Kidsfest!

Come join the fun and learn a little about Astronomy!  At this year’s Kidfest, kids of all ages will be able to immerse in activities that relate to astronomy.  These include colouring, painting, word search, bookmark making, model making, learning about the constellations, the solar system, and other celestial objects.

Group Photograph

Bring your smile and join us in the group photograph that is being taken to mark the 40th Starfest.  The photograph will be taken on Saturday on the west side of the tent at 4:40 pm before the Banquet.

Imaging Competition

The Starfest Imaging Competition is open to all registrants of Starfest.  Images are to be submitted well in advance of the Star party for judging.  All images will be judged and shown during Saturday night’s program, and prizes will be awarded to the top ranking images.  Please see the Imaging Contest tab for rules and deadlines.  To contact the Chairman click .

We encourage all registrants to apply, as this is a friendly competition to recognize talent in our midst.  As long as the theme is astronomy, you can use any kind of digital equipment - cell phone, point and shoot camera, DSLR, CCD, Malincam, Stellacam, webcam, spycam, GoPro etc ...

Remember to sit near the front during the show .... your name might be called!

Observing Sessions

Enjoy stargazing under amazing skies with your fellow astronomy enthusiasts.  Bring your telescope and binoculars and join us for our evening observing sessions.  Don’t have your own telescope?  Come along and look through some of ours.  We are always happy to share.

Door Prizes

On Saturday night at 9:00 p.m. the door prize draw will be held in the Main Tent.  Thousands of dollars of astronomical merchandise, provided by the astronomical retailers and manufactures participating in Starfest, will be given away.  You must claim your prize at the time your name is drawn.  If you are not present when your name is drawn, another name will be drawn until the prize is given away.  Your name is automatically entered into the draw if you paid a registration fee as follows: One draw ticket per individual registration, two draw tickets for each family registration, and one draw ticket for each youth registration.

Sky Tour

Join us for a tour of the night sky on both Friday and Saturday at 10 p.m. (weather permitting).  The Sky Tour will be conducted in the field just west of the main tent.

Solar Filter Construction Workshop

Do you want to observe the Sun and the Solar Eclipse on April 8, 2024, but don't have a solar filter?  No worries, this year we are offering a solar filter construction workshop.  It starts with a short ‘how to make a solar filter demonstration’ followed by a hands-on session where you will be able to construct a solar filter for your telescope, binoculars, or camera lens.

Baader solar film will be used to make the solar filters, based on the construction method found on the Baader website.  In addition, a variation on this design will be described, which enables the quick and easy removal / replacement of the filter at the start and end of totality if you are observing a total solar eclipse.

Regrettably this workshop will be limited to just 25 people and a fee needs to be charged to cover the material cost which will depend on the size of the solar filter kit pre-ordered for this workshop.  Two solar filter kit sizes are available:

• The small solar filter kit consists of a 16.5 cm x 16.5 cm sheet of Baader Solar film and other construction material needed to make a cell for the filter.  This kit is appropriate for telescopes under 130 mm in diameter, or binoculars or camera lenses.  It can also be used for making full face solar viewers.  The cost of this kit is $25.
• The large kit consists of a 25 cm x 25 cm sheet of Baader Solar film and other construction material needed to make a cell for the filter.  This kit is appropriate for telescopes larger than 130 mm in diameter, or if you need filters for several instruments.  The cost of this kit is $45.

Because of the limited number of participants and our need to pre-order materials we require people to register for this workshop at the same time they register for Starfest.  Our registration form will have this option along with your selection of solar filter size.  To help us with planning please include in the comments section a list of equipment for which you will be making filters.  Register early to ensure a spot in this workshop.

** Due to the inherit danger of looking at the Sun we require you to sign a liability waver before you will be allowed to participate.

Red Laptop Screen Filter

Using your laptop at night can be a blinding experience for you and the people around you.  The glare of the laptop screen not only destroys your night vision but also interferes with the ability of observers near you to view “faint fuzzies”.  Although night vison mode is helpful in reducing the amount of “observing field light pollution” your computer is producing, there is no better substitute than using a red filter over your laptop screen.  Just like a red filter over your flashlight this allows you to see what you are doing while still maintaining your night vision.

This year Starfest has a limited number of 3mm thick 9.5″ by 15.5″ Deep Red Acrylic Laptop Screen filters available.  This filter is large enough to cover a 15.6″ laptop screen.  They cost $20.  Please order in advance to ensure your Red Laptop Screen Filter.

Swap Table

Participants will have the opportunity to buy, sell or trade astronomical articles on Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.  The swap tables will be located on the basketball court.  These tables are not for commercial sales. Individuals will be responsible for their own property at the tables.

Friday Night at the Movies

On Friday night in the rec hall as part of our children's program a kid friendly astronomically themed movie will be shown in the rec hall.

Cloudy Night Cinema

If it's cloudy on Friday or Saturday night a movie with an astronomical theme will be shown in the Main Tent for everyone. Bring the popcorn with you and join in on the fun.

Starfest Merchandise

A limited quantity of Starfest T-shirts, sweatshirts, baseball caps, and pins will be available.  To avoid disappointment, order your promotional items with your pre-registration.

Get into the Club

Astronomy is a community activity.  The North York Astronomical Association is an organized group of amateur astronomers who enjoy observing, astrophotography and many other astronomy related activities.  To satisfy the needs and interests of our members the club maintains an observing site and holds monthly meetings and observing sessions.  Membership in the NYAA is open to all.  Membership: $50 individual, $65 family.  In addition, there is a $25 site access fee which allows unlimited access to our observing site at Oak Heights (1 hour east of Toronto).

Starfest Co-ordinates

Longitude: 80° 50′ 27″ W, Latitude: 44° 40′ 280″ N, Elevation: 400 metres.

Starfest 2024

Starfest 2024 will be held Aug 8^th to 11^th.