On Saturday, Aug. 19, the Sunshine Coast Astronomy Club hosts its second annual Astronomy Day in the Park in Porpoise Bay Provincial Park. Last year's event attracted over 750 visitors from as far away as Washington and Oregon. The 2006 festival takes place between 2 p.m. and midnight and features astronomer Bill Burnyeat who brings the H.R. Macmillan Space Centre's travelling summer show to Porpoise Bay in the afternoon, complete with one of Western Canada's largest mobile telescopes.
Astronomy club members will also have a number of telescopes available for public viewing, including those equipped with solar filters for viewing the sun during the day. After dark, the public can view the wonders of the night skies through a variety of scopes. In the afternoon, there'll also be a children's tent including a planet walk and crafts for the little guys.Burnyeat will present a multi-media show in the park's amphitheatre at dusk. Topics include astronomy, space and the night sky, with a special feature on our vanishing skies, the message being "turn off your lights and turn on the stars." This will be followed by one or two hours of dark sky viewing.
The festival is free to the public and promises to be a wonderful day out for all members of the family. The Sunshine Coast Regional District parks and rec department is helping to sponsor the event.
