The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada

Sunshine Coast Centre

Past Events

• Featured Presentations
• Special Events
• Newsletters
• Meeting Minutes

Featured Presentations

• Serendipity in Astronomy or What the !!!! by Michael Bradley. [June 11, 2010]. Local member Mike gave an interesting presentation on Serendipity and its role in astronomical discoveries. You can download his presentation here.
• The Abbey Ridge Observatory by David Lane (RASC President). [October 16, 2009]. David came to Sechelt from Nova Scotia and gave an interesting talk on the observatory he's built in his backyard near Halifax as well as some of the research he's conducted into variable stars. See all the pictures here.

• What We Know, And Don't Know, About Global Warming by Dr. David Helfand. [September 25, 2009]. We had about 100 people attend this excellent talk by Columbia University Professor of Astronomy. David is also President of Quest University in Squamish. See all the pictures here.

• Galileo Galilei, His Life, His Times, His Legacy by Mike Bradley. [June 19, 2009]. You can download this presentation here.

• The Big Bang, Black Holes, Life, and all that by Dr. Marcello Pavan, TRIUMF. [April 24, 2009]. See all the photos here.

• Exploring the Binocular Universe by Gary Seronik. Gary should be a well known name around the 'Astronomy Kitchen' for his popular "Binocular Highlights" column in Sky and Telescope Magazine and his successful book of the same name. He is an award winning astronomy writer, an associate editor for Sky & Telescope magazine and contribuing writer to Sky News. He is an experienced observer and telescope maker whose favorite celestial object is the moon, and finding 'faint fuzzies' with his binoculars. See all the photos here. [March 27, 2009]

• Einstein's Special Relativity: The Why? What? And How? by Garth Jones, Professor Emeritus, Physics and Astronomy Department, U.B.C. Club presentation in PDF format. [November 24, 2006]

• This Hour has 13 Billion Years by Marcello Pavan, TRIUMF. Club presentation in PDF format. [October 27, 2006]

Special Events

• Fall Astronomy Day. [October 24, 2009]. See all the pictures here.

• August 29, 2009. 5th Annual Astronomy in the Park at Porpoise Bay Provincial Park. See all the pictures here.

• July 1, 2009. Our club had a float in the Canada Day Parade in Sechelt. See all the pictures here.

• May 2, 2009. We had more than 200 people visit us at our Astronomy Day exhibit at the Trail Bay Mall in Sechelt. See all the pictures here.

• April 4, 2009. Winegarden Park viewing + Gibsons Library exhibit. See photos.

• January 10, 2009. International Year of Astronomy Kick-Off Event (in Sechelt Library) with over 200 people in attendance. See photos.

• October 4, 2008. Astronomy Day 2008 (in Sunnycrest Mall). See photos.

• August 2007. The 3rd Annual Astronomy in the Park at Porpoise Bay Provincial Park. See photos.

• August 18, 2006. The 2nd Annual Astronomy in the Park was a huge success due to the terrific amount of work put in by club members. Although the number of visitors was down slightly from last year we had full amphitheatre show. Add to this the day visitors and a good estimate would be 600. The Astronomy dinner was a huge improvement on last years pizza and was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone who sat at the table. We made the CBC news although we have no idea how they got the story. Our Local media were in attendance interviewing and taking photographs so next weeks papers should have something on the Festival. I have an 8" Planisphere that was handed in so if anyone is missing one let me know. Thanks Guys - Great Day.    See Photos    See Press - in PDF

• May 6, 2006: Astronomy Day. Congratulations to all Club members for a great day at the Trail Bay Mall. By 2 pm we had run out of application forms (75) and Debra had to dash to the Copy Shop to get more copied. The booth was busy all day and it was just a pity that the weather did not cooperate for a viewing period. The press showed up at around 1:30 pm and our youngest member, Jarid (9), posed among the scopes.    See Photos   

• August 2005: First Astronomy in the Park covered in the local paper.    See Photos    The Local    The Coast Reporter

Newsletters

• Christmas 2006 Newsletter
• December/January 2005

Meeting Minutes