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Astronomy in Southeast Alberta

For some, science is a passing fad. It was when Rod DeVries was young, he looked down, picked up a rock, and noticed the colours, crystals, and size. He looked up, and saw a space that called for life-long learning, “For me, it wasn’t a passing fad. It was forever. I love science.”

his wooden shelf in his observatory. And he’s gone from having one microscope as a child, to now 14 telescopes in his viewing room. He once traveled hours to Idaho to witness a 2 minute and 10 second total eclipse with his own eyes, “and it was totally worth it,” he says. When the sun finally sets in Southeast Alberta, and a sea of stars appear, the amateur astronomer is ready with his telescope as the roof of his observation deck slides back like a mechanical door, normally found on the front of a garage. But not every time is he alone. He often has a group of people he’s presented to before he highlights the sky. Teaching astronomy for over 20 years, children, teenagers, adults, and seniors have listened to him tell stories with liveliness and vibrancy. “My goal is to turn the light on where the bulb already exists, to acquaint people with the sky and stars they see every night, with the stories they tell through constellations,” says DeVries.

Astronomy stories don’t only live in the sky. They’re in our homes — in the songs we sing and the titles of movies we watch. Constellations float far away, but their stories are often spoken by a close family member, mentor, neighbour, or nearby stranger, without us knowing. And DeVries at the young age of four was fascinated by the creations and constellations in the sky, later learning that ‘Jack and Jill’ is about the phases of the moon and ‘Beetlejuice’ is named after the star Betelgeuse. With a suitcase of curiosity and a stack of questions, he’s read thousands of pages to learn the atmosphere. Dozens of books sit on

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WINTER IN CANADA’S SUNNIEST CITY