Dark Sky Festival - Workshops and Presentations

Stellar Workshop:  Friday  -  1:30 to 3:30 pm
Astrophotography - Part 1
  Mark McGuire - TAWBAS Volunteer
Wondering if your camera is good enough to photograph the aurora or make star trails? Let our talented presenter walk you through the basics of night-time photography.
For this casual, hands-on session, bring your camera and learn how to prepare for a quiet evening of photographing the night sky and the aurora borealis. Discussion topics can range from camera selection right through to the camera/video settings you should be using as well site selection and preparation.
- ​More details to follow !
TAWBAS Presentations:  Friday  -  1:30 to 3:30 pm
Night Sky and Migratory Birds
   Roland Dechesne - Guest facilitator 
Twice each year, billions of birds fly between their wintering and breeding grounds, facing innumerable threats along the way. In North America, 70% of bird species migrate and 80% migrate at night, using the night sky to navigate.
Artificial light at night and skyglow can be fatal to migrating birds. Some are casualties of nighttime collisions with windows and walls. Others can circle in confusion until dawn, when they land – potentially without access to critical resources and subject to other urban threats.
Roland's session will discuss actions that are being taken and the role of Dark Sky Preserves have in bird migration.

Basic Astronomy and the Night Sky
   Tim Gauthier - TAWBAS Volunteer 
Newcomer to the hobby of astronomy? In this seminar, your presenter will take you through a casual tour of the night sky as viewed from your backyard.
This “crash course” in basic stargazing will guide you through the basics of what you can see in the sky, how the sky changes over the year, identifying the main constellations in all four seasons and ways to better see the sky with your unaided eye or a simple telescope or pair of binoculars.
TAWBAS Presentations:  Friday  -  3:00 to 4:00 pm
Reclaiming Family Medicines
   Richard Van Camp - Guest facilitator 
During this presentation, our guest, Richard will indulge your curiosity as he explains and explores indigenous knowledge and values of the various local fauna and flora, as well as their use in traditional healing and ceremonial practices.

To be announced
   - TAWBAS Volunteer 
Details for the presentation will be posted shortly.
Stellar Workshop:  Saturday  -  2:00 to 3:30 pm
Astrophotography - Part 2
  Mark McGuire - TAWBAS Volunteer
This is a continuation of Friday's workshop - a field trip component !
- ​More details to follow !
TAWBAS Presentations:  Saturday  -  3:30 to 4:30 pm
Meteor Impacts / the Earth gets smacked !
   Mike Couvrette - TAWBAS Volunteer
Since the formation of our home planet Earth, it has been bombarded by objects from outer space and many of them have left their marks in a big way. In this presentation we look at the science of meteoroids and the resulting impact sites across the globe, including Pilot Lake NT, and on our solar neighbors.
The presentation includes a scaled down demonstration of a meteorite impact!

Telescope Use and Selection
   Tawbas Volunteers
Join us under one of the canopy tents to learn more about telescope use and the differences between a refractor, reflector or the compact Schmidt–Cassegrain telescope. Find out how the different types of mounts work and their uses in astrophotography. Have that nagging question of what would be the best telescope for you to buy answered, and much more.

2022 DSF Sponsors
​Updated:  15 July 2023