Are tours given outside of the advertised times?
No. Research and public education are given equal priority at the DDO, and therefore time is allotted nearly every week of the year for outreach. Outside of these times the staff is busy maintaining the telescope, buildings, computers, and their own research. In a publish-or-perish academic climate, public outreach can only be supported by a strong research program. 6. What was that light I saw in the sky? It was probably a bright star or planet. The public of the 21st century knows more about astronomy than at any time in the past, and yet, this same public knows less about the night sky than at any other time; sad but true. It is suggested that you consult a star map in one of the popular magazines before calling us; try Sky and Telescope, Astronomy, or SkyNews. You might also attend a star party hosted by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, or come to one of our evening tours. Here are some clues. In late winter and early spring, we get calls about a large, bright, spiky objec
