Perhaps you will be able to see the Milky Way, or maybe another planet. The best stargazing in Ontario happens in the darkest places in the province. 0033 7 85 61 81 07. The Preserve is one of the darkest observing sites in the Province of Ontario with no light pollution or sky glow around the 360 degree observing horizon. Also located in the Dark Sky Preserve is the Baden Powell grove, and a large picnic shelter. You can also review our “Eyes on the skies” series for a preview of what to look for each month. It is the first commercial, privately-owned dark sky preserve. Our main role is spreading public awareness. Parks Canada protects more dark skies than any other agency or jurisdiction in the world. National marine conservation areas system, Directory of federal heritage designations. Camping and Fire-making Banned in the Torrance Barrens until further notice - August 2020 . 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. The Torrance Barrens Dark Sky Preserve is a little-known but unique conservation reserve found in the heart of the Muskoka area in Ontario, less than a 2 hour drive from Toronto. This area was also designated as an official Dark Sky Preserve in 2009. The colors of the markers indicate amount of light pollution there (colors defined here). Torrance Barrens Dark Sky Preserve. Through their commitment to protect and preserve these incredibly dark skies, the two parks together form the first trans-boundary IDA International Dark Sky Park. North Frontenac has the darkest skies in southern Ontario and it is the perfect place for star gazing. Even though this map can be zoomed out to show the all of North America, this page only shows charts in Ontario. There are 22 designated Dark Sky Preserves in Canada, of which 8 are in Ontario, including Killarney Provincial Park, one of the province’s most beautiful Northern Ontario parks and now a dark sky location, too. Don’t forget to bring along a constellation guide, or download an app to see how many constellations you can identify. Prev Next 3637 views travis hale-vokey March 4, 2018 Muskoka Lakes, Ontario, CA Date shot: March 3, 2018. As Discovery staff, our main role with the Dark Sky Preserve now lies ahead. With a telescope or the naked eye, visitors can marvel at brilliant Northern Lights, meteor showers, planets, the Milky Way, and stars with tremendous detail and clarity. An area for observing the night sky will be designated on the beach at the Agawa Bay Campground, in close proximity to the Visitor Centre. What is a Dark Sky Preserve? Killarney’s new Dark Sky Preserve is a Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) designated area where visitors can observe the celestial landscape with luminous visibility. This map shows where astronomy-specific weather forecasts, or "clear sky charts", are available. Biography. Plan your trip today, and you could find yourself wishing upon a star! Gordon’s Park Dark Sky Preserve. If you want to see Andromeda near Toronto using binoculars, this is the place to go! ***Please note we are currently experiencing technical issues with the interactive maps**** ***We are working diligently to resolve the technical issues with the interactive maps and restore full functionality**** This map shows the positions of locations designated as part of the International Dark Sky Places Program only. We’d love to see your night sky photos. In 1999, the Ontario government acknowledged night-sky viewing as an important use of the Torrance Barrens and added the designation of Dark-Sky Preserve to its title. Enjoy the celestial landscape in one of Parks Canada's 13 Dark-Sky Preserves, a welcome escape from glaring city lights. Brian is currently retired from his company in North Bay Ontario and has spent the last ten years continuing his passion for astronomy and deep space imaging. Lake Superior Provincial Park is a paradise for night sky viewing. Caledon Canada is home to some of the best dark-sky destinations in the world. Use red cellophane over your flashlight. If you like to sit on a beach on a clear summer night and gaze up at the countless stars filling the sky, or are a photographer looking for opportunities to shoot the night sky, the park is full of beautiful places with beautiful night skies. Binbrook Conservation Area Approximately 16 km south of Hamilton. On a clear night, the skies come alive with the twinkle of stars. If you like to sit on a beach on a clear summer … Public events, such as the annual Perseid meteor watch, attract upwards of 200 observers. Responsible anglers are nature’s superheroes. The most southerly dark sky site in Ontario. Our ambition is to make astronomy accessible to everyone. It is adjacent to the helipad at 5816 Road 506, four kilometers south-west of the Township offices near Plevna, Ontario. The park is home to significant populations of nocturnal animals, including bats, beavers, wolves, Northern Flying Squirrels and owls — all creatures that benefit from the preservation of darkness. Share them with us on Facebook or Twitter (@LakeSuperiorPP). Dark Sky Preserve . Torrance Barrens Dark-Sky Preserve Located only two hours drive from Toronto, this crown land (meaning Canadians can camp for free for 21 days at a stretch) in Muskoka was designated as a Dark Sky Preserve in 1999. Restaurants near Torrance Barrens Dark-Sky Preserve: (6.31 km) The Creative Plate Eatery (10.42 km) Blue Willow Tea Shop (11.00 km) The Oar (10.23 km) Dock of the Bay (11.38 km) Shelby's Chipwagon; View all restaurants near Torrance Barrens Dark-Sky Preserve on Tripadvisor The park is home to one of four of the darkest sections along the entire 7.821 km length of the Trans-Canada Highway. Campsites along the Lake Superior coastline, looking out over the expanse of one of the world’s largest freshwater lakes, are home to photo-worthy sunsets. Chart is centered on the site of the Bruce Peninsula Star Party, aka StarFeast, but also covers the Cabot Head Provincial Nature Reserve Park and Bruce Peninsula National Park which is a dark sky preserve. Is overrun on weekends to overflowing with vehicles and overnight camping with uncontrolled camp-fire making. And in Toronto, that escape is just two hours away at the Torrance Barrens Dark-Sky Preserve.. Our Dark Sky Community The Bruce Peninsula has some of the darkest skies in southern Ontario. With its remote location and very few artificial lights, Lake Superior Provincial Park is essentially free of light pollution. Check out Grasslands National Park, the darkest Dark-Sky Preserve in all of Canada or Wood Buffalo National Park, the largest Dark-Sky Preserve in the world! Once in a while, you need to escape the city’s light pollution and gaze at a star-filled sky. While there’s some confusion between the terms dark-sky preserve, reserve and park and some overlap between domestic and international designating bodies, Canada has, by any measure, more protected stargazing sites than every other country in the world combined. Learn about stars, the moon, galaxies and constellations during special programming and events throughout the year. Lake Superior Provincial Park is a paradise for night sky viewing. The purpose of a dark sky preserve is generally to promote astronomy. In the Bruce penninsula. Red light is less obtrusive than traditional white light, and helps to retain your night vision. It would help if you moved away from the big cities and into the province’s hidden corners. Why Dark Sky Preserves are Important. Waterton Lakes National Park and Glacier National Park in the United States are now recognized by the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) as a provisional International Dark Sky Park. It may seem like a frivolous thing, designating areas as dark sky preserves solely for the purpose of getting a better look at the stars and planets above us. Stay overnight under the stars to get the full experience. Sure, there are some beautiful parks like Bruce Peninsula National Park and Algonquin Provincial Park, but the Torrance Barrens are a lot more unique and fewer people even visit the area so you’re able to enjoy a much more personal and private experience. The photo below was taken from the observing area: There are also opportunities for exceptional night sky viewing at Rabbit Blanket Lake campground, as shown in the photo below: For those wanting to explore the backcountry, the hiking trails and canoe routes also offer great opportunities for night sky viewing. A Dark Sky Preserve is an area that the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada has deemed to be dark enough for people who visit there to be able to see the night sky as it’s meant to be seen – without light pollution. One can think of a dark sky preserve as an astronomy park where the night sky glows with millions of stars visible to the naked eye. The area boasts the darkest skies in Ontario and is perfect for astronomy. 1. 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. Amateur astronomers have acces… Dark Sky Discovery Programs at Lake Superior Provincial Park. Take along a star chart or download a star gazing app. The Torrance Barrens Dark-Sky Preserve in Southern Ontario is one of my favorite places to visit and go camping in the region. The horizon to the south is clear to -40° declination and particularly spectacular during the summer months for viewing all of Scorpius and Sagittarius. Dark-Sky Preserves are protected areas that make a special commitment to protect and preserve the night, reducing or eliminating light pollution in all forms. In 2018, Killarney was the first Provincial Park to be designated as a Dark Sky Preserve in Ontario and they take that responsibility seriously. The latitude and darkness of the park provides some of the best opportunities along the southern border of Canada from which to view the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights). Amenities in the Dark Sky Preserve include picnic tables, cook stands, clean privy’s, a dishwashing station, and an eco-shower stall. Overnight: No developed campsites. A dark-sky preserve (DSP), also known as a dark sky reserve, is an area, usually surrounding a park or observatory, that restricts artificial light pollution. Our Dark Sky Preserve offers exceptional dark skies showing 7.5+ magnitude stars on the best nights. We helped supply information for the application and had numerous adventures attempting to measure our florescent light bulbs. This combination of attributes makes the Barrens unique in Ontario. It is not a comprehensive map of dark sites generally. Hotels near Torrance Barrens Dark-Sky Preserve, Torrance on Tripadvisor: Find 6,374 traveler reviews, 194 candid photos, and prices for 169 hotels near Torrance Barrens Dark-Sky Preserve in Torrance, Ontario. With the newest dark sky preserve in Ontario, opening up in Lake Superior Provincial Park in 2019, Ontario is now home to eight of the world’s 80 official dark sky-reserves. Learn about stars, the moon, galaxies and constellations during special programming and events throughout the year. The Dark Sky Preserve observation pad is one of the best places for astronomy. In Canada, the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada decides which protected areas can be known as Dark-Sky Preserves, Urban Star Parks, and Nocturnal Preserves. The announcement received national and international attention. In this quest, we invite you to explore a map that helps you find the best places to observe the night sky as well as a map of light pollution as a decision making tool. The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada has three types of dark sky areas – a dark sky preserve, an urban star park and a nocturnal preserve. The darkest nights happen during the new moon, when the moon isn't visible in our sky. Dark Sky Map. Torrance Barrens Dark Sky Preserve This is a magical place about two and a half hours north of Toronto that's eerily dark, which makes it an excellent spot for stargazing. Social. Brian McGaffney owns and operates the Nutwood Observatory. Sky Quality Meter reading (Unihedron Inc.) is 21.96 magnitudes / sq.arcsec. And with the big swaths of land that have a tiny population, Canada is the perfect location for star-gazing. … It is adjacent to the helipad at 5816 Road 506, four kilometers south-west of the Township offices near Plevna, Ontario. North Frontenac has the darkest skies in southern Ontario and it is the perfect place for star gazing. The dark skies of Lake Superior Provincial Park truly are a paradise for night sky viewing and photography. Many plants, wildlife and insects rely on darkness to forage, breed and navigate so protecting the dark sky not only provides a magical experience for you, but it also protects ecosystems! Dark-Sky Preserves; Dark-Sky Preserves. According to the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, a Dark Sky Preserve as an area in which no artificial lighting is visible, and active measures are in place to educate and promote the reduction of light pollution to the public and nearby municipalities. Lake Superior Provincial Park is among the darkest of all Dark Sky Preserves in Canada, and also on Earth. Which makes this a really convenient destination for visitors since they can book a campsite or yurt in the actual park and be close to your bed when you are done stargazing. The Dark Sky Preserve observation pad is one of the best places for astronomy. During the day discover this firstDark Sky Preserve of Canadathat contains bedrock and wetlands with-in its 4,700-acre through hiking or snowmobiling(winter). However, a different world emerges once the sun goes down and darkness sets in. Enjoy the celestial landscape in one of Parks Canada's 13 Dark-Sky Preserves, a welcome escape from glaring city lights. The first permanent dark sky preserve is located in the Muskokas in Ontario. This is a place where the Milky Way blankets the sky from horizon to horizon and where the natural rhythm of darkness and light is preserved, creating healthy habitats for wildlife and people alike. Or will the sky come alive with the colours of the Northern Lights? The observing area offers exceptional views of the night sky looking west, north and south. By accident or more likely by design the Torrance Barrens has been in 2020 transformed by the Ontario Government MNR and Parks Ontario from a wilderness ..Preserve into a minimally regulated, Covid-Relief, naturally socially-distanced public campground and recreation area for the GTA. Located at 7980 County Road 41, (37 kilometres north of Napanee) the L&A County Dark Sky Viewing Area is the most southerly point in Ontario that offers a night sky experience very similar to what was available more than 100 years ago. Across the water from the Bruce is Gordon’s Park on beautiful Manitoulin Island. Torrance Barrens Dark-Sky Preserve in Ontario was the first dark sky … At a time when reconnecting to nature has more appeal than ever, you may want to add stargazing at Torrance Barrens conservation area and dark-sky preserve to your list of Muskoka to-dos this summer.. Just a two-hour drive north of the city, the reserve consists of Crown Lands in the municipalities of Gravenhurst and Muskoka Lakes and offers some of the most magical stargazing in Ontario. A favourite dark-sky observing site for the Hamilton Amateur Astronomers (HAA) and members of the Hamilton Centre of The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. 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