Becoming a Member

The RASC Mentorship program helps new club members get the right start in astronomy by pairing them up with a more experienced club member. New members can expect assistance with choosing, setting up and using new equipment, learning to navigate the night sky, as well as practical outings throughout the year to get hands-on experience at the eyepiece.

Learning modules offered for the program include: Star-hopping and learning the night sky, astrophotography basics and using a camera for shooting the sky, setting up a GEM (German Equatorial) Mount, Binocular observing and how to choose binoculars suitable for skygazing, Optical collimation and care, DSO (Deep Sky Object) observing, planetary/lunar/solar observing, introductory astrometry on variable and multiple stars, assitance with the RASC National Explore programs, and much more.

Interested in observing the night sky, but want to try doing so with specialized astronomical equipment? We’ve got you covered! The Winnipeg Centre maintains a number of telescopes for use by our members. Through this program, you can give observing with a telescope a shot to see if it’s something you’d like to pursue further, without having to drop a big chunk of change on a nice telescope. It’s also for those in our ranks who may not be able to afford the kind of high-end equipment in use with some forms or astronomy, or do not have the room to permanently store a large piece of observing equipment in a dorm or apartment. If you already have your own equipment, but just want to try something different, we might just have something for you.

Loaner telescopes are available to any member in good standing, and can be checked out for periods up to one month.

The Winnipeg Centre operates an observatory at the University of Manitoba’s Glenlea Research Station, just a 15 minute drive away from the city. Our main instrument is a 12″ Meade LX200, which is housed in an Ash-Dome instrument shelter. The observatory site is fully equipped with a concrete pad for setting up telescopes as well as tables for charts and accessories to be laid out on. Included on site is a warm room and a composting toilet.

The warm room houses a Windows computer used for CCD imaging, photometry, and star chart generation. These facilities are available for year-round member use. The dome can be used by members in good standing for at least one year, after completing a short training program.

The Spruce Woods Star Party is the annual get-together of the Winnipeg RASC, held under the dark skies of Spruce Woods Provincial Park. Join us for a weekend of events, including guest speakers, a binocular tour of the night sky, telescope showcase, the RASC banquet, and of course long hours of observing and camraderie in scenic southern Manitoba.

Being a registered member also gives you a free year’s subscription to SkyNews, the premier Canadian magazine dedicated to astronomy and stargazing. SkyNews is a bi-monthly publication which specializes in discussion of our hobby, and showcases the work and photography done by amateur astronomers across Canada.

Membership includes a free copy of the year’s Observer’s Handbook, a valuable asset to the amateur astronomer. The Handbook contains information on all of the year’s upcoming astronomical events (Eclipses, meteor showers, periodic comets, etc.), as well as a comprehensive collection of astronomical reference data. The Handbook has been published annually since 1907, and has come to be regarded as the standard reference for data on the sky in North America.

Whether you’re an amateur astronomer with your first telescope, a teacher needing information for an astronomy-related lesson, or simply someone who has an interest at looking at the night sky while out on a camping trip, the RASC Observer’s Handbook will have an article that will suit your needs.

Winnicentrics is a bimonthly newsletter featuring photography and articles written by RASC Winnipeg Centre members, as well as upcoming events and the latest from the world of space science. Whether you have news from an observing trip, a story about how you configured a stubborn piece of equipment, or reminiscences about someone or something that inspired you to pursue astronomy, we want to hear from you.

Members also receive access to the Winnicentrics Archive on our Web Site, a collection of newsletters ranging back to 1972! While some gaps exist in the Archive we are working to restore our archive of newsletters as far back as possible.

Also available on the site are additional documents such as the History of the Winnipeg Centre 1911-1977, a fascinating restrospective on the first 60 years of our Centre's existence and the Astronomy community in Manitoba.