Categories: Lifestyle

Lights out: Canada is home to the world’s first International Dark Sky Reserve & it’s a magical must-visit

Photo via Shutterstock

From the lakes and rivers to the mountains and cities, Canada is ridiculously good-looking, only made better when the stars shine above it.

From coast to coast there are some pretty incredible places to get a clear view, but few are as impressive as the Mont-Mégantic International Dark Sky Reserve.

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Located in southern Quebec, Mont-Mégantic was certified by DarkSky International in 2007 and is actually the first reserve to have done so!

After this, several other destinations including those in Ireland, Mexico and Nambia were also given the honour, but what exactly does this mean?

According to their website, an International Dark Sky Reserve (IDSR) is a large public or private land possessing a starry sky of exceptional quality and nocturnal environment which is subject to protection for scientific, educational, cultural or natural enjoyment.

“The reserve consist of a core area where the dark sky is preserved, and a peripheral area where public administrators, individuals, and businesses recognize the importance of natural darkness preservation and are committed to protecting it in the long term.,” they explain.

“DarkSky International also certifies communities, parks, sanctuaries as well as urban dark sky places”

In this particular area, light pollution has been reduced significantly by a mix of technology, determination and the collective effort of 34 towns and cities including 4 municipalities of the Haut-Saint-François RCM to the west and 19 municipalities of the Granit RCM to the east.

“Thanks to the collaboration of many municipal cities, an entire region has better access to the stars,” they explain.

“By creating an island of darkness, the local population not only has access to the starry sky but also benefits from better lighting.”

Hoping to visit during the upcoming meteor shower or next solar storm?

Bring warm clothing and your sense of wonder, then get ready to see everything above – even nocturnal animals (as long as you leave your flashlight in the car.)

There’s nothing quite like it!