Come join the Peterborough Astronomical Association (PAA) on Sunday, August 12th to view the annual Perseid Meteor Shower, high on top of Armour Hill (Ashburnham Memorial Park), starting at 8:30 p.m. until the wee hours of the 13th.  As always, this event is free and open to the public and fun for all ages.  One night of the year worth staying up for!

Although optical aids are not needed or recommended for the meteor shower, members of the PAA will have telescopes set up to view other wonders of the night sky. Weather permitting; Catch a glimpse of Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars as they will be visible in the early evening after sunset, along with many star clusters and nebulae may be visible as the evening progresses. There will not be a Moon to washout the night sky, so a perfect night in store.

The PAA will use the entire parking lot on top of the hill. To promote safety for the members and the public, Armour Hill will be closed to vehicular traffic. Parking will be available in the lower lot opposite the Peterborough Museum and Archives.  Come dressed and prepared to spend time outside.  See you there and keep looking up!

This is a weather dependent event. If the skies are cloudy & precipitating, the event will be canceled that evening. Please check the PAA website and social media sites (Facebook and Twitter) for the status the day of this event.

Annual Beef Bar B Que held August 12, 3-7 pm, at St. Paul the Apostle Parish, 4 Reid Street Lakefield Ontario. Delicious BBQ beef supper with local corn-on-the-cob and vegetables. Homemade pies for dessert and entertainment out on the shaded lawn. Eat at our banquet tables inside and enjoy the entertainment afterward or bring you lawn chairs and eat outside. This event is famous for good food and great live entertainment. Sure to have your heart smiling and your toes tapping. Dinner and Entertainment just $20.00 Adults, $10.00 children 6-12, children under 6 FREE. We are right next to the river in Lakefield and accessible by water.

Come join us for a great day! This great day will start at noon, and will be tons of fun for the whole family. Some activities include: face painting, Texas horseshoes, yard Yahtzee, three-legged race and more. Cost is $20/person, paid at the event (no tickets). There will be live entertainment as well.  Foods available will be Roast pig, corn (donated by Leisure Farms), deep fried turkey and various salads. An antique car show will be there as well. Please bring your own lawn chairs and the event is BYOB. The evening will wrap up around 11 pm

For more information, please call Corbeil 4 Seasons Club at 705-752-1186.

See you there :)

Join the Peterborough Astronomical Association (PAA)  and the Otonabee Region Conservation Authority (ORCA), for a viewing of both the Sun and the stars at this unique event on August 11th, from 8-10pm at the Harold Town Conservation Area, west of Peterborough on the Old Norwood Road.  Participants will have the opportunity to safely view the sun using equipment provided by the PAA members, and then after sunset enjoy the night sky away from the City lights. Suitable for all ages, all equipment provided.  Weather dependant – clear skies required.

So, What's up?:

The Sun is now well into the "quiet" part of the of the eleven year sunspot cycle which is expected to hit minimum in 2020 so the chances of seeing any sunspots is low. However there is always the possibility that some prominences will appear, shooting out from the side of the Sun!

The Moon is “new” on August 11th. so this will be a moonless night, perfect for looking at the planets and for spotting some early Perseid Meteors in the northern sky.

Venus shines brightly low in the West, setting at 10pm.. The disk of Venus is about half illuminated.

Jupiter is shining brightly in the South West at 10 pm. There will be many opportunities to observe its four brightest moons through a telescope.

Saturn will be visible high in the South at 10pm. The rings are favourably positioned for viewing and should be clearly visible in a telescope. Saturn is in a very rich area of the sky in northern Sagittarius.

Mars will shine brightly in the South East as darkness falls and will be clearly visible all night.

If you have questions about astronomy or about telescopes please, come and talk to our members. We will be there from 8 pm until very much later.

Weather permitting of course. Come out and enjoy.