The RASC sponsors several annual national awards that recognize achievement or service by our members. These awards include:

• the Chant Medal is awarded, not more than once a year, to an amateur astronomer resident in Canada on the basis of the value of the work carried out in astronomy and closely allied fields of the original investigation and specifically not for the services of the Society, worthy though these may be.
• the Ken Chilton Prize is awarded annually to an amateur astronomer resident in Canada, in recognition of a significant piece of astronomical work carried out or published recently.
• the new Qilak Award for Astronomy Outreach and Communication recognizes individual Canadian residents, or teams of residents, who have made an outstanding contribution, during a particular time period, either to the public understanding and appreciation of astronomy in Canada, or to informal astronomy education in Canada, and to promote such activities among the members of the sponsoring organizations. 
• the Service Award is given to members in recognition of outstanding service, rendered over an extended period of time, where such service has had a major impact on the work of the Society and/or of a Centre of the Society.
• the Simon Newcomb Award is intended to encourage members to write on the topic of astronomy for the Society or the general public, and to recognize the best published works through an annual award.

More detail, including eligibility and nomination requirements for each award can be found at rasc.ca/rasc-awards.

The deadline for nominations is 2011 December 31. Send the nominations or questions about the awards program to Dave Lane, Awards Committee Chair at  dave@davelane.ca.