Tours are possible at some of these observatories – see links above
Deep Sky at IMAX, the story of James Webb space telescope is now on – Jeff Pivnick
Astronomy Day – out-of-date astronomy magazines and Observers Handbooks are good for giveaways, so don’t throw them out. Contact Jeff Pivnick (jeff.pivnick2@gmail.com)
Calendars for 2024 – some still available
Victoria Centre calendar (sorry sold out, but waitlist) – Joe Carr (web@victoria.rasc.ca)
RASC National Observers’ calendar and workbooks – Lauri Roche (roche.lauri@gmail.com)
Centre of the Universe Events – Lauri Roche
FDAO Telescope Clinic – thanks to all the volunteered last Saturday
Dec 9th – fundraising breakfast
Dec 16th – solstice party
Nebula from Gamma Cassiopeia, “the Ghost of Cassiopeia” IC59 & IC63 – astrophoto by Dave Payne
Observing Report
Fireball spotted by Dennis F’s wife at 6:40AM a few mornings ago. Widely reported in the region, but Sid Sidhu’s All-Sky camera didn’t capture the event.
Location: Bright Angel Park at rural and dark Cowichan Station, in the beautiful Cowichan Valley on southern Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
Gates will open at 2pm on Friday. Camp on the field, setup your telescope and bring binoculars to enjoy observing the night sky from a dark site.
Cost: Free of charge for drop-ins!Suggested donation of $20/Adult observers who camp overnight (cash only) – one night or two. Kids camp free.
Everyone who is present is entitled to tickets for door prizes, can attend planned activities and have access to the observing field. Prizes include a telescope!
Star Party Poster – please print it, stick it on your fridge and share with friends! PDFs: 8.5″x11″ & 11″x17″
Don’t want to camp? No problem…it’s no more than a 20-minute drive from most areas of the Cowichan Valley, and only a 45-minute drive from Victoria. Live out of town? Stay in one of the many guest houses, hotels and motels in the Cowichan Valley, however reserve early, since accommodation fills up during the summer.
Staying after dark? Please bring a red light with you – do not use white lights, including cellphone flashes!
Come observe the stars and the Perseid meteor shower from this dark site in the Cowichan Valley. Lots of amateur astronomers will be there to talk about astronomy and to help you observe celestial objects after dark. Observe the Sun (safely) during the day, and hike the trails, swim, play, and enjoy this natural treasure of a regional park. Two days/nights on the weekend – Friday Aug 11th starting at 2PM, all day and evening on Saturday Aug 12th. Camp overnight (1 night or 2), or just drop in for an evening of fun and fascination. A free event, but campers will be asked for a donation if staying overnight.
Schedule of Events
Friday Aug 11th
2:00 pm – Gates open
7:30 pm – Telescope tour
8:00 pm – Welcome and door prizes
8:30 pm – Speaker – Seeing is believing: capturing images of nearby solar systems – William Thompson
10:00 pm until dawn: observing! No white lights during this time, please
Seeing is believing: capturing images of nearby solar systems – William Thompson
Astronomers have now discovered over five thousand planets around other stars, ranging from scorching hot Jupiters, to puffy mini-Neptunes, and rocky worlds devoid of atmospheres. Now that we know planets are common, the next step is to learn more about them and compare them with our solar system.
In this talk, I will show how we can take pictures of nearby planets and present the latest developments in the quest to image planets just like our own.
William Thompson is an astronomy PhD candidate at the University of Victoria and an exoplanet hunter. He uses the techniques of direct imaging, radial velocity, and astrometric motion to find and photograph young giant planets, and to study their orbits. William will be joining the National Research Council this fall as a Herzberg Instrument Science Fellow, where he will continue to work on astronomical instrumentation and observational projects.
Saturday Aug 12th
Solar viewing – all day on the field
Nature Walk through the park trails – afternoon
7:30 pm – Telescope tour
8:00 pm – Door prizes
8:30 pm – Speaker – Probing the Universe with Type Ia Supernovae: legacy and future – Melissa Amenouche
9:30 pm – Public viewing of the night sky with telescopes on the field
10:30 pm until dawn: observing! No white lights during this time, please
Probing the Universe with Type Ia Supernovae: legacy and future – Melissa Amenouche
Type Ia Supernovae (SNeIa) are very luminous explosive events in the sky. They can be detected in very remote galaxies and are excellent distance indicators. In the late 90s, the accelerated expansion of the Universe was discovered using the measurements of SNeIa, revealing for the first time the existence of Dark Energy. Today, one of the main goals of modern cosmology is to understand its nature using SNeIa measurements combined with other cosmological probes.
In the past two decades, the number of SNeIa has drastically increased along with our understanding of these objects and their ability to indicate distances. And this will continue with the current and new generation of surveys like the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) and the Large Survey of Space and Time (LSST). I will review the ongoing efforts to unlock precise cosmological measurements with ZTF samples, many of which can be extended to LSST data, with a focus on key steps of the analysis.
Melissa completed her PhD in December 2022 in France. She is currently a postdoc fellow at NRC-Herzburg Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Centre involved in a new Canadian spatial telescope (CASTOR). She is also calibrating and simulating Type Ia Supernovae data from the Zwicky Transient Facility (a great telescope in California) to help answer key questions about our understanding of the Universe and its evolution.
Sunday Aug 13th
Cleanup – everyone please pitch-in & help
12:00 pm – departures by Noon please!
The Island Star Party is hosted by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, Victoria Centre, with support from the Cowichan Valley Starfinders.
Directions to the star party
Head west off the Trans-Canada Highway on Koksilah Road and turn right onto Tigwell Road. The park is at the end of the road. If you are driving a big vehicle, we suggest you turn west off the Trans-Canada Highway at Allenby Road, then turn left onto Koksilah Road and left onto Tigwell Road. This slightly longer route will avoid a low-clearance rail bridge on the more direct route.
Bright Angel Park, 4528 Tigwell Rd, Cowichan Station, BC
Lat 48° 44.0246′ N, Long 123° 40.5144’W
What to expect
Dark sky and red lights on the observing field
The night sky at this location is very dark, but there is a light dome to the north from the City of Duncan. Views in the other directions and overhead are excellent, and at this time of year Sagittarius is visible in the early part of the evening to the southwest.
There is limited camping on the observing field with your tent and car where telescopes and other astronomy gear can be set up. There is some power on the field for astronomy equipment and to charge small devices. Please do NOT park on the field with your vehicle if you plan to leave after dark! In this case, move your vehicle off the field after setting up, and park outside the gate on Tigwell Road with your headlights facing away from the field. The same parking request applies to visitors for the evening – park outside the gate and walk into the field.
Washrooms are a short walk from the observing field with sinks, toilets and urinals, but no showers. Red lights will mark the way at night along the forest trail.
Playground and workout gym on the observing field
Park gates are open from 7am – 9pm daily. Make sure your vehicle is outside the gates before 9PM if you plan to leave later on!
Explore the trails through the forest and along the Koksilah River – a nice way to spend the day. Good swimming too, although the river water is cold!
Pets are allowed in the park and at the star party, but must be under effective control of their owners at all times. If your dog knocks over an expensive telescope, you just bought it!
Drinking alcohol or smoking is not allowed in public areas of the park.
Trailers and motorhomes are not allowed in this regional park.
Dry summer conditions demand that no open flame be used. Please cook using a camp stove in the Picnic Shelter by the lower parking lot. No campfires or open flame please!
Although the observing field is flat, it is bumpy, so people with mobility issues may find some areas are not easy to navigate. The washrooms are accessible by using the trail through the forest and navigating a modest slope.
What’s nearby
Tim Horton’s fast food dine-in and drive-thru and a Co-op gas station and convenience store are both nearby at Bench Road and the Trans-Canada Highway.
Big box stores, grocery stores and malls are a short drive away in Duncan, Cobble Hill and Mill Bay.
Pizza and other fast food can be ordered from and/or picked up at numerous local establishments.
Espresso drinks and other fancy beverages are available in Duncan, Cowichan Bay, Cobble Hill and Mill Bay.
Whippletree Junction – a variety of eclectic stores that are worth a visit, located nearby on the highway.
The fascinating and historic Kinsol Trestle is a short drive from the park, where the Trans-Canada Trail crosses the Koksilah River. The trestle is an easy walk from the parking lot – level and accessible.
Wineries in the area are too numerous to mention individually! Look here: Wine Festival Specials
BC Forest Discovery Centre – steam trains, historic forestry equipment and local history – fun for all ages
Cowichan Bay village – fish boats, oceanfront restaurants and shops, whale watching, sea lions
2023 Island Star Party t-shirt
Island Star Party t-shirt
Fruit of the Loom quality cotton t-shirt, printed ink design. Men’s sizes in black: S, M, L, XL, 2XL. Sold out. A second order list is being taken, so contact Joe Carr – Email
Contact
Dave Payne – Email – mobile +1 (403) 874-1980 – Event Lead
After nearly three decades, the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada has announced that SkyNews will be shutting down at the end of February 2023. While it is sad to say goodbye, we are proud of the work that has been published and of the community that supported the magazine for so many years.
Update: The article I quoted above no longer appears on the national Skynews website. It appears the national RASC Board is still considering options about Skynews magazine.
As a life member of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC), I’m sad to see Skynews end. That said, I can reassure my fellow RASC Victoria Centre members that our local Skynews newsletter will continue to be published. It is the RASC National Skynews magazine (using the same name) which will no longer be published due to what appears to be a continuing poor market for speciality glossy publications. RASC tried to keep Skynews afloat and relevant after it was purchased from the previous publisher Terry Dickinson, but in recent years the magazine proved to be too much of a drain on the finances at the national level. The RASC National Board consulted with RASC Centre executive over the last few weeks, but in the end, this difficult decision had to be made.
Skynews provided a good balance of interesting articles, observing hints and tips, some cosmology, astronomy and space news, and a forum for night sky photography and gear reviews. Skynews was a less-intimidating entry point to astronomical subjects for beginning enthusiasts, and being focused on Canadian astronomy, it highlighted how to pursue our hobby from northern latitudes.
Skynews also provided an opportunity for RASC to reach out to people interested in astronomy who were not members. RASC Victoria Centre used the magazine at public events such as Astronomy Day to promote interest in astronomy to the wider community.
I hope some of the contributors to Skynews will find opportunities to continue to write about Canadian amateur astronomy, observing the night sky, and issues that affect us as astronomers. It would be great to see the skynews.ca Domain name be retained by RASC for the promotion of amateur astronomy in Canada. Perhaps the website could be used to encourage up-and-coming Canadian journalists who have an interest in astronomy and space. The Skynews Youtube channel is also a valuable asset worth nurturing and keeping up-to-date, but some resources from RASC will obviously be needed.
March 2, 2023 – I received my last issue of SkyNews magazine today, a week after posting my thoughts (above) about the loss and the possibilities going forward. It’s sad to read about Carina’s new column planned for astrophotographers, Phil Groff’s wish to finally be free of the pandemic restrictions to fulfill his plan to visit RASC members across the country, Nathan’s 2023 Galactic Travel Guide, and other articles giving observing hints and targets for the coming months under Spring skies. So much optimism that now goes up in smoke since SkyNews will no longer be there to help those of us who are amateur astronomers in Canada to pursue our passion.
Thanks go to all the current and past contributors to SkyNews, who made this publication come alive, and also thanks to the advertisers who supported the magazine. Finally, thanks to RASC National for owning and operating the magazine over the last few years.
Takahashi TOA – visual and photography configurations
12.5″ OGS RC – photography with a new 61 Mpix cooled camera, filters LRGB & narrowband
First light of the Moon – photo taken last night
Paramount mount still needs some service, but it’s working
COVID-19 Regulations – 4 members at the VCO, and 2 more members at the Plaskett parking lot. Active Observers should attest to being fully vaccinated to President Randy Enkin (president@victoria.rasc.ca) and cc to Chris Purse (membership@victoria.rasc.ca)
Member-In-Charge (MIC) – 2 spaces available for new volunteers. Training will be provided.
Update on James Webb Space Telescope – Chris Gainor
Last week, instruments turned on
First light on sensors
Calibrating the mirror segments is proceeding
History of Hubble – Chris Gainor
Chris will be receiving copies of the book
Requests can be sent to the Hubble Information Center – info-center@hq.nasa.gov
Observers Handbook 2022 – free one available from Joe Carr (web@victoria.rasc.ca)
Medical technology developed for this mission can be deployed in remote areas of Canada, and even primary care can benefit
Q&A
Radiation limits dictate that astronauts can only go to Mars once
Advice to students interested in space missions: physics, math, but skills diversity is important, personality traits (work with diverse community), health and fitness is important. Be persistent – may take 7-8 attempts to be selected as a Canadian astronaut
Canadian clinical research and remote health care – could result in a key role in space health – CSA’s Health Beyond Initiative
Most physiological effects can be recovered from by astronauts, but can take a year or two. Ionizing radiation is the biggest issue.
Spinning the spacecraft to create gravity isn’t going to happen due to engineering limitations
Test missions to a Lagrange Point and a nearby asteroid
Shielding research – NASA/Johnson and ICRP (upcoming Vancouver meeting)
Lunar Gateway – private partners like SpaceX are being used by NASA
2 flights for 2 Canadian missions to the Moon are in place – Artemis 1 and 2
Would JWST failure affect the Mars missions? Not really – the missions are separate.
6:15 pm – Welcome and door prizes, including two telescopes!
6:30 pm – Speaker: Archaeoastronomy – Rob Beardsell
7:30 pm until dawn: observing! No white lights during this time, please
Sunday 29th
Cleanup – everyone please pitch-in & help
Please, no parking in the church parking lot this morning in consideration of Church members attending their service!
12:15 pm – solar viewing for St. Stephen’s congregation
Early departures are appreciated!
Facilities
Camping on the observing field with your tent, trailer or motorhome – bare camping, no utilities on the field
Setup your telescope and other astronomy gear on the observing field
Some power is available on the field for astronomy equipment, but no RV plug-ins please!
Washrooms and porta-potties
Water, self-serve coffee & tea
Visitor and drop-in parking
Church hall for presentations
Please do NOT park on the field with your vehicle if you plan to leave after dark! In this case, move your vehicle off the field after setting up, and park in the parking lot with your headlights facing away from the observing field. The same parking request applies to visitors dropping in for the evening – leave your vehicle in the parking lot and walk into the observing field.
Star Party t-shirts
A very limited supply of RASCals Star Party t-shirts will be available for sale. Pre-order yours by contacting Joe Carr. Black t-shirts available in Men’s S, M, L, XL and 2XL sizes – $15 ea, and navy Kid’s t-shirts available in S & M ($13 ea). Please make cheques payable to RASC Victoria Centre.
Prizes
We always have good prizes, and this year will be no exception!
TWO telescopes to be won – a grand prize each evening
Binoculars
Gift basket from The Butchart Gardens
Celestial sleep masks
Astronomy books – coffee table & for observers
Fun, activity-oriented kids’ prizes
Celestron Inspire 100AZ Refractor telescope, including alt/az tripod, 2 eyepieces, red laser finder, smartphone adapter, red LED flashlight
Celestron C 90 Maksutov telescope (used, excellent optics, wooden tripod)
Celestron Skymaster 15×70 binoculars
Location
Star Party field map
What to observe
Map of the southern night sky for Sep 27, 2019 at 10PM
Gates will open at 2pm on Friday. Camp on the field and setup your telescope for two nights of fun!
Cost: Free of charge! Visiting observers who stay overnight: suggested donation of $20/Adult one day or two.
Everyone who is present is entitled to tickets for door prizes, presentations, and access to the observing field.
Prizes for kids and adults, including three telescopes! See below…
Don’t want to camp? No problem if you live in the Greater Victoria area…you can drive home after an evening of fun on the observing field.
Staying after dark? Please bring a red light with you – no white lights!
Observing Field at St. Stephens Church
Click image for slideshow of 2018 RASCals Star Party photos
Schedule of Events
Friday 7th
2:00 pm – Gates open
6:15 pm – Welcome and door prizes, including a telescope!
6:30 pm – Astro Cafe – Theme: Star Parties
Bill Weir will share experiences from recent Mt Kobau and Merrit Star Parties.
Miles and Dorothy Paul will describe highlights from the latest Oregon Star Party
Nelson Walker will discuss his planning process for observing sessions
Plus Show and Tell Session
8:00 pm until dawn: observing! No white lights during this time, please
Saturday 8th
Solar viewing – all day on the field
Afternoon presentation – TBA
5:00 pm – StarBBQ – burgers!
6:15 pm – Welcome and door prizes, including two telescopes!
6:30 pm – Speaker – David Lee will share his experiences, insights and beautiful images acquired on his recent trip to Kitt Peak Observatory in Arizona and during his time amongst the iconic Saguaro cacti.
8:00 pm until dawn: observing! No white lights during this time, please
Sunday 9th
Cleanup – everyone please pitch-in & help
Please, no parking in the church parking lot this morning in consideration of Church members attending their service!
12:15 pm – solar viewing for St. Stephen’s congregation
Early departures please!
Facilities
Camping on the observing field with your tent, trailer or motorhome – bare camping, no utilities on the field
Setup your telescope and other astronomy gear on the observing field
Some power on the field for astronomy equipment, but no RV plug-ins please!
Washrooms and porta potties
Water, self-serve coffee & tea
Visitor and drop-in parking
Please do NOT park on the field with your vehicle if you plan to leave after dark! In this case, move your vehicle off the field after setting up, and park in the parking lot with your headlights facing away from the observing field. The same parking request applies to visitors dropping in for the evening – leave your vehicle in the parking lot and walk into the observing field.
Star Party t-shirts
A very limited supply of RASCals Star Party t-shirts will be available for sale. Pre-order yours by contacting Joe Carr. Black t-shirts available in Men’s M or L sizes ($16 ea), white t-shirts available in Men’s S & XL ($12 ea), and white Kid’s t-shirts available in S & M ($12 ea).
2018 RASCals Star Party white t-shirt
2018 RASCals Star Party black t-shirt
Prizes
Bushnell 4.5″ reflector telescope – Friday night prize – donated by a RASC member
Sky-Watcher Virtuoso P114 4.5″ Matsukov telescope & computerized mount – Adult’s Grand Prize – Saturday night – donated by Quarky Science
Celestron Astromaster 130AZ 5” reflector telescope – Kid’s Grand Prize – Saturday night – donated by All-Star Telescope
Bushnell 4.5″ Reflector telescope
Sky-Watcher Virtuoso P114 4.5″ Matsukov telescope & computerized mount
September 7-9, 2018
