the Oxford Observer SEPTEMBER 2018 Issue 80
Published Monthly 4500 copies
the Oxford & North Canterbury Newspaper
Published and delivered at the beginning of each month to Oxford, Cust, Bennetts, Waddington, Sheffield, West Eyreton, Eyrewell, Swannanoa, Fernside, Summerhill, Ashley Gorge, Okuku, Glentui, Lees Valley, Carleton, Horrellville, Springbank, View Hill. Copies are available at the Oxford, Rangiora & Darfield Libraries, Emma’s at Oxford, Cust PO Boxes & Cafes throughout the district.
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Observatory Hosts Mars Night words by Jacky Kirk photos by Dave Woodcock
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Visitors to the Observatory at Oxford Area School were treated to a celebration of the planet Mars, on the evening of Saturday 4th August. For the first time since 2003, Mars is at its closest to the Earth, making it bigger and brighter in the night sky. Although visible to the naked eye, visitors got close-up views of the planet through the observatory telescope, and telescopes belonging to members of the Canterbury Astronomical Society. Also visible in the night sky, were Venus and Jupiter. An extra-terrestrial atmosphere was created outside in the darkness, by projecting images of Mars onto a large screen to the accompanying soundtrack of Jeff Wayne’s The War of the Worlds. One of the brightest stars of the evening was twelve-year-old Emma Warwick, a pupil of Oxford Area School, who along with Chloe Firkin and Janey Leslie, accompanied visitors around the exhibition held in the school. Emma’s passion and knowledge were commendable. She explained about the conditions on Mars (very cold and dusty), the best way to land a spacecraft on Mars (bounce gently on inflatable balloons) and the geography of the planet (enormous mountain peaks). She talked about missions to Mars and admitted that her ‘real passion’ was the Greek and Roman mythology of Mars. Walking around the exhibition, it was evident how many hours had been spent by the organisers. Exhibits included video presentations and a dedicated ‘Kids’ Corner’. Mars New Zealand played their part in celebrating the proximity of Mars by donating, what else, but Mars Bars! An estimated three hundred people attended the event, helping to raise funds to purchase a new telescope for the observatory.
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