Pulsars, born after the splendid explosion of massive stars, are the most compact objects in the visible universe. Sitting on Earth, we receive regular pulses of light from pulsars. The accuracy of the period between pulses can sometimes rival that of an atomic clock. Pulsar studies have won two Nobel prizes: one for their discovery, and one for the first indirect evidence of gravitational waves. In this talk, Dongzi Li will explain how the compact nature and the excellent periodicity of pulses help make previously difficult studies feasible.

Join poet Laboni Islam for a special tour of The Moon: A Voyage Through Time, an exhibition that looks at the moon through the lens of art, science, and spirituality.

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.

What if I tell you that the world in the smallest imaginable scales has nothing to do with what we know? Bosons versus FermionsDuncan O'Dell  (Professor, Department of Physics & Astronomy, McMaster University)

Apparently "We are made of star stuff" so your beer contains chunks of the Big Bang explosion, doesn't it? Echoes of the Big Bang at the Large Hadron ColliderDavid Curtin (Assistant Professor, Canada Research Chair in Theoretical Particle Physics) @drc83 

Be inspired by the cosmos and paint your version of the night sky, galaxy, or planet! Find your inspiration from an astronomer who will start with a short introduction to an astronomy-themed topic, and with an artist-in residence. Please wear/bring appropriate supplies for painting and being outdoors.

In a galaxy far, far away, a black hole and a big space rock walk into a bar.

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.

By listening to the cold, dim hiss of the universe, we can learn about its fiery beginning. Prof. Renée Hložek's talk will focus on how cosmologists use microwave instruments to measure this birth-light. She’ll describe the exciting new Simons Observatory in the Atacama Desert of Chile, and how it will allow us to learn about the beautiful universe we live in. As we learn about what the universe contains, how it started and ultimately how it is going to end.

World renowned theoretical physicist and writer, Lee Smolin, and Globe and Mail staff science reporter, Ivan Semeniuk, discuss Smolin's latest book which suggests that the problems which have long plagued the field of quantum physics are a result of an incomplete Einstein theory.