I mentioned outreach would be the focus of a future message. At its heart, outreach is core to the modern service mission of the RASC and has defined my time with the organization.
It’s no surprise I’m going to focus on it now with Astronomy Day around the corner on May 3! You will hear much more about that from the event organizers but I just have to reiterate that Astronomy Day is a wonderful opportunity to connect with the community and share some of the joys that astronomy brings to all of us. It takes an incredible amount of work to put on these events and Astronomy Day always sticks out as not only a standalone success, but often marks the return of clear skies and the start of the regular summer star parties at the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory and other initiatives we put on through the year.
Now, speaking of outreach, you may be surprised at how intertwined it is with our history. Before the DAO was completed in 1918 there had already been several public groups that travelled to the site. The first occurred in 1915 with luminaries from the local community visiting the site on the newly installed road. The second major visit was the newly formed RASC membership touring the now completed building and mechanical parts in October 1916. J.S. Plaskett served as the first honorary president, with W.E. Harper, R.K. Young, C.S. Beals, J.A. Pearce and other astronomers regularly becoming members and serving key roles as they joined the staff. All of this matters because from the opening of the DAO public were welcomed to the hill during daylight hours and for two hours of viewing each Saturday night. These were traditions carried from the earlier Dominion Observatory built in Ottawa, and continue to the modern RASC Victoria. I will likely write more on outreach at the DAO in future columns, so suffice to say it was deeply entrenched.
In 2013 RASC with the fledgling Friends of the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory took the lead in re-igniting public programming at the DAO after the Centre of the Universe faced closure. It’s when I first took interest in public outreach, giving me the incredible opportunity to operate the same telescope I was writing my thesis on. These public nights have been running since then alongside the continually expanding programs for local schools, the local community and tourists put on by the FDAO.
While an important focal point, the activities on Observatory Hill are only a snapshot of the efforts put in by RASC members. The infamous school program, eclipses (yes Randy, solar AND lunar), sidewalk astronomy, the annual RASC Star Party and the Saanich Fair are all examples of how public outreach has continued to grow for the society. I hope everyone has an opportunity to enjoy Astronomy Day, whether as a volunteer or attendee, and that it sets the stage for another summer of meaningful connections with the local community.