Soaking up the night sky

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This article was published 09/11/2015 (3831 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FortWhyte Alive is hoping gazing at the cosmos with a Cosmopolitan in hand will spark a renewed appreciation for nature.

On Nov. 19, the nature preserve in Tuxedo Industrial is hosting its second Astropub event.

The two-hour-long program features St. Vital resident Darren Townsley and his Star Dome, a bar serving cocktails and beer, as well as a five-inch refractor telescope to watch the Leonids meteor shower.

According to Will Tarleton, the public programming co-ordinator at FortWhyte Alive, Townsley’s Star Dome has been part of the centre’s children’s programming for a while. However, it’s not just kids who enjoy the wonders of the universe.

“We try to get all kinds of people coming out to FortWhyte Alive and we thought it’d be something new, so we pulled this piece of kid’s camp out and turned it into an adult event,” Tarleton explained.

FortWhyte Alive’s first Astropub was held in March and was a success with tickets selling out for the event. The evening begins with a presentation in the Star Dome, a 12-foot-tall and 16-foot-wide mobile planetarium, that illustrates the stars visible in the night sky. In the nine years Townsley has run the Star Dome, over 60,000 people have taken in the experience.

“I think it’s a really great way for people who have curiosity about the sky and have specific questions and interests that they want to learn about,” Townsley said. “It’s an intimate experience where you’re not just being presented with information but you have a chance to interact with it.”

Townsley leads the presentation and points out star clusters and nebulae while highlighting the stories of constellations. Much of the show is directed by the audience, with Townsley taking cues from the spectators and their questions which makes for a dynamic experience under the dome.

“I really enjoy telling the stories of the sky,” Townsley said. “I love telling stories and watching people relax and settle in to the story.”

Tarleton says the Astropub is equal parts a social event and educational experience and is a novel way of getting people involved at FortWhyte Alive.

“We want to offer programs that are social and fun but are also providing an opportunity for learning and a lot of that is environmental education, but this one’s just about space,” he said.  “(Townsley) is very good at giving you a sense of exploration. You’re sitting on the floor but it’s such a small little dark setting that it’s a really neat exploratory feeling.”

Following the Star Dome show, Townsley will help participants navigate the night sky with a high-powered telescope next to a toasty bonfire (weather permitting). The Astropub takes place during the Leonids meteor shower, which will hopefully make for a great show in the evening.

“Leonids have a really interesting history. Every few decades it turns into a meteor storm where you see hundreds of meteors per hour,” Townsley said. “But there’s probably no chance of this year because it’s related to the passage of its host comet through the sky.”

And, if there are no fireballs in the sky, some might just be found at the bar.

The Astropub starts at 7 p.m. on Nov. 19. Space is limited and tickets are $25 for non-members. For more info or to buy tickets go to www.fortwhyte.org or call 204-989-8355.

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