JASPER'S DARK SKY PRESERVE

jasper.travel/darksky

As the name suggests, a Dark Sky Preserve is an area where natural darkness is protected. Artificial lighting and light pollution is kept to a minimum, allowing the stars to be more visible in the night sky. Jasper National Park is the largest accessible Dark Sky Preserve – meaning there’s a town within the limits of the preserve. Each October, stargazers come from around the world to celebrate and marvel during the Jasper Dark Sky Festival (p.14).

Tips For Seeing The Northern Lights

1. Look to the northern corner of the horizon for the best chance of spotting the aurora borealis, which in Latin means morning light coming from the north.

2. Jasper's fall and winter have the longest hours of darkness. It's a myth that it must be cold and/or late at night to see the aurora borealis – they're just harder to see against a bright background.

3. Get real time updates on the likelihood of seeing northern lights with AuroraWatch – a website that monitors geomagnetic activity in the area and offers a free email alert service.