We were rained out last year, but we are crossing our fingers we get clear skies this year. Please stay tuned here and on our Facebook Page for updates on this live sidewalk astronomy event!
WE'RE BACK - AGAIN!
Our last event was in 2022 and it was a huge success! Come join us again this year for live views through an assortment of telescopes. During the day we will provide safe viewing of the Sun, and at night Venus, Jupiter, and the Moon.
WHERE
Parking lot beside Chapters Silver City (2401 City Park Drive, Ottawa)
WHEN
10am to 10pm
Our last event was in 2022 and it was a huge success! Come join us again this year for live views through an assortment of telescopes. During the day we will provide safe viewing of the Sun, and at night Venus, Jupiter, and the Moon.
WHERE
Parking lot beside Chapters Silver City (2401 City Park Drive, Ottawa)
WHEN
10am to 10pm
COVID-19 IMPACT ON IAD
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As of March 1st, 2022, Provincially legislated COVID-19 restrictions have pretty much all been lifted. However, in the interest of minimizing risk we encourage participants to respect social distancing and to wear a mask while enjoying views of the sky.
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What is IAD like? If you were unable to attend our past virtual events, you can find links to recordings of previous years' sessions on the Virtual IAD 2020 and Virtual IAD 2021 pages. Below is additional information from past in-person events, and more information about what our objectives are.
Astronomy Days Past
What is IAD?
Started in 1973 by Doug Berger, the president of the Astronomical Association of Northern California, the intent was for local amateurs to set up various telescopes in busy urban locations so that passersby could enjoy views of the heavens. Since then the event has expanded and is now sponsored by numerous amateur astronomy organizations around the world.
The OAOG has been hosting an all day public star party in the Ottawa area every year on Astronomy Day since 2000. The event normally consists of 20 to 30 local amateur astronomers with their telescopes setup in the parking lot outside of Chapters Silver City (2401 City Park Dr, Ottawa). |
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View The Heavens
Our goal is to give the general public a chance, perhaps for the first time, to look at objects in the day and nighttime sky through a telescope. For someone who has never seen the Sun, Moon or planets through a telescope before, the experience can be quite amazing. Having an opportunity to share our passion for astronomy with others is reward enough for providing this opportunity.
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Many Telescopes On Display
Through the generosity of our club members, IAD provides a great opportunity to see a wide variety of different telescope types. What better way to learn about the different equipment available to amateur astronomers than to ask one for yourself.
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Past Supporters
Royal Astronomical Society of Canada - Ottawa Centre
RASC, the main amateur astronomy organisation in the Ottawa area, has provided support for astronomy related events like IAD in the past. They have also hosted their own event which is normally held at the Canadian Aviation & Space Museum. |
Rio-Can
RioCan is the company that owns the parking lot at the SilverCity shopping district where the OAOG has in past years held their event. It is with their kind generosity that we are allowed to host our event on their property each year. |
Chapters-Indigo
The Chapters bookstore at SilverCity has been a long time supporter of our Astronomy Day event. From distributing flyers to letting us borrow electricity, they have been an important supporter of this event. |
Astronomy Magazine
Astronomy Magazine has been making astronomy related printed materials available to clubs who host events like Astronomy Day, for free, for many years. We thank them for their kind support. |