4 - Wednesday, October 12, 1988 - North Shore News BEFORE TURNING my world-weary attention to the fed- eral election with its own stars and Black Holes and rockets and boosters, allow me to cast my eyes toward the heavens in an effort to fix a bit of perspective in place. I watched the launch of the Discovery shuttle and I have to admit it gave me a lift. I’ve always been a fan of the space program — everybody’s space program — and it was a relief to see the crazy Yankees riding skyward on a pillar of flame again. For where they go, we Canucks will be going too. . -Hard on the heels of the Discovery launch, Canada signed an agreement to contribute $1.2 billion worth of high-tech hard- ware to the American-led plan to establish a permanent space station in orbit by the year 1996. I kind of enjoyed the little speech given after the signing by Minister of Regional Industrial Expansion, Robert de Cotret, who said the space station project will permit astronauts ‘‘to go beyond its orbit to new places in our galaxy and beyond.”’ That’s a bit breath-taking. Keep- ing in mind that it is 100 thousand light years (about 935,000 trillion kilometres) across the breadth of our galaxy, with us positioned out towards the edge of one cf its spiral arms, our minister was taik- ing pretty far-out stuff. Few science fiction writers have dared to imagine launching their heroes “‘beyond"' the galaxy, it be- ing such a stupendous undertak- ing. James Blish did in the Cities In Flight series and so did E.E. (“Doc”’)} Smith in The Lensmen Series, but even the mighty Isaac Asimov only brought his heroes to the edge of the intergalactic void. Captain Kirk’s starship Enterprise, for the record, never did leave the confines of the galaxy. had located no less than nine planets in other solar systems. They didn’t actually see them, but they established their existence by analyzing the color shift of light collected from the stars involved. They were able to detect wobble in the stars’ orbits, indicating the gravitational effect of large bodies in orbit around them. - The nearest such star is called Tau Ceti. It is some 90 light years away. Its planet is roughly the size of Jupiter. What is truly astounding about oe Tie idea that we might be alone in the universe . never sat well with me, especially in view of our quite credible chances of blowing or poisoning ourselves into oblivion.”’ Yet I like that kind of talk, even if I suspect the industrial expan- sion minister doesn’t know the dif- ference between a galaxy and a spiral nebula. This was perhaps the most pivotal year yet in terms of astronomical discoveries of the 20th century, and Canadian astronomers were front and centre. Three University of Victoria scien- tists, in fact, had asteroids named after them in recognition of their achievements: Tatum, Balam and Climenhaga. ‘ Another UVic astronomer, Bruce Campbell, revealed this summer that his team of observers OCTOBER this and the other eight planets discovered by Campbell’s team is that they were located after a search of just 18 stars in all. If this ratio of planets to stars holds up for the entire galaxy, it means half the stars would have worlds in or- bit around them! Until now, all debates about life on other worlds has been limited, in terms of scientific discussion, to our own little solar system, since we had no evidence of any other planets beyond Pluto. ; That has radically changed. If half the stars of the galaxy have planets, the chances of life out there have taken a quantum leap to ISTH 11 AM TO 3 Pivi. the point where it is utterly facile to pretend that there could be anything other than millions upon millions of other life forms inhab- iting those worlds. Other life forms — other peo- ‘ples! I don’t know about you, but I find this enormously comforting. The idca that we might be alone in the universe never sat well with me, especially in view of our quite credible chances of blowing or poisoning ourselves into oblivion. We are just one little water world among the uncountable Zillions of worlds. I wonder what the Tau Cetians call themselves? I wonder, if they have telescopes, what they cail us — assuming they might have detected a slight wobble in the or- bit of our sun and come to the coaclusion that there might be life here? The emergence of evidence that there are other planets around other stars is every bit as signifi- cant as Galileo’s discovery that Earth was circling the sun, not vice versa. That particular discovery displaced humanity from the cen- tre of the universe of its imagina- tion. Maybe this one will displace us just as thoroughly from the weird, vain notion that we are somehow all that there is. Look up. Be humbled. Maybe even be afraid. We are definitely not alone. @ HW. Van club site rezoning delayed NORTH VANCOUVER's con- troversial Hippopotamus Club closed down months ago, but it centinues to color city council debate over the future of the club’s Third and Lonsdale site. The owner of the site wants to lease it to a restaurant, and city council wants to ensure neighbors are never bothered by loud music and rowdy patrons again. ““We have to take into con- sideration the citizens and all the noise that they’ve had to put up with over the years,’ Ald. Stella Jo Dean said at fast Monday night’s meeting. Council voted against a bylaw that would have prohibited live music in a restaurant on the site. They considered a new version of the bylaw that would prohibit dancing and limit live music to two musicians and 75 decibels. The se- cond motion was deferred a week to allow further consultation with the owner. Both motions allow for a reduc- ed parking requirement for the site. Ald. Frank Morris, in consulta- tion with city development services director Fred Smith, established that if council does nothing the owner would be allowed to open a *B’-licence restaurant that could allow music and dancing. “the limited live music proposal will have to go through the full bylaw amendment process, in- cluding a public hearing, before it can be adopted. And the process will probably be abandoned if the applicant, Parvis Kabolyzadeh, doesn’t want to pursue it further. Increase your chances! Additional ballots are available at all stores {except BC Liquor Store outlets). So enter at every store — there's no limit on entries and no purchase is necessary. CONTEST RULES The draw is open to all residents of B.C., age 18 or over, except employees of Cauifeild Village outlets, their families or agencies. You may erter by clipping the entry form in our nevespaper ads or requesting entries from any of the Village merchants, Drop your entries _ in any of the ballot boxes found at Caulfeild Village merchants. From eligible entries received by 5:30 pm, Friday, October 14th, 1988, one (1) entry wil! be drawn on i October 15, 1988 for a complete package consisting of: Two (2) business class tickets from British Airways j (Retail Value of $6,600) plus, $900 spending money. The winning enirant is required to answer a time- | Win a $7,506 trip for two on British Airways to Mr. Caulfettd’s England. NAME aan S BRITISH AIRWAYS Don miss this event! Enter the draw and you could win a return trip for two on British Airways to see the countryside that inspired Mr. Caulfeild. Fly luxurious busi- ness class on the world’s favourite airline direct from Vancouver to London — (ticket value $6,600) plus, $900 spending money. ee ath sve GREEN rt eome i , aE Gna Sy, we UPPER ¥ '& C ee LEED ate R CARNAGE ~ ADDRESS cry limited, skill testing question and must agree to both fame and photograph being used for promotional purposes. (20x5-3+50=_. =”) The prize package must be accepted as offered, no substitutions or additions. POSTAL CODE TELEPHONE Dein us for our Ist Anniversary Birthday Party, Saturday, October 15. We promise you a fun-filled celebration featuring dancers, performers, the Caulfeild cow, balloons, refreshments, and THE GRAND DRAW for the British Airways flight to England. Don’t forget, you have up to 5:30 pm, Friday, October 14, 1988 to enter. , ter the draw!