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RASC OK Centre Early History
Our First Five
Years: Empty Chairs to MKSP
The Okanagan RASC Centre began as the Okanagan Astronomical Society
(OAS), a Kelowna club which had members throughout the Okanagan from
Vernon to Osoyoos from its first year. The first meetings in March and
April, 1980 had very low attendances and the nascent club seemed
destined to fold. But during a September public lecture given by a
visiting professional astronomer more members were recruited, notably
tireless worker Peter Kuzel of Vernon. By April, 1981 the club was
well-established -- 24 members and guests turned out to hear Ken
Hewitt-White recount the excitement of watching images being received
at JPL from Voyager's historic encounter with Saturn.
At a public observing session for the July 16th, 1981 partial lunar
eclipse hosted by CKIQ radio's Dale Baglo, more members joined, notably
Dale and Jake Berg. Jim Tisdale's newly completed 10-inch Dobsonian,
then the biggest scope in the Valley, was very popular with a good
crowd.
Twelve nights later two members completed their Messier lists -- the
first of many such memorable nights in what has been an
observing-oriented club from its inception.
On May 2nd, 1982 about ninety people attended our first observance of
Astronomy Day at Knox Mountain Park.
A May, 1981 expedition to use the 24-inch Cassegrain telescope at
Goldendale Observatory in southern Washington was such a resounding
success that a remarkable 17 OAS members travelled the 400 miles south
for the second observing run on the big scope in June, 1982. Then in
1984 a confident OAS started the Mount Kobau Star Party, one of
Canada's first two annual star parties, and we no longer had to travel
to Goldendale as the big scopes flocked to us instead!
The OAS president for its first two years was Alan Whitman. Jim Failes
served the second two-year term, replacing Alan when he temporarily
left the Okanagan. When Jim left in turn, going to Prince George for a
year, Alan became the third president. Other founding members who are
still active are Jim Horton, Jim Tisdale, and past-president Ron
Scherer. Many current members have been with the club since the
mid-eighties.
More than a decade later the Kelowna and Vernon chapters of the OAS
became the Okanagan RASC Centre in 1996.( In 2010 the Penticton OAS
chapter joined Okanagan RASC Centre as the Penticton meeting group,
joining the Kelowna and Vernon meeting groups.)
Alan Whitman
March 2003