Fred Lossing Observatory exhibit opens at Mill of Kintail

MISSISSIPPI MILLS – A special exhibit featuring the Fred Lossing Observatory (FLO) opened at the Mill of Kintail Museum on Saturday May 18.

FLO has been called “a hidden gem in Mississippi Mills,” an apt description since many people who’ve lived in the area for years remain unaware of its existence.

“This could have a lot to do with astronomers working mostly at night, in the dark,” astronomer and volunteer Rick Scholes released in a statement. “It is also because FLO is a membership-based astronomical observatory operated by the Ottawa chapter of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC). The observatory is hidden (er, I mean, located) elsewhere on the grounds of the Mississippi Valley Conservation Area.”

The exhibit chronicles the history of the observatory from its inception in 1971 to the present. Various artifacts are featured including historical logbooks used by local amateur astronomers over the years, eyepieces, plaques and posters, and two typical amateur astronomer telescopes.

“If you’re thinking of taking up astronomy as a hobby, consider joining RASC, where you can find both new and experienced members eager to share their love of the night sky,” Scholes said. “RASC holds well-attended public star parties at the Carp Diefenbunker during the summer months.”

Details can be found at ottawa.rasc.ca.

The RASC Ottawa chapter is the second largest in Canada with well more than 400 members.

“One membership privilege is the use of FLO, where people can escape the light-polluted Ottawa skies and set up their own observing gear or use one of the club’s fixed telescopes,” Scholes said. “In Mississippi Mills we benefit from a night-sky-friendly lighting bylaw. And when I say ‘we’ I mean not just observatory users, but everyone who enjoys the grandeur of the night sky. Lights that point upward just wash out the night sky for all of us, and waste electricity (money) at the same time. So please consider night-sky-friendly lighting for your properties and businesses, using timers and motion sensors, and just turning off lights that aren’t needed. The night sky is a natural resource, just like the hiking trails, flora and fauna, and fresh air found at the Mill of Kintail.”

Scholes will be offering an astronomy course a little later this year.

“For those interested in learning more about astronomy, I will be offering a course entitled The Night Sky through Learning Again in Almonte in autumn 2024,” he said. “The focus will be on what we can see with our eyes or a small telescope when we look up, and how our perception of the universe has evolved over the course of human history.”

Details and registration will be available in July at learningagaininalmonte.ca.

If you’ve never visited the Mill of Kintail Museum, it’s well worth exploring its permanent collection, which profiles two famous sons of Lanark County, R. Tait McKenzie and James Naismith. There are fascinating displays about the lives and accomplishments of these men, contained within the beautiful heritage mill building. The museum is open in the summer from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday to Friday and 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekends and holidays.