Governor General Julie Payette Becomes Patron of RASC

The Governor General of Canada, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, has agreed to become Viceregal Patron of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.

Viceregal patronage is granted for the length of a Governor General’s time in office. The first Governor General to be Viceregal Patron of the RASC was Ms. Payette’s predecessor, David Johnston.

The RASC was granted its “royal” designation in 1903 by His Majesty King Edward VII.

I am pleased to announce that we have hired a new staff member at the RASC Society office: Jenna Hinds has been appointed Youth Outreach Coordinator.

Jenna has a BSc from Mount Allison in Marine Biology and a Masters of Science in Science Communication and Public Engagement from the University of Edinburgh.

She has worked at the Ontario Science Centre for the past 2.5 years as a planetarium host, giving live shows on various aspects of astronomy.

Pegasus The Winged Horse

The constellation Pegasus is easily identified by its large square of stars. When rising in the east, its takes on the appearance of a giant baseball diamond. With 1,121 square degrees of sky Pegasus ranks 7th in overall size. It is also one of the original constellations listed by the astronomer Ptolemy back in the 2nd century.

Draco The Dragon

Ursa Major places a key role in helping identify other constellations such as Ursa Minor and namely the North Star. Located between these two iconic asterisms is Draco the Dragon. Its overall size measures 1,083 square degrees of sky and ranks eighth largest overall. No less than fourteen stars make up the Dragon’s asterism which begins with its head situated above the constellation Hercules.