New urban observatory in the works for Ralph Klein Park
Talks are still underway, but if the Calgary Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) has it's way, Ralph Klein Park in the city’s deep southeast will be home to Alberta’s first urban public observatory.
"It's going to be the home of astronomy in Calgary," said Robyn Foret, past RASC president.
"Calgary Parks has been wonderful to work with. We are still going through the process. We hope this will be our site. It is ideal – it's at the south end of the city's skies and we can see horizon to horizon all around us. It's a wonderful spot."
The RASC has been fundraising for years and just received a grant from the provincial government for $125,000.
"It's about half of what we expect to spend on the facility itself," said Foret.
"It's modest, but it's in a public setting, it's got a steel building and has to be robust. It has to stand the test of time. We're all very, very excited about it."
Simon Poole is the current president of the Calgary Centre of the RASC and enjoys watching people discover all the night sky has to offer.
He says it's a gateway science because it touches on physics, chemistry, biology, geology, mathematics, computer sciences and stretches into many fields of social sciences.
He says learning astronomy at a young age opens many doors to the future.
"We want to give kids and adults the opportunity to see Saturn and its rings for the first time," said Poole.
"To see star clusters, to see nebula, to see all manner of great things in the night sky."
The society is celebrating its 65th anniversary in Calgary this year and has 600 members.
It used to organize public night viewings with its telescopes at the old Centennial Planetarium, which became TELUS Spark.
But the Centennial Planetarium closed in 2011.
The society is still able to host events south of the city at the Rothney Astrophysical Observatory but space and time with its telescope is limited.
With a new observatory of its own, the society says it can run its public programs that Calgarians have missed over the years.
"Just to give you an idea of the demand," said Foret.
"When we did a public star night here, when this park first opened, we had over 800 people show up. We were open for three hours and you know, it was wonderful to see that kind of turnout."
The most important pieces of an observatory are its telescopes.
The society saved its old eight-inch refracting telescope from the planetarium.
"Bill Peters was the director of that facility, who's still very involved in the astronomical community and designing observatories around the world and working in consulting in that regard," said Foret.
"He built that telescope and he's donated it to us, so it will be our signature instrument at this new observatory."
Right now, Peters is refurbishing the telescope that will have a moveable platform beneath it to make it accessible for people of all abilities.
The society hopes to break ground on the project this year.
Learn more about the RASC at calgary.rasc.ca.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
BREAKING Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
On federal budget, Macklem says 'fiscal track has not changed significantly'
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canada's fiscal position has 'not changed significantly' following the release of the federal government's budget.