Essay
STARRY NIGHTS Free stargazing parties at Simon Fraser University
words by madeline barber illustration by brit bachmann Standing there above the city while the sun dips behind the surrounding mountains, you truly feel alone with the sky. Most of the observatory’s funding went towards its design, which comes to life as soon as it gets dark. Concrete blocks that run across the plaza project beams of six different colours, representing a spectrum of elements integral to astronomy. Also illuminating the courtyard is a gallery of seasonal star charts, which is lovely from a visual standpoint alone.
It turns out the corpse of a star looks not unlike a donut covered in powdered sugar. This celestial shrapnel is known as a white dwarf, and because it’s invisible to the naked eye, it is an utter delight to witness. Luckily for us earthlings, two years ago Simon Fraser University cut the ribbon for the Trottier Observatory: a space in the heart of the Burnaby Mountain campus for the community to discover our solar system. The science department hosts recurring stargazing parties, Starry Nights, that are open to the public. If you’re struggling to even afford a glazed donut from Lucky’s, don’t worry: these events are 100% free. Their mandate revolves
Everyone that visits has the opportunity to peek into the quarter-of-amillion-dollar telescope. Standing in line builds the type of anticipation a 19-year-old may have waiting outside the Roxy on country night. It’s a small room, allowing only so many people in at once, but there’s usually 10 to 12 amateur astronomers from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada set up with telescopes around the plaza. You can casually stroll up to any one of them and walk away having seen Saturn’s glorious rings.
Standing there above the city while the sun dips behind the surrounding mountains, you truly feel alone with the sky. around public outreach so that learning about space can be accessible to nonscientists. This was important to Dr. Howard Trottier, a physics professor at SFU and founder of the Starry Nights program.
SFU students are also there to guide guests through the experience. Take Kyle Dally, for example, who studies physics at the university. He takes ridiculously complicated theories and explains them in a way that even the kids can grasp— seriously, ask him how black holes are made, and then prepare yourself for a mini live-action episode of Cosmos.
“Of all the sciences, astronomy is very uniquely placed to reach out to the public because it’s a visual medium in part,” he said in an interview on Fraser Cain’s Weekly Space Hangout. “You look through a telescope and you see nature yourself— you don’t need someone to come between you and that experience. So the idea of getting kids and families out to view it can be a very powerful experience.”
The times of the star parties change depending on daylight hours, so the best way to stay in the loop is by joining the mailing list, or checking the website or Twitter feed. Weather also plays a big role in visibility, so the observatory’s Twitter offers up-to-date information on cancellations. Because, you know, it tends to rain from time to time in this corner of the blue planet.
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