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Curious about the cosmos? This Saturday, head to University of Toronto’s downtown Toronto campus for the . The back campus fields will be transformed into a makeshift observatory where you can set your sights on distant planets and learn a thing or two from U of T’s astronomy experts.

So what can you expect?

It’s free!

Students and the general public are invited to the party, organized by the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics and sponsored by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) and the Fédération des Astronomes Amateurs du Québec.

Sat Jul 29 don't miss Dunlap's Star Party at . Telescopes, free glasses and more!

— Dunlap Institute (@DunlapInstitute)

I spy

Students, faculty and members of RASC will be on hand with telescopes pointed at the moon, Jupiter and Saturn. You might also catch a glimpse of the International Space Station, which is set to pass by a couple times during the night.

“I've had so many people who when they've seen Saturn, in particular, through a telescope, they are just amazed. It really drives home the point that there are other planets floating in space,” says Jennifer West, a postdoctoral researcher at Dunlap and one of the event organizers. “It's a really cool experience.”

Volunteers will also be handing out star finders and eclipse glasses for the upcoming partial eclipse on Aug. 21.  

U of T has hosted a number of astronomical events in the past, including eclipse viewings (photo by Lorne Bridgman via U of T Magazine)

You are not alone

The event on campus is one of many taking place in cities and towns all over Canada on Saturday night as part of the .

“This is an opportunity for people across Canada to get out and share in this experience,” says West.  

Coming to party with us on Saturday? Tag @UofT on and !