A New Project is Unveiled!
And it needs your help!
The Rising Tide Foundation has joined hands with Montreal based artist/astronomer Patrick Cyr to unveil a new project for teaching astronomy, geometry, art and philosophy using a new observatory design premised on the dodecahedral structure.
The first prototypical observatory is nearly complete and will be installed on location atop one of the highest hills in a nature reserve located in Montebello Quebec, just one hour away from Montreal and far from light pollution in order to appreciate the full majesty of the night sky.
Once this observatory will be installed by the Fall 2021, a secondary teaching facility will be constructed in order to showcase pedagogical workshops for children, teenagers and curious adults wishing to uplift their sense of the universal. Schools will be invited to bring children, and summer programs for kids will guide a new generation of aspiring astronomers, astronauts and environmental scientists who will learn the fundamentals of astronomy, astro-climatology, painting, harmonics and much more.
The goal of this project is to not only generate an architecturally beautiful observatory that showcases the greatest expanse of the night sky possible while celebrating the geometric discoveries of Johannes Kepler which revolutionized humanity’s relationship with the universe over 400 years ago, but also to revive a classical humanist method of teaching that presumes no absolute walls separating the various fields of human knowledge. The RTF method aims instead to to see all branches of thought as reflecting different sides of the same universal phenomenon.
Once this observatory is installed, we hope to replicate this inspiring design in other locations across the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa with a guided teaching curriculum centered on reproducing discoveries in the minds of youth rather than simple exercises in memorization of rules and formulas.
Currently, we have a goal to raise $50,000 to upgrade our telescope from a current 18 inch lens to a 50 inch telescope with an F/3.5 ocular support using a parabolic primary mirror design innovated by Fullum-folded Newtonian. This new design allows for the first time for a 50 inch telescope to stand at 8.5 feet instead of the typical height of 18 feet.
Write to info@risingtidefoundation.net to become a patron of this telescope by making a donation today.
For all donations of $1000 or more, an original charcoal family portrait produced by Patrick Cyr or Matthew Ehret will be given as a gift. For all donations of $3000 or more, an oil painting will be rendered as a thank you by Patrick Cyr.
All donors who give $50 or more will have their names framed as a thank you as a permanent installation inside of the pedagogical building associated with the observatory.