The 2025 RASC Halifax Centre BBQ was a success!

 
Members and their guests are invited to attend the Annual BBQ & Observing night to the St. Croix Observatory (SCO)  next year.
 
Date: To be determined.
 
Time: BBQ start time 5:00 PM ADT approx., observing sometime after 8:00 PM when the stars begin to shine. It promises to be a good night for observing so bring warm clothes and your observing gear. 

Place: St. Croix Observatory
 

Burgers (beef & chicken) and hotdogs with all the fixings, chips, veggies & dip, pop, juice, water, coffee/tea/hot chocolate, cookies, apples and homemade apple cake. You won’t be hungry! Members with special nutrition requirements are invited to bring their own food for cooking on the grill.

Please bring your own plates and utensils.

Carpe noctum. Join us in the observing field of our gem in the woods.

 
Reminder: Any headlamp or flashlight you bring must be a red light or be covered with red cellophane.
 
For those new to astronomy and/or are visual observers, bring your binoculars (and telescopes if you have one) - you can see some wonderful objects in the sky. The Astroimagers in our Centre will be there taking pictures of the night skies that I am sure they would love to share. 
 
Bring layers of warm clothing to ensure you stay warm from the time of the BBQ through the observing session. There is a Warm Room and warm beverages will be available throughout the evening should anyone get cold, but be prepared for a cooler evening outdoors.
 
If you have any questions, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
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RASC, Halifax Centre October 4th, 2025 Public Meeting 

Patrick Kelly (Telling Time in Scotland: from stones to sundials)

 

Meetings of Halifax Centre are from 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM on the FIRST SATURDAY of the month (except July and August and OCT 2023). There may be exceptions if the date falls on a holiday weekend. All meetings and special sessions are recorded and are accessible on the RASC Halifax Centre YouTube channel. 

Time: November 1st, 1:00 PM Atlantic (12:00 Noon, Eastern)
Place: Room AT101, The Atrium,  Saint Mary's University or by Zoom

We would love to see you at Saint Mary's University. However, if you are a distant member or would prefer not to attend at this time, you can attend via Zoom. If there is a change in location at SMU, we will notify members beforehand.

Register for the Zoom meeting using this link. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. 

 

Public Meeting

  • Welcome & Introductions - David Hoskin
  • Photo Montage - David Hoskin

  • Keynote Speaker - Patrick Kelly
    Telling Time in Scotland: from stones to sundials
    While humans still do not know exactly what time is, it has not stopped them from measuring its passage. Scotland contains ancient structures similar to both the standing stones of Stonehenge and the Irish portal chamber of Newgrange. Sundials arose along with the need to tell time a bit more accurately than “later today” or “tomorrow sometime before noon”. Like a lot of Europe, public sundials, often with interesting designs, were common. Sadly for us, the development of accurate clocks and pocket watches meant that public sundials had fallen out of use by the time Europeans started building in the New World, and the few that you do see today are either very plain, or not very accurate.

  • News from the Board - Judy Black
  • Night Sky What's Up? -  David Hoskin
  
Patrick Kelly
David Hoskin
Judy Black
Paul Heath
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Members may be found observing at the St. Croix Observatory on almost every clear, dark night. Once a month, we encourage members and their guests to Observe With Us at SCO, at which time new members are particularly welcome. 

Members are advised to sign up to the email discussion list to keep up to date on gatherings of fellow observers.

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The viewing field at Nova East

For over 30 years, the RASC Halifax Centre and other local groups have hosted the Nova East Star Party. It was originally established as the camping and observing weekend for the Halifax Centre and has grown to include participants from other astronomy clubs in the Atlantic region, and a number of attendees from the northeastern United States.

All participants come to enjoy dark skies on a weekend near the new Moon phase towards the end of summer. Nova East is held at Smiley's Provincial Park, near Windsor, Nova Scotia. A limiting magnitude of +6 is the norm. 

Nova East registrants have access to all events, including all talks, workshops and presentations, three nights of observing (weather permitting!), the potluck BBQ, the astronomers' breakfasts and the door prizes draw. Nova East Registrants have onsite parking (if camping) or adjacent site parking (if not camping).

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  1. Outreach

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