THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA

                     STANDING COMMITTEE ON OBSERVATIONAL ACTIVITIES

FROM THE NATIONAL CHAIRMAN                                            Bulletin No. 6

1967 promises to be an exceptional year for our Society. As I prepare this bulletin L
am aware that two Centres have planned Centennial projects.   Ottawa Centre members will
be taking a Centennial Trip in late August to Algonquin Park, where they will camp for a
week and photograph the entire summer night sky. The Montreal Centre has two projects;
one is to have at least 100 ten-degree areas of the sky under observation in an effort
to discover a comet or a nova during 1967. The other project is to obtain 100 successful
timings of lunar occultations. Other Centres nay possibly have special plans as well.
The accompanying bulletins from each of the eight National Co-ordinators certainly indi-
cate the atmosphere of vigour and enterprise that now exists.

We have not succeeded in persuading all Centres to send regular reports on their observa-
tional activities to the National Co-ordinators. Much of the knowledge I have of these
activities has been gleaned from the newsletters issued by the Centres.

From "Astronotes", monthly newsletter of the Ottawa Centre, it is learned that, in
addition to their interest in astrophotograpby, this Centre has several organized meteor
teams observing frequently throughout the year.

Vancouver's "Bulletin" states that their interests have been in the main on fields of
planetary, nova search and variable star observations; some members have constructed
sophisticated optical equipment.

According to "Stardust", newsletter of the Edmonton Centre, their observers have been
concentrating on lunar occultations with particular attention on grazing occultations.
Meteor observing is another of their regular activities.

The "Bulletin" of le Centre d'Astronomie de Montreal covers a wide range of activities.
This Centre, which will be host to the R.A.S.C. General Assembly in May, is bubbling over
with enthusiasm.

"Scope", newsletter of the Toronto Centre, is now being published once more after a lapse
of several years. The most recent issue carries a report on renewed interest in
planetary observations, while its telescope making classes are as active as ever.

"Skyward", monthly newsletter of the Montreal Centre, now in its twentieth year of publi-
cation, covers this Centre's observation program and other activities. Increased
interest is reported in variable star and lunar observations.

I have not seen a recent copy of Calgary's "Observer", Halifax's "Galaxy" and Victoria's
"Nova". Are these newsletters still being published? Are other Centres not mentioned
above issuing newsletters? If so, would they please add to their mailing lists the
names of the National Chairman and the Co-ordinators of the Standing Committee on Obser-
vational Activities as well as the secretaries of the Centres.

I would urge the individuals who receive these newsletters from other Centres to make
them available to all interested members.

Bulletin No.6 from the National Chairman                                           -2-




I trust that the observational activities of all Centres will be well displayed at the
General Assemb]y in Montreal on May 19th and 20th. This is a wonderful opportunity for
the exchange of information and ideas. Begin NOW to assemble your material.











                                                  Isabel K. Williamson, Chairman,
                                                  Standing Committee on Observational
                                                            Activities,
                                                  5162 Belmore Avenue,
March 1967.                                       Montreal 29, Quebec.