Member FAQs

There are many reasons to become a member!  If you’re already a member, the information on this page will help you make the most of it.

Your greatest opportunity is to take advantage of the company of other enthusiasts to increase your knowledge, enjoyment and skill in astronomy.  The best thing you can do is to get active! Take in the club meetings; engage other members with questions; come out to observing sessions; use our resources and, by all means, volunteer to take part in our many public events.

Centre Library

  • Over 150 astronomical and space books, CD’s and DVD’s
  • As a member, you can sign out library materials by emailing or talking to the Librarian after a monthly members’ meeting

Telescope loaner program

  • As a member, you can reserve two different telescopes per year, or alternatively, borrow what is left at the conclusion of the monthly meeting
  • Scopes can be signed out by emailing or talking to the Director of Telescopes after a monthly members’ meeting.
  • The loaner period is for one month, to be returned after the next meeting. Telescopes are not allowed to circulate outside of these meetings.
  • A variety of scopes of different types and sizes – try out different ones and compare!

Volunteering

  • We are always looking for volunteers! If you would like to volunteer at our public events, contact our events coordinator, either at a members’ monthly meeting, via email to [email protected], or make a request to join  our volunteers email list.
  • Due to liability concerns, you must be a member in good standing to be able to volunteer.

Other

  • Our annual general meeting is in December.
  • To vote in an election of Council members and in general votes, simply come to the annual general meeting or to any special purpose meeting, which would be announced in advance to members via email.
  • Contact current members of council by using the emails on our Contacts page
  • If you wish to attend a meeting of the RASC Vancouver council (held on the 1st Thursday of every month), either to observe or make a presentation, contact our president in advance, either at a members’ monthly meeting or via email.
  • If you wish to join the RASC Vancouver council, contact our president, either at a members’ monthly meeting or via email; positions sometimes open up during the year due to resignations of existing council members; or you can run for election at the annual general meeting.
  • If you would like to submit articles or photos for publication in the Centre’s bimonthly NOVA newsletter, email them to our NOVA editor.
  • To renew your membership or change any information associated with it, you can either call RASC National at the above number, or log in to your online RASC account with the username and password sent to you when you first joined.  If you’ve forgotten or misplaced them, you can retrieve them from the log in page.
  • To inquire about time on the SFU Trottier Observatory telescope to pursue astronomy projects, please email the Imaging Chair.

If you have any other questions, consult our contacts page and email the council member whose position seems most related to the nature of your question.