Many RASC centres and other astronomy clubs either sponsor or actively participate in star parties throughout the year. A star party is an overnight excursion to a suitable dark sky site where you will meet many other astronomers, have an opportunity to compare notes on equipment, listen to informative talks, and share a sky experience.
June | July | August | September | October
More Events
- Lennox & Addington County Dark Sky Viewing Area (north of Napanee, Ontario) — event list.
- North Frontenac Dark Sky Preserve (north of Sharbot Lake, Ontario) — event list.
| APRIL | ||
|---|---|---|
| Erinsville, Ontario | Astrophotographers Assemble Shoot a pristine night sky at the Lennox & Addington Dark Sky Viewing Area! |
2023 Apr 22 |
| Toronto | Millennium Square Public Stargazing Join us for an evening of free public stargazing along the north shore of Lake Ontario in Pickering. |
2023 Apr 28 |
| MAY | ||
| Winnipeg | Spring Star Party at St Malo This event is for RASC members only. The date may slip a week later depending on snow conditions during the winter. RASC Winnipeg Centre thanks Manitoba Conservation for allowing early access to the Sunset Shores Campground at St. Malo prior to the opening of the park for our event. |
2023 |
| Parks Canada & RASC Saskatchewan |
Beyond the Big Dipper |
2023 May 19 – 20 |
| North Bay, Ontario | Frozen Banana Star Party Star Parties are the perfect place to disregard your normal routine, stay up all night, look into the far reaches of our Universe, then sleep till noon. This is just a small part of the magic of star parties |
2023 May 19 – 22 |
| Erinsville, Ontario | Astrophotographers Assemble Shoot a pristine night sky at the Lennox & Addington Dark Sky Viewing Area! |
2023 May 20 |
| Toronto | Millennium Square Public Stargazing Join us for an evening of free public stargazing along the north shore of Lake Ontario in Pickering. |
2023 May 26 |
| JUNE | ||
| North Bay, Ontario | New Moon in June Star Party Star Parties are the perfect place to disregard your normal routine, stay up all night, look into the far reaches of our Universe, then sleep till noon. This is just a small part of the magic of star parties |
2023 Jun 15 – 18 |
| Erinsville, Ontario | Astrophotographers Assemble Shoot a pristine night sky at the Lennox & Addington Dark Sky Viewing Area! |
2023 Jun 17 |
| New Brunswick | Kouchibouguac Spring Star Gaze Member and public observing, information outreach at one of our Dark Sky Preserves. |
2023 Jun 17 – 18 |
| Toronto | Millennium Square Public Stargazing Join us for an evening of free public stargazing along the north shore of Lake Ontario in Pickering. |
2023 Jun 23 |
| JULY | ||
| New Brunswick | Mactaquac Camping and Observing Weekend Member and public observing, information outreach as well as a RASC group supper. |
2023 TBA |
| Johnstown, Ontario | International Video Star Party Founded in 2004, the oldest video star party dedicated to live video astronomy observation and video imaging. |
2023 July 10 – 15 |
| North Bay, Ontario | Gateway to the Universe Star Parties are the perfect place to disregard your normal routine, stay up all night, look into the far reaches of our Universe, then sleep till noon. This is just a small part of the magic of star parties |
2023 Jul 13 – 16 |
| Erinsville, Ontario | Astrophotographers Assemble Shoot a pristine night sky at the Lennox & Addington Dark Sky Viewing Area! |
2023 July 15 |
| Toronto | Millennium Square Public Stargazing Join us for an evening of free public stargazing along the north shore of Lake Ontario in Pickering. |
2023 Jul 21 |
| St. John's | Butter Pot Star Party Join us under the dark skies of Butter Pot Provincial Park. |
2023 Jul 21 – 22 |
| Parks Canada & RASC Saskatchewan |
Beyond the Big Dipper |
2023 Jul 21 – 22 |
| Calgary |
Alberta Star B-Q |
2023 Jul 21 – 23 |
| AUGUST | ||
| Victoria | Island Star Party Hosted at Bright Angel Park in rural and dark Cowichan Station, in the beautiful Cowichan Valley on southern Vancouver Island, by RASC Victoria Centre with support from the Cowichan Valley Starfinders. |
2023 Aug 11 - 13 |
| Parks Canada & RASC Nova Scotia |
Kejimkujik Dark Sky Weekend Search Kejimkujik’s spectacular night skies for planets, galaxies, constellations and much more in Nova Scotia’s only Dark Sky Preserve! There will be stories and discoveries for all ages. Plan to camp or stay overnight close by – you don’t want to miss the show. |
2023 Aug 11 - 13 |
| Okanagan |
Mt. Kobau Star Party |
2023 Aug 12 – 20 |
| Saskatchewan |
Saskatchewan Summer Star Party |
2023 Aug 16 – 20 |
| North Bay, Ontario | August Star Party Star Parties are the perfect place to disregard your normal routine, stay up all night, look into the far reaches of our Universe, then sleep till noon. This is just a small part of the magic of star parties |
2023 Aug 17 – 20 |
| Northwest Territories | Thebacha & Wood Buffalo Dark Sky Festival The annual Dark Sky Festival (DSF) is a multi-day event that is hosted typically mid-to-late August in Fort Smith NT and the world's largest dark sky preserve Wood Buffalo National Park. |
2023 Aug 17 – 20 |
| North York Astro. Assoc. |
Starfest Canada’s largest annual amateur astronomy conference and star party attracting hundreds of astronomy enthusiasts from Ontario, neighbouring provinces and the USA. |
2023 Aug 17 – 20 |
| New Brunswick | Mt. Carleton Star Party Member and public observing at one of our Dark Sky Preserves. |
2023 Aug 18 – 19 |
| Halifax |
Nova East Star Party — Cancelled due to storm damage. |
2023 |
| Toronto | Millennium Square Public Stargazing Join us for an evening of free public stargazing along the north shore of Lake Ontario in Pickering. |
2023 Aug 25 |
| Yukon | Yukon Star Party Canada's northernmost star party. |
2023 Aug 25 - 26 |
| St. John's | Terra Nova National Park Night Sky Celebration The RASC St. John's Centre will be joining Terra Nova National Park with astronomy presentations, and offering telescopic night time views of the Planets and Deep Sky objects, as well as Solar viewing during the day. |
2023 Aug 25 - 26 |
| SEPTEMBER | ||
| Winnipeg |
Spruce Woods Star Party |
2023 TBA |
| New Brunswick | Fundy Stargaze Member and public observing, information outreach as well as a RASC group supper. |
2023 Sep 8 – 9 |
| Erinsville, Ontario | Astrophotographers Assemble Shoot a pristine night sky at the Lennox & Addington Dark Sky Viewing Area! |
2023 Sep 9 |
| Alberta | Southern Alberta Star Party Held at Whispering Pines Camp, home to Medicine Hat Astronomy Club's Southern Alberta Star Party. |
2023 Sep 10 – 15 |
| Edmonton |
Northern Prairie Star Party |
2023 Sep 12 – 17 |
| North Bay, Ontario | Last Chance Star Party Star Parties are the perfect place to disregard your normal routine, stay up all night, look into the far reaches of our Universe, then sleep till noon. This is just a small part of the magic of star parties |
2023 Sep 14 – 17 |
| Calgary |
Alberta Star Party |
2023 Sep 15 – 17 |
| Kingston, Belleville |
Fall'n'Stars |
2023 Sep 15 – 17 |
| Yukon | Northern Nights, Kluane’s Annual Dark Sky Festival Yukon’s only Dark Sky Festival takes place in September at Mät’àtäna Män (Kathleen Lake), in Kluane National Park and Reserve. As the midnight sun fades away, it becomes the perfect time to gaze up and marvel at the infinite night sky. |
2023 Sep 15 - 17 |
| Toronto | Millennium Square Public Stargazing Join us for an evening of free public stargazing along the north shore of Lake Ontario in Pickering. |
2023 Sep 22 |
| New Brunswick | Kouchibouguac Fall Star Gaze Member and public observing, information outreach at one of our Dark Sky Preserves. |
2023 Sep 22 – 23 |
| OCTOBER | ||
| Erinsville, Ontario | Astrophotographers Assemble Shoot a pristine night sky at the Lennox & Addington Dark Sky Viewing Area! |
2023 Oct 7 |
| Jasper, Alberta |
Jasper Dark Sky Festival As daylight hours begin to recede, October is the ideal time to celebrate the skies with the annual Jasper Dark Sky Festival, an ever-growing festival aimed at connecting all ages to our universe and beyond. |
2023 Oct 13-22 |
| Toronto | Millennium Square Public Stargazing Join us for an evening of free public stargazing along the north shore of Lake Ontario in Pickering. |
2023 Oct 20 |