Ascension is an annual space conference that brings together students, researchers, and industry professionals over a 3-day event.

Safely observe the Sun with us, from the comfort of your home! During these family-friendly sessions, a DDO Astronomer will answer your questions about our closest star: the Sun!

Visit a unique historical site in Richmond Hill and experience an engaging presentation led by expert and researchers in astronomy, covering a variety of exciting astronomy topics. After the presentation, participants will tour the observatory and see a demonstration of the 74" telescope. If the sky is clear, the dome will be opened and the telescope pointed to an interesting celestial object for the visitors to view. Please wear/bring appropriate supplies for being outdoors. All registered participants under the ages of 16 must be accompanied by a registered adult.

Families will be introduced to the wonders of astronomy through a presentation on a variety of exciting astronomy topics, followed by age-appropriate celestial activities and a demonstration of the 74" telescope. If the sky is clear the dome will be opened and the telescope pointed to an interesting celestial object for the visitors to view. All participating family members must be registered and any participants under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a registered adult.

Learn more from an expert astronomer on the James Webb Space Telescope on January 25! The guest speaker will be Dr. David Law at the Space Telescope Science Institute.

Get to know the James Webb Space Telescope

Speaker: Dr. Lea Hirsch, University of Toronto – Mississauga

Join "professional Martian" Dr. Tanya Harrison and "geographer of space" Dr. Danny Bednar as they discuss the ongoing impacts of the Moon landing on human imagination, ambition, and achievement. Moderated by Dr. Sara Mazrouei. Tanya Harrison (@tanyaofmars) has spent over a decade working as a scientist and in mission operations on multiple NASA Mars missions, including the Curiosity and Opportunity rovers. Danny Bednar (@dannybednar) has worked on policy programs and rover-training missions with the Canadian Space Agency and teaches Space Exploration at Western University.

First, receive a detailed introduction to the basics of astronomy through an indoor presentation. Learn your way around the night sky in an amazing portable planetarium. Next, we’ll venture out into the darkness for naked-eye viewing of constellations, more detailed observations with binoculars (provided) and viewing planets and deep-sky objects through telescopes of amateur astronomers. Rain date: Wednesday July 29, 2020

This Spring, spend a Sunday afternoon in the OTHER dome at the DDO! Join us in the Starlab Digital Planetarium and take an interactive journey through the Universe, led by a DDO astronomer. Tour the night sky and see close-up views of galaxies, nebulas, and star clusters, view our Solar System's Planets and alien exo-planets, land on the moon, Mars - and the Sun, travel home to Earth from the edge of the Universe, hear Indigenous starlore, and watch immersive fulldome movies!