Tag: stargazing
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Eyes on the skies — May
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. While spring “technically” begins in March, most of us living in cold climates…
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Featured constellations: Boötes the Herdsman, Virgo the Maiden and Libra the Scales
In last month’s constellation post, we discussed the Bears and a Dragon. In this month’s edition, we will talk about constellations that are ideal for warm weather observation.
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The galaxies: a partially solved mystery – part 1
After a typical Canadian winter, we look forward to the spring season and the changes that go with it: fresh flora fragrance, natural forest lushness and the flowing water tranquility. Spring also ushers in a new landscape of interesting objects visible in the night skies: the galaxies.
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Celestial objects of interest in November
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…
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12 ways to camp from the comfort of home
Today’s post comes from Learning and Education Leader Laura Myers. Daydreaming about camping? Here are 12 ways to make it feel like you’re camping, all from the comfort of home!
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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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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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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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Stars over Killarney 2018
What happens when two great organizations work together to promote astronomy and dark skies? An incredible experience that captivated visitors from all over Ontario and beyond. On September 22, 2018, we launched Ontario Parks’ first Dark-Sky Preserve in Killarney Provincial Park (the other is in Lake Superior Provincial Park) with a special “Stars over Killarney”…