E. C. Carr Observatory

The Beaver Valley is fortunate to be home to the The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) -Toronto Centre’s volunteer-run E.C.Carr Observatory in the beautifully dark Loree forest area of our watershed.

Once night sets, the Milky Way comes to life and bids us to seek the stars across the entire sky. Summer constellations visible with the naked eye include Lyra, Cygnus, Aquila, Cassiopeia, Sagittarius, and Scorpius, as well as the Andromeda Galaxy. Star-gazing has always inspired story-telling that originates from deep cultural worldviews as we grapple with our curiosities about the universe.

Astronomers at the Observatory often help people peer through the telescopes to see star clusters, nebulae and galaxies. Seeing the whole picture takes on a different and literal meaning when looking through the lens of a telescope!

We would like to introduce you to some of these knowledgeable friends. All the photos below were taken by David Brodie.

Ralph Chou has been a leading member of RASC – Toronto Centre for over 50 years and is the world’s leading expert on safely viewing solar eclipses. His contributions to solar eclipse eye safety were recognized in 2022 by the International Astronomical Union with the naming of asteroid 10491 Chou. (Learn more about safely viewing eclipses.)

Ralph majored in astronomy at University College, the founding college of the University of Toronto. He went on to earn an optometry degree from the University of Waterloo, entering academics, where he rose to the rank of associate professor before retiring in 2012. Despite his career, astronomy has always played a vital role in his life, as he’s been chasing the sun to view eclipses for more than 40 years.

Chris Vaughan, aka “AstroGeoGuy”, is a Collingwood-based award-winning astronomer and Earth scientist with a passion for public outreach and education. A member of the RASC Toronto Centre for more than 16 years, he has hosted numerous star parties and solar observing sessions in Toronto and the Blue Mountains, presented on The Sky this Month, and created RASC’s Insider’s Guide to the Galaxy webcast series on YouTube. Chris was RASC’s senior operator of the historic 74˝ telescope at the David Dunlap Observatory. As an avid visual astronomer, Chris collects and shares star lore from around the world to strengthen our connection with the stars and one another.

His weekly Astronomy Skylights blog is enjoyed by readers worldwide. In addition, he has written for SkyNews magazine, Space.com, popular astronomy apps, and RASC’s Observers Handbook and Almanac. In 2021 he co-authored the book “110 Things to See with a Telescope”. Via his company Astrogeo.ca, Chris teaches about astronomy and Earth and planetary science in his Digital Starlab portable planetarium.

David Brodie is a retired project leader. As an avid astrophotographer, he captures images of celestial objects from his private backyard on the west side and the E.C. Carr Observatory on the east side of Beaver Valley. These are his photos.

In addition to being members of the RASC – Toronto Centre, David and his wife built an off-grid log cabin over the years they call “Toad Hall” and hope the local dark skies can stay that way to conserve the nighttime habitat and ecological preferences of nature as well as allow future generations to see the stars as he does. You can see more of his astrophotography here.

The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) maintains an “Ask an Astronomer” page.

RASC – Toronto Centre occasionally runs programs and workshops and offers opportunities to book speakers for your events. Their work has inspired interest and knowledge of astronomy since the Toronto Astronomy Club was founded in 1868. It was re-formed as the Toronto Astronomical and Physical Society in 1890 and later received permission to become the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada in 1903.

RASC has grown to become a national charitable organization with 29 centres across Canada devoted to the advancement of astronomy and related sciences. It is supported by donations and memberships, and is open to everyone who is interested in astronomy. The Toronto Centre is Canada’s largest astronomy club with more than 600 members in the GTA who share a love of the wonders of the night sky.

RASC has a Light Pollution Abatement committee.

The Abatement Committee “…co-ordinates and expands the RASC’s efforts to fight the detrimental effects of light pollution on human health, the environment, and (of course) the night sky, while helping to encourage energy conservation.”

Find more information from across the globe through Dark Sky International.