Embark on an expedition to determine whether a planet could support human life. Experience what it is like to be a space scientist or engineer and remotely operate an analogue rover in this simulated mission. Form a team of planetary scientists led by researchers from the Planetary Volatiles Laboratory at York University. Explore your mystery planet using instruments, like anemometers and Geiger counters, similar to those used on rover missions to Mars. Recommended ages: 8 and up

By the end of July the red planet will be the closest and brightest it has been in 15 years. To celebrate this special event, the Hamilton Centre RASC will host an outreach event at Spencer Smith Park in Burlington. Also visible will be Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and the Moon and the club is excited to share views of these heavenly bodies with anyone who wishes to have a look through one of our telescopes. The telescopes will be set up near the water, behind Spencer’s At The Waterfront restaurant. Look for the huge compass etched in the concrete.

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.”

Showtimes: 7:00pm, 8:10pm, 9:15pm

Mars is in the most favourable position to observe in 2018 and is due south at local midnight. 

Supernovae are the most violent explosions in the universe, where the death of a star can release more light than an entire galaxy. But how does a supernova happen? What would happen if one happened in our own Milky Way? In this talk, Yvette Cendes will cover what causes a supernova event, and what they can tell us about how stars live and die in our universe. She will also discuss the human history of supernova observations, ranging from historic observations a thousand years ago to her present-day research involving radio signals from supernovae.

Come join the Allan I. Carswell team at York University to view Mars at opposition. Mars will appear brighter then it has been for 15 years and will not be this bright again until 2035! Starting at 9:00pm weeknights from July 25th to August 1st, we will be at the William Small Centre (top of the Arboretum) at York University's Keele Campus. Admission is free, and we will have multiple telescopes available for viewing! Hope to see you all there!

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.

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.

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.

Showtimes: 7:00pm, 8:10pm, 9:15pm 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!

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.