Categories: Lifestyle

These ‘dark sky preserves’ across Canada are your best chance of viewing this week’s supermoon

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Heads up, stargazers. You might know that this week’s supermoon is on the way tonight, but what you might not know is that there may be a dark sky preserve near you that will offer a front row seat to this spectacular phenomenon.

When is the Beaver supermoon?

According to NASA, a supermoon happens when a full moon coincides with the moon’s closest approach to Earth in its elliptical orbit, known as “perigee.”

November’s full moon, AKA the Beaver supermoon, will be bigger and brighter than any other full moon this year due to its orbiting closer to Earth.

“At its closest point, the full Moon can appear up to 14 per cent bigger and 30 per cent brighter than the faintest Moon of the year, which occurs when it’s farthest from Earth in its orbit,” says The Farmer’s Almanac.

This means that the supermoon will reach its peak illumination early on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025, with specific peak times varying by your location.

According to Time and Date, it will reach its peak at 5:19 a.m. in Vancouver, 6:19 a.m. in Calgary and Edmonton, and 8:15 a.m. in Toronto.

What is a dark sky preserve?

A dark sky preserve is a site where light pollution is low, often a designated park or area outside major cities, that allows for optimal stargazing opportunities. This includes views of the moon, the planets, and constellations.

Parks Canada defines them as “protected areas that make a special commitment to protect and preserve the night, reducing or eliminating light pollution in all forms.” Not only do they help us see more of nature’s intricacies in the sky, but more importantly, they protect a diverse spread of plants, insects, and wildlife that depend on darkness to survive.

Across Canada, you’ll find some of the best dark sky preserves out there. Along the U.S.-Canada border is Alberta’s Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site that’s considered a world-class stargazing spot. It’s less than a three-hour drive away from Calgary and a five-and-a-half-hour drive from Edmonton.

Ontario’s Torrance Barrens Dark-Sky Preserve happens to be the world’s first permanently designated dark sky preserve, and it’s just a couple of hours away from Toronto.

In B.C., there are plenty of stargazing spots to check out, although McDonald Park might be the only somewhat officially designated dark sky preserve in the province. The surrounding mountains act like a large amphitheatre that blocks off the city lights from Abbotsford to the west, Chilliwack to the east, and Mission to the north, allowing visitors to get a glimpse of undisturbed skies.