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Dark Sky Festival
August 17 to 20, 2023 
Registration includes:
Access to all DSF activities (see program outline) • Keynote session, presentations, and workshops • Dinner and breakfast at Pine Lake (Saturday, Sunday) • 2 nights camping in WBNP (Friday, Saturday) • Access to TAWBAS equipment (telescopes, binoculars, etc.) DSF has set a maximum capacity of 125 participants for the 2023 DSF.
- Registrations deadline: August 11, 2023 (9:00 pm MST) - Registrations will be processed on first submitted / first accepted basis. DSF Quick Links
DSF Information
> DSF Etiquette (PDF file)
> DSF General Information (PDF file)
Dark Sky FestivalThe 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.
Join us for an exciting multi-day journey of exploring the wonders of our universe and the sciences that makes it all work. Our program offers a variety of afternoon activities and workshops for all members of the family and then it continues with evening events, including opportunities for some casual socializing. The day, or should we say night, is wrapped up with viewing our pristine northern skies, and with some luck, an aurora borealis display. Come and explore the universe and enjoy our northern hospitality! Festival Format
Afternoon Youth Activities
Our afternoon programs features hands-on activities; Circus of Science (with Prof Quark), as well as the cosmic crafts table, games and a range of other energy burning exploits. For older kids, the program includes STEM projects and experiments. Stellar Seminar Series A variety of casual presentation seminars and workshops for those wanting to expand their understanding of astronomy, science and space. Keynote Speaker Presentations Entertainment and education combined to provide engaging and informative session or presentation by our featured keynote speakers. Interpretive Programs WBNP and other community partners offer an opportunities to experience our local natural environment and the rich cultural heritage of the people of our community. 2022 Ursa Major Sponsors
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DSF 2023 Keynote Speaker
Nagin Cox
Nagin is Tactical Mission Lead on the Curiosity Rover and on the Perseverance Rover. Nagin is currently a Tactical Mission Lead for the Curiosity Rover and the Perseverance Rover. She has held leadership and system engineering positions on interplanetary robotic missions including the Galileo mission to Jupiter, the Mars Exploration Rovers, the Kepler exoplanet hunter InSight. Before her time at JPL, she served for 6 years in the US Air Force including as a Space Operations Officer at NORAD/US Space Command. Nagin has known from the time she was 14 that she wanted to work on missions of robotic space exploration at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. She was born in Bangalore, India, and grew up in Kansas City, Kansas, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Her experiences in a Muslim household inspired her to do something that brings people together instead of dividing them. The space program helps the world “look up” and remember that we are one world. Nagin realized her childhood dream and has been a spacecraft operations engineer at NASA/JPL for over 20 years. Nagin received the NASA Exceptional Service Medal and two NASA Exceptional Achievement Medals. Nagin is a U.S. Department of State STEM Speaker and has spoken to audiences around the world on the stories of the people behind the missions. She also has an asteroid named in her honor: 14061 Nagincox. >> Checkout Nagin's Website DSF 2023 Festival Host
Richard Van Camp
Richard is a proud member of the Dogrib (Tłı̨chǫ) Nation from Fort Smith. He is a graduate of the En’owkin International School of Writing, the University of Victoria’s Creative Writing BFA Program, and the Master’s Degree in Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia. Richard is an internationally renowned storyteller and best-selling author. His novel, The Lesser Blessed, is now a movie with First Generation Films and premiered in September of 2012 at the Toronto International Film Festival. He is the author of five collections of short stories, six baby books, three children’s books, five comics and much more. >> Checkout Richard's Website Presentation Host
Roland Dechense
Roland Dechense is a long-time astronomer and a long-term fellow and contributor to the RASC (Royal Astronomical Society of Canada). Currently he serves on RASC's Light Pollution Abatement committee. By day, he is an oil and gas geologist in Calgary. Through his engagement with astronomy, Roland has had a significant positive impact on RASC and his fellow amateur astronomers across Canada. In his leadership role in researching and education of Light Pollution Abatement, he has helped develop responsible lighting policies and in communicating light-pollution issues in many communities and with several local and regional governments. Information Links (3rd party sites)
Where Are We ?
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From Festivals past
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Contact Us
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Thebacha & Wood Buffalo Astronomical Society
PO Box 1354 Fort Smith, NT X0E 0P0 Telephone: 1-867-872-0243 Email: info@tawbas.ca |
Wood Buffalo National Park
PO Box 790 Fort Smith, NT X0E 0P0 Telephone: 1-867-872-7960 Email: wbnp.info@pc.gc.ca |
Town of Fort Smith
PO Box 147 Fort Smith, NT X0E 0P0 Telephone: 1-867-872-8400 Email: townoffortsmith@fortsmith.ca |
Updated: 30 May 2023