In the last 20 years, the amateur astronomer has gained access to three paradigm-changing technologies: The Internet, progressively sophisticated astronomy software, and the CCD camera. This presentation will outline how an amateur astronomer, armed with these technologies, can engage in professional-amateur (pro-am) collaborations and contribute to astronomical sciences by monitoring a wide-range of transient astrophysical phenomena.

Presented by Prof. Doug Welch, Department of Physics & Astronomy, McMaster University

Star Talk nights offer great talks by great speakers on astronomy, space science and sometimes, science fiction. You'll also have a chance to tour the Observatory and (weather permitting) check out the night sky through a variety of telescopes set up on the lawn and through the big scope in the Main Dome.  If the weather gods are angry, you can check out the (virtual) night sky in our special Skylab. Star Talk nights run regardless of weather conditions.

Dr. Rachel Ward-Maxwell, Ontario Science Centre

Apollo 11 - Some things you probably didn't know about the moon landingRandy Attwood, Executive Director, Royal Astronomical Society of Canada Star Talk nights offer great talks by great speakers on astronomy, space science and sometimes, science fiction. You'll also have a chance to tour the Observatory and (weather permitting) check out the night sky through a variety of telescopes set up on the lawn and through the big scope in the Main Dome.  If the weather gods are angry, you can check out the (virtual) night sky in our special Skylab.

Even the greatest scientists have made some serious blunders. "Brilliant Blunders" concerns the evolution of life on Earth, of the Earth itself, of stars, and of the universe as a whole.

Showtimes: 7:00pm, 8:00pm, and 9:00pm The stars in the night sky seem unchanging and eternal, and have remained the same for the history of human civilization. However, over millions and billions of years, new stars are born, live out their long lives, and eventually die in a blaze of glory. In this show, we will be exploring the lives of stars by visiting stellar nurseries, supernova remnants and much more! If you have questions please contact planetarium@universe.utoronto.ca

Showtimes: 7:00pm, 8:00pm, and 9:00pm The stars in the night sky seem unchanging and eternal, and have remained the same for the history of human civilization. However, over millions and billions of years, new stars are born, live out their long lives, and eventually die in a blaze of glory. In this show, we will be exploring the lives of stars by visiting stellar nurseries, supernova remnants and much more! If you have questions please contact planetarium@universe.utoronto.ca

New Horizons at Pluto / Juno at JupiterSpeaker: Dr. Fran Bagenal

Astronomers have long known about Mercury and Venus transits of the Sun. However, this technique, now commonly referred to as the Transit Technique, has been amazingly successful in detecting exoplanets, planets around other stars. To date, nearly 6,000 exoplanets or planetary candidates have been detected, the majority of them using the Transit Technique. This talk will deal with some of the historical observations of Mercury and Venus transits and then summarize the state of current exoplanetary observations.