RASC Calgary Centre - The Wilson Coulee Observatory

Page last updated: February 14, 2021

The Wilson Coulee Observatory

The Wilson Coulee Observatory (WCO)

One of the many advantages of becoming a member of the RASC Calgary Centre is access to our Wilson Coulee Observatory.
  • The WCO is a club-run facility that has observing as its primary goal.
  • There is ample space to set up telescopes in a location that is near to Calgary, yet out from underneath most of the light pollution.
  • There is a spacious club house (the Sid Lee Building) for meetings and tour groups.
  • There is a detached domed observatory that houses a Celestron C-14 Schmidt-Cassegrain scope on a custom Byers drive.
  • There is a roll-off roof observatory which can handle up to 4 member telescopes simultaneously, providing protection from the wind and stray lights.
  • There are two radio telescopes and a computer processing room for them.
  • The WCO also houses the clubs extensive Library.
  • The grounds sport a concrete observing "deck", numerous piers and power points for telescopes and picnic tables for charts and accessories.
  • A Brief History - The buildings were funded through Alberta 75th Anniversary grant money provided to the City of Calgary and thence on to the Calgary Centre of the RASC. Additional fund raising was done to purchase the C14. The observatory was opened on January 29, 1983 on the 25th anniversary of the Calgary Centre. Deficiencies in the original stock clock drive pushed the club to purchase a highly accurate Byers retrofit drive. This drive moves the telescope very precisely to follow the stars, allowing unguided 'piggyback' astrophotography with telephoto lenses or easily guided prime focus images with the main telescope. In 2008, the members of the Calgary Centre of the RASC voted to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Calgary Centre, and the 25th anniversary of the WCO by approving the construction of a Roll Off Roof Observatory Building (which also has a collapsible south wall). The large 8x18 foot structure allows up to 4 scopes to use the building simultaneously.
    January 29, 2021 marks the Wilson Coulee Observatory's 38th anniversary.
  • Location: This information is restricted to RASC members to protect the site.
  • Access: The WCO is available to Calgary RASC members 24 hours per day,
    BUT:
    • Members who wish to use the facility must register with the Site Director and pay an annual "Key Fee" to help offset maintenance costs.
    • Access to the grounds and parking areas is controlled by a numerically coded vehicle traffic gate.
    • Access to the buildings (and therefore the toilet) are controlled by numerically coded locks.
    • Access to the C14 requires training and a check-out period by the site managers.
    • Use of the roll-off roof building requires a short training session.
    • Contact the Site Director, NOVA Director, or O.G. Director for further information about these points.
  • Scheduled Events:
  • Photos - Many other photos of the WCO can be can be found on our Centre Events page.

Return to main page