Gordon MacMillan Southam Observatory, Vancouver

---

The Gordon MacMillan Southam Observatory in Vancouver provides a window into space through its 1/2 metre Cassegrain telescope.

Step into the shoes of an astronomer at the Gordon MacMillan Southam Observatory in Vanier Park! Open Fridays and Saturdays to the public, the observatory lets visitors take a peek into outer space through its 1/2 metre computer controlled Cassegrain telescope. Enthusiastic staff and volunteers are also on hand to answer questions and chat about upcoming celestial events. Open year round, the Observatory offers the perfect night sky activity for all ages!

After the completion of the nearby H.R. MacMillan Space Centre in 1968, the Gordon MacMillan Southam Observatory was built in 1979 to explore the night sky and aids in the research of interesting phenomenon, studying of the moon and even the sun.

Inside its 10 metre diameter and hemispherical dome, the Gordon MacMillan Southam Observatory features a 1/2 metre Cassegrain telescope (more specifically, the telescope is a 1/2 metre, f/16 classical Cassegrain reflector telescope on a fork-style equatorial mount, and equipped with a 15cm f/15 refractor guidescope [telescope diagram]) which is fully computer controlled and is used for research and to educate the public.

Every clear Saturday evening from 8:00pm and well into the night, visitors can step into the shoes of an astronomer and check out the inside of this futuristic observatory. Computers, TV monitors and the Observatory's star attraction, its telescope, provides a look into the operations of the building and the work being done there. Staff and volunteers are on hand to answer questions and help identify what visitors are looking at through the telescope or just to talk about celestial events and other night sky phenomenon.

Open year round, the Gordon MacMillan Southam Observatory is the perfect place to spend an evening learning about the night sky. Don't miss the opportunity to take a peek into outer space every Friday and Saturday evening!