NOVANEWSLETTEROFTHEVANCOUVERCENTRERASC VOLUME2014ISSUE4JULYAUGUST2014 2014 Victoria GA Report by Gordon Farrell I arrived at the marina in Islands to Oak Bay. While I’m previously made the trip on a Langley at 7:45 Thursday certain we’re not the first to boat so small! morning. There I met We arrived at the Oak our Secretary, Scott Bay Marina around 3:30 McGillvray, who had that afternoon. Scott offered to take people to would be using his boat the GA in Victoria via his for accommodations, 32-foot Bayliner, a unique but the rest of us had to opportunity that was check in at the residences hard to turn down. We at UVic. The first item were joined by Suzanna on the GA agenda Nagy (VP), Muguette was a barbecue at the MacDonald and Ken Lui Dominion Astrophysical (Dir. of Telescopes), and Observatory north of set out on our voyage to Victoria. This wasn’t my Victoria once everyone first trip to the dao—I had was aboard. This trip a co-op job working in was weather-dependent the Canadian Astronomy (nobody wanted it to turn Data Centre up there back into Gilligan’s Island) so in the early 90s—but the we were fortunate that place had changed a bit the poor weather finally in those 20-or-so . broke just in time for the Gordon Farrell, Scott McGillvray, Suzanna Nagy, Doug We travelled there via trip. Seas were calm as we Montgomery, Mugette MacDonald and Ken Lui volunteer drivers from crossed Georgia Strait and Victoria Centre, and followed a ferry into Active Pass travel to a GA via boat, there’s I found myself sharing a car on our way through the Gulf a good chance nobody has continued on page 4

JULY 10 SFU SEPTEMBER 11 SFU Dr. Phil Stooke of UWO: A Cartogra- NO MEETING IN AUGUST Dr. J.J. Kavelaars of the HIA and pher’s Guide to Mars Exploration. member of the New Horizons science Room SWH 10081. See Meetup for team describes next ’s Pluto fly- map. by. See Meetup for details. Cruising to the Victoria GA

2 rasc-vancouver.com JULYAUGUST2014 Vice-President’s Message by Suzanna Nagy The days and nights are warmer. The rasc Vancouver Centre solar telescopes that belong to The Summer Solstice has passed. is looking forward to seeing our Vancouver Centre is now two plus a The nights are slowly but surely members and the public at the solar projector that was purchased getting darker earlier. The high upcoming summer parties at for the 2013 Venus eclipse. We season for observing is upon us. Mt. Kobau (July 26 to August 3) are no longer limited to just night We currently have four planets in and Merritt Star Quest (August time observing anymore. the night sky this month so if you 23 to September 1). Go to each We have been putting these solar start observing early and stay up event’s website for more details. observing tools to good use. Most late, you can view Mars, Venus, However, with the recent recently, members of Vancouver Jupiter and Saturn all in one donation of a solar telescope by Centre attended Canada Day evening. Mr. Cal Mark, the number of continued on page 4 About RASC The RASC Vancouver Centre meets at the Treasurer at the address on page 5. herein are not necessarily those of the 7:30 PM on the second Thursday of ev- Annual membership includes the invalu- Vancouver Centre. ery month at various locations in Metro able Observer’s Handbook, six issues of Material on any aspect of astronomy Vancouver (see page 1 for meeting loca- the RASC Journal, and, of course, access should be e-mailed to the editor or tions and page 4 for maps). Guests are to all of the club events and projects. mailed to the address below. always welcome. In addition, the Centre For more information regarding the Remember, you are always welcome has an observing site where star parties Centre and its activities, please contact to attend meetings of Council, held on the are regularly scheduled. our P.R. Director. first Thursday of every month at 7:30pm Membership is currently $75.00 per NOVA, the newsletter of the Vancou- in room P8445.2 of the Physics wing of year ($43.00 for persons under 21 years ver Centre, RASC, is published on odd- the Shrum Science Centre at SFU. Please of age) and can be obtained by writing to numbered months. Opinions expressed contact a council member for directions. 2014 Vancouver Centre Officers President Mark Eburne Past President/Telescopes Howard Trottier Merchandise Leigh Cummings [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Vice-President/Events Suzanne Nagy Dir. of Telescopes Kenneth Lui Webmaster Rick Vandenberg [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Secretary/P. R./Observing Scott McGillvray Membership Rohit Grover NOVA Editor Gordon Farrell [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Treasurer Bruce Hutchison LPA Chair Paul Stewart Speakers Barry Shanko [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] National Rep. Doug Montgomery Education Bill Burnyeat At Large Terry McComas [email protected] [email protected] Honourary President Dr. John Macdonald Librarian William Fearon AOMO Alan Jones Trustees Pomponia Martines [email protected] [email protected] 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 19115 ment. Please take advantage of this club http://astronomy.meetup.com/131/ 2302 West 4th Ave. service and visit often to check out the new http://www.facebook.com/RASC.Van Vancouver, B.C. purchases. Suggestions for future library @RASCVancouver V6K 4R8 acquisitions are appreciated.

JULYAUGUST2014 rasc-vancouver.com 3 Maps to Meeting Sites SFU st We ve Dri ity ers iv P P Our July meeting is in room SWH Un Saywe ll Blus Hall son Hall 10081 of Saywell Hall, indicated AQ  Lecture Room by the arrow on the map.

P T

So o uth w Cam e Pay parking is available at sev- Road closed for pus r Rd constructon R d eral locations around campus (indicated as “P” on the map).

Burnaby Mtn Pkwy G a g Un la iv r er d sity i Dri W ve East a y continued from page 3 of Metro Parks, Vancouver Centre www.meetup.com/astronomy-131 celebrations in Maple Ridge and will be hosting a dedicated solar for details and we hope to see you 300 people looked at our Sun. observing event at Campbell Valley there. On July 19 and at the invitation Regional Park in Langley. See Here’s hoping for clear skies.  continued from page 1 open it for several weekends with Eric Briggs from Toronto over the summer, which was Centre. He had recently good to hear. Dinner was purchased a 3D printer and followed by a panel discussion has brought with him a bag on the history of the 72-inch of goodies he had made with Plaskett Telescope at the dao it. I reached in and grabbed a and a tour of the telescope itself model of the Keck mirror in following the presentation. Not blue. He also had tmt mirrors much had changed inside the in yellow and various other dome since I had worked there less astronomical (but equally as a student (no great surprise) geeky) items to choose from, and if the weather had been many of which could be seen clear they would have run the pinned to attendees over the scope (though they did open the course of the GA. Here we also shutter). While I was snapping bumped into fellow Vancouver away with my camera, someone Centre member Michael Levy. offered me his fisheye lens so I Dinner was held on the patio could take a few shots that fit The Plaskett Dome. shrunk down, adjacent to the Centre of the the whole scope in the frame sweetened and ready to eat Universe. As many are aware, (I wish I got his name to thank this facility was shut down by him). There was also an open grabbed the next available car the federal government last year, house for the scope Victoria back to the residences. but Victoria Centre has managed Centre has on the mountain, For those of us not on the to raise enough money to re- but it had been a long day so I continued on page 10

4 rasc-vancouver.com JULYAUGUST2014 On Starry Trails with John Dobson by Bill Burnyeat John Dobson? Just an inventor, sky is crowded with substance, tarps covering large tripods and astronomer, philosopher, dense and dark with pigment, a even larger tubes. The scene in telescope maker and amateur firmament, not an airy nothing, a Mt. Kobau morning is like an cosmologist; he’s also a snake while at the same time it’s army camp with tarps concealing hunter like Hercules and over his dazzling, so blue that it’s strongly mighty cannon barrels awaiting long life he’s tackled more than dark and bright at the same an order to pack up and begin a his share of petulant Hydras, time, and tempts one to scan fresh campaign. raging lions and cringing, three- the sky for signs of concealed So, unable to find the kettle, headed dogs. before adjusting I stood looking up at the bright I met John years ago—how the vision to the prosaic ground, sky. Something else was bright many exactly, I don’t recall, and littered with ragged weeds. and caught my eye. Up on a it doesn’t matter. Time, along The night before, I had been pile of rocks was the kettle. It with its cluttered sidekick Space, watching with many was sitting alone up a sort of may be an illusion, says John, others and, although John was cliff, a local high point on the just another childish bias like my there, I hadn’t bumped into him mountaintop peak. Five minutes son’s horror of red foods (unless in the dark. Now with the star later, I was at the kettle and ketchup). So, if the dates in this of day high up, the first order looking down over much of the item don’t match reality, that’s of business is coffee. Behind the camp. Then I saw a skinny guy okay with John. Why should truck, perched on a rock with a in the midst of a group who anyone else complain? flat surface that served as table, were standing still. This guy was I was getting up late from was the Coleman stove. The jumping around and shouting my bunk in the Community silver kettle usually stood over and waving his hands. He was Astronomy telescope truck—a one of its twin burners but it was yelling at me, saying leave the big Ford, custom made to haul definitely absent from its place. kettle in its spot and don’t move and support large telescopes. I stood scratching my head in it. I took the kettle and climbed The first thing I did was to wonder. Had someone run off down the hill, since before coffee look out the window into the with our water kettle and was I don’t follow instructions. The Mount Kobau sky. It’s brighter now lounging with unearned skinny guy was John Dobson. He than blue, a kind of dark cobalt caffeine in hand? I scanned the admitted taking the kettle which colour; it gives the impression, neighbourhood, but all I could he was using as an artificial experienced long ago, that the see were tents and trucks and continued on page 6

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 8 telescopes avail- per year and use what is left at the end of other members with questions; come out able for loan free of charge! We have the meeting anytime. to observing sessions (also known as “star telescopes ranging from 60mm to 10” Your greatest opportunity as a member parties”), and, by all means, volunteer to diameter. For more information see the of the RASC is to take advantage of the take part in our many public events. Director of Telescopes after the mem- company of other enthusiasts to increase For the usual observing sites and bers meeting. The loaner period is for your knowledge, enjoyment and skill in times, visit our website at http://rasc-van- one month, to be returned after the next astronomy. couver.com/observing-sites/ or contact meeting. Telescopes are not allowed to The best thing you can do to gain the the Observing Chair at observing@rasc- circulate outside of these meetings. You most from your membership is to get ac- vancouver.com.

JULYAUGUST2014 rasc-vancouver.com 5 Upcoming Events July August December 19 – Solar Observing at Campbell Valley 9 – Perseid Observing at Aldergrove 11 – AGM July 26 - Aug. 3 – Mt. Kobau Star Party Park 16 – Starry Night at Deas Island Park 23 - 31 – Merritt Star Quest continued from page 5 roads. These paths don’t things written, excepting pure star target. He was testing a go anywhere, but that’s the propaganda, are written by telescope mirror that he had perception of summer. In winter astronomers who look at a rope ground, polished and figured in they make sense as cross-country and think they see a snake. the few days he had been up the ski trails. Dull brown cows So, as a corrective, I recently mountain. wander around mooing at the went once more to Stake Lake So that is how I met John. empty air. Next to the motor in order to rewrite the former In the years following, I met home is a large tarp covering paragraph. It was September John fairly regularly. British a shape that is almost but not 14, 2013, and John was born Columbia was one of his spots. quite like the nothing, browsing 98 years ago this day. Happy He would come into town, on sickly looking scrub and birthday, John. It turned out to lecture, build, polish, give advice leaving their disk-like calling be his last birthday but I didn’t and observe. Then he would go cards in the dust. The lake is a know that at the time. Then, I to his next destination. This fair drive out of town on a good suppose John would have said tour was not a part-time venture highway. everyone has a last birthday. but a way of life. John wrote no This vague and inexact Now I’m really at the lake great opus magnum, although description—a Stake Lake and I’m paying attention. Near he encouraged others to write. without any precise stake the shore is a large flat slab of Instead, he’s like Dr. Johnson, locating it, without numbers granite, with large crystals in its of whom it was said his life or precision in the directions structure. The rock formed deep was his work. No other name is of how to get there—wins the underground and had time to emblazoned across the landscape approval of John Dobson. I can slowly cool. Why is it up here at of popular astronomy as much as see him pointing with his boney the edge of a lake? I don’t know. the name of John Dobson. finger to this paragraph and It forms an observation platform While its true that the swivel- saying, “that’s the Cat’s meow.” on which the whole lake is on mounted Newtonian reflector He said things like that. display. It turns out the lake is a he invented is the first thing There’s another “John Dobson lot more inviting than the initial that comes to mind, this scope is style” conceit hidden in the description would suggest. It a tool and not, as has too often first paragraph. It’s mainly not is about a mile long and a bit come to be, an end in itself. true. It’s a series of plausible narrow. One local said it was The end means going places and propositions gauged and strung the shape of a sirloin steak, looking at things. together as a substitute for but someone else pointed out Stake Lake is nothing to paying attention to the elusive that the two words are spelled write home about. It’s a large lake. That’s not a surprise differently and refer to different pool enclosed by mud-terraced because John Dobson believed items. The slab of meat fellow beaches set in a wilderness of most things written are wrong. didn’t argue so the next guess rambling tracks and narrow And the most erroneous continued on page 7

6 rasc-vancouver.com JULYAUGUST2014 continued from page 6 shore line, for at its watery at the same universe, come to was some local person named fringe are some dead trees, differing conclusions. Its John’s Stake christened it. I suggested spindly, with bits of bark peeling thesis that we fall into mindsets, that a survey stake was planted away and they stand blankly like with the encouragement of here and some that was the those children dressed as trees institutional restraints, that pre- lake’s moniker. Things are often in cardboard cut-outs in school set the cognitions and lead to named for very prosaic reasons. plays that we attended because conclusions about the cosmos A stream near Princeton is called our pride and joy was taking part. that turn obvious ropes into Friday Creek because it had to The far shore of the lake shows complex snakes. Much of our analysis and energy, according to John, is involved in trying to list the properties of fictitious entities. With John it was the force of his arguments, good bad or indifferent, that carried the day. He seemed to persuade by energy. It was said of Socrates that his opponents were not convinced but convicted. At the heart of the matter was his insight that the telescope allowed people to see the universe they lived in. Without telescopic sights we see only the tiny field of view within our naïve sight. The telescope allows a front-seat The observatory on the shore of Stake Lake view to perspectives that we can never witness without aid. The be given a name for the maps and a tantalising fringe of pines first name of the telescope, the it was Friday. Christmas Island, and higher-altitude firs, some “perspective tube”, was probably south of Java, was so named junipers too, that get darker with the best. Milton’s “glazed optic because it was sighted by the density and end in darkness. tube” is good too, although English ship Royal Mary as the Turning halfway around, I can this always makes me think of a crew was observing Christmas see, complimentary to the toy glazed donut. Day services in 1643. boat, a mini Mt. Palomar white How does one get to be a John The shore of Stake Lake, in dome shining in the low sun. A Dobson? Just as nebulae, spots the British Columbia interior, small, green boardwalk sets off on Jupiter and ringed plains on is fringed with grassy thickets the observatory with an 11-inch the Moon all require description, set in marshy pools which look Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope as a preface to explanation, so out at clear waters. A small, out of sight within, like a metal just a little biography is needed enclosed-cabin boat sits toy-like crab tucked inside a shell. to understand this one. with a sometime angler absent, These two differing verdicts on John Dobson was born in or at least invisible. The lake the lake are like the disputations China where his father taught must have a somewhat variable of astronomers who, all looking continued on page 8

JULYAUGUST2014 rasc-vancouver.com 7 The Patriotic Triple and Other Treats by David A. Rodger Forget galaxies! clusters generously sprinkled across the two Messier clusters are impressive, Okay, so that’s a bit over the sky. I get much more enjoyment when too. There’s M29, the principal top. There are galaxies I can see I point the tube their way. of which my wife Sharon calls “the with a refractor in the city. M31 in I could spend the entire season cow’s face.” And there’s M39, a well- Andromeda and M81 and M82 in exploring the attractions of the populated star cluster in the northern Ursa Major come to mind. But my Cygnus region. For example, there’s region of Cygnus. I’ve seen the subtle 127mm f/5.2 refractor’s strength in the beautiful double star (Beta strands of the Veil in my deep sky observing is to be found Cygni). I never tire of gazing at this blue refractor, but only when I’ve attached among the double stars and star and gold pair in my telescope. Cygnus’ continued on page 9 continued from page 7 turning the sizable box and tube John upended the other, picked Zoology at the university in towards the third-quarter Moon, out the Ring Nebula M57 and Peking. He was born in 1915 John looked into the eyepiece. we went at it. Two long lines of during one war and educated He thought: “Everyone has got people sprouted out from the in the US in 1943, the midst to see this.” Really, this is what ladders. There was John Dobson. of another; John’s early life the whole thing amounted to. Each observer came up and John was framed by the two most John Dobson, a penniless monk sort of sized them up. Then he destructive wars ever. in a marginalized Californian said something about the object A wartime employee of various religious order decides right that would make sense to them government schemes, which then and there that all the based on his long experience included projects such as the people on the planet have to see in dealing with people at the making of an atomic bomb, John through the telescope. To see eyepiece. He had something became a renegade against the where we are in the universe; to fresh to say to one and all—at established way in which science be the fish that pokes its head the telescope you must never gets done. The war was a time out of the water and sees a star; fall into a pattern of repeating of the wholesale employment the ant that perches on its dung yourself, since the people down of science in the service of hill to detect what is blowing the line will hear you and if you mass slaughter. After the war in the wind from the next dung address the same remarks to this just continued, with no let hill; the frog that climbs the them they sense that they are up, and as an additional task, stalk and views froggy infinity not being addressed as unique science would work a double in the next pond. and that they are not important shift making an endless stream It’s an ambitious project and enough for the observer to think of trivial and vexatious things one that John kept up well past afresh upon meeting them. He demanded by the whim-driven the age of 90. Once I had given kept up these perpetual mental consumer society. a star talk at the Kokanee Creek gymnastics for a couple of hours That’s enough biography. Provincial Park nature facility until the line had dwindled. The most significant event in and after the slides were put The telescope is only a tool, the making of John Dobson back in the box I hurried down not the end, and its round field happened years later. He had to the parking lot where the of view takes in the cosmos. made a 12-inch telescope by big Dobsonian telescopes were Cosmological thinking is grinding and polishing a port- set on the lot. A sizeable crowd something John has done and his hole cover and the telescope was in evidence. I set one of unique persona naturally gives a made out of salvaged wood, and the scopes on a star cluster and continued on page 14

8 rasc-vancouver.com JULYAUGUST2014 continued from page 8 where it refers to her knees) I enjoy my favourite books, Celestial Objects an oiii filter to a low power, wide-field looking at Cygnus’ Ruchba. It’s a wide, for Modern Telescopes, author Michael eyepiece. The Veil is not an easy urban naked-eye double star lying just above Covington notes the distinct colours sky object by any means. On the other the mid-point on an imaginary line of the three stars—red, white and hand, I can’t count the many hours I’ve between and . On blue—and dubs them “the Patriotic spent with a modest pair of binoculars modern star charts, the pair is usually Triple.” The Philadelphia Flyers’ virtual slowly scanning the Milky Way as it designated as Omicron-1 Cygni and anthem singer Kate Smith would be meanders through Cygnus. And then Omicron-2 Cygni. Other charts may proud. there’s “Ruchba.” identify them by their Flamsteed How sharply delineated these three You might not have heard of numbers—30/ and 32 stars and their distinctive colours Ruchba, at least not by that name. Cygni. (RA: 20h 13.6m; Dec: 46° appear will depend on the telescope, In Arabic, according to Richard 44m north) of course. I first noted the trio in my Hinckley Allen in his monumental Let’s focus on ο1 (30/31 Cygni, 100mm (4-inch) Orion refractor Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning, circled on the map below). Using low several years ago, and saw the 4th it means “the bird’s knees.” (There’s power, I see three stars in the shape of magnitude red star as ochre—the a similarly named star in Cassiopeia, an imaginary hockey stick. In one of colour of Mars when it’s far from opposition. The slightly fainter 0h 23h 22h 21h 20h 19h 18h 17h white star is 330 seconds of arc away, according to Covington. The blue component is the faintest, at 7th CEPHEUS +60° +60° magnitude. In my 127mm (5-inch) refractor, those colours are confirmed. DRACO Double star experts, such as James Mullaney and Sissy Haas, seem to agree that, notwithstanding the appeal of +50° LACERTA +50° the Patriotic Triple, this is just a chance κ CYGNUS 1 alignment. The trio, in other words, is π ψ 6826 ι π2 not a true multi-star system, but three ω2 θ 1 M39 ω 2 unrelated stars that happen to lie in IC 5146 ο ρ ο1 the same area when viewed from here. +40° α Deneb +40° ξ δ 7000 In his Celestial Handbook, Robert ν Burnham Jr. lists their distances from σ γ 6888 τ Earth as 107, 338 and 36.6 light-years M29 λ LYRA respectively. Ironically, the faintest star υ η +30° ε +30° is the one closest to us. χ φ When people crowd about your μ ζ 6992/5 6960 Albireo β telescope on summer evenings asking for a peek, show them the Patriotic  +20° +20° Triple. They won’t be disappointed. VULPECULA

SAGITTA PEGASUS David A. Rodger was the first Director DELPHINUS of the HR MacMillan Planetarium in Vancouver (1967-80), and is a life-long h h 21 20 amateur astronomer. He observes the sky 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 from his North Vancouver townhouse. Map credit: IAU Map credit:

JULYAUGUST2014 rasc-vancouver.com 9 continued from page 4 campus pub. The weather didn’t used to keep the calendar in Board or Advisory Council cooperate, however, so the sync with the seasons. Next (like our National Rep., night sky viewing at the campus up was Dave Clark of London Doug Montgomery), Friday telescope was cancelled (this is Centre, describing his Ph.D. had nothing on the schedule the west coast, after all). thesis work on Dynamic until 4pm. After bumping in Saturday was filled with short Modelling of Meteoriod Streams, to Howard Trottier which contained some (Past President) after impressive simulation breakfast, I joined videos. This was Suzanna and Ken for a followed by The Story day trip to Victoria to of the Gaseous Sun by check out the Vikings Alan Batten of Victoria exhibit at the Royal BC Centre, chronicling Museum. The exhibit the evolution of our consisted mainly of understanding of the small trinkets and Sun’s true nature over historical displays, and the last 200 years, and one of the interesting Elizabeth Griffin, also facts mentioned was from Victoria, with that the Vikings called her talk, We are Not their community Alone—and I’m not meetings “things.” Next actually referring to up was a walk inside the Space, which described Legislature (alas, no the challenges of politicians were present preserving historical, to harass). It was a bit analogue data for the wet that afternoon, digital age. The final but things did clear up talk before the coffee before it was time to break was on castor: head back to UVic. A Proposed Canadian The Plaskett Medal Space Telescope, by Lecture was given by Patrick Côté of casca, this year’s winner, describing a possible Andy Pon, on the The 72-inch Plaskett Telescope inside its dome space telescope similar subject of The Orion and in capability to the Eridanus Superbubble. This was paper presentations on a variety Hubble but with a much wider a unique lecture, in that Pon of subjects. First up was The 12 field of view. was in England and gave the Moons of the Mi’kmaw Calendar Coffee was followed by lecture via the internet. This did by Davis Chapman of Halifax Karen Mortfield of Toronto make for some amusing glitches Centre with Cathy LeBlanc Centre presenting David during the presentation, but it of the Acadia First Nation, Dunlop Observatory – An generally worked rather well. which described the traditional Alternate History which looked The lecture was followed by 12-month lunar calendar of the at historical documents that a wine and cheese reception Mi’kmaw and the possibility of a show, among other things, that and an evening of music at the 13th moon that was occasionally continued on page 11

10 rasc-vancouver.com JULYAUGUST2014 continued from page 10 The afternoon session began before the break was by rasc the ddo was nearly the new with Nathan Gray, probably historian Randall Rosenfeld home of Ireland’s Leviathan our youngest speaker at age 10, (who I’m sure could have had of Parsonstown, and Paul on his discovery of a supernova a career as a radio announcer Mortfield, also of Toronto, on late last year, three years after in the 1940s), entitled Inviting Bringing the Largest Telescope his older sister, Kathryn, had the right aliens to tea – The state of the question at the Victoria Centre, 1931. Here he described a symposium held in Victoria Centre back in the 30s and offered an interesting insight to the thoughts on the matter 80 years ago. The first talk after the break was Journey Through the Universe outreach program: Astronomy “volunteerism” on the Big Island of Hawaii by Janeane MacGillivray of Victoria Centre, detailing her work as a volunteer jttu Ambassador in 2012 and 2014 (see www.gemini.edu/ Scott gives the 32-inch UVic scope the thumbs-up journey for more information). Next up was Richard Schmude in Canada Back to Life, which also discovered a supernova at of Kingston Centre (via described the daunting task the same age. It’s good to see Georgia, usa) on Mars Activity of turing the ageing ddo the future of astronomy is in in 2013–2014 where he detailed observatory into a vibrant good hands! The unenviable his observations of Mars facility for public outreach and slot following Nathan was during this period, including research. Next up was Robert filled by James Di Francesco some interesting brightness Dick of Ottawa Centre with of casca on New Insights measurements in the near- Red Light or Amber?, where into Star Formation from the infrared, followed by Michel he proposes that amber light, Herschel Space Observatory, Michaud of Victoria with An rather than red, can be used where their team has been Investigation of Binary Stars to more effectively illuminate using Herschel to examine the in the Pleiades, a chronicle of items with less power than red sky in unprecedented detail in his efforts to evaluate double- light while preserving night far-infrared and submillimetre star candidates in the Pleiades, vision. The final presentation wavelengths. Next up was including provisional orbital of the morning was Planet Building the Okanagan elements for some of these Formation in the Beautiful Observatory by Colleen O’Hare pairs. The penultimate talk Orion Nebula by Rita Mann of of Okanagan Centre, talking was Adventures of Two Amateur casca, where she described her about their impressive efforts Astronomers in Namibia by Miles use of the alma array in Chile to build a observatory and Paul of Victoria, describing to observe protoplanetary disks outdoor amphitheatre for their regular visits as resident in the Orion Nebula. public outreach. The last talk continued on page 12

JULYAUGUST2014 rasc-vancouver.com 11 continued from page 11 I can’t say what it contains. I can with a Coronado pst and took astronomers at the Sossusvlei say the other dome likely draws the opportunity to observe Desert Lodge in the Namibrand more attention, by virtue of some impressive prominences. Nature Reserve (which is also having a smiley-face emblazoned I must say UVic has a beautiful Africa’s first International across it. Curious… campus, in a park-like setting Dark Sky Preserve). Finally, we The final day of the GA near the ocean. I could even see had Dennis Crabtree, casca began bright-and-early with the the Gulf Islands from my room member and Acting Director of agm itself. The meeting was in the residences! the dao, presenting Astronomy: uneventful, with the new council The afternoon gave us a Canada’s Research Success Story elected by acclamation and chance to peer into the world and How is All Started, which James Edgar of Regina coming in of the professional astronomers detailed Canada’s successes in as the new President. If roll-call via a panel discussion entitled astronomical research and how was any indication, Vancouver 2020 Vision – New Projects for we consistently punch well was the best-represented centre the Next Generation of Canadian above our weight in the field. at the GA, with 8 members in Astronomers. The panel began With our minds thoroughly attendance (Dan Collier was with short presentations on fed, it was now time to do also at the GA, and would have various projects, including the same for our stomachs at been the 9th were he not there castor (the aforementioned the evening salmon barbecue unofficially). Once the agm was Canadian space telescope), the What secrets lie behind that smile? complete, those of us not on the Square Kilometre Array, the board or advisory council were Cerro Chajnantor Atacama (what west-coast GA would be free until the mid-afternoon. Telescope, the Mauna Kea complete without one?). But this was just a brief respite before that night’s Hogg Lecture. This year’s presenter was Dr. Laura Ferrarese, President of the Canadian Astronomical Society, with her talk, The Secret Life of Galaxies. A public lecture, this was easily the best-attended talk of the GA, covering galaxies, dark matter and dark energy, the origins of globular clusters, and how they relate to dark matter (most globular clusters contain no dark matter). The evening was supposed to conclude with observing, The Royals do the rounds, first with incoming National President, James Edgar... but, as usual, we were clouded- out. Instead, we were given a It was a sunny afternoon, so I Spectroscopic Explorer/Next tour of the dome atop the Bob took the opportunity to walk Generation cfht (an intriguing Wright Centre and its 32-inch the Ring Road around the UVic proposal to retrofit a 10m telescope. There’s also a dome campus, eventually coming telescope into the existing cfht atop an adjoining building, but across a couple of fellow rascals continued on page 13

12 rasc-vancouver.com JULYAUGUST2014 continued from page 12 and tell them so. 1999-themed video! dome), the Canadian Advanced The GA wound up that The final event of the Network for Astronomical evening with the traditional GA was the presentation of Research (cloud computing group photo and banquet. awards. This was a highlight for “big data”), and the Thirty As this was also Victoria for Vancouver, with our own Howard Trottier winning the Qilak Award for Astronomy Outreach and Communication. Congratulations, Howard! While the weather had finally cleared to allow some night sky viewing, I had an early boat to catch the next morning, so I opted instead to hit the sack so as not to be bleary-eyed the next morning. After checking out Monday morning, we all headed off to the marina to meet Scott for some breakfast prior to pushing off for the mainland. Dan joined ...then with a somewhat reluctant Doug. us for the return trip, and the weather was incredibly calm as Metre Telescope. This was an Centre’s 100th anniversary, we we headed out that morning— interesting discussion with a has special guests join us for the ocean was almost like glass, number of takeaways. First, the photo and dinner—Her with the clouds reflecting off the it’s more likely Canada will Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II and placid waters. Since we had no participate in the nasa- Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge need to arrive at a specific time, lead atlast project than (well, their doppelgängers, at the trip back followed a more build castor. Second, while least). The dinner was followed leisurely pace. The first detour the Canadian astronomical by a presentation by the Halifax was to follow a small but elusive community generates these Centre for their upcoming GA pod of porpoises. We did see the plans every 10 years, their 2000 next year (which I hope also odd one surfacing for air, but plan was far more successful explained the appearance of after half an hour or so we gave than their 2010 plan. And Darth Vader playing the fiddle up the chase (alas, no pictures). finally, the federal government before dinner, otherwise I’m Once lunchtime rolled around, has yet to commit the promised at a loss) and a talk by Bob we stopped over at Montague $300 million for tmt, which is McDonald, host of the cbc’s Harbour on Galiano Island (one perhaps symptomatic of why the Quirks and Quarks, on Space could get used to this lifestyle). 2010 plan thus far failed to meet Tourism, including what’s After lunch, we took a different many of its goals. The message currently available to those with route through Portier Pass, heard several time during the deep pockets (or their own radio making for a shorter crossing of GA? If you want the federal show) and what the future may Georgia Strait (a better choice, government to commit money bring. Bonus points go the the as afternoon winds tend to be to astronomy, write your MP Halifax team for their Space: continued on page 14

JULYAUGUST2014 rasc-vancouver.com 13 continued from page 13 stronger). Crossing the pass offered a bit of excitement—the quick-moving tide made for a stretch of whitecaps that pushed us around a bit (a smaller boat nearby turned back), but we got through unscathed. Crossing the strait was rougher than the trip to the Island so there wasn’t much time spent on the deck. This was likely for the best on my part, since by then I had a wicked sunburn on my arms (turns out the cool breeze on a boat is deceiving—wear your sunscreen, kids). We arrived back at Langley around 7:30pm, hauling our bags back to our cars (and real life) as Scott stayed behind to take care of the boat. A big thanks to Scott for letting us join him on his boat—it was a great trip! All in all, it was an excellent Howard Trottier with his Qilak Award. Congratulations, Howard! rasc thing!  continued from page 8 picture of that picture and so on John was invited to join as well. unique perspective on the night into infinity. Conclusion? The He decided it wasn’t for him so sky and the universe. universe can’t be photographed. he ran away, as fast as his legs Suppose we want to take a John sees similar enigmas at could take him in the exact picture of a star cluster. Nothing the heart of the big bang. It’s a opposite direction. He ran until is easier. The camera is pointed backwards theory starting with he got to the Vedanta Monastery at the cluster and there you have non-being and generates being. in San Francisco. He was a monk it. The cluster is a thing within John would like to start from of the Ramakrishna order for the space with a border separating being. He sees the universe as a next 23 years. His absence from it from surrounding space. Now project undergoing a large cycle the line wasn’t noticed since he suppose we wish to take a picture rather than the one-shot deal was only one and the line was of the whole universe. Since the currently in fashion. so long. So, one by one, all the universe contains all things the How does one get to be a others went in and a process camera that takes the photo John Dobson? His origin or both subtle and complete took must be in the picture. Then, beginning came in 1944. A long out their hearts of flesh and put the picture that is taken must line of government and military into each a heart of stone.  be part of the picture and the workers was lined up in a queue.

14 rasc-vancouver.com JULYAUGUST2014 Stopping for lunch at Montague Harbour on Galiano Island on the return trip

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