Canada’s Night Sky & Top 10 Sky Events

Milkyway galaxy

“THERE IS IN THE UNIVERSE NEITHER CENTRE NOR CIRCUMFERENCE. ”  ~ Giordani Bruno

The coldest time of the year is upon us, and the long nights that accompany the Winter Season are the best time to enjoy the breathtaking beauty of our stars and planets. Gaze up in wonder at a celestial show above, painted with twinkling stars against a canvas of dark night sky.

 

SPOT THE BRIGHTEST PLANETS IN JANUARY

Wow! This beautiful #ManningParkDarkSky photo from @apixelguy

At the beginning of January, four planets will be visible in the evening sky: Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars. Mars will be particularly bright during this time, so be sure to catch it while you can!

Observe the slight variations in colour between ochre Mars and the yellow-orange Lucida of Taurus. The Red Planet’s disk spans about 14 arcseconds and is large and close enough to be viewed in detail through a telescope.

Interested in exploring the night sky?  You can rent a telescope at Manning Park and discover the wonders of the universe for yourself!

LOOKING FOR ADVENTURE THAT IS AFFORDABLE & FUN

Watch our new stargazing video here.

 Take a trip to Manning Park and stay in BC Park’s fully serviced Skyview RV Campground. Named because the stargazing is SO great in this location!

62 Campsites are available in the Winter and 92 sites in the Summer. All campsites have hook-ups for water, power (50-amp) and sewer. Skyview Campground is near Lightning Lake, and has a heated shower building for your enjoyment.

At Manning Park, you can spend your days carving down the slopes, gliding across 60km’s of Nordic trails, snowshoeing the tranquil beauty of the Cascade Mountains and unwinding by your campfire while covered in a blanket of stars.

(Pro-Tip: Bring your camping chair to enjoy the cosmos from your campsite)

Click to BOOK YOUR ADVENTURE NOW!  

 

NEW PRIVATE TOURS & A PERFECT STARGAZING OPPORTUNITY

Enjoy the beauty of the star-filled night sky, while snowshoeing or cross-country skiing at Manning Park. These events offer a unique and magical experience, perfect for all ages and experience levels. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to explore the great outdoors and marvel at the celestial wonders above.

Private Snowshoe Tour + Chocolate Fondue:

  • 2-Hour Private Guided Tour followed by a Chocolate Fondue in our Bears Den Pub.
  • $65/per person (minimum 4 people)

Private Snowshoe Tour + Wine & Charcuterie Board:

  • 2-Hour Private Guided Tour followed by Wine & Charcuterie Board in our Bears Den Pub. $79/per person (minimum 4 people)

Private Snowshoe or Cross-Country Guide:

  • $60/Hour (2-Hour minimum requirement)

To reserve your Private Experience, please Email: nordic@manningpark.com

ASTRONOMY NEWS AND MORE…

TOP 10 SKY EVENTS OF 2023 

There are three major meteor showers, including the Perseids, arriving with the Moon mostly out of the way this year.

1- Venus, Saturn, & Crescent Moon at dusk

Date: January 23

Type: Conjunction

Time: Evening

View: Naked eye, binoculars

Click to know more – Skynews.ca 

 

TOP 20 STARGAZING APPS

If you’re wondering where to find the Big Dipper or have noticed a reddish dot above you and want to know more, a stargazing app can be a helpful tool. Simply download one to your phone and have access to a wealth of information about the celestial objects visible in the sky.

Click to know more  – Vitotechnology.com  

 

Free Stargazing Session with RASC

Come do an evening of stargazing with Manning Park Resort & the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.

You’ll meet at Lightning Lakes Day Use at 9:30pm and the stargazing will commence. Some tabletop telescopes will be provided.

Ask them your burning questions about what’s going on in the cosmos, and get more information about our Dark Sky Astronomy Weekend.

Dark Sky Astronomy Weekend: Little Dipper tickets & info

Dark Sky Astronomy Weekend: Big Dipper tickets & info

Dark Sky Astronomy Weekend: Big Dipper

A view of milky way galaxy from manning park lookout

That’s right – Dark Sky Astronomy Weekend is back this fall. With not 1 weekend, but 2 weekends full of Dark Sky fun!

TICKETS LIVE NOW!

This weekend, starting October 28th, is best suited for our amateur enthusiast astronomers. Maybe you know a thing or two about our Dark Sky, and you might even have your own telescope! You’ll learn more than the average beginner during this weekend. Come prepared with your questions.

Workshops available throughout the weekend, and Saturday morning will have breakfast included. Our special guest, Rouzbeh Bidshahri, will be talking about astrophotography. Saturday night stargazing will be at the Cascade Lookout (weather dependent) with transportation provided.

Book your accommodations at our Resort here. Reach out to our Front Desk: email – info@manningpark.com or phone – 604 668 5922. Alternative accommodations are Skyview RV Campground or Sunshine Valley RV Resorts & Cabins.

Rouzbeh Bidshahri

Rouzbeh Bidshahri started photography in the late 90’s before the age of digital cameras. Curiosity led him to explore various forms of astrophotography, including lunar, solar, planetary, widefield, and deep sky imaging with DSLR, CCD, and cooled CMOS cameras along with high-speed planetary cameras for lucky-imaging. Over the years he ended up constructing four personal observatories and imaged from three continents and four countries.

His more recent work has been focused on larger observatory class telescopes with the goal of capturing high resolution deep sky images. The high-quality data can also be ordered now, and he work with individuals and institutions to provide both training and consultation.

Images and details on his website: www.RouzAstro.com 

For more details download the event schedule

Big Dipper Weekend Schedule

Dark Sky Astronomy Weekend: Little Dipper

A view of milky way galaxy from manning park lookout

That’s right – Dark Sky Astronomy Weekend is back this fall. With not 1 weekend, but 2 weekends full of Dark Sky fun!

TICKETS LIVE NOW!

This weekend, starting October 21st, is geared towards our future Astronomers, with lots of beginner-friendly information.

There will be workshops, a mobile planetarium, and kids activities. Our guest speaker, Christopher Gainor, will be talking about the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Telescope. Saturday night stargazing will be done at the Cascade Lookout (weather dependent) with transportation provided.

Book your accommodations at our Resort here. Reach out to our Front Desk: email – info@manningpark.com or phone – 604 668 5922. Alternative accommodations are Skyview RV Campground or Sunshine Valley RV Resorts & Cabins.

Christopher Gainor Bio

Chris Gainor is a historian and writer specializing in spaceflight and astronomy. He is the editor of Quest: The History of Spaceflight Quarterly. His latest book, Not Yet Imagined, tells the story of the Hubble Space Telescope. Chris is a past president of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.

For more details download the event schedule

Little Dipper Weekend Schedule

Manning Park Dark Sky Astronomy Weekend – Postponed

Due to COVID-19, we have made the difficult decision to postpone this year’s Dark Sky Astronomy Weekend until 2021. The health and safety of our community, guests, volunteers, and staff who make this event so ‘out of this world’ is our highest priority. The stars aren’t going anywhere, so we hope to see you back again next year with a safe event that is better than ever.

Sign up to our Dark Sky Mailing list to hear about it first!

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Telescope Rentals Now Available

The Manning Park Dark Sky offers some of the best night sky viewing around. Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Moon Landing this month by renting one of our new telescopes!

July 20th marked the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11 and the world’s first moon landing by Neil Armstong & Buzz Aldrin. 

We are excited to announce that we now have beginner telescope rentals available!

The Celestron FirstScope Telescope is a portable and lightweight table-top design with a 76 mm reflector optical tube. It is easy to store, transport and setup. FirstScope is very easy to observe with; the user simply navigates the night sky by moving the tube in the direction of their desired object.

We now have 5 telescopes available from the Front Desk on a First Come, First Serve basis.

They are available for rent from the Front Desk for $7 for guests, or $5 for members of our Dark Sky Mailing list.
To sign up to our Dark Sky Mailing List, fill in the form here: http://eepurl.com/dqKVlr This is a monthly newsletter about Manning Park Dark Sky experiences and some beginner astronomy news. Connect with us by joining the Dark Sky Mailing list!
Here’s some of our basic tips for using this beginner Celestron FirstScopes: 
  • Learn the constellations of the sky without the use of a telescope first.
  • Read the books! We’ve included two great books with the telescope kit to help set your expectations for what you might be able to see with the telescope:
    •  “50 Things to See with a Telescope for Kids (And Parents Too!)” – John Read
    • “Turn Left at Orion” – Guy Consolmagno & Dan M. Davis
  • Adjust your eyes to the dark, and if you require a light, use the red light that is included in the kit.
  • Find a sturdy place to put the telescope, like a picnic table. (There are some at the Lightning Lake Day Use and at Spruce Bay Beach)
  • Start with an easy target – like the moon.
  • Have patience; it can take a lot of practice to use the telescope.
  • Have fun!

Learn more about what’s happening in the Manning Park Dark Sky at https://manningpark.com/stargazing/

Dark Sky Discount is back!

Calling all stargazers!

The Dark Sky in Manning Park offers some of the best stargazing around. With multiple viewing locations and very limited light pollution, the views are incredible.

That’s why we created this great promotion for you:

DARK SKY DISCOUNT: When you come up to go stargazing, save 25% on your accommodation on select dates this spring for members of our Dark Sky mailing list.

Select dates for Spring: Valid daily from April 15-May 16, 2019, Valid Sunday-Thursday from May 20-June 27, 2019

To get this deal, you must be registered in Dark Sky mailing list to qualify. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/dqKVlr

 

Manning Park Dark Sky

Check this website for the events that we are adding to our Dark Sky offerings and to sign up to our Dark Sky mailing list to hear about it direct to your inbox.

We don’t currently have telescopes for loan, but there are some great local resources:

We also suggest that you join us for our Manning Park Dark Sky – Astronomy Weekends on October 18-20 & 25-27. 

 

 

RECOMMENDED STARGAZING LOCATIONS:

  • Windy Joe field:located in the middle of our cabin loop to the west of the Resort. This is a very accessible location, although there will be more light in this area as it is around the Resort.
    • Year-Round
  • Lightning Lake Day Use:4km from Manning Park Resort on Gibson Pass Road. Viewing area is located at the far end of the parking lot in the field by the lake.
    • Parking:Park in the Day Use parking lot. Year-Round
  • Cascade Look-out:8km on the Blackwall Peak Road. This is a winding mountain road with 1150m elevation gain. Please use caution!
    • Parking:Parking lot is at the Look-out. Spring- Fall only
  • Sub-alpine Meadows Parking Lot:16km up Blackwall Peak Road. Road is paved 8km to the Lookout, then is gravel.
    • Parking:parking is in the Lower Lot, near the Naturalist hut. Viewing is in the upper parking lot. Walking off the path is prohibited. Spring-Summer only

There’s lots more for you to discover! Where’s your favourite spot?

Astronomy Weekend at Manning Park Resort Draws Enthusiastic Crowds

The stars aligned for Manning Park Resort’s first Astronomy Weekend from October 12- 14th. With clear, cloudless skies and a full weekend itinerary of events, the first Manning Park Dark Sky Astronomy Weekend drew over 250 people to gaze upwards towards the stars.

Star experts from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) in Vancouver shared their knowledge with eager astronomers of all levels at multiple stargazing locations on Friday and Saturday nights. The weekend highlight included a shuttle bus trip to the Cascade Lookout which offers impressive mountain views during the day, and endless skies at night.

Combining educational and cultural events, indoor sessions throughout the weekend covered astrophotography, observational astronomy and how to locate and chart asteroids. Families were kept active with kid-friendly astronomy themed crafts, solar viewing, a walking tour of stories of constellations and yoga under the stars.

Catherine Laird, a participant in the Cascade Stargazer package said, “It was a fascinating and inspirational weekend!”

The Fraser Valley Regional Library provided telescopes for the event, to promote their new Telescope Loan Program, which allows you to borrow a telescope using just your library card.

“The enthusiasm and energy were palpable throughout the whole Resort this weekend,”says Manning Park Resort’s general manager, Vern Schram.

By virtue of being 65 km away from any major city, avid astronomy buffs have long known that Manning Park has some of the darkest skies around, which makes it an excellent location for stargazing.

“Judging by the interest and success of this event, this is something we definitely want to build on,” says Schram. “We also intend to pursue Dark Sky designation through RASC to preserve this pristine alpine environment for stargazing.”

 

Keep looking up to the stars this fall with our Dark Sky Discount!

(Oct 18, 2018)

Astrophotography Exhibit Now Open in the Cascade Room

Come to the Cascade Room to see the first event of our #AstronomyWeekend – our Astrophotography Art Exhibit! 
This gallery exhibit features local artists including Justin Brown, Jon Ross, Tim Barker and Chris Barker. The gallery is free to enter, and prints are available for purchase as well.

Please come on in to see our #ManningParkDarkSky Astrophotography Exhibit, on until October 14th, 2018!

Join us for the full Manning Park Dark Sky Astronomy Weekend: https://manningpark.com/event/astronomy-weekend/

 

Top 5 Things to Do in Fall at Manning Park

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Top 5 Things to Do in Fall at Manning Park

The ground squirrels may have gone to bed, and you may be heading back to the daily grind after a long, luxurious summer away, but don’t count out a few cheeky weekend trips away, and some great activities to do in fall at Manning Park.

My favourite things about fall in Manning Park – less bugs, no campfire bans, incredible colours and quiet hikes!
The vine maples have been changing colour already and are showing their full display of autumn foliage.

Here’s our top 5 for your list this Fall:

1. Larch Trees

On Mt. Frosty, we have a forest of the only coniferous, deciduous trees – the larch. This means the needles on this tree change colour seasonally and fall off. At the end of September – early October, they turn electric yellow and are truly a sight to behold! Keep an eye on our Facebook page and website, we will let you know when they start changing.
Mt. Frosty is a solid hike: 22.2 km from Lightning Lake to summit and return, 1150m elevation gain & 9-11 hours. See more info here: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/ecmanning/frosty.html

2. Biking

Cooler weather means those uphills don’t make you sweat so bad! We recommend Poland Lake or Windy Joe for a longer trip and the more adventurous, although cruising North Gibson and South Gibson are always worth the ride. See our updated mountain bike info on our webpage here. 

3. Canoeing or kayaking

The Boathouse stays open weekends until Thanksgiving, but boat rentals are available throughout the week as well from our Front Desk. Pop by to pick up your paddles, life jacket and the key to a canoe, kayak or a SUP (if you’re not too scared of the cooler waters!)

4. Sample some vino.

Have you checked out our wine menu lately? We are proud to offer all local wines from the Similkameen Valley and Okanagan areas. Wine tastes great no matter what the weather is doing outside!

5. Stargazing

Our newest fall activity has been here the whole time – just look up! The cool, crisp days of autumn are a great time for stargazing. See more information about stargazing on our Manning Park Dark Sky page. Learn about our fall Dark Sky Discount by signing up for our mailing list, and don’t miss our first Astronomy Weekend from October 12-14th.

 

It’s just a quick weekend away in your backyard, with great accommodation rates and some great activities to do. Book your accommodation now! 

Check out our new packages available with your lodge room:

Bed & Breakfast Package

Romance Package