Special events

From stargazing on the top of a mountain to aurora-watching at the edge of a canyon to lakeside meteor-spotting, we have dozens of premium dark sky events for you in 2017…

…PLUS our annual Dark Sky Festival.

Here below are the major events we are currently offering this summer and fall:

*** Except for Skytram events, all of the activities below originate at The Jasper Planetarium, at Marmot Lodge, 86 Connaught Dr, Jasper, AB ***

“Far-Out Fridays”
every Friday, May 26 – Aug 25 (Sept and Oct we have special weekend stargazing at Jasper Skytram)

11:00 pm
Join space author Peter McMahon and astronomy experts from The Jasper Planetarium for an out-of-this-world Rocky Mountain evening experience:
* travel to a specially-selected site in the world’s largest accessible dark sky preserve
* tour the largest, most powerful telescopes in the Rockies
* see recent 4K Jasper sky imagery from our new video telescope
* get tips on how to use your DSLR camera to photograph auroras and the Milky Way
* if weather permits, you’ll also enjoy a guided tour of live objects in space as seen through our telescopes
-transportation included
-return shuttles available throughout the night

(book online: choose “Far Out Fridays”, select date-range and choose any Friday or call 1-888-786-3641)

Summer solstice planet & star party celebration

June 20
7:30 pm

Join space journalist Peter McMahon and astronomy experts from The Jasper Planetarium for a celebration of the longest day of the year.

Highlights:

– Commentary by our team of astronomy experts, including space journalist Peter McMahon.
– World-exclusive planetarium experience.
– Safety filtered Solar views through the largest telescopes in the Rockies.
– Look through the Telescope eye piece, or Live views on our 4K Monitor connected to our Video Telescope.
– views of bright planets such as Jupiter later in the activity

Return-transportation, personal Solar Glasses (souvenir to keep), bottled water included.

$89/adults, $19/youth (4-15)

(book online)

Perseid Meteor shower

Aug 10, 11, 12
10:30 pm each night

Join space author Peter McMahon and astronomy experts from The Jasper Planetarium for a celebration of the best annual chance to catch a shooting star.

Location: Meet at The Marmot Lodge (86 Connaught Drive, Jasper)

We’ll transport you to a special location in the world’s largest accessible dark sky preserve for a guided evening tour that includes:

* tour of the largest, most powerful telescopes in the Rockies

* view recent 4K Jasper sky imagery from our new video telescope

* get tips on how to use your DSLR camera to photograph auroras and the Milky Way

* if weather permits, a live guided tour of meteors as they fall

* see objects in our Solar System and deep space, as seen through our telescopes (also weather permitting)

Transportation included (return shuttles available throughout the night)

$89/adult, $29/youth (4-15)

Aug 10, 2017 BOOK NOW
Aug 11, 2017 BOOK NOW
Aug 12, 2017 BOOK NOW

Partial Solar Eclipse

Aug 21, 2017, 11:00am-4:00pm (come and go as you please)

Join space journalist and author Peter McMahon and the associate astronomers from The Jasper Planetarium for an exclusive afternoon of planetarium shows and LIVE Solar Viewing through the largest telescope in the Rockies. Safely look through the
Telescope eye piece, or Live views on our 4K Monitor connected to our Video Telescope.

After a brief orientation in our indoor planetarium theatre, you’ll travel to our selected site where the Telescopes will positioned for maximum exposure to the sky. From our vantage point in Jasper will see the Moon cover up to 2/3rds of the Sun over a period of about 3 hours.

Return-transportation, personal Solar Glasses (souvenir to keep), bottled water included.

Location: Meet at The Marmot Lodge (86 Connaught Drive, Jasper)

DRESS APPROPRIATE: Sunscreen, Hat, Sunglasses, long sleeve shirts, water are highly recommended.

Duration:4-5 Hours (come-and-go-as-you-like)

Adult/$89, $29/youth (4-15)

(book online or call 1-888-786-3641)

Skytram Star Sessions (with 2-course dinner)

Fridays and Saturdays, 7:30 pm (Sept and Oct) arrive 20 minutes in advance

Each weekend this fall, The Jasper Planetarium and The Jasper Skytram offer the most unique dining experience in all the Rockies.

Join space author Peter McMahon, astronomy experts from The Jasper Planetarium and staff at the Jasper Skytram for an evening telescope experience at the top of a mountain.

“Blast off” from the Skytram Lower Station for a 9-minute “flight” to the Upper Station atop The Whistlers – a mountaintop 1km above the surrounding terrain (and 1 km closer to space.)

There, you’ll be invited to enjoy a two-course dinner with exclusive views of the surrounding valley and mountaintops.

After dinner, head outside onto the boardwalk for a tour of the valley through our telescopes (if weather permits), a tour of the most powerful telescope in the Rockies, tips on how to photograph the night sky, and views of objects in the sky from previous clear nights via the ‘instant replay’ function of our new video scope.

At certain times of the evening, there will also be an indoor presentation by Peter on the dark sky preserves of Canada, including Jasper.

PLUS if weather permits, you’ll also get to look through our telescopes live at objects in space.

$116 per-person

(to book, click on the date you’re interested in below)

2017 JASPER DARK SKY FESTIVAL

October 13 – 22, 2017 —

Since its inception, The Jasper Dark Sky Festival has grown to become North America’s largest annual celebration of the night sky.

Below are the activities The Jasper Planetarium has available for booking for the festival:

Friday, October 13

2:00 pm
Planetarium dome experience
Explore the world’s largest accessible dark sky preserve in our air-supported dome theatre.
Our astronomy experts will show you the local aboriginal First Nations constellations, the Northern Lights as they appear from Jasper, and take you out into space on a spectacular interactive ride from hundreds of km above the Rockies to the edge of the universe…all in about 40 minutes. Includes Q&A with a live astronomy expert
$29/adult, $9 youth (4-15)
(book online or call 1-888-786-3641)

3:00 pm
Daytime solar/lunar astronomy tour
Join astronomy experts from The Jasper Planetarium for a chance to explore the daytime sky:
* your experience starts with an exclusive daytime/solar planetarium experience inside The Jasper Planetarium
* tour of the largest, most powerful telescopes in the Rockies
* see recent 4K Jasper sky imagery from our new video telescope
actual photo of the Sun through one of our solar telescopes
* get tips on how to use your DSLR camera to photograph auroras and the Milky Way
* if weather permits, you’ll also experience a live guided telescope tour of objects in the daytime sky, including details on the Sun and Moon
$39/adults, $12/youth (4-15)
(book online or call 1-888-786-3641)

7:30 pm
Skytram Star Session (with 2-course dinner)

The Jasper Planetarium and The Jasper Skytram offer the most unique dining experience in all the Rockies.

Join space author Peter McMahon, astronomy experts from The Jasper Planetarium and staff at the Jasper Skytram for dinner and an evening telescope experience at the top of a mountain (for more details, see full description in the Skytram Star session section above)

$116 per person

(book online)

Saturday, October 14

3:00 pm
Daytime solar/lunar astronomy tour
Join astronomy experts from The Jasper Planetarium for a chance to explore the daytime sky:
* your experience starts with an exclusive daytime/solar planetarium experience inside The Jasper Planetarium
* tour of the largest, most powerful telescopes in the Rockies
* see recent 4K Jasper sky imagery from our new video telescope
* get tips on how to use your DSLR camera to photograph
auroras and the Milky Way
* if weather permits, you’ll also experience a live guided telescope tour of objects in the daytime sky, including details on the Sun and Moon
$39/adults, $12/youth (4-15)
(book online or call 1-888-786-3641)

7:30 pm
Skytram Star Session (with 2-course dinner)

The Jasper Planetarium and The Jasper Skytram offer the most unique dining experience in all the Rockies.

$116 per person

(book online)

Sunday, October 15

7:45 pm
Planetarium dome experience
Explore the world’s largest accessible dark sky preserve in our air-supported dome theatre.
Our astronomy experts will show you the local aboriginal First Nations constellations, the Northern Lights as they appear from Jasper, and take you out into space on a spectacular interactive ride from hundreds of km above the Rockies to the edge of the universe…all in about 40 minutes. Includes Q&A with a live astronomy expert
$29/adult, $9 youth (4-15)
(book online or call 1-888-786-3641)

9:00 pm
Planetarium dome experience
Explore the world’s largest accessible dark sky preserve in our air-supported dome theatre.
Our astronomy experts will show you the local aboriginal First Nations constellations, the Northern Lights as they appear from Jasper, and take you out into space on a spectacular interactive ride from hundreds of km above the Rockies to the edge of the universe…all in about 40 minutes. Includes Q&A with a live astronomy expert
$29/adult, $9 youth (4-15)
(book online or call 1-888-786-3641)

Big Dipper at Maligne Canyon

10:00 pm
Stargazing at Maligne Canyon
Join astronomy author Peter McMahon and the ‘telescope wranglers’ from The Jasper Planetarium for an exclusive Rocky Mountain evening experience:
* travel to a specially-selected site in the world’s largest accessible dark sky preserve
* tour the largest, most powerful telescopes in the Rockies
* see recent 4K Jasper sky imagery from our new video telescope
* get tips on how to use your DSLR camera to photograph auroras and the Milky Way
* if weather permits, you’ll also enjoy a guided tour of live objects in space as seen through our telescopes
Transportation included
Duration: up to 3 hours, return shuttles available throughout the night
$89/adult, $19 youth (4-15)
(book online or call 1-888-786-3641)

Monday, October 16

3:00 pm
Daytime solar/lunar astronomy tour
Join astronomy experts from The Jasper Planetarium for a chance to explore the daytime sky:
* your experience starts with an exclusive daytime/solar planetarium experience inside The Jasper Planetarium
* tour of the largest, most powerful telescopes in the Rockies
* see recent 4K Jasper sky imagery from our new video telescope
* get tips on how to use your DSLR camera to photograph
auroras and the Milky Way
* if weather permits, you’ll also experience a live guided telescope tour of objects in the daytime sky, including details on the Sun and Moon
$39/adults, $12/youth (4-15)
(book online or call 1-888-786-3641)

9:00 pm
Planetarium dome & Telescope experience COMBO
The ultimate Jasper Dark Sky experience:
First, explore the world’s largest accessible dark sky preserve – over 11,000 square km – day-and-night on a live, guided virtual tour in our climate-controlled dome theatre.
Our astronomy experts will show you the local aboriginal First Nations constellations, the Northern Lights as they appear from Jasper, and take you out into space on a spectacular interactive ride from hundreds of km above the Rockies to the edge of the universe…all in about 40 minutes.
Then, come outside for our all-weather telescope experience, where you’ll:
* tour of the largest, most powerful telescopes in the Rockies
* recent 4K Jasper sky imagery from our new video telescope
* tips on how to use your DSLR camera to photograph auroras and the Milky Way
* if weather permits, a live guided tour of meteors as they fall, plus objects in our Solar System and deep space as seen through our telescopes
Includes Q&A with a live astronomy expert
$49/adult, $18 youth (4-15)
(book online or call 1-888-786-3641)

9:45 pm
Telescope experience ONLY
Come outside for our all-weather telescope experience, where you’ll:
* tour of the largest, most powerful telescopes in the Rockies
* recent 4K Jasper sky imagery from our new video telescope
* tips on how to use your DSLR camera to photograph auroras and the Milky Way
* if weather permits, a live guided tour of meteors as they fall, plus objects in our Solar System and deep space as seen through our telescopes
Includes Q&A with a live astronomy expert
$29/adult, $9 youth (4-15)
(book online or call 1-888-786-3641)

Tuesday, October 17

Wednesday, October 18

1:00 pm
Daytime solar/lunar astronomy tour
Join astronomy experts from The Jasper Planetarium for a chance to explore the daytime sky:
* your experience starts with an exclusive daytime/solar planetarium experience inside The Jasper Planetarium
* tour of the largest, most powerful telescopes in the Rockies
* see recent 4K Jasper sky imagery from our new video telescope
* get tips on how to use your DSLR camera to photograph
auroras and the Milky Way
* if weather permits, you’ll also experience a live guided telescope tour of objects in the daytime sky, including details on the Sun and Moon
$39/adults, $12/youth (4-15)
(book online or call 1-888-786-3641)

Big Dipper at Maligne Canyon

8:30 pm
Stargazing at Maligne Canyon
Join astronomy author Peter McMahon and the ‘telescope wranglers’ from The Jasper Planetarium for an exclusive Rocky Mountain evening experience:
* travel to a specially-selected site in the world’s largest accessible dark sky preserve
* tour the largest, most powerful telescopes in the Rockies
* see recent 4K Jasper sky imagery from our new video telescope
* get tips on how to use your DSLR camera to photograph auroras and the Milky Way
* if weather permits, you’ll also enjoy a guided tour of live objects in space as seen through our telescopes
Transportation included
Duration: up to 3 hours, return shuttles available throughout the night
$89/adult, $19 youth (4-15)
(book online or call 1-888-786-3641)

Thursday, October 19

Friday, October 20

7:30 pm
Skytram Star Session (with 2-course dinner) AND Orionid Meteor Shower

The Jasper Planetarium and The Jasper Skytram offer the most unique dining experience in all the Rockies.

BONUS! This event falls on the peak of the annual Orionid Meteor Shower

$116 per person

(book online)

Saturday, October 21

1:00 pm
Planetarium dome experience
Explore the world’s largest accessible dark sky preserve in our air-supported dome theatre.
Our astronomy experts will show you the local aboriginal First Nations constellations, the Northern Lights as they appear from Jasper, and take you out into space on a spectacular interactive ride from hundreds of km above the Rockies to the edge of the universe…all in about 40 minutes. Includes Q&A with a live astronomy expert
$29/adult, $9 youth (4-15)
(book online or call 1-888-786-3641)

2:00 pm
Daytime solar/lunar astronomy tour
Join astronomy experts from The Jasper Planetarium for a chance to explore the daytime sky:
* your experience starts with an exclusive daytime/solar planetarium experience inside The Jasper Planetarium
* tour of the largest, most powerful telescopes in the Rockies
* see recent 4K Jasper sky imagery from our new video telescope
actual photo of the Sun through one of our solar telescopes
* get tips on how to use your DSLR camera to photograph auroras and the Milky Way
* if weather permits, you’ll also experience a live guided telescope tour of objects in the daytime sky, including details on the Sun and Moon
$39/adults, $12/youth (4-15)
(book online or call 1-888-786-3641)

7:30 pm
Skytram Star Session (with 2-course dinner) AND Orionid Meteor Shower

The Jasper Planetarium and The Jasper Skytram offer the most unique dining experience in all the Rockies.

BONUS! This event falls on the peak of the annual Orionid Meteor Shower

$116 per person

(book online)

Sunday, October 22

These experiences can be booked online OR by phone (via SunDog Tours) at 1-888 786 3641 (8 am – 6 pm daily)

Prices to not include 5% GST tax

Can also be booked at Jasper Adventure Centre, Sun Dog Tours / AVIS on Connaught Dr, Marmot Lodge, or at The Jasper Planetarium