Centuries before Galileo first looked at the sky through a telescope, scientists in the Middle East were taking some of the first steps in understanding the motions of the planets and the nature of the Universe—steps that connect to today’s astronomical discoveries.

Explore the remarkable astronomical ideas of the Islamic Golden Age and the modern discoveries to which they are connected in this special series of shows presented live by U of T astronomers. Journey through the cosmos to see a binary star set on a distant exoplanet and a star explode as a supernova—and journey back in time to the Big Bang and the birth of the Universe.

Planetarium Shows in Aid of Syrian Refugees are inspired by the idea that all of humanity is #UnitedByTheStars. The shows are an initiative of the U of T Graduate Astronomy Students Association, supported by the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics and the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto.

100% of the proceeds from ticket sales is being donated to Red Cross Canada. The donation will help Red Cross Canada provide the necessities for survival (including food, household items, and emergency health services) to nearly 4.5 million people in Syria and neighbouring countries, and help resettle the 25,000 refugees coming in Canada.

Also, the U of T astronomy graduate students who are normally paid to present planetarium shows are donating their pay to the cause. Special thanks to AudienceView for ticketing software support and waiving the usual $1/ticket fee.