[more images on Flickr]

Glorious weather awaited the many visitors to Western’s campus during the Homecoming weekend.

The Cronyn Observatory opened its doors to the Homecoming visitors for solar observing and tours on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, as well as on Saturday evening.

Hosting the event were the Department of Physics and Astronomy through its Exploring the Stars program,  the Centre for Planetary Science and Exploration (CPSX), and the London Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.

Astronomers were situated behind the observatory with their telescopes, large and small, including a Sunspotter. Visitors could also tour inside the observatory, where they could view the sun through different telescopes, including one that showed the Sun in the red light of Halpha. The public also listened to talks about the history of the observatory, its people, and equipment.

In the observatory classroom, volunteers displayed a Sotellunium, which is an astronomy eclipse teaching aid invented right here at Western by amateur astronomer Rev. W.G. Colgrove and Western’s first professor of Mathematics and Astronomy Harold R. Kingston back in the 1940s.

Eclipse glasses were also on hand for another interesting and safe way to view the sun.

Many sunspots were visible on both days.

The observatory doors stayed open on Saturday evening.  At 7:00pm, graduate student Shannon Hicks gave a talk titled “The Mystery of Eclipses”.

Upstairs on the observing floor and out on the observing deck, visitors were treated to views of Saturn as it slowly set in the west,  as well as the almost full moon in anticipation of the next night’s eclipse.

Visitors also viewed neighbouring galaxy M31, M101 the Owl cluster, the star Albireo, as well as globular cluster M13.

Later in the evening an experimental wireless feed was successfully arranged between one of the telescopes on the observing deck and a large television in the classroom. Live video images of the moon were displayed in this manner.

On September 9, 2015, a department retreat was held at Circle R Ranch in Delaware.

While it rained early in the morning, the day turned out to be perfect, with clearing skies later in the day.

The morning was spent in fun outdoor team building games. Who knew that we had so many wonderful tightrope walkers in our midst? We are also not short of good leaders.

After a great lunch,  incoming Chair Bob Sica  rallied the troops for a pep talk about the coming year ahead.

In the afternoon everyone split up to either go for a  hike through the forest,  visit the animal stables,  or relax and play poker or board games.

All in all a great day that left everyone refreshed.

 

[more images from celebration]

As Chair Bob Sica summed up nicely in his congratulatory remarks, Canadians have had two milestone books about hockey and the Montreal Canadiens, these being “The Hockey Sweater” by Roch Carrier, and “The Game” by Ken Dryden.

Now, staff member Brian Davis has added to this lore with his first published book titled ‘Squarehead‘.

Members of Physics and Astronomy celebrated Brian’s book at coffee time today. A surprise guest was Dean of Science Charmaine Dean, who also personally congratulated the new author.

Read about “Squarehead”, published by Insomniac Press, on ‘First Fiction Fridays‘.

Here’s where you can get a copy:

http://www.amazon.ca/Squarehead-Brian-Davis/dp/1554831504

Congratulations go out to Professor Martin Zinke-Allmang on 25 years of service at Western.

I had posters of Jean Beliveau and Yvon Cournoyer taped up on my bedroom wall growing up in Hamilton.  I dreamed of playing for the Habs, and of walking the streets of Montreal trying to speak French.  Okay, the latter turned into a nightmare.

I was therefore very intrigued to read about the new book “Squarehead” by first time novelist Brian Davis of London, Ontario.

I believe that the title comes from the old Quebec joke about how many aspirins it takes to cure an Anglo’s headache. The answer is six – one for each side of the cube.

Brian’s fictional story is set in the streets of the Montreal of my dreams, where we follow the adventures of hockey fan Corey.  Click on the image of the beautiful book cover below to see a full review.

Oh yes, I forgot to mention that Brian is also a fellow staff member in the Department of Physics and Astronomy here at Western, so it won’t take long to get my copy autographed!

Congratulations on your first novel, Brian. I can’t wait to read Squarehead.

[images on Flickr]   [CTV news video]

The 6th annual International Observe the Moon Night was a great success.

This worldwide celebration of the moon is presented at Western University by the Exploring the Stars program,  CPSX (Centre for Planetary and Space Exploration), the London Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada,  the CLRN (Canadian Lunar Research Network),  and the Planetary Society. The local event is hosted by the Department of Physics and Astronomy.

North winds and cloudy skies greeted the first visitors, but there was plenty to keep everyone busy inside the warm confines of the Hume Cronyn Memorial Observatory.

Both young and old were able to make their own impact craters, or they could test their skills at identifying impact craters in the solar system. The artistically inclined could make astronomical art.

There was a wonderful display of meteorites and impact rocks from Earth.

Everyone could enter the raffle for prizes.

Public talks began in the classroom at 6:30pm.  Professor Jan Cami welcomed the visitors and introduced the speakers. Patrick Hill led off with an introduction to the Earth – Moon system and then went on to describe his research on the isotopic analysis of real lunar samples loaned by NASA.

The next talk was given by Zach Morse, who described his research on the gigantic and enigmatic Mare Orientale.

Last but not least, RASC member Peter Jedicke gave a delightful primer on lunar and solar eclipses, and gave important information about the upcoming total lunar eclipse of September 27, 2015.  Cronyn Observatory will be open for this event.

As the art prize and draw winners were announced, the skies cleared as if on queue.  Most visitors adjourned upstairs where they could view the moon and Saturn through various telescopes.

At one of these telescopes, RASC member Dale Armstrong helped visitors set up their smart phones to take their own lunar photographs.

Close to 200 visitors came and went during the evening.

Organizers of the event were Parshati Patel of CPSX and Bhairavi Shankar of CPSX and CLRN.

 

 

 

There will be several exciting events taking place at the Hume Cronyn Memorial Observatory this fall season.

First, there will be the 6th edition of the International Observe the Moon night on September 19th, 5:00pm–10:00pm.

The week after, during homecoming weekend (Sep 26/27), we will open up the Observatory on Saturday and Sunday at 3:00pm for tours of the observatory and solar observing with our solar telescope (weather permitting). On Saturday evening Sep 26, we will turn to look at various celestial wonders in the evening during our winter open house, and there will also be a presentation by a professional astronomer. On Sunday evening Sep 27, all eyes and telescopes will be directed to the Moon to observe a total lunar eclipse, the last one visible from London until January 2019!

The grand finale for the fall season will be the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the official opening of the Hume Cronyn Memorial Observatory. We will be open both Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 2:00pm on, for historical tours of the observatory, and a display describing the observatory throughout its history, and a collection of interesting artefacts, instruments and images. On Saturday evening we will have a special open house, with a very special presentation. Stay tuned for more information as the date approaches!

Due to the scheduled special events this fall, the only remaining public night before Christmas will take place on Saturday, November 28.

In the new year, the monthly open houses will take place on the second Saturday of each month until April.

Again, please continue to visit the web site at ‘cronyn.uwo.ca‘, or visit the Cronyn facebook , Cronyn twitter pages, or the exploring the stars program web page.

[more images from the meeting]

Hold on to your hats, as they say, because it promises to be an exciting and busy fall season of astronomy outreach.

Tentatively, there will be an International Observe the Moon Night on September 19.

For the Saturday, September 26 of Homecoming, the tentative plan is to be open during the afternoon for solar viewing and in the evening for star viewing.

The very next evening, on September 27, Cronyn Observatory will once again be open, this time for the last full lunar eclipse in our part of the country for the next couple of years.

The finale for the fall season will be the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the official opening of the Hume Cronyn Memorial Observatory.  The tentative plan is to be open on both the Saturday, October 24, as well as the anniversary date of Sunday, October 25.

Normally, fall and winter public nights (no reservation required) run once a month.  Due to the scheduled special events this fall, the only remaining public night before Christmas will take place on Saturday, November 28.

In the new year, the monthly open houses will tentatively take place on the second Saturday of each month until April.

Again, please continue to visit the web site at ‘cronyn.uwo.ca‘, or visit the Cronyn facebook , Cronyn twitter pages, or the exploring the stars program web page.

 

Congratulations go out to Maria Goiko, who defended her MSc thesis on August 21, and Nirosh Getangama who defended his MSc on August 28.

Maria was supervised by John de Bruyn and Bryan Heit.

Nirosh was supervised by John de Bruyn.