Pluto has always been the favourite of many who have cast their thoughts out to the stars and planets. More than that though, it has played a key role in our understanding of how our solar system is formed and it may be the key to further exploration of our neighbourhood of space. In this richly illustrated presentation we explore its history, our recent discoveries and how it may lead us to one of the greatest astronomical discoveries of the 21st century.

Speaker: Dr. Jill Tarter, Bernard Oliver Chair, SETI Institute Are we alone in the universe? Is there intelligent life in space? Humans have been asking these questions throughout history. We want to know where we came from, how we fit into the cosmos and where we are going. Searching for life beyond Earth may not only result in contact, but could also lead to a better understanding ourselves. What will life in the future look like?

Speaker: Professor Jo Bovy, Assistant Professor and Canada Research Chair in Galactic Astrophysics in the Astronomy & Astrophysics Department of the University of Toronto

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

Join Ian Wheelband of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada for a talk on Astronomy. If the weather permits, there will be an opportunity to look through a telescope and view the evening sky.

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!

Solar System Social (@SolarSystemTO) is a space-themed speaker series that brings exciting ideas and research from the field of planetary science to the general public in the form of short, informative, and interesting talks that last about 20 minutes each.

Get an up-close and personal take on the Gravitational Waves discovery that has changed science for the better. Considered the most influential discovery of the century, gravitational wave GW150914 broke records in physics, astronomy, and interferometry - with still more to come. We will talk about what went into the Laser Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory (LIGO) that discovered GW150914 from theoretical, engineering, and computer simulation viewpoints, and discuss the outlooks on the future of gravitational wave astronomy.

The earth's axis is perpendicular to its orbit with the North pole tipping away form the sun. In other words, the season is changing to Fall.

Imagine the air cools, the sky darkens, the birds stop singing and the stars come out at noon. For a lucky few who have been in the path of a total solar eclipse their imagination becomes reality as they experience one of nature’s most spectacular events.

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.

Ontario Science Centre's Dr. Rachel Ward-Maxwell presents an interactive talk for Science Literacy Week! Witness the power of a hurricane on Jupiter, the devilish dust storms on Mars and the wicked winds of Neptune as you learn about the wildest weather in our Solar System.