Cloudy skies and, later, wet snow greeted 34 visitors (estimated, 20 children and 14 adults) of the 81st London Girl Guides for Exploring the Stars at the Cronyn Observatory, Tuesday, April 10th, 7:00 p.m. Graduate student Tyler Desjardins made the digital slide presentation, The Scout / Guide Astronomy Badge.
The damp ruled out opening the dome and Tyler gave them a tour of the big 25.4cm refractor (32mm Erfle eyepiece) and explained Standard and Sidereal Time shown on the clocks on the wall. He also explained reflecting telescopes as RASC London Centre member Bob Duff demonstrated the 25.4cm Dobsonian (17mm Nagler eyepiece). Bob spoke briefly on the history of the Cronyn Observatory and the difference between the performance of the big refractor and the Dobsonian. Everybody was gone by 9:00 p.m. after an interesting evening of astronomy, despite the unfavourable weather.