the newsletter of the QUEEN ELIZABETH PLANETARIU M SEPTEMBER 1980 and the EDMONTON CENTRE, RAS C 50$

i

The Bluenose Genera l Assembly NOW PLAYIN G

A spectacular celestial event was witnessed by th e ancien t Sumeria n civilizatio n an d ""VEIA recorded i n thei r mysteriou s cuneifor m writing. Wha t wa s it ? Th e Vela Apparition APPARITION blends archaeolog y wit h astronom y i n a search for th e origins o f civilzation . Sept. 1 • 7 Sept. 20-Oct. 19 8 P M Tuesday thr u Frida y 3 PM and 8 PM Sat , Sun. , and Holidays

COMING SOON

Starts Friday , October 3' Vol 2 5 No . 1 1 SEPTEMBER 198 0

The Bluenos e Genera l Assembl y TON Y WHYT E .. . 6 The R.A.S.C.'s General Assembly was held this for the first time in Editor conjunction with the Canadian Astronomical Society. Alan Dye r Buck Mountai n - On To Phase 2 TE D CADIE N .. 10 Assistant Editor With all the work that has been done so far, it now time for us to start planning Stewart Krysk o for Phase Two of the Observing Site project. Contributing Editors Leslie Peltie r : 190 0 - 198 0 RO D McCONNEL L .. 18 Ted Cadien This was a person who obviously loved the and expressed his feelings in John Haul t a simple but eloquent style. Dave Holmgren Mark Leender s Andrew Low e Rod McConnell The Fron t Pag e President' s Message 2 Anthony Whyte Astronomy Basic s Th e Milky Wa y 4 Type-sotting General Meetin g Notic e 5 Lorna Mllllga n Joey Mi x At Th e Planetariu m 1 7 Graphic Arts Editor's Messag e -. . 2 0 Dave Belcher What's U p ? Sge-Vul-De l ... . 21 Printod by

The City Of EDMONTON Parks an d COVER: Depicte d o n th e cove r o f thi s month' s issu e i s the symbo l of this Recreation year's RASC General Assembly, the Bluenos e II schooner. Tony Whyte fills us In on the activitie s at the 198 0 G.A. starting on page 6. The remainde r of the Issue Is devoted to a progress report on Buck Mountain and a proposal for the next stage o f development.

DEADLINE FO R OCT./NOV . ISSUE : Monday . Sept . 8

STAHDUST, th e newsletter of th» Quwn Elizaboth Planetarium »nd theEdmonton Ctntrt, RASC, ia published 6 times a year. It is available free to all members of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, Edmonton Centre. Single copies are available at the Planetarium for50€. STARDUST is also available by subscription for $3.50 per year ($4.50 after Oct. 1, 1980). Please make all cheques or money orders payable to: The Queen Elizabeth Planetarium. Write to: The Editor, STARDUST, do Queen Elizabeth Planetarium, CN Tower TOthFloor, 10004-104 Ave., Edmonton, Alberta T5JOK1. Unsolicited articles on any aspect of astronomy are welcome. PRESIDENT'S MESSAG E

Although w e di d no t hol d Genera l Meeting s durin g Jul y an d August, th e Centr e wa s ver y active . Ther e wer e regula r Counci l meetings, Observer's Corner meetings , weekend work parties , etc. We can feel confident that our goals for the Observing Site out at Buck Mountai n wil l b e met. Ou r plan s call for th e construction o f a the small "warm-up" buildin g during the summer of 1981. Please read the feature article abou t Buc k Mtn . for further details . The Dobsonia n telescop e projec t aros e this past summer. The front Council approve d thi s a s a Centr e project . Thi s wa s done o n th e understanding tha t al l fund s woul d com e from donations an d not from the general revenues of the Centre. The optics for the telescope page have now been ordered and this entire project should be completed and ready for a "first light " party early this coming spring . With th e recen t g o ahea d fo r th e Edmonto n Spac e Sciences Centre, we are currently exploring different ways in which the Centre can hel p th e Foundation . Ther e wil l b e more on this a t upcomin g General Meetings . Regarding the new season of General Meetings, please note that these will not always be held on the second Monday of the month. The availability of the Music Room at the Library wa s much more limite d than i t was last year, and we have had to settle for meetin g dates on days other than the customary "secon d Monda y of the month." This month's meeting , fo r example , is on the thir d Monday, Sept. 15. For dates and details of future meetings, please refer to upcoming issues of Stardust. Ou r monthl y Genera l Meeting s wil l als o be extensively publicized throug h ou r RAS C New s Releases. As yo u ca n well imagine , a lot mor e i s going on in the Centr e these day s tha n presentin g speaker s a t monthl y meeting s an d organizing observin g sessions , etc. Mos t o f the decisions for these other activitie s take place at meetings of the Centre Council. These Council meetings are open to all, and interested members are invited to attend as "observers." The meetings are presently held at my home and the nex t meeting i s scheduled fo r Sunday , Septembe r 7, at 7:00 PM. I f yo u ar e intereste d i n attending , pleas e phone , an d tim e permitting, I will attempt t o mai l out a copy o f the agenda to you. Again, i f there ar e any question s abou t th e Centre' s activities , please cal l me. Ted Cadle n me Planetarium Bookstore Hours: Mon.-Fri.: 8:30 - 4:30; 6:30 - 9:00 Durin g the Planetarium Sat., Sun. , & Holidays : 1:3 0 - 4:30; 6:3 0 - 9:00 * Sept.19hutdow, then Bookstor from s'pte 'wil8'l be open from 8:30 - 4:30, Mon. - Frf. ONLY .

Currenprice t Ne w Only 2 left at C 9 0 Tetephot O ...... curren t price $323.9 5 ...... $400.0 0 C 90 Spotting Scope — onl y 3 left $3899 5 ...... $530.0 0 C 90 Telescope ...... 1 only ! . . $695.0 0 ...... $7500 0 C 5 Telescope ...... lontyi. . $999.9 5 ...... $1160.0 0 C 8 Telescope. . 4 left at current pric e $1295.0 0 ...... $1550.0 0 C11 Telescope ...... ------...... $45000 0 C 11 Tube Assembly ...... ------...... $31000 0 C 14 Telescope ...... $96700 0

The current prices on Celestron equipment will remain in effect for all items currently in stock. As soon as this stock is depleted a new shipment will be ordered with the new prices in effect. If you are contemplating purchasing a Celestron telescope, don't wait any longer since the current stoc k will soon b e sold out .

Meade

Meade has just brought out a beautiful 4" Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, complete wit h eyepieces , equatoria l mount , tnpod , an d a ver y sturd y aluminum carrying cas e 4" Schmid t Telescope S77 0 00 o/tronomy bo/ic / the milk y uua y

During September , th e "summer " Milk y is no t nearl y s o prominen t a s it s summe r Way through Cassiopeia , Cygnus and Aquila is counterpart. still ver y prominent an d is the highligh t o f the But why i s the Milky Way confined to onl y early autumn sky. The Milky Wa y is only the summe r an d winte r skies ? Th e answe r one of billions of scattered throughout comes fro m a knowledg e o f th e positio n and the universe . Ou r galax y contain s abou t 20 0 orientation o f earth within ou r galaxy. billion s i n a spiral patter n approximately Recall tha t ou r sola r syste m i s locate d 100,000 light across. Though most people about two-thirds of the way out from the centre with a passing interest in astronomy knowwhat of th e galaxy , i n one of it s spiral arms. While it the Milky Way is, how many of our readers have might b e natura l t o assum e tha t th e orbita l stopped to consider why the Mi Iky Way appears plane o f ou r sola r syste m is line d u p parallel as it does in our sky ? with the galaxy' s equator, this i s not the case, Just the opposite i s true. The plane of the solar system i s essentiall y perpendicula r t o th e galactic equator , a s th e diagra m o n p. 5 illustrates. As the earth orbits the sun, the night side o f ou r plane t i s turne d towar d variou s sections of the sky. In summer, th e eart h i s turned so that we

30OOO UGHT TEAK S

First, let's clear u p some confusion . stars you se e at night belon g to the Milky Way Galaxy. Whe n we speak of the "Milk y Way " in our sk y however , w e generall y mea n tha t greyish band of Sight stretching from horizon to horizon during the winter and summer months. To se e th e Milk y Wa y a t al l require s dark country skies and n o moon . This ban d o f ligh t i s composed of millions of faint stars and is in fact the spirai arms of our galaxy. A lin e draw n dow n th e centr e of th e Milky Wa y ban d woul d b e the equato r of ou r disc-shaped galaxy . I t i s alon g thi s galactic equator that the stars, clusters, and nebulae of our galax y are mos t heavil y concentrated. It is this richness of objects that makes the summer and early fall sky so very interesting to explore, even with a pair of binoculars. The Milky Way is also visible i n the winter sky, passing through A fish-ey e vie w o f th e Milky-Wa y (wit h th e galacti c centre near the zenith), showing Its appearance as an Auriga, Gemini , besid e Orion , an d dow n edge-on spiral galaxy. Photo by T. Schmldt-Kalerand through Cani s Major, but the winter Milky Way W. Schlosser , taken a t L a Sllla, Chile. are looking into the centre of the galaxy, toward the richest and brightest portion of our galaxy . In th e col d month s o f winter , w e ar e on th e NOTICE opposite side of ou r orbit, looking i n the other direction. We are now gazing toward the nearby edge o f th e galaxy . Since w e are not lookin g into a s great a depth of the galaxy as we did i n MEETING summer, the winter Milky Way is not as bright as it was 6 months earlier , thoug h ther e is still a good collection of clusters and nebulae (M42 is an example ) scattere d alon g th e galacti c MONDAY, equator. SEPTEMBER 1 5 AT 8:00 P M (Nor SEPT . 8 A S pREviously ANNOUNCE D

In spring and late fall we are looking at right MUSIC ROO M angles to the galactic plane, toward the galaxy's EDMONTON PUBLI C LIBRARY north an d south poles . Sinc e our galax y i s so 7 SJ R WINSTO N CkuRchi U SQUAR E flat, there are relatively few stars and obscuring nebulae betwee n u s and the edge of the galaxy in those directions . Thi s enable s us to see far SPEAKER: beyond th e confines o f the Milk y Way into the DR. DAV E RouTledq E depths of inter-galactic space. Thus, the skies Of AlbERT A of sprin g an d lat e fal l ar e relativel y poo r i n bright star s an d nebulae , bu t aboun d i n VERy LoN q BASE-LIN E ARRA Y " RAdio galaxies. TdEscopE FRO M SE A TO SEA" But let' s retur n t o summer . Sinc e w e are looking toward the galactic core at this time of Now T!IA T Th s CANAdA-PRANce-HAWAi i Telescop e i s year, w e should b e able t o se e this intriguin g opERATioNAl, ASTRONOMERS IN CANA(JA ARE lookiivq TO ThE section of space. Well, not quite. For one thing, "NEXT bi q ihiNq " I N CANAdiA N scJENiifi c RESEARCH . ThE a great deal of nebulosit y lie s between us and pROposAl is rhAT WE build A SER(ES of RAdi o TElESCOpES AT the actua l centr e o f th e galaxy , blockin g th e SElECTEd siTE S Al t ACROS S CANAdA , AN ARRAy ThA T WOtld view. Also , th e galacti c cor e lie s i n th e fORM A VERy toNq bASE-liNE tOR RESOtvJNq dETAJls JN RAdlO o f Sagittarius , whic h fro m ou r obJECTS Uk E qAlAXJE S AN d 9UASARS . PlA N T O ATTEN d latitude i s ver y lo w i n th e south , eve n i n SEPTEMBER'S GENERA ! MEETiN q AN d IIEA R Abou T Thi s midsummer. PROJECT fiRS T llANd . DR . RoUTUdq E i s A MEIwbE R o f Tl) E But tak e a loo k a t th e fish-ey e phot o o n CENTRE AN d is wttl RNOWN fo R hi s EXPERTIS E IN ThE fiEld page 4 . I t was taken from a n observing site i n Of RAdJ O TElESCOpES . the southern hemisphere where Sagittarius and the centr e o f th e galax y passe s directl y GUESTS AN d MEMBER S o F public AR E MOR E overhead. Th e for m o f ou r galax y become s WCiCQME T O ATTENd . obvious. I t is a spiral galaxy viewed edge-on. I t looks just likeoneofthemany edge-on galaxies we ca n se e in ou r telescopes , complet e wit h dust lane, except that the Milky Way is so huge it OCT. GENERA L MEETING : stretches from horizo n the horizon. Monday. Oct . 20 ~ Alan Dye r by Tony Whytc THE The Roya l Astronomica l Societ y o f Canada's General Assembly was held this year Bluenose for the first time in conjunction with the Annual Meeting o f th e professiona l organization , the Canadian Astronomical Society (CASCA). The joint session was hosted by the Halifax Centre of the RASC at St. Mary's University from June General 25 to Jun e 30. The firs t tw o days , Wednesda y an d Thursday, wer e dominate d b y CASC A pape r sessions. O n Frida y mornin g ther e wa s a n Assembly address by retiring CASCA President, Carman Costain. I n the afternoon beginning a t 3:30 PM, the RAS C hel d a Nationa l Counci l meetin g which wen t o n wel l int o th e evening , concluding abou t 9:30 . There were reports by the Nationa l Secretary , Norman Green ; by the editors o f th e National Newsletter an d RASC Journal; an d b y th e edito r o f th e Handbook, This was the first year that the two John Percy . Ralp h Cho u wa s nominate d and elected t o replac e Frankli n Shinn , wh o i s principle astronomical retiring as editor of the National Newsletter. For organizations in Canada, a summar y o f som e o f th e othe r item s o f the RAS C and th e Canadia n business on the agenda, see the accompanying Astronomical Society, held thei r item, "Merton Street News." Also on Friday , after the Council Meeting , annual gatherings together. Thi s delegates t o th e G.A . enjoye d a win e an d joint sessio n wa s hosted b y the cheese party , th e firs t officia l even t o f th e Halifax Centre o f the RAS C and Halifax G.A . Th e evenin g conclude d wit h a n RASC slid e sho w a t whic h variou s member s was dubbed "th e Bluenos e from across Canada gave brief talks on recent General Assembly" Centre activities , eclipse expeditions, etc. Our contribution was a showing of slides depicting the 1 8 panels o f our Shoppin g Centr e exhibit. The only Edmonto n entry into this year's RASC Observing Competitio n wa s also shown at this time. This was a set of slides taken by Alan Dyer of "th e Glory, " a circula r rainbo w effec t surrounding an aircraft shadow o n the clouds . Saturday wa s take n u p b y RAS C pape r sessions, where members presented reports of observations an d various personal an d grou p projects in a more formal mannerthan the night before. Saturda y evenin g wa s tim e fo r th e At the Genera l Assembly Banquet, Davi d Levy received the Chant Meda l for outstanding contributions to astronomy. Davi d (standin g in front of screen ) i s one o f amateur astronomica l world's foremost observers, and ha s created a number of imaginative educationa l astronomy program s for young children . Davi d is currently livin g i n Tucson . His bi-monthly colum n "Variable Stars" can b e rea d in Star an d Sk y magazine .

Each year an RAS C Centre hosts the annua l Genera l Assembly. This year over 15 0 RAS C members convened i n Halifax ove r the Canad a Day long weekend . Next year, it' s Victoria's turn. Pla n to attend th e 1981 GA , t o b e hel d ove r the Victori a Day weekend.

Each year's G.A. features an observing an d display competition. While members of th e Ottaw a Centre took many of the individua l observing awards , the Winnipeg Centr e wo n the prize fo r the bes t Centr e display, show n here . Depicted ar e various observing an d astro- photography result s from their members. Merton Street News Members from 1 7 of th e 1 8 RASC As i s customary , a Nationa l RAS C Counci l Centres across Canada wer e at this meeting wa s hel d i n conjunctio n wit h th e recen t General Assembl y i n Halifax. Her e a few highlights year's General Assembly . * Th e draft by-laws of the proposed new Kitchener/ Waterloo Centr e wer e accepted . Onc e thes e ar e finalized, th e Kitchener/Waterlo o Centr e wil l annual RAS C Banquet during whic h Dr. Joh n officially becom e th e RASC' s 19t h Centre . Percy gav e hi s retirin g Presidentia l addres s * Grant s fro m the RASC's Special Project s Fun d titled "In Prais e of Smaller Telescopes." Also at were awarded t o the Quebe c Centr e ($500 ) for the the Banquet , th e RASC' s award s wer e purchase o f ne w librar y books , an d to th e Centr e presented. Mr . Stan Mott of the Ottawa Centre d'Astronomie de Montreal ($500 ) for improvement s was th e recipien t of th e Service Award, whil e to their observatory . David Levy of the Kingston Centre (although he * 198 1 will see a new set of editors for all the RASC now live s i n Tucson ) receive d th e Society' s national publications . Ralp h Cho u o f Toront o will highest award , th e Chan t Medal , fo r hi s edit th e National Newsletter upo n Fran k Shinn' s outstanding wor k a s an observe r and also his resignation i n December . Ne w editors hav e not yet work i n astronom y fo r youn g children . Th e been foun d fo r th e Observer's Handbook o r th e RASC Journal. Banquet wa s followe d b y th e secon d annua l RASC Song Contest. * Th e national Membership Committee was active On Sunda y mornin g there were two mor e over th e pas t yea r an d hav e propose d a number of recommendations designe d t o attrac t ne w sessions to accommodat e the large number of members an d retai n mor e existin g members . papers received , followe d b y a meetin g o f * Plan s ar e well underwa y fo r th e 198 1 G.A . i n Centre newslette r editors an d Centre reps , to Victoria, and preliminary wor k has been doneon the discuss improvement s i n th e Nationa l 1982 G.A . i n Saskatoon . Ther e wa s som e debat e Newsletter. Basically , Ralp h Chou wa s asking over th e locatio n o f th e 198 3 G.A. , wit h Ottawa , that Centre s upgrad e th e qualit y o f thei r Calgary an d Quebec all bidding. submissions t o th e Nationa l Newslette r an d •*• Th e Nationa l Counci l agree d t o leas e a smal l also t o sen d i n thei r materia l a s soo n a s parcel o f lan d fo r a site fo r th e Londo n Centre' s possible. Th e RAS C Annua l Meeting , observatory, wit h th e Centr e itsel f assumin g al l essentially a business meeting, was held in the leasing costs, taxes an d insurance . afternoon a t whic h tim e th e retirin g Counci l * Th e lack o f communication from th e Montrea l members hande d ove r their position s t o th e Centre (th e Englis h centre ) wa s a sor e point . It s newly electe d officials . Dr . Ia n Hallida y Annual Report s fo r 197 9 wer e no t receive d unti l succeeded Joh n Perc y a s National President; June 24, 1980and only after repeated requests . This our ow n Frankly n Loehd e i s no w 1s t has occured in previous years . It was agreed that the VicePresident; while Dr. Roy Bishop from Nova Montreal Centre should b e warned tha t unles s th e Scotia assume s th e positio n o f 2n d Centre acts immediately to rectify this situation, the Council will take strong action, including possibly VicePresident. the withdrawa l o f recognitio n o f th e Montrea l Sunday evenin g bega n wit h th e RAS C Centre a s a Centre o f the Society . "picnic," whic h turne d ou t t o b e mor e o f a * A suggestion wa s made tha t th e RASC shoul d dinner hel d a t the Armdal e Yacht Club- Late r organize annual Astronomy Da y activities similar to that evenin g th e award s fo r th e RAS C those in the U.S. , bu t n o action was taken. Observing Competitio n wer e give n out , wit h * Fo r th e pas t 4 year s a committe e ha s been Ottawa repeating their sterling performance of searching fo r a suitable propert y tha t th e Societ y 1978, sweepin g 3 o f th e 7 categories . Th e could purchase for use as the RASC National Office. Winnipeg Centr e wo n th e priz e fo r th e bes t The committee hope s to locat e a new property b y Centre Exhibit . Altogether , severa l hundre d next yea r whe n th e leas e fo r th e presen t rente d dollars i n prize s wer e hande d out . A mor e office a t 12 4 Merton Stree t come s u p for renewal , complete lis t o f entrie s an d winner s wil l n o but has found the choice so far very limited . . doubt appea r i n a future issu e of the Nationa l Now a traditional event, Franklyn Loehde d)r*ct«d the construction of tht 5t h annual RASC human pyramid.

A aala

'^*. off

Newsletter. On Monday, the 1980 G. A. wrapped up with an all-day tour of the Bay of Fundy, with visits to places of astronomical interest. There was also a brie f receptio n a t the hom e o f Dr . an d Mrs . Roy Bisho p o f the Halifax Centre . The Halifax Centre are to be congratulated on the organization of a fine General Assembly. The 15 0 or s o RAS C member s wh o attende d from across Canada {with only on e Centre not represented) wil l certainl y agre e tha t Halifa x hospitality is second to none . Everyon e is now looking forwar d to convening o n the opposite coast, i n Victoria, fo r th e 198 1 RAS C General Assembly. •V5 % ^ MRS. J . W. CAMPBELL Mrs. J.W . Cambell , th e wif e on e o f th e Edmonton Centre' s foundin g members , Dr . J.W. Cambell, died i n July just short of her 91st birthday. While he r husband wa s an active member ^ of th e Centr e an d it s Honorar y Presiden t fo r nearly 2 0 years , Mrs , Campbel l faithfull y supported ou r work . Sh e was one o f th e first contributors t o the Observator y Fun d which is now being use d for our Buck Mountai n project . As par t o f the legacy she leaves, a book of poetry (includin g on e o n th e Pleiades ) wa s All the stars be there. published. KILLTCU? WEST NORTH-WEST THE MOUNTAIN

BUCK/MOUNTAIN: on to Phas e 2

by Ted Cadien President, Edmonton Centre, RAS C

10 NORTH NORTH-EAST PROPOSED BUILDIN G SITE TEN T AREAS "OVERFLOW CAMPING " AREAS

This summer has been a busy one for those ABOVE: A panoramic view of the new Lower Site of u s activel y involve d i n th e Buc k Mountai n at Buc k a s I t appeare d befor e th e Jul y 2 6 wor k project. Ever y othe r weeken d ha s seen work sessions. Betwee n then and th e en d of August, 5 more work session s hav e resulte d In the clearing parties carrying out the job of land clearing and of areas to the north and west. Not shown Is a small preparing th e Site. These efforts have resulted (4 car) parkin g area we have cleare d between the in the clearing of a major portion o f the lowe r Lower Site and the main access road. A small road level and the creation o f a small parkin g lot . now join s this parking area with th e Lowe r Site . Buck Mountai n i s no w usabl e a s a n The Upper Site (not show n In any of these photos) observing an d camp-ove r site . O n Saturday , Is a muc h smalle r are a designe d primaril y fo r August 9, seven telescopes and four tents were permanent observatories and Is near the summit of set up. Yes, indeed, there was enough space for the mountain . Thi s area will likely be cleared and three C-8's , on e C-5 , tw o othe r 8-inc h ready t o use as well by the end o f the fall . Newtonians, and one 12 1/2-inch scope. There BELOW: Compar e the above views with the way was a motor hom e i n the parking lot, and four the Site looked In early spring after onl y a couple cars upon the lower level site itself. All this, with of wor k sessions . Befor e any clearing was done, lots o f roo m t o spare . the Sit e was completely bus h and smal l trees. However, lan d clearin g stil l goe s on , an d will be a continuing program . This effort is now being directe d toward s developin g observin g pads an d flattenin g ou t ten t sites . Thes e tent areas will each be sufficient to allow one to set up a 2-man (5' x 7') tent. There are currently five tent space s cleare d an d a fe w mor e wil l b e developed. The photograph s tha t accompan y thi s article sho w thes e change s from th e "jungle" that wa s there earlie r thi s spring . However , if you ar e really interested in the Buck Mountai n development, pleas e come out an d see things - continue d on page 13 11 The Pro s and Con s o f our Dar k Site DISADVANTAGES site requires considerable more work, i.e., clearing of bush , levellin g area s of ground, etc. Thi s ma y - - I t i s a 90-minut e driv e away , 1. DISTANC E not b e a disadvantag e since th e mor e effort we feasible but tiring for driving there and back in one have to put into the Site, the more we are going to night. I t i s bes t suite d fo r overnigh t camping . feel "it' s ours, " and the more we'll use it. There is also the expense of gasoline to consider. (Will ou r electri c cars of 199 0 make i t that far o n one charge? ) Th e distance will likely discourage ADVANTAGES all bu t th e mos t arden t observers , especially i n 1. DISTANC E - - It s distanc e als o work s i n ou r winter, makin g the site less suitable for beginning favour. The skies of Buc k Mountai n ar e about as observers, an d ma y be less frequently use d than dark a s we'l l fin d withi n on e day' s driv e o f would a closer site . Edmonton. Th e glow from the lights of Edmonto n 2. ACCESSIBILIT Y - - Whil e th e road s t o Buc k are restricted to about 10 ° up in the north-east sky. Mountain are well kept up, even in winter, the road 2. LOCATION--The mountain itself is situated in a into the Site itself is a problem. As it stands now, in relative backwater, away from majordevelopment. winter an d early spring the road is impassable by To th e sout h an d wes t i s essentiall y nothing , conventional 2-whee l drive vehicle. You can walk primarily bus h and wilderness. Surrounding Buck into th e Site , bu t i t a long way t o carr y o r dra g for a few mile s i n either direction , particularl y t o equipment. Thi s proble m ma y be solved throug h the east , south an d west , is a provincial Grazin g negotiations wit h th e Count y fo r roa d Reserve wher e n o developmen t i s permitted , improvements an d maintenance . The y hav e There are no lights adjacent to our property not is indicated tha t they are prepared to do this at very there likely to be. The increased altitude of tfte Site little cost to us. helps to a certain degree with dewing problems on 3. SECURIT Y - - Buc k Mountai n i s a n obviou s damp nights . Th e surroundin g tree s ac t a s a landmark an d attracts visitors. Most are harmless windbreak, though th e summit i s always windy. and are merely intereste d i n getting t o the top to 3. ECONOMY - - Where else could we find 7 acres look a t the view. But our facilities tucked away in of land in a 21-year lease for only $21? The leasing the wood s ma y b e a n attractio n t o vandals , costs are low, though w e may have to pay County visigoths and other crude people. Fences , strong taxes (abou t $100-$15 0 a year), but this is bein g doors an d locks , sturdy strorage lockers, and an negotiated. Taxe s ar e a n evi l w e woul d hav e to audible alar m syste m i s th e bes t w e ca n d o t o face at any site. discourage intruder s and preven t damage . Th e 4. VERSATILIT Y & POTENTIA L - - W e actuall y cost of insurance will be far too high. Not being on have 3 different Site s a t Buc k — the Lower Site, some friendly farmer's property is a disadvantage with goo d protectio n fro m th e win d bu t a mor e here since there will be no one watching over the restricted vie w of th e sky ; the Upper Site, with a site for us when we are away. Perhaps, though, we clear vie w t o th e south , som e protectio n fro m can mak e friend s with som e o f ou r neighbour s north winds , but decreased accessibility; and the down th e road . Summit itself , with an unobstructed view for 360°, 4. FACILITIES - - Bein g isolated , the Sit e i s away but fully exposed to the wind. Observers can take from convenience s like readil y availabl e power, their pick , depending on their requirements . Few , an d telephon e service . Obtainin g som e sites have that degree of versatility. There is lots of form of powe r sourc e (eve n just fo r 1 2 volts DC) room fo r futur e expansion, giving th e Sit e good will involve an expense of $500 to $5000, the higher potential. We are not restricted to one small patch figure being the cost of running in 110 volt AC lines of lan d i n someone's backyard. from the nearby powe r poles. There is an old well 5. FREEDOM - Eve n though we are only tenants, at the Site which migh t be re-activated to provide we still have much greater freedom in developing water fo r mixin g cement , etc. As far as telephone and usin g th e Sit e tha n i f i t wer e owne d b y a service goes , who cares? A CB radio ca n provide farmer, a n RAS C member , o r som e privat e emergency communications . organization. The feeling that it is our Site is a very 5. WORK NEEDED - - Compared to a farmyard, the important one. It is a place where we can go to get conversion o f Buc k Mountai n int o a n observin g away from it all, just to watch the stars.

12 SOUTH-EAST SOUTH TENT AREA S ROAD INTO SITE

ABOVE: A panorami c vie w o f th e Lowe r Sit e for yourself . Ther e ar e a numbe r o f grou p looking sout h from the north end of the area. The observing session s planne d for Buc k ove r th e trees in the south (between the Site and the access autumn months , and a special "Star Parly" will road) bloc k onl y 3 ° - 5° o f the horizon . be hel d o n Saturday , Sept . 13. BELOW: Oarre l an d Te d cutting , slashing , This wil l b e ou r "open-house, " an d wil l pillaging, an d laying waste to the countryside . highlight the completion of the major portion of Phase One of the Buck Mountain development. So, try t o com e out early in the evening while there is still lots of daylight left, and take a look around. We'll be glad to give you the grand tour. With all the work that has been done so far, it is now time for us to start planning fo r Phase Two o f th e observin g sit e projec t - - i.e. : th e "warm-up hut. " W e are looking at the following time frame for this planning:

Phase Two Schedule :

Sept. t o Oct . 198 0 - - Discussion, detailed planning and budget preparation. Nov. 198 0 - - Design selection, an d committment of Observing Site funds to the budget. Dec. 198 0 to May 1981 - 1 . Obtain al l required building approvals. 2. Fund raising drive, both locally and through the National Office "Special Projects Fund." June 198 1 to Sept. 1981 - Construction. - continue d on page 15 13 How We Selected The Site Those ne w t o th e Centr e ma y ver y wel l b e along tha t rout e ar e boun d t o gro w eve r larger , wondering how we ended u p with Buck Mountain polluting the sky with waste lighting . as our Centre Observin g Site. The process of sit e In the south-east direction, mor e or less along selection bega n i n lat e 197 7 a t th e initiativ e o f Hwy. 14 , we find prime agricultural I and. The skies then-Centre Presiden t Gar y Finle y an d Ro d are no t bad , though ther e wa s some question o f McConnell. Up till then, members had been using the effec t o f bein g downwin d fro m th e cit y o n a variety of chanced-upon site s such as Elk Island occasion. The main problem was acquiring a piece Park, variou s farmer' s yards , backroads , etc . of farmland in the Centre's name. Even if we could Without a fixe d Centr e Site , ou r observin g sessions (infrequent as they were back then) were a constantl y floatin g cra p gam e — no on e kne w where the next session would be held. The Devon Observatory site, in use during the '60's and early 70's a s a Centr e Sit e wa s no t considere d dar k enough fo r mos t purpose s an d woul d onl y ge t worse from year to year.

find a friendl y farme r (a s we i n fac t di d a t on e point), ther e wa s n o guarante e that an y deal we made no w woul d remai n i n effec t fo r year s t o come. We wanted a site with a firm written lease for a minimu m o f 1 0 years. A handshak e dea l jus t wouldn't do . This meant a tract of Crown or provincial land. For this , w e ha d to loo k south-west , toward th e And s o th e searc h began . Ever y othe r boundary betwee n agricultural and forested land. weekend for several months carloads of members Oddly enough , Buc k Mountai n wa s one of the first drove around th e countryside, poring over county sites w e looked at , in Marc h 1978 . maps, checkin g ou t suitabl e tract s o f land , abandoned far m yards, high points o f land , etc . Our search area was immediately restricted to two direction s - - south-wes t o f th e city , an d southeast. Anythin g nort h o f Hwy . 1 6 was rule d out, since it would plac e the city glow somewhere in th e south . A clear, dark southern horizo n was judged essential . Fo r this reason, areas along the densely-populated Hwy . 2 route south o f the city were also eliminated. Thetowns, cities and resorts

At first, the mountain itself was ruled out as a site, du e t o fear s about th e inaccessibilit y of th e top i n spring an d winter, and possible vandalism. So we looked for miles around that area for some other suitable bit of public land . There was lots of land, bu t all of it was either swamp , creek valleys, heavy forest, or simply inaccessible . We found ourselve s inevitably drawn bac k to Buck Mountai n (th e Devil' s Towe r o f observin g sites !). Despite its drawbacks, Buck Mountain was

14 the only suitabl e choice. A closer examinatio n o f the site, and the realization tha t we did not have to I use the summi t fo r ou r observin g area , change d We are now trying to decide on the our priorities. We now turned our energies toward type of building...A modified garage getting tha t sit e fo r th e Centre . Thi s wa s earl y package i s being considered. 1979. As luc k woul d hav e it, the provincia l agenc y who own s Buc k Mountai n i s the Dept . o f Energ y I and Natura l Resources , th e ver y governmen t department tha t Dav e Beale , ou r Observin g Sit e Director, work s for . Throug h hi s immediat e superior we made the right contacts and began the process of acquiring a lease. At only $ 1 a year for 21 years, it was worth going for. After a summer of survey work , draftin g u p plans , fillin g out forms,

We are now trying to decide on the type of building. We are selecting a size that would give us enough space and still be efficient to heat. A 14 x 22 foot structure {a highly modified garage writing proposals , etc. , we finally mad e th e leas e application i n October , 1979 . Luckily , w e ha d package) i s being considered. become officall y incorporate d a s a registere d This buildin g wil l b e heated, have electric society earlie r tha t summer , a necessary element lights an d a washroom. Please note that ther e in acquiring an y governmen t lease , are at present no utilities at the Site. Therefore, While ever y sit e wil l alway s hav e it s we plan on using bottled propane and a bank of disadvantages, I think i t is safe to say that thos e 12 volt batteries (plus charging source) for heat who hav e bee n involve d i n th e projec t sinc e it s and electrical service . A waterless toilet woul d beginning 3 year s ag o firml y believ e tha t Buc k be installed . Mountain was, an d will remain , the bes t of man y Due to the slope of the land at the proposed possible locations . location fo r thi s building , i t woul d likel y b e ELLERSLIE: The Deciding Factor supported o n concret e piles . S o tha t R-2 0 Because o f its distance, w e never would have insulation ca n be installed, the walls should be picked Buck Mountain as a Centre Obsering Sit e if made usin g 2x6 " studs . Th e exterio r wil l it had not been for the Ellersli e Observatory . Wit h probably b e stucco finished, a job w e woul d Tony Whyt e an d Dou g Hornbec k makin g i t take on ourselves. available to Centre members , we had ourselves an The above is one proposal, and we are still alternative t o Buck , wha t w e bega n callin g ou r "Near Site. " I t i s idea l fo r time s whe n yo u don' t looking fo r idea s and suggestions. According want t o driv e fa r fo r a night' s observing , fo r to our presen t estimates and price quotations, sessions i n th e dea d o f winter , an d fo r novic e the finished cost of the basic building would be observers. about $2,500 . Thi s doe s no t includ e a smal l Rather tha n g o for on e compromise site at a furnace, lighting, or toilet. We estimate these to distance o f 30 to 50km from the city, we have opted cost $1,500 . Thi s result s i n a tota l projec t for tw o Sites , givin g us , we trust, the best of bot h budget o f $4,000 . Ther e i s a t presen t worlds. Onl y time will tell if this decision proves to approximately $2,50 0 i n ou r Observin g sit e be a wise one. Reader s of these pages a few years Fund. from no w will b e the judges of that ! - continue d on page 16 15 DOBSON TELESCOPE I UPDATE We would like to encourage discussion The Summe r issu e of Stardust containe d of the merit s of our proposal before a an appea l fo r fund s t o enabl e th e Edmonto n final approval at the Novembe r Centre to build a 17.5" f/4,5 reflector telescope. General Meeting . This appeal is meeting with success, and to date (August 12 } $915.0 0 has bee n pledged. Thes e pledges range from $20 to $200. Other pledge s I have been for lumber and technical assistance. So far, $450.00 of these pledges have been received. These funds were sufficient for u s to go ahead and order the primary an d secondary mirrors fro m Coulte r Optical . Thes e mirror s should arriv e during December , an d we have obtained permissio n from Revenu e Canada to import the m dut y free.

We are now trying to encourage discussion of the merits and possible improvements to this proposal. I f you are interested, please talk to us at upcomin g Genera l Meetings , Observer' s Corners, o r vi a telephone. Th e final proposa l will b e formall y brough t u p fo r fina l officia l The Centre' s 17.5 " Dobsonla n reflecto r wil l approval a t the Novembe r General Meeting . resemble this smaller 16" model on display at the 1980 Riverside Telescope Maker s Conference. For furthe r information , pleas e contac t Dave Beale (474- 0811 ) o r Ted Cadien (463-1703). Remember, thi s i s your telescope . Onc e completed, th e scop e wil l b e a t ever y grou p observing session , sta r part y o r Starnight . Additional fund s are still needed . Any unuse d funds will go into the Observing Site Fund. This Fund will be used to maintain this and any other telescopes that th e Centr e ma y aquire. If you wis h to donate to this cause, please contact eithe r Me l Rankin (469 - 3066) or Ted Cadien (46 3 - 1703) . Cheques should b e made payable to: Th e Royal Astronomical Society o f Canada, Edmonton Centre (i f yo u ca n ge t al l that o n your cheque!) . All donation s ar e ta x deductibl e an d receipts will b e issued. These donations ca n be "I spend all day chopping trees at Buck Mountain, and mailed directly to Mel Rankin, Treasurer, RASC what hav e they got t o give me? LIGHT BEER !! " Edmonton Centre ,

16 ol Ih e COSMOS planetarium by Over th e summe r months , ou r 3 publi c shows, Th e Vela Apparition, On e Summer's Night, and A Fantasy of Stars (for preschoolers) Carl Sagan have bee n wel l attended . One Summer's Night ended Sept . 1 , wit h Th e Vela Apparition continuing o n for another week , until Sunday, September 7 at 8:0 0 P M each evening. From Sept . 8 t o Sept.19 , th e Planetariu m Personal will be shutdown for som e major maintenanc e and cleaning. Amon g othe r chores , th e audio system, sufferin g fro m a wealt h o f mino r Voyage problems, will receive a complete overhaul, and an inventory of the equipment we now own that can b e use d i n th e ne w Planetariu m wil l b e "The Cosmo s is all that is or ever was or ever taken. will be." Wit h these opening words, Dr. Carl Regarding the new Planetarium and Space Sagan begins a special series of thirteen Sciences Centre, the City Council on August 12 weekly hour-long episodes devoted to officially approved the appointment of Douglas science in its broadest human perspective. Cardinal as architect. This means that work can Described as the most ambitious television proceed on detailed plans forthe new building. series ever attempted, Cosmos1 cornerstone Anticipating a bus y schedul e fo r th e is the belief that human beings are intelli- Planetarium staf f as we become involved in the gent, that it is a joy to understand the world, designing o f th e ne w Planetarium , w e ar e that science can be conveyed on television gearing dow n publi c an d schoo l sho w in a way which is comprehensible and exhila- production i n th e presen t faciltity . Basically, rating without compromising accuracy. this mean s fewer shows will b e produced, and the program s wil l ru n fo r longe r period s (perhaps 1 4 to 1 6 weeks instea d o f th e usua l 10). Premieres Sunday, September 28 The Vela Apparition will continue on as our 8:00 PM , ET feaure presentatio n when the Q.E.P . opens up Public Broadcasting Service again on Sept. 20. It will ru n until Sunday, Oct. 19. Beginnin g Friday , Oct. 31 is a new feature In Edmonton, COSMOS can be seen on called Illusions. Writte n an d originall y KSPS-TV. Spokane, available on your produced b y the Strasenburg h Planetarium i n local cable-TV outlet. Check your Rochester, Ne w York, Illusions deals with fads listings for details. and fallacie s i n astronomy . Nex t month' s column wil l contai n mor e informatio n abou t Dr. Car! Sagan, the distinguished this new and uniqu e show . Cornell University astronomer and During th e "shutdown " period , th e Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Planetarium Bookstor e wil l remai n ope n fo r is the host and co-author of Cosmos. business from 8:3 0 A M to 4:0 0 P M weekdays. 17 Leslie Peltier: 19OO198 O

The July, 198 0 issue of Sky and Telescope carried a small, terse announcemen t o n pag e 13. In brief, it indicated the passing of Mr. Leslie Peltier, age 80, of Delphos , Ohio . It als o reported tha t h e contribute d 100,00 0 observations o f variable stars to the American Association of Observers and that he had written two books, Starlight Nights an d Guideposts t o th e Stars. However , th e announcement intimate d littl e o f th e jo y hi s books have broughttotheamateurastronomer. It wa s throug h hi s firs t book , Starlight Nights, that I first came to know of Leslie Peltier. While casuall y browsin g throug h hug e stacks of discoun t book s at a local bookstore, I came across a small hardbound copy. Since it looked as i f i t migh t b e interesting , I decide d t o purchase it . Littl e di d I know at the time that it contained on e o f th e mos t fascinatin g autobiographies t o grace my bookshelves. As I read through the volume, I realized that this was a person who obviously loved the stars as I did an d expressed his feelings i n a simple but eloquen t style . Pag e b y page , Peltie r revealed hi s childhoo d i n rural Ohio , hi s early fascination with the stars and his determination to obtai n a telescope a s a youth. Throughou t the work , I was continuall y captivate d by his experiences and how they paraded my own, as multiple printings . Ther e is little wonder that it I, too, ha d grown u p i n a rural setting . is treasure d b y amateu r astronomer s fro m Punctuated b y self-styled penci l drawing s around th e world. detailing important events , the prose went on to Leslie Peltier' s passing leave s man y o f u s acquaint m e wit h hi s growin g interes t i n th e deeply saddened , bu t hi s lov e o f lif e an d th e heavens, his comet-hunting endeavor s and his stars wil l liv e on an d b e reflected in the man y increasing absorptio n wit h variabl e stars . Bu t readers who hav e come to kno w hi m throug h more tha n this , hi s personal observation s an d his works. his love of nature i n general shone through th e - Ro d McConnel l accounts o f hi s lif e i n th e earl y par t o f thi s century. The book is a love song for life, a tale of one For a further tribute to Leslie Peltier, see the August, 198 0 Issu e o f Sk y an d Telescope man's approach t o living, written for all to read magazine. A copy of "Starlight Nights" may be and enjoy. It is, therefore, not surprising that it ordered fro m Sk y Publishin g Corp. , 4 9 Ba y has becom e a "classic " an d ha s undergon e Road, Cambridge , Mass. , 02238 for $7.95US . 18 To register , or for more Chart information, phone the Planetarium between 8:30AM & 4:30PM, Mon. - Fit Your PH.: 455-0119.

Course INTRODUCTORY ASTRONOMY COURSE Idea! for anyone with even o mil d or passing interest i n with the astronomy, the course consists of 6 lectures dealing with various aspects of amateur and professional astronomy, Foroneortwo Planetarium's evenings during the course, there will an observing session to Fall series of view the sk y through on e o f the Planetarium' s telescopes . Astronomy Begins: Monday , Oct. 6 Location: Rundl e Park ACT Centre Courses Fee: S9.0 0 -^ADVANCED ASTRONOMY COURSE The Advanced level course deals with the research aspects of professional astronomy, and wil l be of interest to those people who have already completed the Introductory course or have some experience i n astronomy o r amateur observing . Begins: Thursday , Oct. 9, 7:OOP M Location: Rundl e Par k ACT Centre Fee: S6.0 0 (for the 4 -week course) -^RELATIVITY This 4-week course will deal with one of the founders of modern cosmology, Albert Einstein, and hi s special an d genera l theories of relativity. Among the topics discusse d are th e processes that powe r stars, the expansio n of the universe , the bending of starlight, and th e puzzl e of black holes . Begins: Tuesday , Oct . 7 , 7:00 PM Location: Art s and Craft s Roo m 1 , Lion s Senior Citizen Recreation Centr e Fee: $6.0 0 ^TELESCOPE USER' S SEMINAR This course explains the prope r car e an d operatio n of every type of amateur telescope . I t is in 3 parts: What is a telescop e and ho w does i t work? Maintenance of your scope. How to use your scope fo r observing and photography . Begins: Tuesday , Nov. 4 Location: Art s and Craft s Room 1, Lions Senior Citizen Recreation Centre Fee: $5.0 0 19 editor/

Starting with the next issue, Stardust will undergo one of the major changes in its 26-year history. No, we're not switching to an 81/2"x 11" page size-- we still can't afford that! What we are doing is going bi-monthly. Beginnin g with the October issue (Vol.26 No.1), Stardustw\\\e published onc e ever y tw o months . Th e nex t issu e wil l cove r Oct./Nov. , the n Dec./Jan. , Feb./Mar., Apr/May, June/July, Aug./Sept. , and so on. This is being done partly to save money, but primarly to save time. As noted in the previous issue, it now takes about 2 solid weeks of evenings and weekends to put together each issue, not counting the time to round u p and write articles -- this is strictly typesetting, design, and layout time. T o kee p thi s u p eac h mont h woul d b e a bi t to o demanding . I was ver y reluctan t t o purposely cut back on the quality of each issue; the only answer was to cut back on the quantity. At first, I thought cuttin g back to 1 0 issues per year (as announced i n the Summer issue) would b e sufficient. But experience wit h that issue , and a number o f other factors, made me reconsider the matter. At a meeting hel d July 27, the Edmonto n Centr e Council approved the switch to a bi-monthly schedule . Each issue will contain a minimum of 24 and a maximum of 32 pages of feature articles, RAS C news , Planetarium news, and regular departments . To keep RASC members informed of recent happenings and to remind them of upcomin g activities, a one-pag e Stardust Bulletin wil l b e sent ou t i n the intervenin g month s betwee n Stardusts. Thi s bulletin wil l only b e sent to pai d u p RAS C members. Along with looking a t the time it takes to put together eac h issue, we also did a thorough analysis of the cost. The bottom line of that analysis was that for a 24-page issue (like this one), it costs 59$ per cop y to print . A 32-page issue (like the Summe r edition) costs 721 ; per copy to print. Thi s doe s not include typesetting materials or postage . Clearly, even the new price of 50$ is not covering the printing costs . I recommended, and the Council approved , a further price increase for Stardust \o 750 per copy, to be effective with the Feb./Mar. 198 1 issue. The annual subscription fee will remain at the newly-set rate of $4.50, but will of course no w only cover 6 issues. I can just hea r Pau l in Toronto saying , "Wha t are they doin g t o m y Stardust !! " The nex t Stardust, th e Oct./Nov . issue , wil l b e devote d t o th e specia l Q.E.P . 20t h Anniversary edition. We've got a good supply of material on hand for that issue, including lots of marvelous old photos. The current issue, originally slated to be the Anniversary issue, is instead devoted to a General Assembly roundup b y Tony Whyte and a very important Buc k Mountain progress report an d development proposa l b y Ted Cadien an d Dav e Beale. Thank you , and....CLEAR SKIE S ! •- Ala n Dyer

20 uihcitV up ? the vge - uul - del • area

What area ? That's th e "Sagitta-Vulpecula-Delphinus" region , a trio of small embedded In the Milk y Way near Cygnus. It Is an area ric h In challenging objects fo r the deep-sky observer.

** CLAS S I OBJECTS ** power a s a small circular glow . Hig h power i s Bright, easy to find needed t o resolv e to resolv e this cluster . NGC 6940 in Vulpecula is also a very rich The showcas e objec t thi s mont h i s th e cluster bu t o f a mor e norma l siz e (20 ' i n famous Dumbbel l , als o known a s M27. diameter). At mag.8.2, this cluster is fainter than This objec t i s one o f the fines t example s of a some of the bes t Messie r clusters, but in a dark planetary nebul a to b e found anywhere in the sky NG C 694 0 i s a beautiful sight . sky. Eve n a 80mm o r 100m m scop e wil l reveal NGC 693 4 i s sout h o f th e mai n star s o f the distinctiv e shap e o f th e Dumbbell . Th e Delphinus. I t i s a globula r cluster , bu t on e Dumbbell i s made al l th e mor e interestin g b y typical o f "secon d class " globulars . Unlik e the rich field of stars in which i t is located. The spectacular globulars lik e M13 , M 3 or M5 , this Dumbbell i s a unique planetar y i n that i t is both one i s small (onl y 1.5 ' in diameter) an d fainter, very larg e an d ver y bright . On e reaso n i s it s though a t mag.9.2 it is still prominent in 15cm or proximity, onl y 100 0 ligh t years away. I n fact, larger scopes. the Dumbbel l is so prominent i t can b e seen in most finderscopes. The bes t way to locate it is ** CLAS S III OBJECTS ** to centr e the "arrowhea d star" of Sagitt a ( y Challenge objects Sagittae) i n your finde r an d mov e your scope straight nort h (up ) i n abou t 4.5 ° . NGC 682 0 i s a larg e patc h o f emissio n nebulosity surroundin g a poo r ope n cluste r After gazing at M27, retur n to 7 Sagittae . NGC 682 3 i n Vulpecula . Throug h a C-8 from Within your finder field now is the other Class I Buck Mtn. , this object wa s barely visible, even object thi s month , M71 . I t i s locate d i n th e with a nebular filter . middle of the distinctive arrow shape of Sagitta. M71 is a loosely concentrated globular cluster. NGC 684 2 is a moderately faint an d larg e planetary. At 50" x 45", the disk of this planetary Of mag . 6.9, it actually resembles a small, very is quite distinctive. rich ope n cluste r mor e than it does a globular. NGC 689 1 in Delphinu s i s fairly brigh t a t mag.11.1 but i s small, only 12 " in diameter. I t is ** CLAS S II OBJECTS ** easy t o mis s smal l planetarie s lik e thi s on e Fainter but distinctive when sweeping at low powe r (les s than 100x). The firs t Clas s I I objec t i s i n Vulpecula. NGC 690 5 i n th e north-wes t corne r o f NGC 680 2 is a fascinating little . I t Delphinus i s an unusual looking planetary, with is situated at the east end of a bright bu t sparse the Web b Society Handboo k describin g i t as a wide-field cluster, called Brocchi's cluster, also "small, distinct, haz y ellipse." I t is best seen at known as Collinder399or "the Coathanger. " In high power . contrast t o th e siz e o f Coll . 399 , NG C 6802 is NGC 700 6 i s a globula r cluste r nea r y very smal l (onl y 3.5 ' i n diameter ) an d fain t Delphinium. Bein g onl y 1.1 ' i n diamete r an d (mag.11). I t i s ver y rich , an d appear s a t lo w mag.10.3, thi s on e i s easily overlooked and is 21 CLASS

Type Mag. Size

M27 PN 7.6 8'x4' M71 GC 6.9 6.1'

Constellation Chart courtesy of Hubbard Press, Ltd.

CLASS

Type Mag. Size

6802 OC 11.0 3.5 ' 6940 oc 8.2 20 ' 6934 GC 9.2 1.5 '

CLASS II I certainly impossibl e t o resolv e i n amateu r telescopes. Th e reaso n fo r it s challengin g 6820 EN r nature i s it s distanc e — about 200,00 0 ligh t 6842 PN 13.6 50"x45' years away . Thi s i s on e o f th e mos t distan t 6891 PN 11.4 15"x7" globulars known , a s far awa y from th e Milk y 6905 PN 11.9 44"x37' Way as are the Magellani c Clouds. 7006 GC 10.3 1.1' the /olo r /y/te m

Apart from Venus which is nowdominating about 40 ° abov e the eastern horizon a t dawn. the early morning sky , all the other planets are Throughout September , Venus approaches the too clos e t o th e su n fo r observation . Venus sun with it s disk growin g eve r smaller an d its however, i s ver y wel l place d fo r observation , phase increasing to a gibbous phase . rising abou t 4 hours before the sun and bein g 22 /peciol event /

On Sept . 1, in the midst of 75th Anniversary is th e annua l Harves t Moon , an d i s usuall y a celebrations, ther e i s a daylight occultation o f striking sigh t loomin g i n the eas t as it rise s in Aldebaren b y th e las t quarte r moon . the blu e sk y o f evening . Photographi c Disappearance o f th e 1s t mag. star is at 1:02. 4 opportunities abound . PM MDT , reappearanc e o n the dar k lim b i s at 1:50.9 PM MDT. Try to catch this event and see a star i n th e daytim e Th e crescen t moo n i s very clos e t o brillian t Venu s i n th e earl y morning hour s o f Sept . 5 Curiously , th e Observer's Handbook list s bot h Sept . 9 an d Sept. 1 0 a s bein g Wednesdays , cancellin g Monday tha t wee k (du e t o lac k o f interest?) . Check pag e 4 7 o f th e Handboo k fo r details Jus t whe n we were getting use d to summer, w e hav e t o fac e th e fac t tha t i t i s already over . Autum n officiall y arrives a t 3:0 9 PM MDT on Sept . 2 2 Watc h for the rising of the full moon on either Sept . 23or Sept. 24. This ob/erving report /

This year' s Persei d meteo r observin g conditions excellen t at Buc k o n Friday , Aug.8. session, over the August 9/10 weekend at Buck Apart from heavy dew, fought off with the use of Mtn. me t with limite d success . Apparently, the new dew-caps for our C-8's, the skies were dark only meteor s observed were those seen on the and allowe d Dav e to continu e wit h hi s astro - preceding Frida y nigh t b y tw o observer s who photography, an d m e t o persu e m y deepsk y had gone out early Friday evening. The night of observing. I scoured through the summer Milky August 9 was clouded out . Eve n so, 9 peopl e Way fo r fain t "challeng e objects, " includin g showed up with a total of seven telescopes. The some interestin g planetar y nebulae . O n th e smallest scope wa s a 5", th e larges t a 12 1/2" , peak night of the Perseid shower itself, Monday, with severa l C-8's . Clou d wasn' t th e onl y August 11 , w e agai n venture d ou t t o Buck . problem. Severa l rabbits wer e in evidence, and Cloud rolle d i n about midnigh t but dissipate d more tha n on e observe r wok e u p Sunda y again around 1:3 0 AM.Sodespitethecloudswe morning t o fin d hi s wooden telescop e moun t were abl e t o observ e lot s o f meteors . Fro m covered with teeth marks! The weekend ende d 12:00 t o 12:1 7 (b y whic h tim e th e cloud s ha d with mor e clearin g bein g don e o n th e Lowe r essentially blocke d of f mos t o f th e sky) , I Site o f Buc k Mountain . observed 1 4 , in keeping wit h the usual ~ Dave Holmgre n peak rat e o f abou t 1 per minute . The showe r To add to Dave' s report, I might comment appeared active but no more so than it has been that Dav e Beal e an d I foun d th e observin g in the past few years. „ ^lan Dye r

23 ob/erving actMtie /

UPCOMING OBSERVER'S CORNER S Coming u p thi s month , th e Observer' s Corner o n Monday , Sept . 2 2 will b e a special session o n Observing Aids - Star Charts, Atlases, Finder Aids, plus a regular What's Up ? segment o n thi s month' s "constellation-of - themonth." I f you are just getting int o amateur astronomy an d observing , pleas e b e sur e t o attend this meeting as we think you'll find it very educational. Various members will be speaking on thei r experienc e wit h differen t brand s o f atlases and finder charts, reviewing their goo d and ba d points . This month' s Observer' s Corne r deal s wit h th e wealth of observing aids on the market. Once you find your wa y throug h these , yo u ar e o n you r wa y t o finding you r way aroun d the sky.

UPCOMING OBSERVING SESSIONS In September, the firs t tw o Saturday s are good dark-of-the-moon nights. Therefore, both Saturday, Sept. 6 and Saturday, Sept. 13 will be devoted t o grou p observin g sessions a t Buck Mountain. Everyon e i s invited , regardles s of whether or not you hav e a telescope. Come on Down th e star k corridor s o t th e 4t h Floo r o f th e out an d see what your Sit e looks like ! We'll be Physics BIdg. you'll find a room full of friendly people, observing from the ne w Lower Site and things all with a common interes t — amateur observing. get underway about sunset. On Sept. 13there is a crescen t moo n whic h set s abou t 9:4 6 PM . Though Saturday s are the scheduled nights for the grou p sessions , a fe w member s ma y b e heading ou t t o Buc k o n eithe r o f th e Frida y nights a s wel l t o mak e th e mos t o f th e weekend's observin g opportunities. Ther e will also likel y b e som e furthe r Sit e preparatio n work goin g o n durin g th e da y o n bot h Saturdays. You r assistanc e woul d b e mos t welcome. For mor e informatio n abou t Buc k That's Monday , Sept. 22 starting at 8:00 PM Mountain observin g and work session s during in RM.445 {4th Floor) of the Physic s BIdg., U.of September, o r i f yo u nee d a ride , pleas e cal l A. campus . A s always , fo r mor e information , Centre Presiden t Te d Cadie n a t hom e a t please cal l me. Fo r directions , se e th e ma p i n th e -- Dave Holmgren (436-2398 ) June, 198 0 Stardust. 24 ThE RoyAl DISCOVER ASTRONOMJCAI ThE SociEiy Of CANAd A UNIVERSE EDMONTON CENTR E

monthly genera l meetings monthly observer s group meeting s regular group observing session s use of th e EMersli e Observatory the annual P.ASC Observers Handbook STARDUST the RASC Journal an d Newsletter free admission to ail Planetarium shows

President Te d Cadlen Vice-President Dav e Belche r Treasurer Me l Rankln

RASC, EDMONTON CENTRE MEMBERSHI P APPLICATIO N FOR M Please accept my application for membership in the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, EDMONTO N CENTRE for 1981 . Enclosed is a cheque or money order for the appropriate fee: $20.00 for Adults; $12.00for Youths 1 7 and under. I understand that upon receip t o f my application and fee remittance, a membership card and a copy of the 1981 Observer's Handbook will be mailed to my address (o r can be picked up at the next monthl y genera l meeting) , and that I will b e placed on th e mailin g list s for RAS C publications . Name Address,

Postal Code Phone MAIL TO : Edmonto n Centre , RAS C c/ o Quee n Elizabet h Planetariu m C N Tower, 10t h Floo r 10004 - 10 4 Avenue Edmonton , Alberta T5 J OK1. Please make al l cheques payable to : Edmonton Centre , R.A.S.C . Thank * ! STARDUST EDMONTON CENTRE, Royal Astronomical Society of Canada c/o Queen Elizabeth Planetarium 10th Floor, C.N. Tower Edmonton, Alberta T5J OK1

GENERAL MEETING Monday, Sept. 15 at 8:00 PM Music Room, Edm. Public Library NOT SEPT. 8 AS PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED SPEAKER AN D TOPIC: Dr. David Routledge , University of Alberta "Canada's Very Long Baseline Array — A Radio Telescope From Sea to Sea."

OBSERVER'S CORNER Monday, Sept. 22 at 8:00 PM RM.445, Physics Bldg. U. of A. SPEAKER AN D TOPIC: Various member s o n "Star Charts, Atlases, an d other Observing Aids - a n Introduction to the Art of Observing."

OBSERVING SESSIONS Saturday, Sept. 6 Buck Mountain Saturday, Sept. 13 Buck Mountain A special STA R PART Y to inaugurat e th e new Centre Sit e at Buc k Mountain . Com e one, com e all ! ! See inside for details .

TO: