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OAFs – Ottawa Astronomy Friends

Public Observing Coming Events

During the COVID-19 pandemic, OAFs stopped doing public “sidewalk astronomy” events.  We miss it, and hope we’re in a position to be able to safely resume, maybe in the spring or summer of 2024.

Update: We’re doing our first Sidewalk Astronomy event in several years on May 18, 2024, to celebrate International Astronomy Day.  See us in front of Kanata Chapters (Indigo).

News: the Ottawa chapter of RASC has resumed its star parties at the Diefenbunker. Check their Star Party list to stay informed (or updates via Twitter, Meetup, or Facebook).  Check the RASC web site or Facebook page for the latest information on COVID protocols.

OAFs are strong supporters of RASC and their events, and most of us will be at the RASC star parties with scopes.

Watch our twitter feed (see right margin) for the latest.

Event Where When
Next Dark Sky Public Star Party Carp Diefenbunker Sprint, 2025
Next Sidewalk Solar Observing Kanata Chapters TBD
Next Sidewalk Astronomy Kanata Chapters TBD

Other OAFs Stuff

  • A page of links to other articles such as observing tips, star-party etiquette, questionable humour, etc.

Carp Star Party – beautiful night

Last night was the RASC star party at the Diefenbunker, and it was a perfect night. I haven’t heard the official counts, but there were about 15 ‘scopes, and over a hundred visitors. At dusk, before fully dark, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars were all visible, and being shown in most of the scopes.  As dark came on most people switched to deep-sky objects. The sky was very clear, good transparency, and good seeing.  It was also, finally, pleasantly cool, temp around 10°. A great evening.  With luck, next weekend we might manage another sidewalk session too.

Carp Star Party – good attendance, poor sky

The RASC star party at Carp Library went ahead last night.  About 15 scopes, including quite a few people who were at their first star party, and several who were literally using their new scope for the first time.    Several OAFs among the scopes.  I recall 6 of us — maybe more that I didn’t notice. I would guess about 100 non-scope visitors including, again, many people for their first time.

One nice event — a couple were there with a newly-bought scope, and got help assembling it. The scope was actually a gift for a friend, who they had invited to join them at the star party and presented with the scope as a surprise.

Scopes arriving and setting up.
Scopes arriving and setting up.

Unfortunately, the sky wasn’t as cooperative.

The evening started well — just around Sunset Jupiter was spectacular in the South, with fair seeing.  Everyone had a good look.  Saturn rose through a low layer of cloud in the western horizon and many people had their first look at Saturn, with the appropriate “ooohs” and “aaahs”.  The view wasn’t very good, as it was low and in the soup.

However, there was a nasty dark bank of clouds in the West which eventually covered more than half the sky.  By 11:00 I had succeeded in showing only two DSOs to visitors – M3 and M13 through sucker holes, and neither of those lasted very long. I gave up at 11:00 and packed.  By the time I was leaving — 11:30ish — I think the few remaining scopes were having more success, as the clouds cleared somewhat.

See you at the next one.

New OAFs Site

OAFs, the Ottawa Astronomy Friends group, has done a much-needed refresh of its web page. Welcome to the new site. Please forgive the dust while we finish construction.

Any “OAF in good standing” can add articles or edit pages on this site.  Ask for an Editor ID on the OAFs mailing list.