BCAS Members Info ~ What We Do
International Year of Astronomy BCAS Events 2009 ~ pdf file
BCAS Events Descriptions
by Sheila Sz., 2006-2007 President
article written in 2007
Meetings We meet the 1st Wednesday of each month (excluding January and February - bad weather months). Speakers include topics on various subjects related to astronomy. We pay $50 for an out-of-town speaker's car fuel so it is thrifty to "get around that" whenever possible ie: by using ppl already visiting in the area and using our local resources as much as possible.
Fundraising Each meeting our club does some very small on-going fundraising projects all year long. Members are not obliged to participate in these projects but they do help all members when we use the money to give back to the membership (ie: providing telescopes and other stuff for loan, providing entrance fee to Starfest's Wed. meeting, providing some speakers to meetings, providing club insurance, supporting clear sky clocks, providing club starparty, etc.) Our projects include: A) paying $1 per coffee and paying $1 per snacks at the meeting (when these are provided within our room rental). B) paying $1 at the door at each meeting you attend. C) playing 50/50 games D) collecting Zehrs tapes for refund E) selling RASC calendars to members for a profit F) selling s.w.a.g. (shirts, hats, mugs etc.).
Science Fair We sponsor the springtime Bluewater District School Board Science Fair prize in memory of the late Dr. Herb Coleman who generously donated his 8-inch Meade telescope and observatory dome to the School Board in 1991{which paved the way for the club's formation and location}. A few members of our club volunteer their time to judge the students' astronomy and related projects and our club offers the prizes of $25 Jr. and $50 Sr. as well as a one year membership with the RASC (Royal Astronomical Society of Canada).
International Astronomy Day Introducing astronomy to the public and students is the aim of the day/week all across the world. Displays, talks, and public viewing are a few of the ways our club reaches out to the public in all of our members' communities to spread the astronomical word. Members can gather to support our aim at these events - astronomical knowledge is not necessary to come out and participate.
M31 BCAS Club Annual StarParty 2006 was the 1st annual club starparty held in July at Dave and Joan's private Andromeda Meadow on Colpoy's Bay. Day, night or weekend - members' and their family choose how they like to view the stars - camp it or just visit for a few hours after a delicious pot luck together!
Starfest - Largest Star Party in Canada Starfest, hosted by The North York Astronomical Association, is Canada's largest annual observing convention and star party. It has been ranked among the top star parties in North America by Sky and Telescope magazine. It is usually held in August at the River Place Park, Ayton, Ontario (8½ miles north of Mount Forest). Our club meets for our August monthly meeting during the week of Starfest on the Wednesday evening; non-campers' entrance fee is paid for by the club so you can attend this meeting free. It is worthwhile during your visit to the park that evening to take a tour of all the various kinds of scopes set up in the fields beside the tents which is one of the main attractions the whole week long. Some campers attend for a day, some for the weekend, and some for a longer time during the week. Lectures (which are free and optional once you are in the camp ground) on a diverse variety of astronomical subjects as well as world renown speakers are part of the event each year. Two of our members: John C. and Sheila S. are members of the Starfest Staff.
BCAS Equipment for Free Loan to Members Our club owns a few books and 'Astronomy Magazines' as well as some small equipment ie: B&W low light video camera. Our telescopes include: A) Elvira ~ Mistress of the Dark. She is an 8" f/6 dob B) Vernonscope 12" Newtonian C) Bushnell 114mm converts to 4-1/2" aperture.
Newsletters Skyfocus by Charlie S. and Skygazer by John H. have been the newsletters that have brought us information over the past few years
Clear Sky Clock http://cleardarksky.com/csk/index.html ~ It's the amateur astronomers forecast. The forecast data comes from a numerical weather model run by the Canadian Meteorological Centre. Attilla Danko (many know from Starfest) wrote all the software that generates clear sky clocks. BCAS sponsors Clear Sky Clock to help defray the costs to run these clocks that many of our members love to use.
Dark Sky Sponsorships: IDA (International Dark Sky Association) http://www.darksky.org ~ "The mission of the International Dark-Sky Association is to preserve and protect the nighttime environment and our heritage of dark skies through quality outdoor lighting." RASC Light Pollution Abatement Program ~ http://www.rasc.ca/lpa/index.shtml ~ "The goal of this program is to reduce the levels of light pollution in urban and rural areas by advising Federal, Provincial and Municipal governments and departments along with business and concerned citizens to take action to reduce unnecessary glare, uplight and light trespass".