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Celebrate 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 at free event with York University's Observatory team

Poster detailing the information contained in the story about the events surrounding the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landingIt was 50 years ago this July that the first man walked on the Moon as part of the Apollo 11 mission. Come celebrate that lunar achievement at a free event with York University’s Allan I. Carswell Observatory team in the Faculty of Science, from July 16 to 18.

There will be a screening of the film Apollo 11, lunar presentations and celestial viewing.

Be part of the excitement of the 50th anniversary of that successful Moon-landing mission where Neil Armstrong, followed by Buzz Aldrin, were the first to set foot on the lunar surface, while Michael Collins orbited the Moon.

It was during those first few steps that Armstrong uttered those now famous words, “That’s one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind.”

Multiple telescopes will be set up on top of the Arboretum Parking Garage at the William Small Centre for observing the Moon and other celestial objects each night from 9 p.m. to midnight.

The screening of Apollo 11 will take place nightly at 8 p.m. in Room 317 of the Petrie Science & Engineering Building, Keele Campus. Hourly presentations on Lunar Exploration will follow, starting at 9:30 p.m. each night.

The event is free and open to the public.

For more information, check out the Allan I. Carswell Observatory at York University website or on twitter @yorkobservatory.

In addition, from July 15 to 26, the Steacie Science & Engineering Library and Scott Library will display memorabilia from July 1969.

Here is where to find the memorabilia:

Scott Library

Atrium (2nd floor) – Display cases: Toronto newspapers documenting the moon landing

Map library (1st floor, Scott Library) – astronomical maps, moon globe (map library hours 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

Steacie Library – maps, books, publications documenting the moon landing. There will also some videos of the moon landing playing on the LCD screen.