Muskoka - A Bright Star Regarding Dark Sky Issues
Don McCormick
Muskoka Magazine Nov 2003

The Muskoka Heritage Foundation (MHF) presented an international symposium entitled the "Ecology of the Night" in Dorset, with the purpose of addressing issues pertaining to nighttime lighting - the importance of darkness to human and natural environments, what is being done to preserve dark skies, successful strategies and what should we be doing.

It is fitting that Muskoka should be the site of such a symposium. In some regards, Muskoka is a leader in projects related to night skies. Delta Grandview Resort in Huntsville, which operates the Echo Valley Observatory, is probably the only resort complex in North America that has incorporated its own observatory and astronomy program into its guest services. Torrance Barrens, in the Township of Muskoka Lakes, became the first official "Dark Skies Preserve" in Canada, when it was set aside for his purpose by the Ontario government in 1997. It is still one of the few such preserves in the world.

The Echo Valley Observatory was the brainchild of Robin Tapley, resident naturalist at Grandview. His interest in astronomy led him to present night-sky viewing sessions on the Deerhurst airport. They become very popular - so much so that when ClubLink Corporation became the new owners of Grandview Resort, Tapley sold them on the idea of building an observatory. It was opened on Sept. 18, 2000, at a cost of over $300,000.

Over the past three years, about 7,500 people have attended the nightly hour-and-a-half sessions. The average group size is 20-25 people. They get to observe the night sky through a state-of-the-art 40 cm telescope, which can see things that are 10,000 times further away than can be seen with the human eye.

Twice a year, in October and April, Grandview now runs astronomy weekends. They are only open to guests of the resort and have also proved quite popular. Well-known astronomer Terence Dickinson is frequently one of the presenters.

Torrance Barrens is a 4,700 acre block of land punctuated by granite outcroppings of the Canadian Shield and indentations of wetlands. This gives it several characteristics that make it suitable for viewing the night skies.

The vegetation is low lying and slow growing, with the result that there is a good visible horizon for observing the skies. Because it is remote from urban areas, there is little intrusion of lighting to interfere with viewing of the night sky. Only a faint pink glow from the Town of Gravenhurst and Casino Roma intrude in any way on the darkness.

No urban-style lighting of any kind is allowed in the preserve. The very dense granite rock dampens vibrations that would interfere with telescopic viewing and photographing. And, its proximity to the Golden Horseshoe makes it easily accessible to a large number of people.

According to Bill Dickinson of Bracebridge, a director of the Muskoka Heritage Foundation, Torrance Barrens is well used. There are hiking trails for daytime use but he believes the preserve probably gets more use at night.

Good viewing of night skies requires the highest possible contrast between the light from the stars and the darkness of the background. Urban lighting brightens up the darkness and makes it more difficult to see the stars. It is very hard to see even the brightest stars in a large city like Toronto.

Increasing development in Muskoka brings with it increased urban lighting, Tapley recalls the night, not long ago, when the street lights on the Hwy. 60 expansion project, between Huntsville and Deerhurst, were turned on. There was a noticeable increase in the intensity of the glow over Huntsville, he says.

The popularity of the Torrance Barrens and the Echo Hills Observatory underscore the age-old desire of people to "cast their eyes to the heavens." In a casual sense, astronomy is probably as old as man himself. After a long absence, it is once again a part of the school curriculum and Tapley has started to offer programs at the observatory for schoolgroups.

Both of these facilities provide interesting opportunities for Muskoka residents and for visitors. They are tourism infrastructure.