Home

RASC eNews

Announcements

Cloudy Nights Spotlights RASC's 2013 Observer's Handbook

Acclaim for the 2013 Observer's Handbook continues to pour in, as the popular astronomy review site Cloudy Nights has praised the publication for both its breadth of information and ease of use. 

According to reviewer Tom Trusock, the 2013 Observer's Handbook "is a one of a kind resource that every amateur should have at their fingertips."

There are only a limited number of copies of the Observer's Handbook 2013 left so we suggest you take Trusock's advice and "Just get it. And sooner rather than later."

Read more
Announcements

New RASC Server Operational

The Information Technology Committee is pleased to announce that the RASC is now running on a new and improved server infrastructure which is supporting the www.rasc.ca website, our email domain and mailing lists. The new server boasts improved processing, speed and memory and also includes the ability for the Society to mirror our operational server and create test environments for development.

Many thanks to Past President Dave Lane for spearheading the acquisition and installation of the new server along witih Craig Levine's support as the Server Steward.

Read more
Astronomy Outreach

RASC Vice-President Colin Haig talks up Asteroid on CTV

Click on the image to view the video (approximately 4 minutes).

Colin Haig talks up asteriod Apophis with CTV on January 9, 2013

 

Read more
Across the RASC

RASC Vice President Colin Haig Speaks to CTV About Asteroid Apophis

While there's little chance of a collison, astronomers around the world will be watching the skies tonight as asteroid Apophis (which caused a mild panic in 2004 after predictions of its possible impact) passes within 15 million kilometres of the Earth.

Read more
Across the RASC

Sad news from Calgary Centre

Dick KnowlesThe Calgary Centre Council regrets to announce that the Calgary Centre has lost one of its long time members. Dick Lowndes passed away suddenly on Saturday, December 29 in Calgary. Dick and his wife Marg were regulars at almost all of Calgary Centre’s events. In addition to his regular volunteering at public outreach events, Dick was an active member of the Calgary Centre’s Council for years, including a role on the Executive as our Treasurer.

Read more
Northern Skies

The Sky This Month - January 2013

Crispy Cold Nights

Happy New Year everyone. As I wrote a few months ago, 2013 will be the year of brilliant comets including C/2012 S1. If the predictions hold, the comet will be a binocular object in August and moving up to naked eye status by November when it peaks at month’s end. Astronomers estimate C/2012 S1 will outshine the full moon thus becoming the brightest comet in history and be seen during the day. Only time will tell and is still many months away.

Read more
Announcements

Light Pollution Report Reveals Environmental Impacts

Toronto, Canada (December 12, 2012) – While awareness of man-made pollutants and their environmental impact may be rising exponentially, one source of contamination remains largely unaddressed. Light pollution is the wasteful and obtrusive emission of artificial light, and it can have disastrous consequences for the affected local environments.

Read more
Announcements

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA will host a media teleconference at 11 a.m. PST (2 p.m. EST) on Monday, Dec. 3, to discuss the latest findings and travels of NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft.

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA will host a media teleconference at 11 a.m. PST (2 p.m. EST) on Monday, Dec. 3, to discuss the latest findings and travels of NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft.

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2012-379

PASADENA, Calif. -- The next news conference about the NASA Mars rover Curiosity will be held at 9 a.m. PST(12 p.m. EST) Monday, Dec. 3, in San Francisco at the Fall Meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU).

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2012-377

Read more
Northern Skies

The Sky This Month - December 2012

Long Cold Nights

 

Here we are – the last month of 2012. If you do not have a blanket of snow on the ground where you live, it is only a matter of time till it arrives. But before that happens, let’s do some late autumn observing. Cetus the Whale is the fourth largest constellation in night sky. Within its 1,231 square degrees lie more than 50 NGC objects down to magnitude 12.0 with that number tripling when you go down to 13th magnitude.

 

Read more
Across the RASC

Award Nominations

Do you know someone who has done outstanding work in the RASC? Do they qualify for one of the RASC’s national awards? A list of national awards is given below. Please look within your Centre, and among our unattached members, for those bright and shining stars that deserve recognition. Go to www.rasc.ca/rasc-awards to check the requirements for these national awards, think about the contributions of those hard working RASC members that you know, and nominate them for an award. Now is the time!

Read more

RASC eNews is maintained by the Membership & Development Committee. To submit a news item, contact the eNews team.

Syndicate content