'The Star Dude': B.C. man building the world's largest pair of binoculars
Port Alberni’s David Gibney has had stars in his eyes for decades, and is about to realize his life’s ambition — creating what he claims is the world’s largest pair of binoculars.
“I’ve been an astronomer for 50 years, and this really will be impressive, like you can see amazing cosmic views,” Gibney says.
He began his love of astronomy trying to document an eclipse of the sun in 1979. A photography store put him in touch with a Catholic priest who also loved star gazing.
“I owe this project in memory of my mentor Father Lucian Kemble, he was a Franciscan monk here in Port Alberni. He had a telescope and a place to observe down by the Paper Mill Dam and after the first night of looking through the telescope, oh yeah I was amazed and interested,” he says.
Gibney, who calls himself “The Star Dude," has put 19 years of planning and an estimated $400,000 into the binoculars. He created them hoping they can be used by others to observe sights during the daytime and do stargazing at night.
“The first paragraph of the plan was to provide access to the general public to high performance, optical and imaging systems for a nominal fee, like make it accessible and indeed at high traffic tourist locations I’m able to set it up, deploy it, share the experience with others,” Gibney says.
The astronomer hopes to be able to share his creation at Port Alberni’s Harbour Quay, but says he’s facing some resistance from the city because they don’t know how to license him.
“You’re not a food truck, you’re not like brick and mortar, you’re mobile, it’s kind of like where do we fit you in?” he says.
MOTIVATION TO FINISH
Gibney first came up with the concept many years ago, but says life kept getting in the way of his project. A near-death experience provided motivation for him to get back on track.
“I was a musician and I was living at the recording studio in Edmonton, and somebody passed out with a cigarette. The place was burning and I barely made it out of the burning building, and I thought if I live through this, I won’t waste any more time. I’ll go to a lawyer, I’ll go to a patent agent, engineer. I built a scale model and they loved it.”
Because the 70x600 strength binoculars will be placed on a mobile platform, he says he can take it anywhere and is hoping it can be taken to local schools.
“I want to get a business license and be able to perhaps share this with people at different locations anywhere in western Canada, you know it’s on a trailer, I can take it anywhere,” he says.
In order to complete his project, Gibney is looking for some GoFundMe financing or investors to help him get to the final roll-out stage. He firmly believes he has something that will be an instant tourist draw, wherever his Binocular Observatory Project travels.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'It was hell': Israeli mother held hostage with her children describes 51 days in captivity
Hagar Brodutch, her three children and four-year-old neighbour were kidnapped by Hamas-led militants from their home in Kfar Aza, Israel on Oct. 7 and held for 51 days. They were released in November, but Brodutch says her thoughts are never far from those still being held in Gaza.
BREAKING Teen dies after being hit by train in N.W. Calgary
A teenager has died after being hit by a train in northwest Calgary on Tuesday afternoon.
'Unruly passenger' forces WestJet flight to make emergency landing in B.C.
A WestJet flight heading to Calgary had to make an emergency landing in northern B.C. Monday due to an incident involving an 'unruly passenger,' Mounties say.
New COVID-19 subvariants become the dominant strains in Canada
More than four years after COVID-19 effectively shut down the world, two new variants of COVID-19 have become the dominant strains of the novel coronavirus in Canada.
'It's his vacation too': Jimmy the baby goat joins 2-week road trip across Canada
After Jimmy the baby goat was shunned by his mother, a New Brunswick man took the kid on a two-week road trip across Canada.
The double-level airplane seat is back. This time, there’s a first-class version
It’s the airplane seat design that launched a thousand memes and kickstarted a media storm. And now the double-level seat is back – only this time, with a twist.
Widespread theft costing Canada's retail industry dearly: experts
The Retail Council of Canada wants to put a stop to widespread theft within the retail industry, and industry leaders are meeting this week to find solutions.
Former South Dakota mayor charged with triple homicide
Three people were shot to death in a small South Dakota town, and a former law officer who once served as the town's mayor is charged in the killings.
Debunking the 'anti-sunscreen' movement: Doctors say TikTok trend is dangerous
Dermatologists are sounding the alarm about misinformation from the anti-sunscreen movement, saying not wearing sunscreen can cause cancer and other problems.