Royal Astronomical Society of Canada – Ottawa Centre
(La Société royale d'astronomie du Canada – Centre d'Ottawa)

The Ottawa Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) is one of the organization's oldest regional branches, established in 1906. It operates as part of Canada's national nonprofit astronomy organization, which holds charitable registration number 119126258RR0001.

History

The Ottawa Centre traces its origins to the early expansion of the RASC following its royal designation in 1903. As the second RASC Centre established nationally[2], its formation coincided with the development of Ottawa's Dominion Observatory, where pioneering astronomers such as W.F. King and Carlyle S. Beals contributed to both professional research and the Society's growth[2][5].

Activities

As a regional RASC Centre, the Ottawa branch focuses on public education, observational astronomy, and supporting both amateur and professional astronomers. Typical activities include:

• Public outreach: Star parties, lectures, and collaborations with scientific institutions
• Observational programs: Meteor monitoring, variable star tracking, and light pollution advocacy
• Member resources: Telescope training, astrophotography workshops, and access to dark-sky sites

The Centre maintains the RASC's national mandate to promote astronomy through bilingual (English/French) programming, reflecting Canada's official languages[3].

Organizational Structure

The Ottawa Centre operates under the umbrella of the national RASC, which governs 30 regional Centres across Canada[3]. Like other Centres, it adheres to the RASC's charitable mission while tailoring activities to local members' needs. Its establishment in 1906 marked a critical step in transforming the formerly Toronto-centric organization into a nationwide astronomical society[1][5].

Notable Contributions

Early Ottawa Centre members collaborated directly with Dominion Observatory staff on celestial photography and spectroscopic analysis[2]. The Centre continues to engage in citizen science initiatives, contributing data to international astronomical databases.

Note: Business registration number 119126258RR0001 applies to the national RASC organization.