Come join the Hamilton Amateur Astronomers for a night under the stars this June 18th between 9:00–11:00pm at the Niagara Gateway Tourism Centre. Friendly club members will have telescopes set up where you can ask questions and gaze upon celestial objects of interest. Subject to weather conditions.

In the last 20 years, the amateur astronomer has gained access to three paradigm-changing technologies: The Internet, progressively sophisticated astronomy software, and the CCD camera. This presentation will outline how an amateur astronomer, armed with these technologies, can engage in professional-amateur (pro-am) collaborations and contribute to astronomical sciences by monitoring a wide-range of transient astrophysical phenomena.

Presented by Prof. Doug Welch, Department of Physics & Astronomy, McMaster University

Even the greatest scientists have made some serious blunders. "Brilliant Blunders" concerns the evolution of life on Earth, of the Earth itself, of stars, and of the universe as a whole.

Showtimes: 7:00pm, 8:00pm, and 9:00pm The stars in the night sky seem unchanging and eternal, and have remained the same for the history of human civilization. However, over millions and billions of years, new stars are born, live out their long lives, and eventually die in a blaze of glory. In this show, we will be exploring the lives of stars by visiting stellar nurseries, supernova remnants and much more! If you have questions please contact planetarium@universe.utoronto.ca

Showtimes: 7:00pm, 8:00pm, and 9:00pm The stars in the night sky seem unchanging and eternal, and have remained the same for the history of human civilization. However, over millions and billions of years, new stars are born, live out their long lives, and eventually die in a blaze of glory. In this show, we will be exploring the lives of stars by visiting stellar nurseries, supernova remnants and much more! If you have questions please contact planetarium@universe.utoronto.ca

New Horizons at Pluto / Juno at JupiterSpeaker: Dr. Fran Bagenal

Astronomers have long known about Mercury and Venus transits of the Sun. However, this technique, now commonly referred to as the Transit Technique, has been amazingly successful in detecting exoplanets, planets around other stars. To date, nearly 6,000 exoplanets or planetary candidates have been detected, the majority of them using the Transit Technique. This talk will deal with some of the historical observations of Mercury and Venus transits and then summarize the state of current exoplanetary observations.

Westfield Heritage Village hosts its annual Star Party on Friday, May 13th from 7 to 10pm and invites you to experience the wonders of the night sky through the eyes of trained astronomers. Presented in partnership with the Royal Astronomical Society and McMaster University, this dazzling event will provide an opportunity to learn about the night sky through a fun and interactive evening of exploration and discovery.

Join McMaster's Sidewalk Astronomy in observing a rare astronomical event—the transit of Mercury.