Natural Heritage
Wilderness Astronomy
Campsite stargazing: A new way to see Canada's wild spaces
An aurora rises above a winter treescape Courtesy NASA/JPL, First Nations constellations from the Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre
A new set of trails are being blazed in Canada's National Parks, and not a single wildlife species has been disturbed to create them.
For the first time ever, technology, ecology, and local heritage have combined to create places where you can see some of the clearest, darkest skies on Earth, and learn about the science, legends, and beauty of the universe as it drifts over your campsite.
Ecology
A composite of stars rising over a tent in southern Ontario © Peter McMahon
Canada is leading the world in creating pieces of designated parkland called Dark Sky Preserves, many of which are in Canada's national parks.
You could think of a Dark Sky Preserve as an "astronomy park", where nearby towns and businesses have agreed to keep or change their lighting so that the sky stays black and thousands more stars shine through.
The Moon rises over the Alberta Badlands during the day © Peter McMahon
More on dark sky preserves: www.rasc.ca/lpa/darksky.shtml
Dark Sky preserves are some of the best places to explore the universe because they are nationally designated by the Royal Astronomical Association of Canada and cannot be polluted by the glare of excessive night time lighting.
Comet Swan streaks faintly above the trees in Port Hope © Peter McMahon
The Canadian National Parks, and National Historic Sites that feature Dark Sky Preserves are:
Technology is Making it Easier: Point and Identify!
One of the most frequent comments from people who see the unspoiled cosmos from the Canadian wilderness is "amazing…but we wish we knew what we were looking at."
Celestron's Sky Scout GPS pocket planetarium © Peter McMahon
Now, GPS technology has made it possible for you to point a small device (that can fit in the pocket of a pair of cargo pants) at any object that interests you in the night sky and get a text or audio explanation of that object.
You can also find shock-resistant and water-resistant telescopes for hiking, climbing, or boating trips, as well as telescopes that fold-up for ease of transportation deep into the bush, or on top of a picnic table at a campground.
Heritage
Some of the characters from this land lurking in the night sky © MFNERC
Did you know there was a Sasquatch constellation? Or a turtle in the night sky? Or a Canada Goose? These are some of the patterns the early peoples of this land saw thousands of years ago in the night sky above what are now National Parks.
Through a combination of new technologies and an increasing willingness to share First Nations constellation stories, you can learn about the "Canadian" cast of characters in the sky that feature the land, creatures, and traditions of the places now known as National Parks.
You can find out more about the astronomical heritage of Canada's National Parks at a number of interactive exhibits:
Campsite stargazing is an exciting heritage tourism option and a great new way to enjoy Canada's parks.
A lunar eclipse from a secluded campsite © David Howard
Next time you're looking for an outdoor adventure, consider setting out for one of these protected areas on an astronomy expedition.
Peter McMahon is an avid backyard astronomer and award-winning online science journalist. He has written and produced for CTV, Discovery Channel, The Toronto Star, and various magazines, websites, and planetarium shows. He is currently vice-president of the Canadian Science Writers Association and senior manager for NoticeMyScience.com His children's science experiment book on space tourism will be published in 2011 by Kids Can Press.