Dominion Astrophysical Observatory
| Dominion Astrophysical Observatory | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Alternative names | Observatoire fédéral d'astrophysique |
| General information | |
| Current tenants | National Research Council |
| Opened | 1918 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Edgar Lewis Horwood |
| Architecture firm | Dominion Architect of Canada |
| Official name | Dominion Astrophysical Observatory National Historic Site of Canada |
| Designated | 2008 |
The Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, located on Observatory Hill, in Saanich, British Columbia, was completed in 1918 by the Canadian government. The Dominion Architect responsible for the building was Edgar Lewis Horwood. The main instrument is the 72 inch (1.83 meter) aperture Plaskett telescope, proposed and designed by John S. Plaskett in 1910 with the support of the International Union for Cooperation in Solar Research. It was planned to be the largest telescope in the world but delays meant it was completed and saw "first light" on May 6, 1918, 6 months after the 100-inch Hooker telescope (2.5 m) at Mount Wilson Observatory.
The observatory has been designated a National Historic Site of Canada as it is a world-renowned facility where many discoveries about the nature of the Milky Way were made, and it was one of the world’s main astrophysical research centres until the 1960s.
Centre of the Universe was the public interpretive centre for the observatory that was regularly open to the public between May and September. The centre featured interactive exhibits about astronomy, the work of the observatory and its parent organization, the NRC Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics. There were also tours of the telescope and programs in the planetarium and video theatre. The Centre was closed by the Federal Government in August 2013, claiming financial reasons as the cost. The Friends of the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory Society (FDAO) was formed in 2015 with a goal of reinstating the programs terminated when the Centre of the Universe was closed. In May 2016, the FDAO signed a License to Occupy for the Centre of the Universe with the National Research Council.
The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, Victoria Centre , which has a long association with the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory and public outreach dating back to 1914, holds free public "Star Parties" at the DAO on select summer Saturday evenings. These events include solar and nighttime viewing with RASC and DAO telescopes, presentations, lectures, and displays.
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