While many of us are tucked up in cozy comfort in the night hours, the intrepid astronomers among us head outdoors to drink in the starry night skies.

In winter the cold air holds less moisture than warm air so the night sky is amazingly clear; plus, this is the time of year when some amazing astronomical events take place. This year we have some epic stargazing conditions to take in, and for most you won’t need a telescope to do it.

In Ontario’s Highlands, we are home to two locations with some of the darkest skies in Ontario – the North Frontenac Dark Sky Preserve and the Lennox & Addington Dark Sky Viewing Area. These spots offer the perfect place to bundle up with a thermos and settle back to drink in the millions of stars overhead, gazing up at the infinite wonder of space.

Bundle up against the cold with a thermos full of coffee at your side and settle into a prime stargazing location with your head tipped back to drink in the millions of stars overhead. 

King of Planets: Jupiter at Opposition

Astronomers are gearing up for an epic December when Jupiter aligns with the sun and the Earth, a presentation called "opposition." This alignment will allow us to see 100 per cent of the disk of Jupiter which will be as close it can possibly be to Earth. 

During opposition the planet will be extremely bright, and unusually the best time to see Jupiter with a telescope or binoculars will be in the weeks immediately preceding and following the "opposition" date of Dec. 7, 2024. 

Geminid Meteor Shower

Between Nov. 14 and Dec. 24 one of the largest meteor showers of the year will pass by Earth that will peak on Dec. 13. The best time to view the meteor shower, according to NASA, will be between 10:30 p.m. and 2 a.m.

Watch as more than 120 meteors per hour streak past our planet in this phenomenal astronomical event. The Geminid Meteor Shower will be visible by the naked eye but feel free to pull out the binoculars or telescope if you have any.

To take in the show, NASA suggests lying down in a dark spot away from city lights and pointing your feet south, then wait for the shooting star show to begin.

Aurora Borealis

If your first thought was the northern lights can’t be seen south of northern Ontario, you’d be wrong. The famed Aurora Borealis is at times visible in more southerly locations as well, and this year is one of those times.

As with other astronomical happenings, winter is the best time to see the northern lights. In 2020, the lights are expected to reach southern parts of Ontario during the month of December and various points in January and February. Visit the Geophysical Institute’s website for a forecast of when and where the best aurora will be found.

See the Darkest Skies

Choose from two dark sky preserves in Ontario’s Highlands. Bring a thermos of something to keep you warm, a lawn chair, blanket, and telescope or camera if you have one. If not you can enjoy the show just by tipping back your head and drinking in the night sky.

North Frontenac Dark Sky Preserve: This preserve is located south of Plevna and is known for its phenomenally dark skies set amongst the rugged Canadian shield of North Frontenac. There is an on-site parking area washrooms, and a concrete pad where you can set up a telescope (or a lawn chair).

Lennox & Addington Dark Sky Viewing Area: The Dark Sky Viewing Area is just south of Bon Echo Provincial Park, a location with some of the darkest skies in Ontario and a viewing experience similar to that which was available more than 100 years ago. The Viewing Area had some improvements made over the past year, that includes an expanded concrete platform and solar power for telescope and power equipment. They host many astronomy events each year.

Winter