Robert Fisher
Staff Reporter
BARRY’S BAY – People living in rural areas like Barry’s Bay and Madawaska Valley more broadly are lucky in that they get to see something many city-dwellers don’t – the night sky. Seeing it and understanding it are two different things. Friday evening, folks in Barry’s Bay got to do both – indoors – thanks to an Astronomy in Action event hosted by the Madawaska Valley Public Library.
Astronomy in Action brings the night sky to communities across Ontario via their portable, inflatable planetarium domes, giving people in small communities a chance they might not otherwise have.
The McLaughlin Planetarium in Toronto, perhaps the most well-known planetarium in the province, closed in 1995 due to budget cuts by the Harris Progressive Conservatives. The recently-closed Ontario Science Centre in Toronto also had a planetarium. The McLaughlin provided a terrific learning experience and was a popular school trip for students in southern Ontario. There are other planetariums in the province. McMaster University in Hamilton has one and there are two in Sudbury. One at Science North, the other at Laurentian University. Hamilton and Sudbury are a long way for students from eastern Ontario to go.
Astronomy in Action held two shows Friday, an early session for younger children and their parents, then a later show for teens and adults. The portable dome seats about 60 people and was full for the evening show Friday. People sat tightly packed in two rows looking up at the dome to watch projected images of space and listen to commentary from the show facilitator. The hour-long show included discussions of the solar system, planets, “poor old Pluto;” as one audience member referred to the former planet now just a dwarf planet, constellations and asterisms, work at the International Space Station and new discoveries being made by the James Webb Telescope which is providing scientists with detailed images of space they have never seen before.
Caitlin Ryan facilitated the adult show Friday and said Astronomy in Action has been around for about 14 years, created by astrophysicist Ryan Marciniak. The organization launched because, “there is a real gap in a lot of the accessibility,” for astronomy learning, “especially for communities outside the larger cities.”
A travelling planetarium, “means we can bring this kind of education all over Ontario to people that probably wouldn’t be able to get this elsewhere,” said Ryan. “Space for everyone,” is the company motto.
Ryan explained that the biggest component for younger audiences is to spark curiosity. “We’re hoping that each person can take away just one little thing that excited them. Maybe they will start to look into things on their own,” after that. Making learning fun in a setting outside a classroom is another bonus for Ryan.
No one has sent a message after a show saying they bought a telescope. “I have had them say they looked things up afterwards.”
Self-confessed sky nerd Jenna Shewen – and being sky nerd makes her really cool – travelled from Coe Hill with her support worker Marlena Zuber from North Hastings Community Integration Association to take in the show. Jenna said the drive was definitely worthwhile.
She didn’t name one thing in particular she liked because she enjoyed the whole thing. “I just love,” the night sky, she said.
“She goes out every night unless it’s rainy or cloudy,” Marlena said, with her telescope. Jenna particularly likes looking for planets. She also takes pictures with her cell phone. Marlena said Jenna’s pictures are “really impressive.” Jenna was a little too shy to share any with the Gazette for this story.
The library is hosting a night sky photography workshop Aug. 29 at Crooked Slide Park beginning at 8 p.m. The event will move to Aug. 30 if it’s cloudy or raining. Attendees will get a short talk about the night sky and learn about taking night sky pictures with their cell phones. Tripods will be available for people to take a night sky photo home with them. There may be a telescope, too. Contact programs@madawaskavalleypubliclibrary.ca for more information or to register.
Watch for a story in our June 18 edition about the names of all the full moons.
robert@thevalleygazette.ca
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