by Doug Smith 

Have you ever seen the rings of Saturn or its moons? How about the ammonia belts of Jupiter and some of its many moons? Have you ever looked into the Orion Nebula, considered a maternity ward where newborn stars illuminate a 25-light-year-wide dust and gas cloud?

  None of these are visible to the human eye, of course. But if you make a trip to the Echo Valley Observatory near Huntsville you could see these planets and constellations and much more.

  Opened just over a year ago the Echo Valley Astronomical Observatory is Canada's first resort-based astronomical observatory and the largest in Ontario to be used primarily for public viewing of celestial objects.
     "It has been extremely well received," says Grandview Naturalist Robin Tapley, adding that," the program was almost fully booked during this past summer."

  "This October 19^th to 21^st we have our annual Skyview Astronomy weekend, with well known astronomers Terrence Dickinson and Ken Hewitt-White," Tapley continues, stating that, "the observatory is the focus of the weekend's activities."

  Located on one of the highest points in Muskoka about 12 kilometres east of Huntsville, the three-story domed Echo Valley observatory houses a state-of-the-art 40-centimetre (16-inch) Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope identical to those used for public viewing at the largest mountain-top research observatories in North America.

  The telescope is capable of revealing celestial objects 10,000 times fainter than the faintest objects visible to the naked eye. The telescope allows visitors to see a multitude of cosmic sights, including: galaxies of billions of stars up to 100 million light-years away; tattered remains of stars that long ago exploded in the violence of a supernova; moon craters that will appear as close as the astronauts saw them prior to their landing, and clusters of a million stars that date back to the formation of the Milky Way galaxy.
     The observing deck of the observatory also permits unobstructed viewing of the entire sky for constellation and planet identification. "This new observatory offers the visitor a complete astronomy experience unlike anything previously available in Ontario," said Terence Dickinson, Canada's best-known astronomy expert and author of NightWatch, Canada's best-selling stargazing guide. "It is located far enough from city lights that the beauty of the universe is wonderfully accessible."

  Advance registration is required for the public and resort guests. Please call 705.789.4417 to book your visit. Admission is $20 per adult and $15 per child. Private bookings are available upon request. Or visit their website at www.naturetrails.on.ca