In this talk and slide show, Michael Watson will discuss his recent month-long trip to Australia, which included several nights of stargazing and astrophotography from the dark skies of the Australian Outback. He will talk about how he prepared for the trip, the equipment that he took, and how he produced the photos that you will see. His astrophotos will be interspersed with photos of some of the sights from around the Land Down Under.

Dr. Avery Broderick will provide a highly accessible and interesting lecture on the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) and international efforts to interpret horizon-resolving images of numerous supermassive black holes.

The South Pole, one of Earth’s most isolated outposts, is alive with science. And it's here where you'll find the 10-metre South Pole Telescope (SPT) observing the oldest light in our Universe, the Cosmic Microwave Background—light emitted just after the Big Bang. In 2016, a next-generation microwave camera, SPT-3G, was installed on the telescope. This camera is allowing astronomers to map out the Cosmic Microwave Background in more detail than ever before, providing new information on clusters of galaxies, cosmic inflation, and particle physics. 

Every day, as many as 1,000 extremely fast and powerful bursts of radio waves flash out of the sky from beyond our galaxy, and we know very little about them. Join Victoria Kaspi, Director of CIFAR’s Gravity & the Extreme Universe program, as she explains what we know, and describes a revolutionary new Canadian radio telescope that will soon help us solve the puzzle. Doors open at 6:30pm.

Everyone is invited to join us and Durham Skies on October 12 for stargazing at the edge of Lake Ontario. Take a free look through different kinds of telescopes (including solar-filtered scopes) to get close-up looks at sunspots, craters on the Moon, Saturn and its rings, and rosy Mars. Peer deep into space and try your hand at spotting faint star clusters and nebulae. You can even bring your own telescope along and we'll give you expert advice on how to use it better.

The red planet and the ringed gas giant are waiting for you among the stars. In celebration of World Space Week, observe Mars and Saturn* up close through a telescope. Launch a bottle rocket. Meet a real-life rocket scientist. Enjoy a special screening of the Journey To Space IMAX® film. World Space Week celebrates scientists and space explorers from around the globe whose work has helped humankind. This year, the theme is “Space Unites The World.”

Hover above the moon like an astronaut and get eye-to-eye with the planets. Find colourful stars, star clusters, bright nebulae and even another galaxy. Our monthly City Star Party is the place to catch universe from within the city limits at Bayview Village Park. If you don't have a telescope then you will find many astronomers who would love to share a view. If you are thinking of buying a telescope, viewing with other people's equipment is the best way to make a good choice. If you have a telescope or binoculars, please bring it!

Welcome back Dr. Dave Williams to talk about Defying Limits: Lessons from the Edge of the Universe — an inspirational, uplifting, and life-affirming memoir about passion, resilience and living to the fullest. From spacewalking records to living under the sea to performing surgery in zero gravity, learn how a curious kid from Saskatchewan rocketed out of this world. Dr. Dave will be available for book signing after the conversation. Presented in collaboration with Simon & Schuster Canada.

For the first time ever, Ryerson University will be hosting the world-renowned astronaut, Chris Hadfield! “Beyond the Horizon: The Hadfield Experience” aims to inspire, motivate and guide you to becoming changemakers of society.

Quench your thirst for astronomy! On Friday, November 9, at The Great Hall! It'll be another fun evening of pints, astronomy news, mind-expanding talks, games, prizes, and Dunlap merchandise for sale! Plus, following all the talks, there will be plenty of time for you to have all your cosmic questions answered by astronomers from the Dunlap Institute and the University of Toronto. We'll see you there!