(with telescopes! weather permitting... and astronomically-themed music from the 17th and 18th centuries)

This July, in celebration of the first international LGBTQ STEM Day, The Story Collider will present five true, personal stories about science from members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Scientists on Screen: Representations of women in STEM in popular media matter.Scientist Sketches: What does a scientist look like? A scientist looks like YOU!

Join us on Saturday July 14, from 1:30-3:00pm for a Curators’ Panel Discussion: Understanding Astronomical Images, with Paul Delaney, York University. July 4 - 22 | Out Of This World | Juried Group Exhibition

Discover how Toronto became the “centre of the universe” for astronomical research, education, and public outreach over the last 150+ years. Hear stories of the remarkable individuals, organizations, and institutions in our city that contributed to advancing the field worldwide. No math or science background needed!

Excited about space exploration? Meet Quebec-born Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques. He’ll be flying to the International Space Station on his first mission “Perspective” on December 20. Learn about his journey to becoming an astronaut. Find out what it takes to prepare for a mission in outer space. Get to know what sort of scientific experiments he’ll get himself into in zero-gravity during his six and a half months aboard the International Space Station.

Everyone is invited to join us and Durham Skies on July 21 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, brilliant Venus, rosy Mars, giant Jupiter, and Saturn with its rings. 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.

Join us in the gallery at 7:00pm for informal talks by artists about their work. Follow us outside to Lisgar Park across the street when it gets dark - where members of the RASC and York University will set up telescopes.

In this talk, Prof. Roberto Abraham will will try to give you a "cosmic perspective," by describing what we know about the nature of the Universe and your place in it. He will certainly find excuses to show pictures of pretty galaxies and will talk about the impending launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, which is the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope, and which is going to be insanely great.

Explore the universe with members of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. Telescopes will be set up to give you amazing views of the Moon, the planets and more! Meet at the Chappell House Lawn.