Castlefield Observatory Walk

This is the story of one of Toronto's historic observatories, built on a height of land between the Don and Black Creek watersheds, and the story of the man who built it. Join Helen Mills and Lynn Kirk for an exploration of the Beltline Trail and the topography of this industrial and post industrial neighbourhood. Lynn will tell the remarkable story of Bert Topham (1893-1962), an ordinary working man and WWI veteran who got interested in the stars while in the trenches. Bert taught himself astronomy and built an observatory on a hill north west of Dufferin and Castlefield. He became a well-known amateur astronomer with a North American reputation, the first recipient of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada's Chant Medal, whose private observatory was a notable local landmark and a destination for visiting members of the American Association of Variable Star Observers.

The walk begins at Castlefield and Dufferin at 2 pm on Sunday, August 17, 2014.

For more information on Lost Rivers, see http://www.lostrivers.ca/. 

For additional information on Bert Topham, see http://www.rasc.ca/bert-topham.

Who can attend: Anybody
Fee: free
Reservation not needed
Organized by: Lost River Walks, a joint program of Toronto Green Community and Toronto Field Naturalists
Location: Castlefield and Dufferin