Public Open House at CAO
On the evening of Saturday 5 October 2013, an Open House will be held at the RASC Toronto Centre's E.C. Carr Astronomical Observatory (CAO) near Loree on Blue Mountain. This special event is being held for all who are interested in learning about astronomy and might enjoy a guided evening stargazing experience.
Our program will feature two seatings of presentations beginning at 7:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Reservations are required to be made by all those who wish to attend a presentation as seating and space is very limited. Reservations are also required for those simply attending the site for the observatory star tours. Reservations can be made with the e-mail address shown below. Presentations are suitable for children 8 years of age and older.
RASC Toronto Centre volunteers will be on hand to conduct star tours with telescopes on our observing pad as well as within the Geoff Brown Observatory (or GBO). The roll-off roof GBO facility houses a computer controlled telescope, which can readily locate and track astronomical objects. Observing will be offered as the weather will allow. Nevertheless, this event will proceed rain or shine. Light refreshments will be served.
Be sure to dress warmly as it cools down rapidly after nightfall. Please note that closed shoes are required for safely walking about the site after dark in reduced lighting. If you have one, please bring your own red flashlight.
The CAO facility is owned and managed by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada - Toronto Centre, which is a not-for-profit registered charity operated entirely by volunteers. Admission is by donation, suggested at $10 per adult.
Map and directions to the site are available upon request.
For more information about this event, or to reserve your space at either of the Saturday evening programs, please send us a message through this form.
Presentation Times and Topics
Please note that due to significant demand, we will only accommodate reservation requests for one presentation per person. However, you may request to be placed on a waiting list for a second title, in the case of availability.
7:00 p.m.: Messages in Starlight - available
Presenter: Ian Wheelband. Astronomers rely on starlight, electromagnetic radiation, for all information about the universe beyond our atmosphere. In this lecture, we will explore history of light and science, how light is formed, how it changes on its' journey to our earth, and finally what we can learn about the world around us using only the light from the stars.
8:30 p.m.: Astrophotography for Beginners - available
Presenter: Steve McKinney. Astrophotography is easy. Using your current camera, you can image the Moon, constellations, aurora, and so on. Grab the tripod to capture star trails. With a couple of inexpensive accessories, you can take "afocal" or time lapse pictures. We'll show you how to get started and suggest some exposure settings.
Observatory and Sky Tours - Available
Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Hope to see you there!
