UPDATE: September 13 2025

Registration is now closed

This year’s Northern Prairie Star Party reached it’s maximum capacity in terms of the number of participants and is no longer accepting new registrations. The response from RASC members and their friends and families has been enthusiastic but we have significant limitations at the Black Nugget Lake location which means for the first time in the history of the NPSP we have had to cap registrations. Below you’ll find complete information about this year’s event including the schedule of activities and speakers, ground rules, and much more.

Schedule and Ground Rules

The NPSP Schedule is now available. A printable version is available here. Please familiarize yourself with the NPSP Ground Rules for 2025 before you come. You can download a printable version of the Ground Rules here.

Friday Workshops

1 PM: Alan Dyer – How to Create Great Night-scape Images

Alan Dyer is a RASC member and renowned Canadian astronomy author, educator and astrophotographer. He says, “While often seen as just a ‘beginner’ technique in astrophotography, shooting night-scapes—scenes of the night sky over scenic landscapes—can be a lifelong pursuit capable of producing superb images that are uniquely yours.” In this 90-minute workshop, Alan will present his tips and techniques for taking great images using today’s DSLR and mirrorless cameras. The emphasis will be on capturing two subjects: the Milky Way and auroras. Alan will demonstrate getting the most out of night-scape images by processing raw files with the aid of the latest AI routines for masking and noise reduction.

3 PM: Clayton Knoll – Green Laser Certification

This one-hour session is designed for outreach volunteers who wish to take the course or are renewing their certification (required every three years). Limited to 12 participants. The workshop addresses the regulatory and safety aspects governing the use of green laser pointers. Please let NPSP organizers know that you wish to be put on the list.

Saturday Afternoon Speakers

We will have three presentations on the afternoon of September 20th at 1:30, 2:40, and 4:00.

1:30 PM: Luca Vanzella – BNLO: The First Two Years

We are happy to let you know that Luca Vanzella has agreed to be our RASC Edmonton Centre speaker. Luca is a long-time Edmonton RASC member who has served in various Council roles, including President (2015-2016), and has been recognized several times, including the 2014 Franklin Loehde Award for Project of the Year (analemma) and the 2017 President’s Award for Service to the Centre. He is currently the club’s Fundraising Coordinator and chairs the Black Nugget Lake Observatory (BNLO) Management and Operations Committee. For the past eight years, Luca has had an ongoing and deep involvement with the planning, construction and operation of the BNLO. He is a keen visual observer and has gained international recognition as a skyscape photographer focussing on images (including “timescapes”) featuring the Moon, the Sun and the planets in the night, twilight and daytime skies.

The Black Nugget Lake Observatory

The Black Nugget Lake Observatory opened with official first light of the Unyk-Drew Telescope on September 16, 2023. Luca Vanzella will present highlights from the first two years of operating the BNLO facility. Highlights include final commissioning work, significant enhancements, events at BNLO, computer hardening, driving with Sky Safari, and memorable views though the Unyk-Drew Telescope. The talk will conclude with a progress report on the BNLO Internet Project.

2:30 PM: Kent Martens –The PlaneWave Project: the Why, the When and the How for a Robotic Observatory

Kent Martens has been a member of RASC Edmonton Centre since about 2009, served as Secretary for four years and councillor for another two, served as planning chair of the RASC Observatory at the Telus World of Science, worked on the Black Nugget Lake Observatory for seven years, and now Chairs the Planewave committee. It seems like he gets up to his elbows into everything!

 

In this short talk, Kent will provide a general description of the PlaneWave Project that is being planned for construction on the Black Nugget Lake Observatory Site. Still in the early planning stages, the project will see the 17-inch PlaneWave telescope currently housed at the RASC Observatory in Edmonton moved and adapted for remote robotic astronomy.

2:50 PM: Huanqing Chen – Mysteries of the Supermassive Black Holes in the First Galaxies

We are pleased to welcome is Huanqing Chen, assistant professor of physics at the University of Alberta’s Augustana Campus. She researches the first galaxies and the intergalactic medium and teaches physics and astronomy while actively engaging students in research through the Hesje Observatory. Huanqing earned her doctorate from the University of Chicago in 2022, where she studied cosmic reionization using a novel observable known as the quasar proximity zone. When she’s not working, she enjoys all kinds of sports and walking her dog.

Huanqing will talk about the “Mysteries of the Supermassive Blackholes in the First Galaxies.” Galaxies are among the most breathtaking objects we can observe through a telescope under a dark sky. They vary widely in shape and structure, yet they share some common features. One of the most intriguing is the presence of a supermassive black hole at their center—one of the universe’s greatest mysteries. In her talk, Huanqing will guide us on a journey through the history of the universe, exploring how galaxies and their central supermassive black holes form and evolve, along with their larger-scale environments. How do these complex cosmic structures come into being? What have we discovered over the past decade? And what challenges still lie ahead?

4 PM: Alan Dyer – The Northern Lights: The Science Behind the Spectacle

We are delighted to announce Alan Dyer as our keynote speaker at this year’s NPSP. Alan Dyer is one of Canada’s best-known astronomy authors and astrophotographers. He currently serves as a contributing editor to Sky and Telescope magazine. He co-authored the popular guidebook The Backyard Astronomer’s Guide with Terence Dickinson. Now retired from many years of producing programs for planetariums and science centres in Edmonton and Calgary, Alan enjoys traveling in pursuit of celestial sights such as the Northern Lights. His eclipse chasing has taken him to every continent, chalking up 17 total solar eclipses. Asteroid 78434 is named for him.

On Saturday he will speak on “The Northern Lights: The Science Behind the Spectacle.” Alan says that, “We are uniquely placed in western Canada to see the Northern Lights year-round and to witness an array of odd auroral phenomena only recently identified.” Alan will survey the science of the aurora, pointing out that the usual explanations of what causes the Northern Lights are wrong! He’ll delve into the many mysteries that remain, such as STEVEs, SARs, dunes, and RAGDAs! He will also provide tips on how to use new indicators for predicting when auroras will brighten, and how to capture them in ways that can contribute to science.”

 

T-Shirts

The 2025 NPSP t-shirt features a stunning aurora borealis photo taken by Rick Bramm. If you have ordered a T-shirt you’ll be able to pick it up at the NPSP Registration Table starting on Friday 19th at 4:00.

Door Prizes and Grand Prize Draw

Immediately after the Saturday afternoon speakers, door prizes will be awarded to participants through a random draw. The Grand Prize will also be awarded at this time.

Northern Prairie Star Party BBQ and Group Photo

One of our traditions at the NPSP is the ever-popular annual BBQ. We feature quality beef burgers, hot dogs, salads, desserts, and beverages. Following the meal we will gather for a group photo to commemorate the event.

Stargazing at Black Nugget Lake Observatory

The Black Nugget Lake Observatory (BNLO), located at Group Site 9 at the Black Nugget Lake Campground, will be open NPSP participants each night of the Star Party from dusk to midnight, depending on the weather. The BNLO is home to the Unyk-Drew Telescope, a custom-built Newtonian telescope featuring a 32″ mirror. It is one of the largest telescopes in western Canada available to the public for viewing in the night sky. Also available is the Barry Arnold Memorial Telescope which sports an 18″ mirror, also capable of incredible views of deep sky objects.

Shop and Swap (Saturday Sept 20, 10:30AM to Noon)

Back by popular demand, we will host a Swap and Shop in the north cook shelter (opposite the Event Tent) on Saturday morning, from 10:30 to noon. You are welcome to bring any useable astronomy-related items you would like to trade or sell. Tables will be available for you to display your items. Please remove any left-over items and take them with you by 12:00 Noon.

Volunteer roster

The NPSP is a completely volunteer-run event and your participation makes it happen! Many of you have indicated that you are interested and able to put in some volunteer time at NPSP. Thank you! Volunteer tasks include attending the north gate, helping at the Registration Table, setting up chairs in the Event Tent, helping at the BBQ, and more. Shifts usually last between one and two hours. We will be sending out a draft roster a week before the event to give you notice of when and what we have assigned.

About Black Nugget Lake Campground

Black Nugget Lake Campground is a privately-run campsite located one hour’s drive southeast of Edmonton. RASC Edmonton Centre has booked the northern part of the campground for use by star party event attendees for use during the entire event. Daytime activities abound – the site is on a major fall migration flyway and offers exceptional birding opportunities. Lakeshore campsites are available, with canoeing and fishing at your doorstep. Access to the site is entirely by paved road about an hour from Edmonton, making this an easy way to join fellow amateur astronomers for some autumn observing at a convenient dark sky site. See below for a printable map to get to Black Nugget Lake.

Links and Additional Information

NPSP 2025 Ground Rules

NPSP 2025 Schedule

NPSP 2026 is tentatively scheduled for September 8-13 2026.

Check this page again for updates. For more information please contact the Northern Prairie Star Party Planning Team at npsp@edmontonrasc.com.