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November 2014
First Light for 21cm Observing
at the Okanagan Observatory!
by Hugh Pett
Tuesday, November 11, 2014 , the day a new band in the electromagnetic spectrum opened at our
Observatory. No longer are we limited to observing the 700-400nm band (a.k.a. “visible light”); at 21cm the
skies are always clear.
From a dream in June 2011, to reality this month, it has been a long journey. Many, many hours of
searching for solutions to problems, collaborating with some very knowledgeable people, and learning a great
deal led to the moment of truth. As the computer trace moved slowly across the screen, showing an
unchanging signal level, I went to the dish to connect the amplifier in the focus box (the piece of larger white
plastic pipe in the photo). Almost afraid at what might NOT happen, the
walk back to the south end of the Support Building was tense. AND
THERE IT WAS! a clear large jump in the strength of the signal.
Then the long (10 minutes!) wait to see if there was anything
arriving at the dish from our Milky Way Galaxy. I must have been
breathing for the 10 minutes, but as the plot of the signal frequencies
appeared, and there was a nice hint of the expected size and shape, I
started to relax. Not only was there a signal, but there was MUCH LESS
noise from the area
around the dish,
another hoped-for
benefit from
observing off Big
White Road.
There are still many more hours of work to achieve a fully-functional radio telescope, able to point
and track anywhere in the local sky. But the big hurdle at the beginning is now behind me.
One hope is that the radio telescope will be sufficiently powerful and capable that university and other
students may use it to do real science. Time will tell.
I publish a newsletter, RAdius, about the radio telescope project; this provides a place to go into much
more detail. If you would like to receive RAdius, please let me know: [email protected]
Observing Reports
Please send your observing notes and articles to me, any time of the month. I will include as many
as possible in the next issue of the Focus.
Your submissions are better if they give lots of personal details about your observing experience,
more than you would normally send out to the astrookanagan emailing group, for example. The Focus does not
attempt to duplicate the reporting done via astrookanagan, nor should it. This is the forum for, perhaps, a more
in-depth look at what you did, happenings special to you, more information on how you did the observing.
I will gladly work with you to polish up your submission, but you must provide the starting point.
Hugh Pett, Editor, Okanagan Centre’s newsletter the Focus; [email protected]
Fall 2014 Upcoming Outreach Opportunities in Kelowna
At the Rotary Cancer Lodge, we offer a presentation and telescope viewing the second Tuesday of each
month starting at 6:30 pm. Next event is Dec 9.
Other fun ways to spend your fall:
Dorothea Walker
Monday, Nov 24, 7 pm,
telescopes
Blarney Stone at Big White
Saturday, Dec 6, 5-10 pm,
telescopes
Mar Jok Elem
Thursday, Dec 11, 6:30 pm, telescopes
Okanagan Observatory
every clear Friday night (until the snow is too deep, or the temperature too cold)
Please let me know which events you will be attending.
I have started an Outreach Calendar on our AstroOkanagan Google email discussion site. If you would like
access to this, please let me know.
2015 RASC-OC Gala
There is plenty of planning involved and we need volunteers to assist in the many aspects of
hosting this event. This includes event promotion, ticket sales, acquiring items for the charity auction, etc.
The 2015 Okanagan Centre Annual Dinner Gala is to be held in Kelowna on Saturday May 23, 2015.
Our scheduled speaker is Bob MacDonald. Yes, the CBC Radio host for Quirks and Quarks. It will be
an entertaining evening with a blend of social activity and interesting information.
We need additional volunteers. This is where you come in. Please join us!
Email me, and I will put your name on the emailing list to receive information about meetings,
activities, etc.
In 1961, a very famous person once said: “Ask not what your astronomy club can do for you - ask what you can
do for your astronomy club”. (I may have slightly misquoted the speech).
David Hawkins
[email protected]
Lead Chairperson
Meetings Schedule
Meetings held in Penticton on Thursdays (First Thursday of the month in 2014/15)
Okanagan College – Penticton Campus, Sunoka building, Room C02. See map.
December 4, 2014
7:15 at OC
January 8, 2015
7:15 at OC
February 5, 2015
7:15 at OC
March 5, 2015
7:15 at OC
April 2, 2015
7:15 at OC
May 7, 2015
7:15 at OC
May 23, 2015
Gala Dinner/Auction/Speaker; Kelowna 5:00pm
Meetings held in Vernon on Wednesdays (Last Wednesday of the month)
OSC - Okanagan Science Centre , 2704 Hwy 6, Vernon See map.
December 17, 2014
7:15 at OSC
January 28, 2015
7:15 at OSC
February 25, 2015
7:15 at OSC
March 25, 2015
7:15 at OSC
April 29, 2015
7:15 at OSC
May 23, 2015
Gala Dinner/Auction/Speaker; Kelowna 5:00pm
June 24, 2015
7:15 at OSC
Meetings held in Kelowna on Tuesdays (Second Tuesday of the month in 2013 /14)
Okanagan College Science building at Okanagan College KLO Road, Kelowna. See map.
December 2, 2014
7:30 at OC
January 6, 2015
7:30 at OC
February 3, 2015
7:30 at OC
March 3, 2015
7:30 at OC
April 7, 2015
7:30 at OC
May 5, 2015
7:30 at OC
May 23, 2015
Gala Dinner/Auction/Speaker; Kelowna 5:00pm
Kelowna, Tuesday December 2, 2014
7:30 at Okanagan College Kelowna Campus, KLO Rd., Lab Building, Room C368
Constellation of the Month
Due to the length of the main presentation there will be no COTM this month
Main Presentation
Since the 1998 discovery that the expansion of the Universe was accelerating, we have been dogged by the
questions of" why" and "for how long". In an effort to address those, the Dominion Radio Astrophysical
Observatory in collaboration with UBC, McGill University and the University of Toronto is conducting The
Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment at the White Lake Observatory. Called CHIME for short,
this experiment will measure the density of neutral Hydrogen atoms at a distance of from 7 to 11 billion light
years and create a 3-dimensional map from the data.
We are fortunate that Wendell Schuster from DRAO is able to come and give us the full scoop on the
progress so far.
Don't miss this opportunity to learn everything that you've always wanted to know about BAOs.
Elected Officers
President David Player
1st V.P. Vernon Jerry Thompson
2nd V.P. Penticton Dave Whalley
3rd V.P. Kelowna Olaf Lutz
Treasurer Dennis Krause
Secretary Dennis Krause
Observatory Director Guy Mackie
Librarian Colleen O’Hare
National Representative Richard Christie
Directors
1
Jim Failes
2
Raffaele Scotto Sachianca
3
Wes Quist
4
Grant Thompson
5
6
Past President Colleen O’Hare
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
250-542-8603
250-485-0010
250-863-0187
250-763-2677
250-763-2677
250-469-3112
250-763-3573
250-762-5445 x4484
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
250-763-6962
250-307-6196
778-436-9441
250-490-1222
[email protected]
250-763-3573
[email protected]
250-762-3858
[email protected]
[email protected]
250-768-2893
250-494-8615
[email protected]
250 765-7502
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
250-307-6196
250-558-0845
250-763-3573
250-492-2572
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
250-762-5445 x4484
250 765-7502
250-494-8615
250-494-8615
Appointed Positions
Focus Editor Hugh Pett
Webmasters
Andrew Bennett
Dave Gamble
Membership Secretary
RASC merchandise Frank Stariha
Outreach Coordinators
Vernon
Raffaele Scotto Sachianca
James Kanester
Kelowna Colleen O’Hare
Penticton Al Fishler
Picture of the Month
Richard Christie
Frank Stariha
Zenfolio Manager Dave Gamble
What's Up Contributor Dave Gamble
Clothing, New Items, Styles and Colours!
Check out the Zenfolio pictures of the Okanagan Observatory’s new line of clothes! T-shirts ($20), Polos ($40),
Hats ($15) and anything else you like from the catalog. To find the pictures go to
http://rascoc.zenfolio.com/p246016613.
Let me know if you would like to order anything. ([email protected])
Things to Buy
-RASC toques, good quality, one size fits all, with RASC logo. Perfect for those chilly viewing nights. $14.
-RASC full-colour stickers, $2.50 each.
-Welders glass, 2 ¼” by 4”, ideal for solar viewing.
-White RASC tee-shirts, with logos. Available in medium, large, and extra-large. A perfect companion for
your black Okanagan Observatory tee-shirt. $15.
-Beginners Observers Handbooks, $15.
-Planispheres, an invaluable item for charting the heavens, $15.
-RASC key chains (everyone can use one), $3.
-RASC Baseball caps, two white, one navy (if you really want to look like a police SWAT team member), $14
each.
Also available are some miscellaneous items, including cloth crests, lapel pins, mugs, and one RASC golf shirt.
All these items can be purchased at RASC meetings in Kelowna from Frank Stariha, purveyor of Fine
Astronomical Merchandise, or by contacting Frank at [email protected].
Telescope Package for sale!
contact Percy Crosthwaite, 250-594-5858, [email protected]
asking $ 2300 for the package
11069
18774
04200
07722
93527
LC
15188
Nextstar 8 SE Celestron
Power Tank 7 AH-12V
FlexSheild
Solar Filter
Diagonal 2” XLT-SCT
Laser Collimator w/sideview
Scope Cloak
$ 1349.95
$74.95
$39.95
$139.95
$169.95
$ 49.95
$ 79.95
1-EN5-20/0
1-EN4-12/0
PMt – 2200
2ND13
Eyepiece 20.0 mm Nagler Type 5
Eyepiece 12.0 mm Nagler Type 4
Powermate 2.0x
Green Lazer Pointer
2” Density Filter
$539.95
$429.95
$359.95
$99.95
$29.95
#7675 07227
FURB
#7056 92110
#13756 94005
EZ Finder
Red Dot Finder
Observing chair ( Not used )
Celestron StarSense
$69.95
$9.9
$ 129 95
$349.95
Accessory Package
Contact: Roland Oliynyk (250-808-6800) or [email protected].
Prefer to sell as one package: $500.
BinoViewer
8aK4 Burgess Optical
Eyepiece( 2 units) for Binoviewer
Edge-On 19mm Flat-Field Orion
Eyepiece (2 units) for Binoviewer
20 mm Bino-Lites Burgess Optical
Eyepiece (1 Unit) Super Plossl
26mm Multi-Coated Meade
Eyepiece (1 unit) E-lux 25mm Plossl
Celestron
Eyepiece (1 unit) 8mm
Radian Tele Vue
Eyepiece (1 unit) 13mm Ethos
100deg Tele Vue
Lens (1 unit) 2X Barlow Lens
Lens (1 unit)
Moon filter ND. 13 Antares
Lens Case (1 unit) Orion
Astronomer Chair
For sale – 8” Celestron reflector telescope (CPCseries)
Telescope comes with locking case holding 40mm, 25mm & 15mm
eye pieces, 2x Barlow lens, black, orange, green & blue filters as
well as red/white flashlight.
There is a power connector to use with a nearby outlet as well as a
rechargeable battery unit to use as an alternate power source.
Also included is a manual and the original boxes the telescope was
purchased in.
Asking $1,250 (or best offer) (purchased in 2008 for $2,500)
Contact Jim Gray at 250-768-1404
NOTE: Colleen O'Hare (President, RASC-OC) monthly sends out a report, containing some material not
presented in the Focus. Do email her if you are not yet receiving her monthly report: ([email protected])
The Focus newsletter of the RASC Okanagan Centre is published on the 15th of each month, September
to June. Deadline for submitting material to the Editor, Hugh Pett ([email protected]), is the 8th of
the month.
NOTE: December Focus will publish on December 18, not the 15th.
Submission deadline is December 11.