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                         THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA
                      STANDING COMMITTEE ON OBSERVATIONAL ACTIVITIES

BULLETIN I                                                                    MARCH, 1966
                                  VARIABLE STAR SECTION

Variable star observing is one of the most productive fields for the amateur, and undoubted-
ly well organized from an international standpoint. The American Association of Variable
Star Observers (AAVSO) serves as the global clearing house for observations. With head-
quarters located in Boston, Massachusetts, a full-time staff reduce, plot estimates and
supply many institutions with light curves of approximately 1,000 variable stars.

Virtually all amateur variable star observers belong to, or use the charts of, the AAVSO.
We are fortunate that such a large and competent association has been developedo In view
of this, it is not my intention to complicate matters by co-ordinating or soliciting
observations from AAVSO observers located in Canada.

Instead, I shall attempt co-ordination of the observers themselves. Exchanges of letters
between variable star observers across Canada is nil. What size of telescopes are employed!
Has photography an application to variable star observing? Do you need confirmation of the
elusive minimum? And, most important - who is observing which stars and for how long?

A list of members, their locations, and completed observations follows:
                      R.A.S.C. VARIABLE STAR OBSERVERS, 1961-1965
     OBSERVER                           CENTRE                      NO. OF OBSERVATIONS

*Hugh Ross                            Vancouver                             2433
*Raymond Thompson                     Toronto                               1903
*Francis Morgan                       Montreal                              1259
 Christopher Spratt                   Niagara Falls                          999
 Terry Dickinson                      Toronto                                767
*G. L. Fortier                        Quebec                                 540
 D. A. Sherwood                       Member at Large                        537
*M. Lattey                            Member at Large                        456
 J. G. Craig                          Hamilton                               265
 John Baxter                          Toronto                                209
 N. Hutchings                         Member at Large                        108
 David McAuslan                       Quebec                                  82
*D. J. FitzGerald                     Toronto                                 79
 Leslie Sheldon                       Hamilton                                62
 R. Hawkins                           Montreal                                54
 Jim Low                              Montreal                                45
 10 other observers under 40                                                  96
                                               TOTAL FOR THE 5 YEARS        9894
*Denotes currently active observers.

According to AAVSO records, Canada has more variable star observers than any other country
outside the U.S.A.

I will be sending a letter to each active observer in the R.A.S.C.; the frequency of these
bulletins will depend largely on your response.

                                                           Terence Dickinson,
                                                           NATIONAL VARIABLE STAR CO-
                                                                                ORDINATOR,
                                                           16 Palamar Road,
                                                           Downsview, Ontario.