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by
Nelson Walker
Here�s hoping for all of us and ours a happy and healthy new year, complete with
dozens upon dozens of observing opportunities; opportunities which are
traditionally completely lacking here in the months of October, November and
December. This being a �new beginning,� at least insofar as the calendar is
concerned, it is a good time to remind ourselves of what lies ahead of us for
the next two years, plus pat ourselves on the back a bit.
First is continuing public outreach. Our tent with telescopes set up in front
has become a fixture at local events of all kinds. Name an event, a fair, a
celebration, a hobby festival, and we are likely there, a hard-core group of
members gathered together by Sid and Sherry to share their enthusiasm for
astronomy with the public. Our gathering last June in front of the BC Museum
with a dozen telescopes to see and show others the Transit of Venus comes to
mind. And not only are we on the street, and on summer evenings at the Centre of
the Universe, or at UVic on Astronomy Day, we are in the classroom. Sid and
Lauri and their School Telescope Program
boggle the mind. Throughout the school year they assist teachers with astronomy
teaching and, if they are lucky, present night sky viewing events for students
and parents. These outreach efforts are the almost the �soul� of our club.
Next is at least one ongoing �project:� John McDonalds�s plan to confront the
issue of light pollution, and put it �on the front burner.� That is just where
we have it. A committee led by Mark Bohlman has been involved in at least three
major initiatives over the last two years: mapping light pollution throughout
Victoria, providing input to the University of Victoria regarding the lighting
of its new sports complex and parking structure, and working with the
Municipality of Oak Bay regarding the establishment of an Urban Star Park at
Cattle Point. Night Lighting
Next are continued observing opportunities. Our own observatory is open to
members at least once each week, weather permitting, with an impressive array of
telescopes and other equipment. We host a Messier Marathon and a summer star
party. We have, for the first time ever, an observing chair, Bill Weir.
To this already impressive schedule, plus our usual schedule of
monthly meetings, complete with guest
speakers, we have added, for summer 2014, hosting of the RASC National General
Assembly, the year chosen to coincide with the centennial year of Victoria
Centre. The event will be held at the University of Victoria. A committee is in
place, led by Paul Schumacher.
While the effort to keep all of these balls in the air may tax even the
considerable dedication of our most enthusiastic members, there is more. At a
minimum, we must renew Lauri�s efforts to increase membership and our efforts to
help members earn RASC observing certificates.
I have doubtless temporarily forgotten some project or initiative (for example
the technical committee�s ongoing effort to enable the VCO for remote operation,
but, even so, plenty of work lies ahead. Our reward is a club that we can be
proud of, with a long history, that enjoys a fortuitous connection with a
university, an observatory, and an institute of astrophysics and what have
turned out to be some of the most active astronomers in the world. We are lucky
indeed.
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