A fitting follow-up to the aurora borealis display that wowed Vancouver Islanders last weekend -- Saturday, May 18 is International Astronomy Day.
The Royal BC Museum has activities planned during the day, & the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory that night.
Locally, 2024 International Astronomy Day activities are planned the Royal BC Museum and at the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory.
The Victoria Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada is sponsoring family-friendly Astronomy Day activities, which will begin in front of the museum at 10 a.m., with solar telescopes for safely viewing the sun.
Inside you'll find astrophotography and displays from the University of Victoria Physics and Astronomy Department, Camosun College and the Monterey Middle School Astronomy Club.
RASC volunteers and Science Venture staff from the University of Victoria will offer hands-on activities for kids.
All the astronomy presentations, displays and workshops are free, while regular admission still applies for regular RBCM exhibits and films.
The RBCM will show astronomy-related IMAX films around Astronomy Day.
Speakers include Nathan Hellner-Mestelman, who will talk about the mind-boggling dimensions of our universe, Professor John McDonald on the stars, Amy Archer on how the night sky guided thousands of people who took the Underground Railroad to freedom, and Simon Smith, who will tell the story of our Milky Way galaxy.
The Friends of the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory and the RASC Victoria Centre will host evening activities at Observatory Hill, 5071 West Saanich Rd. from 7:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Visitors with tickets will be admitted to Observatory Hill starting at 7:15 p.m.
There will be a presentation that evening by DAO astronomer Trystyn Berg on how the search for metals in distant objects tells us how stars and galaxies are changing over time.
The public viewing on the evening of Saturday May 18 at the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory will be followed by further public viewing events at the DAO this spring and summer on selected Saturdays.