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

Seeing Stars – Interpretive Program

Have you ever wondered how humans and other animals in Manning Park can use the night sky to their advantage?

Learn from a helpful bat, a lost moth, and an ancient storyteller during this #ManningParkDarkSky event!

This program is put on with support from Hope Mountain Centre for Outdoor LearningSkagit Environmental Endowment CommissionBC Parks and Manning Park Resort

Evening programs are first-come, first-serve. Maximum numbers apply.

Location: Lightning Lake Amphitheatre

 

Seeing Stars – Interpretive Program

Have you ever wondered how humans and other animals in Manning Park can use the night sky to their advantage?

Learn from a helpful bat, a lost moth, and an ancient storyteller during this #ManningParkDarkSky event!

This program is put on with support from Hope Mountain Centre for Outdoor LearningSkagit Environmental Endowment CommissionBC Parks and Manning Park Resort

Evening programs are first-come, first-serve. Maximum numbers apply.

Location: Lightning Lake Amphitheatre

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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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?

Dark Sky Discount Extended!

Although this is the not the weather we’re hoping for at this time of year, the skies look like they may be clearing this weekend, so you may get a chance to do some stargazing!

We are extending our Dark Sky Discount until December 6th for any stargazers interested in some dark sky viewing! 

Join our Dark Sky Mailing List, to learn how you can receive 25% off your accommodation when you book your accommodation until December 6th! Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/dqKVlr 

What’s in the Sky this Weekend?

  • The moon is in it’s last quarter.
  • You can spot Uranus (m=5.7) unaided this weekend.
  • Venus is at greatest illuminated extent (m=-4.9) on December 2nd morning.
  • To see what else is up from our key note speaker from RASC last Astronomy Weekend, check out Robert Conrad’s Astronomy Facebook Group. 

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/