The Burke-Gaffney Observatory (BGO) and its Ralph Medjuck telescope are primarily used for undergraduate astronomy education, public outreach and modest research projects. The observatory was the first in the world to be controlled by social media from anywhere in the world.
The main instrument is a Planewave CDK24, a 0.61-metre diameter reflecting telescope. Technical details for the telescope and its instruments can be found . The observatory also owns a portable 40-cm diameter reflecting telescope, ten 20-cm diameter reflecting telescopes (with several white light solar filters), an a dedicated solar telescope with a narrowband hydrogen alpha filter.
In 2025 approximately 2000 individuals visited the observatory, including Saint Mary’s University students who used the BGO for in-person observing projects plus public tours and private groups.
The Observatory is proud to focus on education, outreach, and research by allowing our students to learn by using the equipment, sharing the facility with thousands of members of the public in open house tours, and completing observations for users all over the world to contribute both to astronomy engagement and astronomy research.
To book a visit or sign up for a public tour,