Our Mission Statement
The mandate of the national Royal Astronomical Society of Canada is:
To provide free public education in the cause of astronomy. The goal of the
Edmonton R.A.S.C. is to exceed these expectations. This will be accomplished by using well-trained volunteers and quality, well-maintained equipment.
It is the objective of the R.A.S.C. Observatory Group that everyone
who visits the Odyssium Observatory leaves with a sense of awe and
wonder about the Universe.
The Observatory
The Telus World of Science Observatory is one of the liveliest learning centres in the city. The Royal Astronomical Society and the Odyssium provide staff and volunteers from a wide variety of backgrounds. Physics professors, engineers, students and other RASC members, work and observe alongside each other and share their knowledge and love of astronomy with the public.
The Observatory is located between the Telus World of Science and 111th Avenue in the south field. It has a satellite dish on its roof providing NASA programs and coverage. There is low red-lighting only, which preserves dark adaptation for observers. Visitors should always dress very warmly in the evenings as it is an outdoor facility and the wonders of the universe can keep guests enthralled for longer than they might anticipate.
More information on the Science Centre can be found at the: Telus World of Science Website
Central to our observing activities - as well as to our very existence - is our own star, the Sun. This is the object that provides the most action, producing observable prominences and flares in its active regions and changing its features daily, hourly or even by the minute. Safe solar filters are always used, as observing the Sun would otherwise cause permanent eye damage. The Observatory is very 'sun-centred', with four different types of solar filters in use, including Hydrogen-alpha and Calcium K-line which show a variety of solar phenomena.
Closest to home, we observe mountains, craters and other features of the Moon when it appears during our day or night-time viewing hours. When the positions of the planets in their orbits are favourable for viewing from Earth, the solar system becomes an interesting neighbourhood to peek at through our telescopes. The phases of Venus and Mercury are often seen even on the day-lit sky, along with ghostly apparitions of the outer planets: Mars, Jupiter, or Saturn. Darker skies sometimes reveal more distant Uranus and Neptune; the rings of Saturn; or perceptible colour/temperature contrasts between distant stars. Galaxies, nebulae and star clusters are faint but still fascinating to view. Hopefully with new, smarter lighting practices, we will save our city's night sky from unnecessary light pollution which eventually could obliterate these beautiful sights.
At night, other events can be observed. Lunar eclipses; visiting comets that change position each night in relation to Earth; an occultation of a star by the Moon; shadow transits of Jupiter's moons across its multi-coloured gas clouds; a hunt for a near-earth asteroid; passes of the International Space Station or a bright Iridium satellite flare timed to the minute and pointed out by our volunteers; are just a few predictable events the public may enjoy.
There is no charge for admission to the Observatory, donations are accepted but not necessary.
Equipment
The Edmonton RASC has provided a 7" Astrophysics Star-fire Refractor; a state-of-the art, computerized, 16" Meade LX200-GPS telescope and a Coronado Calcium K-line Solar filter, as well as much other equipment to the Odyssium Observatory. This is in addition to the Odyssium's two C-8's, a C-14" and a great little 4" Zeiss refractor.