Welcome to the AICO 2024-25 Fundraiser! Follow this page for stretch goals, prizes and more!
Why help the observatory? We are largely run by volunteers and donations, help us pay our undergrads, and do awesome things, like:
- Continue Free tours
- Create Awesome Swag
- Refurbish the 40cm
- Repair the atrium
- Refit the 60cm!
- Paid Student Research
- Open Research Projects
- Free prizes at every goal!
- Special Events!
Special Fundraising YouTube Program: this coming Nov 29th we will have 2 special guests for a special Fundraising event on YouTube, join in and share the donate button from 7:30pm ET LIVE!
Special Fundraising Raffles:
PRIVATE TOUR RAFFLE! Win a private tour for you and up to 5 friends. Visit the ‘warmroom’, see how the telescopes work, and more! Contest runs Nov 25 – Jan 5. One winner will be chosen for every goal we hit! How to enter?
step1: Donate to Observatory (so we reach the goal)
step2: Register for Tour Raffle
SUPPORTED OBSERVATION RAFFLE! Win a supported (we will help you!) observing evening with the AICO crew. The data will be your own after the observation. Contest runs Nov 25 – Jan 5. One winner will be chosen for every goal we hit! How to enter?
step1: Donate to Observatory (so we reach the goal)
step2: Register for Observation Raffle
Why just donate when you can also get awesome swag. You can also support the observatory with online purchases from our observatory store here!
Funds Raised So far (updated Weekly!)
Our Fundraising Goals:
$5,000 CAD: We will be able to finish the regular April 2025 tours and offer 4 new free public tours for school groups or similar. At this level, our free astronomically accurate fortune teller will be published on our website! Free digital swag for everyone! We’ll also print out 400 new observatory bookmarks to be given out for free at our weekly events! This tier includes 1 prize draw from EACH raffle, observation and tour.
$10,000 CAD: At this exciting level we can do a partial renovation of our atrium facility atop the arboretum parking garage and continue tours into Summer 2025. Several of our smaller telescopes are in need of finder scope alignment, light cleaning, and of course, we could do with some shelves! This goal will cover all the light repairs and introduce a Free online Observatory Event on YouTube with a free downloadable worksheet, covering YOUR choice of interactive astrophotography, exoplanets or more (survey TBA). This tier includes 1 extra prize draw from EACH raffle, observation and tour.
$20,000 CAD: A new all-weather protection for the 40cm telescope. At this level we will be able to buy a skyshed POD or similar, no more old tarp covering for our trusty outdoor scope.. the POD is a plastic dome covering that will ensure we can winter over without damage! This goal also allows us to continue Summer 2025 tours! In addition we’ll be able to increase our cloud storage by paying the extra monthly fee and upload a FREE ONLINE GALLERY, covering hundreds of digital images! This tier includes 1 extra prize draw from EACH raffle, observation and tour.
$30,000 CAD: A full atrium facility renovation is now possible! We’ll be able to replace the broken ‘Fireball’ computer (and perhaps rename it!) as well as repair the temperature control, refurbish the smaller telescopes and even put up a new mount for one of the smaller Cassegrains. The prize at this level will be MORE free online digital content, including our astronomikers game and at least 2 more free foldable games. Additionally 200 free astronomy posters will be given out at tours! This tier includes 1 extra prize draw from EACH raffle, observation and tour.
$50,000 CAD+: Special unlock tier, this level will allow us to get to one of the more expensive items, recalibrate the 60cm telescope inside one of the main domes of the Allan I Carswell Observatory. We will also be able to PAY a full RAY position for summer 2025 to work with QUAIL and the 60cm. We will also be able to install an ‘Flat Field Screen’ and lamp for calibration on at least one of the two domes. That’s right, RESEARCH! This tier will be accompanied with a free all day observatory event with a giveaway of 200 observatory zippable canvas tote bags (first come, first serve!). This tier includes 2 extra prize draws from EACH raffle, observation and tour.
Prizes
