The Peterborough Astronomical Association will hold its regular monthly meeting, which take place on the first Friday of the month, on February 1st. The meeting location is the Rotary Education Centre/Guest Services Building, Riverview Park Zoo, Peterborough.

The PAA is again presenting the  “Novice Astronomy Classes”.  This year the classes are focused on the practical aspects of learning astronomy. They will introduce you to equipment, software and many other astronomy related subjects at a very basic level.  You will get hands on with equipment and learn to use it and other tools of astronomy.  This month's session will be presented by Rodger Forsyth who will discuss  Cameras and Techniques for Astrophotography.  Later in the season, we will have a self-paced course on Viewing the Moon. Those interested, should be at the above mentioned meeting location by 6:00 p.m. The classes will run 45 minutes each session, before our regular meetings. 

Before the main presentation, we will look at the “Sky This Month”. Be informed about the locations of the planets of the solar system and what is happening in the sky above us for the month to come.

Our presentation for February will start shortly after 7:00 p.m. and features club member Seán Dunne, who will be doing a talk on “Messier Marathons and Globular Gallops”. This presentation will discuss lists of deep sky objects which have been compiled to present an opportunity for astronomers with different skill levels and equipment to enhance their skills and to have the satisfaction of achieving certain observing goals. Among these are lists based on Charles Messier's List, first compiled in 1771 and eventually expanded to 110 objects.  These objects include galaxies, nebulae and star clusters. To complete a Messier Marathon is to succeed in observing all 110 objects in one 24 hour period. This is only possible just before a new moon near the Spring Equinox and best while observing from a latitude around 25° North. The full list is known as an M110, but there are sub-lists from M10 to M100 of varying difficulty from naked eye to using 8" telescopes.  As part of the presentation club member Rick Stankiewicz, who has observed all 110 Messier objects, will share his experience.

There will also be the usual opportunities to come and check out the PAA and all it has to offer, at no cost. This is an all ages meeting and  the venue is barrier free. Also, you don’t need a telescope to belong, but a curious mind helps.

The Peterborough Newcomers’ Club was established in 1972 and is a member of the national Newcomers’ Council of Canada that has many clubs across Canada.

We are a non-profit organization that operates with a volunteer Board of Directors. The purpose of the club is to provide a network of social activities that bring together men and women of all ages who have recently moved to Peterborough and surrounding area, or anyone that has experienced a recent significant life change (retirement, divorce, widowed, etc.).

We have monthly meetings to:

•             make new friends

•             meet others with common interests

•             plan member generated activities

•             join an interest club

•             learn about the Community

We meet on the third Wednesday of each month as well as on other days throughout the month for various activities.  Our meetings run from September through June.  We welcome new members at every meeting or activity.  E-mail peterboroughnewcomers@gmail.com for more information.