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This selection of astronomical images, created by amateur and professional astronomers, photographers and artists from across Canada, celebrates 2009 as the International Year of Astronomy.
Although some images were produced by professional astronomers using large ground- and space-based telescopes, many others were made using no more than a basic camera and a willingness to stay up past others' bedtimes and look at the sky.
Since prehistoric times, the night sky has been a source of fascination and delight, and has inspired people to make images. Although the sky has changed only slightly since the dawn of humanity, our ways of looking have changed dramatically. Radio and X-ray telescopes allow us to image wavelengths invisible to the human eye. Images from computer simulations allow us to visualize physical processes operating on the grandest scales of space and time. Astronomical images are not only beautiful, they expand our senses and so enhance our understanding of the Universe.
This gallery was made possible first and foremost by all the people who
donated their images. These images were curated from a collection of nearly four
hundred submitted by amateur and professional astronomers, photographers, and
artists from Canada or from Canadian telescopes.
The curatorial team included professionally active astronomers, artists,
photographers, curators, writers and educators. Last but not least, Jayanne English, deserves credit as the original instigator of this project.
