
E. A. Colquhoun was the ‘Centennial President.’ Emerging from the shadow of the telescope-building era, he took the helm in 1967 with a different focus: professionalization. While the club’s engineers finished the optics, Colquhoun finished the paperwork, securing the Letters Patent that incorporated the Hamilton Centre in 1968. He transformed a hobby club into a…
Bryan Highlighting the new 8inch telescope to be used in our Young Galileo Program 10telescopes.com is a community-driven astronomy initiative dedicated to making stargazing accessible to everyone. The project focuses on designing, building, and sharing robust 3D-printed telescopes that can be borrowed by the public, educators, and outreach groups. Its flagship “Skyward” telescopes are designed…
Chris is an avid amateur astronomer who, according to many, five years ago bought the wrong type of telescope for astrophotography. Not one to listen to criticism, public consensus, or reason, Chris proceeded to build his astrophotography rig on a wedge, a Celestron 6SE he calls Nomad. Chris has spent the last five years experimenting…
The Presidents You May Not Know. Telescopes. Obsession. Results
R. Nielson (Hamilton Centre President, 1965) Biography: R. Neilson (often recorded as Ray Neilson) was a Canadian amateur astronomer active in the 1960s. He was a long‐time member of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada’s (RASC) Hamilton Centre (Ontario). No records of his birth date, death date, or formal education have been found in the…
Chris is an avid amateur astronomer who, according to many, five years ago bought the wrong type of telescope for astrophotography. Not one to listen to criticism, public consensus, or reason, Chris proceeded to build his astrophotography rig on a wedge, a Celestron 6SE he calls Nomad. Chris has spent the last five years experimenting…
Edward A. Ostrosser Edward A. “Ed” Ostrosser was a Canadian amateur astronomer active in the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada’s (RASC) Hamilton Centre during the late 1950s and 1960s. His involvement dates back at least to 1958, when a Hamilton Centre council meeting was held at his home to found the club’s Telescope Makers’ Group…
Leslie V. Powis – Hamilton Amateur Astronomer and RASC Leader Early Life and Background Leslie V. (Les) Powis (1919–1985) was a Canadian amateur astronomer who became a pillar of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada’s Hamilton Centre . Little is recorded publicly about his early life or education. Like many RASC enthusiasts of his era,…
1961 & 1966 1983–85 Personal Background: James A. Winger (1922–2007) was born in Ontario and served in the armed forces at the end of World War II . After the war he settled near Hamilton (living in Burlington) and married Lucille; they had two daughters (Roberta and Naomi) and later two grandchildren . Winger was…
Stewart J. Buntain – Hamilton Amateur Astronomer and RASC LeaderEarly Life and BackgroundStewart J. Buntain (often called “Stu” by his peers) was a Canadian amateur astronomer active in Hamilton, Ontario during the mid-20th century. Precise details of his birth and early life are sparse. It is known that by the 1950s he was residing in…