Written BY: Sabrina Doyle

The final weekend of the 2020 Jasper Dark Sky Festival is around the corner, with plenty more safe and fascinating events lined up. Here’s a taste of what’s in the schedule.

October 23 @ 5:00 pm – 10:30 pm 
$89  

Join us for a special Dark Sky event at Jasper’s signature smokehouse restaurant, Maligne Canyon Wilderness Kitchen. You will enjoy a 2-course plated dinner plus dessert themed to celebrate both ‘Stars’ and ‘Smoke’ followed by an opportunity to stargaze through some of the Canadian Rockies’ biggest telescopes, within the second-largest Dark Sky preserve in the world. Jasper Planetarium will have astronomical guides to assist with the telescopes and provide details on what you’re viewing. Gather around the roaring outdoor fire and hear stories and songs from Warrior Women while enjoying a sweet treat to finish off the evening. 

October 24 & 25 @ 9:00 am – 10:00 am 
$25  

Microgravity. Radiation. Isolation. Let’s face it – space is trying to kill us. So what does it really take to send people to the LEO, the Moon, Mars and beyond, and more importantly, how do we go from surviving…to thriving? In this engaging and informative talk, Dr. Shawna Pandya talks about the medical and health challenges we face as we send humans to increasingly distant and ambitious locales in space, the technologies that will get us there, and the less-often discussed aspects of human spaceflight – like how not to get voted off the Habitat, the challenges of reproduction in spaceflight, and what we are learning from emerging research on the International Space Station. Dr. Pandya ends by discussing future-looking concepts in space medicine, such as building permanent medical capabilities off-Earth, the science fiction technologies that will need to become reality in order to get us there…and how we will prepare for the first Moon-demic.  

Note: This is an in person event with a live speaker, and guests will receive a hot, plated breakfast. Alternatively, you may get a $10 ticket to join the event via livestream (Oct 24 / Oct. 25). 

October 24 @ 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm  
$20  

Since Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the Moon in 1969, humanity has looked to Mars as the logical next step for human space exploration. Is living on Mars in our future? What will it take to get there and what will it take to stay there? Should we stop at the Moon on the way, or go straight for Mars? Join Adam Steltzner and Rob Meyerson for a conversation about space exploration, the red planet and the human need to explore. Notes: – The speakers will not be there in-person, however the moderator, Niki Wilson, will be in-person – Capacity is 90 participants and seats will be socially distanced in sets of 2 – Tickets sold in sets of 2 due to covid-19 

October 24 @ 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm  
$20  

3000 Orbits – Life Aboard the International Space Station What happens in space, doesn’t stay in space! Join astronauts Robert Thirsk and Nicole Stott for an afternoon of personal storytelling about their 2009 mission on the International Space Station. In the first hour, blast off with Bob as he gives us the ins and outs — literally — of what it took to rocket up to the ISS from Kazakhstan, then return home in one piece. He’ll share tales from daily life orbiting the Earth as he, Nicole and the crew tackled scientific research, robotic operations, maintenance and repair work. Nicole Stott will join him for the second hour to talk about life after the ISS, the changes and opportunities in space exploration with the advent of SpaceX, Blue Origin, and others, about the exciting cutting edge of space exploration on Venus, Mars, and the Moon.

Note: – The speakers will not be there in-person, however the moderator, Alan Nursall, will be in-person – Maximum capacity is 90 participants and seats will be socially distanced in sets of 2 – Tickets sold in sets of 2 due to covid-19 

October 23 & 24 @ 9:00 pm – 11:00 pm 
$10  

Join us at the Downstream Lounge for After Dark Trivia Night — an entertaining evening of science! Gather a team of 2 or 4 and test your knowledge with a space and science trivia challenge, hosted by Canadian television personality Alan Nursall. It’s a night you won’t want to miss!

Notes: – Tickets are sold in sets of 2 or 4 – Maximum capacity due to COVID-19 regulation is 50 people 

October 25 @ 10:30 am – 1:00 pm
$6.00  

Watch Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in Jasper’s own movie theatre! Watch as Darth Vader tries to turn Luke Skywalker to the dark side, Master Yoda trains him to become a Jedi Knight and his friends try to fend off the Imperial fleet.