Jupiter and Saturn were the ‘stars’ of the show Saturday and Sunday nights at the Dark Skies Preserve observation pad in Fernleigh.

Guy Nason, one of the Sky Pad’s astronomers-in-residence, said that at 700 million kilometres away right now, Jupiter is almost as close as it gets (it was 640,962,549 on June 12 but is usually almost 800 million kilometers away).

“Jupiter and Saturn are the fifth and sixth planets in the solar system and the two largest,” he said.

Along with Jupiter, its four Galilean moons (Ganymede, Europa, Io and Callisto) are also visible, as is Jupiter’s Great Red Spot, which is believed to be a giant storm.

“The Red Spot is shrinking,” Nason said. “When I got into this, you could fit three Earths into it.

“Now it’s only one.”

He said both planets have been known since antiquity, hence their names (after Roman gods)

“Saturn is easily the most impressive (as seen through a telescope) in the night sky (because of its rings),” he said. “It’s roughly twice as far away as Jupiter.

“You can see the A, B & C rings.”

Other items of interest on the menu last weekend were a flyby of the International Space Station and the presence of globular cluster NGC 6235 near Jupiter.

About 30 people were there at Saturday night’s peak, including visitors from Ottawa and Toronto.

The sky pad is open to the public most nights for observation. The next organized event is Aug. 31/Sept. 1 when the theme will be Star Names and Meanings. Jupiter’s Red Spot should be visible all evening on the 31st.

It’s a quiet evening with a few clouds in the sky and annoying clouds of blackflies when the breeze fades every few moments or so.

And then  . . .

“Jupiter!” shouts amateur astronomer Guy Nason, pointing to the southern sky.

As if by magic, the clouds part, the bugs are gone and four fancy telescopes start whirring into action.

Within minutes, there are images of our solar system’s largest planet, complete with all four Galilean moons available for all who want to see.

It’s relatively rare to catch Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto in the same frame as it’s seems there is always one or more behind the gas giant when you get a chance to look at it through a decent telescope. (By the way, Callisto was the one at the far edge of the frame by itself.) Although none of Jupiter’s other 63 moons were visible, two distinct cloud bands were and later on in the evening, the Great Red Spot put in an appearance traversing the disk.

“It’s (Jupiter) the jewel of the sky,” said Nason. “We’re so lucky is well-placed in the sky for the next few weeks.”

Stargazers also got a decent view of Messier-13, the globular star cluster in the constellation Hercules discovered in 1714 by Edmond Halley. Also visible were Messier-64, the Black Eye Galaxy and Messier-65, one of the Leo Triplet galaxies, in the same frame.

It’s difficult to say just how many observers visited this site over the course of the night but at its peak there were at least 20 people on the pad, including a couple of young families.

“I’m counting 30-40 in my report,” joked Coun. John Inglis, who was representing Council at the season opening. “I’m not particularly interested in astronomy but I am impressed by the equipment here.”

One of the great things about the star pad is the presence of volunteers like Nason, Verona’s Tim Trentadue and astronomer-in-residence Gary Coleman, all of whom bring good gear with them to let others experience the night sky.

“I enjoy sharing the night sky with people,” said Coleman.

“And remind (Mayor) Ron Higgins that he promised to paint north-south lines on the pad for us,” said Nason.

There are five more planned events at the pad this summer including:

• June 3: Gibbous moon near Jupiter. Moon shadows on Jupiter around 10:22 p.m. and lunar mountains and craters up close
• July 22: Summer constellations, Jupiter, Saturn and summer Milky Way
• August 12: Perseid meteor shower, despite the moonlight, a meteor per minute could be visible. Also the summer Milky Way
• September 10: Last chance to see Saturn, its rings and moons this year. Spotting Uranus with the naked eye a distinct possibility
• October 14: The autumn sky and a second chance to see Uranus unaided. Our nearest major galaxy, the Andromeda Galaxy, is well-placed.

Also a summer campout is potentially in the works.

Come and see Saturn, Mars, Jupiter, asteroids and several deep sky objects such as star clusters, galaxies and nebulae

On Saturday June 4, join members of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada and other star gazing enthusiasts at the observation pad at the North Frontenac Dark Sky Preserve near the village of Plevna, Ontario.

"June 4 should be a great star gazing party because the moon won't be visible which is great for observing the night sky," said Betty Hunter, event organizer of the North Frontenac Dark Sky Preserve. "Saturn, Mars and Jupiter will all be visible right after sunset and we should also be able to pick out some asteroids and deep sky objects.”

The general public is encouraged to bring binoculars or their own telescope.

The next event at the North Frontenac Dark Sky Preserve is scheduled for July 1 and 2. For a full list of events and other details visit: http://www.northfrontenac.com/dark-sky-preserve.html. At each organized event there will be members of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada in attendance to assist. All events are weather dependent.

The Dark Sky Preserve in North Frontenac is located near Plevna at 5816 Road 506. The observation pad is one of the best places for stargazing in the province. It is a public space with amenities, including parking, accessible washroom and electrical service. Anyone can setup their telescope and enjoy the darkest skies in southern Ontario. Visit http://www.northfrontenac.com/dark-sky-preserve.html for more details.

The North Frontenac Dark Skies Preserve is excited to be hosting its first winter star party. On Sat. February 27, beginning at approximately 9 pm, we will be viewing a “Steeplechase” of Jovian moons, where one of its moons (Europa) will slip behind the planet, and a few minutes later another moon (Ganymede) will re-appear from the opposite side!!! And you can view this in REAL TIME! A few hours later in the evening, watch another moon (Io) slip in front of the planet and cast a black shadow on the cloud tops! An eclipse on another planet! This is an event you won’t want to miss! In between we will be observing some beautiful galaxies and nebulae of the winter sky, so come and join the FUN! The star party begins at 8:30pm to give time to set up the telescopes, etc. The Dark Skies Preserve is located at 5816 Road 506 just south of Plevna. Please visit www.northfrontenac.com or our facebook page at www.facebook.com/NFDSP/ in case of cancellation or for information on events and activities throughout the year.

by Betty Hunter

Once again this year we will be having planned events at the North Frontenac Star Gazing Pad. This facility is located at 5816 Road 506 between Ardoch and Fernleigh. The Pad will be available for your own group viewings once the ARCAL Lighting System has been installed at the Helipad adjacent to the Star Gazing Pad; we hope in the very near future.

The first event is being held on May 16 with a rain date of May 23. As I write this, the weather forecast is looking very good for the 16th. If you have not had the opportunity to attend one of these events let me inform you of what goes on:

Our “amateur astronomers” have been star gazing since they were young and have decades of knowledge of the dark skies and all we can see. They are our guides and teachers for these events. They bring their telescopes with them so everyone has the opportunity to see what they are talking about. It is a great interactive evening with very enthusiastic and knowledgeable teachers.

The event of May 16 twilight will start around 9pm and will start with viewing Venus and Jupiter which provides a breathtaking showing on its own. As the sky continues to darken more stars and galaxies will appear.

As written by one of our friends “This time of year the Milky Way lies right on our horizon in the evenings, so we will have to wait a few months to enjoy its treasures. Its absence now gives us an unobscured look at other galaxies besides our own. In other words spring is the Season of Galaxies. The spring constellations, especially Virgo, Coma Berenices and Leo are home to scores of galaxies of all sizes and shapes. Even though most of them are more than 50,000,000 light years away, they are well within reach of small telescopes. So they will be our main focus on the 16th.”

This event will start around 9pm and continue until all participants have left (our astronomers are accustomed to being up all night). These events are for every member of the family and provide an amazing opportunity to learn about our beautiful night skies.

There is an outhouse facility on site. Bring your lawn chairs, binoculars, telescopes (if you own one), warm clothing (as it cools down and gets damp as the evening moves on). You will also require insect repellants as the bug season has started.

Come on out and bring a friend. You won’t be disappointed. Hope to see everyone there.

The official grand opening of North Frontenac Dark Skies Preserve took place on August 3 and attracted a good crowd of enthusiasts, many of whom set up some very sizable telescopes in preparation for a evening of spectacular night viewing.

North Frontenac Councilor Betty Hunter, who chaired the Economic Development Task Force, the group who worked to make the preserve a reality, said the idea to create such a preserve had been in the works for almost a decade. “It began over 10 years ago when Will Cybulski [a former North Frontenac councilor] and I began speaking about what we could do to promote the dark skies in this area. Years later I helped organize a task force and with the help of a few local astronomers in the area, along with members of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada we got together and after a lot of work finally got the job done.”

Hunter opened the event by thanking members of North Frontenac Council and the Economic Task Force, local astronomers Gary Coldwell, Guy Nason, Robert Dick, Andy and Terrence Dickinson.

Mayor Bud Clayton also spoke at the event, saying that the new preserve was built under the heading of eco-tourism from federal gas tax money through the County of Frontenac, at a cost of $41,000.

Robert Dick is manager of the Canadian Dark Sky Preserve Program and a member of the Royal Astronomical Society. His expertise as the chair of the society’s Light Pollution Abatement Committee was sought by the township’s task force regarding the project. Dick also spoke at the event and explained that although the North Frontenac Preserve is just one of 17 Dark Skies Preserves across Canada, it is the first municipality in the country to be designated wholly as such. Dick presented the official citation to Mayor Bud Clayton and Councilor Betty Hunter after reading it out. It stated, “In a cooperative initiative to conserve the natural dark sky as part of our heritage, the North Frontenac Township in partnership with the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada hereby designate the North Frontenac Dark Sky Preserve. Together we recognize that natural darkness is an ecological resource in need of protection and are committed to responsible lighting practices that preserve the beauty and wonder of the dark sky above the township.”

Dick went on to highlight the importance of maintaining the township’s dark skies. “Night creatures depend on the darkness so we must learn to respect the natural night environment and the creatures that inhabit it.” He spoke of dark skies as an important part of our heritage. “Four billion years of evolution have wired the need for darkness into our biology. 150 years of artificial light at night can't change our very nature...the First Nations say the night is sacred and this is very true.”

Gary Caldwell of Hamilton, who has been an amateur astronomer for the past 48 years, has built a cottage and his own personal observatory just across from the new preserve. He said he moved to the area specifically because of the dark skies.

“Seven years ago I was looking for a place in Ontario to build a cottage and I wanted three specific things: a lake, dark skies and an airport I could fly into.” Caldwell, who had his huge telescope in tow, said that he was looking for skies that were “so dark that you could see a particular galaxy (M33) with the naked eye and from here you can do just that.” Another local astronomer, Guy Nason, who also moved to the area on account of its dark skies, also spoke at the event. Nason handed out beginner astronomers’ guides titled “Getting Started in Astronomy” put out by Sky and Telescope, and encouraged those gathered on the pad to view Saturn through the many powerful telescopes set up on site.

He also mentioned that the International Space Station could be viewed just over the horizon at 9:51PM in the constellation Scorpius.

The best part of the Dark Skies opening ceremony took place well after the ceremony ended. After two days of steady cloud and rain, the sun set on a clear, moonless sky on Saturday night, giving the astronomers a prime opportunity to experience the wonder of the night sky in North Frontenac.

The location of the preserve allows for close to a 170 degree view of the sky and judging by the turnout it looks as though the North Frontenac Dark Skies Preserve will fast become a popular destination for lovers of deep space.