November is the perfect time for stargazing.
Even though the temperatures are cooling down, the early sunset and later sunrise provide us with almost fifteen hours of darkness in which to observe nighttime splendors. Plus, there are some exciting occurrences lighting up the skies all month long.
Why not take some time this month to view these celestial splendours?
Boo! The scariest night of the year is almost upon us.
As we celebrate Halloween with costumes, trick-or-treating, and plenty of scares, let’s take a look at the history behind this spooky day. Continue reading The spooky celestial history of Halloween
Welcome to the Ontario Parks “Eyes on the skies” series. This will cover a wide range of astronomy topics with a focus on what can be seen from the pristine skies found in our provincial parks.
October is a month of transition as the last few warm days depart and we prepare ourselves for winter.
But cold weather does not mean we should abandon the great outdoors. On the contrary, the peace and serenity found at this time of the year make a trip to any park all the more enjoyable.
Here are our astronomical highlights for October 2019:
Stars as seen in midnight’s gaze
Stars shining upon shoreline’s haze
Guiding us, teaching us with stories manifold
About ourselves, stars speak, from birth till old.
Their permanence ties us to days gone by
But to hide their secrets, they still do try
To gaze upon them brings dreams of futures bright
But to see them vanish, is to lose much delight.
~Bruce Waters
At Ontario Parks, we’re committed to the protection and preservation of our province’s biodiversity. The night skies in their natural splendour is an important part of that protection.
Today’s post comes from Will Morin, a Professor of Indigenous Studies at the University of Sudbury and Bruce Waters, a former educator at the McLaughlin Planetarium and founder of the Killarney Provincial Park Observatory.
It’s time we learn the astronomical traditions of the diverse Indigenous cultures in the Americas.
When looking towards the centre of our Milky Way Galaxy, we can catch sight of many beautiful objects in the sky.
M8 (the Lagoon Nebula) and M20 (the Trifid Nebula) are just two of the notable objects that can be seen with a large pair of binoculars or a telescope.
Welcome to the Ontario Parks “Eyes on the Skies” series. This space (<– see what we did there?) will cover a wide range of astronomy topics with a focus on what can be seen from the pristine skies found in our provincial parks.
August is here at last with its fine weather, fewer mosquitos, and longer nights. All of the constellations and objects from July are still visible, but there are a few exciting new things to see this month.
Here are our astronomical highlights for August 2019:
One of the best parts about camping at one of our parks is the breathtakingly clear night sky. These clear skies provide the perfect backdrop to see the wonders of our solar system sprawled out above you.
Seeing these magnificent skies is one thing, but being able to capture them adds a whole other level to the experience.
Here are our top tips for night sky photography:
Today’s post comes from Charlotte Westcott, a Discovery Program staff member at Lake Superior Provincial Park.
As the sun sets, the stars begin to appear. Like old friends, their familiar glow brings us home no matter how far away our house may be. Our friendly acquaintances, the constellations, trace their way across the sky. The white glow of the Milky Way emerges slowly to drown out its fainter neighbours.
Far away from the light pollution of major cities, Lake Superior Provincial Park’s night sky is one of the darkest in North America.
Continue reading The long road to Lake Superior Provincial Park’s Dark Sky Preserve
Humanity’s fascination with the celestial bodies dates back millennia.
And times haven’t changed.
Star parties and night sky events are held in our parks every summer, especially in northern Ontario, where there’s less light pollution.
Continue reading Summer star parties 2019
