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Four hundred years ago this year, Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) pointed the astronomical telescope he had invented toward the starry sky for the very first time. What he spied through the instrument would forever change our vision of the Universe and our place in it. Galileo saw mountains and craters on the Moon; he observed the phases of Venus; he discovered satellites orbiting Jupiter; and he saw spots on the Sun and curious “handles” on either side of Saturn — the planet's rings! Finally, pointing his spyglass toward the Milky Way, Galileo discovered a multitude of stars invisible to the naked eye.

To salute these discoveries and celebrate the life and work of the great Galileo, the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and professional and amateur astronomy associations around the world have declared 2009 the “International Year of Astronomy,” with the primary goal of allowing as many people as possible around the globe to see for themselves the wonders that Galileo observed with his rudimentary telescope. So, gaze through a telescope eyepiece yourself, visit a planetarium or science museum, stretch out at night under a cloudless sky in the countryside, explore some astronomy websites, read some books for amateur stargazers… And prepare to be dazzled!

The stars are putting on a show in 2009 — enjoy!

In this Section…

You'll find all the details about the special activities we're planning to celebrate the International Year of Astronomy. Keep an eye on this section, and don't forget to visit Canada's official IYA 2009 website at astronomy2009.ca!