Heads up! Literally. You won’t want to miss the annual Perseid meteor shower, which peaks on August 11 and 12. Find out what causes these fast-moving meteors to appear in our summer sky — and maybe even spot a few! Can’t catch a falling star? Never fear. With telescope observing, comet making and an out-of-this-world expert who’ll provide an update on the OSIRIS-REx mission to asteroid Bennu, there’s astronomical proportions of fun to be had by the whole family.

CAO is holding a joint fundraising event for our members and members of the Beaver Valley Bruce Trail Volunteers. These are the people who tend the trail near CAO and have visited us for an astronomy night last year. As a means of fundraising, we are presenting a day on the trails followed by a night under the stars. RASC members will be offered one of two guided hikes, a short one and a long one, at a trail near to the CAO but not the “normal” Margaret Paull side trail that we frequent.

See Mars at its best and brightest! Mars will be closer than it has been in 15 years and we’re celebrating with an evening star party. On July 27, 2018, Mars will be the third brightest object in our evening sky, only behind Venus and the full Moon. Discover the meaning of “opposition” — when Mars and the Sun are on opposite sides of the Earth — and what makes this occurrence unique. Observe Mars up close using a telescope, engage in hands-on, Mars-themed activities and find out about the latest in Martian science from a self-described “professional Martian.”

Join us at the Ontario Science Centre for our monthly Solar Observing on the TELUSCAPE observing pad. This is the area in front of the Science Centre's entrance. We use specialized telescopes that are safe to aim at the Sun. Check our home page on the Friday prior for go/no-go calls as this event is weather dependent.

Watch the recorded video: https://youtu.be/ohdMPJbMcK8

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!

See the milky way and galaxies with the unaided eye. Point your telescope to find the many dim deep space objects that sprinkle the sky. Away from Toronto's light polution, there is so much to see. We observe from the Long Sault Conservation area, an hour outside of Toronto. We meet around dusk once a month in the parking lot for views only seen in dark sky conditions. We hold this event on the first clear night of our week-long window, so the date and time are determined closer to.

Join us at the Ontario Science Centre for our monthly Solar Observing on the TELUSCAPE observing pad. This is the area in front of the Science Centre's entrance. We use specialized telescopes that are safe to aim at the Sun. Check our home page on the Friday prior for go/no-go calls as this event is weather dependent.

Everyone is invited to join us and Durham Skies on June 23 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, 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.

To the Moon and back! Show the Earth’s only natural satellite a little love by taking its picture with your smartphone or digital camera. As the second-brightest, regularly visible celestial object in our sky, photographing the Moon is a snap. (See what we did there?) Participate in an astrophotography workshop, take a tour of the night sky using a telescope, engage in hands-on, Moon-themed activities, find out about the latest in lunar science and learn about mathematician Katherine Johnson, whose calculations helped put the first humans on the Moon.