The monthly meeting of the Peterborough Astronomical Association's (PAA) will still take place online May 1st, not at our customary location of the Rotary Education Centre/Guest Services Building, Riverview Park Zoo, but instead in your own home. Even Covid-19 cannot stop the spread of information and knowledge by the members of the PAA. Our work around involves using a platform called Zoom. To participate just make sure that in advance, you opened a (free) Zoom account on whatever phone or tablet device you wish to participate with and then contact paamal3@peterboroughastronomy.com for the password and link to our evenings presentations.

This year’s “Novice Astronomy Classes” are focused on the practical aspects of learning about astronomy. You will introduce to astronomy related subjects at a very basic level, but in a logical sequence.  This month's session is entitled  “Deep Sky Objects Part 2”. There will be discussion and illustrations of Supernovae, Black Holes, Neutron Stars & Pulsars, Gamma Ray Bursts, Blazars and Gravitational Waves. If you are interested, be on-line by 6:00 p.m. The classes will run about 45 minutes each session, before our regular meeting resumes. 

Our main presentation for May will start shortly after 7:00 p.m. and this month, it will feature Past Member and PhD candidate, Gabriel Bliard, with a talk entitled, “Equations Written in the Stars”, Gabriel is Zooming to us from France and he will talk about the development of mathematics in astronomy and the birth of theoretical physics. The talk will include the contributions of Isaac Newton, Pierre-Simon de Laplace, as well as Albert Einstein and more modern physicists, finishing with what Gabriel and the physics community are working on nowadays. Come out and learn about the history of this important and expanding field of research. The price is right…it costs you nothing but your time.  

Then we can continue with the Sky This Month and other regular club features. There will also be the usual opportunities to have your questions answered, at no cost. All we ask is that you register in advance at paamal3@peterboroughastronomy.com This is an all ages meeting and  the venue is totally barrier free. Also, you don’t need a telescope to participate, but a curious mind helps.

The City of Windsor is reluctantly announcing the cancellation of the annual Mayor’s Walk and City Birthday Celebration events, the perennial plant sale and regular spring recreation and culture programming. Due to facility closures and social distancing requirements of COVID-19 and the impact on staff who are counted on to organize the celebrations, the cancellations are deemed unavoidable.

The plant sale, which is a fundraiser for the Paul Martin Gardens, is regularly held each May, but again, with social distancing and the call for residents to stay home, cancellation is the right course of action.

For recreation and culture programming, credits will be applied to all accounts where payments have been received for use in the future when programming restarts.

The Summer Activity Guide will be available in May, 2020 and, subject to guidance from public health officials, the City of Windsor will plan for a resumption of culture and recreation activities for all ages as soon as safely possible.

“As the impacts of COVID-19 continue to impact all aspects of our daily lives, it is vital that we take all possible steps to flatten the curve in our community,” said Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens. “It is my hope that these signature events as well as regular culture and recreation programing can be restarted this summer.”

Residents with specific questions regarding their accounts are encouraged to contact the city via parkrec@citywindsor.ca or by calling 311.

Join the Leamington District Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, April 23 at 9am for a Zoom Meeting with MPP Rick Nicholls. Register at info@leamingtonchamber.com. MPP Nicholls will provide updates on how the provincial government has been combating the COVID-19 crisis.

COLLECTING BURLINGTON'S STORIES
Our community and coping with Covid-19

The Museums of Burlington is inviting our local community to send digital files of photographs, drawings, documents and/or videos reflecting how COVID-19 is impacting you and your families.

We are living through a historical event that will impact us and future generations, perhaps in ways we don’t even understand yet. We are collecting stories about how our community is looking out for one another, coping and pulling together.

Please email your contributions to museuminfo@burlington.ca. Please note, submissions may be shared via social media, our website, and/or future exhibitions for the purpose of sparking conversation and learning.

For more information visit museumsofburlington.ca/exhibitions/ online-galleries/our-community-and-covid-19