R I Z O O Vol. 14 Issue 1 LA SOCIÉTÉ ROYALE D’ASTRONOMIE DU CANADA New Brunswick Centre du Nouveau-Brunswick Winter 2013 H THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA N The Man behind the Image Roger Pitre One of our best astroimagers, master colli- The Great Orion Nebula (M42) by Roger Pitre mator, wheeler-dealer, scourge of the for- est, volunteer fireman, obedient husband, This shot was taken through my 70 mm f/6 Stellarvue refractor, reduced to f/4.8. The avid supporter of the barley/hops industry, camera was my SBIG ST2000, and this is a composite of images with exposures of 3 and life of the star parties. seconds to 5 minutes, through LRGB Astrodon filters. Photo courtesy of Emma MacPhee EVENT HORIZON Outreach Events Astronomy in New Brunswick SRAC/RASC Centre du NB Centre NB Astronomy Clubs March 16 STEM Expo Réunion / Meetings Réunion / Meetings Bliss Carman School ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- William Brydone-Jack Astronomy Fredericton When: March 9, 2013 13:00 Club (Fredericton) A local group of members meet in Freder- March 23 Earth Hour Where: UNB Fredericton icton monthly for meetings and observing. Forestry-Earth Science Building April 15 - 21 Astronomy Week 2 Bailey Drive, Room 203 When: March 12 at 19:00 April 9 at 19:00 When: April 13, 2013 13:00 April 20 International Astronomy Where: Fredericton, UNB Campus Day 2 Bailey Drive, Room 203 Where: Université de Moncton Engineering Building www.frederictonastronomy.ca Star Parties 2013 Room G148 --------------------------------------------------- When: June 1, 2013 13:00 Saint John Astronomy Club Kouchibouguac National Park May 31 - June 1 Where: Kouchibouguac Park Meetings consist of talks on constella- Outdoor Theatre tions, the solar system and other astronom- COW Mactaquac Provincial Park Of course it will be sunny! ical topics, as well as Show & Tell, ob- July 12 - 14 serving reports and maybe observing. When: June 15, 2013 13:00 When: April 6 at 19:00 Mount Carleton Provincial Park May 4 at 19:00 August 2 - 4 Where: UNB Fredericton Forestry-Earth Science Building The SJAC meetings are normally held 2 Bailey Drive, Room 203 on the first Saturday of the month at Fundy National Park Rockwood Park Interpretation Centre. August 30 - September 1 www.nb.rasc.ca www.sjastronomy.ca See Page 4 for details! SRAC NB RASC — Volume 14, Issue 1 — Page 2 Horizon: instruire, informer et inspirer President’s Report Grade 9 students at École L'Odyssée in for 40 Cubs and parents in Rothesay - by Curt Nason Moncton January 17, observing for 25 students October 21, observing for 15 members and parents of Rothesay Elementary As of the end of February, our Centre and parents of the Silly Frogs Junior January 24, presentation to 50 Grade 9 membership stands at 65. A few have Diabetes Group in Saint John students and teachers at École Sainte- dropped out over the winter for various October 21, observing for 5 residents Anne in Fredericton reasons, and we have one new member. of the Sainte Anne’s Retirement Home January 26, public observing for 40 Welcome to Douglas Margison in Freder- in Fredericton moonlight hikers at Irving Nature Park icton! Since the last newsletter, June Mac- October 23, observing for 6 students at February 12, presentation for 30 Bea- Donald has completed ten years as a mem- the Experimental Farm in Lincoln vers, Cubs and parents in Saint John ber, and Thomas Buckingham, Ted Gull October 31, presentation to 125 stu- February 13, presentation for 40 Grade and Mike Powell have completed five dents at Saint Rose Elementary School 6 students and teachers at Millidgeville years. Also renewing since the last news- in Saint John North Middle School in Saint John letter are Fran Alborg, Marc Arsenault, November 9, public observing for 50 February 26, observing for 30 Path- Holly Ayles, James Ayles, Dave Beaudin, people at Rockwood Park in Saint John finders, Guides and leaders at Rock- Adrien Bordage, Richard Bourque, Bob November 19, presentation and observ- wood Park in Saint John Bowser, Bruce Boyd, Angela Davis, Diane ing for 22 Guides and leaders in Grand DeGrâce, Ted Dunphy, Yvon Hachey, Bob Bay-Westfield Earth Hour is March 23 at 20:30, and As- Hawkes, Malcolm Jardine, Don MacPhail, November 20, presentation and observ- tronomy Week runs April 15 - 21. Think Mike Mersereau, Curt Nason, Joe Peters, ing for 25 Brownies and leaders in about what you can do on these occasions Eldon Rogers, David Ross, Detlef Ru- Quispamsis to introduce someone to the pleasures of dolph, François Theriault, and Chris November 27, STEM exhibition with astronomy. Weadick. Science East for 30 in Florenceville- Bristol area Our biennial election for Centre Council We continue to distinguish ourselves na- up to December 11, education sessions was held during the Annual Meeting in tionally in public outreach. Centre out- on light pollution abatement for 13 Moncton last October, and the results are reach events since the last issue of Hori- December 12, STEM exhibition and shown on the last page. I welcome Angela zon in October 2012 have been (date, observing with Science East for 150 in Davis to her first term as Councillor, and number of public participants, event): St. Andrews the return of Don Kelly to that position af- up to October 6, observing for 57 peo- January 14, 22 and 28, presentations ter a hiatus from Council. Thanks to the ple over nine sessions at Hanwell Ob- for 20 Grade 1/2 students and teachers others who have offered to continue to servatory at Rothesay Elementary School serve the Centre, and to Mandy Bregg for October 10, four presentations to 120 January 15, presentation and observing her work as Treasurer in 2011-2012. SRAC NB RASC — Volume 14, Issue 1 — Page 3 Horizon: to educate, inform, and inspire Notes from the Star Party and Mactaquac (as before). There is one change over the years. Perhaps the parks and Events Committee free site for two nights at Kouchibouguac may request that some kind of public - by June MacDonald for the organizer, and one free night for presentation be made, so we will play it by two other people who volunteer to help ear. During the evening public observing Plans are under way for the 2013 “Star during the weekend. You will need to con- someone will do a simple What’s Up for Party Season.” It’s a chance to not only get tact the Parks directly to book your the public, using a laser pointer to identify some observing in, but to socialize and get campsite. Please tell them you are with prominent objects and how to find things to know other members, check out others’ RASC NB so they will place us all in the in the sky. This will hopefully make it eas- astronomy equipment, talk about all things same area. Emma will get approval from ier for people to follow what they see at astronomical and introduce the public to the Department of Transport to use laser the eyepiece and to remember when they the wonderful world of the cosmos. A re- pointers at each of the parks. are on their own. minder will be sent out a month prior to each weekend. The dates are: We are looking to improve the signage so We will try to do a better job of counting the camping/observing site can be found how many of the public attend each week- Kouchibouguac: May 31 - June 1 more easily. We are also talking about us- end. This helps the parks and the commit- COW (Mactaquac): July 12 - 14 ing some identification so club members tee to make plans, and provides proof of Mount Carleton: August 2 - 4 can be easily identified by the public. We the public interest. Fundy: August 30 - September 1 will have Moon Gazers’ Guides and Star Finders, as well as a few other handouts Well, these are the plans so far. If you The weekends consist of solar and dark for the public. There are plans to make a have any questions or suggestions, please sky observing for the public and (after short list of familiar night sky objects to notify me at [email protected]. We hope public observing) members. There will be ensure the public gets to see these com- many of our members will be able to at- a Star BQ group supper at Mactaquac and mon sights, in addition to the more exotic tend our RASC NB family gatherings this Fundy. You are on your own for meals at deep sky objects. year and that they will be as successful as Kouchibouguac and Mount Carleton. Also last year. at Mactaquac, there will be a Swap Table Adrien will be organizing public solar ob- set up if anyone would like to bring along serving, so if anyone with the proper Your Star Party & Events Committee astronomy equipment to sell or swap. If it equipment can assist please notify him. turns out to be a popular activity it will Adrien will also be doing a Telescope June MacDonald continue next year and may become part Clinic on Saturday afternoon at some of Emma MacPhee the other star parties. the star parties. There will be no talks this Adrien Bordage year, as the talks last year were not as suc- Curt Nason (ex officio) There will be free camping only at Fundy cessful as had been hoped. This may SRAC NB RASC — Volume 14, Issue 1 — Page 4 Horizon: instruire, informer et inspirer Focus on… focused on it and it turned out to be Sat- ual hobby; you gotta love it to stick with urn!!! With the rings and a few moons!!! Diane DeGrâce it.