In 2011, Jasper was designated as a Dark Sky Preserve by the Royal Astronomical Society in Canada, due to its limited light pollution that creates ideal conditions for dark sky viewing.
What is a Dark Sky Preserve?
According to the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, a Dark Sky Preserve as an area in which no artificial lighting is visible, and active measures are in place to educate and promote the reduction of light pollution to the public and nearby municipalities. Sky glow from beyond the borders of the preserve will be of comparable intensity, or less, to that of natural sky glow.
As a Dark Sky Preserve, Jasper National Park has made a special commitment to protect and preserve the night sky and to reduce or eliminate light pollution in all its forms.
What makes Jasper Dark Sky Preserve Different?
Jasper National Park is one of 17 designated Dark Sky Preserves in Canada. We are the second largest Dark Sky Preserve in the world, and we are the largest accessible Dark Sky Preserve – meaning there’s a town within the limits of the preserve.
