Last night we were driving back up to the hill and thought that we would stop off at the Okanagan Observatory site to look at some stars. When we pulled into the site (4 klicks up the Big White road from the turnoff of Highway 33) we were pleasantly surprised to see Guy Mackie of the Okanagan Observatory all bundled up in his parka with his telescope pointed up into the night sky. Guy is the Project Chairperson of the Okanagan Observatory. He was kind enough to give us an impromptu tour of the night sky, and even though we were all shivering standing out in the snowy clearing, we were amazed by what was visible- Jupiter and three of its 63 moons, Andromeda, Seven Sisters, and many, many more. There were star clusters that looked surreal, and galaxies that I had never imagined would be visible from a gravel pit on the way to Big White. Guy dazzled us with his knowledge and ability to engage the interest of our 10 year old daughter who couldn’t stop talking about the stars on the way home.

The Okanagan Observatory is a project of the Royal Astronomical society of Canada, and it’s mission is to bring the the night sky to the community, and maintain links with but not limited to local schools, Girl Guides, Scouts, The University of BC, Chamber of Commerce, Tourist Bureau, and the Okanagan College. The remote location on the road to Big White is perfect for stargazing, with little light pollution. At the moment there is little at the site, however the Okanagan Observatory has built a 25 inch telescope that they bring to the site on planned “open house” evenings. What a great opportunity for the community!

Check out their website at http://www.okanaganobservatory.ca/index.html and keep boarding to The Worx for more information on the observatory and how you can take advantage of this wonderful opportunity right in our own backyard. Guy is out many evenings throughout the year, and even the cold temperatures and snow can’t keep him away. We can’t wait until they have their permanent facilities completed.