Articles for RASC

Articles written for the rotating home page feature section of the Ottawa RASC web site. Usually seasonal in some way — either tied to a specific event, astronomical article, or historical date (since the features are scheduled for specific dates, some relation to that date, however stretched, helps with the flow).

Public Outreach: Take Astronomy to the Public

Uses International Astronomy Day to encourage participation in public outreach, then provides advice on how to participate. Written for the amateur astronomer helping with the event.

Dance of the Planets: Tracking the Wanderers

Uses some scheduled planetary conjunctions to introduce the irregular movement of the planets, then gives a history of the development of the current model of the solar system. (Reused each year by modifying slightly to tie to a different conjunction, a nd by modifying finder chart.)

Total Lunar Eclipse

Uses a coming total lunar eclipse to discuss the basic mechanics of what causes lunar eclipses and some of the effects we see. (Reused each year by modifying slightly to tie to a different eclipse.).

March, 1929 Hubble Expands the Universe

Written to fill a gap in March articles one year. Uses the date of Hubble’s publication of his Redshift discovery to discuss the history of measuring the size of the universe.

RASC Star Parties at Pinhey’s Point, Ottawa

Encourages public participation at star parties, and gives guidelines on what to expect and how to behave. Originally written to include the advantages of the Pinhey’s Point site, but that was toned down after Pinhey’s installed bright security lighting which they refuse to turn off – I can no longer recommend that site for star parties, but the general part of the article is still useful..