Astronomy has unravelled secrets of the universe in its earliest moments, and taught us that life truly begins in the deepest depths of space. Discoveries about the nature of our world and universe have shaped our cultures in profound and fundamental ways. Equally importantly, astronomers have driven dramatic technological innovation that improve our quality of life and stimulate economic growth. For the past century, Canadian astronomers, led by U of T, have been seeking answers to these and other fundamental questions that have perplexed humanity since the dawn of time.

The Faculty of Arts and Science is host to a top-ranked department of astronomy and astrophysics, a pioneering physics department, the nation-wide Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics and the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics – a leading-edge centre for the design, fabrication and implementation of scientific research instrumentation. Together this cluster represents depth and diversity that is unparalleled in Canada and matched only by top-ranked centres worldwide.

Through the campaign, we are seeking a major investment in new state-of-the-art facilities, highly qualified personnel and operational support. This includes investment in innovative instrumentation, such as Dragonfly, that empowers our researchers to collaborate and pursue answers to the most fundamental and enduring questions for humanity: What are the origins of the universe? What is our place in the cosmos? Is there life on other planets?