Stargazing Guide To The Rockies

You haven’t seen the Canadian Rockies until you’ve seen the night sky light up the rugged peaks with the glow of a million twinkling stars.

Jasper, Alberta is home to one of the world’s largest dark sky preserves, an area that restricts artificial light pollution to maximize astronomy viewing. A popular destination on Rocky Mountaineer journeys, Jasper offers several opportunities for travellers to indulge in stargazing on a level nearly impossible to find elsewhere in Canada. Bonus: the region is also one of the best in the country to view the hauntingly beautiful Northern Lights.

While overnighting in Jasper, Rocky Mountaineer guests can stay at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, a luxury property that regularly hosts family-friendly dark sky activities like stargazing lessons and viewing parties. Guests can also visit the nearby Jasper Planetarium, home to the largest and most powerful telescope in the Rockies. Inside the planetarium, visitors embark on a live virtual tour of the surrounding preserve, supplemented with commentary by leading astronomy experts.

Guests travelling in mid-October will catch the Jasper Dark Sky Festival, presented by Rocky Mountaineer – un unforgettable annual event that invites stargazers to wonder at the night sky. The festival includes keynote speeches by notable astrophysicists, Q&A sessions, panel discussion, and the exquisite Symphony Under the Stars performed by the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.