The Allan I. Carswell Astronomical Observatory, formerly known as the York University Astronomical Observatory, is an

astronomical Astronomy is a natural science that studies celestial objects and the phenomena that occur in the cosmos. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and their overall evolution. Objects of interest include ...

observatory An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial, marine, or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geophysics, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed. Th ...

owned and operated by

York University York University (), also known as YorkU or simply YU), is a public university, public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, and it has approximately 53,500 students, 7,000 faculty and staff, ...

. It is located in the

North York North York is a former township and city and is now one of the six administrative districts of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located in the northern area of Toronto, centred around Yonge Street, north of Ontario Highway 401. It is bounded by ...

district of

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

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, Canada. Opened in 1969, York's observatory is opened to both researchers and amateur astronomers. The observatory was renamed the Allan Ian Carswell Astronomical Observatory in 2017 after York University Emeritus Professor of Physics Allan Carswell. The observatory owns two telescopes housed in separate domes: a

Cassegrain reflector The Cassegrain reflector is a combination of a primary concave mirror and a secondary convex mirror, often used in optical telescopes and Antenna (radio), radio antennas, the main characteristic being that the optical path folds back onto itself, ...

, and a custom-built telescope, the largest at a university in Canada. Other smaller portable telescopes are available for visitor use. Telescopes 1 and 2 are located at the main building at Petrie, and the remainder at Arboretum Observing Facility on the roof of the Arboretum Parking Garage. The observatory's 40 cm cassegrain telescope, usually used for public outreach and observing, was replaced by a 1 metre telescope in August 2019, with the 40 cm telescope moved to the Arboretum Observing Facility. The observatory is open to the public every Wednesday evening, and also hosts public viewing sessions for special events, such as Astronomy Day in 2006,

Earth Hour Earth Hour is a worldwide movement organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature, World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The event is held annually, encouraging the individuals, communities, and businesses to give an hour for Earth, and additionally marked ...

and

Science Rendezvous Science Rendezvous is the largest science festival in Canada; its inaugural event happened across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) on Saturday, May 10, 2008 with the support from the University of Toronto, Toronto Metropolitan University, Ryerson ...

in 2008. There is no admission cost to visit the observatory. Like the David Dunlap Observatory, York's location is subject to nearby light pollution. York is located away from residential neighbourhoods, but it is still subject to lights on campus and the surrounding business at the Keele location.

Gallery

File:60 cm telescope.jpg, File:Solar Observing Clear skies.jpg, Image:The 40cm Meade in York University Observatory.jpg, File:Public Viewing .jpg, File:Solar Observing at YorkU.jpg, Image:YorkUniversityObservatory3.jpg, Image:MoonYorkUObservatory.jpg,

References

External links

Official web site
Forecasts of observing conditions. {{Portal bar, Canada, Astronomy, Stars, Spaceflight, Outer space, Solar System Astronomical observatories in Canada York University buildings Buildings and structures completed in 1969 Buildings and structures in Toronto North York Brutalist architecture in Canada University and college astronomical observatories

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See also

References

External links