A DREAM MOVING CLOSER TO REALTY
PRESS RELEASE
MAY 26, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
On May 29th members of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada Okanagan Centre (RASCOC) were the very appreciative recipients of a $5000.00 donation from the Central Okanagan Foundation to be used in the establishment of an Okanagan Public Astronomical Observatory. The Astronomical Society is very pleased that the Central Okanagan Foundation shares the vision and promise of this project as a cultural and educational asset to our Okanagan community. A dark but accessible site east of Kelowna has been selected for the Observatory, which is planned to be ready for public visits by late 2008. The funds from the Central Okanagan Foundation will be used to complete the work on the Observatory’s primary instrument, which is a twenty-four inch telescope that will provide spectacular views of celestial objects. The Observatory will be open to the public for tours of the night sky and will include instruments that will allow direct visual observation for wheelchair observers and cloudy night AV presentations to educate and entertain. The Royal Astronomical Society members see the generous donation from the Central Okanagan Foundation as an important turning point, welcoming new partners in the realization of this Observatory project that will serve and enhance our diverse and burgeoning community.