The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada and the Royal BC Museum present

Astronomy Day

at the Royal BC Museum

Saturday, April 25, 2015 10AM to 4PM

Amazing Astronomical Activities for all Ages!

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All Astronomy Day activities are FREE

Regular admission applies to Royal BC Museum and IMAX Theatre.

Please print the poster and stick it on your fridge as a reminder, and print a second one and post it in a local store!

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Royal BC Museum – 10AM to 4PM

 

Outdoor Displays

1. Solar Telescopes. Learn how to look at the sun safely. Can you spot the “Spots”?
2. Walk through the Planet Model Display from the Sun through to the dwarf planet, Pluto.

Indoor Interactive Displays

1. Astrophotography- bring along your camera to get some tips on how to take your own photographs of the night skies.
2. Learn how to grind a mirror to make your own telescope. You can even try it out.
3. Find out about different types of telescopes and binoculars. Which ones might be right for you?
4. Science Venture is back! Kids of all ages will have fun with the staff from UVIC’s Science Venture program. It’s usually messy but awesome.
5. Test your space ‘wits” with a science quiz. Often the Truth is stranger than fiction!
6. Come and find out what students from Pearson College of the Pacific and the University of Victoria Astronomy Programs will bring with them to explore this year.
7. Check out what you know about constellations with the “Stellarium” Planetarium program.

Kids? Stay for a while at the craft table and see what robot you can invent. Let your imagination run wild.

Lecture Series in the Newcombe Conference Hall

• 11:00 am The New Horizons Spacecraft presented by J.J. Kavelaars, NRC Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics
• 2:00 pm The 25th Anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope presented by John Blakesee NRC Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics

IMAX Movies – More Astronomy and Space Science for International Astronomy Day (Regular admission applies)

• 10 am, 1 pm and 4 pm HUBBLE 3D – HUBBLE recounts the amazing journey of the Hubble Space Telescope. Accompany space walking astronauts as they attempt some of the most difficult tasks ever undertaken in NASA’s history.
• 11 am, 2 pm and 5 pm JOURNEY TO SPACE – Blast through the stratosphere, past the far reaches of the Shuttles, satellites and space labs. farther than the moon landers could possible venture…into a sea of stars on a round trip journey to Mars.
• 7 pm INTERSTELLAR – If you want to experience the journey of ‘Interstellar’, you’ve got to see it in IMAX.

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Join us for a special opening of the Centre of the Universe and the Observatory, Observatory Hill, West Saanich Road

8PM to 11PM

• 7:30 pm Gates open – Please follow all directions for parking from the Commissionaires
• 7:30 to 8:15 pm – Solar viewing (weather permitting) with the RASC, CU Deck and Parking Lot
• 7:30 to 10:30 pm
  • Centre of the Universe building (CU) opens – exhibits, displays, Planetarium shows
  • Plaskett Telescope Tours begin – historical photos, AV presentations
• 8:00 pm – Lecture Presentation in the Auditorium, CU building “Canada’s Top-Ranked Status in Astronomy” – Dr. Dennis Crabtree, NRC Herzberg
• 9:00 pm – Lecture Presentation in the Auditorium, CU building “Future Space Telescopes for Canada” – Dr, John Hutchings NRC Herzberg
• 9:00 to 10:45 pm
  • Night-sky viewing with the RASC (weather permitting), CU deck and Parking Lot
  • “Constellation Walks”, Parking Lot
• 9:30 to 10:45 pm – Plaskett Telescope Opens ( weather permitting) – Deep Sky Observing in the Dome
• 10:00 pm – Last entrance for visitors – Lower gate closes
• 11:00 pm – Observatory Hill Closes

We are only allowed to have 200 visitors up on Observatory Hill at any one time. Please follow the directions of the Commissionaires and RASC volunteers at the entrance gate. We apologize in advance if you need to wait for a time to be let in for this event. We are opening the Hill for 11 more Saturdays in the spring, summer and fall of 2015 so if you don’t get in this evening there are many more to come!

Please observe the No Smoking rules on the hill at all times.