What to expect

Join us for a relaxed, immersive night under some of the clearest skies near Ottawa. We head out to North Frontenac Astronomy Park, one of the region’s true dark-sky gems, for an evening of quiet exploration and stargazing.

Round-trip transportation is provided through our professional third-party shuttle partner, with pickup from the Desmarais Building at the University of Ottawa (Google maps).

With minimal light pollution and wide-open skies, you’ll observe deep-sky objects through quality telescopes, guided by passionate astronomy enthusiasts who love sharing what they know. There are two large telescopes permanently set up on site, where guests will take turns viewing throughout the evening. We also also have at least one additional telescopes connected to viewing screens for shared live views of deep-sky objects.

Throughout the night, we’ll explore galaxies, nebulae, star clusters, and any planets in view, along with the stories and science behind them. The evening is guided, interactive, and relaxed, guests rotate through telescope viewing, enjoy live sky interpretation, ask questions, and take in the beauty of a truly dark night sky.

Whether you're a first-timer or a seasoned stargazer, the pace is welcoming and the experience is genuinely memorable.

Feel free to bring your own binoculars, telescope, or camera.

Itinerary

7:30 PM: Depart from Ottawa, Desmarais Building parking lot (Google maps)

9:30 PM: Arrive at North Frontenac Astronomy Park

9:30 PM – 11:30 PM: Stargazing and exploration

11:30 PM – 11:45 PM: Wrap-up

11:45 PM (latest): Depart for Ottawa

2:00 AM (latest): Arrive back in Ottawa

Transportation

Round-trip travel is included. We’ll meet at the Desmarais Building parking lot (Google maps) and head out together at 7:30 PM. Return time is before 2:00 AM.

Special Offers

10% Discount for Families (3+ members).

Simply fill out the form below, and our team will get back to you promptly to confirm your discounted rate.

Discount Form

Rain Dates 

We aim to reschedule rather than cancel to ensure you still get the full stargazing experience. In the event of poor weather, the following rain date will apply. Please make sure you are available for the rain date to accommodate any changes due to bad weather:

• Rain date: Saturday, June 13, 2026

Cancellation Policy

We want every guest to enjoy a magical night under the stars. As this is a weather-dependent experience, please review the policy below before booking. By purchasing a ticket, you agree to these terms.

Weather-Related Cancellations

Stargazing depends on clear skies, so we use the Clear Sky Chartfor the Astronomy Park, a trusted forecast tool used by astronomers, to help guide our decision-making. We check the Clear Sky Chart approximately 6 to 8 hours before the event.

If the chart forecasts more than 35% cloud cover during the event time, or if conditions are not favourable for any other reason (e.g. smoke, safety concerns), the event will automatically be rescheduled to the next applicable rain date and your booking will transfer to that date at no additional cost. Weather updates and any rescheduling notifications will be posted to our Discord channel, we recommend joining before your event date to receive timely updates.

If the rain date also cannot proceed due to weather or unsafe conditions, you will have the option to either:

• Transfer your booking to any future scheduled experience at no additional cost, or

• Request a full refund of 100% of the ticket price

Refunds will be processed within 15 days of your request.

Participant Cancellations

We understand that plans change. If you need to cancel your booking:

• More than 72 hours before the event: You may request a full refund, or transfer your booking to any future scheduled experience at no cost.

• Within 72 hours of the event: Tickets are non-refundable. However, you may transfer your booking to any future scheduled experience. Please contact us as soon as possible so we can accommodate you.

To cancel or request a transfer, please contact us at info@lightbahn.ca.

No-Show Policy

If a guest does not attend the event and has not contacted us at least 1 hour before departure, the booking will be considered a no-show. No-show bookings are non-refundable and are not eligible for transfer.

Cancellation by Lightbahn (Non-Weather Related)

In the rare case that Lightbahn cancels an event for reasons unrelated to weather, all guests will receive a full 100% refund, processed within 15 days.

Research Note: To help us improve future experiences, we may collect anonymised observational notes during the event and send an optional post-event survey. No personally identifiable information is ever shared or published.

FAQs