-9186)
Site of the annual star party organ- ized by the RASC Vancouver Cen- tre
Site of the annual Mt. Kobau Star Party organized by the Mount Kobau Astronomical Society
Site of the regular Thursday night star party. On the dike at the foot of 72nd St.
4 continuted from page 3 of upcoming events over the next ASTROCOMPUTING MEMBERSHIP two months. First, we have a rare, SpaceBase™ (604-473-9358,59). HAS ITS interesting event occurring at Affiliated since 1992 with RASC PRIVILEGES! Vancouver, our link to RASC Net, about 23:03 PDT on Thursday, RASC Members only chat area. New members, did you know? July 17 (6:03 UT, July 18). The Future data distribution hub for The Vancouver Centre has 8 tel- 6.4mag star SAO100819 (HIP CARO Project. Features include escopes available for loan free of charge! We have telescopes rang- 68516) will be occulted by the 49 latest HST images, current world space news and astronomy pro- ing from 60mm to 10" diameter. km diameter asteroid 1263 grams. Provides a file uploading For more information see Phil Mor- Varsavia. There is a good chance facility for submitting articles and ris, Director of Telescopes in the lobby of the GSO after the mem- that it can be observed from the imagery to Nova. bers meeting. All telescopes are Vancouver area. Since it is a very to be picked up and returned at the brief event (2.7 sec maximum), it LIBRARY GSO. The loaner period is for one is best observed with recording The centre has a large library of month, to be returned after the next equipment. In fact, to do true books, magazines and old Nova’s meeting. Telescopes are not al- lowed to circulate outside of these occultation timing, you need a for your enjoyment at the GSO. Please take advantage of this club meetings. You can now reserve 2 magnified image, a method of service and visit often to check out different telescopes per year and video and audio recording and a the new purchases. Suggestions use what is left at the end of the shortwave radio capable of for future library acquisitions are meeting anytime. Phil can be picking up a WWV time signal. If appreciated. reached at 604-734-8708. Your greatest opportunity as a you have any questions you can RASCVC on the Internet member of the R.A.S.C. is to take contact me or Jeremy Tatum, http://members.shaw.ca/rascvan/ advantage of the company of other
5 Upcoming Events July August October 1 – 2003 General Assembly ends 2 – Manning Star Party ends 17-18 – Sidewalk Astronomy 2 17 – Occultation of star SAO 12 – Perseid meteor shower; 100819 by asteroid 1263 Varsavia observing at Aldergrove Lake December at approx. 11:03pm 25-28 – Mars Week 9 – AGM 25-26 – Manning Start Party & Manning Outreach September 26 – Mt. Kobau Star Party begins 26-27 – Merritt Star Party continuted from page 1 Jeanette and Glenn for see that anything was going ready for the flood of guests. providing a real scope for the wrong, so in that respect at least All went rather smoothly and main prize. Pacific Telescope we gave good appearances. It our yellow shirt brigade donated a 6" dobsonian for the was sometime on Friday that performed their various tasks second prize and Heavens and we passed the old record for admirably. We had the shuttle Earth with Sky Instruments attendance and became the drivers meet and go to Avis to donated a table top 80 mm largest General Assembly in pick up the vans they had refractor. This was a pretty history. This was another kindly donated. This is one of impressive line-up of major feather in our cap. The troubles the major donations we prizes and is only the beginning continued on in the background received and I can not stress of the great donations we and my wife eventually found enough how much easier it received. Thursday night my fanny pack. This was a made things to have the vans started to wind down and we great relief to the volunteers available. A big thank you to held the first Hospitality Suite who were spending an Christine and Hassan for in the Fireside Lounge. I left for inordinate amount of time making this possible. The home about midnight. trying to get me to calm down vendors also started to arrive Friday started hectic and a bit. The day saw the first two with Dennis and Kim from continued that way all day. In workshops; David Levy and Heavens and Earth putting on order to get an opinion of how Jack Newton discussing an impressive display. Susie the talks and workshops went, observing techniques and Alan and Sylvia from Pacific we will need someone who Dyer and Jack Newton Telescope also set up some of actually got to see them report; discussing photography their product line and Boyen I was too busy scrambling. We techniques. We also had the from Harrison’s was on hand as had problems on many fronts first National Council meeting well. The vendors dropped off that needed attention, and to to deal with. The TRIUMF their donations to the door prize top it off, I left my fanny pack Tour was next with the vans kitty and we set up the 6" short at home and of course thought coming in very handy. Dinner focus refractor donated by I had lost it at UBC… I have was eventually served and we Harrison’s and Sky been told by several of the segued into the Wine and Instruments. Thanks go to delegates that they could not Cheese night with the Murphy continued on page 7 6 continuted from page 6 manner in which the Society opportunity to see the fruits of Night for entertainment. It was received the rights to say their support. This was far from nice to see that many members “Royal” and “of Canada” as the end of the day as the Paper joined in with tales of their part of our title. We were Sessions got underway mishaps and anecdotes to keep honoured to have the immediately following Pal’s us all amused. We have told Lieutenant Governor join us for talk. Unfortunately, some of the Peter Broughton that he must our group photo. We then Papers went over time a bit and publish the words he wrote to watched an amazing we were not able to have all the O Canada as they were very performance by the Strathcona talks scheduled presented. We fitting. The evening ended Chinese Dance Society under ended Friday night with our about 1:00 for me and it was the tutelage of Mimi Ho before Dinner Cruise around the home to bed. breaking for lunch. The harbour and False Creek. It was Saturday morning and it Lieutenant Governor then on this cruise that Dr. David was back to UBC for more fun. departed and we were able to Levy spoke about the emotion The Plenary Session was to the change from our suits and ties and love that has been focus of the whole weekend back into our bright yellow generated through time and and special plans had been shirts. The organization of the comes out in our literature and made to ensure this would be Plenary Session was due other mediums. The weather the event the Society talks largely to the efforts of two was perfect and David spoke about for years. Our day was people: Pomponia Martinez with his usual enthusiasm. It made so great by the attendance and Norman Song. Thanks was a superb way to cap off the of the Lieutenant Governor of again for the dedication and day. British Columbia; Her Honour, hard work you performed on Sunday brought the Annual Iona Camponolo. The VIPs behalf of the Centre. General Meeting and even were piped in and Her Honour Saturday afternoon though it was thought that it represented the Queen when continued at its hectic pace might be quiet, several issues she officially opened the with the second of our Guest arose that proved to be General Assembly with a Speakers, Mr. David Dodge. I contentious. My hat off to moving speech that was am told that David entertained Rajiv for being able to control thoroughly enjoyed by all. She in his usual fashion and that the delegates as he did. We was gracious and well spoken everyone enjoyed his talk very followed the AGM with lunch and her presence took the much. David was followed by and then had another Workshop General Assembly to a new Mr. Pal Virag who presented a on two of the current software level of dignity. Two Light short show that he takes touring packages available; Desktop Pollution Abatement Awards to schools and children’s Universe and Starry Night Pro. were presented to the Mayor of groups on Vancouver Island. While these two packages Abbottsford and Chief of Pal has put this show together might seem like they do the Calgary Roads. Our first with some funding from the same thing, it became apparent Speaker; Mr. Peter Broughton National Office and we were quickly that they have two very said a few words about the glad to give them the different functions. All continued on page 11 7 Selenography for the Lazy (or, Son of Shoot Itch) by Dan Collier lens over the rubber eye ring of the to reduce glare. Centring is Do you ever get the itch to try eyepiece, a 32mm Tele Vue Erfle critical, as a quick calculation something silly, like rolling a hand giving 62×. Focus was achieved by shows. The scope’s exit pupil is scanner across the face of your eyeing the Moon in the viewfinder. 450 / 62 = 7mm. The inexpensive computer monitor? Or taping a I did not record the shutter setting; 28mm lens used here opens only binocular prism to the front of your it was probably 1/60 judging by to an unimpressive f/3.5, camera to sneak a round-the- the weak exposure obtained. The equivalent to an aperture of corner snapshot of your film was ordinary ISO-100 8mm—only a millimetre to spare. neighbour’s According dinner party? If to Edmund so, you are nuts, Scientific’s and afocal lunar Photography photography is With Your for you. Telescope: In afocal • The equivalent work, the focal length of camera my setup is substitutes for 28mm × 62 the eyeball at power = the eyepiece. So 1740mm. any camera can • The f-ratio is be used, as long the same as the as you can telescope (f/ freeze its focus 4.5), as the lens at (preferably) iris is fully infinity. You open. don’t have to Gibbous Moon (June 29, 2001 8:00pm PDT) Olympus OM- • The apparent remove its lens, 1 with 28 mm, f/3.5 lens and Kodacolor 100. Afocal setup field of the and the with 17.5" f/4.5 Dobsonian and 32 mm Tele Vue Erfle. eyepiece (65° in eyepiece stays Tele Vue’s in the telescope. catalogue) SLRs and even some point-and- Fujicolor. The Moon spans 17mm should exceed the FOV of the shoot cameras can be used, but it’s on the neg. Doubling the camera with lens alone (65° × really the digital camera that arctangent of half-17 divided by 46°). makes this setup interesting. 28mm yields 33.8°, the apparent • The projection magnification is size of the Moon. 28mm / 32mm = 0.875. Afocal Work with Film The usual difficulties in this The latter figure violates Once on the spur of the setup are dust in the eyepiece, Edmund’s 1.6 rule-of-thumb moment, I made an acceptable centring the camera lens, and vignetting limit. What this means afocal shot of the Moon through vignetting. Since the camera lens is that a 1–1/4" eyepiece would not the MacMillan Space Centre’s must not restrict the incoming rays, transmit a large enough image to 45cm Dobsonian. All I did was leave its iris wide open. Later, you fill a frame of 35-mm film. But this “smush” my SLR’s 28mm f/3.5 can try stopping it down slightly continued on page 9 8 continuted from page 8 setup. If the eyepiece is racked in over exposure, even in manual Tele Vue has a 2" barrel. from the infinity-focus position, mode. In particular, the camera Recalculating the vignetting limit the rays emerge as if they were may overexpose planets because in this proportion (1.25:2) yields radiating from an object in the near the camera “sees” only a dark sky. unity, so we might expect to lose distance. The camera can be Thus my attempt to image Jupiter the corners of the film frame. My refocused to deal with that, of failed (yes, I was in spot mode). photo was indeed marred by course. A manipulation of the Setting the EV compensation to – shadowing at the Moon’s compound lens equations shows 1.5 didn’t help, and inserting a preceding limb. But the primary neutral density filter only mirror throws an image of the lengthened the exposure. Moon less than 3/4" in diameter, The Moon at first quarter is so the drawtube can’t be the cause an excellent target as far as of the shadow; it was more likely exposure is concerned because it due to camera positioning. combines tones, shadows and According to Edmund, the exit highlights much as Earth scenes pupil of the eyepiece should lie do. Moreover, it doesn’t matter centred in the iris of the camera that the Moon reflects less than lens. I took few pains to assure 10% of the light falling on it; the this. camera will treat it as if its You can find the best camera reflectance were 18%, the same as position with a simple experiment. the average Earth scene (if the Cover the big end of the scope with Moon is much smaller than the tissue paper and illuminate the frame, use spot mode). You will paper as evenly as possible. quickly discover that the range in Pointing the scope into a bright surface brightness from limb to blue sky should work too. Stop the First quarter Moon near south terminator is tricky to capture. lens down to f/16, then adjust the pole (June 7, 2003 10:03 PM Film is no different. If you expose lens-eyepiece spacing until the PDT). Fuji 2.4 megapixel dig- the limb correctly, your terminator ground glass appears most evenly ital camera at full zoom, auto- goes feathery. The Fuji settled on illuminated (a similar procedure matic mode, 1280x960 (me- exposures that rendered the tones would apply to digital cameras). dium compression). Afocal reasonably well, and the feathering One final point. From similar setup with same telescope and is not noticeable—unless you look triangles, the film and primary eyepiece as first image. up the terminator position in an images should maintain the same almanac. proportions as the lens and Focusing is critical, as all eyepiece focal lengths (28:32). As that the image on the film will people with the shoot-itch know. the Moon’s diameter was 31' 34" indeed be enlarged. True, you won’t waste film on that night (June 29, 2001), the poorly focused exposures. But a primary mirror threw an image Aspects of Digital Afocal Work digital camera may not allow you 18.3mm across. Reducing that by I used a borrowed Fuji to examine the image closely 28:32 gives 16.1mm for the FinePix 4700 Zoom with 2.4 enough to focus it properly. The diameter on the neg, not 17 as million pixels. These digital FP4700’s LCD has only 170,000 measured. Why so? I think the cameras are great but they have pixels, a resolution penalty of 4 to eyepiece got racked in a millimetre definite limitations. For instance, 1 that effectively restricts me to or two while I was focusing the you may not have enough control continued on page 10 9 continuted from page 9 the camera has to be solid. It brightness, a clock drive is almost trial-and-error. shouldn’t sag as the telescope mandatory for them. The typical digital lens is moves, nor shake in the wind. The Take care when spacing the scaled down from an SLR lens, ideal mount would have vernier camera before the eyepiece. The hence the aperture tends to be motions to help with centring the lens on this camera pops out nearly smaller for a given f/ rating. camera. Mine doesn’t; a serious an inch when I turn it on! Centring is more difficult, and an hindrance. To reduce shake I use Fortunately, the Tele Vue’s eye eyepiece that works with an SLR the self-timer. With an untracked hole is large, and the lens nestles may vignette with a digital. A telescope, you have to point the itself lovingly therein. I also note number of aids are marketed to telescope to one side to ensure the that the axis of the camera lens is help you here. offset by nearly If you behave a millimetre yourself very inside its well this year, housing (when Santa may buying a camera bring you a with a filter camera with a thread, filter thread. remember to You can use this check whether thread to screw the thread is on a dedicated centred on the eyepiece like lens axis). the one sold by Oh yeah— www.scopetronix.com. and the night I The Fuji made the digital doesn’t have a images had just filter thread, so awful seeing, 2 I coupled it to to 3 on a scale of the Tele Vue 10. Even so, the eyepiece using quality obtained the device Eyepiece clamp used for the afocal photography of the lunar was surprisingly illustrated. It images in this article good. But the was assembled filmed image is from Handy-Angle and a pier object is centred when the timer as good or better. It caught some clamp from an old Japanese clock runs out. pretty fair seeing, and I think I got drive. Wasn’t pretty—in the dark, The Earth’s rotation is a better focus on it too. it looks like a medieval torture negligible during the short Some of my lunar images device—but it worked. When exposures used in lunar work. For have been posted on the Centre’s powered on, the camera’s default all intents and purposes you can web site. Sign in at www.pcis.com/ zoom setting (SLR equivalent take it as 15 arc-sec per second. rascvan, click on “Images,” then 55mm) produced some vignetting Exposures of 1/15 second or faster “ByAuthor.” ! which helped me centre the will be trailed by less than the span camera. Zooming generally of the Airy disk in an 8" scope. reduces it. Jupiter and Saturn, being fainter The hardware for mounting than the Moon in terms of surface 10 continuted from page 7 for our eyes) that Alan captures we hold the General Assembly Delegates were provided with so ably. After and hour of some back in the spring of 2000, I demo copies of the software to amazing photographs, Alan had no idea of the amount of explore at their leisure. Our stepped down from the stage work it would take on the part next Speaker was Mr. Eric and we drew for the door of many, many people. My Dunn. Eric entertained the prizes. The main door prize, the intention was to have delegates with his wit and story 6" refractor, was won by Dr. Vancouver Centre hold the telling and I have been assured Bob Nelson of Prince George greatest General Assembly that by several of the who has promised to use the the Society has yet seen. I representatives from back east scope to further public wanted to honour the 100th that they will be wanting him education. anniversary of the receipt of the to speak at their Centres. Eric While most people would Royal Charter in a manner that was followed by our Keynote have been satisfied then, we was dignified and respectable. Speaker for the Ruth Northcott weren’t. We held a tour of the I also wanted to do this for our Lecture, Dr. Gordon Walker. CAROp facility and the UBC National President; to give him Gordon supplied the meat and Liquid Mirror Telescope in something special during his potatoes for the scientists in the Maple Ridge on Monday. We tenure and for him to be proud audience with his discussion of then returned to the H.R. it came from his home Centre. spectroscopy and some of the MacMillan Space Centre for a My heartfelt thanks to all discoveries made through the hot dog lunch and two the members who gave up so use of these techniques. After planetarium shows. The much of their time to allow me Gordon’s lecture was complete delegates were then driven to have a dream come true. it was time for the Dinner back to UBC for the last dinner Banquet. It was here that the of the GA. What a relief it was – Craig Breckenridge other awards given out by the to sit down to a turkey dinner Past President and 2003 Society were presented by Dr. and just relax. Of course General Assembly Chair ! Bob Garrison and Dr. Gupta. Tuesday was spent running The award presentations were people out to the airport so followed by a talk by Alan Dyer when I finally got home that proved to be everything I Tuesday afternoon, I was ready had asked him to do. I had to sit down and enjoy a beer or asked Alan to show us some of two. that great “Eye Candy” (treats When I first suggested that
Look for more extensive 2003 General Assembly coverage in the September issue of NOVA
11 Astronomy Day Gallery
12 13 In Memorium: Anne B. Underhill Vancouver Centre member and Physics and an MA in Physics United States and France. Upon Anne B. Underhill passed away and Mathematics before going on retirement, Anne returned to peacefully on July 3, 2003. Anne to the University of Chicago where Vancouver where she became an was born in Vancouver, June 12, she earned a Ph.D. in Honorary Professor in the 1920. After graduating from Astrophysics. Anne had a Department of Geophysics and Prince of Wales High School, distinguished career as a professor Astronomy at UBC and received Anne continued her education at of Astrophysics in Utrecht, The an honorary degree, Doctor of UBC where she received a BA Netherlands, and as a scientist with Science. ! (Honours) degree in Chemistry the Goddard Flight Center in the
Astronomy Day Gallery (cont’d)
14 2003 General Assembly Gallery
Saturday night’s dinner cruise
David Levy and Jack Newton
The Strathcona Chinese Dance Society with Her Honour, Lt. Governor Iona Camponolo and RASC President, Rajiv Gupta 15 RASC MERCHANDISE Available for purchase after Telescopes - Binoculars meetings: Microscopes & Accessories Calendars $12.00 Weather Instruments Beginners’ Guides $15.00 Observers’ Guides $20.00 Star Charts $10.00 DEALER FOR Cloth Crests $11.00 ZEISS • PENTAX • CELESTRON • Lapel Pins $ 6.00 BUSHNELL/BAUSCH & LOMB • SKYWATCHER • L.E.D. Flashlights $22.00 OLYMPUS • STEINER CD-ROM Astronomy Skymaps for PC’s “Like New” Consignment Equipment
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