Centre of the Universe

The Dominion Astrophysical Observatory (including the Centre of the Universe visitor's centre) is Canada’s historic “people’s observatory,” where visionary science, world-changing discoveries, and pioneering public outreach transformed a mountaintop telescope into a global symbol of astronomy and innovation.

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Location

Saanich
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About

The Dominion Astrophysical Observatory (DAO), along with the Centre of the Universe visitor centre, is located on Little Saanich Mountain and is more than just a scientific facility; it is the site that propelled Canada into the global spotlight of modern astronomy. Opened on May 6, 1918, it was a symbol of national pride and a marvel of early 20th-century engineering.

The visionary behind the lens: John Stanley Plaskett

The story of the DAO is inseparable from its first director, John Stanley Plaskett.
- A humble start: Plaskett grew up on an Ontario farm and dropped out of school at 16 to run the family business.
- Persistence pays off: He spent months "haunting the lobbies" of Parliament to convince the government to fund a world-class telescope, finally succeeding in 1913.
- The "Plaskett Telescope": In honour of his legacy, the 1.8-meter (72-inch) instrument was officially named after him.

A "marvel of modern engineering"

When the DAO opened, it was the second-largest telescope in the world.
- Precision craftsmanship: It took three and a half years for master optician John Brashear from Pittsburgh to polish the mirror, creating the finest astronomical mirror of its time. Why did it take so long? Due to a mysterious scratch and a grinding error, the mirror had to be reworked twice, pushing the telescope's completion date back two years to 1918. Once finished, it was shipped to Victoria by train in just six days and hauled up Little Saanich Mountain using a traditional horse and wagon (source).
- Evolution of power: While the mirror remains 1.8 meters, modern electronic cameras and spectrographs have made the telescope 10,000 times more sensitive than it was in 1918.

Groundbreaking discoveries

The DAO didn't just look at the stars; it redefined our place among them.

Discovery	Significance
The galaxy's rotation	Plaskett and Joseph Pearce proved the Milky Way rotates and correctly located our sun within it.
Plaskett’s star	Discovered in 1922, this was long considered the most massive binary star system known to science.
The "missing" Nobel	In 1940, Andrew McKellar found evidence of the Big Bang by measuring the temperature of interstellar space at 3 degrees Kelvin. Because the Big Bang theory didn't exist yet, his discovery went largely unrecognized until others won the Nobel Prize for it decades later.

The war years: From starlight to camouflage

During World War II, the observatory traded pure science for national defense.
- The forest mural: To prevent enemy planes from using the white dome as a navigation landmark, it was painted brown and eventually covered in a green forest mural.
- Defense training: Astronomers taught celestial navigation to the Navy and Air Force and trained officials on detecting poisonous gas.
- The aluminizing tank: Built by Yarrow Shipyards in 1840 to coat the telescope mirror with aluminum (instead of silver), this tank was also used to coat military searchlights. It is still in use today!

The people’s observatory

The DAO was a pioneer in public science outreach and remains a cornerstone of Victoria’s identity.
- Saturday night tradition: Starting in June 1918, Plaskett invited the public to view the stars every Saturday night. This tradition continues today through the Friends of the DAO and their Star Parties.
- Tourism icon: In 1929, the observatory saw a record 39,029 visitors. It was so popular that bus tours would stop there before heading to Butchart Gardens.
- Centre of the Universe: Opened in 2002, this visitor center houses the 1/10th scale model of the telescope that won an award at the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition.

Modern legacy: The Herzberg Centre

Today, the site is home to the Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Centre (HAA).
- Global reach: Staff now design instruments for international telescopes in Hawaii and Chile.
- Adaptive optics: The HAA is currently developing technology for the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) that will produce images five times sharper than those from the James Webb Space Telescope.
- Interesting fact: Despite the massive technological leaps of the last century, the original 1.8-meter telescope still operates for research every clear night (source).
The observatory was designated a national historic site of Canada in January 2010 and is a beloved part of Victoria’s past, present, and future.

Lands

The District of Saanich lies within the territories of the lək̓ʷəŋən peoples represented by the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations and the W̱SÁNEĆ peoples represented by the Tsartlip, Pauquachin, Tsawout, Tseycum and Malahat Nations.

Amenities