Who hasn't marvelled at the spectacularly colourful Eagle Nebula (aka "Pillars of Creation") photographed by the Hubble Space Telescope; or the blaze of colours on display by trees during a typical Canadian autumn; or the myriad of colours thrown out by a sunlit diamond; or the intense electric blue of a Morpho butterfly's wings?

These are all examples of the colour we see in the world around us. But what exactly IS colour, and how is it produced? You might be suprised to learn that the four examples just given each produce colour in a very different way. And have you ever wondered why the sky is blue if the atmosphere is composed mostly of colourless nitrogen and oxygen gas? (And no, it's not because of dust or the other gases in our atmosphere ;-)

Join Drs. Ian Shelton & Tuba Koktay for a four week hands-on exploration of what makes colour and how we can use this knowledge to explore the composition and structure of the world around us, all the way out to the edge of the observable universe.

No prior knowledge of physics or astronomy is assumed. Each class begins with a richly illustrated slide presentation, followed by some experiments and activities to help reinforce what we are learning. Participants are encouraged to ask questions throughout as they arise.

Lectures are held from 7 to 9 pm, meeting on the same day of the week. Because of the high level of personal interaction and assistance at these lectures, classes are restricted to just twelve people. Light refreshments will be provided.

We are trying to accommodate everyone interested in attending. Please indicate on the Registration Request Form linked below your "preferred" day of the week to attend and any other ("alternate") days of the week you are available. We will consider changing the program to a different day of the week or possibly opening a second session on a different day of the week.

Spaces are assigned on a 'First-Come-First-Served' basis, so please don't delay letting us know you want to attend!

Program Schedule

Lectures I. What Is Colour? What is light? The Properties of Waves. Sorting the waves in Sunlight to produce a rainbow. FRIDAYS Feb 5 II. Making All the Colours of the Rainbow. Blacksmiths and Steam Engines: Why Sunlight Is White. Discovering Colours Redder Than Red, Bluer Than Violet. Missing Colours and the birth of Quantum Mechanics. Feb 12 III. How Light Interacts With Matter. Why Roses Are Red and Grass is Green. Why the Sky Is Blue. The Colour in Butterfly Wings and DVDs; Neon signs and Interstellar gas clouds. Feb 26 IV. Making Use of Colour. Colour in Art and as a sign of Status; in agriculture and geology; in Chemistry; to measure composition, temperature and speed here on Earth and everywhere in the Universe. Mar 4 Each two-hour class begins at 7:00pm, with each session being hosted at a specific Community Centre in the Richmond Hill area. (The exact location will be announced the week prior to the start of the session.) LECTURE SERIES REGISTRATION: DDOD.CA/YPU/ (click to go to online form) Registration FEE: $125+tax if payment made by Feb 1 $150+tax if payment made after Feb 1 (Student and Returning Guest Discounts available. Fee includes light refreshments.) Enrollment is limited.