Observatory sees record crowds
Astronomer Tom Landecker is dressed as Galileo while digital engineer Brent Carlson checks out a replica of Galileo’s telescope at last weekend’s open house at the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory.
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A record number of well over 1,500 people attended Saturday’s open house at the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory.
The theme of the day was “Radio Astronomy — A New View of the Universe” to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Galileo first turning his telescope on the skies.
In addition to the great weather, visitors enjoyed astronomy lectures, engineering displays and educational activities. The appearance of historical contributors to astronomy added to the festive ambience of the day and included Galileo, Eratosthenes, Johannes Kepler (times two), Williamina Fleming and Sir Edward Charles Pickering.
Pulling everything together was a crew of 34 DRAO staff members and 24 volunteers. The Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics in Victoria provided the popular Star Lab planetarium staffed by three enthusiastic and knowledgeable individuals. A team of parents and cadets associated with the Penticton 259 (Panther) Air Cadets provided refreshments via a fundraising concession stand.
One remarkable observation was the large number of families with children who attended the event and participated in a gamut of activities that included building telescopes, 3D glasses and moon phase flip books, colouring radio images and designing galaxies.
Also available were the Whisper Dishes, Solar System Hopscotch and a telescope made out of prescription lenses.
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