Tag: astronomy
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Stars over Killarney 2019: a celebration of Indigenous astronomy
Did you know that 2019 is the United Nations year of Indigenous Languages? In celebration, Killarney Provincial Park and our Wiikwemkoong partners at Point Grondine Park, along with our colleagues at Science North, are thrilled to present Stars over Killarney 2019: a weekend of Indigenous astronomy and cultural learning!
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Nebulae of the night skies
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.
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Featured constellations: an archer, a dolphin and a goat
In last month’s featured constellations, we discussed the Summer Triangle, Scorpius, and Scutum. This month, we’ll discuss Sagittarius, Capricornus, and Delphinus. Last month’s constellations are included on the sky chart below for reference.
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The Lake Superior Provincial Park Dark Sky Preserve
On July 17, 2018, Lake Superior Provincial Park was officially recognized as a nationally certified Dark Sky Preserve by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, becoming our second provincial park to earn this prestigious designation.
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The Killarney Provincial Park Dark Sky Preserve
In 2018, Killarney Provincial Park became Ontario’s first provincial park to be designated as a Dark Sky Preserve by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada! We are committed to the protection and preservation of our province’s biodiversity. The night skies in their natural splendour are an important part of that protection.
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See the stars at Killarney's (upgraded!) observatory
Did you know Killarney is one of only two provincial parks with an observatory? And the park observatory, which hosts a variety of astronomy programs throughout the summer, recently got an upgrade!
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Astronomy for beginners
Learning about the sun, moon, stars, planets, and beyond is a rewarding experience that makes your park visit all the richer. Being able to identify the stars and constellations brings a familiarity with the mysteries of the cosmos. Knowledgeable observers may even use the stars to navigate, just as our ancestors have for thousands of…
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Zodiacal light and the gegenschein
The importance of having dark sky preserves cannot be understated. In addition to the many benefits already described previously in our blog, you can see many things that others can’t from the light-polluted skies of our urban and, increasingly, our rural locations. The zodiacal light and the gegenschein are two phenomena known for centuries, but…