The Jasper Planetarium
The Jasper Planetarium is an all-year experience for those interested in looking past our atmosphere. You’ll join local astronomy guides as you take in the views from the world’s largest dark sky preserve, enjoy a show in the 40-seat domed theatre, share in Aboriginal constellation stories, Northern Lights lessons, photography tips for capturing the Milky Way and the aurora, with hands-on experiences including the chance to interact with their collection of meteorites (remembers, meteorites get to Earth because they have “the rite stuff”).
Planetarium vs Observatory
They are able to stay open all year, even in the midst of winter for a simple reason, an observatory is a building housing one or more telescopes for live viewing of the sky with a retractable roof. One you’re probably familiar with from featuring in many establishing shots in film and TV is the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, California.
A planetarium is a domed theatre indoors that simulates the night sky via a projection. If you’ve never been to Jasper, you may have also visited the TELUS World of Science and seen a presentation.
Jasper’s does offer nightly educational experiences with telescope viewing, but that’s just one of their three different tour types.
Location
The Planetarium is located INSIDE the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge (but if you’re putting it in your GPS or Google Maps, make sure you type in Jasper Planetarium). Tours meet in the Main Lodge near the front desk (make sure you check in no later than 15 minutes before your tour is scheduled to start!)
Unlike other museums or attractions, this isn’t a free-wandering sort of deal, it’s by tour so you have to book (we recommend doing so in advance to get the time slot and experience you want).
Tours
Planetarium Dome Theatre
A guided tour that involves audience participation in the domed theatre as astronomy experts guide you through the Milky Way to orbit Earth. Looking down at Jasper you might even catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights!
Planetarium and Telescope Combo
This package will have you enjoying a full evening amongst the cosmos. First, you’ll take part in a guided tour of the Jasper Dark Sky Preserve in the domed theatre with the planetarium’s astronomy experts. Afterwards, head outside for a “clear-or-cloudy” chance to use their telescopes and take in the galaxies, planets, stars, the aurora, and more!
(Image from Jasper Planetarium, “the Andromeda Galaxy”)
Telescope Experience
Check out the largest, most powerful telescopes in the North American Rockies, with views of the dark skies, and learn more about local cosmic activity, hold a meteorite, and maybe see the Northern Lights.
Image from Jasper Planetarium “the Whirlpool Galaxy ‘eating’ a smaller galaxy,” as seen through one of their telescopes)
While completely clear skies aren’t a necessity for using the telescopes, should the sky prove too impermeable they currently offer a free 2-year rain check if the weather proves against you for your booking (they do not offer refunds, only rescheduling).
Check out their website for more info on these experiences!