HERZBERG ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS

The Dominion Astrophysical Observatory (DAO) was part of the Department of the Interior when it open in 1918. Later it was part of the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources. In 1970 it moved to become part of the National Research Council (NRC). As part of NRC, it formed part of the Herzberg Institute of Astrphysics (1975). Today, it is part of the Herzberg Astronomy & Astrophysics Research Centre (HAA), still under the National Research Council Canada. HAA operates two sites: the DAO in Victoria and the Dominion Rado Astrophysical Observatory (DRAO) located south of Penticton, BC. HAA has three Directorates:

  • Optical Astronomy (OAD)

  • Radio Astronomy (RAD)

  • Astronomy Technology (ATD)

The DAO is part of the Optical Astronomy Directorate. The mandate of HAA extends well beyond the telescopes in Victoria and Penticton. HAA manages Canada’s participation in international ground-based telescopes including the Canada-France Hawaii Telescope, the Gemini Observatory, the Atacama Large Millimetre Array (AMLA), and the Square Kilometre Array.

Optical Astronomy

The Optical Astronomy Directorate is not only responsible for the historic Plaskett telescope but also for Canada’s participation in the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) and the Gemini Observatory. CFHT sits atop Maunakea on the Big Island in Hawaii. The Gemini Observatory consists of identical telescopes, one located on Maunakea and the other on Cerro Pachon in the foothills of Chile. The two telescopes do not work together but do provide their user community with access to the complete sky. The OAD supports Canadian users of Gemini through the Canadian Gemini Office (CGO).

Canadian Astronomy Data Centre

The Canadian Astronomy Data Centre (CADC) is part of the IOA. Founded in1986 as one of three sites holding the data archives of the Hubble Telescope Space Telescope , the CADC is now archives data from many telescopes and operates world-leading cloud infrastructure for astronomy, providing a unique resource for data-intensive astrophysical research.

Astronomy Technology in Victoria

Engineering performed in Victoria includes optical, mechanical and electrical engineering.

Innovative instruments designed to get the most from telescopes are created in Victoria as part of the Astronomy Technology Program. Some of these devices include adaptive objects, which sharpen images by correcting for our atmosphere's turbulence.

Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory

The Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory (DRAO) was established in 1960 near Okanagan Falls, BC with the opening of the John Galt Telescope, a 26-meter dish. THE DRAO is home to most of HAA’s RAD. The site also hosts the Synthesis Telescope, a 7-element array of 9-m telescopes and the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME). CHIME is a collaboration between the University of British Columbia, McGill University and the University of Toronto and is the premier telescope in the world for identifying Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs).

Like the OAD , the RAD is involved in large international projects such as the Square Kilometer Array, and the proposed ngVLA telescope.