Dark-Sky Preserves and Urban Star Parks
The RASC has developed formal guidelines and requirements for two types of light-restricted protected areas: Urban Star Parks and Dark-Sky Preserves. We are officially recognizing parks in Canada that apply for an official designation and meet these guidelines. Many parks across Canada have been designated in recent years - see the list below. If you have a favourite dark site, perhaps it could be designated by the RASC as a DSP or a USP, so please let us know by sending us an email to Light-Pollution Abatement Committee Chair.
Urban Star Parks (USP)
An Urban Star Park is an area in which artificial lighting is strictly controlled and active measures are in place to educate and promote the reduction of light pollution to the public and nearby municipalities. Sky glow from beyond the borders of the Reserve may be visible to observers within the area.
Dark-Sky Preserve (DSP)
A DSP is an area in which no artificial lighting is visible and active measures are in place to educate and promote the reduction of light pollution to the public and nearby municipalities. Sky glow from beyond the borders of the Preserve will be of comparable intensity, or less, to that of natural sky glow.
Other non-RASC Designation Types
Complete List of RASC Recognized Dark-Sky Preserves
- McDonald Park Dark-Sky Park, Fraser Valley, BC, BC - 2003 (from Fraser Valley Astronomer's Society)
- Jasper National Park Dark-Sky Preserve, AB - 2011
- Beaver Hills Dark-Sky Preserve, AB - 2006
- Cypress Hills Inter-Provincial Park Dark-Sky Preserve, SK/AB - 2004
- Grasslands National Park Dark-Sky Preserve, SK - 2009
- Gordon's Park on Manitoulin Island, ON - 2008
- Bruce Peninsula National Park and Five Fathoms National Marine Park Dark-Sky Preserve, ON - 2009
- Point Pelee National Park Dark-Sky Preserve, ON - 2006
- Torrance Barrens Dark-Sky Preserve, ON - 1999
- Mont-Mégantic International Dark-Sky Preserve, QC - 2007 (from IDA)
- Kejimkujik National Park, NS - 2010
- Kouchibouguac National Park Dark-Sky Preserve, NB - 2009
- Fundy National Park Dark-Sky Preserve, NB - 2011
- Mt. Carleton Provincial Park Dark-Sky Preserve, NB - 2009